NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH - OCTOBER IS - INSIDE: FREE RA-AUS SAFETY - Recreational Aviation Australia
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RECREATIONAL AVIATION AUSTRALIA / OCTOBER 2015 VOL 50 [10]
OCTOBER IS
NATIONAL
SAFE T Y MONTH
INSIDE: FREE
RA-AUS SAFETY
BOOKLET RRP $8.80 inc GST
JABIRU ADVICE FROM THE USA 3D PRINTERS IN AVIATION ALL IN A SPIN ABOUT SPINS
TECNAM
AUSTRALIA
REGULARS
7
8
11
President’s report
Calendar of events
Letters to the Editor
FEATURE STORIES
14
22
Jabiru in perspective
B RI A N B I G G
Flying with the X Factor
66 Happy Landings RO B KNI G H T
26 Open reporting
COLUMNISTS K AT IE J ENKIN S , N AT I O N A L
Safety Matters S A F E T Y M A N AG ER
RELENTLESS INNOVATION
24
MI C H A EL L INKE & 28 Lessons from a blowout
K AT IE J ENKIN S ROY B EI S SWEN G ER
41 Editor’s Choice 30 What safety means to me
B RI A N B I G G N I C K T H O MP S O N , C O NN A L
47 Learn to fly M A R T IN & JA ME S KI S S EL L
A N T H O N Y S IB A RY 56 Surviving the crash part 2
49 Professor Avius B A RN A BY WA INFA N
Gorgeous weather at AUSFLY. 50 Design Notes
Photo: Brian Bigg DAV E DA NIEL FLY-INS
59 Home Builder 17 Watts Bridge shines
DAV E ED M U ND S A L A N B E T T ERID G E
ON THE COVER 43 Grafton damp but busy
Big RA-Aus presence
53 NEWS KE V IN WIL S O N
ASTORE P92 EAGLET G5 P92 ECHO CLASSIC at AUSFLY 12 New home online
B RI A N B I G G 12 The calendar is back EXTRAS
12 Board election results 37 RA-Aus at a glance
"One in five of the parked aircraft
12 Avsafety seminar in Ayr 60 Members’ market
had numbers on the tail"
ST E V E M C GU IRE 64 Where is CAGIT?
13 Drug arrest 65 Off the shelf
13 New design from Rutan
READER STORIES
P92 TAIL DRAGGER P2008 P2010
21 Flying taught me this today
ANONYMOUS
29
32 Someone else’s experience
TO N Y KIN G
38 The devil in the detail
ERIN P OT T ER
Sport Pilot Magazine is an official
19
publication of Recreational Aviation
Australia Inc. and is published twelve
times a year by Stampils Publishing.
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3 / S PORT PI LOT
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RA-Aus members get Sport Pilot free of charge online at www.raa. Eugene Reid
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ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
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admin@raa.asn.au SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CEO Barry Windle
Michael Linke 0408 842 308
ceo@raa.asn.au
NORTH QUEENSLAND
NATIONAL OPERATIONS Ross Millard
MANAGER 0422 119 051
2015 VOL 50 [10]
ALIA / OCTOBER
AVIATION AUSTR
RECRE ATIONAL
OCTOBER IS
Jill Bailey nqld@raa.asn.au
N A T IO N A L
ops@raa.asn.au
0400 280 087 SOUTH QUEENSLAND
TH
SAFE T Y MON
Trevor Bange
ASSISTANT OPERATIONS 0429 378 370
MANAGER sqld1@raa.asn.au
Neil Schaefer
iPad
ops@raa.asn.au Mike Smith
0428 282 870 0418 735 785
sqld@raa.asn.au
NATIONAL TECHNICAL
MANAGER Tony King (Secretary)
RECREATIONAL AVIATION AUSTRALIA / OCTOBER 2015 VOL 50 [10]
OCTOBER IS Darren Barnfield 0400 226 275
NATIONAL techmgr@raa.asn.au sqld2@raa.asn.au
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3D PRINTERS IN AVIAT
ION ALL IN A SPIN ABOU
T SPINS ASSISTANT TECHNICAL Rod Birrell
MANAGER
THE USA
JABIRU ADVICE FROM
ational
A RecreAustralia
n
(03) 9744 1305
Jared Smith
Aviatio Initiative
vic1@raa.asn.au
Safety
jared.smith@raa.asn.au
0418 125 393 Teresa Avila
0410 410 185
NATIONAL SAFETY, RISK AND
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All content in this magazine belongs to Stampils Publishing and is protected by Australian and international copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may not
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editorial purposes.
4 / SPORT PILOT 5 / S PORT PI LOT
P RESI DENT’S REP ORT
Normalisation of deviance
BY MIC HAEL MONC K
L
ATELY there’s been a lot of talk about safety. These conversations extent that lives were lost.
have carried over to this column, as well as among our staff. Our The engineers had designed the equipment in such a way that it
Ops Team, Jill and Neil, mentioned a phenomenon to me the oth- could withstand the stresses of launch, extended periods in the harsh
er week called ‘Normalisation of Deviance’. I first read about this effect environment of space and the superhot re-entry. It was only after earlier
some years ago in relation to the culture at NASA, which is where the shuttles had returned safely that the components were discovered to
phrase originated. have been compromised. But the engineers could see the faulty com-
On the morning of January 28, 1986 the Challenger space shuttle sat ponents hadn’t caused problems, so they began to adjust their expecta-
ready for launch at Cape Canaveral. At 11:38 it lifted off from the pad and tions and revise their requirements. They had designed the component
73 seconds later exploded 16kms above Florida. and, when it was demonstrated that it didn’t matter if the component
By the end of the day one of the world’s most efficient information mar- deviated from the specification, they accepted the compromised speci-
kets, the New York Stock Exchange, was pointing the finger at Thiokol, the fication as the new normal.
company which made the solid fuel rocket boosters. Its stock fell 12 per The problem with the new normal is that it doesn’t take into account
cent in a matter of hours. The belief that Thiokol was at fault was vindicated all the risk factors originally considered. A brand new O-ring, for example,
some months later when the engineering analysis identified the cause of could withstand lower temperatures and a degraded O-ring could operate
the explosion to be O-rings supplied by the company. Somehow the stock perfectly well under normal temperatures. Combine the two situations,
market, with little information or technical knowhow, had immediately iden- however - degradation and colder temperatures - and they had catastro-
tified the culprits even before the wreckage had been salvaged. phe in their future. The new normal is not the same as the regular normal.
Just as interesting were the events which took place before the ac- At the time of the shuttle crashes we weren’t aware of the dangers as-
cident. sociated with the normalisation of deviance. Today we should know better.
Inline_804C
On previous missions, the performance degradation of the O-rings We are trained to fly circuits at 1,000ft. Hours and hours at the same
had been identified. It had even been noted the degradation would be height, so our minds get used to the visual picture and our bodies to the
worse in cold weather. Despite this, no action was taken to repair or re- actions needed to achieve our goals at that altitude.
