www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 1

Official Publication of the Royal Aero Club of Western

Australia (Inc.)

September 2013

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

September 2013 Tarmac Topics2

Cover Photo: Shorts Sunderland MR5 on display at the RAF Museum, Hendon, London. Photo: Garth Cruden

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: info@royalaeroclubwa.com.auWeb: 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: murrayfield@royalaeroclubwa.com.au

Racwa Team Members: General Manager: David CurreyClub Secretary: Patrick Ng CFI (VFR): Trevor JonesCFI (IFR) Wayne ClemeshaCFI (IT) / Murrayfield: John Douglas Chief Engineer: Glen Caple Finance & Admin.: Patrick NgOperations Manager: Rick EnnisOIC Murrayfield: Michael Chlopek

Tarmac Topics: Publisher: The Royal Aero Club of

Western Australia (Inc.) ABN 19 537 624 305

Editor: editor@royalaeroclubwa.com.auPublishing / Advertising Manager:

Shelley Cruden Ph. 0423 892 084 tarmactopics@royalaeroclubwa.com.au

Printer: Mike Severn (Success Print) Ph. 9279 3214 mike@successprint.com.au

Features New Frontiers 6 Paperwork 7

Adventures 9 Helping Others 10 In the Know 11 Good Night Out 13 Learning to Fly 15 Notices & Fun 16

Regular Items News 3 Around the Club 5 Club Captain's Corner 8

Theory & Knowledge 12 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 Andrew.Eldridge@bigpond.com

Mitchell Wells Vice President: 0400 700 824 mwells@amadeus.net.au

Vacant Treasurer:

Craig Hensley Club Captain: 0439 528 733 craighensley@y7mail.com

Jim Jenkins Director: 0414 345 196 jim@telama.com.au

Linda Maule Director 0411 480 909 Linda.Maule@correctiveservices.wa.gov.au

Rod Garnaut Director: 0411 700 336 rod@jetsetnorthlands.com.au

Martin Jones Director: 0407 033 737 martin.jones47@aol.com

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 tarmactopics@royalaeroclubwa.com.au.

Disclaimer

Patron

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 3

Andrew Eldridge, President

New

s

Onwards and Upwards

Hello Members,We've had a series of showery weeks during August but for the most part, the flying opportunities have been excellent. I hope you have been able to get into the air and make

the most of the smooth, cool conditions.We advised members of the news of Ian Metcher's passing, by email last month. Many of you were able to join us at the club on 17th August when Ian's family and many club members joined together to celebrate Ian's life. Ian's wife Pat told me he had a great life, with no regrets. Ian was a keen club member who was kind, generous with his time, and an inspiration to everyone lucky enough to experience his youthful exuberance. He learned to fly at 75 years of age and subsequently took up competition aerobatics, winning the aerobatics at WALAC at the age of 86. Our tribute to Ian consisted of two low level formation flypasts, finishing with a missing man routine. One of the many lessons I take from Ian's life is that age should never be a barrier to new experiences. Ian will be missed. You will have received a copy of the Strategic Plan recently by email. Thanks to James Benjamin for his early work, and to the committee and senior staff who assisted with its further development. The details of the plan are not at all controversial - in fact, all the target outcomes are what you might call "no brainers" - things that just make sense. There is a strong focus on the fleet, acknowledging that there is no better trainer than the Cessna 152, and that the logical action is to refurbish them now. We will incrementally upgrade the C172s as funds allow, and supplement the fleet with cross-hired aircraft for those specialised, low volume requirements. We must start to develop additional revenue streams at Murrayfield. Improving and developing Murrayfield also puts us in a position to control our own destiny rather than having it controlled for us. Managing the business better is addressed by a number of the target outcomes in the plan, such as staff management, financial management and debt reduction. Improving our sales with a strengthened marketing focus and optimising the use of the clubhouse building will help to increase revenue at Jandakot. The importance and success of WAAC are acknowledged in the plan, and one of the target outcomes is a dedicated WAAC-specific development plan, which will address the continuous improvement of courses and focus on student development and management. Our internal processes do not escape scrutiny in the plan, and we will ensure that we have robust internal processes to avoid any compliance issues and prepare for the audits that are regularly imposed upon us. We have also noted the importance of our IT infrastructure and the strategic plan calls for the development of an IT strategy to safeguard our information and our electronic processes. The value of a strategic plan is that it is official, it is published, and it is out there for you to see. I believe this is an excellent plan, and it will stand us in good stead for the coming years. It will be subject to review and amendment of course, but changes will be managed and communicated to ensure transparency. If you did not receive the plan, or any of our recent electronic communications, please update your email address and other details by emailing info@royalaeroclubwa.com.au. It is with pleasure that I announce that Mitchell Wells has accepted the role of Vice President. Mitchell and I frequently fly formation, and it is a pleasure to have him as wingman on the committee as well. I am also happy to announce that Rachel George has been appointed to the committee to fill the vacancy created by Mitchell's promotion. Rachel is active in the Australian Women Pilots' Association and studying for her CPL. We welcome Rachel to the committee. September is always a busy month, starting with the Wings Dinner on the 7th. It is encouraging to see that attendance is higher this year than last, and I'm looking forward to an excellent evening as usual. On the 14th we have the Dawn Patrol, one of the most exhilarating of our commemorative flights. If you have not already signed up, don't delay. On 21st we have the inaugural student vs. regulars vs. instructors competition at Murrayfield, followed by a barbecue dinner and Murrayfield Moon competition. Everyone is welcome, and if you are brave, you might like to camp the night at Murrayfield. At the end of the month of course, we hold our AGM on the 25th and I look forward to catching up with many of you there. Fly safely!

