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Damo's Flightlog

My log of flight as a student & beyond... Also at www.deltajulietromeo.tk

My interview on Plane Crazy Down Under - Podcast

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rozuz

On the 4th of September 2010, Grant & Steve from the Plane Crazy Down Under Podcast (found at www.planecrazydownunder.com) published their latest episode, featuring an interview with none other than ME!!

Here's the link to their website:  CLICK HERE Here's the link to download the episode as an MP3: RIGHT CLICK HERE & LEFT CLICK ON 'SAVE LINK AS'
(You'll catch my interview at the 1hr 12min mark & goes for about 20mins) We talk about my progress, what my plans are, selling the house to fund the endeavour, among other things...



Hour building trip - Day 1 - Toowoomba to Tibooburra

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So we (the wife & I) were supposed to leave Toowoomba on Monday the 23rd of August, however the weather gods were not forthcoming & delayed us by a day... so off we went on the 24th of August!

Originally I'd planned on us flying to a place called Arkaroola in the northern Flinders ranges. Unfortunately due to the time we ended up departing, a 30 knot headwind & there not being any runway lighting at Arkaroola, I altered plans & we stopped in at Tibooburra for the night instead. I'd already planned to refuel at Tibooburra, organising that about a month in advance, due to the remote location.  

After preflight, planning & flight notification, we took off from Toowoomba, headed for St George. One of my goals on this trip was not to rely on autopilot & GPS, as I was to be building experience for my CPL, as such I hand flew & dead reckoned to St George, needing a 1 in 60 along the way due to different than forcast winds.  After overflying St George I took up course for Cunnamulla, following the VOR from about 50nm out of Cunnamulla.  



We refueled in Cunnamulla... that's a story in itself: in order to get fuel one must call the people to come & refuel us. That's all well & good, except that the airport is unmanned usually & there is no public phone at the airport.  So what's the problem I hear you ask, use your mobile... ahh yes.  If my mobile was on the Telstra network, that wouldn't have been a problem... but alas (at that stage) I was with Optus.  I walked around until I found 'the' place that I got 1 bar of coverage, & got through! Fuel price in Cunnamulla wasn't too bad, not that much more than Toowoomba.



After departing & tracking out on the VOR for Tibooburra, I dead reckoned but used the GPS to make sure we were on track.  This part of Australia is considered 'remote area' and as such required me to plan & carry 'survival equipment', which included: enough water for all on board for a few days, a large tarp (silver), ropes & pegs, rations, sleeping bags, and a first aid kit.  The plane also was equipt with an ELB (Electronic Locating Beacon), hence I didn't want to take any chances with navigation fopars enroute.  

The landing at Tibooburra was a little hairy... quite the crosswind.



Here we rested from the day's flight at the Tibooburra Hotel. The locals were very friendly & let me tell you, the meal was the best restraunt food we had for the whole trip.

I'll post day 2 in the next couple of days. This may also include a few 4X4 clips around Arkaroola!

CPL theory exams completed!!!

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88% for performance kdr's done, now just flying!

Passed CPL Airlaw - 88%

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now planning major hour building flight from Toowoomba - Cunnamulla - Tibooburra - Arkaroola - William Creek - Cadney Homestead - Ayers Rock - Coober Pedy - Leigh Creek - Broken Hill - Bourke - Brewarrina - Moree - Toowoomba....


182RG - CSU & Retract Endo has begun

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Yesterday I started my endorsement on the Cessna 182RG. This requires me to operate a Constant Speed Unit (variable pitch prop) & retractable undercarraige.

I initially found it all a little overwhelming yesterday, but before too long got comfortable in the aircraft, the different & louder noise, operating the new systems etc.

Actually the one that that suprised me was the difference in note & volume of the engine. The Lycoming is a 541 cubic inch, horozontally opposed 6, developing about 235BHP. That's one BIG engine... for a 6 anyway!

I've got more flying today (bashing out circuits I beleive), then tomorrow I'll go for a run down to Archerfield (YBAF) & back.

I knew it was coming, but was also supprised at just how much you need to fly ahead of the aircraft due to the extra 25knots in speed. I couldn't even imagine what it's like to fly a Turboprop or Jet for that matter... talk about prior planning.

CPL Nav Exam - 93%

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Woohoo 2 to go!!

Passed CPL Aerodynamics 93%

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Another one down... 3 to go!

Flying with the wife & kids

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Yesterday I took my wife & 2 of our children up for a nav. Total flight time was 4.0 hours & they loved it.

We left Toowoomba & flew at Gatton, where we turned north for Wivenhoe Dam @ 1500'.  We then followed the dam up to Somerset Dam where it got a little bumpy for Jo's (my wife) liking so I climbed to 3500'.  Turning right at Kilcoy we flew between the mountains past Woodford & Mt. Beerwah,


First official nav at a new PPL holder...