䈀愀猀椀挀 吀爀愀椀渀攀爀 place the affected components. The accident was clearly foreseeable. So when we first fly a circuit at 500ft, it seems thrilling. Do it a second
伀渀氀礀 ␀㈀㈀Ⰰ㔀 Jumping ahead almost 20 years, NASA faced another tragedy. On time at 500ft, though, and it seems less thrilling. A third time even less
February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia returned to earth after 16 so. By the time we’ve done it a dozen times 500ft seems normal to our
䄀唀䐀 ⠀攀砀挀氀⸀ 䜀匀吀⤀ days in orbit. As it re-entered the atmosphere, the shuttle commander minds and bodies even though it’s really 500ft below the true normal.
pitched the nose up in the usual way, so the heat generated from atmos- Now drop another 200ft. This is really seat-of-the-pants-stuff and the
pheric friction would concentrate on heat resistant ceramic tiles attached first time has the blood pumping. The second still thrilling, but less so. And
to the underside of the craft. The procedure was a standard one, but in so it goes. Before you know it, 300ft feels normal. Along this path we can
this instance there was a key difference. easily find ourselves doing low circuits and feeling there is nothing wrong
When the shuttle had launched two weeks earlier, one of the tiles had with it. I’ve done it a million times before so why should this time be any
been damaged. As a result, the integrity of the entire heat shield was different? The problem is that, like the NASA engineers, the new normal
sufficiently compromised that when the intense heat built up, the internal doesn’t consider all the risks considered the first time.
structure of the left wing was destroyed and the shuttle broke up. As with When the pioneers decided 1,000ft was a safe height for circuits they
the Challenger disaster, the Columbia’s crew was killed. took into account such dangers as power lines, turbulence, the effect of
And like the Challenger, the problems which caused the Columbia dis- land contours on wind, conflicting slow traffic and the possibility of an
aster were known before the flight even left the ground. engine failure. That’s why we fly at 1,000ft. To minimise the risks.
These tragedies occurred because of differing technical issues, but So next time you think about flying a low circuit or doing a beat up, ask
both were traced to the same human trait – normalisation of deviance. yourself – have I honestly considered the risks or have I just dismissed
The O-rings were known to be a risk and heat tiles had been damaged them because I got away with it before and expect to get away with it
on previous flights. Never before though, had anything gone wrong to the again? You may have just normalised the deviation.
漀爀 昀愀挀琀漀爀礀 䄀猀猀攀洀戀氀攀搀
7 / S PORT PI LOT
CA LEN D AR OF EVEN TS CAL ENDAR OF EVENTS
E. 24 OCTOBER
PORT MACQUARIE FLY-IN
AND FLY & SPY
Hastings District Flying Club will put on a weekend of aviation
fun and fellowship. On Saturday aircrew can participate in
the Fly & Spy fun observation trial which involves teams
answering questions as they fly a set course in the local area
and does not involve difficult navigation. Food and drink will A B
be available throughout the day for those who prefer to just
soak up the local atmosphere. A welcome / presentation H
dinner in the clubhouse Saturday night. For more information,
A. 10 OCTOBER Rod Davison at roddi194@yahoo.com.au, 0419 632 477
RA-AUS 2015 ANNUAL or www.hdfc.com.au. E
GENERAL MEETING D
G
The meeting will begin at 2.00pm at F
C
the Brothers Club, 130 Takalvan Street,
Bundaberg. Following the AGM, members
can take part in open discussions with the
board and CEO. At 4.00pm discussions will
be held about the draft constitution. For
more information www.raa.asn.au.
B. 12-14 OCTOBER G. 5-6 MARCH 2016
RA-AUS CFI CONFERENCE AEROFEST
Busselton Aero Club in WA. Big family
Brothers Sports Club, 130 Takalvan St,
day with everything aviation, skydiving,
Bundaberg, QLD. An important forum for all
food and drink. Saturday evening BBQ.
CFI’s. Register with admin@raa.asn.au or
Busselton Regional Airport is the gateway
contact head office for more information.
to the Margaret River wine region. For more
information, Ken Manton 0429 967 172 or
ken.manton@bigpond.com.
F. 7 NOVEMBER
TOCUMWAL SHOW AND SHINE
C. 10 OCTOBER Owners of the new Tocumwal Residential
NHILL AIR SHOW Airpark and the Murray Border Flying Club
will put on lunch for flyers who come visit for
World War 2 aircraft, vintage cars and the day. Very informal but fun day. For more
model aircraft will be on display. For more information, info@mbfctoc.com.au or Owen
information, www.nhillairshow.com.au. Peake 0409 950 085.
D. 23-25 OCTOBER H. 13 MARCH 2016
RATHMINES SPLASHDOWN & CLIFTON FLY-IN
CATALINA FESTIVAL
This has become an iconic event in the region and is the premier
Guest speakers will address marine attraction for all types of aviation in southern Queensland. See
parks, waterways access, and various types, shapes, sizes and models of recreational, ultralight
maintenance and corrosion tips. HARS and homebuilt aircraft. Come late pm Saturday for BBQ and
demonstrations. For more information drinks. Fly or drive in, see ERSA. On-field camping, bring your swag.
www.seaplanes.org.au and Advise for catering. For more information Trevor Bange 0429 378
www.rathminescatalinafestival.com. 370, (07) 4695 8541 or trevorbange@bigpond.com.
8 / SPORT PILOT 9 / S PORT PI LOT
L ETTERS TO THE EDI TOR
Stacked_CMYK
Do not spoil their dreams by making the electronic version more user-friendly:
AN ISSUU APP possible economically impossible by 1. Improve the resolution – at the present,
I’m wondering if you might be able to mandating a minimum of 20 hours dual don’t bother zooming in on an aircraft
nudge ISSUU to release their windows app instruction before the first solo. Are we in to get a better look – the closer you get,
in the Australian windows store. danger of underrating our instructors and the blurrier the picture.
students if we do?
Now I’ve got windows 10 on my work 2. D
o something about cross-page photos
tablet/laptop, I would like to be able to AUBREY COOTE – with the electronic version, the only
take advantage of it to read the magazine, way you can see the entire two page
but it seems the app is only available on
the U.S. Store. PISTON GONE photo is to print out both pages – hardly
acceptable.
Googling ‘ISSUU windows app’ brings up a The AUF used to have a perpetual trophy 3. M ouse-clicks for enlargement of the
link to the Microsoft store, but it throws an like the CAGIT called Pis’ton Broke. Would photo (this would cancel out suggestion
error on install which seems to be linked anyone know its whereabouts? 2 above) but also provide an easy way
to not being in the U.S. According to the June 2003 edition of to see more without zooming in.