September 2013 Tarmac Topics4

October12 Learn to Fly Seminar13 YMUL Comp - Hold Your Water17 Competition Briefing for 19th19-20 Fly-In to Dongara25 Formation Friday25 Industry Presentation25 Old Fliers Group27 YPJT Comp - Glide Approach28 PPL (full time) course starts28 CPL Block B course starts Fly-In to Jurien Bay

Later10 Nov YMUL Comp - Glide Approach15 Nov WALAC Final Day for Entry Forms29 & 30 Nov WALACs4 Dec New CASA Licensing Regulations start8 Dec YMUL Fastest Circuit13 Dec Christmas Party & Prawn Night29 Dec 2 for 1 Competition

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

Presentations4pm - last Friday of each month

Come along - hear the presentation and BBQ afterwards. More details - contact Operations on 9417 0000

Club DiarySeptemberAug 31 & Sep 1 AOPA Safety Seminar2 CPL Block A course starts7 Wings Dinner7 & 8 WA State Aerobatics Competition9 Certificate IV course starts14 Battle of Britain Dawn Patrol14 Learn to Fly Seminar16 BAK (full time) course starts17 Aviation Workshop Evening21 YMUL Instructors/Students/Competitors

Challenge & Murrayfield Moon25 Annual General Meeting27 Formation Friday27 Industry Presentation27 Old Fliers Group29 YPJT Comp - Instrument Circuit30 Irex/PIFR course starts

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 5

Around The Club

2013 WINGS PRESENTATION BLACK TIE DINNER/DANCEDate: Saturday 7th September Venue: The Terrace Ballroom,

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Perth.Tickets: $130/person (all inclusive)

Pre Dinner Drinks at 7pm to start the evening followed by a delicious 3 course silver service dinner

Be early to purchase your ticket(s) and go in the draw for the door prize of a dinner for 2 at the award winning Cafe Restaurant in the Hyatt

For further details and to secure your place for this very popular event, contact

Coril Bere on (08) 9417 0026 or cbere@royalaeroclubwa.com.au

Congratulations One and All

New commercial pilot Patrick Burke is

congratulated by John Douglas

Newly qualified instructors Kovieva Fremy and Daniel Le Bron

The Murrayfield team came to witness Phil Manning’s PPL flight

test.Michael Chlopek, Glenda Dyke, Phil

Manning, Carrie Munro and Byron Page

GFPT Alex Htoo is congratulated by instructor Byron Page

Instructor Tom Halsted congratulates Pierre Kwete on his first solo

Instructors pound the

tarmac! City to Surf

athletes Carrie Munro, Kieran Tansey,

Ben Verazzi and Ben Jackson.

September 2013 Tarmac Topics6

New

Fro

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Recently I was asked “What is it like flying the Tiger Moth?” That got me thinking. So many wonderful thoughts and feelings came rushing to mind.

I recall an evening not that many years ago, when a woman I admire but really don’t know all that well, enquired if I ever fly the Tiger Moth. To my reply of “no”, she immediately responded “Why not?”Getting the feeling I'd better pull my socks up & become a real aviator, the following week I cornered JD in his little office with my request to complete a tail wheel endorsement and if possible I would like to do it in our club Tiger Moth Shirley Adkins.In preparation for my first flight, I read a few texts on flying the Tiger Moth and studied the Racwa DH82 booklet. Having the experience of JD in the front seat was very reassuring.Sitting in the aircraft for the first time - a bit of metal framing, a few sections of timber, soft yellow fabric covering the fuselage and wings, flimsy control wires visible and then securing myself into a seat designed for a pilot wearing a parachute, I reassured myself that my feeling of apprehension was very logical.The first lesson was a big learning curve - a very different flying experience! Stick forward at take-off to lift the tail, lots of rudder input and left rudder, an awareness of the crosswind component but not knowing how this aircraft would react and how much control input was required. A long list of unfamiliarities and uncertainties gradually disappear with each flight.I'd survived my initial lessons in this fragile looking aircraft & my confidence and respect for the strength and flying characteristics of the Tiger Moth increased with each lesson. That was until I heard the words ring out in my headset -”Ok now we will do an air start.”I had rehearsed the phrase “JD You Have Control” as my failsafe backstop. We climbed to a safe height, did our HASELL checks and then the engine stopped! The flight manual states: Air Start - stick forward for a dive to achieve 139 knots!! - in a flimsy looking aircraft built in the late 1930’s.

Flying the Tiger Moth DH82I sticked forward as much as I dare, in my headset - “not enough” resounded JD’s voice. All I remember is the stick moving well forward, me lurching forward as if about to exit the rear cockpit seat through the propeller and without my parachute, the aircraft going very vertically downwards, lots of wind in my face, my fear of heights kicking in, whilst at the same time picturing JD in the front seat laughing hilariously.I learnt two things that day. Firstly, make sure your harness is done up very firmly. Secondly, the engine will restart if you put the aircraft into a vertical dive at 139 knots.The more I fly the Tiger Moth, the more I enjoy it. For me it has a similarity to sailing. With time, you develop a sense of feel, a better wind awareness, and you become more a part of the craft. The open cockpit, the total experience on an early spring morning with a light chill in the air, properly trimmed and virtually flying itself, is so similar to sailing with a light consistent breeze on smooth water where the yacht finds its groove, feels the breeze & steers itself.Recently I read “Beware the man who thinks he has fully mastered the Tiger Moth, for she might just bite you.” Knowing our own capabilities & limitations, those of the aircraft and understanding the weather conditions, makes us more aware and safer pilots. At Racwa, our common denominator is our love of flying. I feel very privileged as a club flying instructor to be able to fly our club Tiger Moth Shirley Adkins and also VH-FAS offering joy flights to fellow members and members of the public. Flying Victor 65 early morning in a Tiger Moth is a truly peaceful experience.Thank you Shirley for prompting me. Fly Safely.

