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Post by Bruce on Nov 22, 2023 17:40:41 GMT 12
SAA Waikato Committee advise that the fly-in has been cancelled due to the poor weather forecast. They hope to hold another Fly-In Approx March - April 2024.
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Post by Bruce on Jan 3, 2023 20:42:19 GMT 12
The F35 is obviously such a terrible aircraft that the USAF has just ordered another 398 of them...
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Post by Bruce on Dec 17, 2022 18:14:08 GMT 12
The Aircar Airframe is pretty good - its a wooden version of the Republic Seabee, which has good water characteristics. Yes, The Tiara is a problem, but the Aircars go very well on something like a Continental O-470.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 2, 2022 16:54:49 GMT 12
I recall an experienced display pilot (Sorry, I have forgotten who it was) saying once that the informal "tailchase" is the most dangerous air display sequence, and he wouldn't ever be involved in one. It appears low risk, but it is very easy to lose situational awareness and run out of space (which appears to have happened here...). From my visit to Oshkosh in the past, I believe it is very common in the US. Compared to UK for example, where at Duxford the "balbo" is a tightly briefed affair with everyone have a set position in the formation and a clearly briefed pattern.
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Post by Bruce on Nov 14, 2022 20:48:24 GMT 12
I just wonder if it would be the same had this been at a New Zealand or Australian event. Quote Yates. Well of course they would, or do you think they would send them a bill for littering? What I think Zac is getting at is that the NTSB actually gives interim progress update statements as they do their investigation. In New Zealand, TAIC / CAA say absolutely nothing for the 2-3 years it takes to complete the investigation, which of course feeds speculation and rumours. I can understand both positions, but having even an interim statement at least helps make people more aware of potential hazards.
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Post by Bruce on Oct 7, 2022 16:49:51 GMT 12
The Info pack for Black Sands 2022 is now available for download from saa.org.nz/events There is a link on it to a "Registration Form" which we would encourage people to complete if they are intending to come. Its not a hard and fast commitment, but it gives us organisers a bit of an idea how many to plan for! There is no registration fee, but the normal $10 Te Kowhai daily landing fee applies (The airfield company are helping us out so much, they deserve to get something from it...) We have a special quiz night and BBQ on Saturday evening, with an update on what is happening at Te Kowhai. The beach landing workshop is Saturday afternoon along with an informal fly-away to Raglan. I'm working on arranging some tether hot air balloon flights for Sunday morning too! Saturday lunch is a selection of food trucks offering a variety of cuisine options. We encourage people to come and stay overnight - camping by plane is permitted, or in a separate designated camping and motor area. All aviation people welcome - we'll even ensure there is a good possie for plane spotters / photographers! See you there!
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Post by Bruce on Sept 17, 2022 22:49:51 GMT 12
There is the phenomenon of the "Flashing satellite", which is more commonly now spent boosters and other space junk. they are in unstabilised, decaying orbits, often spinning. When the sunlight hits them (and just on sunset is the prime time for it) you'll see flashing lights as various bits of structure catch the sunlight. I saw it myself when the spent booster from the Chinese space station came overhead one evening before re-entering. We've had a lot of space launches in the last few weeks so it could possibly be a dead upper stage booster on its way to the pacific ocean space junk dumping site...
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Post by Bruce on Sept 17, 2022 22:34:43 GMT 12
Actually, I've seen what Devon single engine performance is like - But with the dead prop unfeathered! Back in the early 1990s When I was working at Ardmore, We did a prop change on Civil Devon ZK-RNG. It needed a test flight to check the rigging, and in a somewhat illegal sort of arrangement I found myself onboard with the 2 crew and 2 or 3 other hangars - on. Out to the south of the Hunuas, the weather wasn't great, so we didn't climb very high but they went through the prop feathering test. Shutdown the LH engine and feather the prop. Unfortunately, the rigging wasn't quite right and the prop wouldn't feather. lots of drag and the aircraft started descending. Not only that, but the engine proved very reluctant to restart, and the aircraft, with all the extras onboard, was going downhill pretty quickly! being fairly low to start with we were getting down to less than 1000ft above the hills when the engine restarted! Learnt why test flights shouldn't be taken lightly from that one! Apparently however if the prop feathers OK, they fly alright, but as with any twin - if you cant feather, you have problems!