A bit of googling suggested it was a similar Australian Ultralights magazine, it was at 4. Mouse-clicks for connection
case with the Apple app last year. I’ll ask a private strip at Moonta, SA. Minimum direct to websites, particularly for
them as a user, but I’m thinking you might distance to claim was 130nm. Wonder advertisements.
have more luck as a publisher. where it is currently?
5. Mouse-clicks on photos of aircraft for
DAN SCHUBERT C’mon guys and gals. Let’s find it! sale for connection to websites for
FROM THE ED / We shall ask and let you ROGER HALL more photos provided by the seller, or
know how we go. email details supplied for the request
of same.
POLISHED PUBLICATION The thought has occurred to me that given
HOW MANY HOURS? Just put my vote in the mail and will the printed copy of the magazine has a
I write in response to ‘20 hours before keenly watch the coming period to see dollar value, perhaps the members should
solo’ comments (‘How many hours?’ Sport the outcome of an exciting reform agenda have been given the opportunity to vote
Pilot July 2015). implementation. I am a new member on the new concept – I for one would have
and was pleasantly surprised to find an voted NO.
In October 1945, the end of World War
Stacked_804C
included sub to a quality magazine. I have
II resulted in my demobilisation from the DAVE TONKS
no problem with the digital copy but have
Royal Australian Air Force. At the time I subscribed to the paper copy because I FROM THE ED / Most of those things are
was completing training as a navigator/ read it commuting on the bus. I think it’s a on the higher quality ISSUU version. Your
bombardier as a crew member in a B-24 polished professional publication. If I was suggestion 5 is a good one. Will pass on
Liberator. Subsequently, in 1947 I learned not of this opinion, I would want the option to RA-Aus to see if something like that can
to fly on an income equivalent in today’s to not receive the magazine and pay less be done for Members’ Market.
currency of $3 a week against the hire of because this would be in line with other
ADH 82 Tiger Moth of $15.25 an hour. bodies of which I am a member.
In October 1951 I was awarded my In fact I have requested some to stop
commercial licence and flying instructor’s sending me minutes/newsletters/agendas
rating. Thus in October this year I in the hope it saves money - particularly if
celebrate 65 years as an instructor of the same information is available online or
flying. via email.
Many of the students I have taught over CAMERON LANGFORD
the years would have tail dragger and full
spin recovery endorsements and achieved
their first solo with between seven and 10
hours of dual instruction. Have instructors
MOUSE CLICKS
forgotten that each time a student flies an If members are forced to accept an
aircraft accompanied by an instructor, the electronic copy of Sport Pilot magazine
student is paying for that person as well? without extra cost, it would be nice
Those of us who have known the pleasure to have it done properly. Having just
and wonder of flying should appreciate finished reading the latest edition, the
there are others with a similar ambition. following could be considered to make the
WRITE IN: EDITOR@SPORTPILOT.NET.AU
The state of the organisation is reflected in the Letters to the Editor columns. The more letters – the healthier the organisation.
So don’t just sit there – get involved. Your contributions are always welcome, even if no one else agrees with your opinion.
Stacked_803C
The Editor makes every effort to run all letters, even if the queue gets long at certain times of the year.
(By the way – the Editor reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor to shorten them to fit the space available, to improve the
clarity of the letter or to prevent libel. The opinions and views expressed in the Letters to the Editor are those of the individual
writer and neither RA-Aus or Sport Pilot magazine endorses or supports the views expressed within them).
10 / SPORT PILOT 11 / S PORT PI LOT
IN TH E N EW S I N THE NEWS
DRUG ARREST
iPad
THE CALENDAR IS BACK!
2015 VOL 47 [7]
AUSTRALIA / JULY
RECREATIONAL AVIATION
A
SPECIAL
SUBCRIPTION
OFFER INSIDE
QUEENSLAND man was among four men arrested over an later charged with supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited
alleged interstate criminal network in early September. The drug and has been refused bail.
iPad
BY MIC HAEL LINKE C EO incident drew national media attention. As part of the same operation, three other men, all from Hay in
RECREATION AL AVIATION AUSTRALIA
/ AUGUST 2015 VOL
48 [8]
SUBSCRIBERS to on the website and A 67 year old member of the Gold Coast Sports Flying Club at New South Wales, were charged with supplying guns. Police say a
BR UM BY the printed edition follow the prompts. Heck Field was arrested when he landed his Sting at Deniliquin in tip off led them to the arrests.
EVOLUTION TO A T
of Sport Pilot will Non-members can Southern NSW. Police say they found inside the aircraft 45kgs of They also raided the man's home, post office box and his hangar
iPad
RRP $8.80 inc GST
be pleased to learn download a form or cannabis and four kilograms of an ice precursor drug. The man was at the flying club, much to the shock of other members.
NEW RECORD FOR GYFTS
SCHOLARSHIPS
that the popular RA- call the office.
TECHNIQUE
Aus yearly calendar is The digital copy
LATEST MICROLIGHT TAKE-OFF
JABIRU RESTRICTIONS
2015 VOL 50 [10]
AUSTRALIA / OCTOBER
RECREATIONAL AVIATION
OCTOBER IS back. of Sport Pilot is on
NA TIONS NA LTI TU TI ON
NE WFE CO HE
The calendar full the ISSUU website.
MOINTONT
SA TRA-AUYS FLYING THE FUTUR
RRP $8.80 inc GST
of aircraft pictures will Subscribe to that for
be delivered free to free. There is also a
CAGIT GETS A NEW HOME
subscribers with the low res version on
ONE
LATEST LOOKING FOR NUMBER
JABIRU RESTRICTIONS
December edition of CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF the website if your
Sport Pilot. RECREATIONAL FLYING 198332013 internet access is
INSIDE: FREE
If you aren’t a sub- stuck in the dial up
scriber by December age.
RRP $8.80 inc GST
RA-AUS SAFETY
BOOKLET
SPINS
1 you’ll miss out this year. Sport Pilot remains the voice of Recrea-
ALL IN A SPIN ABOUT
3D PRINTERS IN AVIATION
JABIRU ADVICE FROM THE USA
eational
A Recr Australia
Aviation
Don’t forget for a limited time you still re- tional Aviation Australia and the best maga-
Initiative
Safety
ceive six free editions of the magazine with zine in the sport aviation sector.
every 12 or 24 month subscription. Now with the free Calendar, its better val-
NEW HOME ONLINE For members, simply log into your account ue than ever.
AS part of our ongoing work to improve
how we deliver digital Sport Pilot to
members, we have moved to a new
home on ISSUU.
If you have saved Sport Pilot on IS-
SUU as a favourite, or created a stack,
you will need to re-do that at the new ad-
dress, which is http://issuu.com/raaus.
Digital Sport Pilot can also be ac-
cessed from the RA-Aus website as well
as the Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/RecAvi-
ation/app_123743911011091.
We are also progressively adding back
issues of Sport Pilot as part of the digitisa-
tion project. By the time you get this edi-
tion, you should be able to read every back
AVSAFETY SEMINAR IN AYR
issue of Sport Pilot on the website.