Don Rechichi

Don with Laurie Adamson after a nostalgic city and beaches flight to celebrate his 93rd birthday. Laurie, a WW2 bomber pilot, learnt to fly in Tiger

Moths prior to WW2 service

Well known aviation authority Geoffrey Thomas presented

a detailed analysis of the growth of Perth Airport and highlighted the delay in securing a third runway. The

phenomenal growth in demand for take-off and landing slots has resulted in Perth Airport receiving unflattering reviews as delays become more common. The cost of these delays to airlines, mining companies, business and the tourist industry is staggering. Geoffrey stated that a daily A380 flight from China would add $388 million to the state economy and create up to 5,000 jobs!In 1960, 134,000 passengers used Perth Airport. This equates to 3.5 days activity in 2013! The number of passengers increased to 2.5 million in 1990 - which is 2 months activity in 2013. The growth in passenger movements has exceeded the international figure since 1960. In 2013, over 15 million passengers are predicted to use Perth Airport. Between 5.30am and 7.30am, there will typically be 80 departures and 10 arrivals. Currently, more than 165 aircraft park at Perth Airport every night, more than any other international airport in Australia.In 1960, it took 35 weeks of an average salary to pay for a flight to London, today, it takes 1 week. Perth is also home to a large

number of immigrants and they generally possess the “X factor”, which Geoffrey calls the desire to travel. Combined with the resources boom and the isolation of Perth, it is no wonder Perth airport has experienced such dramatic growth.Airlines appear to be favouring aircraft such as the 777NG and the 787 Dreamliner, as these twins are far more cost effective than the larger A380, especially when aircraft are operating at less than full capacity. This enables airlines to better meet the growing demand for non-stop flights, as it is easier to schedule smaller aircraft. The majority of airports in regional WA also can't cope with larger aircraft, so Perth Airport’s problems cannot be solved by upgrading to larger aircraft. Geoffrey also spoke of the necessity to upgrade the Instrument Landing System (ILS) to enable aircraft to land during fog. The current ILS requires airlines to carry fuel to divert to Adelaide, which increases the cost airlines have to pass on to passengers.The welcome upgrade to the road infrastructure has begun, with over $1b budgeted to expand Tonkin Highway, extend Leach Highway into the airport and upgrade a number of roads surrounding the airport. This is scheduled to take four years.With the current growth of 9%, Perth Airport will be at weekday runway capacity by 2017, not 2029 as stated in the masterplan.Geoffrey concluded the presentation by answering questions on a number of aviation related topics, demonstrating his extensive knowledge of aviation.

Aviation Workshop

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 7

Paperwork??

New MembersSteven Lee, Ryan Baker, Logan Pollock, Matthew Hansen, Lindsay Wilson, Haydn Vernon, Travis Ivens, Asfar Safri, Clint Lang, Nathan Larkin, Paul Gordon, Gabriel Balazs, Broxon Brookfield, Darren Jones, Zenek Zurakowski, Jason Myers

First SolosAnthony Browne

PPLJonathan Efthyvoulos, Joshua Smith, Philip Manning

CPLMaurice Herczeg, James Cole, Patrick Burke

Night VFR RatingDavid Rokich, Kovieva Fremy

Instructor RatingDaniel Le Bron, Kovieva Fremy

A Warm Welcome to our New Members, and Congratulations Everyone

This Month's Achievers

Member David Rokich said "The July 2013 Article in Tarmac Topics about Electronic Flight Bags was a great start but I don’t think it explained CASA and RACWA’s position fully." Here's the article he put together.

I enjoy flying, love technology and a good challenge so using my iPad for flight planning was an easy decision. I hope the following helps you consider the new iPad as an Electronic

Flight Bag (EFB).For those not aware, CASA have recently endorsed iPad app OzRunways as an authorised vendor of electronic documentation, along with the vendors Airservices, Jeppensen or Lido. Search CASA for keywords “EFB Frequently” for details and you will find OzRunways as approved but my understanding (and I do not speak for CASA) for us Private Pilots is as follows:-CASA recommend that when using EFB (iPad) that you also carry a backup, and this backup can be another iPad with OzRunways or paper copies of the required current documents and maps. CASA also recommended the minimum size of the screen is A5 ie. 210 x 148 mm, so iPhones are definitely out.A Private Pilot may use their iPad with the OzRunways app. A single OzRunways licence allows you to run it on 1 x iPad and 1 x iPhone or 1 x iPad mini and 1 x iPhone. 2 x iPads is not licensed.AvPlan is also another great iPad product but I don’t believe they have the required authorisation from CASA, yet. AvPlan do however have a better licence model and you can run AvPlan on any 2 devices such as 2 x iPads or 1 x iPad and 1 x iPad mini.Both apps will allow you to download the forecast wind directly into your flight plan and will also show your headings and 10 minute markers etc.. Both can upload your flight plans for you (internet required) and they set handy reminders alarms on the iPad 5 minutes before your SARTIME. These apps also include free trials so you can explore them fully featured. At this stage only iPads, iPad minis and iPhones are supported by the software vendors and

Electronic Flight Bagsthis is not likely to change anytime soon.“WiFi only” iPads do not have a GPS built in, for these you can use an external Bluetooth GPS unit.A kneeboard with the iPad mounted is safe to use for all phases of flight including; take-off and landing, during turbulence and flight below 1000 feet AGL.But if a temporary suction mount is used the iPad must be securely stowed for take-off and landing, during turbulence and if low level flying. For storage during take-off and landing it is OK to stow away your iPad in the seat pockets.An iPad with either the internal GPS or an external GPS is not an approved navigation system and cannot be used as the

primary means of navigation.I personally found the iPad ideal in flight, with a tap on screen I can pull up waypoints. It was very easy to use, but please sit safely on the ground or at home and get familiar with your EFB iPad before use in the air. And remember to use NOSEND to practice planning a flight.

David Rokich, just a happy PPL, #9652

A picture of my iPad mount, a perfect kneeboard for sitting under and missing the yoke

September 2013 Tarmac Topics8

Craig Hensley, Club Captain

G'day Members,I've got some questions for you.

