january 2016 - royal aero club

www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au

Official Publication of the Royal Aero Club of Western

Australia (Inc.)

January 2016http://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.auAustralia $4.00 (Inc. GST)

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

ISSN 1833-6116

Tarmac Topics

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Contacts

In This Issue Deadlines

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

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

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

Racwa Team Members: CEO: David CurreyClub Secretary: David CurreyCFI (IFR) / Chief Pilot: Trevor JonesCFI (VFR) Trevor JonesCFI (IT) / Murrayfield: John Douglas Chief Engineer: Glen Caple Operations Manager: Rick EnnisOIC Murrayfield: Michael Chlopek Client Liaison Manager Charlee Hateley

Tarmac Topics: Publisher: The Royal Aero Club of

Western Australia (Inc.) 19 537 624 305

Editor: [email protected] / Advertising Manager:

Shelley Cruden Ph. 0423 892 084 [email protected]

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

CommitteeAndrew Eldridge

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

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

Steve Wilson Treasurer: 0407 772 324 [email protected]

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

Marco Surace Director: 0467 791 537 [email protected]

Linda Maule Director 0411 480 909 [email protected]

James Murphy Director: 0457 138 189 [email protected]

Martin Jones Director: 0407 033 737 [email protected]

Rachel George: Director: 0418 957 225 To Advertise

Disclaimer

Cover Photo: Michael Sinclair-Jones.- Photo: Seen recently at the Toodyay Show

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.

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

FeaturesSpecial Aviators 6Up Up 'n' Away 7In the Industry 8Over the Hills 9Out "n' About 10Our Club 11Club Events 12Aviation Careers 13Celebrating 14Come Fly With Me 16

Regular ItemsContact Us 2News 3What's On? 4Around The Club 5On A Lighter Note 15

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

PatronHer Excellency Kerry Sanderson AO

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Happy New Year! I trust Santa brought something useful, and you have enjoyed the festive season with family and friends. Last year was a very successful year for the Club, and with your help, we look forward to another strong performance in 2016. With the large intake of WAAC and Polytechnic West

students, the Club will be busy and demand for Club aircraft will be intense. Anticipating a strong demand for twin engine training, we have acquired another Partenavia. This type of aircraft has proven to be the best twin training platform over the years, and it makes sense for us to have our own twins. The Seminole is now reaching the end of its training life, and we're looking to sell it to a good home. With two Partenavias of our own we can ensure that both are of a similar specification. This enables students to move seamlessly from one aircraft to the other. Having adequate capacity also enables students to choose to do their Commercial Pilot Licence training and hours-building in a twin. The retirement of VH-PNT was a bitter-sweet moment - this aircraft had been owned by the Club since new and had the most airframe hours of its model in the world. It had served us well, but it couldn't go on. The replacement aircraft has been acquired from Queensland, and in deference to our beloved PNT, we will transfer the callsign. PNT will live again. We anticipate the aircraft will be online and available for member hire towards the end of January. While we are talking about the fleet, Glen Caple and the maintenance team have done an outstanding job to complete the SIDs on the Cessna 152 fleet by the end-of-2015 deadline. If you haven't flown a C152 recently, please drop in and take a look at how great they look after refurbishment. We will continue to work our way through the fleet.Just the other day I had the pleasure of flying VH-ZDR, recently fitted with the new electric variable pitch propeller. The 3 blade composite propeller is a delight - so smooth. The benefit of variable pitch is that the aircraft performs exceptionally well in the climb, and we can eke out a couple more knots of TAS in the cruise as well. If you would like to fly this aircraft - please call the Club to arrange your training, which will depend upon your experience. You won't regret it. You will have seen our recent promotion of the new Thrill Seeker Joyflight in the Super Decathlon. If you know someone with a strong stomach and the need for adrenaline, this is the perfect gift for them. Please do your best to promote the Club among your friends and work colleagues.To assist with the new influx of students, we welcome Mark Heller, who has recently been appointed Integrated Training Coordinator. Mark brings a great deal of experience having been a pilot in Europe and a part-time ground lecturer at WAAC. We have so many students now enrolled on our integrated courses that we have been forced to manufacture more hours in the day! During the busy summer period while the daylight is adequate, the Operations Desk will be staffed from 6:30am until 6:30pm. It has always been possible to make arrangements to access aircraft out of hours, but this will certainly make it simpler for members who like to fly before or after work. Behind the scenes at the Club - a number of volunteers are busy, quietly achieving. Steve Wilson and Haydn Vernon have made a number of running repairs on the clubhouse, including replacing a downpipe that was completely rusted through. The House and Gardens Committee has also arranged for renovations to the staff kitchen in the hangar, which we hope to start soon. James Murphy continues to demonstrate his indomitable enthusiasm at Murrayfield, moving us bit by bit towards the commencement of development there. The Social Committee has a number of events in the pipeline, which I am looking forward to. My thanks to our volunteers. Don't forget about our monthly competitions - the best value way to keep your skills sharp and have a great time doing it. Happy flying!