Photos: NSW Police
BY STE VE MC GUIRE
BOARD ELECTION THE Jabiru hangar at YAYR was the venue for
RESULTS
NEW DESIGN FROM RUTAN
a seminar on CASA’s Avsafety program in Au-
gust.
N SW It was delivered by CASA safety advisor, Tim
Don Ramsay 284 votes Penny, to an attentive audience of about 30
mostly RA-Aus pilots and students, including LEGENDARY aircraft designer, Burt Rutan, According to Rutan, the SkiGull will have
Barry Wrenford 95 votes has released details of a new airplane he is an auxiliary lithium-ion electrical propulsion
Informal 4 votes a number of retired CPLs and GA pilots who
have converted to RA-Aus. building in his garage. system, to provide additional power during
Total number of votes in NSW 383 He calls it the SkiGull, a two seat tandem take-off, for engine-out safety and for dock-
Several members of the audience had
SA flown in as the ceiling lifted, just in time for aircraft capable of landing on water, snow ing and beaching in high winds.
Jim McDowell 85 votes the 9.30 start. and unimproved surfaces. Rutan recently A US company called AntennaFILMS is
Barry Windle 112 votes Tim focussed on four main issues: VFR unveiled the first images of the aircraft making a documentary about the develop-
Informal 2 votes flight into VMC, unauthorised low flying, op- informally with a CASA representative at AirVenture in Oshkosh. He said he had ment of the SkiGull. It’s been raising money
Total number of votes in SA 199 erations around uncontrolled aerodromes about a number of issues, including the ongo- planned to fly the prototype to the show, but in Kickstarter to fund the project. For more
and maintenance releases, which was of ing Jabiru issue. it wasn’t ready in time. information, https://www.kickstarter.com/
Invalid votes 29 more concern to the GA operators. Audience Smoko was laid on and, after the session, The aircraft will have foldable wings and projects/antennafilms/looking-up-way-up-
Total number of all votes 611 participation was high and most people ap- a sausage sizzle was cooked up by hangar be transportable without a trailer. the-burt-rutan-story.
preciated the opportunity to be able to speak master, Rupe Kefford.
12 / SPORT PILOT 13 / S PORT PI LOT
IN TH E N EW S I N THE NEWS
THE FIRST 22 YEARS OF LYCOMING’S 0-320
(Information from the FAA website. List excludes Service Bulletins
and Service Instructions)
1953 O-320 series introduced. 1966 Oil filter adapter gasket failure.
1963 7/16” Diameter exhaust valve Replace gasket with new part number
failure- Inspect and, if necessary, replace within 50 hours.
exhaust valves. Depending on aircraft 1967 Superior Flow oil filter failures
usage and time in service, inspection/ resulting in loss of oil and severe engine
replacement recurs every 300 to 500 damage. Replace with different filter
hours. elements.
1964 Engine oil could be drained 1969 Marvel-Schebler carburetor
overboard as a result of oil seal failure inspection and cleaning to prevent
in AC light weight fuel pumps. Pump possible power loss due to blockage of
modification required within 25 hours. carburetor metering passages by thread
1965 Crankshaft flange cracks, loss of lubricant or other foreign material.
propeller. RPM restriction during certain 1973 Piston pin failure – To prevent
maneuvres (when equipped with certain piston pin failures resulting from
Hartzell props on Piper PA-30 aircraft). grinding cracks which occurred during
1966 Connecting rod failures- To manufacture. Affects large range of
prevent further failures of connecting Lycoming engines of all sizes.
rod assemblies, replace specified 1975 Oil pump failures- Inspect, replace
connecting rod assemblies prior to and assemble the oil pump drive shaft
accumulation of 250 hours time in and drive impeller. Large-scale AD
service. affecting many Lycoming engines.
THE FIRST 22 YEARS OF JABIRU
(Information from jabiru.net.au and casa.gov.au). Note that in 22 years, only one
failure has been deemed critical enough to warrant an Airworthiness Directive.
1993 First Jabiru engine, the 60hp 1600, piston pin retainer circlips on affected
approved by Australian CAA. engines or on engines rebuilt using
JABIRU IN PERSPECTIVE
2006 Flywheel Attachment- Early 80hp the Type A circlips. Type A circlips are
2200 engines used ¼” cap screws to susceptible to deformation during
retain the flywheel to the crankshaft. installation and can ‘migrate’, causing
Several failures prompted a change to catastrophic engine damage.
5/16” cap screws. After a single failure 2012 Valve spring washer adverse wear.
BY BRIAN BIGG of the larger screws on a 3300, this Two incidents were reported where
SB was revised in 2012 to ensure the a valve jammed in its collar, causing
regular inspection of flywheel attach the washer to wear, leading to failure
hardware. Later engine upgrades include and engine stoppage. The service
A
MID all the controversy and argu- “Most certificated Jabiru aircraft in Aus- “Over the years when speaking with Aus- by Lycoming all those years ago. It could even addition of close-tolerance dowels and letter details modification to existing
ments about the CASA restrictions tralia, including many in flight schools, were tralians and South Africans unhappy with be argued Lycoming’s worst issues were a flywheel reinforcement plate. Failures normal inspection procedures and
on Jabiru powered aircraft this year, built with only single-cylinder CHT/EGT moni- their Jabiru engines, it has always involved more severe, with manufacturing flaws lead- were attributed to fatigue caused by poor extra precautions for operation in dusty
one small fact keeps getting mentioned but toring, and sometimes no EGT monitoring at aircraft with incomplete or non-existent CHT/ ing to connecting rod failures and piston pin propeller security or uneven pitch setting conditions.
overlooked. all. This makes it difficult for pilots to detect EGT monitoring. Jabiru USA recommends and oil pump flaws affecting many models. A (causing adverse crankshaft vibrations) 2014 Propeller flange attachment-
The same engines being operated in the issues such as uneven EGT spread, exces- everyone who purchases an engine or fire- cursory glance over the history of other certif- and sudden stoppage due to prop strike. Directs maintainer to correct procedure
US have not had anywhere near the same sively lean mixtures, cylinder head overheat- wall-forward kit, to use electronic engine icated engines reveals similar failure records. 2007 Cowl modifications to J160 aircraft in the Engine Overhaul Manual for
level of problems – in fact, Jabiru power is ing during taxi and hard climb, and deto- monitoring for all cylinders for easier setup “It makes one really wonder why Jabiru is (2200 engines) for better engine cooling propeller flange attachment. Several
considered to be among the safest form of nation. Lack of EGT instrumentation also and troubleshooting, as well as monitoring of being singled out when it is clearly not alone,” in hot weather conditions. cases of flange bolt failure and propeller
propulsion for American light aircraft owners. makes proper tuning of the Bing carburetor daily operations. says Katie. 2008 Cowl modifications to J230 aircraft separation have been reported and
How can that be? The engines come out of impossible. Katie is also keen to put Jabiru’s problems In the meantime, the limitations remain (3300 engines) for better engine cooling attributed to installers not following the
the same factory. “The Jabiru engine was designed to be into a larger perspective. in force, other than the one change made in hot weather. correct installation procedure.
