His Excellence the HonourableChris Dawson Governor of Western Australia
Prunella Plunkett
Adam Catalano
Ye Shean Chan
Mitchell Booth
Ray Challen President ray@challen.com.au
Stephen Pearce Vice President spearce@outlook.com.au
Jim di Menna Treasurer
Jim.diMenna@zetta.com.au
Haydn Vernon Club Captain Haydn.vernon@gemcorail.com.au
Russell Philip Committee Member raphilip@westnet.com.au
Vaughan Emery Committee Member vaughanemery@bigpond.com
Michelle Yeates Committee Member michellekyeates@yahoo.com.au
Alison Glew Committee Member alison@alisonglew.com
Louise Kemp Committee Member lekemp40@gmail.com
Rory Armstrong
Phil Knight
Medhansh Agarwal
Reilly Wiliamson
Alistair Williams
Kiyan Salama
Tari Salama
Graeme Morrison
Oliver Webster
Andrew Byne
Alison Byne
Jay Callaghan
Andreas Horn
Ryan Ong
Ahmed Saed
Fabio Hernandez
Kyle Lukatelich
Broden Morley
Shane Checketts
Matt Sewell
Matthew Sollart
Thomas Montandon
Steve Pannell
Nicholas Robinson
Heath Lockwood
Annalyn Baldon
Gregory Copley
Elisha Lim
Den Sarson
Garth Fitzmaurice
Franz Kamp
Linda Metcalf
Wayne Metcalf
Daniel Theyers
King Hong Lai
Jacobus Otto
Alrik Hoencamp
Jeremy Sims
George Lambelin
Bibi Raizagul Qurbani
Joshua Watson
Emma Downsborough
As I write this column we are at the end of a relatively dry and sunny autumn that has presented fantastic flying conditions, with the exception of a few days of heavy smoke from forest burn offs.
There is a lot of activity at your club at present. Those of you that have been spending some time at Jandakot may have noticed the large number of students in uniforms from our college. We have seen a large increase in enrolments in the CPL course this year with 50 students enrolled in courses in 2023. There are committed enrolments for 80 students in 2024.
The increase in number of students is resulting in both a greater need, and the financial capability, to renew our aircraft fleet. As much as many of us love the Cessna 152s, Mooneys and Partenavias, these aircraft are simply becoming too old to be commercially viable to operate at acceptable and competitive hire rates for students and club members alike and so a programme of replacement has commenced. Replacement is starting with the Mooneys, which are our primary CPL training aircraft and also are used and enjoyed to a limited extent by club members. At the time of writing, RACWA has just received and is currently assessing tenders from all of the major manufacturers of training aircraft. A decision on the type of aircraft will be made and announced soon and we are expecting deliveries commencing in 2024.
Further exciting club news concerns Murrayfield. As I have talked about previously in this column, your Club Committee has over the past two years being looking at opportunities for development and more activity at Murrayfield to better utilise this fantastic airport asset. We are now on the verge of an important announcement. A meeting is scheduled for late June to present and discuss and exciting opportunity for Murrayfield with club members. I encourage members to attend this meeting, details for which will be stated in the weekly Tarmac Topics Newsletter.
Turning to flying, we are less than three months away from our long-haul flyaway event for 2023, with a departure scheduled for 3 September for our trip to Longreach. This event is now close to full (25 aircraft) so I encourage anyone interested in participating to get in quick. Inevitably some registered participants will have a change of plans before the event commences so we will maintain a wait list if the event becomes over-subscribed.
In the meantime, there are still many reasons to get into an aircraft, including club competitions and the usual roster of fly-in breakfasts at the regional aero clubs, so I encourage you all to get out and enjoy any days of great winter flying weather.
Hi Fellow Members, it’s Norm and Hayds reporting in to fill you in on all the fun and mayhem that has been happening in and around the Club during March and April.
As per the Club Calendar it all started off with formation Friday on March 3 with our regular formicators taking to the skies and enjoying the privileges of exercising their formation rating.
From a personal view having this type of rating certainly upskills your flying ability and I fully recommend any flying member with considerable hours to think about obtaining this rating and joining in on the fun that we formicators experience.
We were then on to our first comp for autumn at YMUL on March 12 which was a flapless circuit and this was taken out by Duncan Watkinson, well done Duncan.
During the middle of March, the Australian Light Aircraft Championships were held over in Echuca, unfortunately due to circumstances RACWA wasn’t represented at the Championships. Going forward in 2024 there will be representation and RACWA will be sending a team over to compete.
