Schofields Flying Club Ltd - 60 Birch Street Bankstown Airport 2200
(PO Box 200, Georges Hall, NSW 2198 AUSTRALIA)
Phone: +61 2 9709 8488 Email: mail@schofields-flying-club.com.au
SCHOFIELDS FLYING CLUB NEWSLETTER - JULY/AUGUST 2008
Welcome to the July/August 2008 edition of Schofields News. There are the most of the usual plus some new features -
President's Notes by Mike Allsop,
Ask the CFI by Patrick Watson,
X-File X087 (Nakajima Ki.87) by Anthony Coleiro,
Two New Sydney Scenic Flights by Latrodectus,
Latrodectus demonstrates a short-field landing
in Cessna 172 VH-RNL on runway 08 at Maitland Bankstown Navigation Challenge by John Hook, Huntington Winery Music Festival Flyaway by Alan Searle, Meet Your New Instructors by Danial Martin, Unexplained Discrepancy by Latrodectus, Interclub Competition Report by Rae Cauchi, Propeller Stone Damage compiled by Latrodectus, and The Last Word from Latrodectus. As well, there's some of the usual administrivia that you've come to expect. So, read on and enjoy!
Latrodectus demonstrates a short-field landing
in Cessna 172 VH-RNL on runway 08 at Maitland Bankstown Navigation Challenge by John Hook, Huntington Winery Music Festival Flyaway by Alan Searle, Meet Your New Instructors by Danial Martin, Unexplained Discrepancy by Latrodectus, Interclub Competition Report by Rae Cauchi, Propeller Stone Damage compiled by Latrodectus, and The Last Word from Latrodectus. As well, there's some of the usual administrivia that you've come to expect. So, read on and enjoy!
NEW MEMBERS: Welcome to June new members James Pickett, Mia Angus, Mark Wardrop, Sasha Zigic, Eric Simon, Axel Diefenbacher, Anthony Monger, Shane Doyle, Katharine Smith, Archie Chronopoulos, David Arblaster, Martin Bryson, Vatche Pailagian, Camilla Dickerson, John Terry, Sheldon Haig, William Liu, Hadia Hasan, Daniel Harrison, Daniel Hart, Matthew Hart, David Roberts and Colin Bruce. Prospective New Members of the Club can download a Membership Application Form (174kB pdf) here. Note that it is still necessary for new members to attend the Club in person with photo identification before applications can be processed.
DUTY PILOT DRAW: The Volunteer Duty Pilot Monthly Draw for June ($50 free flying) goes to Jason Rego and Scott Button. The Club appreciates the efforts our tireless band of volunteers generously give in helping their Club and this is one small way of saying thank you!
BAK THEORY: Our next BAK course commences on 6 August and will run for 6 weeks on Wednesday nights and all day Saturday in our new classrooms in Birch Street. Includes examination at the end of the course. Phone the Club to book your place. More...
FIRST SOLOS: Mark Wardrop flew his first solo on 14th July at 4pm in JNB.
Mark Wardrop
Matt Maunsell Mark operates a tour company in outback Australia and has been around planes for a while. He just decided to get his licence for something to do. Mark's instructor was Lori Timewell. Matthew Maunsell flew first solo on 1st May, also in JNB. This is a picture of Matthew just as he was given take-off clearance on his solo circuit. Mark's instructor was Lori Timewell. Congratulations to you both!
LAST LIGHT DRINKS is a social activity introduced by the Clubhouse & In-house Events sub committee for members and their guests to join together with some of our committee members on the last Sunday of each month. It is an opportunity to discuss flying at an operational and social level and see the changes that are taking place at the club. Drinks are available from our licensed bar, with complimentary savories served. It's a couple of hours of social interaction with an aviation theme that we can all enjoy. From 17:00 to wind up around 19:00. Come and join us on August 31.