Andrew Eldridge. President

Onwards andUpwards

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January 4 CPL Aerodynamics course starts10 Murrayfield Comp - Hold Your Water11 PPL Aerodynamics course starts13 PPL Systems course starts15 PPL Human Factors course starts15 CPL Systems course starts19 PPL Flight Performance & Loading course starts26 Australia Day SkyShow27 CPL Navigation course starts29 Formation Friday29 Old Fliers Group31 JT Challenge - Hold Your Water Aviation Workshop Evening - next workshop in

February Industry Presentation - next presentation in

February

February 4 PPL Navigation course starts 8 CPL Meterorology course starts

Coming Events

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14 Murrayfield Comp 14 Leeuwin Luncheon15 CPL Flight Performance & Loading course starts15 Maths course starts16 PPL Meterology course starts16 Aviation Workshop Evening25 PPL Air Law course starts26 Formation Friday26 Old Fliers Group26 Industry Presentation 28 JT Challenge

LaterWatch this space

Regular EventsMurrayfield Comp 2nd Sunday 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

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Plan a great picnic & family afternoon at the City of Perth SkyShow and Laser Works and be sure to watch fellow Racwa

Members and their flying display and formations

Tuesday 26th January 2016

● Year 12 Maths Bridging Course● Required to satisfy minimum entry criteria for QANTAS roles● Accredited certificate on completion

Course commences February 15, 2016Applications available online or phone (08) 9417 0000


The Annual Leeuwin Estate Luncheon Re-scheduled to 14th February 2016 VALENTINES DAY

Book your aircraft AND YOUR VALENTINE/S NOW.

Briefing (Compulsory if you have not previously flown into Leeuwin Estate)

On FRIDAY 12th FEB 18.00 hrs.

Advise your name/details to Contact Jim Campbell 0415805638

eMail [email protected] for more info

FLIGHT-PLAN to arrive YLUW by 11.30 for Lunch @ 12.00noon

Departure at Leisure


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Members Having Fun

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The 2015 competitions may have nearly finished, but the smiles on the latest winners faces said otherwise. Bring on the 2016 competitions at both Jandakot and Murrayfield.

Be a part of the fun.

Some time ago, we outlined a d

esire to give back to o

ur members, not just

through our flying act

ivities, but a scheme where members could

benefit

from business discou

nts in WA. This is an important ste

p in our Club

moving forward with po

sitive pace. It gives m

e great pleasure to ad

vise from

RACWA Member Benefits

1 January 2016 our R

acwa Members Benefits scheme will be liv

e. We have entered a two

year contract with an

Australian based firm

to manage our program. The flex

ibility in the

contract allows Racw

a to suggest and sou

rce our own benefits

partners, in addition

to

those already include

d in a standard suite

of benefits and our m

ember discounted flying

rates. It also allows

us to reach out to y

ou, our members, who may have bu

sinesses

interested in becoming a bene

fits partner. This is

a collaborative way to

ensure your Racwa

membership remains fulfilli

ng, meaningful and engagin

g. If you are interes

ted in becoming

a benefits partner, pl

ease let the Club kno

w - [email protected]

.au

What do you need to ac

cess our Racwa Members Benef

its Program? Ensure y

our subscription

for 2016 is paid! Our program

is open to all curre

nt financial members and n

ew members

once ratified at com

mittee level. This is an

exciting time to be a

Racwa Member, our Club is

growing and we look

forward to your suppo

rt in 2016.Rachel Geo

rge.

The merriment of Christmas as people gathered at the Racwa bar. Even better was the drawing of the Christmas Ham

raffle!