Preparations for attending next years’ ALAC will be starting soon. Anyone who is interested in competing please get in contact with me.
The Busselton Breakfast on the third Sunday each month, has long been a flying destination for local pilots to attend. Due to a change in circumstances the Busselton Aero Club can only do this on a less frequent basis. White Gum Aviation Park have offered to take up the dates for breakfast that Busselton cannot host. So, head out to White Gum for breaky and enjoy the open space on a Sunday morning and support these guys if you can.
with a total of 13 competitors with yours truly taking the line honour, and that just about wrapped it up for March.
Along came April and it was full on, we commenced with the Bun Run on Good Friday with a total of 24 aircraft and 72 people attending.
This will be reported in a more detailed article but what a success it turned out to be and with $1830 raised in donations for Fremantle Sea and Rescue – thank you to all that contributed!
On April 15 we held our first Murrayfield Moon Night Comp for some time and what a success it was with a total of 65 attending and 18 competitors! A big thanks to all that helped to make it a great night.
First place was a tie between Duncan Watkinson and Mickael Davis, with second going to Mick Harcourt and third to Mathew Cox, well done guys.
After all the entertainment we all went to bed and snugged away in our little tents and off to sleep we went with the lasting thought that everything was going to go off without a hitch - WRONG!
Around 4am Sunday morning many of us were woken to the sound of dripping water and sprinklers – yep someone forgot to turn the sprinkler system off!
Many of us on the lawn area experience a very dampening experience with some tents including yours truly filling up with water and with no one knowing how to turn the thing off had to endure well over an hour of sprinkler entertainment in the dark - LOVELY!
The worst affected, believe or not, were two past Club Captains (Russell Philip, Mick Harcourt) and yours truly, we haven’t ruled out conspiracy here!
The weather unfortunately turned for the worst and after all the mayhem, and feeling quite damp, we decide to cancel
the Comp and all go home to have a warm shower.
As we headed towards the end of April, we had a huge day on the 29th with three events all happening on the same day at Jandakot.
Firstly, we had the Pilot Maintenance Workshop with over thirty participants, then we had the New Member’s Event with 50 plus people in attendance and 4 recipients receiving their wings. Then we finished off with the Rudder Only Comp in which we had 18 competitors and won by Bruce Rathbone. All that contributed to make those events such a success a huge thank you, without your dedication these events just wouldn’t happen.
In closing, on behalf of the flying committee we would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to all those who support the Club events which makes it the Club that it is.
Until next time it is “Tally ho”
Norm and Hayds
With the upcoming cooler weather now is a good time to start to think about all that may be on the horizon with all the nasties that can catch you out. There used to be a rule of thumb for the aviation forecast - if it was longer than a page then don’t bother. Now with the introduction of GAF’s and other add-ons the weather can still be a little bit of a mission but there are a lot of good resources out there to help. Starting with Airservices themselves, not only do they have PDF’s available for education but videos too on their page and via their YouTube channel on how to decode the weather itself.
A lot of pilots tend to get worried at the first signs of cloud or rain (the old fair-weather pilots) but quite often this can make for some of the most fun flying! My advice don’t cancel the flight immediately. Often low cloud and showers aren’t widespread, there’s plenty of opportunity to go flying around them, besides the old window weather report, consider the following additional resources before you call to cancel the flight. Jandakot ATIS and Perth AWS phone numbers - live weather seeing what it’s like at the field.
BOM weather radar and Windy.com, the weather radar is great to see where the showers are (or aren’t) and Windy will give you a good indication of wind at altitude as well as a whole heap of other features.
Then of course there is the good old GAF, whilst sometimes daunting when decoded you will often see that the worstcase scenario doesn’t apply for your flight and the office will always err on the side of caution and tell you the worst case.
The two bits of gold I often tell people about is first the general met forecast, two down from where you clicked area briefing! Select YPPH and not only do you get an in depth look over the next 48-72 hours but also a plain English breakdown too.
Second, when in doubt have a look at the bottom left of your GAF printout! The aviation forecaster is always available to discuss any concerns you may have. There you can ask questions like “Exactly what time is that front due to pass over Perth?” You may still have another few hours of nice flying before it hits.