Katie Bosman Krotje of Jabiru USA, light-weight and still put out a respectable “Compared to mainstream certificated in July. 2011 First issue of the Service Bulletin 2014 Abnormal distributor cap wear
the North American distributor, thinks she amount of horsepower. It was never intended aircraft engines such as Lycoming and Con- Previously the requirement was that a regarding through-bolt failures and due to use of certain rotors- SB details
knows why. to be a heavy chunk of iron which could take tinental, Jabiru is a young company. It’s had pilot-in-command of a Jabiru-powered air- hardware upgrade, followed shortly inspection procedure.
“The vast majority of Jabiru-powered air- a lot of abuse. Jabiru has published strict engines in production for just 22 years. craft could only carry a passenger if he or she by increase in diameter of production 2014 Cylinder head inspection-
craft in the US use digital engine monitor- limits for EGT and CHT in different phases of “If you take a look at the first 22 years of had signed a waiver not more than 28 days through-bolts. Another issued in January Procedures for inspecting condition of
ing for all cylinders,” says Katie. “If there operation, and our experience has proven the the engine considered the worlds’ most reli- before a flight. That was amended to permit 2015, revised the through-bolt and stud heads and valves to reduce instances
is a problem with cooling baffles or carby engines to be very reliable when these limits able, the Lycoming O-320, it might surprise statements to be signed not more than three replacement intervals and hardware of sticking or broken valves. Inspection
tuning, a complete electronic engine moni- are respected. However, without proper en- you (See Sidebar). calendar months before the flight. This ap- upgrades for engines with the smaller intervals are determined by usage and
tor makes it easy to spot and correct before gine instrumentation, it’s impossible for a “The issues which have affected Jabiru plies even if the passenger is a Pilot Certifi- through-bolts when used in flight training. operating conditions of each individual
damage occurs. pilot to know when the limits are exceeded. are comparable to the failures experienced cate holder. 2012 Replace defective-design Type A aircraft.
14 / SPORT PILOT 15 / S PORT PI LOT
FL Y-I NS
Watts Bridge Shines
STORY AND PIC T URES
BY AL AN BE T TERID GE
Immaculately restored
Gypsy Moth almost
stole the show!
O
RGANISERS of this year’s ‘Gathering of Eagles’ fly-in at Watts
Bridge airfield near Toogoolwah (Qld) had a few nervous days
leading up to the event because rain had been forecast; and
nothing spoils a fly-in more than inclement weather.
But they needn’t have worried beacuse of the weather Gods smiled
favourably and the rain held off – at least until the Saturday afternoon
and had cleared the area by Sunday morning.
The event is the biggest on the Watts Bridge calendar and, as a result,
many people put in a lot of time and effort to ensure it ran smoothly. Largest aircraft at the sho
This year the focus was on the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli and, to w was this
Grumman Mallard from
this end, many people dressed in military uniforms of both WW I and II. Evans Head
Visitors were met at the gate by a very official looking member of the
Africa Corp ‘Sgt’ Mike Krause, a man who had an uncanny resemblance
to Sgt Schultz of Hogan’s Heroes fame, making sure no one was carrying
any contraband in the form of eskies.
Sgt Krause threatened to confiscate them but in the end he relented
and let visitors keep them anyway.
By 8am aircraft started arriving en-masse and the sky came alive to
the sound of recreational and general aviation in all its glory.
Many aircraft stood out from the crowd but none so more than Bill
Finlen’s immaculately rebuilt Gypsy Moth. A good looking
Bill said the rebuild had been a labour of love. Savannah gets ready
“This aircraft was imported into Australia by a mining company in to commit aviation
1929 and was used to help them search for the fabled Lasseter’s reef,”
Bill said.
“This was the reason they named it ‘Golden Quest’ in respect to its in about 2010 and started the arduous task of rebuilding it.
duties with the company.” The end result is a tribute to his skill and dedication in bringing back to
As history shows, the famed reef of gold was never found but to this life a part of Australia’s aviation history.
day, people still look for it in the hope of striking it rich. “There are only about three Gypsy Moths in Australia (all in South East
Bill said the aircraft had an accident in the early thirties and, after be- Qld) and about eight left in the world.
ing rebuilt, was sold to someone in New Zealand. Bill obtained the aircraft “So this aircraft is quite unique,” he said.
17 / S PORT PI LOT
FLY -IN S FL Y-I NS
Simply impressive
Ross Rossow checks – this Yak-
out his dream machine 3U-R2000 Reno
– a replica Spitfire Racer had heads
craned skywards
when it flew in
Peter Freeman and
his pride and joy a
Light Wing GR912S
Visitors were
welcomed by Mike
Krause of the ‘Winds
Bruce Clarke’s replica of War’ Military
Sopwith Camel Glennis Rossow made the trip up from
History Group Stanthorpe for the weekend’s event
The Gathering of Eagles has always had a reputation for attracting number of Jabiru aircraft flying and then found out how many of those
unusual aircraft and this year was no exception. had experienced engine problems and how many had, in fact, complet-
FAETA ZEPHYR A Grumman Mallard amphibian flew up from Evens Head (NSW) and
really made an impressive sight when it arrived overhead.
The sound of its twin radial engines could be heard long before it
ed all of the AD notices.
“I have never had an issue with either of my aircraft and I believe it’s
because I have always made sure everything was up to date,” Frank said.
All Carbon Fibre Carbon Fibre Fuselage
Factory Built LSA Composite/Fabric Flying Surfaces could be seen and had many people trying to guess what was com- “I know in the past there were engine issues and most of these
ing! Another spectacular arrival was in the form of a Yak-3U- have been well and truly overcome.”
Factory Built LSA or Quick Build Kit
R2000 Reno Racer, one of the fastest radial engine air- Frank said the idea of getting passengers to sign a
“many
craft around. This aircraft (VH-YOV) holds the speed waiver was a pointless exercise.
record for a set course of well over 400MPH and to “My wife and I have flown all over Australia without
people put in a lot
see it do a fly past is something many people will so much as a hiccup and now I’m expected to get
never forget. her to sign a waiver before she flies with me. How
of time and effort
A very smart looking L200D was in attendance ridiculous is that?”
and had people talking about the unusual cabin Taking a different viewpoint was Jabiru owner,
to ensure it ran
shape and the unmistakable twin tail layout. Vern Howard.
The aircraft was built by the Czechoslovak Au- “I think by what CASA has done has brought the
smoothly”
tomobile and Aircraft Company in 1965 and first ap- engine issues out into the open and made people
peared on the Australian register in 2013. more aware of what needs to be done,” Vern said.
