January 2014 Official Publication of the ......17 March ATPL - Navigation course starts 24 March ATPL - Flight Planning course starts 26 March CPL - Human Factors course starts 30

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au January 2014 1

Official Publication of the Royal Aero Club of Western

Australia (Inc.)

January 2014

Australia $4.00 (Inc. GST)

9 7 7 1 8 3 3 6 1 1 6 0 2

ISSN 1833-6116

http://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au

2 January 2014 Tarmac Topics

Cover Photo: The crew of Racwa Mooney VH-OID is busily looking for navigation points in the Dambusters Raid Commemorative Flight. Photo: Heather Taylor

The views expressed in TARMAC TOPICS are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Racwa, nor does it automatically endorse products advertised. Racwa retains the right to reject or edit submissions for publication to conform with Racwa policies or due to space constraints. Aviation regulatory matters are mentioned as general information only - readers should obtain the current status immediately before flight operations. No responsibility is taken for any loss or damage suffered by any person or entity attributed to the content of any article or advertisement published in this magazine. Reproduction of material published in this magazine is permitted after approval has been obtained from the Publisher of Tarmac Topics, and on the condition the article/photo source is acknowledged.

Main Office & Operations:41 Eagle Drive, Jandakot Airport, JANDAKOT, W.A. 6164Phones: 08 9417 0000Fax: 08 9417 0040Email: [email protected]: www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au

Flickr: Royal Aero Club WATwitter: www.twitter.com/royalaeroclubwaFacebook: www.facebook.com/royalaeroclubwa

Murrayfield Operations: Lakes Road,NAMBEELUP, W.A., 6210Phone: 08 9581 6222Fax: 08 9583 3922Email: [email protected]

Racwa Team Members: General Manager: David CurreyClub Secretary: David CurreyCFI (VFR): Trevor JonesCFI (IFR) Wayne ClemeshaCFI (IT) / Murrayfield: John Douglas Chief Engineer: Glen Caple Operations Manager: Rick EnnisOIC: Grant Webb

Tarmac Topics: Publisher: The Royal Aero Club of

Western Australia (Inc.) 19 537 624 305

Editor: [email protected] / Advertising Manager:

Shelley Cruden Ph. 0423 892 084 [email protected]

Printer: Mike Severn (Success Print) Ph. 9279 3214 [email protected]

Features Flying in North West Australia 6 Success 7 WALACs 8-9 Plan Your Involvement Now 11 History Now 12 Getting to Know Fellow Members 13 The Looooong Flight 14 Adventures 15

Regular Items News 3 Around the Club 5 Club Captain's Corner 10 On A Lighter Note 14

Contact Us 2Club Diary & Coming Events 4

His Excellency Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC Governor Of Western Australia

Andrew Eldridge President: 0438 220 703 or 08 9221 4336 [email protected]

Mitchell Wells Vice President: 0400 700 824 [email protected]

Steve Wilson Treasurer: 0407 772 324 [email protected]

Craig Hensley Club Captain: 0439 528 733 [email protected]

Jim Jenkins Director: 0414 345 196 [email protected]

Linda Maule Director 0411 480 909 [email protected]

Rod Garnaut Director: 0411 700 336 [email protected]

Martin Jones Director: 0407 033 737 [email protected]

Rachel George: Director: 0418 957 225

Cont

act U

sContacts

Committee

To AdvertiseIn This Issue

DeadlinesThe deadline for receiving articles and photos for the following month's edition is the 17th of each month.

Advertise in Tarmac Topics now. For details, check http://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au or contact Shelley Cruden on 0423 892 084 or [email protected].

Disclaimer

Patron


Andrew Eldridge, President

New

s

Onwards and Upwards

Happy New Year! Another year ends and we look forward to a new and exciting 2014. I hope you had a safe and enjoyable festive season.

2013 was a good year for the Royal Aero Club. It will always be challenging - trying to eke out a living in the aviation training industry, and like all the operators around Australia, we find ourselves in a contracting and increasingly competitive market. Add to this, the uncertainty of CASA's regulatory changes and the complexity of operating in multiple regulatory frameworks as

an Air Operator, Registered Training Organisation, land owner/developer in the Shire of Murray, and the operator of a Registered Airport. You can see the job of running this club is complex. My thanks go to David Currey and the management team for their hard work, steering the club through the obstacles in 2013. At the AGM, the financial reports showed the club is back on an even keel, and showing encouraging signs of improvement. The sale of a portion of Murrayfield is very close to completion, and this will also strengthen our financial position. The structural changes we have made to increase revenue and reduce costs are bearing fruit, but we need to remain vigilant.

The operation of the club is a team effort. I'd like to thank our instructor team and CFI Trevor Jones, for their continuing enthusiasm and hard work. Thanks to the friendly operations staff for keeping the customers happy, and our Accounts staff for their accurate and efficient work. The maintenance team headed by Glen Caple does an outstanding job keeping the fleet flying. Finally, thanks to the committee members and those who volunteer their time for the benefit of the club. Special mention goes to Club Captain Craig Hensley and the Flying Committee for keeping our calendar full and interesting. Thank you to John Ridgway for managing the bar.

Since the new government, positive changes have begun in the industry, and Racwa is contributing to the conversation. We recently participated in an Aviation Safety Regulation Review held in Adelaide, where a number of issues were aired to a panel of independent experts. It was encouraging to see that other aviation organisations in Australia share a common set of experiences and concerns. I'm encouraged that this time, we might actually be heard. The club also continuously engages with our aero club brethren through the Royal Federation.

During the year we prepared a Strategic Plan, and are making good progress. There is a summary of our progress in this edition of Tarmac Topics. Fleet refurbishment is ongoing, but it will be aircraft by aircraft, as time and funds permit. VH-RCF is now being repainted and we hope to see a shiny, renewed C152 back on line soon.