With the inclement weather coming I would encourage anybody that is inside their flight review window and hesitant about the weather, to use this as an opportunity to go fly with the safety net of an instructor so you’re then confident enough to be able to do it yourself. We all think about that clear day to take people up in summer but it can often be so bumpy, now you can take them on the smoothest flight you’ve ever been on you just have to navigate a few clouds! Until next time, safe flying.
Congratulations to all of our achievers for the months of March - April. We are very proud to see so many people reaching new heights in their flight training with us.
Greetings from Murrayfield!
Autumn is here, bringing with it calm and beautiful mornings and afternoons that are simply perfect for taking to the skies. And speaking of flying, the Murrayfield Moon competition made a glorious comeback in April, defying the weather’s attempts to rain on its parade. With eighteen competitors ready to show off their skills in a thrilling night circuit, the stage was set for some heated competition.
When the dust settled, it was a draw with Duncan Watkinson and Mickeal Davis emerging as the champions. Now, the big question on everyone’s mind is whether Bruce Rathbone can go all the way and claim the overall title ?
But let’s not forget about the other folks who weren’t up in the air. Inside the hangar, they were having a blast, enjoying popcorn and watching “Top Gun: Maverick.” It was the perfect way to pass the time and immerse themselves in the world of high-flying adrenaline.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the ground marshallers, judges, and especially Taylor King for their invaluable contributions and support throughout the competition. Their dedication and hard work behind the scenes ensured a smooth and thrilling experience for all involved.
To all the brave souls who camped overnight, my sincerest apologies are in order. It seems that in my infinite wisdom, I accidentally left the sprinklers on, resulting in an unexpected shower at the ungodly hour of 4am. Talk about a rude awakening!
As we continue through the season, we eagerly await the next Murrayfield Moon, which will be held in August, and more exciting club events. Autumn’s beauty and the thrill of flight intertwine, reminding us all of the pure magic that aviation holds. So, let us embrace the crisp air, chase our dreams, and soar to new heights.
Happy flying!
There’s those that have, and there’s those that are going to - this is what I heard when completing my retractable undercarriage endorsement. I used to think it was defeatist, a resignation that one day I may become an embarrassing statistic but a quick change in perspective, this statement recognises the fact that we ALL MAKE ERRORS, accepting this is the first part of minimising our errors and mitigating the risk associated with our errors.
Wheels up landings whilst fortunately not frequent are also not uncommon and I can remember many over the years. I have found it difficult to obtain current statistics however did find some information from FAA “mishap reports” in 2002 which shed some light, for further information see www.aviationsafetymagazine.com/features/belly-to-concrete/, please note if you read this article the $$$$$ mentioned are US and have gone up amazingly, a wheels up landing is now probably going to result in the aircraft being written off.
Few main points from this article:
• In 2002, in the USA, there was a total of 874 reports involving certified retractable gear, piston engine aircraft, 49% of these (431) were landing gear related, just over 8 per week or 1 per day.
• 37% (158 or just over 3 per week) were gear up landings.
• 48% (208) were gear collapse, I don’t know what this includes but I would think heavy landings or inadvertent gear retractions.
• Just 15% involved an identified gear related mechanical cause, in other words, pilots are the main issue, not mechanical.
So, what can we learn from the unfortunate crash of AKF.
Probably most important of all things, the pilot is just like us, he never envisaged having such an accident and dare I say it, if it had not occurred to him, would be reading this article thinking how did that pilot let this happen. I recently read an article by the ATSB entitled Dangerous Distraction this is available at https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/ media/36244/distraction_report.pdf, there is also an interesting ATSB report at https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/ investigation_reports/2012/aair/ao-2012-151.
Please be aware the Dangerous Distraction Report is, to put it mildly, in depth, however the one thing that I “got” from this report is ‘How many distractions we have when flying’. For example, it is illegal to drive and use your mobile phone, rightly so I say as it causes distraction. In the AKF accident, just a few distractions include:
• Talking to the tower
• Listening to the tower for conversations addressed to AKF
• Sighting aircraft
• Positioning the aircraft for a circuit join
• “Wrestling” the aircraft, due to the increased speed (resulting from gear up configuration
• Etc. etc.
Other possible contributing factors:
The pilot was a student, for an experienced M20J pilot it is more likely that they would pick up, hey, my nose attitude isn’t correct and my power setting is not normal - in other words - something is wrong. (Attitude awareness is so important).
The student had just completed a training navigation exercise, these require a large amount of mental focus. Whilst fatigue and dehydration were most probably not a contributor to this crash, always be aware of their implication.