DIARY DATES: The Club has a number of social and flying activities planned for 2008 and you will be able to check out the full details on our Coming Events page in the next few weeks.
| Sun | 05 | Jul | Interclub Competition | Mudgee |
| Mon | 21 | Jul | Committee Meeting | Clubhouse |
| Sun | 27 | Jul | Last Light Drinks | Clubhouse |
| Sun | 17 | Aug | Navigation Competition | Training Area |
| Mon | 18 | Aug | Committee Meeting | Clubhouse |
| Sun | 31 | Aug | Last Light Drinks | Clubhouse |
| Mon | 15 | Sep | Committee Meeting | Clubhouse |
| Sun | 28 | Sep | Club Competition Last Light Drinks |
Warnervale Clubhouse |
Mike Allsop
Well our new Club facilities have really had a workout this month. Firstly, we were pleased to make the BBQ area available for member Craig Hobart to celebrate his 40th birthday with friends and family early in June. Craig donated several TIFs and scenic flights to his guests which kept a few aircraft and instructors busy all morning. In turn his guests donated to Angel Flight, a cause which Craig is very involved in. Meanwhile his family had provided all food for their masses while a couple of us drove the BBQ for them. The coffee cart idea could become a regular feature at the club given the interest shown in it by other members on the day. The second event we had entailed renting our premises to the Women Pilots Association for their "Dinner with the Aviators" function. This was also very successful, with our Vice President John Young driving the bar and a number of our own members in the assembled multitude.
On the subject of events, we will be ramping up our own social activities over the remainder of the year now that we have the premises under control so to speak. Expect to see announcements for an Aviation Night, Presentation Night and Christmas Party in the very near future.
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In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the mystic delivered grave news: "There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just be blunt - prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year." Visibly shaken, the lady being given the reading stared at the mystic's lined face, then at the single flickering candle, then down at her hands. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She simply had to know. She met the fortune teller's gaze, steadied her voice, and asked: "Will I be acquitted?"
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During July we expect to have the Club Arrow JRY back on line after its refurb. At least that is what it used to be called. When it comes back it will be VH-SFJ to reflect its "new" status and to continue with our acquisition of SFx nomenclature for as many of our aircraft as possible. This is always dependent of course on the marks being available, which is infrequent. She will be sporting a new interior, new glazing, new paint job and new engine. You'll love it.
Finally, a note about care of aircraft in your possession. We had an issue with 3rd party hire of LSG (ie not one of our members) where operation with insufficient oil over a long XC led to internal damage to the engine. It required a bulk strip, new camshaft and new pistons as a result of negligent operation. Please operate our aircraft with care and respect at all times as part of basic good airmanship, and treat them as though they were your own both in the air and on the ground. If you are at all unsure about any aspect of operation of "your" aircraft, you should always ask an instructor for assistance or advice. Our Terms and Conditions of Hire are quite explicit about the consequences of negligent operation.
Look after 'em folks, and they'll look after you! Enjoy your flying.
Mike Allsop
President SFC
A primer on primingHaving trouble starting engines on these cold winter mornings? I've often sat in the warmth of the clubhouse watching pilots trying to start aeroplane engines on cold days
Pat Watson - especially the first flight of the day.
There are a few things working against them. Firstly, a cold battery doesn't produce as much power as normal, the engine oil is cold and thick and resists turning the engine, fuel does not vaporise as well as it does when warmer, and the engine is cranky and sluggish, it doesn't want to awaken from its slumber (so say I anyway) - all contribute to a difficult start.
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Some of our aeroplanes have new starter motors fitted. They are Sky-Tec Flyweight starter motors. Advantages are they are lightweight and crank at high speed. The disadvantage - being light weight and having smaller copper windings, are prone to overheating and severe damage if not operated correctly. DO NOT crank the engine for more than 10 seconds. If the engine does not start within this time, then it is most likely you are doing something wrong.
Aeroplane engines are simple machines, all they need is a spark and fuel (in the right proportion) and they will start and run sweetly. On cold winter mornings, the engine will need to be primed with fuel more than usual. With the Warriors, turn the pump on - don't try to prime with the pump OFF.
Pull the Primer out and pause - let it fill up. It has a tiny inlet hole and a tiny outlet hole. After it has filled, push it all the way in to inject the fuel. You should feel resistance as you are doing this - if not - you are pumping air, not fuel. Pilots who sit there pumping the Primer are NOT priming the engine - they are pumping air into the cylinders - not fuel. I reiterate, pull the primer all the way out, pause for 3 seconds, let it fill, push it all the way in, repeat at least 5 times on a cold morning - perhaps 7 or eight times.
Still won't start? Perhaps you are in VH-SFR
& have forgotten to turn on the magnetos? Lock the primer then promptly start the engine. Do not wait. If you do, then perhaps all the fuel you have just injected will vaporise and you'll have to start all over!