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I have flown a few times since I got my PPL, but not done an actual nav since. So I was talking with my brother-in-law who has always liked flying & suggested we go out & do a nav.

We left Toowoomba & headed to Tara & overflew the strip, then headed north to Chinchilla where we landed.  We met up with a farmer who had just hangered his RAA registered Jabiru & had a bit of a chat on the tarmac, while we stretched our legs.

After taking off in the strongest crosswind I've ever taken off in, the plan was to fly at 3500' to Lyndley strip, do an airborne inspection & then fly the VOR back to Oakey.  Unfortunately my passenger felt it would be better to have the contents of this stomach in a chuckbag then in his stomach (due to the bumpy ride at 3500'), so I climbed to 5500', still flew to Lyndley, but didn't decent to do the inspection. We turned to Oakey, tracked in on the VOR & then I asked if he felt OK enough to do some touch & go's at the Army Base. He said he was fine & so we joined the circuit & proceeded to do the first touch n' go.  On final for the second touch n' go up came more of this stomach (into the bag - after I handed it to him), so I did a 'go around' & headed back to Toowoomba (only 12nm away) & made a very deliberate, soft & smooth full stop landing.

Here's a photo of me at Chincilla (and of course what you all want to look at, the G1000 equipt 172)...

From damienjrose


On final for RWY 23 at the Oakey Army Base (YBOK)...

From damienjrose


Over the strip at Tara (YTAA)...

From damienjrose

Night VFR Rating PASSED!

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G'day all,  over the past 2 weeks I have been working on attaining my Night VFR rating.  This has been an exciting task to accomplish, and many new skills & more knowledge was acquired along the way.

For those not from Australia, if we desire to fly before first or after last light, it is required of us to have a night vfr or an ifr rating.  As taken from the Civil Aviation Advisory Publication:

"Australia is one of the few countries to require a separate pilot qualification to fly at night under VFR, but the additional complexity and risk of night flying, as demonstrated by the accident record both in Australia and overseas, provides ample
reason for pilots to undertake additional training for a night flying qualification".

The requirements to be met for the CASA are (other than the Aeronautical Knowledge component) are (as taken from the CAAP):

5.3 Aeronautical experience
5.3.1 The aeronautical experience requirements for the issue of
a NVFR Rating are specified in CAO 40.2.2, Appendix 1. In
summary, the requirements for the aeroplane or helicopter grade
of NVFR Rating are:
o Sufficient instrument flight time to achieve the specified
standard;
o At least 10 hours flight time at night;
o Including at least five hours in aeroplanes or helicopters
as appropriate to the rating;
12 CAAP 5.13-2(0): NVFR Rating
December 2006
o Including at least two hours night circuits;
o Including at least one hour night circuits in aeroplanes or
helicopters as appropriate to the rating;
o Five hours of dual navigation training at night;
o Including one cross country flight of at least three hours
duration covering at least 100 miles;
o Including one landing at an aerodrome other than the
departure aerodrome and which is not in an area that has
sufficient ground light to provide a discernible horizon.

So, I completed my Navaid traiing (as previously posted), then onto night circuits.  The comment I made to my wife after getting back from flying my first night circuits was, "I thought flying in the day time was fun... flying at night is awesome!".  Two nights later I completed my 2nd session of night circuits, which met the requirement of 2hrs solo night circuits & tallied up about 4.5hrs total night circuits.

Next was the night navs... the first was from Toowoomba - Kingaroy - Chinchilla. After flying circuits at Kingaroy & Chinchilla I had been required to plan to fly to Moonie & then back to Toowoomba. When around the town of Tara, the instructor diverted me to Oakey on the VOR & then we flew back into Toowoomba.  There was something interesting that happened on the radio too, a military F111 made a Pan call to ATS, you can listen to the audio by clicking HERE

The second nav took me from Toowoomba - Goondiwindi then I'd planned a track to Tara then Toowoomba, however once again the instructor diverted me, this time at Moonie, back to Toowoomba.

Next was the test. I did my I/F test first which involved procedures such as climbing & decending turns, partial panel, unusual attitude recovery under partial panel, homing & intercepting aswell as plotting position of radio nav aids.

That evening I then flew from Toowoomba - Warwick, where I conducted my night circuits, then to Millmerran - Dalby... but you guested it, the ATO diverted me to Toowoomba enroute to Dalby.  

As we joined mid-field crosswind the ATO said that there was no issues with the flight & he would be 'putting the sticker' in my Logbook!

So there you have it, I am now night rated.  I can't wait to organise & plan a night flight over the city of Brisbane.  That will be pretty.

Here's a picture of the 172 just before my first nav...
From damienjrose

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