The gear horn - whilst quite loud, is somewhat muted by headsets especially noise cancelling headsets - be aware. Also, it is very possible to become “familiar with the noise”. I was discussing this with some instructors and they have observed that sometimes, maybe after a stalling lesson or during a glide approach where gear down is delayed, the student has become “used to” the cacophony of noise and just tune out. I have also seen a video of a practice glide approach with a booming gear horn blasting away but not heard, followed by the sickening sound of metal on runway.
1. Approaching the circuit, slow down, expect the unexpected
2. Plan a trigger point for pre-landing checks
3. Make sure that you’re doing the checks, just not saying words
4. If interrupted whilst conducting the pre-landing checks, if necessary, go back to the beginning
5. Anticipate distractions, if you are anticipating a high workload, get your pre-landing checks out of the way early
6. Be attitude and power aware, not only will you fly accurately but you will also be able to pick up that “something is wrong”, e.g. gear or flaps up
7. Mental focus, after a long or challenging flight, adopt a landing mental attitude, instead of, ‘Ooh, I’m nearly there, I’m back in familiar territory’ - change gears, make it ‘Uh oh, I have to land - I need to increase awareness and concentration’
8. Be aware of reduction in mental focus due fatigue and potential dehydration - more importantly, take measures to avoid fatigue and dehydration
9. Early base or long final for a straight in approach, if the opportunity arises, reduce power under 13 inches anticipating (listening) a gear horn (for M20Js, other aircraft systems may vary, ensure that you are familiar with these systems)
10. PUFF checks - incorporate them as a confirmation of a stable approach.
Finally, if you do detect that you have forgotten to “dangle the Dunlops” or identify that the flaps have failed to lower, conduct a go-round, give yourself time to rectify or set up the approach, a rushed situation is very likely to go very wrong.
Smooth landings
John
My name is Anthony, I am a Flight Instructor who was recently entrusted with the responsibility of supervising the children that participated in the Young Eagles Program at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia. I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact this program has on aspiring aviators aged 10-14. This program brings together enthusiastic children, exposing them to a range of captivating aviation activities that foster their love for flight and provides them with valuable experiences, which I hope will ignite their spark for aviation.
The Young Eagles Program offers an array of thrilling aviation activities that captivate the participants’ imaginations. From the Air Traffic Control Tower tour at Jandakot to the fleet tour of the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia’s aircraft and facilities, the program exposes these young aviators to the inner workings of the aviation industry. During model aircraft viewing sessions, the children explore various aircraft models, learning about their features and the principles of aerodynamics. It is rewarding to witness their passion and enthusiasm as they engage with these hands-on experiences. Seeing their reactions to flight reminds me of the time I was their age, being so intrigued by aviation.
I had the privilege of teaching these young aviators about navigation using maps and radio communication. Guiding them through the process of understanding flight planning, the decisions that pilots make on a day-to-day basis as well as making the correct radio calls. I am able to witness their growth in confidence and knowledge. It is truly inspiring to observe how they embrace these skills and develop a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in piloting an aircraft.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the Young Eagles Program is witnessing the formation of new friendships among the participating children. Over the course of multiple days spent together, they share their passion for aviation, exchange stories, and building friendships with fellow participants, being able to bond over a common interest. As someone who was intrigued by aviation at a very young age it brings me immense joy to see how these connections enhance their experience, creating a supportive community of like-minded individuals who encourage and inspire each other, and hopefully add to our aviation community in the future.
Undoubtedly, one of the most exciting aspects of the Young Eagles Program is the opportunity for the children to experience flight firsthand. As a flight instructor, I am lucky enough to have the privilege of accompanying them on these thrill-seeking journeys, seeing their eyes light up with wonder and excitement as they take to the skies in either a scenic flight or a Trial Introductory Flight. It’s a moment that fills me with immense satisfaction. The experience not only ignites their passion for aviation but also provides them with a unique perspective of the world below. It is a joy to witness their sense of accomplishment and the unforgettable memories they create through these flights.
Overseeing the Young Eagles Program at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia, I am privileged to witness the transformative impact of this initiative, empowering young aviators and nurturing their dreams of soaring through the skies along with building friendships with other participants that share similar interests.