Still won't start? Perhaps you are in VH-SFR and have forgotten to turn on the magnetos? Ditto with VH-PIE? The pilot did everything right, pump on, primed for 6 seconds, pushed the start button but the engine would not start. Why not? Look at the magneto switches. Of course there is another obvious reason an engine won't start (apart from breakdown). Can you guess what it is? (Answer at the end of the article.)
The Primer usually primes two cylinders only, and the primer fuel line is a very small copper tube, susceptible to kinks and nicks all of which make priming very difficult. Here is the primer fuel line in VH-HQR. As you can see, it is very thin, fragile, easily damaged. It feeds two cylinders only.
Here is the primer fuel line in VH-HQR. As
you can see, it is very thin, fragile, easily
damaged. It feeds two cylinders only. CAAPs
CASA has recently issued a couple of CAAPs that will affect our operations. The first, CAAP 5.81-1(0), is to do with Aeroplane Flight Reviews or the old BFR (Biennial Flight Review). If you are coming up for a flight review in the near future, I suggest you download this CAAP from the CASA web site. All of our Flight Reviews will comply with the procedures recommended in this CAAP. Prepare yourself for a minimum four hour theory session and a minimum of 1.5 hours flight. You may need more depending on your recency, the type of flying you do and the aeroplane you mostly fly.
The other CAAP is CAAP 5.23-2(0) Multi-engine Aeroplane Operations and Training. It outlines the theory and practical training required for initial and subsequent multi-engine endorsements. It details seven hours (minimum) theory and seven hours of flight instruction and sets the syllabuses for both.
For those who are interested, and those who intend getting their multi-engine aeroplane endorsement, the Club will conduct the theory course in accordance with the CAAP syllabus over two Sundays, 20th and 27th July. If you are interested, please contact the office during the week to enrol. Just the thing you need on a cold winter's Sunday. Sit in air-conditioned comfort and be thrilled and enthused by an excitable, knowledgeable, enthusiastic instructor.
Staff
You may have seen lots of new faces among the instructor staff lately. There has been quite a turnover with many of our experienced instructors being "poached" by the airlines. Lori Timewell is leaving us shortly, Alison has an interview, Salah is leaving, Janina has left and is flying for a freight company in a Convair, Kozue has left in order to produce another little Jeffrey Swain.
On the other hand we have picked up a few new Instructors, Ben Wong, Robert Bell, Chris Bournelis, Martin Sulzynski, Steve Reh, and Danial Martin are a few of the new ones. There was a desperate shortage of Sunday Instructors - that is pretty well sorted now. So hope to see you on a weekend.
'Til next month - happy flying.
Patrick Watson
Chief Pilot - Chief Flying Instructor
Anthony Coleiro
T he appearance of B-29 bombers over Japan forced the Japanese Army Air Force (J.A.A.F.) to act on a need for a high altitude interceptor. Nakajima had already studied such a concept back in the early months of 1942. Now, with the urgent need, the go ahead was given to build such an aircraft.
Nakajima came up with a pressurised single seat, single engine interceptor powered by a Mitsubishi Ha.215 eighteen-cylinder radial engine with an exhaust driven turbo-supercharger cooled by a sixteen-blade fan. The engine was able to achieve 2,400 hp for take-off and 1,850 hp at 34,450 feet. Three prototypes were ordered.
The J.A.A.F. wanted the supercharger to be placed at the bottom of the fuselage to the rear like the P-47 thunderbolt but in order to minimise fuel leakage in the event of battle damage, Nakajima mounted it on the starboard side of the forward fuselage. Delays with the supercharger meant that the first prototype was not rolled out until February 1945.
The first prototype Ki.87 flew in April 1945 The aircraft was all metal in construction with an oval section semi-monocoque fuselage and it featured a single spar stressed skin wing built in one piece. The aircraft was to be equipped with both 20 and 30 mm cannons and provision was made to carry one 550 lb bomb. The rearward retractable undercarriage rotated through 90° to fold flat.
The first prototype Ki.87 flew in April 1945 and plans were drawn up to produce 500 of the machines but the conclusion of the war put an end to that. Only one aircraft was ever built and it only ever flew five times, never having retracted its undercarriage. It was estimated that the aircraft would have had a maximum speed of 705 km/h. There was to be a further development of this aircraft called the Ki.87-II powered by a 3,000 hp Ha. 217 turbo-supercharged engine with the supercharger located where the army would have originally liked; on the underside of the rear fuselage.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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The Complete Book of Fighters - William Green Gordon Swanborough |
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War Planes of the Second World War - Fighters Volume Three - William Green |
Anthony Coleiro
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T hose members who subscribe to the Airservices Australia update service for the Sydney VTC would have received with their 5 June 08 update a copy of the new Sydney General Flying Guide (GFG). This Guide is intended to assist pilots unintentionally entering controlled airspace and flags a number of 'hot spots' around the Sydney Basin where problems have occurred in the past. Introduced with the GFG are two new Sydney scenic flight flight routes. These are described on the GFG and will appear in ERSA. The text below (and the diagram to the right) will appear in the 28 August 08 ERSA.