Thank you to those of you who previously opted to receive Tarmac Topics electronically. It is certainly the way of the future, and most people are getting used to this modern reality. I hear from the paper copy stalwarts that a physical magazine is required for the toilet, but now that everyone has a tablet computer or smartphone, I would like to make the case for web surfing on the throne. If you are ready to receive the magazine electronically, please let us know. The club website and Facebook page are great sources of information, and I would encourage you to use these resources. We have decided to send a hardcopy of this edition to all members for a number of reasons. We would like all our members to have access to the weekly emails, and other important communications, so if this is the first contact you've had with the club in some time, it probably means we don't have your current email! Please email us your current details at [email protected]. Furthermore, we have included the club calendar for the full year in this edition, so please tear it out and put it on your fridge door. The success of our club depends upon the active participation of our members, and we work hard to provide something for everyone. I would like to see YOU at the club in 2014.

Best wishes,

Membership renewal notifications have been sent to all members in December. To eliminate the cost of sending repeat statements, it

would be greatly appreciated if members could renew their membership as soon as possible. If you pay by EFT, please ensure that you include your membership number as a reference.

2014 Membership RenewalThe membership fees for 2014 are:

Ordinary $277.00 Country $195.00 Junior $154.00 Associate $154.00 Associate Junior $83.00 Retired $113.00 Permanent Life $2,770.00 Corporate $1,040.00

D Currey Secretary


February 8 BAK (part time) course starts 8 Learn to Fly Seminar 9 YMUL Comp - Flour Bombing12 CPL - Meteorology course starts15 Club Captain's Dinner18 ATPL - Human Factors course starts18 Aviation Workshop Evening23 YPJT Comp - Instrumentless Circuit24 ATPL - Meteorology course starts28 Formation Friday28 Industry Presentation28 Old Fliers Group

Later2 March Busselton Aerofest9 March YMUL Comp - Practice Forced Landing10 March PPL (full time) course starts17 March CPL - A/C Performance & Ops course starts17 March ATPL - Navigation course starts24 March ATPL - Flight Planning course starts26 March CPL - Human Factors course starts30 March YPJT Comp3 April CPL - Flight Rules & Air Law course starts7 April ATPL - Air Law course starts9-12 April ALAC, Tooradin, Victoria13 April Northam Open Day18 April Good Friday Rottnest Island Bun Run20 April Certificate IV in Aviation course starts21 April Maths (full time) course starts21 April ATPL - Aerodynamics & A/C Systems course

starts27 April YPJT Comp - Right Hand Seat Circuit

Regular EventsLearn to Fly Seminar - 2nd Saturday of the monthAviation Workshop Evening - 3rd Tuesday of the monthFormation Friday - Last Friday of the monthIndustry Presentation - Last Friday of the monthOld Fliers Group - Last Friday of the monthJandakot Challenge Last Sunday of the month

Wha

t's O

n?

Coming EventsIndustry Presentations

4pm - last Friday of each month Come along - hear the presentation.

More details - contact Operations on 9417 0000

Club DiaryJanuary 5 Certificate IV in Aviation course starts 6 ATPL - Meteorology course starts 6 Maths (full time) course starts11 Learn to Fly Seminar12 YMUL Comp - Hold Your Water14 ATPL - Human Factors course starts19 YPJT Comp - Instrument Circuit20 CPL - Navigation course starts20 ATPL - Air Law course starts26 Skyshow 201426-27 Augusta Fly-In27 BAK (full time) course starts 27 IREX course starts27 ATPL - Performance & Loading course starts28 CPL - Aerodynamics course starts31 Formation Friday31 Industry Presentation31 Old Fliers Group


Around The Club

3rd Place - John Look

2nd place - Sylvia Byers

Ann Garret fixing holes in the wallDonna Ford applying paint with gusto

The accounts department has moved to the office opposite stores. Prior to the move Ann Garrett and Donna Ford demonstrated their multi-skilling ability and

donned overalls to transform the room into a more respectable accounting office. There is no change to their telephone numbers.

Accounts is Moving

“It’s pure exhilaration” declared Roxon Brookfield after his first solo on the 14th December, “All the training comes together and you just do it.”

Roxon came to Perth from Auckland a few years ago and received a trial flight from his girlfriend as a gift. One flight was all it took and he was hooked. Working full time does limit his flying training, but Roxon tries to fly every weekend. With 11 hours in his logbook, Roxon was deemed to be ready for his first solo flight. This was confirmed after an assessment flight with Ben Verazzi and Roxon took to the skies.

Roxon Brookfield

First solo elation! Roxon is congratulated by Ben Verazzi

Fastest Circuit Competition

Santa Comes to Jandakot

Muzz Buzz and Racwa joined forces to welcome Father Christmas this year. Ann Garrett (Racwa

Finance) led the way and told Santa what she'd really like for Christmas,

and other members quickly followed


Flyi

ng in

Nor

th W

est A

ustr

alia

JXC to the Kimberley

Back in JXC, departing Broome, we flew through the deactivated Curtin airspace over Derby then almost following the Gib River Road, before tracking inbound to Kununurra, a 440nm leg. A quick fuel stop and we retraced the last 40 miles