There were a large number of RA-Aus registered air- “If more people take the time to ensure all ADs are
craft in attendance (as usual) and the talk of the field was completed, the fewer engine related problems there will be
PO Box 30 DENMAN NSW 2328 clearly the handling of the Jabiru Issue by CASA. and surely that can only be a good thing?” he said.
Dexter Burkill — 0428 686 396 (Denman) STOL Performance with 120kt cruise
Sean Griffin — 0499 030 659 (The Oaks) While many thought the safety authority had been heavy handed, oth- Whatever the view taken it is obvious that the issue and CASA’s han-
email: atecplanes@bigpond.com Powered by the ROTAX 912 range ers agreed that some action had been required. Frank Jensen, a Jabiru dling of it was the talk of the Gathering and will be the talk of the recrea-
www.atecplanes.com.au owner, said he thought CASA should have taken into consideration the tional community for some time yet.
18 / SPORT PILOT 19 / S PORT PI LOTFL YI NG TAUGHT M E THI S TODAY
Pioneer 200 Hawk - 300 Hawk - 300 Kite - 400
‘a delight to fly with nippy performance
and stylish Italian lines”
“The engine gave another almighty
Australian Flying, May - June 2013
‘Fast, comfortable and economical,
it looks great - and actually flies as
nicely as it looks’
Pilot, November 2011
backfire and stopped dead”
Alpine
Aircraft Sales www.alpineaircraft.com.au
Hindsight is 20-20
Michael Pendergast Jim Rodgers Bob Keen
0418 521 534 0457 054 123 0429 639 770
michael@alpineaircraft.com.au jimrodgers01@gmail.com smokeysmail@bigpond.com
Western Australia Northern NSW, Qld, NT
ASIAPAC June 2013.pdf 1 12/06/13 11:03 PM
BY ANON Y MOUS
H
ERE is a story about my disregard for a problem I did not to maintain altitude and began slowly descending. I made the calls for
iEFIS ...the Next Generation consider a major issue - until it became one. an emergency landing and was relieved by a reply from a local pilot who
A comprehensive flight, engine & navigation instrument It was a beautiful morning, the type we all love to find our- was taxying to the runway for take-off.
designed for Experimental & LSA aircraft utilising a selves enjoying at our home airfield. I was looking forward to some local My engine was still working but only on one cylinder. The precious
custom developed, pressure sensitive, sunlight readable
touch screen. iEFIS combines the undeniable advantages flying and a couple of circuits. There was no cloud, some wind - about 10 moments passed. Then I could see the airfield, but could I make it there?
of simplified operation of a touch screen with rich, to 12kts straight on the nose for the western runway. It still looked possible as long as the engine retained some power. The
traditional controls which are equally indispensable in Everything was looking good and onto the pre-flight inspection I went. wind was perhaps stronger too, because my groundspeed appeared
the cockpit environment. The pressure sensitive touch
Having a mechanical background, I am pretty thorough with all criti- high. It all meant a straight-in approach and a pretty high speed down-
screen operates like a tactile button preventing false
activation when touching the screen in turbulent
The XTreme Mini EFIS cal components such as linkages, hinges, fuel mix etc. The trusty 503 wind landing. I would be more than happy to deal with that as long as I
conditions. A simple and highly effective solution ... A 4.3” colour display, engine has been exceptionally reliable and why would this change? On could make the runway, because I would only get one shot at it. There is a
in 7", 8.5" & 10.4" displays. multifunction EFIS with previous inspections, I had noticed a small black oil stain developing be- reasonably steep valley at the western end of the airfield with no landing
Complete iEFIS system remarkable functionality at a
tween the front cylinder base and the crankcase. Not an issue I thought, options, so I would have to decide before then if I was going to make an
(no servos) approx $6,000 delivered! remarkable price.
normal for a two stroke. No doubt just the base gasket weeping slightly. outfield landing. Getting closer and still looking good, I received a slight
Including all the features of its sibling Odyssey series systems the 'touch & press' screen modular iEFIS All Flight and Engine
functions*; Integrated GPS &
As the engine was coming up to its top end overhaul anyway, I knew I updraft from the hill on the western end of the valley. It made my deci-
continues the MGL tradition of leading the industry in features, flexibility & innovation.
encoder; Navigation; Flight path would change it then. sion for me. I was going to get there.
2nd Generation Odyssey (GPS based flight path/‘attitude’ Then I got to the fun bit. Pre-take off checks were good, the engine I can assure you there is no greater feeling of happiness and relief in
was warm and traffic was clear so I lined up and rolled into the sky. The a crippled aircraft than to see the runway and know you have sufficient
$6,000 delivered!
indication); Artificial horizon.*
Complete Odyssey-Voyager G2 systems approx
. climb out was normal - about 600fpm – I was quickly up to about 2,000ft height and speed to get there. The landing was long, of course, but un-
Auto pilot* coming soon (free
Extremely powerful, flexible, simple & intuitive operation in huge 10.4” and software upgrade); EFIS fits into
8.4”, high quality, high resolution, sunlight readable displays AGL, then powered back and headed off to the mountains in the north eventful.
. Every conceivable function: all flight; HITS; VOR, ILS, GLS, GVOR; AOA; all
std 3.5” instrument cut-out!
west in a slow climb. About 10 minutes into the journey, the engine When I pulled back throttle on landing, the engine gave another al-
engine; ‘black box’ recording; AH/Compass; GPS (m/map); terrain (2D/3D); *Requires additional equipment. missed a beat or two and then recovered. So did my heart. A quick look mighty backfire and stopped dead as if to say that’s all I’ve got. But that
integrated GPS & encoder; radio/transponder, ‘spoken voice’ alerts, integrated
autopilot & much more! $1,350 delivered! around for possible landing areas was not encouraging but I did however was all I needed. Thanks Rotax.
know of an overgrown disused ag strip probably within gliding range. I Then came the engine inspection. The minor oil stain I’d noticed had
Complete range of light, Delta VHF Antennas thought to myself ‘Bugger!’ For years I had planned to drive out to that ag blown out and now covered the entire engine. When I removed the cylin-
accurate, multi-function, Exclusive Australasian MGL VHF COM Radio strip to inspect it for just such an emergency landing, but had not done der head air shroud I found the front cylinder had two broken head studs.
advanced instruments. Straight distributer for the highly New advanced features & so. Bugger! The front cylinder head was no longer sealing on the cylinder. I’m now
swap out for standard 2.25” & sure it must have had one stud broken previously which no doubt caused
regarded Delta Pop design - 2.5”, large display, My next thoughts were ‘full power and climb’ to try to get back to the
3.5” instruments with brilliant Aviation range of VHF and
one button interface & even transponder antennas.