The intention of the two Harbour Scenics is to minimise radio transmissions by having standard clearances. Maybe this isn't obvious from the description on the GFG and in ERSA, but a typical flight might go like this:
Request clearance at PRT. ATC gives you a SSR code and a frequency to call at LRF. At LRF, you are given a clearance "FTU, cleared Harbour Scenic One, QNH 1013, report clear of the Zone at LRF". You read back "Harbour Scenic One, QNH 1013". (Note - no level is given in the clearance and you don't have to read back the standard level.)
You then track as per the description on the GFG and ERSA:
- At 1500 ft AMSL Track Long Reef direct to the Harbour Bridge.
- Remain east of the Harbour Bridge commence a left turn remaining North of the Opera House.
- Conduct 2 left hand orbits remaining East of the Harbour Bridge, North of the Opera House and West of Garden Island.
- On completion of the second orbit track to North Head.
- At North Head track to Manly Beach and east of the coast to Long Reef.
Note that the Route Clearance implies a level of 1500 feet unless otherwise required by ATC, and the controller won't state the level in the clearance. The following NOTAM has been issued and will remain in effect until the next ERSA is issued:
SYDNEY HARBOUR SCENIC FLIGHT CLEARANCES C1228/08
A. PILOTS HOLDING SYDNEY GENERAL FLYING GUIDE MAY REQUEST HARBOUR
SCENIC ONE OR HARBOUR SCENIC TWO CODED ROUTE CLEARANCE AS
DESCRIBED IN SYDNEY GENERAL FLYING GUIDE EFFECTIVE 05JUN08 AND
AIP ERSA EFFECTIVE 28 AUGUST 2008. WHEN ATC APPROVE AND ISSUE
CLEARANCES VIA THESE ROUTES, PILOTS ARE THEN AUTHORISED TO FLY
THE ROUTE AT THE SPECIFIED ALTITUDE.
B. PILOTS NOT HOLDING THE SYDNEY GENERAL FLYING GUIDE CAN EXPECT
A REGULAR NON-CODED CLEARANCE.
FROM 06 041600 TO 08 271600
The following text will appear in the 28 August 08 ERSA: |
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| 19 | HARBOUR SCENIC FLIGHTS | |
| 19.1 | GENERAL | |
| a. | The airspace above Sydney Harbour is Class C and an airways clearance is required before you can enter it. | |
| b. | Clearance will be limited to an altitude not lower than 1500 ft and you maybe confined to an area east of the Harbour Bridge and north of the Opera House. | |
| c. | Alternatively you may be cleared for either a Harbour Scenic One or a Harbour Scenic Two. | |
| d. | VMC should exist over the proposed route and clearance will depend on traffic and controller workload. | |
| e. | The airspace over the Harbour below 1000 ft is restricted for use by helicopters and floatplanes only (R405B). | |
| 19.2 | FLIGHT NOTIFICATION | |
| a. | To minimise delays submit flight details before your flight. | |
| b. | Plan in class 'G' airspace to Long Reef, then in class 'C' airspace requesting a Harbour Scenic One or Two, then 'G' airspace through Victor 1. | |
| 19.3 | TYPICAL OPERATING PROCEDURES | |
| a. | From Bankstown, track via the Lane of Entry to Hornsby to Long Reef remaining North of Narrabeen Lakes. | |
| b. | At Parramatta, contact Sydney Terminal (135.1 MHz) to request a Harbour Scenic. | |
| c. | If traffic and controller workload permit you may be issued with either a Harbour Scenic One or Two. | |
| d. | The procedures for the Harbour Scenic One or Two are as follows: | |
| 19.4 | HARBOUR SCENIC ONE | |
| a. | At 1500 ft AMSL Track Long Reef direct to the Harbour Bridge. | |
| b. | Remain east of the Harbour Bridge and commence a left turn, remaining North of the Opera House. | |
| c. | Conduct 2 left hand orbits remaining East of the Harbour Bridge, North of the Opera House and West of Garden Island. | |
| d. | On completion of the second orbit track to North Head. | |
| e. | At North Head track to Manly Beach and east of the coast to Long Reef. Refer 19.6. | |
| 19.5 | HARBOUR SCENIC TWO | |
| a. | At 1500 ft AMSL Track Long Reef direct to Chatswood CBD. | |
| b. | Conduct 2 left hand orbits remaining East of the Chatswood CBD and West of the Roseville Bridge. | |
| c. | On completion of the second orbit track to Manly Beach. | |
| d. | At Manly Beach turn left and track east of the coast to Long Reef. Refer 19.6. | |
| 19.6 | SUBSEQUENT ENTRY INTO VICTOR 1 | |
| a. | If pilots elect or have planned to enter Victor 1 after completing a Harbour Scenic flight, they must advise the Controller at Manly Beach of their intention. | |