back to El Questro station, where the warm ground temperatures and surrounding hills made for a considered circuit and approach to runway 14. The strip was tucked in between the trees in the valley, but actually was a good width and reasonable surface although there were a few large lumps of sharp stone we noticed after landing. This prompted a bit of a FOD walk the next day. On arrival, we were picked up by the station staff for a well earned cool drink. One of the great privileges of a licence to fly, is to see remote areas and so it was the next day that we headed off past the waiting kangaroos and flocks of birds and took JXC back into the air to explore the Drysdale River area, heading to the coast and the King George and Berkeley rivers. Heading North from El Questro, it is remarkable how remote this area is, but plenty of features and superb seasonal weather made visual navigation straightforward here. Arriving at the mouth of the King George River we were rewarded with spectacular views. Onward down the coast, we explored the scenic tourist route of the Berkeley River then onwards across an expanse of crocodile filled mudflats to Wyndham and then Kununurra for fuel. Fuelled up, a further hop back to El Questro saw us ready for our next leg following a lay day.We had organised a landing at Bellburn and ground tour of the Bungles, but a forward look at the weather situation in Perth meant our planned arrival would coincide with a significant cold frontal system. An early strategic decision was made to prune our trip to arrive before the system, which meant losing this stop and a further overnight at Mt Augustus on our return.We finally departed El Questro heading for the Ragged Ranges, Lake Argyle the Bungle Bungles and Wolfe Creek crater. Tracking down the Ragged Ranges we were rewarded with some of the best views of the trip. Flying the Bungle Bungle scenic route is rewarding but there can be a fair amount of traffic and it is, as ever, essential to do your homework. Departing the Bungle Bungle route at the southern exit we tracked to the SSE for Wolfe Creek some 100 nm away near the Tanami Track. After a few minutes of trying to fly perfect ground track circles around this impressive feature, we headed back NW for a fuel stop at Halls Creek.This marked the start of our trip home with 300nm leg to Broome via Fitzroy Crossing. The next day saw us retrace our steps to Newman, then onto Meekatharra. We spent overnight in Meekatharra before the final hop home with a lunch at Jurien Bay, seeing our first clouds with some light rain during the last 15 minutes of flight.We flew some 4000 nm over ten days. The flying weather was generally easy up North during the trip. As always in winter the biggest concern is often getting in and out of the Perth area. We allowed buffer time for this. Some long legs were involved between fuel stops and some areas are very remote. Everyone we contacted during planning and the trip itself was very helpful. As always with flying there is always something to learn and this trip was no exception. Given more time, there are many more worthwhile destinations to explore. Our trip was really just a reconnoitre of an amazing area of natural beauty. Our thanks go to the club staff for being so helpful with organising this trip and making it possible.

Martin Graville

El Questro

King George

The Ragged Ranges

(Part 2)


SuccessStrategic Plan Progress Report

Target Deliverables ProgressC152 Refurbishment Upholstery, Trim, Exterior and Seatbelts,

selectivelyC152 VH-RCF refurbishment is underway but taking a little longer than hoped due to maintenance workload

Fleet Restructure Sell 1 C172, 1 C152. Upgrade 2x C172s to S models. Twin aircraft. CPL training aircraft. Tailwheel aircraft

A tailwheel aircraft has been cross-hired to satisfy instructor/CPL training requirements. Searching for a suitable C172 to buy when VH-AUC is sold

Derive Revenue from Murrayfield

Hangars for sale on leased land. Increased activity

YMUL Development Sub-Committee appointed. Meetings commencing

Develop a Plan for the Continued Development of WAAC

WAAC Plan Have applied to add IF Diploma to training scope. Developing additional products

Staffing Restructure GM to develop a Staffing Plan CompletedReview Accounting Procedures and Processes

Improved reporting. Improvements in point of sales and cashiering efficiency

Reduction in Accounts staff and new processes being progressively implemented

Reduce Murrayfield Debt Conclude the sale of 2 new lots at Murrayfield

Settlement is pending

Develop a Strategy for Diversifying Club Activities and Training between JT and YMUL

Establish a Murrayfield Development Sub-Committee

No formal strategy development yet, but a promotional campaign for Murrayfield was conducted in the Peel district

Increase Sales; Improve Marketing; Improve Communications to Members

Appoint a Marketing Manager to improve sales and marketing. Communicate better with members

Improved marketing and communications procedures have been adopted. Hardcopy TT to be sent to all members including comprehensive 2014 Club Calendar

Develop Robust Internal Processes to meet Compliance Requirements and Improve Overall Performance

Ensure CASA compliance and ASQA compliance. Integrate document management. Set KPIs

Document management system acquired and being progressively introduced

Clubhouse Refurbishment and Utilisation/Optimisation

Building assessment. Develop a maintenance programme

A small capital improvement has been undertaken to repair doors and air conditioners. Independent electrical metering of Muzz Buzz

Develop an IT Strategy Develop an IT Plan. Review hardware, software, printers, cabling, and backup/security. Investigate point-of-sales technology opportunities. Ensure staff are appropriately trained in systems

Not due yet, however substantial improvements have been applied to the IT infrastructure including: maintenance to uninterruptible power supply, and maintenance to server hardware and memory. Additionally research has been conducted into an integrated booking, duty time, accounting software suite

Review Light Sports Aircraft (LSA) Options

Obtain accurate unbiased information and data. Make an assessment on the viability of LSAs at Racwa

Currently analysing research obtained from a number of LSA training providers

The Ragged Ranges

New MembersRohan Birk, Peter Hughes, Nathan Dayman, Ruben Wills, Robin Hart, Blake Callesen, Craig Bebensee, David Bracken