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Sugar Bird LadyJa

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It’s hard to miss the striking feature as you first turn into Eagle Drive. The particularly obstructive, conspicuous cement pillar that sticks out like a sore thumb outside the

Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) operations. Unveiled on May 20, 1978 this pillar once housed a Mooney Mark 21, engineering prototype donated by Mooney Aircraft to the RFDS to serve as a memorial to the late Robin Miller. The Sugar Bird Lady aircraft was damaged and blown to the ground after a storm in 2013. The Mooney spent 18 months at the Northern Apron where Pilots taxiing by would glimpse the Mooney, and often speculate on how the plane arrived at this particular destination. Thanks to the RFDS along with the assistance of the restoration team at the Aviation Heritage Museum Bull Creek - it has been restored, repainted and reinstated to its plinth at Jandakot Airport just in time to mark the 40th anniversary of Robin Miller’s untimely death.Robin Elizabeth Millar was a nurse and aviator who influenced immunisation programs in remote communities on self-piloted missions. Robin Miller had great influence in combatting polio in outback Aboriginal children and earnt the name Sugar Bird Lady from the children as she administered the polio vaccine via sugar cubes. She completed the immunisation programme in October 1969, after administering over 37,000 doses of vaccine and flying 43,000 miles (69,200 km).Although not without its struggle, Robin had to defend herself in an industry that, at the time, was mostly reserved for men. Initial hostility of the male doctors toward a pilot who was a woman meant some doctors refused to fly with Robin in command. Reacting to those who expected her to don men’s clothing, she worse skirts rather than trousers on her flights.One flight in particular, Robin was flying solo in an RFDS aircraft when the passenger started having her baby. Robin left it a bit late going into Perth, so she put the aircraft on autopilot and delivered the baby. Coming back on the radio, she announced to the base that she now had 3 passengers on board. In 1974, Robin found a lump on her thigh and even though Robin’s cancer was inoperable - she refused to be grounded. She continued flying for the RFDS until the end of October 1975, and was answering emergency calls and organising medical flights up until two weeks before her death on 7 December 1975. Robin Elizabeth Miller died aged thirty five.“The Sugar Bird Lady is an important part of the history of our

organisation, our community and our vast state,” said Nick Harvey, Executive GM Corporate Affairs at the RFDS WA. “For these reasons, we are thrilled to unveil

the restored memorial.” “Robin Miller was an influential individual. She introduced an immunisation program in remote communities and piloted herself on her missions”. Today, the RFDS has separate pilots and medical staff. “We’re fortunate to have this monument in her memory,” he saidIn a prime location, the aircraft, VH-REM, is as striking as it is iconic, and the landmark is positioned perfectly to welcome visitors into Jandakot Airport. Although not the actual aircraft flown by Robin Miller, it is painted to represent the real VH-REM Mooney, which is still registered and privately owned in Queensland. There are other landmarks around Perth that commemorate the hard work of the Miller family, including ‘Horrie Miller Drive’ at Perth Airport, named after Robin’s father Horace (Horrie) Clive Miller - an aeronautical engineer from Victoria, and recently the introduction of ‘Sugar Bird Lady Drive’, a new road off Horrie Miller Drive.This prominent feature serves to remind us that incredible feats can be accomplished in even the shortest timespan and that nothing should stand in the way of reaching your goals.Robin Miller helped shape the community’s attitude toward women in aviation and the Sugar Bird Lady Memorial serves as a fitting reminder of the contribution of our airwomen to aviation and the Western Australian community.

The WA Branch of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association is stepping back in time to raise funds for our 2016 WA Flying Scholarship.

Getting out of our comfort zone we jumped in front of the lens for a great cause.

In early 2016, AWPA WA calendars will be available for purchase for $25ea. Buy a

calendar and help keep aviation dreams alive for WA girls!

Watch this space for the calendar release.


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Achievers Jan

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Thumbs Up John Sunter completed his RPL flight test at the end of November 2015. He has been flying since September 2014, beginning his training with Advanced Cockpit Flight Training (ACFT). “As a youngster I was a member of the Air Training Corps in the United Kingdom. I was lucky enough to fly Chipmunks and Bulldogs every now and again, but being only two inches shorter than a giraffe - was told I was too tall to be a pilot!” said John.However John’s height wasn’t the only thing that might have hindered his dreams of flying. The day before his Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) flight test - his wife Helena had just bought a new vegetable slicer. “I saw her struggling to remove it from the safety holder. ‘Be careful with that love, I'll do it,” said John. “The "safety holder" had a release clip which didn't release. With an amount of force I pulled it free and left a good lump of thumb on the kitchen counter the day before my flight test.” Fortunately after surgery John’s thumb is now on the mend.John described flying with a sore thumb as: “Fine for the most part but turning the ignition key was the hardest.” John found that it kept getting snagged on his headset lead – ouch!John’s next big adventure begins with moving to New Zealand in the new year and continuing to fly there. “I hope to complete my Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and fly guests to our remote luxury B&B somewhere fantastic” said John.

