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 - MARCH 2008
Welcome to the March 2008 edition of Schofields News. There are the most of the usual plus some new features -
X-File X084 (Fokker D.XXIII) by Anthony Coleiro,
Another Tough Bit of Kit compiled by Latrodectus,
Our new Clubhouse at 60 Birch Street,
viewed from an adjacent galaxy... Moving Events by Peter Blackbourn, Australia's Biggest Shipwreck compiled by Latrodectus, Night VFR - An Exercise in Patience by David Jaffray, English Language Proficiency compiled by Latrodectus, July 2008 Queensland Flyaway by Richard Pincus, 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!
Our new Clubhouse at 60 Birch Street,
viewed from an adjacent galaxy... Moving Events by Peter Blackbourn, Australia's Biggest Shipwreck compiled by Latrodectus, Night VFR - An Exercise in Patience by David Jaffray, English Language Proficiency compiled by Latrodectus, July 2008 Queensland Flyaway by Richard Pincus, 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!
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: The Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held at our new Clubhouse at 7:30pm on Monday, April 21. Come along to hear and discuss reports on how your Club is progressing and to vote for your new Committee. Please join us if you can.
MARCH NEW MEMBERS: Welcome to Daniel Colvin, Wasim Shah, Matthew Loewy, Matthew Sweeney, Samuel Crane, Marc Forrest, Guy Radnidge, Russell Crichton-Browne, Ben Allsion, Fabian Mangold, Martyn Bartlett, David Harman, Geoff Northcott, Mike Breen, Neil Keller, Peter Fielder, Fiona Axford, Angus Wong, Lou Zivajovic, Nichols Wheeler, Brad Warner and Matthew Hollings. 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.
INTERCLUB RESULTS: Congratulations to Les Rapolti (1st - forced landing), Alan Drury (equal 1st - steep turn), Peter Cunningham (2nd - spot landing), John Hook (3rd - instrument climb) and Rae Cauchi (3rd - APES) who competed in the Interclub Competition at Narromine on Saturday, 8th March.
GRAND OPENING DAY: Photos from our Grand Opening Day on Sunday 24th February are now in the Gallery. Photos from our Club Open Day held at the New Clubhouse at 60 Birch Street on Sunday 10th February are also in the Photo Gallery.
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 | 02 | March | Club Competition | Warnervale |
| Sat | 08 | March | Interclub Competition | Narromine |
| Mon | 17 | March | Committee Meeting | New Clubhouse |
| Fri | 21 | March | Public holiday (Good Friday) | |
| Mon | 24 | March | Public holiday (Easter Monday) | |
| Sun | 30 | March | Last Light Drinks | New Clubhouse |
| Mon | 21 | April | 2008 Annual General Meeting (from 7:30pm) | New Clubhouse |
| Fri | 25 | April | Public Holiday (Anzac Day) | |
| Sun | 27 | April | Last Light Drinks | New Clubhouse |
Anthony Coleiro
T he Fokker D.XXIII was a single-seat fighter powered by two engines mounted in tandem fore and aft of the cockpit. The main aims of the design were to produce an agile reliable fighter and to reduce drag but other advantages soon became apparent. By having an engine ahead and behind the pilot, the need for extensive armour protection was done away with and the aircraft could cruise on one engine without the undesirable asymmetric effect.
A pair of 530 hp Walter Sagitta I-SR 12-cylinder liquid cooled engines driving 3-blade airscrews powered the aircraft. Originally it was intended that the aircraft be all-metal in its construction but the prototype instead had a wooden wing with the twin booms going all the way to the leading edge. Fitted to the aircraft was a retractable tricycle undercarriage, the Fokker D.XXIII was the first aircraft to have this arrangement. It was first put on display at the 1938 Paris Air Salon before it had been flown and it caused quite a stir and aroused considerable foreign interest.
Fokker D.XXIII single-seat fighter The aircraft took to the air on 30 May 1939. Problems were encountered with an overheating rear engine, the feathering mechanism of the rear propeller and it was found that bailing out for the pilot would be a dangerous affair due to the rear airscrew; an ejector seat was planned to overcome this. Alternative engines were also considered in the form of Daimler Benz DB 601 or Rolls Royce Merlin engines for the production version as the originals were considered to be underpowered. Due to limited testing, which amounted to only 4 hours, only an estimation of maximum speed could be made and this was thought to be 525 km/h at an altitude of over 16,000 feet. The aircraft was to be armed with two 7.9 mm machine guns and two 13.2 mm machine guns.
Only one prototype was build by the time German forces invaded the Netherlands and the Luftwaffe riddled it with bullets in the test hanger after an attack on 10 May 1940 bringing to an end this Dutch fighter.
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 |
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The Illustrated Ency. of Aircraft - Orbis Publication |
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Warplanes Collector Cards - Weldon By Mail Pty Ltd |
Anthony Coleiro
Look carefully at the B-17 and note how shot up it is - one engine dead, tail, horizontal stabilizer and nose shot up. It was ready to fall out of the sky. Then realize that there is a German ME-109 fighter flying next to it. Now read the story below. I think you'll be surprised.
Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton, England. His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters.
... never saw a plane in such a bad state The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.
After flying over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen a plane in such a bad state'. The tail and rear section was severely damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere.
Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane.
Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn 180 degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to, and slightly over, the North Sea towards England. He then saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, back to Europe.
When Franz landed he told the CO that the plane had been shot down over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered never to talk about it.
More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved the crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions.
They met in the USA at a 379th Bomber Group reunion, together with 25 people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day.
Research shows that Charlie Brown lived in Seattle and Franz Steigler had moved to Vancouver, BC after the war. When they finally met, they discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50 years!
Our new Clubhouse at 60 Birch Street
Our clubhouse relocation has seen a number of celebrations to mark this special event in our history. The members open day on Sunday 10th February followed not long after by the Grand Opening Day of 24th February were the two main events. The photos posted on our web for both events show the members and their families checking out the new features at Birch Street - what a quantum leap from Tower Road!
The Members' Open Day provided an opportunity for members and guests to have a look at the new building. A team of member hosts provided a series of tours around the new clubhouse showing all the new features. Around 150 patrons checked out the new facilities over the day, with many enjoying lunch on the outside patio taking in the great view across the airfield.
At the Grand Opening Day we had many familiar faces from our member ranks. They joined other invited guests at this very special event which was held to formally celebrate the move and perform the official opening. Ian Honnery, a past club director and President and Chief Executive of the Aerospace Maritime and Defence Foundation (the Avalon Airshow is one of their events) performed the opening ceremony. During his talk he gave an insight into the history of our club, something that most patrons had not been aware of. Ian was one of a group of three guys having a few beers after some flying back in the late 60s who decided to buy an aircraft and start a flying club of sorts.
Former Club President, Ian Honnery,
officially opens our new Clubhouse Flight operations were out of Schofields aerodrome not far from RAAF base Richmond. In 1971 the club incorporated and became Schofields Flying Club Limited.
Following the success of a series of airshows held by the club at Schofields Aerodrome, we were approached by the bicentennial committee to host, in conjunction with the RAAF, an airshow at RAAF Base Richmond as part of the bicentennial celebrations. The 1988 Bicentennial Airshow was a very successful event. Although now 20 years on, many members will recall what a great event this was. Its success led the way for the establishment of the Aerospace Foundation and its event services arm - Airshows Downunder. From the first Avalon airshow in 1992 participants and visitors from around the world head to Avalon every second year for this world class aviation event. And it all started with our Club.
We have now entered a new phase of the Club's life from this move, one that will hopefully allow us to prosper and grow but, more importantly, continue to provide the aviation community with a great club for years to come.
I hope you have enjoyed the series of articles and reports I have provided during my time on our Committee. As a baby boomer with aging family (mine are down South in Melbourne), I will be spending more time with them and will not be renewing the vows as a committee member for next year. When you read this I will be on leave in New Zealand enjoying Warbirds Over Wanaka - another great airshow in our part of the world.
Peter Blackbourn
Director - Clubhouse Services & Events
T he waters off the east coast of Australia are renowned for their often sudden, unpredictable and violent storms. Testimony to their power lies in the dozens of sunken ships that litter these waters, often in only a few metres.
The Sygna on Stockton Beach in May 1974 Typical of these is the 53,000-tonne Norwegian bulk carrier Sygna, now a shipwreck on Stockton Beach near Newcastle. The ship ran aground during a major storm on 26 May 1974 and the wreck has become an icon and landmark for the local area.
During May 1974 the New South Wales coast was being battered by large storms which brought heavy swells off both Sydney and Newcastle ports. Newcastle port reported a swell of over 17m at the entrance.
The Sygna was on its maiden voyage, waiting for a load of 50,000 tonnes of coal destined for Europe at the time of the accident. It was anchored 4 kilometres off Newcastle when the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe storm warning and directive for ships to move out to sea. Seven of the ten ships anchored off Newcastle did so, however the Sygna was not one of them.
Early the following morning, with winds gusting at 89 knots, the captain issued orders to set sail. Unfortunately, even with its engines at full-ahead the Sygna was unable to make any headway and the storm turned it parallel to the beach. It is reported that within 30 minutes it had run aground on Stockton Beach.
With heavy seas pounding the stricken ship, its captain radioed a MAYDAY and gave the order to abandon ship. An Iroquois helicopter from RAAF Williamtown's Search and Rescue Squadron, flown by Flt Lt Gary McFarlane, attended the scene and slowly rescued the 31 trapped sailors from the ship in near cyclone conditions. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the incident. Flt Lt McFarlane was awarded the Air Force Cross and other members of his crew received commendations for their heroic efforts during the rescue.