| b. | If the request is approved the pilot must comply with the following: | |
| (i) After passing Manly Beach and established East of the Coast broadcast intentions on 120.8 MHz. | ||
| (ii) Descend to 500 ft AMSL with a requirement to reach 500 ft AMSL before passing South Head Southbound. | ||
| 19.7 | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | |
| Expanded details and a diagrammatic representation of these procedures are provided on the Sydney General Flying Guide. | ||
Navigation Challenge - Sunday 17th August 08
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Update - 13 August 2008 We've had a good response to our Navigation Challenge competition but there's still room for more competitors:
Please ring the club on 9709 8488 and add your name and phone number to the list and indicate numbers for breakfast if you'd like to be a part of this. The route to fly is to the scenic Northern Beaches and Hawkesbury River. Points will be gained from answering questions about things along the route and being close to a nominated time (based on radio calls i.e. clear for take-off / clear to land). From BK fly to Parramatta then the GA lane to Hornsby and turn right and track to the Baha'i Temple. Then join the coast where Narrabeen lake empties and fly north to Barranjoey, left to Patonga and Brooklyn Bridge then back via the lane to Prospect. The first question is at the Parramatta River and the last at Prospect, for safety's sake there are none about features inside the BK CTR or nearby. To answer all questions you'll need a Sydney VTC, ERSA and the Sydney Basin Visual Flight Guide will help; you can download it from the CASA website. In the event of bad weather we'll postpone to a date when we can accommodate most competitors and have aircraft available. |
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Members are invited to a competition with a difference - teamwork and observation: a Navigation Exercise. This is a great opportunity to get away for an early morning scenic and come back to brekkie at the club.
A route sheet with questions will be available on the morning from 6:00 am to allow you to flight plan, pre-flight and leave early (First light is 6:06 local). Before leaving you nominate an ETE (expected time en-route). The winners will be the aircraft crew that come closest to their nominated time whilst answering all the questions - these will be mostly about places on the route but may include e.g. NOTAMS for the day. The OCTA route will be timed for about 1 hour in a Warrior. In practice leaving around 6:30 - 6:45 will make the flight less demanding for the observers and allow the aircraft to be back by 8 am for a second navex flight or other booking.
Teamwork is encouraged as two or more crew makes for a safer flight - the observers answer the questions whilst the PIC keeps a good look-out. We also encourage people to nominate as observers if they are not licensed. Just like a fly-away we'll try to match you up with others to create a team. Some aircraft have been booked until 9:30 so there will be two slots starting at 6:00 am (back by 8) and 8 am (back by 9:30).
How much? Any club aircraft can be hired at private hire rates or use your own. Breakfast will be provided back at the Club at $10 a head. Bring the aircraft back by 8:00 and breakfast is half price i.e. $5 a head (for SFC on-line aircraft only).
What do you have to do next? Please ring the club on 9709 8488 and add your name and phone number to the list and indicate numbers for breakfast. Also indicate if you would like observers or to be an observer.
John Hook
Sports Flying Coordinator
Mudgee Weekend Flyaway - 22-23 November 08
For aficionados of fine classical music, food and wine, this very special festival concert features chamber and string quartet music set in the magical backdrop of Huntington Winery Estate's beautiful Barrel Hall. The artists are gathered from Australia and around the world and are first class. This festival is a well kept secret and will be an unforgettable experience. The first concert is on the Saturday evening, the other on the Sunday morning. Each is followed by fine meals and wine.