We wish John all the very best with his flying adventures in New Zealand – Good luck John.

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“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking …”was something that most students said over the PA system of a Fokker 100 when they toured Network Aviation

(Qantaslink).Network Aviation opened their doors to the College and Polytechnic West students on 29 November. Captain Sean Schofield and Chief Engineer Brent Roodt gave up their Saturday to help students appreciate the operations of an airline. Students were divided into two groups due to numbers. Sean explained the daily pre-flight functions that both the flight and cabin crew were required to complete before taking on passengers. Students were treated to inspecting one of their Fokker 100s, siting up front while Sean explained the impressive avionics. Almost every student succumbed to using the aircraft’s public address system, to the mirth of the rest of the group.Brent took students through a detailed pre-flight examination

of the Fokker 100, explaining the myriad of complex systems of the aircraft.. Viewing the aircraft from close up

was very educational and helped students appreciate the detailed pre-flight examination the pilot has to undertake before each flight.Sean and Brent provided a BBQ for all students after the tours. CGI Andy Wood proved his prowess with the tongs, cooking the meat to perfection. These tours are essential in helping students appreciate the discipline required to be an airline pilot. Thank you to Network Aviation and especially Sean and Brent for helping reinforce the dreams of our students.

Network Aviation


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Trans Australia FerryJan

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We welcome the newest addition to the Royal Aero Club fleet, VH-IXC, that was flown across Australia by its previous owner Arthur Palmer and our own instructor Kovieva Fremy. A two day voyage saw the duo fly the Partenavia

from Archerfield to Bourke, Broken Hill to Ceduna and Forrest to Kalgoorlie, to arrive at its new home Jandakot.It was the first time Racwa instructor Kovieva Fremy had flown across Australia and was also the trip where Kovieva cracked her 1,000 hours.The journey began in CEO David Currey’s office on Thursday morning where Kovi was directed by CFI Trevor Jones to clear her schedule and prepare for a weekend away. Kovi jumped on a plane at 4:30pm Saturday and arrived in Brisbane at 11:30pm local time, where she met the aircraft’s former owner Arthur. “Arthur and his partner where incredibly nice. They had me stay at their place overnight before we started the expedition” said Kovi. “We got to Archerfield so we could take off at first light on Sunday morning. It was about 6am local time, which is 4am Perth time. Arthur’s partner had packed us sandwiches, juice boxes and even cake for the journey – they were such wonderful people.”The dynamic duo began their flight early Sunday morning. Beginning with having to plan around storms out of Archerfield before they could take off, Kovi describes the beginning of the flight as probably the hardest part. “The rest of the 2 day journey was smooth sailing” said Kovi. “Another highlight of the flight were the sights we saw.” Said Kovi “Imagine only seeing dust on the really clear legs, but when we reached the cliffs of the Nullarbor, unfortunately it was too overcast to see much. However, it wasn’t all about the sights” Kovi explained “cracking my 1,000 hours in the first leg of the journey was definitely a highlight. Sharing an experience with someone I have never met before was also pretty cool. Arthur had done a lot of bush flying throughout the Northern Territory and had a lot of tips for me. That was a real adventure!”The duo stopped for refuelling on each of the legs. There was one experience in Ceduna where the two pilots decided it would be a better idea to pull the aircraft to the parking bay than to taxi it. “We had just refuelled and it took us half an hour to pull this heavy aircraft 15 metres” explained Kovi “We were exhausted by this point, we’d pull the aircraft up and because it was so heavy it would just roll back down. One could only imagine how funny it would be watching these two pilots trying to move this plane.” “Overall” concluded Kovi “It’s a beautiful aircraft to handle. With the inbuilt GPS and ASPEN it made for a smooth and overall enjoyable trans-Australia flight. The company wasn’t half bad either – I would definitely look into doing something similar again if given the opportunity.”

Your 2016 Membership Fees were due on New Years Day 2016.

Make your payment now & be a part of the Member Benefits

Scheme.