230 grams. FCC approved. home airfield. The wind was behind me now and that was good. The en- the oil leak at the base gasket. The really stupid part on my behalf was to
more innovative features. $1,255 delivered gine sounded different but it was still working, that was also good. About not investigate the issue when I first noticed the seepage. The problem
three minutes later the engine backfired and lost about 60% power. would have been quick and easy to find, just by checking the cylinder
Now my sphincter was pulsating as fast as my heart. My emergency head nut tension - perhaps a 10 minute job.
website: www.lightflying.com.au phone: (02) 6259 2002 or 0419 423 286
landing training was now going to have to work, because I was not able I hope my experience will be a lesson for all. It certainly was for me.
21 / S PORT PI LOTA I RC RAFT FEATU RE FEATURE STORY
Flying with the X factor
~ THE X-AIR HANUMAN ~
BY ROB KNIGHT
A
S part of a holiday in New Zealand, I Bill advised 10° of flap and 55kts for best countryside stretched away, climbing impercepti-
planned to validate my RA-Aus Pilot climb. This seemed contrary to aeronautical the- bly to the central North Island’s volcanic plateau
Certificate and use it to take my grand- ory, but he was totally correct as the Pilot Operat- with the pointy peaks of mounts Ruapehu and
daughter, in recent remission with leukaemia, ing Handbook later confirmed. Thus configured, Nauruhoe rising over the nose.
for a flight. the VSI settled at 880ft/m. Climbing, with the aeroplane trimmed, the
I called RAANZ (the Recreational Aviation As- Considering the low engine position and the elevator felt lighter than the ailerons and more
sociation of New Zealand) for advice. At their sug- lowered flaps, the attitude for the climb was high- powerful, obviously aided by the slipstream.
gestion I then contacted the Manawatu Microlight er than I expected, but visibility ahead was still Comparing the feel of each control, harmony was
Club in Fielding and arranged a validation flight. quite acceptable. To keep the ball in the middle quite limited, a trait the Hanuman holds in com-
A month later, on a typical autumn day for the required just the lightest touch on the right pedal. mon with the X-Air-582.
region, I arrived at NZFI. As Bill had already warned, the ailerons were We levelled off, set 5,000 RPM and trimmed.
Fielding is located in the North Island and decidedly firm, but there was no issue with lateral The level flight over-the-nose visibility was fantas-
lies about 20km east south east of RNZAF base control. Holding just the tiniest right rudder to bal- tic, the best I have ever seen in any single-engine
Ohakea. It is surrounded by flat to rolling lush ance slipstream yaw, we climbed straight ahead aeroplane. After playing with the attitude for a
green pastureland, diced by long trails of black until, at 800ft, we turned right to vacate the circuit. bit, Bill suggested we try some level turns, so I
tar-sealed highways. With a single bitumen run- The big Lexan doors allowed great lateral vis- obliged. Turns at 45° bank were a breeze, height
way and parallel grass for gliders, Fielding is ibility and out to port we could see a few showers was easily maintained with the speed falling to
home to a wide spectrum of operations and thus, washing the horizon. Ahead, green New Zealand around 72kts. Balancing adverse yaw was unde-
periodically, intense circuit activity. Strict operat-
ing procedures are applicable. and simultaneously stopping yaw with rudder
Ready to validate me was the CFI of the foot, gave an immediate recovery. Adding full
Manawatu Club, Bill Penman. Bill has a moun- power, the total height lost in the wing drop stall
tain of experience, more than 40 years in air was less than 150ft.
traffic control, much of it at RNZAF Ohakea and The best glide was achieved at 55kts, also
he is currently the chief controller at Palmerston with the flaps extended 10°. Trimmed to fly
North Tower. hands off with no power, the VSI hovered around
After applying for RAANZ membership and the 500ft/m down mark. The book gives a glide
getting from Bill a comprehensive briefing on lo- ratio of 10 to 1 and this was borne out in prac-
cal airspace and airfield operations, we walked tice. This lowered flap for best L/D could indicate
out to the club’s dark green X-Air Hanuman. that the design angle of incidence is set low,
Like all X-Airs, ZK-MMC was manufactured which might explain at least in part the excellent
by Raj Hamsa in India, but unlike the earlier X- cruise speed for the horsepower.
Air-582, this is no open cockpit, minimum aero- We carried out an overhead rejoin at 1,500ft
plane. It is much more sophisticated with a fully AGL and joined crosswind for runway 28. We
enclosed cockpit and more dials on the dash. waited for a glider to establish itself for the grass
The fuel tank holds 80 L, it runs a Rotax 912 us- Top: The X Air Hanuman manding. Bill had warned me that, while rudder before being number two for the bitumen. With
ing around 14 L per hour, so it’s flight endurance Centre: Fielding Field input with aileron was certainly necessary, a little 20° of flap we flared nicely over the threshold
is around four hours 45 minutes with an hour’s Left: Ashleigh and Pop went a long way. He was dead right again. and it rumbled gently onto its mains.
reserve. Therefore at an 85kt cruise one could Considering our weight the cruise speed was The second approach was to try a short take-
expect a still air range of around 400nm. excellent at a consistent 85kts. The ailerons off. With 10kts of headwind, 20° of flap and full
After a radio call on 124.1, NZFI's unattended were even heavier at the higher speed, but the power before releasing the brakes, we were air-
frequency (CTAF for Australian pilots) we taxied tail surfaces were slightly lighter, the extra air- borne in about 50m.
for runway 28. In addition to its wide cockpit, im- speed not compensating for the lost slipstream. After sending me out for three solo circuits,
mensely impressive is this aeroplane's visibility, Hands off, the aeroplane flew quite well. There Bill signed my logbook. I was now Hanuman type
provided by its low mounted engine and full-sized was no tendency to diverge. A stick waggle indi- rated and eligible to operate RAANZ aircraft us-
Lexan doors. The bungeed main gear was firm cated it was neutrally stable in pitch but lightly ing my RA-Aus Pilot Certificate for three months.
and the positive nose wheel steering provided a spirally unstable, which is as it was designed. If my New Zealand stay exceeded that I would
good turning circle. Stalling was straightforward. Basic stalls were need to pass RAANZ Air Law, take a pilot test and
After the run-up, DVAs, obligatory radio call just a squashing mash with immediate reversion become certified under RAANZ requirements.
and a good lookout, I taxied onto the 28 cen- to controlled flight on relaxing back pressure to So I got to take my granddaughter for a flight
treline. I straightened the nose wheel, applied decrease the angle of attack. Stalls at varying and for that I am deeply grateful to Bill Penman
throttle and it leapt forward. Before I even got to flap positions were similar, except the downward for his kindness, generosity and time. I must also
full power, Bill was quietly suggesting I raise the nose pitching at the point of a stall was a little thank the Manawatu Microlight Club for its hospi-
nose to fly it off. We took around 70m of ground more definite with each increase in flap exten- tality and the cups of tea we drank. I would heart-
roll to get airborne with 10kts of headwind and sion. However, with full flap and 4,000 RPM, ily recommend this organisation to any pilot wish-
that was with three-quarter tanks and two not- the stall was quite sharp with a definite torque ing to validate in their RA-Aus Pilot Certificate in
so-small men on board. induced left-wing drop. Uninstalling with the stick New Zealand.