Huntington Estate Music Festival The plan
Fly up to Mudgee on Saturday morning. Maxi taxi to the Ningana motel. We can then relax, do a wine tour or take a run out to Gulgong to the Henry Lawson museum and peruse this rustic old town. They still have horse rails - we'll get a consensus on that one! Back to the motel and prepare for the evening's entertainment.
On Sunday, arise, enjoy the morning concert and be wined and dined once more. The afternoon can then be spent enjoying the gardens of the estate as one soaks up the ambience of the setting with another wine or two or check out the other wineries depending on preferences.
Monday morning sees us off to the Hunter Valley, landing at Cessnock. Then it's off to our accommodation, drop the bags and set off for a tour of the wineries.Tuesday morning we fly back to Bankstown.
Costing
The tickets for the prelude concerts including food and wine for this quality event is $255 each person. Based on a Warrior with two people, 4 hours flying approx (YSBK-YMDG-YCNK-YSBK) $350 each. 3 nights accommodation $200 each. Therefore total approx $800 each plus Sunday and Monday nights meals and a bit of taxi/commuter van.
The first commitment will be to lock in the festival tickets, as these are invitation only and in limited supply. I have a number of these available, so quick response is necessary. Then we can nail the aircraft. I have a couple of motels on standby in both Mudgee and the Hunter Valley depending on numbers. I will organise transport accordingly. Anyone ready to be the designated driver?
You must check the Huntington Estate Winery - Music Festival 2008 website to see what a priceless experience this will be. If you're a 96.9 listener of course this may be a little over your head. But go ahead, surprise me!
Enquiries to Alan Searle on 0419 433 216
Director of Recreational Flying
Craig Chapman
Craig Chapman Craig is a grade three instructor with 1000 hours and has held a pilots licence for the past 25 years. Craig has Night, CSU, Retract, and pressurisation teaching approvals.
Craig has experience on a vast variety of aircraft including Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Piper Tomahawk, Beechcraft Bonanza, Victa Airtour, Grumman Cheetah, Cessna 182, Cessna 210, Piper Warriors, Piper Archers, Piper Saratoga, Piper Cherokee 6, Piper Malibu, Beechcraft Duchess, Piper Seminole, Grumman Cougar, Piper Chieftain, Piper Cheyenne and Citation.
Craig initiated his flying career by obtaining a Commercial Pilots Licence in 1983 and spent his first few years flying for a shearing contractor in far southwest Queensland and gained a lot of bush flying experience. He achieved his instructor rating in 1989 and worked on a casual basis instructing during the 1990s.
After a break from the aviation industry Craig has returned to full time flying, and hopes to progress to grade one and ATO approvals making flying a life long career.
Danial Martin
Danial Martin Danial has been working for Schofields for over three years on a part time/casual basis and has now joined us as a full time pilot with the role of deputy Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). Danial's role with the school is to assist both Patrick with the CFI role's and Nelson with the day to day CASA and VTAB compliance and student management.
Danial is a grade one instructor, holding an Air Transport Pilots Licence with 3000 hours with a Diploma in Aviation and has held a pilots licence for the past 17 years. Danial was a competent assessor conducting external ground training and assessing of flight crew and ground crew with airlines such as Regional Express, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines and other large aviation organisations such as Menzies Aviation, and Inflight Logistic Services (Virgin Blue).
Danial joined the Australian Air League (an Aviation youth organisation) at the age of 12 and first learnt to fly in 1991, completing his first solo at the age of 16. He then obtained his CPL in 1998 and achieved his instructor rating shortly thereafter. He instructed part time whilst working for Turbomeca, a turbine engine manufacturer and commenced employment with Schofields Flying Club back in 2005.
Danial has IFR Multi-Engine, Night, CSU, Retract, Formation and Instructor Rating teaching approvals.
His experience covers a vast variety of aircraft including Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Piper Tomahawk, Cessna 182, Piper Warriors, Piper Archers, Piper Dakota, Cirrus SR22, Beechcraft Duchess, Partenavia as well as experience teaching in the Garman G1000 and Avidyne Glass Cockpits.
Danial enjoys teaching all levels of flight training from ab-initio to advanced multi-engine instrument flying and hopes to achieve his CASA CFI approvals and Approved Testing Officer (ATO). This is for his own career advancement and satisfaction as well as assisting our CFI Patrick Watson.