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Flying In Papua“When your instructor teaches you to maintain speed

on final, it becomes a little more apparent how valuable this knowledge is when you’re flying in the

mountains of Papua” said Ben Verazzi former Racwa Senior Grade 2 Instructor and current Cessna Caravan Pilot at Dimonim Aviation, Indonesia. “You need to be on the ball at all times”. Ben spoke about mountainous flying and with pictures and footage of his flying experiences over in Papua - gave us some perspective of exactly what he meant by “reverse thrust as soon as you land!”From airstrips carved out of mountain slopes or placed over filled in swamps, Papua is a world far removed from the professionally engineered runways of Jandakot and Western Australia. Some of the strips in Papua can be anything from 450m to 1300m long and range from asphalt to gravel and grass. Classed into 3 categories depending on difficulty, slopes levels can be up to 18-20 degrees, pilots need 100 hours in Papua before flying as Pilot in Command (PIC), 500 hours in Papua to fly Mountain 2 and 750 hours in Papua to fly mountain 3. “Fortunately those hours aren’t difficult to reach,” relished Ben, who in an 18-week stint had already accumulated nearly 400 hours worth of flying. “It’s not unusual to fly 8-14 legs in a day” said Ben. “Working 6 days a week, 8 weeks on and 4 weeks off it’s not unusual to accumulate 120 hours monthly.” The flying is challenging, but rewarding and fulfilling and the hour building adds to the remuneration.Ben Verazzi first began his flying journey with Racwa. He trained through the club privately and completed his ECU degree in aviation. Ben became a Senior Grade 2 instructor at the Royal Aero Club where he instructed for 3 years and has only recently left to fly in Indonesia. During his time instructing at Racwa, Ben obtained his tail wheel endorsement and flew the Tiger Moth for the club as well as C182s and C208s skydiving by obtaining a Caravan Type Rating. “A big reason I believe I secured the opportunity at Dimonim was because of my combined experience flying Cessna Caravan skydiving and instructing time.” Said Ben “If given the opportunity I would recommend Skydive flying as great casual work for entry into a job like Dimonim.” An instructor rating is also a desirable skill set at Dimonim and similar companies. “With unpredictable weather, hazardous terrain and the threat of other aircraft - the main thing is talking”, Ben believes communications is the most important aspect of flying in a remote region like Indonesia.

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Papua is an island filled with tiny villages, inhabited by tribal people on one of this world’s last frontiers and the only viable form of connecting these villages is with aircraft. Ben spoke about the small communities and being admired by the locals. “[Flying for a company like Dimonim] really gives you a different perspective of the world.” The pilots fly in supplies like rice and boxes of biscuits. “Sometimes we even fly people along with the cargo.” Ben flies single-engine, Turbo-prop Cessna Caravans. The short haul and utility of the Caravans make them the best aircraft to handle Papua’s terrain. A day in the life of a captain at Dimonim Air, like Ben includes: Waking up between 5-6am, being driven to the airport, pre-flight and cargo check. At the strips, the pilots load and unload the aircraft. “We check and confirm the manifest and count the money” said Ben. “Sometimes the manifest is incorrect or the locals will attempt to cram as much as they can on to the plane – we have to be wary of our weight and balances.” The unloading procedures can also be interesting. Barrels are tossed from the aircraft onto tyres to cushion the impact. “It can be hard work, but the procedure is very efficient” said Ben. “The facilities in Papua aren’t very modern, there are no daily weather forecasts - as long as the cloud is less than 500ft - we fly and the security can be very lax – but it increases the efficiency and leaves more time for flying.”“The work is challenging but most of all, it is rewarding” he concluded. Ben believes the hardest part was being issued with a validation from the DGCA (Indonesia’s CASA) as Indonesia is beginning to crack down on Western pilots, as they want to see more Indonesian pilots flying. “I am gaining a lot from the experience and the hours I’m accruing, but it wouldn’t have been possible without what I learnt at Racwa”.


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Murrayfield MattersHappy new year Members!!!!

Wow another year. 2016 promises to be a big year for both Jandakot and Murrayfield.

As well as that, Murrayfield ended on a high note.The Murrayfield “Scrambled Egg Squadron” formation team donated their time to conduct a formation display over the Mandurah Heritage Day. With honourable guests present, we were informed that the flight was well received and a lot of interest taken, even with unfavourable wind conditions. Thank you to John Hewitt, Doug Whitfield and Jeff Stein for your hard work and dedication. The Crab Festival is next.Lights, camera action. Channel 7’s Today Tonight program spent a day at Murrayfield conducting an extensive interview with member Emily Murphy. Emily is the youngest student to go solo in WA since the part 61 changes, and that made for a good story. The day consisted of a handful of circuits for camera shots, then a thorough interview about her experience and why she wants to fly. Emily presented herself well and we are very proud of her professionalism and enthusiasm towards Racwa and Murrayfield. Well done Emily.Emily also had a chance to be in shot with a local Photography group. This group (who wish to remain unnamed at the moment) conducted a shoot with one of Racwa’s C152s. The lovely model did justice for our aeroplane. I was also lucky enough to get into the photo, however I think the tone has been reduced a little. The photos are to be used in a well known photography journal as a competition entry and Racwa Murrayfield will be named.Congratulations to Murrayfield Student Paul Knight. Paul started training with me at Murrayfield back in 2013 and very quickly completed his training to General Flying Progress Test (GFPT). After a break to enjoy his hard work and complete an aerobatic rating with instructor Byron Page,