After a long hiatus Murrayfield’s custodian Harry O’Brien convinced the Flying Committee that it was time to resurrect the Murrayfield Moon Night Flying Competition. Twas a Braw Bricht Moonlicht Nicht the Nicht...No it wasn’t! It was a gray overcast rainy night with a waning crescent moon (at 37% visible if you really must know). Not exactly a great night for night flying!
Taylor King had done a great job arranging hire of a screen, projector, bean bags and movies which were all set up ready to go in the hangar.
A good crowd gathered as the afternoon descended into evening with camper vans, tents, and swags being set up, sausages sizzled and consumed, and the various warming beverages downed.
As darkness fell the briefing was presented by Harry O’Brien, and with his trusty sidekicks Jarod Rowe and Dan Gardner and a trio of the club’s stalwart 172s ready for duty the night kicked off.
I can only speak for myself – I have certainly done better! Walking out to the plane it was a quick check of the required gear – license, torch, do I have the approach plates for Jandakot just in case? Between miserable visibility and rain and getting a bit far out from the field I could only identify the runway position by the strobe lights of whoever was sitting on it (and the GPS!). Jarod gave me a few prods and we made it around the circuit for a safe, or dare I say it even, a good landing. A shame about the rest of it - I certainly wasn’t in the top 3 that night!
Safely back on the ground it was time to break out the antifreeze to offset the chill night. I set up my camp chair
at the back of the packed hangar and, with Buzz Lightyear having wrapped up his adventures and Tom Cruise well into his, settled in with a bottle of Red Ned and a glass.
Jason Newell bought out a bottle of Port sometime around 10pm and a glass of that was just what I needed to send me off to my swag. Sometime later, having discovered that swags are not the most comfortable of beds, a search for painkillers got me up in time to help kill the port bottle and see the last of the revelers – you know who you are but for those who don’t, Jason, Mandy, Mick, and Michelle – crawl off to their swags/tents/campers.
After a good deal of tossing and turning and swearing about never again sleeping in a swag I must have drifted off to sleep, because at 4:15 AM I was rudely awakened by the bloody sprinklers starting up. Cchhh, cchhh, cchhh, Brrrrrr, Cchhh, cchhh, cchhh, Brrrrrr, Cchhh, cchhh, cchhh, Brrrrrr, water thumping into the swag! Now John Ridgway swears the timer is set for 15 minutes but 5 of us can attest that it ran for an hour and a quarter. At least my swag stayed watertight, unlike Mick and Haydn’s tents!
The next item on the evening/mornings entertainment apparently occurred at 0500 – now I think the sprinklers had kept me awake but apparently not. Just about everyone else swears a Cirrus started up, taxied out, and departed into the soup. I didn’t hear a thing!
We wrapped up the Murrayfield Moon by arising to a nice cooked breakfast prior to the (cancelled) Sunday Competition.
The winners for the night were:
• First Place - Duncan Watkinson and Mickael Davis
• Second Place – Mick Harcourt
• Third Place – Mathew Cox
Actually, we were all winners - it was a great night of flying, camaraderie, and all-around good fun.
If this hasn’t frightened you off, I look forward to seeing you at the next Murrayfield Moon in August.
On the 7th of April, Good Friday descended upon Rottnest Island and so did the majority of RACWA’s aircraft fleet, carrying a hundred club members, friends, and family in search of hot cross buns for the Easter Holidays. Twenty of the Club’s aircraft participated, accompanied by another dozen owned by our members. The small transient parking area quickly filled up with airplanes, as did several grassy areas nearby.
Dubbed the Bun Run, this annual event is among the more popular attractions on the Events calendar, and for good reason. Those who have visited Rottnest fondly recall the crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches, or perhaps snorkelling and skydiving, and of course the quokkas who casually mingle with their humanoid guests. When Easter comes, the local bakery produces thousands of fresh hot cross buns which people purchase in quantities they struggle to carry.
My wife Amanda and I joined RACWA just last year, so this was our first Bun Run. I hadn’t finished sorting out my overseas license conversion yet, so we teamed up with club instructor James Minchin to fly us over in a C172. We arrived early that morning at the Club, and joined dozens of other members eagerly preparing for their flights.
Initial weather reports suggested clouds and intermittent rain, but on the day, it seemed the weather gods had something a little nicer in mind. The flight over was beautiful and smooth, and by midday, everyone’s jackets had come off and we enjoyed some warm sunshine. Any rain managed to stay away until our flight back to Jandakot, and even then, we only encountered a few sprinkles.