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Post by Bruce on Aug 3, 2022 17:05:27 GMT 12
Looks like something from Hollywood. Dusty Crophopper signs up for the Special Forces...
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Post by Bruce on Jun 20, 2022 12:39:07 GMT 12
Bringing broken Islanders back from the Barrier by helicopter was not an uncommon experience. I saw one of GBAs come back to Ardmore under a Llama in about 1993...
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Post by Bruce on Jun 16, 2022 12:43:00 GMT 12
In Auckland you could see how receptive the Subritzkys are. That would be a great place to visit as well. I understand the Subritzky collection has been largely dispersed now...
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Post by Bruce on Jun 8, 2022 9:07:39 GMT 12
You may be better off planning Wigram and Ferrymead on one day, then Ashburton and the Pearce Memorial another day. You could also drop into Rangitata Island to see the Brodie Microlight museum on the way. If the schedules get tight, I'd suggest that the Pearse Memorial could be dropped. Its a long way from anything and is pretty unimpressive in the big picture of things.
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Post by Bruce on May 30, 2022 15:02:31 GMT 12
Te Whare Toroa - the home of the Albatross... nice touch.
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Post by Bruce on May 12, 2022 16:49:22 GMT 12
You have a hacksaw don't you, Ando? For the Crossbrace... or the legs?
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Post by Bruce on May 5, 2022 16:57:49 GMT 12
Using the Overbridge over the railway line as a common reference, and comparing it with a current Google Earth view, the long, angled breakwater in the early shots appears to be the Eastern edge of the Fergusson wharf container terminal today - the TAT / Sea Bee Slipway is constructed East of the original TEAL slipway. All that original terminal and hangar area is now lost under stacks of containers. The TEAL hangar does however survive, shifted to Mt Wellington.
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Post by Bruce on May 4, 2022 16:47:08 GMT 12
Please, it is Tiger Moth, two words. And Fox Moth, two words. Oops sorry Dave…fixed have to be careful with airforce aircrafts...
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Post by Bruce on Apr 20, 2022 12:52:42 GMT 12
I can't help thinking this might be a popular machine for the intrepid Mr Conroy to use for air to air shots with the rear facing seat!! Interestingly, I asked John King, another well known aviation photographer about the Rear facing seat that was in Harvard NZ1099 (One I worked on when I was a trainee at Gulf Aeronautics). John reckoned he preferred the standard trainer Harvard as the airflow in 1099 with the rear section folded down was quite different and caused a lot of buffeting on the camera. He said that although it didnt require as much contortion, it didnt give him a lot of extra camera angles.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 5, 2022 16:42:26 GMT 12
So what is going to take their place as a visual reporting point for Blenheim air space?
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Post by Bruce on Mar 28, 2022 9:51:03 GMT 12
McFly's reverse photo isnt correct. The original was around the right way. A few landmarks for orientation: The square hangar is the old Waikato Aero Club Hangar which faces Due East, The half round hangar in the "nose hangar" - the concrete slab of which is still used as a run-up area today. behind those hangars, past the row of trees, is the old Rukuhia dairy factory on the corner of what is now the corner of SH3 and Ingram Rd. The state highway crosses the end of the east-west runway and heads up the hill to Rukuhia village. the big hangars will be out of frame to the Right hand side. The modern terminal would be about where the two "diagonal" runways cross. The roading layout was extensively changed in the 1960s, as was the alignment of the main runway. I'll find some aerial pictures on Retrolens which may help.
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Post by Bruce on Mar 8, 2022 15:34:55 GMT 12
definitely a rare bit of microlight heritage, although I wouldnt be too keen to fly it. Its interesting to note the wing structure is essentially a couple of yacht masts and sails! very minimal!
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