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Paul commenced his PPL Navigation training with the intention of completing it within 2 weeks. His training was completed within that time, however due to weather and work commitments - it was some time before he could complete his flight test. In the end he made it and rang the bell on November 25. Great Effort Paul. Enjoy your freedom and look forward to flying with you when you start your commercial licence.It’s a fresh year, 2016 looks to see even more business at Jandakot with the new classes for Polytechnic West, WAAC and ECU. Always remember there are aircraft available at Murrayfield for private hire and student consolidation. No landing fees and a discounted rate. A reminder to members that Racwa aircraft are exempt from the landing fee at Rottnest Island. Now that VH-RWT is based at Murrayfield, using our aeroplane will see the same saving.Best wishes for 2016 and look forward to seeing you all this year.

Michael Chlopek, , OIC

Murrayfield

All Club aircraft are insured under a Hull and Liability policy. The hull is insured for current market value (ranging from $55 000 for the C152 fleet to $190 000

for more advanced singles and twins), whilst the liability policy is for a combined single limit of $10,000,000.In the event of an incident where the pilot is responsible for damage to the aircraft, the pilot will be liable for the insurance excess which is between $1000 and $1900 depending on the aircraft type. Members can insure against being charged this excess by paying a nominal fee

Insurance(currently $100).Please note that the above is a very general summary and members are requested to read the policy wording (extract) which is available from the Royal Aero Club of WA Operations or online at http://www.royalaeroclubwa.com.au/content/page/insurance.html

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Murrayfield Does MatterDirector’s Insights

It is now the New Year and time for new beginnings, and with that in mind, I would like to remind the membership that we should be thankful for John Douglas’s insight

for starting Murrayfield and bringing it on stream some 20 years ago.We should also regard Murrayfield as the club's insurance policy that will provide the continued operation of the club into the future. However, we the membership now need to improve upon Murrayfield, as this is what separates the Royal Aero Club from the other flying schools, - we own and operate our own airfield!Now if we look into the future - over the next few years we would expect increased congestion at Jandakot. This will result in restricted air movements for all operators, costs of course will soar and hangarage will become a premium.For the last few months the committee has been striving to progress project Murrayfield. In that time we have a professional project manager implementing a structure and have started a project working group. We have been in active discussion with a number of interested groups, councils, builders and suppliers, and the work continues.Now I understand there have been a number of abortive attempts to develop Murrayfield in the past, and there have been some grandiose schemes that have all come to nothing. But I have always been a firm believer in "if

Martin Karl inaugurated the Leeuwin Estate Flyin some years ago. It was always planned for the first Sunday in November. Martin surrendered the reins

to Ian Wright, but one year Ian found it necessary to travel to NZ in November and I volunteered to take it on. I have organised it since.On a couple of occasions - a cold front has brought poor weather to the Southwest corner and it has been necessary to postpone the event. So far as I am aware it has never been necessary to cancel. This past November, the Flying Committee had organised several conflicting events so I was persuaded to postpone the Leeuwin Flyin until the first Sunday in December. As in previous years I undertook to advise Leeuwin Estate of numbers for the Luncheon on the preceding Thursday. By that deadline I had received expressions of interest from 20 pilots with a total of 47 for lunch! The biggest number ever!The weather forecast however, was decidedly un-promising: a series of strong cold fronts were to arrive on the Friday night with thunder, low clouds, strong winds and the prospect of heavy rain. I could not ask Leeuwin Estate to cater for that number….Neither could I risk a postponement with all the Christmas festivities that I knew were planned for the succeeding weekends. So I decided to advise Leeuwin Estate that we would not be arriving.For what it’s worth my reasoning took account of the fact

A Non Eventthat winds would be from the south – meaning runway 16. There is no taxiway so aircraft would have to land and backtrack. I had visions of several aircraft having to loiter in the vicinity, perhaps in periods of poor visibility, waiting their turn to join the circuit. That is of course, assuming pilots would be tempted to fly in these conditions.For the record Sunday 6th December was the coldest December day in Perth for 50 years with the temperature dipping to about 7C ! 10.8mm rain fell and the sun shone for 1.9hrs (but not where I was).