Q1: Did you go to the Prawn Night? It was a great night and everyone had a lot of fun, if you didn't make it you missed out on a good value evening out.

Unfortunately a last minute family commitment saw me go to NSW that weekend and I missed it but I'm looking forward to the next one in December. Get in early and don't miss out! The success of these events and the vibrancy of the Club depends on you getting involved and joining in club events. Q2: When was the last time you made use of your flying privileges? If it's been more than a month, what's the problem? Currency? Medical? $$$$? If it's the first two, contact the Club and see what we can do to help get you back in the air. If it's the third, get a credit card. Q3: Have you got a ticket to the Wing's Dinner? Come on, dust off the tux and shine up your shoes. It's the only night of the year you're going to look good so bring along the wife or girlfriend, but don't bring 'em both. Call Coril and pay for your tickets or better yet get a group together and book a table. Q4: Are you going to get up early on 14th of September and join in the Annual Battle of Britain Dawn Patrol? It's not just for the Formation Pilots - it's a great way to fly over the city and enjoy the sights without having to do all the planning and getting your clearance Clarence! There's breakfast upstairs, a guest speaker, then the magnificent Wings & Wheels Display in the hangar and on the apron afterwards. This is easily the best day of the year and being a part of it will be the smartest thing you do all year. Forget about the wife - you took her to the Wing's Dinner last week, leave the lawn and gardening - it'll still be there next weekend, and don't even think about going to work. On a more serious note, last month we lost one of the club's most inspirational members. Ian Metcher was a regular competitor at our monthly comps, and he was always keen

Club

Cap

tain

's Co

rner

From the Club Captainto get in the air. He achieved many aviation milestones at an age when most people are sitting around in their pyjamas and slippers, looking back at what they'd done. After gaining his PPL at the age of 75, he then went on to gaining an Aeros endorsement and was a WALAC champion in the basic event. If you haven't taken the opportunity to read Pat's book "Pleased to Have Metcher" you should get a copy from the club and learn more about a remarkable man. Ian will be remembered fondly at the Club as a fine airman and a true gentleman, and on behalf of the Flying Committee and the members of the Club I'd like to pass on our condolences to his wife Pat and the rest of his Family.Everything is in place for a huge weekend in Dongara in October. We'll be well taken care of by Callum and Sonia Kerr at Southerly's Tavern while accommodation has been booked at the caravan park in the beach front chalets. These are going fast, so if you want one get in touch ASAP. Saturday afternoon will be filled with a competition between Northam, Mid West and us, so get up there with ample time to compete and enjoy the rest of the day. A briefing will be held on Thursday 17th at 6pm to allow anyone going early to attend. I hope we get plenty of members coming along and enjoying a great getaway. The Student, Competitor and Instructor Challenge is all set for September 21st and the competition will be fierce. There will be plenty of egos at stake for each group and should be a really good afternoon. Following the afternoon comp, we give the Instructors a few heart palpitations by making them take us up for a Night Circuit Competition. With a Full Moon already booked and a tentative booking for clear skies - we should be in for a great night. A few intrepid instructors have mentioned camping at Murrayfield for the night and if we have a couple of starters - I’ll stay down there and we can have a cooked breakfast Sunday morning before the flight back to Jandakot. Anyone intending to stay overnight let me know and I’ll make sure we have enough bacon.This month I’m working up north so it might be difficult to contact me at times but call 0456 196 116 or use the same email and I’ll be in touch.Happy Landings

CompetitionsThis month we have changed the Murrayfield comp to Saturday afternoon on the 21st to coincide with the Murrayfield Moon as the second Sunday is the Day after the Wing’s Dinner. The afternoon comp is going to be a challenge between Instructors, Students and Regular Competitors. There will be fierce competition and egos are at stake so come down and cheer on the winners and wind up the losers. It starts at 2:00pm and will lead straight into the night competition. Some of us will be camping overnight and cooking breakfast on Sunday morning.

Night Competition @ YMULThe Night Comps at Jandakot were a great success with new competitors joining in and great conditions. It’s always good to see a clear night forecast when we hold a night comp and we were really fortunate with the weather this year. Let’s hope our luck holds out for the 21st of September for our annual Murrayfield Moon.

Fly-InsThe northern pilgrimage has been worked out and this year we will be heading to Dongara on the 19th & 20th of October.

Southerly’s Tavern will be the dinner venue and accommodation options are being sorted out. I’ve been speaking to Callum and Sonia Kerr, our hosts at Southerly’s and they are going to prepare a menu for the dinner on Saturday night and will be making breakfast available on Sunday morning.

Wings DinnerThe time has come for the annual Wing’s Dinner set for September 7th. This is a great night and celebrates the achievements of members and students at the Aero Club. It’s also a great meal and a chance to dust off the penguin suit and do some dancing. So give Coril a call and book your tickets.

Commemorative FlightsThe Battle of Britain Dawn Patrol will be held on the 14th of September. Formation and Non Formation flights will meet at 0500 for roll call and briefing with wheels up at 0600 for a beautiful sunrise flight over the city. Anyone who hasn’t been on this flight before should make sure they can get there this year. It’s one of the best flights you can make. Breakfast will be cooked and ready when you return and will be followed by a guest speaker and the Wings and Wheels vintage car and aircraft display. Don’t miss out.

