Testing times

I've completed all the required Navs for my PPL. I've also started my
CPL exams. The next month is going to be very busy for me as I try to
complete all my CPL exams. MTW is going great, I have done 12hrs on her
now and she is only down 1 Quart of oil, that could well have come out
of the breather so I am very happy with the engine condition. I'm
getting more comfortable in her, and yesterday I practised my flap less
crosswind landings and I'm pleased with everything.

Economy cruise is about 100knots when she is heavy and that equates to
about 28lt/hr or flat out she can manage about 115knots at 35lt/hr. So
far I have not been above 4500ft and I am keen to see how she performs
at her optimum height of around 8000ft.

She pulls up in around 100m for a properly executed short field landing,
but needs much more room to T/O (600m) and climb performance is never
impressive. Never any problem getting back down though ;-)

Long Nav

Did I mention it was a 3Hr 54 Minute Flight! The piper has about a 5
Hour Endurance at 2650RPM or 90% throttle. If I can live with 100knots
I should be able to get her down to 75% throttle and less fuel burn.

Perth

imgp5560.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

Here is the view back to Perth from over Cottesloe

Fremantle

imgp5562.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

Here I am tracing down the coast towards the PowerHouse in Fremantle.

Observation City

imgp5550.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

Here I am tracking South down the coast towards Fremantle after popping out over Observation City.

Perth Airport

imgp5533.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

After being sent way north I was vectored in over Perth Airport, not something you see often from a small VFR aircraft.

Salt lakes

imgp5491.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

When you are navigating with a map these are invaluable, along with Major Roads and Railways and Grain Silos, Towns and Rivers.

Nav6

imgp5484.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

My last Solo Navigation exercise before my PPL flight test went well and really tested my ability and confidence. It was from Jandakot to Corragin then Beverly and finally Northam before returning to Jandakot via a corner of controlled airspace. It was a hot and thermic day and quite bumpy, but the Piper is so much more stable than a 172, easier and more relaxing to fly. The DG stayed wonderfully aligned with the compass, requiring regular checking but no regular changes.
I have yet to work out the average speeds and fuel burn, but I am guessing that I was averaging about 110knots and 36lph. I had to dodge gliders at Beverly and deal with crosswinds and rotor at all 3 airfields, but it was no problem. On the way out I had to track around a fire at Canning Damn as the smoke meant no VMC was possible. When I got back to clackline and got my transponder code I was initially told there was no entry into controlled airspace, that was until it became apparent that there was no VMC possible anywhere near canning damn and I was vectored north of Perth before getting an overfly to Observation city and an awesome flight down the coast, returning to Jandakot via the Power House in Fremantle.

Cott!

Monday was an excellent Cott day, Karl, Mike, Jason, Rob, Caine, Gavin,
Shaun and myself were all there and we all flew. I got Karl, Rob and
Caine to fly my glider and everybody loves a Fun 160. It was gusty at
times and off to the North as well, but everyone did great, safe top
landings all round. Karl was up for ages and flew like a champ in
changeable and tricky conditions.
I'm still waiting for MTW to be ready for our adventures together,
impatiently.

Mike Tango Whisky

imgp5463.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

Piper Cherokee PA28-140

imgp5465.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

She was born in 1976 and factory corrosion proofed. Despite having been unloved and unused for the last couple of years she is in great shape, mechanically excellent and with a full set of night VFR instruments and all working accessories. 150Hp is not going to make her an amazing performer, but she flies nicely and I can't wait to get to know her better. Even with a 1940's technology 5.2 litre push rod engine she still manages to get MPG that shames some cars driving on the road today.

Solo Nav

imgp5454.jpg, originally uploaded by hangflyer.

This was taken by me on the way back from Bunbury in a Cessna 172.
In theory I am just 2 more flights away from my PPL flight test.
There are a heap more photos from the flight from Jandakot to Boddington and Bunbury and then back to Jandakot on my Flikr site.

PPLA

I passed my PPLA theory exam! Yay again!

Weather permitting I am flying down to Bunbury by myself tomorrow as my
first Solo Navigation exercise.

Only 3 more Nav flights before I have my flight test and get my full
licence, fingers crossed.

Weather permitting that could be next week. Yay!

Jandakot

My PPL is going great and I hope to have my Navs completed within a few weeks. I stitched together some shots of Jandakot to create a panorama view. Last week I became a member of the RAA and did an hour in a Jabiru 160C and I should have my RAA licence before my PPL if all goes according to plan.

Cott!

Bim & I mixed it up at Cott this afternoon. It was strange air, mostly
due west but with big holes. I top landed once and had to beach land
twice because there were too many spectators to scrape in safely on top.
A challenging day but Cott is always fun!

Back in Oz

After a couple of months in Europe I am back in Oz again. Summer was not
great, yet again in the UK. Whether it is climate change or just that I
am so thoroughly spoilt by the Australian summers I'm not sure. I drove
to Switzerland in my last week to see family.

I flew back into Exmouth as that's where I left my shell in storage.
After a week of Exmouth sun I decided to head down to Perth and I had an
entirely uneventful journey until I got about 300kms from Perth and the
right hand side leaf spring on the caravan disintegrated whilst I was
driving. Luckily my iPod had broken and so rather than listening to loud
music I was able to hear the leaf springs snap and I managed to keep the
caravan under control and get it stopped on the side of the road. The
axle was trying to get away and so I had to reverse back up the road to
get it back under the caravan and to a more level place for repairs. I
drove into Perth and got a new leaf spring and then changed it in the
mud at the side of the Brand Hwy and made it safely to Perth.

After so much travelling I am going to be in Perth for a while as I work
towards my CPL.

On Friday I did an hour of circuits at Jandakot and then drove down to
Cottesloe and flew there too.

My internet connection is not good today so I will upload photos later.

Computer Animation

It's getting pretty good now. How much of the Olympic Opening Ceremony
did you think was real? What about this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLiX5d3rC6o

Off to CH before I head back to Oz.

20 Years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the things you did do - Mark Twain

Telstra WTF?

This is the reply I get from Telstra this time, no shit. Verbatim.

I don't understand it, it does not make any sense. I think they must use bots that pick random english phrases out of a database and send pointless messages like this to save having real people there.

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Telstra getting worse all the time.

Thank You

Thank you for contacting us. You will shortly receive an email from us with a tracking number.We will aim to respond to your question within two (2) business days.

Oh goody another tracking number! 21 Days since the last email and still waiting for a resolution.

Nowhere on the Telstra site does it tell you how to access your messagebank messages from overseas. What moron is responsible for the worst Telco's web site in the world?