Jim Campbell

you want anything done, you have to do it yourself" and that includes you, the members.Over the next few months I will be asking some of you (with skills that could best suit this project) to help with your time and expertise. The aim is to start a number of phases of the project, where some will run concurrently:“Phase One” will be to reclaim the regrowth areas of the airfield, that were originally cleared in 1997 in preparation for building.“Phase Two” will be the production and submission of a development plan. This will consist of three types of hangars as acceptable build types which will become the backbone of the airfield as we build a uniform and controlled collection of hangars at a uniform standard.“Phase Three” will be the construction of building locations, access roads and essential infrastructure. The long term aim will be to bring the airpark alive, to bring together a number of resources and services and so that we the membership can have an outstanding home and operating base at Murrayfield.We should look to the future, and if we want a long term future - we need to galvanise the membership (that’s you) and prepare our insurance policy for our future. We have an airfield - let’s make something of it!

James Murphy


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“The manner in which you conduct

yourself during your training could very well have an impact on your entire career” advised Qantas 737 captain Scott Adamson at the October Industry

Presentation.Scott’s career path mirrors that of many pilots – working hard to fund his training, starting his career as an instructor to build hours, before moving up North to secure charter experience. Scott recounted how fatigued he felt working evening shifts at a supermarket during his initial training in Tyabb on the Mornington Peninsula. Scott completed his instructor rating at the Royal Victorian Aero Club where he started his career as an instructor. To supplement his meagre income, Scott worked in a local broom factory and was also a glider pilot and parachute jump pilot. He progressed through to a grade 1 instructor with multi engine training approval. “Never stand still, always add to your qualifications”, he recommended.A broken leg gave Scott sufficient time to complete his ATPL exams. He moved to Darwin and secured a job after six weeks, flying into remote areas in a fleet of many different aircraft types. His duties included charter, wildlife counting, incendiary dropping, search and rescue and a multitude of other experiences.In 1995, the aviation industry was recovering from the pilot’s strike and demand for pilots was growing. Scott joined an air ambulance operation in Victoria for six months before joining Qantas as a second pilot, flying 747-400s on long distance flights. He became a first officer for the 767 fleet

Flying With Qantasbefore moving back to the older 747-300 which still had analogue equipment. He gained his command flying 737s, and is currently based in Perth.Scott gave an overview of the various Qantas operations, bases, fleet composition and discussed the pros and cons of the seniority grading system that many airlines use. Promotion and bidding for sectors all depend on the date a pilot joined Qantas. However, there is a possibility that this system might be changed in the future.The introduction of the B787 fleet could result in Qantas recruiting pilots. Scott advised that the Qantas website and the Australian newspaper would be the best sources for aspiring applicants. Scott stated that before going to any interview, pilots must conduct as much research as possible into the operations of the potential employer. Many pilots attend a course on interview techniques to help them achieve their goal. Interviewers are looking for applicants with leadership potential, decision making ability and those who have the appropriate presentation skills. Applicants will be asked technical questions based on their experience to see if they have a good working knowledge of the systems of the aircraft they have flown. Professionalism is an essential skill required by the aviation industry. Scott advised all students to develop a professional attitude to everything they do. Another important trait pilots need to possess - is the ability to learn effectively. “Take your studies seriously, do not treat knowledge as merely a box ticking exercise.”Throughout the presentation, Scott matched his career progression to the aviation business cycle, which has approximately seven years between peaks. The good news for students is that there is a general acknowledgement that the aviation cycle is currently on an upward trend.

A Warm Welcome to our New Members, and Congratulations Achievers

New MembersSteven Reid, Laura Boyle, Duncan Reid, Colm Trant, Michael Yeates, Milos Dragie, Alexi Louizos, Liam Caldwell, Hoormazd Shahhoseini

First SoloDavid Butt, Callum Flanagan, Ryan Bartlett

RPLTrent Spiegl, Jude Soosai, Ramin Yekani, Dale Rayner, John Sunter, Nathan Riley, Derek Arnold, Bryce Thompson