Mark Your Calendar

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 9

AdventuresAcross the Ocean

(Part 1)In late May, I was

invited to join Helen (a flying

instructor and ferry pilot with The Flight

Academy in Seattle) flying a Cirrus SR22 across the Atlantic Ocean - from Miami, Florida to Paris, France. It is ‘almost’ every pilot’s dream trip - I say ‘almost’ because the responses I’ve had from people range from “Wow, cool!” to “What on earth did you do THAT for?”The aircraft we flew was an “older” (built in 2010!), normally aspirated (i.e. non-turbo) 3rd Generation SR22 with the Garmin Perspective avionics suite, equipped with a "Weeping Wing" (Tecalemit-Kilfrost-Sheepbridge Stokes or TKS) anti-ice system certified for Flight Into Known Icing, or FIKI and, of course, the trademark Cirrus Airframe ballistic Parachute System (CAPS).Our route over the Atlantic would take us via Goose Bay in Newfoundland, Canada across the Labrador Sea to Narsarsuaq, Greenland. From there to Reykjavik, Iceland, thence to Wick, Scotland before heading to Paris, France. Each overwater leg would be around 4 hours. We still had to get from Miami, Florida to Goose Bay, which entailed flying up the entire length of the Eastern coast of the North American continent, some 11 hours flying time.I left Perth on the overnight redeye flight to Sydney early Saturday morning, where I caught the Delta flight to Los Angeles, arriving... Saturday morning! With a connection in Atlanta, I finally arrived at the hotel in Miami at 10pm local time on Saturday.Day One - We arrived at Opa Locka Executive Airport (KOPF) on Monday morning (27th May, which happened to be Memorial Day, a public holiday in the USA). Helen and I had breakfast together and checked the weather & NOTAMs and filed the flight plan for the 3 hour flight to Lumberton, North Carolina. It was my first time using DUATS (an online briefing and filing service like our NAIPS) and it seemed pretty intuitive. The aircraft was obviously N-registered and to be able to legally log the flights, I had to do a Biennial Flight Review, while my FAA Instrument Rating was still current after having completed an Instrument Proficiency Check in September last year.After a thorough pre-flight inspection, we hopped in (the plane was full of fuel) and flew 3¼ hours to Lumberton airport (KLBT) in North Carolina to fill up with cheap fuel ($5.19 per US gallon or $1.37 per litre). The skies were busy around the Miami area and our track at 7,000 feet was criss-crossed at various times by light aircraft, the most common being other Cirrus aircraft! Upon arrival at Lumberton, I took the opportunity to do my first ever "Area Navigation Wide Area Augmentation System" (RNAV WAAS) approach with LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical

guidance, one of the highest precision aviation instrument approach procedures currently available). Watching the glideslope indicator come alive as we tracked inbound on the RNAV approach, it was for all intents and purposes like flying an Instrument Landing System (ILS) without expensive ground installations to maintain.After landing, we were greeted by a chap who had a southern, Forrest Gump-style “drawwwl”. He gave us the keys to the airport courtesy car - a Buick. We drove down the road to Hardees for lunch where I ordered their signature thick burger. It came with melted cheese and mushroom sauce - I could feel my arteries hardening instantly.Following the quick refuelling/defuelling stop, the plan was to fly another 3½ hours to our overnight stop at Hartford (KHFD), Connecticut. Enroute we couldn’t resist a slight detour to New York where we cancelled IFR (it was a beautiful blue-sky day) and

requested clearance through Class B VFR to do the Hudson River Skyline tour - we were handed over to Newark, then La Guardia who were very busy but equally easy to deal with - they let us do an orbit over the Statue of Liberty "orbit over the lady approved" and then tracking up the right side of the Hudson River where we got spectacular views of Manhattan, including the site of the former Twin Towers and where my

friend Sully (well, we did meet at Oshkosh where he signed my book and we chatted about his recent trip to Sydney J ) landed his A320 in the water.After New York City, we turned right and flew past the elite White Plans airport up to Hartford-Brainerd airport. Apparently this city of tall skyscrapers has the least percentage of inhabitants in it at night, as it is home to all the major insurance firms in the USA, and at 5pm everybody leaves the city and goes home to the suburbs (much like St George's Terrace). Being a public holiday, no food places were open so the FBO guy drove us to the next town to buy a (large!) sub at a deli called d’Angelo’s.

Continued Next Month

September 2013 Tarmac Topics10

Help

ing

Oth

ers

Gone but not Forgotten - Ian Metcher

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

Nicolas Waterman is a full time student with the Western Australian Aviation College. Commencing in January this year, Nick has managed to juggle two of his passions,

Aviation and Running. Come November, he will be taking on one of the biggest challenges of his life: running in the New York Marathon - for his first marathon. Nick is hoping to fundraise a minimum of $9,000 in donations

A Marathon Effort

Ian Metcher’s flying jacket has been presented to the Club to commemorate the many hours Ian spent in C152 JBX. Club

members attended a celebration of Ian’s life on 17 August with Ian’s wife, Pat, and friends and members of the Metcher family. With Amazing Grace being played on bagpipes, eleven aircraft in two formations flew past the clubhouse at 500' AGL with Mick Harcourt peeling off in tribute to Ian. Mick was accompanied by Ian’s great grandson.

Ian's widow, Pat, thanks members for their Tribute fly-past

for Amnesty International, bravely joining in the fight for global human rights.Alongside a team of more than 10 people local to Perth, the long-distance runner has raised $6,100 so far through small fundraisers, events and personal donations. Those wishing to support Nick are encouraged to donate as much or as little as they want through his fundraising page http://ainym2013.gofundraise.com.au/page/WatermanN.

Email nrwaterman@gmail.com for further details. All donations will go towards Amnesty International.