First SolosAndrew Moore

GFPTMartin Carroll

PPLMatthew Connellan, Peter Amm, Leigh Odgers, Robert Crawford

CPLAshley Hawton

Command Instrument RatingShaun Becker

Night VFR RatingCortlan Bennett, Mark Warren

A Warm Welcome to our New Members, and Congratulations Achievers


Western Australian Light Aircraft Championships (WALAC) The WALAC’s were held in late November

and, with the help of a great crew of volunteers and a group of brave Instructors,

everyone completed the day unscathed, which is more than we can say for the fence. I think I was one of the first to take it out, and after that it just got hammered all morning. Most spectacularly by some competitors who received special mention at the presentation dinner. There were a couple of results of which I’d like to make a special mention - Filip Mihalidi’s first in the Practice Forced Landing is one which deserves recognition - well done mate. Mike Burbidge came second in the Forced but also came second overall which is a great result from a first time competitor who has a great future in aviation. Rod Garnaut showed the way again this year with a terrific Streamer Cutting performance and won Overall Champion. I’d also like to point out that Gary Evans' routine in the Sportsman Aeros was a very polished performance. Dieter Ebeling also performed exceptionally well in the Sportsman Aerobatics Category and was kind enough to put on a fantastic display at the end of the Championships. Jim Di Menna showed once again the skills that have kept the Federation Cup in WA, winning the Low Level Spot and first place

Practice Forced Landing

1st Filip Mihiladi

2nd Michael Burbidge

3rd Rod Garnaut

Low Level Spot Landing

1st Jim Di Menna

2nd Rod Garnaut

3rd Craig Hensley

Streamer Cuttings

1st Rod Garnaut

2nd Craig Hensley

3rd Tony Wilson

Graduate Aerobatics

1st Jim Di Menna

WALAC 2013 Placings

1st Rod Garnaut

2nd Michael Burbidge

3rd Craig Hensley

4th Jim Di Menna

5th Tony Wilson

6th Sylvia Byers

7th Filip Mihiladi


Western Australian Light Aircraft Championships (WALAC) in the Graduate aeros, while the Air BP Team Trophy went to Denise Bess, Sylvia Byers and Mike Burbidge.To all those who helped out - a huge thanks from myself and the rest of the competitors, and to everyone who competed - well done. I hope you had a good day and look forward to seeing you there again next year. Byron Page and Shannae Terrill will be joining in organising WALAC next year and have some great ideas to make the competition bigger and better. I’m looking forward to their help and enthusiasm. A big thanks to Shannae for her great work this year on the camera we had a slide show of her photos at the Dinner and there were plenty of fantastic shots.

Craig Hensley

Sportsman Aerobatics1st Dieter Ebeling 2nd Gary Evans 3rd Denise BessBest Performance Under 150hrsMichael Burbidge Best Performance First Time CompetitionMichael Burbidge

Air BP Team TrophyDenise Bess Sylvia Byers Michael BurbidgeAustin Whitter Overall ChampionRod Garnaut


G’day Members,One year ends and another begins, we all

start out the year with good intentions and resolutions, exercise more, lose weight, quit smoking or drinking, and if we look back how many of last year’s resolutions have been

accomplished? If you’re like me, not many. An easier and more achievable resolution is to do more flying. Now I know it’s not easy to get your flying goals accomplished with the demands of family and finances. Sometimes it’s necessary to neglect other less important aspects of your life such as work and family and just go flying. I have permission slips for your wife/husband/boss if you need them.

Club

Cap

tain

's Co

rner

From the Club CaptainTo get the year started we have a morning comp at Murrayfield on January 12th and an afternoon comp on January 19th at Jandakot. This will free up the long weekend so you can participate in the Skyshow or head to Augusta for the Fly In on January 26th. Just a slow start to the year to ease you back into it. In February the ever popular Flour Bombing will be on at YMUL on the 9th and the Annual Club Captain’s Dinner will be on the 15th. See the Cashier to get your tickets. This will be followed by the Jandakot comp on the 23rd. There will be plenty of aviation activities on again this year so make use of your flying privileges and the benefits of your membership by joining in. You never know - you might improve your flying or at least have a bit of fun trying.Happy New Year everyone, I hope you’ve all had a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and I’d like to wish all our members a prosperous and safe 2014. Happy Landings

Craig Hensley, Club Captain

WinnersMurrayfield - Fastest Circuit

1st Callum Young & Craig Hensley 2nd Sylvia Byers 3rd John Look

While we in Perth are melting with the summer heatwaves and our engines are working extra hard to fly - one of our Racwa members in Switzerland,

Hansruedi Born, is enjoying the serenity and calmness a winter flight can bring.Thank you Hans for this photo taken from a Piper PA28 north of The Alps, at 7000ft

Racwa Worldwide


Plan your Involvement

The Year Ahead - 2014 Club CalendarJanuary

12 8.30am YMUL Comp - Hold Your Water

19 1.45pm YPJT Comp - Instrument Circuit

26 Skyshow 2014 Displays26 & 27 Augusta Fly In

February9 9.30am YMUL Comp

- Flour Bombing15 7pm Club Captain’s Dinner23 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Instrumentless Circuit

March2 Busselton Aerofest9 9.30am YMUL Comp

- Practice Forced Landing30 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Practiced Forced Landing

April9-12 ALAC - Tooradin Airport, Victoria13 Northam Open Day18 8.30am - Rottnest Bun Run27 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Right Hand Seat Circuit

May1 5.30pm YPJT

- Night Comp #111 8.30am YMUL Comp

- HMAS Murrayfield25 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Right Hand Seat Circuit

June5 5.30pm YPJT


- Instrumentless Circuit29 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Rudder Circuit

July3 5.30pm YPJT


- Streamer Cutting27 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Flapless Circuit

August9 5.30pm YMUL Comp

- Murrayfield Moon31 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Hold Your Water CircuitTBA Wings Dinner

September13 YPJT Battle of Britain Dawn Patrol14 8.30am YMUL Comp

- Instrument Circuit28 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Instrument Circuit

October12 8.30am YMUL Comp

- Right Hand Seat Circuit17-19 Geraldton Fly In 26 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Glide Approach