Steve Reh
Steve Reh Steve is a grade one instructor with 5000 hours and has held a pilots licence for the past 32 years. Steve has been a Chief Flying Instructor and has held CASA approval as a testing officer (ATO). Steve has Multi-Engine, Night, CSU, Retract and Tail wheel, Instructor Rating teaching approvals.
Steve has experience on a vast variety of aircraft including Cessna 152, Cessna 172, Piper Tomahawk, Cessna 182, Piper Warriors, Piper Archers, Piper Dakota, Piper Lance, Piper Saratoga, Citabria, Chipmunk, Koliber, Turbo Seneca, Beechcraft Duchess, Partenavia as well as experience teaching in the Garman G1000 Glass Cockpit.
Steve is a career instructor who takes pleasure in seeing people succeed with their dreams of becoming pilots at both recreational and professional levels.
Danial Martin
Deputy CFI
In past years, a procedure that was applied to an ILS approach was that the OM crossing height was noted and, if this height was greater than the published value, the difference was added to the decision altitude. There was no correction required for OM crossing heights less than the published value.
This procedure was meaningless unless the aircraft was exactly on the glideslope when it crossed the outer marker although there was no requirement for this. The only criteria were that the procedure was flown within ± half scale deflection and that a missed approach was initiated no later than the decision altitude.The rationale behind this procedure was that an altimeter will read the correct (true) altitude only under ISA temperature conditions. Conditions colder than ISA will cause the altimeter to over-read and, to reduce the risk of the altimeter over-reading at DA when the aircraft is close to the ground, the over-reading that was noted at the outer marker was added to the DA.
This procedure was fallacious because it assumed the same temperature error would be applicable at DA (200-300 feet AGL) as at the OM (1200-1300 feet AGL). [The temperature error is approximately in proportion to the height AGL and is affected by aerodrome elevation in only a minor way.]
In accordance with ICAO practice, the above procedure has been replaced in AIP ENR 1.5-33 para 7.3.1, which reads:
"The final approach segment contains a fix at which the glide path / altimeter relationship should be verified. If the check indicates an unexplained discrepancy, the ILS approach should be discontinued."The only difficulty with this new procedure is to agree on what is meant by the term 'unexplained discrepancy'.
The altimeter/glideslope cross-reference at the outer marker is really a confidence check. Provided the altimeter is in tolerance (±60 feet) and the procedure is flown within ˝-scale glideslope deflection, possible reasons for the altimeter reading other than the published height might be:
- Not on glideslope at the outer marker. Generally, glideslope displays are not calibrated in degrees per dot like most localiser CDIs so a particular indication can't be related to a height deviation. Using the VASI for comparison, the displacement between full fly-up and full fly-down represents approximately -100 to +150 feet at a typical OM position. This would correspond to about -15 to +20 feet at the middle marker. So a ˝-scale glideslope fly-down indication might correspond to about 60-80 feet of 'explainable discrepancy'.
- Altimeter tolerance. This could account for as much as ±60 feet of 'explainable discrepancy'.
- Temperature error. In the of the order of +50 feet at ISA-10 and about +150 feet at ISA-30. In winter in southern Australia, this might account for an over-reading of 50 feet or more.
It would be convenient from a training and checking/testing viewpoint to put a ± number of feet on this 'unexplained discrepancy'. Unfortunately, it's not possible to be more prescriptive.
Latrodectus J. Hasseltii
T he participants of the NSW Interclub Comp met at the airport at Mudgee on Saturday morning, 5th June. The morning was a little chilly, but the sun was out and it bode well for a beautiful day.
Peter Cunningham receives his trophy After the briefing the first competitor settled into his aircraft with the air judge. The Schoies competitors were waiting for the arrival of SFK, which was on its way, being brought by John Hook and Peter Cunningham. After the aircraft arrived, the Schoies competitors, 5 in total, commenced their competition sequences. Les Rapolti was the first of the Schoies crew, followed by me, Richard Van Doornham, John Hook and Peter bringing up the rear.
At the presentation dinner that evening the following (corrected) results were announced:
| Forced Landing | Apes | |||
| 1st | Peter Cunningham | 2nd | Rae Cauchi | |
| Instrument Climb | Spot Landing | |||
| 2nd | Les Rapolti | 2nd | Peter Cunningham | |
| 3rd | Peter Cunningham | 3rd | John Hook | |
Schoies achieved a good result for the 2nd round of the Interclub, but it would be great if we could get some more participation by Schoies members for the 3rd round which will be held at Wagga Wagga on 8th November.