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 11

In The Know

“Consolidate your basic skills”

advised Eddie Smithers, the fleet manager of the Maroomba Airlines

Hawker fleet. Speaking at the July industry presentation,

Eddie described his GA journey after leaving Racwa. He initially moved to Darwin to gain flying experience piloting scenic and joy flights. He then joined Goldfield Air Services in Kalgoorlie, starting on a C210. He obtained his command instrument rating and progressed to C310s and C402s. His experience in Kalgoorlie convinced him that he wanted to follow the corporate aviation route, and subsequently joined Maroomba Airlines. Eddie went to great lengths to advise students on what is required to secure a flying position. He advised against emails, suggesting that pilots would stand better chance if they personally visited

Industry Presentationemployers. “Be punctual, well presented, have all your documents, knowing the employer’s aircraft, routes and corporate history are essential”, he stated. Employers will often ask about pilots’ perceived strengths and weaknesses – interviewees need to be prepared for such questions.“Once you have secured that all important first job, show your willingness to go the extra mile” he advised, “Cleaning aircraft, sweeping hangars and looking after the garden will help your career”. Having remote areas in one’s logbook is an advantage, Eddie said, as it shows that the pilot has good decision making skills. He recommended pilots should pass the ATPLs and IREX exams as soon as possible, preferably soon after the CPL flight test as pilots are still in “study mode”.Eddie stressed the importance of staying up to date with theory. Refresh your knowledge whenever possible, especially on the aircraft’s systems. After the presentation, Eddie adjourned to the bar where he continued to answer students' questions.

Wes Luies, Callum Young, Fraser Sibbritt-Pettit, William Hodge, Taylor Sibbritt-Pettit and Eddie

Smithers.

Hello everyone.Sadly, winter has truly set in. With many Murrayfield students raring to go - we've been stuck on the ground

watching the water flow by the hangar door. The students keep coming though, with another 3 signing up this month. Byron is still flat tack on Sundays which is excellent.A big thank you to Carrie Munro, who was kind enough to help while I was on leave. I’m sure it was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of Jandakot.We also have our Mooney back!!! VH-UDQ has been returned to us and is ready to go for any members for private hire, initial CSU and RETRAC endorsements and for any students who would like to conduct commercial training down here. All with no landing fees. Don’t forget about our C172 and C152 also available for hire along with AFR’s now able to be conducted here.When the sun starts to shine on a regular basis and the ground dries out, we will be looking at conducting another busy bee.

Murrayfield Matters

Jandakot Comp. - Flapless Precision Circuit

1st Sylvia Byers & Michael Stenson2nd Rod Garnaut & Russell Philip3rd Jim Di MennaRaffle Winner Jim Di Menna

Murrayfield Comp. - Low Level Flapless Circuit

1st Sylvia Byers2nd Denise Bess3rd Lori Hensley

Murrayfield Comp. - Glide Approach1st Craig Hensley2nd Jim Di Menna 3rd Jim Campbell

With the huge success of the last one it would be great to get all the members together again and have this place looking even brighter for potential new students and members who drive though the gates. Watch this space for details to come.By the time this article is published the Wings Dinner will have come and gone. I hope everyone had a great night and congratulations to all the award winners on the night.Take care.

Michael Chlopek, OIC, Murrayfield

Winners

September 2013 Tarmac Topics12

A good selection of questions this month - have a go!.

1. In which documents would you find the instruments and indicators, which are mandatory for flight?A. AIP, CAO and MELB. Flight Manual ,CAO and MELC. Operators Handbook and ERSAD. RACWA Operations Manual and Flight Manual

2. What is the maximum number of persons that may be carried on an aircraft with 4 seats?A. 4B. 7, the pilot and 2 children of combined weight not

exceeding 77kg on each of the other three seatsC. As many as will fit provided the aircraft does not exceed

MTOWD. 5, where 2 children may occupy one seat if their

combined weight does not exceed 77 kg3. A RACWA Cessna C172 Superhawk burns 38 LPH and holds

23 litres of unusable fuel. What is the minimum useable fuel that must be carried for a one-hour flight?A. 38 litresB. 90 litresC. 67 litresD. 23 litres

4. If you suffer a radio failure in a transponder-equipped aircraft, what code would you select?A. 1200B. 5500C. 7600D. 7700

5. You are departing from Murrayfield, runway 23, for a departure to Narrogin. What is the correct procedure for getting on track?A. Fly upwind to 1000’AGL, make a left turn through 45°

then once established clear of the circuit area track for Narrogin

B. Fly upwind to 500’ AGL then track direct to NarroginC. Fly upwind to 500’ AGL then depart off the end of

crosswind to NarroginD. Fly upwind to 1500’ AGL then track direct to Narrogin

6. You are joining the circuit at Narrogin and you notice (i) A white dumbbell and (ii) A double white cross next to the windsock. What do these symbols mean and (iii) what frequency(s) should you transmit on?A. (i) parachuting (ii) use hard surfaces for landing, takeoff

and taxying (iii) 126.7 and 122.7B. (i) use of hard surfaces for landing takeoff and taxying

(ii) aerodrome unserviceable (iii) 125.4C. (i) Use of hard surfaces for landing takeoff and taxying

(ii) gliders operating (iii) 120.7 and 125.4D. (i) use of hard surfaces for landing takeoff and taxying

(ii) gliders operating (iii) 134.0

Up to Scratch?Th

eory

& K

now

ledg

e

Up to Scratch Answers

Something different this month. There are at least 140 aviation words, acronyms or abbreviations in this puzzle. See if you can find them all, and what each one means.

The following questions are for pilots with a Night VFR rating:7. You are on a private flight in a C172 with one ADF and two

VHF radios. You plan to arrive at Jandakot at 2300 WST. Do you require an alternate?A. Only if the weather is below the alternate minimaB. Yes. You need 2 ADFs if you are flying to an airport with

just an NDB. The alternate must be within 1 hour of Jandakot

C. No, providing you have 30 minutes holding fuelD. Yes, due to PAL

8. A positive radio fix using NDBs can be determined by the intersection of 2 or more position lines providingA. The position lines intersect at an angle not less than 45o

and the NDBs are within the rated coverageB. The position lines intersect at an angle not less than 30o

and the NDBs are within 45nmC. The position lines intersect at an angle not less than 30o

and the NDBs are tuned identified and testedD. The position lines intersect at an angle of not less than 45o

and the NDBs are within 30nm9. You shall not act as Pilot in Command of an aircraft at night

unless you have completed the following:A. A one-hour flight in 6 months and three takeoffs and

landings in 12 monthsB. A one hour flight and one takeoff and landing every six

monthsC. A one-hour flight in 12 months and one takeoff and

landing in 90 daysD. A one-hour flight in 12 months and one takeoff and

landing every 6 months10. You shall not carry passengers at night unless:

A. You have completed, at night, 3 takeoffs and landings in the previous 90 days

B. You hold a Commercial Pilot LicenceC. You have completed, at night, one takeoff and landing in

the previous 6 monthsD. You have completed, at night, 3 takeoffs and landings in

the previous 12 months

1 B2 D3 C

4 C5 D6 D7 D

8 D9 D10 A

13se

p06F

PIPER ARROW IV PA28-RT-2011981. TTAF 9,661hrs. Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (non-turbo) 1,807hrs to run (rebuilt 2009). Prop TSO 542hrs. Bendix King radios, ADF, VOR, Century 21 Autopilot, four place intercom. Hangared at YPJT. Free delivery in Australia.

Private Sale: $87,000 (No GST) Call 0488 401 612 or (08) 9367 1442

Details at: www.arrow4sale.com

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 13

Good N

ight Out

If you love eating large, freshly cooked, succulent North West King Prawns and you didn’t attend the recent Racwa Prawn Night, then you missed a great Aero Club event and you’ll have to wait until next year to find out what you missed out on.Sixty pre sold tickets were purchased for the function which was held at the Club upstairs lounge where we witnessed the

resurrection of the Racwa “Prawn Night”. The Prawn Night is an Aero Club tradition that started back in the 70’s by Sheila Gosling, wife of the then Club President Colin, “what a great idea Sheila”.This great value evening ($30) included , "all you can eat" king prawns, dessert and a door prize of a Trial Instructional Flight,

entertainment by a two piece band and champagne for the winners of the Jive competition. The Bar opened at 6pm by volunteer barman John Ridgway assisted by Mick Harcourt. Thanks to the boys in the band, Peter Nosow and Eddy, to Peta Garnaut for hosting the heads and tails and the Jive competition and to Jim and Ada Di Menna for supplying the dessert.Thanks to all those Club members and their guests who attended and gave the evening the warm and friendly

atmosphere and made the NEW Racwa Prawn Night a social success .Be sure to be on the Racwa mailing list so you can get updates of the events calendar where you can enjoy other fun social evening and flying events.To register and subscribe, send your email address to info@royalaeroclubwa.com.au.

Prawns, Beautiful Prawns

September 2013 Tarmac Topics14

4 Thank you for the experience. My boss (and good friend) was lucky enough to get the Tiger Moth flight for his 50th Birthday present. Although the weather did not permit the Aerobatics which we opted for, he still had a wonderful time. My boss does not fly well at the best of times (nervous flier) and the first thing he said when he got back on the tarmac was "I want to do that again. That was so much fun" A big thank you to Don, his pilot who assured him that the flight would be enjoyable and it was. Thank you again - Excellent job, Well Done :-) Megs

4 I had a great day.

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

Basic Flying Rules Some Accolades

Always remember you fly an aeroplane with your head, not your hands.

The 104th Meeting was held on Friday 26th of July.We sadly note the passing of member, Ian Metcher. Ian spoke to the Group in October 2006 when he talked

about his flying and aerobatics.We had over 90 attend the July lunch and we were privileged to hear from three guest speakers. Firstly, John Wager added to his last month’s story about Nevil Shute, the aeronautical engineer, sailor and author. Filming of the novel “On the beach” took place at Canadian Bay in Victoria. Much later John found out that his friend had organised the boat sequence.A new member, Bob Ashley, then spoke about his time at Lubeck in Germany after WWII during the height of the Berlin Blockade. As an RAF serviceman, he had much to do with

keeping the aircraft flying. Bob emigrated to WA and was involved in the construction of Jandakot airfield.Our major speaker was Howard Wheatley. Howard had previously spoken about his time flying Beaufort bombers in WWII. At war’s end, Captain Snook offered him a captaincy with Airlines (WA) Ltd. His anecdotes and stories of this time kept us wanting more.All of these talks can now be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/OldFliersGroupThere are now 181 talks to view. We have had 28,576 hits and 1415 hours watched to date proving how popular they are. Why don’t you go on the site and subscribe so that you receive notification when new videos are added? Steve Rogers, OFG Coordinator

Competition Winners

It's always a warm & happy atmosphere at Murrayfield, and with

just friendly rivalry at the regular competition.

Recent competitors and winners shared their joy

recently.

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au September 2013 15

Learning to FlyCome Fly With Me (Part 1)