November9 8.30am YMUL Comp

- Low-Level Spot Landing28 5pm YPJT

- WALAC29 8am YMUL

- WALAC

December14 8.30am YMUL Comp

- Instrumentless Circuit28 1.45pm YPJT Comp

- Two for One CircuitTBA Dambusters Flight

It is with sadness that I report the passing of Peter Smith a long serving past Flight Instructor of our Club. Pete or Smiffy or sometimes Plonker was a real character. He joined the Club

in 1990 and was quite a successful business man, but he had a love for flying. He graduated with a CPL on the 4th July 1990 and qualified for an Instructor Rating in that same year. He joined the staff and instantly made his mark as a dedicated passionate friend and Instructor to his students. One of his students reckoned he was the greatest motivator in getting his students through. Smithy got his Grade One in 1994 and Twin training approval soon after. Being a big man it was a hoot seeing him get into and out of a C152. 1996 saw him team up with his mate and former student, Russ Bradshaw, and together they claimed and were awarded a Guiness Book record for a flight around Australia at 500 feet in a Cessna. The total distance was 37,600 Kms. Pete’s other deep passion was fishing and Coral Bay was his favourite venue. He was so well known up there that he started a wing of Racwa and taught a group of local business men to fly. How could CFI Mary (Walton) knock back his request to go to Coral

Bay frequently when he was so “productive”. Smithy often had students, members, and fellow staff in stitches up in the bar with his dry wit and wicked sense of humour. He had to to cease commercial flying in 2001 on medical grounds but still did a little private flying, no doubt with a fishy flavor. Our condolences are with his wife Carol and family, Kelly and Ross.

John Douglas

Vale Peter Smith


Hist

ory

Now

Flying the Lancaster??The Lancaster bomber NX622, housed in the Bullcreek

RAAFA Museum, was the scene of the briefing for our Lancaster flying event. This aircraft was delivered to Perth

in December 1962, hence the commemoration flight at this time of year.Under the nose of this historically important aircraft type, we discussed the weather, route and many other considerations for the flight taking place later in the afternoon. Afterwards, we had an opportunity to view the many and varied exhibits on show at the museum, with the helpful friendly staff always around to answer any questions.Our flying objective was to pinpoint several water dams in the western escarpment just south of Perth, in an effort to simulate and commemorate the famous dams raid performed by the Lancasters of 617 Squadron during World War Two.We had 10 aircraft in all, ranging from Mooneys, Tiger Moths C152, C172 and a Chipmunk. Although two or three formation teams were present, it isn't a requirement to be formation endorsed, in fact, given the concentration needed for formation flying, it was a much better exercise from a sightseeing point of view for all the crew! So yours truly and passenger Sean Carron, set off somewhere near the middle of the pack in Tiger Moth VH-FAS with maps, GPS and a warm jacket!The pre-flight planning had shown a distance of 65 miles and an elapsed time of 56mins, for me that is, so once started (thanks Ben), I got taxi clearance and was given departure clearance from RWY 24L at Jandakot. On leaving the zone, I was first overtaken by the single Mooney of Keith Lindbeck, then after changing frequency to Perth Centre, was advised that there was someone approaching me from behind and several minutes later a formation pair of C172’s passed below and to my right.A Mooney formation of three aircraft had set off first, with Trevor Jones leading Committee member Mitchell Wells, and Club President Andrew Eldridge flying number three. Second off was Club Captain Craig Hensley in a C172, so I had four in front of me as I departed and another three had passed me….this was slow going, but nothing happens quickly in the Tiger……..At this time of year the dams should have lots of water in them, and not being a Hydrologist, am not sure how they should look, but they're nicely shaped and interesting to fly over, the contours following the topography of the surrounding hills.

Rottnest Island

Avoid flying over the Settlement and continuous repetitive circuits

Use East/West approaches in most recent (3/6/10) NDB flight paths

Maintain heightReduce engine revs ASAPFollow designated flight paths

NO TRAINING FLIGHTS between 6pm-8am

Fly neighbourly

Canning Dam wall was the first turning point and a near 180 degree turn to come back to Wungong Reservoir, found me overtaking the C172 pair who had passed me some minutes back! I extended east over the dam as I stayed in front, if only for a brief time before they caught up and left me behind again!After Wungong, a turn south took us to Serpentine Dam – at this point I have to say, our Tigers are extremely well maintained, but they are an eighty year old design, and as such use mainly that age of technology, so flying constantly over densely wooded areas, with no potential forced landing areas, increases the ‘pucker factor’ a little. I was therefore relieved when Serpentine came up and we were able to track for North Dandalup Dam and thereafter toward more open country. Of course a descent to 500ft over the water at North Dandalup was in order, and after a climbing turn to the north, a heading back to Jandakot via Six South and Forrestdale Lake (FDL) was on the cards, with the GPS registering 89 knots at one time. For those of you who don’t know - that's FAST for a Tiger, but alas it was a tailwind, nothing more.Back at Racwa, we hangared the aircraft & the formation pair of Mike Watts (C152) and Martin Graville (Chipmunk) landed and taxied past, naturally I ribbed them for not having caught up to me with a few well designed hand signals. We put the aircraft away and repaired to the bar

for some nibblies and a couple of light ales.The de-brief was mainly the fact that people enjoyed the opportunity to fly over features that they wouldn’t normally, the navigation was mildly challenging, and in all - it was great to be part of another Racwa flying event - something I can highly recommend.It’s easy to be a part of these events, whether they're overnight fly-ins, one day events or event competitions - just put your name and contact details on the noticeboard. If you haven't finished your full PPL yet - ask if there are any cost-share seats, grab a map and join in.I have to say that it was a pleasure to see Instructors and the Committee represented so well at this event, and they should be praised for their attendance.