As we arrived at the bakery the seating area was quite full. Most tables were occupied by pilots and their passengers, all enjoying good coffee, breaky, and conversation. Nearly everyone, Amanda and I included, had purchased stacks of hot cross buns to take back home. Being newly arrived from Alaska, neither of us had ever had a hot cross bun before… we have since decided they are delicious!
Throughout the day, I noticed a healthy mix of RACWA members and staff, which was fantastic to see. It helped me realise that working for the Club doesn’t preclude participating in and volunteering with club activities, and that many of my colleagues are of the same mindset. I feel very fortunate to have met many wonderful folks, all united by our common interest in (or obsession with) aviation. This has truly helped Amanda and I feel at home after our move.
Fly safe!
We’re off to a vibrant start this year with a significant increase in student intake, which has brought a buzz of excitement to the airport.
The rising number of aspiring pilots among us is not only encouraging but also timely. The aviation industry is showing strong signs of recovery, resulting in an increase in job postings for pilots.
This development opens up promising opportunities for our students and recent graduates, and we can’t wait to see where their journeys take them.
Our team is on standby to provide all necessary support and resources to help our students seize these opportunities and navigate their paths forward.
Here’s to an exciting remainder of the year filled with growth, learning, and success.
I started my aviation journey in January this year. My choice to start the WAAC course was very last minute as I had no idea about anything to do with flying. I decided that flying is what I wanted to do 2 months before finishing Year 12 which is quite different to most people. I was opened up to the idea by my mum as I was going through future options thinking I could be a flight attendant but she said to me “Taya why would you want to be a flight attendant when you could be a pilot”, from that point on I was fixed.
My journey so far has felt extremely fast paced as it took a only a couple months from sitting in our class on the first day not knowing what an aileron was and next thing you know doing my first solo only a couple months later. Now I’m working on my PPL and doing solo navs which is super crazy to me. I definitely couldn’t have come this far without the support of my family like classmates and great instructors to keep me going.
Written by Dan CaseyFlying has always been a ‘what if’ career for me. Graduating high school in 2017, a flying career was always in the back on my mind when pursuing other paths. I could never imagine what pursuing a career in aviation would look like.
After completing my RPL in March and then PPL towards the end of May, I can certainly say that learning to fly has exceeded my expectations as far as life experiences go. From my instructor Pia Durk, firm and attentive at times to having a laugh in the cockpit. To my secondary, Tom Keamy, who always gave me a different perspective on flying as well has having remarkable attention to detail.
The most important and enjoyable part of the journey, in my opinion, is the people you do the journey alongside. Our class started out small with only 5 people, which turned into 7 during PPL, so we got to know each other quickly. Now we’re out to lunch (when we can afford it) and buzzing off ideas about away trips after we get our Private Pilot’s license. I remember thinking to myself… I have never felt this way about a random group of strangers that I just met not even six months ago. Even when completing my RPL, it didn’t really feel like I had accomplished anything until our whole class passed their flight test. I look forward to diving into my CPL, especially when I know I’ve got a good crew by my side.
197
The February luncheon meeting was purely a social gathering with no guest speaker. For our March meeting we had lined up Mr Vic Kaiser, a veteran pilot who was going to talk about the Angolan Bush Wars 1966 to 1990. Alas, Vic, and his family contracted Covid. We wish them well in their recovery and hope to have Vic present at a future meeting.
Mr David Archibald was happy to bring his presentation forward a month, for which we thank him. David is an author and researcher who has devoted much time in researching the modern fighter designs. His analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of fighters such as the F-35, Typhoon, F-16, Su-35, and Gripen was astonishing. As he said, “this dog will suck all the money out of the (Australian) defence budget and then get shot out of the sky in combat”.
Written by Steve Rogers April Bulleting
Another meeting with more than 90 attending. Marvellous. Eleven new members too.
I told members that our group has been offered a “Tour and Taste” at Parliament House on Monday 4th of September. As numbers are limited, we will use a ballot to select.
Millie Formby, a microlight pilot, has accepted our invitation to talk to us in September. She is circumnavigating Australia raising awareness about shore birds.
Our speaker today was Vic Kaiser.
Vic spoke extensively about the Angolan Bush Wars of 1966 to 1990. His remarks were for the room only.
Vic went on to a successful aviation career flying B 737-200, B 747 SP, B 747-400, B 737-800 and A 340- 600 for South African Airways, B 747-300 for Singapore Airlines then immigrating to Australia. Here he flew A 320/321 for Jetstar and A 320 for VARA. Lately he has been flying FiFo routes.