The characters in this story are fictitious. If they bear resemblance to anyone living or half dead or if anyone thinks they recognise themselves - they may be right.LESSON 1I suppose it is some achievement to fly an aeroplane. Peter Green encouraged me to start. He was a pilot himself and had taken me up on several occasions allowing me to take control, doing straight and level flight and gentle turns. At no time was I comfortable in a light aircraft. I felt that at any moment the plane would fall out of the sky, I was unsure, the plane was the master to be treated gently in case it decided to reject my death grip on the controls. Every sudden movement in flight sent an arrow through my heart.Peter called at my place early one morning stating that he had to put in a few hours so he could renew his licence and would I like to come. I agreed with some misgiving.Arriving at the "PERTH FRIENDLY FLYING SCHOOL" (PFFS) he introduced me to an instructor. This magnificent creature wore full uniform, he shone with confidence, white flashing teeth reflected like moving seagulls in a well groomed beard, his hand shake was firm and strong, he stared at me with what I was soon to discover and recognise as "INSTRUCTORS EYES", shifty, bloodshot and suspicious.He informed me his name was "ACE" Brennan and immediately went into a sale plug on flying. I enquired, “Would a man of my age be able to learn to fly?” "No trouble at all," replied Ace. "Would the lack of education be a disadvantage?" I hopefully offered. "Mr. Stewart, if you can open the door of a C152 I'll teach you to fly it", he stormed at me. I was cornered, this left me no way out, minutes later I was signing for a flying course. Ace encouragingly stating that I would be able to solo in 7 hours and made arrangements for my first lesson.The relationship between Ace and myself was an experience I will never forget. It started, I suppose, on the usual student-instructor footing, but it developed into something of a war, a silent war filled with frustrations, anger, mutterings, hopelessness and at times, hate. I won't bore you with unnecessary details but it is important to accompany me on my first lesson.After passing a medical and obtaining a very impressive "Student Pilot Licence" I headed for the PFFS and was told that in future I would have to get used to the initials "C152" meaning Cessna, 150HP two-seater, light high-wing aircraft, and that little beast had to be tamed by me.Ace was very thorough in his briefing, he drew diagrams on a blackboard with multi-coloured chalk explaining as briefly as possible, according to him. His simple theory of flight completely lost me after the first 10 seconds, but I kept nodding and did my best to give the impression I understood at least part of what he explained. I thought it would be unwise to tell him at this stage that I was colour blind.Accompanying Ace on to the tarmac, towards a very small C152, I was informed that the writing on the side - RWF stood for Romeo Whisky Foxtrot. "This appears a reversal of form, from letters back to words," I remarked. Ace fixed me with those shifty, bloodshot eyes and what I thought was a smile, white teeth flashing in his magnificent beard. Lacking normal education, I have learnt over the years to be very perceptive towards people’s feelings and I correctly read this beautiful smile as a snarl and I was to become accustomed to this as the normal behaviour for a flying instructor.Ace patiently led me through the check-out and asked me had I read the manual on the C152. Here I learnt my first lesson in flying. I quite truthfully replied "What manual?" Ace started

running up and down on the spot, at the same time rapidly striking his head against the wing edge. This is some sort of ritual carried out by most flying instructors, and was to occur at regular intervals. So lesson one was learnt; if asked had you read and studied any particular facet regarding flying, the stock answer, which is always expected is, "Yes I've read them through." Then, if you cannot recall what is demanded of you, the instructor just yawns and mutters, "Another one!" and no more is said.Ace directed me to the pilot’s seat and we went through the instruments and controls. With great patience and determination, Ace spoke very slowly & explained the purpose of these with great deliberation and tightly closed eyes. My first three circuits I can hardly recall. Ace's voice droned on, rotate nose, wings level, not so steep, wing up, nose up, carby heat on, throttle closed, down-wind check, etc. The little Cl52 bucked and jumped, I sweated and gripped the controls with all my strength. As we taxied in, I mentioned to Ace that we must have been in a gale force wind. He just pointed at the wind sock which hung limply down without a flutter.LESSON 2As I entered the clubrooms, I saw Ace swiftly open the broom cupboard door, jump neatly inside and close it without a sound. I pondered and can recall working out how much practice a man must have had to achieve this manoeuvre. Quietly, I drew up a chair and positioned it 2' from the broom cupboard door and waited.Twenty minutes later, the door opened and Ace appeared. Our eyes met, I had been a professional fighter for a number of years and in this career you must be able to assess your opponent very correctly and it is mostly the eyes that betray the first signs of despair. Ace's sneaky, bloodshot, shifty eyes told their story of his despair.He smiled and explained he was looking for some coloured chalk for our briefing, I nodded in agreement. He then said, "Did you bring your V.F.G?" It had taken me 2 weeks to obtain a flight manual on a C152, now what and where was a V.F.G. I wisely decided to ask him later.Ace was thorough, a great artist, brilliant at figures, he was a true professional, his work on the blackboard was a monument to his skill. Yellow, red, blue, green and white lines, wings were drawn, centre of gravity, as he explained thrust, drag, lift, weight, etc. each coloured line representing a certain detail.Ace stood back and admired his work with pride, turned to me and gently enquired if there were any questions. "Yes" I replied, "Do you think being colour blind would have any adverse effect on my becoming a pilot?"Ace slowly and deliberately walked to the blackboard and grabbed a huge handful of coloured chalk. I was amazed when he thrust them into his mouth and started chewing. As we stared into each others eyes the only sound in the room was Ace's teeth grinding the chalk to powder. He swallowed the lot, walked out of the briefing room, through the bar and I had to follow him, I was so fascinated by his strange behaviour. He walked to the centre of the back yard, spread his legs wide apart, placed both hands on the top of his head, looked up to heaven, opened his mouth wide and rendered the most heart stopping scream I have ever heard. I had not realised that eating coloured chalk could have this affect on a person. I made a mental note to report the matter to the Health Department. So, lesson 2 ended.

Continued Next Month

LESSON 3

September 2013 Tarmac Topics16

The Annual General Meeting will be held in the Clubhouse, Jandakot Airport, at 7pm Wednesday 25th September 2013.The business of the meeting shall be:

a. To receive and adopt the Committee’s Report;b. To receive and adopt the Auditor’s Report on the Balance Sheet and Revenue and Expenditure Accounts;c. To receive the declaration by the Chairman of the names of the Committee for the ensuing year;d. To receive the declaration by the Chairman of the name of the Auditor for the ensuing year;e. To fix the remuneration of the auditor;f. To receive the report by the Chairman of Budget proposals for the ensuing year;g. Any other business the retiring Committee or any Members may wish to bring forward, notice of which

has been given in the manner provided in Rule 46.Make sure you're there to hear about Racwa over the past year and into the future.

Noti

ces &

Fun

Annual General Meeting

The Cadets come to Town

The Australian Air Force Cadet Open Day saw over 1,000 visitors to the club.

Various aircraft were on display, including two PC9s from Pearce. The varied activities undertaken by the AAFC were displayed in a number of tents erected on the apron. Fortunately, the weather was kind to all, especially the AAFC band.