Mick Harcourt, # 2390


Getti

ng to know fellow

Mem

bersRachel George

A love of big mechanical objects and a career in the fast paced mining industry enticed my father from far North Queensland to Tom Price, in the Pilbara region of Western

Australia in 1970. Living conditions consisted of tent camps and transportable housing while towns were built, and a hard day’s work meant men truly did move mountains, blasting tonnes of rock skyward and laying thousands of kilometres of rail track, marking the beginnings of today’s ‘mining boom’.While still geographically remote, the accessibility of the region today is in stark contrast to 1970. My mother arrived in an overloaded Fokker Friendship, to a bright red dirt airstrip, a late morning temperature of 42oC, and a ride with a man in a truck sporting a canvas cooler on the front for refreshment. My father (the story goes) was distracted by the big machinery and couldn’t be found to remind him to collect his wife! Tom Price airport was subsequently closed, deemed too dangerous due to the close proximity of the mountain ranges and thermals generated, particularly during the summer. Public flights to and from Tom Price now commenced with an 80km drive to the new airfield near Paraburdoo. Operated twice a week, they were heavily booked and followed a route commonly called the ‘milk run’ taking in 3 or 4 stops at other remote communities en-route to Perth. This was the time of a transportable hut for a passenger terminal, MacRobertson Miller aka Mickey Mouse Airlines, Fokker Friendships, F28’s, East West Airlines and later Ansett WA. The only other means of traversing the vast countryside was a 2 day drive in most directions. With two small daughters in tow (one susceptible to car sickness, not naming names) - my parents chose to fly more often than not. Naturally, my interest in aviation was sparked early on and air travel became a frequent and accepted part of our lives, for my father’s work, our holidays and schooling.This interest peaked and by age 10 I proudly announced to all who would listen that I would be a pilot, however I had two obstacles in my path. The asthma which has plagued me since infancy was the first and secondly, my parent's steadfastness that I attend girls boarding school in Perth with my older sister and look to ‘more sensible’ career choices.My fascination with aviation never faulted. After schooling and a Diploma of Business, I started work and not long after, accepted an opportunity to transfer interstate. On return to Perth, marriage and a mortgage soon arrived, yet again dousing any daydreams. However after finding countless excuses to watch aircraft of any kind, at any airport, or check-in for flights far earlier than required just to ensure I had time to watch the arrivals and departures (I can hear you laughing, but go on admit it, you’ve been there and done that!) I decided to visit the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia. After taking a Trial Instructional Flight, the flame was re-lit and I resolved to make an appointment with my family doctor to see if I could pass the medical. I haven’t stopped flying since.Growing up in a small remote community, our family was very lucky in terms of ill health and accidents. We did however know of families and friends who were not so fortunate. It was here that I experienced the impact of the Royal Flying Doctor. Despite the fiscal success and transformation of Western Australia over the last 30 years, there are still many people living in remote communities with little or no access to urgent or specialised medical treatment. Ultimately my aspirations lie with a career with the RFDS, where an opportunity exists to

contribute to the communities where I once lived and where my dreams of flying began. It is my intent to gain my CPL, commence an instructor course to teach and gain valuable experience, with the hope of an eventual transition to the RFDS.When I’m not working or flying, my other passion is dancing. I am a fully qualified dance teacher in ballet, jazz and tap and still continue to perform in competitions and shows, and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a young dancer whom I’ve taught, achieve personal excellence in their chosen genres. Oddly enough, my two passions do share some commonality – they are both time intensive, require a degree of coordination and quick recall and attention to detail. They also provide me with a very strong sense of community. I have made new friends at Racwa since joining the Club in 2009 and my dancing family have been a part of my life for a very long time. I've also found that while both seem worlds apart, they equally have made me feel supported in my endeavours.While I remain time poor and in denial about it, I try to frequent the Club as much as possible, including joining in working bees at Murrayfield and of course the annual Wings Dinner. In fact, I met a charming Mooney pilot over a glass of champagne one Sunday afternoon at the bar, who had participated in a WA Air Race in the 1980s that flew into Tom Price airfield. I remember being a little girl holding my father’s hand, looking around the aircraft parked at the field!I now have one CPL theory exam remaining, and will hopefully start the flying component shortly. My favourite part of flying is landing. My instructor probably begs to differ. You may find it strange; however I enjoy it whether in the Mooney or on a commercial A330 flight. I like hearing power changes in the engine, feeling the effect of flap and undercarriage deployment, and last but not least the eye for detail required to ‘fly the numbers’ in the Mooney and hit that all elusive ‘centre line’.I was asked what advice I would offer to young ladies who may be considering a career in aviation. Perhaps it’s not advice per se, but when asked why, ask why not? Think aspirational, there’s no reason why you can’t, and perhaps do a better job of convincing your parents than I did. Girls can and do enjoy the colour pink and big engines. I’m sure the best is yet to come. See you at the Club!.

Where it all began - a majestic looking Mt Nameless, Tom Price, WA


The

Looo

oong

Flig

htThe Truculent

Turtle's Record Flight (Part 2)

The Turtle had an estimated 20 feet of altitude and 130 knots of airspeed when the JATO bottles burned out. The JATO bottles were not just to give the Turtle additional