PPLNicholas Turner, Liam Gibb, Paul Knight, Shukrullah Rahimi

CPLMaxim Kuminov

Flight Instructor Rating-

Instrument RatingPeter Graham

Night VFR RatingTimothy Cheng

Multi Engine Class Rating-

Formation Endorsement-

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The November meeting was the last for the year. We celebrated Christmas early with 94 members and guests enjoying lunch, which included Christmas

plum pudding and custard. Everyone also received a gift Scratch’n’Win with the hope of winning $10,000. Our volunteers each received a Margaret River Chocolate gift parcel.The Mini Speaker was Mal Yeo who told the story of a failed throttle linkage in a Cessna C206. He had the misfortune to make a forced landing on McGillivray Oval. It just so happened that the oval was once the site of the West Subiaco Aerodrome, so Mal claims to be the last pilot to land at that airfield. Wind direction, obstacles, power lines and lack of height dictated his choices.Mal’s daughter, Dr Robyn Yeo, was the Speaker of the Day. She gave us part two of her story that detailed her experiences as a Royal Aaustralian Air Force (RAAF) Medico working as part of a United Nations mission under dire circumstances in Rwanda. Her first talk was in April 2015 and is on our YouTube Channel. She was particularly drawn to the children who came into her care with serious medical issues. On return to Australia, Robyn worked in Townsville and

Old Fliers GroupAmberley before returning to civilian life.2015 was a productive year for the Old Fliers Group. We have had 14 speakers resulting in 31 different topics and the videos have been viewed 5,000 times on our YouTube Channel so far. Our videos will be archived at the Bullcreek Aviation Museum for posterity.

Steve Rogers, Coordinatorhttp://oldfliersgroup.org.au

https://www.youtube.com/user/OldFliersGroup

A lot goes into keeping the cogs turning at Racwa, ensuring everything is running smoothly. The staff at the Royal Aero Club put in the hard yards for our members so

they don’t have to.We were privileged to close the club early - for an afternoon on the green, playing lawn bowls and basking in the early summer sun at the Melville Bowls Club. “Looks can be deceiving and it is a game that requires a lot more skill than it appears” - said instructor Cam Williams who has been bare foot bowling only once before, but only ever for fun. “You are effectively balancing the right angle with the right power when you bowl, you just need to figure out that happy medium.”

Many staff members took to bowls like ducks to water while others were a little slow on the uptake. The winning team comprised of Vincent Felton, Melinda Lawrence, Andrew Eldridge and Karsten Juengling. A trick shot by Vincent in the dying seconds of the match was the sealer, and the team of 4 took home the choccies. After the game, we sat down to enjoy a Christmas dinner and the company of our fellow staff members.

A great deal of thanks to Coril Bere for coordinating the event and CEO David Currey for letting his team let their hair down and have some fun as we celebrate the end of 2015. We are all very grateful to belong to an organisation that allows us to work at what we love doing.On behalf of all the staff at The Royal Aero Club, we would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a safe and enjoyable start to 2016.

Keep The Cogs Turning

Try our new summer menu at Muzz Buzz


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The SwampUsed by permission of Gary Clark www.swamp.com.au

Club Captain's CornerValentine’s Day trip to Leeuwin. After such a great response to the planned trip in December, we decided we had to reschedule and of course Jim Campbell being the romantic old devil that he is - came up with Valentine’s Day. This should be a really good time so get in early and book your spot as we need to give Leeuwin final numbers early being on such a popular day.Happy Landings

Craig Hensley #6844, Club Captain

G’Day Members,Happy New Year Everyone. I hope the passing of another 12 months finds you and your families happy and in good health. The past year has been interesting to say

the least and I hope next year brings its challenges and successes. We had a huge finish to the year last year with a great turnout for WALAC at Bunbury and a really good trip to Jurien Bay. Thanks to everyone who participated - it was a great time and we are set to do more of the same this year. Keep an eye out for the emails and if you want to be pestered by me with a text letting you know what’s going on, send me a text on 0439 528 733 and I’ll add you to the list.Our Competitions kick off with a couple of Hold Your Water circuits at Murrayfield on the 10th and at Jandakot on the 31st. This comp is a lot of fun and it should be warm enough that any “wet patches” will dry up quickly. If you’re interested in flying in comps - come down and have a go. It’s great to see new people get involved and we all have a great time. Next month we plan to placate all the disappointed Leeuwin Lunchers with a special

Royal Aero Club Stubby Holders

ONLY $7PURCHASE YOURS NOW

The best features and articles of 2015 from ‘Flight Safety Australia’ in a bumper 168 page collectors’ print edition.

Available from CASA’s online store from 14 December free-

of-charge*

www.casa.gov.au/online store

*P&H fee of $15.00 applies

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