Avalon 2015

[Cap'n Wannabe]

Hi guys,
So......if ya wonder why I have not been around much lately, I been doing my CASA selection interviews
TOR

Hope you can afford the lobotomy mate

I heard in some cases it's a cranial-rectal insertion..

[hrtpaul]

That's the next procedure after the lobotomy

[Tony P]

Best of luck Ray working within the gumnent.

Here are some vids some mates requested. haven't gone through much else yet.

Supers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZHl7W3zeec

Herc compilation. Check out the crosswind landing at 1:07
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y36CkkVApQ

Firework pylon racing (one for you Adam.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owvCWvpufaY

[Adam the Akrodude]

The RAAF / Temora Sabre will now be grounded apparently, the ejection seat company will no longer support these older style bang seats , and the RAAF will not allow the aircraft to be operated without one. They are looking at options apparently. Hopefully they will sort something out !!

I had a chat to one of the TAM volunteers down where all their aeroplanes were parked. The issue is with Martin Baker having issues supplying the old style bang seat cartridges. TAM/RAAF I doubt would look at putting another type bang seat in the Sabre, as this would be way too cost prohibitive. All the engineering had essentially been done before on the RAAF's Sabre seat upgrade as all that info came from ze Luftwaffe. Hopefully common sense will prevail and MB will keep supporting these older seats of theirs.
Playing Devils' Advocate, one can see just how hard it must be to support equipment that is over 50 years old. The worldwide market for a "retro-fit" seat for these older jets would be pretty small I think - mainly consigned to the warbird market and civilian military support organisations (thinking BAE for example), so hardly worth the exercise . There was also that horrific accident of that Lightning in South Africa to consider. When it was evident that the aeroplane had died on the pilot and was spearing in, the ejection seat failed. Thunder City had not kept up scheduled maintenance of the bang seat and replaced the cartridge. MB I think is also pretty shaken by the Red Arrows fatality (they got a bit of a caning in the follow up inquiry), so no doubt the whole organisation got a big shake up over this to improve safety and limit liability - hence where we are now with the Sabre issue. So I can see, understand and sympathise with MB over this decision, even though it sucks! If the RAAF/TAM Sabre is grounded for good, we have at least Jeff Trappett's Sabre to enjoy watching. The tragedy is that the RAAF/TAM Sabre could fly for many more years.

Here's the RAAF/TAM Sabre during the rebuild. I visited to help set up the jet engine test stand thrust measurement system - great fun!

[Tony P]

we have at least Jeff Trappett's Sabre to enjoy watching.

Which is happily running around without a bang seat. Maybe we can get our Chinese friends to make new cartridges. They are good a copying stuff and fireworks! (TIC of course)

[Cap'n Wannabe]

https://foxbatpilot.files.wordpress.com ... ation2.jpg
Flying back to Tyabb on Sunday arvo...I'm the one on the left

[Adam the Akrodude]

https://foxbatpilot.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/fox-formation2.jpg
Flying back to Tyabb on Sunday arvo...I'm the one on the left

You beat me home. Must be something to this flyin' stuff! Getting out of the car park was such a joy. Then again, I have been in a queue of 20+ aeroplanes waiting to t/o from Avalon East - every minute waiting adding another $4-5 bucks to the days cost.

[Cap'n Wannabe]

https://foxbatpilot.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/fox-formation2.jpg
Flying back to Tyabb on Sunday arvo...I'm the one on the left

You beat me home. Must be something to this flyin' stuff! Getting out of the car park was such a joy. Then again, I have been in a queue of 20+ aeroplanes waiting to t/o from Avalon East - every minute waiting adding another $4-5 bucks to the days cost.

Yeah, we were second out behind a Piper Malibu. I reckon the tower was happy to get rid of three for the price of one - we did a stream takeoff....didn't have to say anything on the radio 'cos my mate flew #1.
Mind you, we had to drag the aircraft up to the apron at around 4:30...dodging the crowd as they left for the frustration of the carpark. Amazing how many people had no idea that getting clobbered by a wing kinda hurts...and the idiots who just *had* to touch my aircraft as it went past!

[hrtpaul]

So the Global Hawk wasn't the only UAV at Avalon huh

[Cap'n Wannabe]

So the Global Hawk wasn't the only UAV at Avalon huh

Nope....there was a converted Jet Ranger, and a bunch of others in the exhibition pavillion..