speed on take-off, but were intended to improve the rate of climb immediately after lift-off. The Turtle barely cleared the trees a quarter of a mile from the end of the runway.The field elevation of Pearce Aerodrome was about 500 feet, and the terrain to the west sloped gradually down to the Indian Ocean about six miles from the field. So, even without climbing, the Turtle was able to gain height above the trees in the critical minutes after take-off.Fortunately, the emergency procedures for a failed engine had been well thought out, but were never needed. At their take-off weight, they estimated that they would be able to climb at a maximum of 400 feet per minute. If an engine failed and they put maximum power on the remaining engine, they estimated that they would be forced to descend at 200 feet per minute. Their planning indicated that if they could achieve 1,000 feet before an engine failure they would have about four minutes in which to dump fuel to lighten the load and still be 200 feet in the air to attempt a landing. With their built-in fuel dump system, they were confident that they were in good shape at any altitude above 1,000 feet because they could dump fuel fast enough to get down to a comfortable single-engine operating weight before losing too much altitude.Departing the aerodrome boundary, the Turtle was over the waters of the Indian Ocean. With agonising slowness, the altimeter and airspeed readings crept upward. Walt Reid jettisoned the empty JATO bottles. The Turtle was thought to have a 125 KT stall speed with the flaps up at that weight. When they established a sluggish climb rate, Gene Rankin started bringing the flaps up in careful small increments. At 165 KT, with the flaps fully retracted, Tom Davies made his first power reduction to the maximum continuous setting.The sun was setting and the lights of Perth were winking as the Turtle circled back over the city at 3,500 feet and headed out across the 1,800 miles of the central desert of Australia. On this record-breaking flight, one record had already been broken. Never before had two engines carried so much weight into the air after the JATOS had quit.Their plan was to maintain a fairly low 3,500 feet for the first few hundred miles, burning off some fuel, giving them a faster climb to cruise altitude and (hopefully) costing them less fuel for the total trip. But the southwest wind, burbling and eddying across the hills northeast of Perth, brought turbulence that shook and rattled

the overloaded Turtle, threatening the integrity of the wings themselves.Tom Davies applied full power and took her up to 6,500 feet where the atmospheric conditions were smoother, reluctantly accepting the sacrifice of enough fuel to fly an extra couple of hundred miles if lost, bad WX or other unexpected problems at flight's end.Alice Springs at Australia's centre, slipped by under the Turtle's long wings at midnight and Cooktown on the northeast coast at dawn. Then it was out over the Coral Sea where, only a few years earlier, the USS Lexington and Yorktown had sunk the Japanese navy vessel Shoho to win the first carrier battle in history and prevented Australia and New Zealand from being cut off and isolated. We then headed over Bougainville in the Solomons.As the sun set for the second time since takeoff, the Turtle's crew headed out across the vast and empty Pacific Ocean and began to establish a flight routine. They stood two-man four-hour watches, washing, shaving, and changing to clean clothes each morning, and eating regular meals cooked on a hot plate. Every two hours a fresh pilot would enter the cockpit to relieve whoever had been sitting watch the longest.The two Wright 3350 engines ran smoothly; all the gauges indicated all was functioning normally. Every hour another 200 miles of the Pacific was crossed. The crew's only worry was Joey the kangaroo, who hunched unhappily in her crate, refusing to eat or drink.Dawn of the second morning found the Turtle over Maro Reef, halfway between Midway Island and Oahu in the long chain of Hawaiian Islands. The Turtle only had one low-frequency radio, because most of the modern radio equipment had been removed to reduce weight. Radio calls to Midway and Hawaii for weather updates were unsuccessful due to the vast distance.Celestial navigation was showing that the Turtle was drifting southward from their intended great circle route due to increased northerly winds that were adding a headwind that would affect their speed and fuel consumption. Instead of correcting their course by turning more northward, thereby increasing the aircraft's relative wind, Cdr Davies stayed on their current heading, accepting the fact that they would reach the west coast of the U.S. somewhere in northern California rather than near Seattle as they had originally planned.

When the Turtle's wing tip fuel tanks were empty, they were jettisoned over the ocean. Then the Turtle eased up to 10,000 feet and later to 12,000 feet. At noon, Cdr Reid came up to the cockpit smiling. "Well," he reported, "the damned kangaroo has started to eat and drink again. I guess she thinks we're going to make it!"

Continued next month

Commanders Davies, Rankin, Reid & Tebeling


The Wrong Way RoundMost people will tell you that if you want to fly around

Australia, the way to do it is widdershins, as the prevailing winds tend to give you a helping hand, and a few extra

knots, but I have never been one to take the easy way and so planned a clockwise circumnavigation of Australia. One of the major reasons for buying a Jabiru 230D (Jab) was that I intended to do some distance flying and I needed an aircraft with the legs, speed and range to make it possible. The big Jab was very well suited for the job, but as it turns out the humble human did not quite have the same endurance.Now there also needed to be some objectives (besides just doing it for fun), and one was to enable my 13 year old co-pilot to spend a day in Movie World on the Gold Coast to experience the superman ride. (She'd missed out by mere millimetres four years before, even after her best efforts and a set of high heels to get onto the ride) The second was to see the Jabiru factory and birthplace of the humble steed that would carry us on our adventure. Lastly, it would seem rude not to collect the "Come And Get It Trophy" (CAGIT) on the way back. So I called Dexter, who I thought was the current holder of the CAGIT. He had retrieved it from Tasmania - a great effort, and a very nice chap. But I found out it had moved on to Swan Reach on the Murray. Peter and Kerry were now the holders, and I just imagined that I would end up flying around the country trying to catch up with the Trophy. Anyway, the departure day was set for September 28th (it was school holidays) and we lifted into the air with the intention of dropping in to Serpentine as they were having a fly-in that weekend and it was only 10 mins flying time - it would be a nice slow start for the trip. As it turned out though, the fly-in was not until the Sunday, so we set off for WesFly at Whitegum Farm instead. A few minutes out, and the engine started to cough - I went through the “was that a cough or not routine” and there it was again, so I turned around and headed back to the club satellite field to see what was the issue. It ended up being issues with the Jabiru cold start kit that had been fitted and flown some two weeks previously. With the original coil fitted and tested, we were off to WesFly, but now half the day had gone.The flight involved going over the densely wooded Darling Range with very few places to put down, so I intended to go over this as high as possible and I felt so much happier when the fields started to appear. On arriving overhead, we could see that there were a number of aircraft all lined up and in few minutes we would be on the ground having completed our first leg of the trip.Arriving from the South West, I joined downwind for the duty runway 27 and slipped into finals only to find that I just could not dump the height from the lift I was getting, even with a lot of side slipping. I made the call not to force her in, and did a go around, touching down safely shortly after a quick circuit and a nice landing. We had ground marshals and were shortly in a spot to tie down for the night and put up the tent under the wing in the age old tradition. The festivities and food were good, and for entertainment we had a chap carving out an ice sculpture right before our eyes - a great way to start a trip and a super night.The following morning we were up bright and early, packed the tent and everything else back into the Jab, and had some breakfast with the intention of wheels-up around 09:00 for the next leg to Overlander. Overlander is just a strip with a motel and service station by the road, so I called the number in the pilot's guide and was informed that the flying doctor had landed there three days earlier so it should be ok.