Rae Cauchi
Apette
The propeller manufacturer's approved
maintenance data clearly requires the
blade's aerofoil shape to be maintained.
Most pilots and LAMEs are aware that stone damage to a propeller blade can result in blade failure. However, very few people in the aviation industry understand why stone damage is critical or why the blade can sometimes fail from stone damage. Understanding why stone damage to a propeller blade is critical comes from being reminded of just what a propeller blade is.
Propeller blades
An aircraft wing creates lift from its aerofoil shape. A helicopter rotor blade creates lift and thrust for hovering and flight from its aerofoil shape. A propeller blade creates thrust from its aerofoil shape. When a propeller blade is damaged from a stone, the most common form of damage is a nick to the leading edge. Just as damage to the leading edge of a wing will disrupt the smooth flow of air over that wing, damage to the leading edge of a propeller blade will disrupt the flow of air over the propeller blade. It is essential to repair propeller blade stone damage as soon as it is discovered and in accordance with approved maintenance data.
Propeller blade repairs
Aircraft owners would naturally expect a damaged wing leading edge to be repaired by restoring the wing aerofoil shape. Why then do most owners accept propeller blade stone damage being repaired by rounding off the leading edge in the area of the stone nick or worse, filing the leading edge flat? The propeller manufacturer's approved maintenance data clearly requires the blade's aerofoil shape to be maintained. There are two reasons for that requirement.
Propeller blade performance
Just as the efficiency of an aircraft is related to the aerofoil shape of its wing, a propeller blade is only as effective as its aerofoil shape. Degrade the shape of the blade by an improper leading edge repair and you will degrade the performance of that propeller and therefore the aircraft. A badly repaired propeller can rob an aircraft of take-off and climb performance, increase fuel consumption and cause a loss of speed.
Propeller blade failure
A more sinister result may occur from a badly repaired propeller blade That is, the blade may be subjected to aerodynamic flutter. Laboratory examination of failed propeller blades suggests a damaged propeller blade may flutter at certain engine RPM due to stalling of the aerofoil in the area of leading edge damage. In each blade failure, the blade leading edge had been repaired by rounding off or flattened. That is, the aerofoil shape was lost.
Microscopic examination of a number of recent stone damage related propeller blade failures have identified the failure mode to be high cycle fatigue. High cycle fatigue cracks have initiated from improper leading edge repairs, repairs which did not restore the aerofoil shape of the blade. The magnitude of the high cycle fatigue is consistent with stress resulting from aerodynamic flutter. Photos detailing a typical stone damage related fracture of a propeller blade are shown above. Note the shape of the leading edge. The crack initiated from the lower leading edge in the area of an apparent stone damage repair.
Associated damage
The presence of propeller blade flutter can not only affect the airworthiness of the propeller, but the associated vibration can also affect the engine. The most common effect is cracking of baffles, brackets, accessories mounts etc. More sinister is the possibility of crankshaft de-tuning. That is, the propeller flutter vibration frequency may result in crankshaft failure.
Summary
Pilots and LAMEs should be aware, propeller blades are aerofoils. Any damage or repair to the propeller that changes the aerofoil shape of the propeller blade will affect the performance of that propeller and therefore the performance of the aircraft. Of importance, there is now evidence to suggest, changes to aerofoil shape of a propeller blade may result in aerodynamic flutter and possible high cycle fatigue fracture of the blade. All repairs to a propeller blade must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's published procedures.
The US standard railroad gauge is 4' 8˝" Standards
Does the statement "We've always done it that way" ring any bells? The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8˝ inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.
Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US railroads. Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.
Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.
Okay! Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long-distance roads in England, because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.
And you thought
being a horse's arse
wasn't important! So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts in the road? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were alike in the matter of wheel spacing. The US standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8˝ inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. And bureaucracies live forever.
So the next time you are handed a spec and told we have always done it that way, and wonder what horse's arse came up with that, you may be exactly right, because the Imperial Roman war chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the back ends of two war horses.
Now the twist to the story ... when you see a space shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains. The SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.
So a major space shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's butt. And you thought being a horse's arse wasn't important!
Contributions & feedback
Well, that's your Newsletter for this month. You should check the latest news on the Club's website at www.schofields-flying-club.com.au. Contributions, comments, feedback, and suggestions to latrodectus@schofields-flying-club.com.au.
Thought for the month
Statistics show that at the age of seventy, there are five women to every man. Isn't that the darndest time for a guy to get those odds?
Latrodectus
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