Vic was critical of the 30-metre width, shorter runways found in the Pilbara making landings in hot weather difficult. The proximity of mining airstrips and non-controlled air space was a challenge. An earlier decision to use lower pressures in tires to avoid damage to runways has been reversed.
An engaging talk.
His talk left much of the audience in shock at how our tax dollars are being squandered. This talk was heavy on detail, and I encourage watching the video on our YouTube Channel to absorb the full impact.
https://www.youtube.com/@OldFliersGroup/videos
We welcomed 22 new members bringing our paid membership to 107. Note that if you are not a paid member, you are welcome to join us but are not eligible to enter our raffles for flights. We hope to see you at the next luncheon.
You may recall the song lyrics “..you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…” and some (Russell Philip?) may even remember the Joni Mitchell 1970 original.
I have to admit that having lived in Adelaide now for the last 18 months that this sentiment pretty much sums up how I feel about RACWA - the facilities, the opportunities available and, most importantly, the people.
Some of you may recognise the name but for those that don’t here’s a quick synopsis. I first joined RACWA in 2000 and was there for a couple of years before moving to New Zealand in 2002. I moved back to Perth and rejoined the Club in 2018, walking into the Club Open Day to discover Mick Harcourt had just finish regaling some prospective members with tales of how he had flown to Albany for the airshow in 2001 in company with some guy in the Chippie (RWI for those who have been around the Club for a while) who had since moved to NZ only to have said guy walk through the door…
I then stayed flying at RACWA – including getting a multi endorsement and CPL – until moving to Adelaide in December 2021.
Reflecting on my time in Adelaide since leaving Perth and a few random conversations with Dave O’Brien and others are the reason I am writing this – I would simply like anyone who is associated with the Club to ‘step back and take 5’ to consider just how bloody lucky they are to have the Club; the facilities, the fleet and most importantly the people that are available to them as members. It certainly took me moving to Adelaide and discovering that there is simply nothing even close to equivalent in Adelaide/South Australia to realise just how special RACWA is.
Whilst I have certainly been able to find places to go flying and aircraft to hire in Adelaide over the last year or so, I simply haven’t been able to find anywhere that offers the fleet and facilities that RACWA does, let alone the standard
of training and opportunities to improve one’s skills – both professional training but also the more fun stuff such as aeros, formation and the competitions - available through RACWA.
Looking back, I have to admit that there were times when I was flying at RACWA that I was frustrated by the need to adhere to the ‘club rules’ when I felt that I knew what I was doing and would be safe without the extra ‘restrictions’. Now I would have to concede that I actually valued and appreciated having someone ask a few questions and checkup that I was going to do the right thing and did actually know what I was doing.
That is a nice segway into what I would now argue is the greatest – and suggest the most underappreciated – asset of RACWA; it’s people. And by its people I mean all the people associated and involved with the Club; the instructing crew, the support staff, the maintenance crew and arguably most important, the members.
It’s probably an over-used term but the people are what make RACWA what it is - a special place to be part of – not only through the quality of instruction that is available to us all but also through the many and varied club activities such
as the competitions and fly-aways and most importantly the support and friendships that the Club allows and encourages.
I have made friendships in the Club that have survived –actually probably grown – through 17yrs of absence and, I would like to think, have survived my move to Adelaide. It takes a special group of people to allow such deep friendships to form and be maintained; a feeling that was reinforced when I – and many others – made the trip to Perth for Adrian’s funeral at the end of October.
So why this letter then? – Simply to ask you to challenge the cliché that “familiarity breeds contempt”; to challenge all of us to take a few steps back and reflect on what is available to all of us through RACWA. The facilities, fleet, and most importantly the people – and the opportunities for us all to grow that these allow - are something we should all be proud of and strive to support.
See you at the Club next time I’m back in Perth!
It is with great sadness that we mourn the unexpected passing of Reece Bateson. An esteemed Flying Instructor and Safety Manager for the Club for many years. Reece’s passion for flying was evident in every aspect of his work, and his dedication to the Club was unparalleled. Reece’s loss has left a void in our community, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife Samantha and children during this difficult time.
As a community, we will always remember Reece’s impact on our lives, both personally and professionally. His legacy will live on, and we will cherish the memories we shared with him.
Fly high, Reece. May you always have blue skies.