22 / SPORT PILOT 23 / S PORT PI LOTS A F ETY F EA TUR E : S A F E T Y MA T T E R S
Clear Mind, Clear Prop
BY MIC HAEL LINKE C EO & K ATIE JENKINS SAFE T Y, RI SK AND C OMPLI ANC E M AN AG E R
O
CTOBER has become and non-fatal accidents. These Aus. We want to help CASA to improve safety by encouraging our
‘National Safety Month’ include introducing type training pilots to accept their responsibilities via education on the develop-
in RA-Aus. The new requirements to address the ex- ment and implementation of a Safety Management System.
initiative is designed to raise panding variety of aircraft models
awareness within the member- in the recreational sector, a focus NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH
ship of the importance of Hu- on increased Human Factor train- The focus of National Safety Month is aligned with the CASA Human
man Factors. ing and assessment for both stu- Factor initiatives released in July 2015. By identifying safety related
We want to re-open dialogue dents and biennial pilot assess- trends and risk factors, RA-Aus is working solidly towards develop-
and re-focus members on the ment and ongoing redevelopment ing safety communication and education material for its member-
need to consider Human Fac- of Human Factors training. ship. Over the past five years, there have been 46 fatal accidents
tors when flying and in decision in RA-Aus aircraft. Our investigations and analysis have determined
making. We want National Safety MODERNISATION 39 (84%) of these were attributed directly to human factors and/or
Month to help reduce Human Fac- RA-Aus has invested over poor pilot decision making. So the question has been how can RA-
tor related incidents and the num- $250,000 to upgrade and mod- Aus prevent these accidents from recurring?
ber of fatalities which happen ernise its information technology
every year. systems and databases. Benefits MORE RULES?
RA-Aus is focused on creating resulting from these upgrades We could lay down more rules and require a load more training in
a positive culture shift to improv- include improved record keep- human factors and decision making. But these measures would
ing Human Factors and we will ing, communication and analysis be met with resentment and probably not achieve their purpose.
be providing refresher education of defect, incident and accident Mandating more training for 9,500 flying members, in an effort to
for all members. We also want to reports. Through a customer re- change the behaviour of a few, is not effective. Ultimately RA-Aus
improve the reputation of sports lationship management module, can only do so much. The responsibility, as it has always been, rests
aviation within the wider aviation safety outcomes can be commu- with the pilot.
industry by creating a better and nicated to the membership as a
safer image. whole and/or can be targeted to CULTURE SHIFT
After several fatal acci- those most at risk. A new website We need to think about the responsibility on all pilots who see or
dents in the first six months
"Mandating more trainin where members can log into hear about others taking risks yet say nothing. A cultural change
of 2015 we undertook a high
g for their own secure portal to is required. A change in behaviour, with mates looking out for each
9,500 flying members, in
level analysis of all fatal ac- carry out routine tasks such other, with pilots feeling confident enough to discuss their mistakes
an
cidents in the past five years. as membership renewal, openly so the lessons they learn from their mistakes can be passed
We identified that most of
effort to chang e the beh
aircraft registration renewal on to others. Hangar talk is highly effective communication. How we
them were Human Factor re-
aviour
and to lodge incident reports achieve cultural change is the tough question, but with a number of
lated. Our analysis revealed will mean increased interac- planned strategies we believe, over time, we will see change.
there was an urgent need
for immediate awareness in of a few, is not effective tion with RA-Aus and will be
another opportunity to en-
Through the recent round of CASA Safety Promotion funding, RA-
Aus has been granted $10,000 to contribute to this initiative. Some
this area. gage them with safety sensi- of this funding has been used for:
The article, ‘5 years, 40 deaths – It’s time to tive information. High Vis Vests – These have been distributed to all RA-Aus flying
talk’ (Sport Pilot, Pilot Talk, July 2015) gave an insight into these ac- schools. They carry the slogan ‘Clear Mind, Clear Prop’ to ensure
cidents and the requirement for a more focused discussion on the TECHNICAL MANUAL pilots focus on clearing their mind of distractions before they fly.
contributing factors in fatal accidents. In addition RA-Aus has com- A complete draft of Issue 4 of the RA-Aus Technical Manual was com- Safety Initiative Booklet – Included with this edition of Sport Pi-
pleted several proactive things with a view to reducing the incidence pleted in June and is currently undergoing an internal document re- lot magazine is a booklet containing stories and information aimed
of fatal accidents. view process. The complete manual will be available to CASA later this at reducing accidents. Some of the subjects range from Low Fly-
month for acceptance. Issue 4 has been re-written from the ground ing, Fuel Management and Aeronautical Decision Making. We hope
WHAT IS RA-AUS DOING? up and members will benefit from an easy to read, well laid out and members will use this resource and carry it as a guide in their flight
OPERATIONS understandable document. Safety initiatives incorporated in Issue 4
include staged inspections for amateur built aircraft and the issuance
bag to help with pre-flight planning and the safe conduct of flights.
Hangar Talk – Another key initiative will involve bringing mem-
Education and pilot proficiency programs are being researched in an
of a Permit To Fly to carry out flight-testing, by the Technical Manager. bers together for a hangar talk session with their local CFI. RA-Aus
effort to address pilot skills and decision making. This includes ongo-
ing communications with education and training co-ordinators in the has distributed small gifts for CFIs to hand out at these events to
FAA and the EAA. Preliminary communications have been positive. SMS EXECUTIVE TRAINING encourage people to attend. It will also provide them a pre-pack-
These programs will be shared openly in the interests of improving RA-Aus’ Executive have each completed a five day Aviation Safety aged presentation to deliver. These will cover areas of safety high-
safety. Management course. This involved formal training on Safety Manage- lighted as key concerns within the organisation. We will be asking all
Our new training Co-ordinator will begin development programs fo- ment Systems, accident investigation and auditing. The objective is to CFIs if they can host hangar talks in their local area over the next 12
cussed in four key areas – Pilot Proficiency Training, L1 and L2 main- ensure managers and key staff are upskilled, to improve consistency months. Keep an eye out in our electronic newsletters for a hangar
tenance training and Safety Management training. in accident investigation and auditing and to standardise the organi- talk in your local area.
RA-Aus has introduced a number of initiatives to address deficien- sation’s approach to challenges, in accordance with best practice. At RA-Aus, your safety is our priority.
cies already identified in piloting skills and decision making in fatal We anticipate it will also provide CASA and the membership with For the month of October we will continue the discussion about
ongoing safety assurance and confidence in the management of RA- Human Factors in recreational aviation.
24 / SPORT PILOTYou can also read