We lifted off, climbed skywards and called Melbourne Centre, just to reconfirm that some restricted areas were not active, then back onto track flying north with the Indian ocean shining blue to our left. Once clear of Perth’s class “C” airspace, we climbed above the inversion (at around 7000ft) into the nice smooth air, and watched as Geraldton slipped passed our 9 o’clock position. Then, out of the gloom from our port side, the North West Coastal Highway started converging with our track, with a long north-south section right on our nose. Now I was just trying to pick the field in the distance, as there was not a cloud in the sky - just the haze.The first place we picked out that raised our hopes, turned out not to be Overlander but a strip called Billabong, with the runway leading right up to the service station. All I could think of was why had I not picked this strip, but the plan was for Overlander. So even with the bum and back ache (yes the human part was letting the side down), we continued north and some 15 mins later we were over the strip. The strip was wide and long and presented no issues on landing and we taxied to the southern end and the road. We refuelled the Jab from the two extra 20L tanks we were carrying, but I always like to have full tanks if possible so we walked over to the service station, to refuel the humans and check on the aeroplane fuel situation. The owner wasn't too impressed about taxiing the Jab into to service station, so I opted to taxi to the other side of the road and refuel via the fuel cans and restock my reserve.The next stop was Carnarvon for the end of the second day. We arrived with light to spare and a deserted airfield, so as the fuel bowser was a BP card only (only in WA - grr), we topped off our tanks from the cans, found a quiet spot behind the fuel farm and setup camp. We headed into town for some pizza and a night in the tent watching movies on the laptop.

James MurphyContinued Next Month

Adventures


Old Fliers GroupO

n a

Ligh

ter N

ote

Used by permission of Gary Clark www.swamp.com.au Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/DingDuckThe Swamp

Nearly 100 people gathered to catch up with friends and enjoy a buffet lunch before we got underway with our two guest speakers.

Bob Ashley is a former RAF aircraft mechanic who has a wealth of stories related to his time during the post WWII period, when the former Soviet Union blockaded Berlin.Bob and his mates were tasked with keeping the transport aircraft flying. Over 200,000 flights were made into Berlin at the height of the crisis.

Our speaker of the day was retired Engineer John Wager.John has spoken to us on many occasions and is always interesting. He spoke of the life and work of Sir Lawrence Wackett KBE, DFC, AFC. This remarkable Australian pilot, designer, entrepreneur and engineer is regarded as the father of the Australian aircraft industry.These talks will be added to our YouTube channel for all to enjoy.We look forward to 2014 and to meeting and making new friends.

Stephen Rogers, OFG Coordinator

Having been with the club for the better half of their young lives, the 3 amigos - Byron Page, Carrie Munro and Ben Jackson were each nearing the eagerly

anticipated 1000 hour mark of their licences.This mark is the signal of greatness; it separates the goats from the sheep, the rabbits from the bunnies and the nuts from the squirrels.The 3 never realised how close they were to each other on flight hours. “It all started one day in the instructor room” said Carrie Munro, “innocently conversing, we realised the three of us were all within a couple of hours of each other and not far away from 900. We decided then and there this had to be a race to 1000.”The rules were simple, the agreement was shook upon. First person to 1000 was the winner, there would be a trophy arranged and the other two runners up would buy the winner drinks when they all had a weekend off and of course get to choose the location for celebrations. The three set off to be the first of the bunch to reach the milestone, and took to whatever mean feat possible to beat each other to what seemed at the time like an almost unlikely task - needing to rack up hours left right and centre.A closely contested turtle race, saw Benjamin Jackson the supreme, ultimate victor; walking away with a trophy built for a champion. “I think they were probably the most satisfying hours of my career” said Ben Jackson, “having something to work towards with people to motivate you to do more and better - I feel the sense of club camaraderie really got me across the line.”

The 3 AmigosByron completed his thousand the next morning and Carrie achieved hers a week later. Considering Carrie only instructs on a part time basis and having spent a week away in Melbourne during the race just proves how close the competition really was. The trophy was designed by Byron from an old tachometer, statically displaying the RPM gauge. Wes the engineer managed to pause the needle on 1000 and Byron infixed the gauge within Wandoo wood. "I wanted to make something special as a memento of this accomplishment" commented Byron. "I had this idea it had to be an airplane part like a VDO, and when Keeara told me she had an old Tacho - I was overjoyed. The wood I used was an aboriginal native, custodial wood my mate has as his floor. It was pretty hard; the jigsaw didn't do all the work and I didn't have a chisel so I had to use a screwdriver. I hope Ben appreciates the effort that went into making that thing."Suitably, a Mexican restaurant was the chosen location for the three amigos celebration and a good "8 hrs bottle to throttle" was strictly adhered to. Big congratulations to the three of our beloved Club instructors. We're immensely proud of their accomplishments and hope they'll stick around for their 2000th.

Documents

January 2014 Official Publication of the ......17 March ATPL - Navigation course starts 24 March ATPL - Flight Planning course starts 26 March CPL - Human Factors course starts 30