The Sygna lost approximately 700 tonnes of oil during the accident. This oil was mostly dispersed by the heavy seas, and as such no cleanup or recovery action was undertaken.
What's left: the stern of the Sygna in 2004 After the storm had subsided the salvage operation commenced. The ship was swung around, which caused the heavier stern section to sink into deeper water. This caused the ship to break its back.
On 4 September a salvage team led by Japanese millionaire Kitoku Yamada refloated the ship after repairing several holes in the hull and then pumping out thousands of tonnes of water. The stern section was refloated first, followed by the bow, which had been resting deep in the sand. The bow remained afloat but unfortunately for the salvagers the stern again went aground about 80m out from the beach and gradually settled in the sand as salvage crews stripped it of all items of value.
In November 1974 another salvage attempt was made of the stern of the Sygna. This caused a very heavy oil spillage, which spread along a 16 kilometres stretch of Stockton Beach. Bulldozers attempted to bury the oil in the sand above the high water mark. After lying in Salamander Bay, Port Stephens, for almost two years the bow section was towed away and broken up in Taiwan.
The stern still lies on Stockton beach and since the shipwreck it has slowly been decaying from the harsh elements in its environment and it remains as an icon and landmark for the local area. According to the Newcastle port authority, the Sygna is the last of 59 ships which have been lost on Newcastle shores, although it was first feared that the MV Pasha Bulker would join it as a new Newcastle icon after it ran aground on Nobby's Beach, 8.4 kilometres south of the Sygna wreck, on 8 June 2007. The Pasha Bulker was successfully re-floated on 2 July 2007 leaving the Sygna with its title.
David Jaffray
Last year I took three months of long service leave. By the end of it I intended to have a night VFR rating. According to the Schofields web site, it would take around fifteen hours training plus a flight test. Three months seemed like plenty of time to get through that, so I lined up instructor Sam Saad to get me through. We got started early in May.
At the end of the first month I'd chalked up around eight hours starting with a daytime revision of instrument flying in the training area. Several sessions of night circuits followed and culminated in my first night solo. In the process, I'd learnt to look out for moving lights, they were aeroplanes, and dim lights, they were the runway. We practised some emergency procedures too. Flying a circuit with interior lights off and torch in my mouth to illuminate the panel, was interesting.
With circuits ticked off, Sam briefed me on the ADF and VOR navaids and we practised intercepting headings inbound and outbound in the simulator.
I was pleased with the rate of progress when on 1 June we set off into the night on the first nav. I still had two months of leave up my sleeve. Everything was running to schedule.
The route for the nav was to Swansea, then Cessnock for night circuits and Maitland. Departing Bankstown at night, all circuits are to the south of the field and flying north you depart overhead. Over Bankstown I noted the time and headed for Parramatta. Two minutes later, I was wondering where Parramatta was. Where was the familiar clump of tall buildings? Sam pointed out a pattern of streetlamps converging on a tiny blue light. "That's Parramatta", he said. To Pennant Hills the strobe was our beacon and then we were on our way to Patonga.
Night approach at Bankstown By Cottage Point I was starting to feel uncomfortable about flying cross-country at night. Of course it was dark outside, but the darkness inside was more of a problem. With panel and cabin lights dimmed for night vision, checking a heading or frequency on the flight plan, reading the map and recording times became a major operation. Achieving what took a glance during the day had become a several step procedure at night. I had to turn up the lights (my torch turned out to be too bright), hold the relevant document up to the map light, find the place, read it, then reset the lights. Of course I had to keep flying straight and level too. My advice to anyone starting a night VFR rating is to make it a priority to sort out some appropriate personal lighting before the first nav.
In spite of the gloomy cockpit, I got us to Swansea and Cessnock, then with some assistance from Sam, to Maitland. From Maitland, we tracked outbound to Swansea using the VOR and south to Calga using the ADF. The Berowra and South Dural strobes were a great help, but finding the unlit waters of Prospect Reservoir in the dark was more difficult.
I'd found the whole flight very challenging and was feeling rather worse for wear. However, I was pleased to learn that my instructor had rated my performance more highly than I had.
My diary shows that after the first night nav, my three-month schedule started to come apart. Sam had two weeks off in June and that gave me some time to get into the theory side of night VFR. I followed the Schofields night VFR question sheet and used the book Night Flying, a manual by Chris Markham.
My next bookings were for the evenings of 19 and 20 June to practise ADF and VOR intercepts in the air. I used the nav trainer on the Schofields web site to practise. I was amazed at how easy it was to do intercepts in the air after practising the procedure thoroughly with the nav trainer. The 19 June was cancelled due weather, but we got off the ground the next night and did the ADF intercepts. Then with poor weather and Sam's other work commitments intervening it was mid July before we got the VOR session done. That left just three more weeks before I'd be back at work. My schedule was seriously shot to pieces!
The second night nav was to Goulburn and Wollongong. It was cancelled three times because of weather. Finally, we got away a week before I was due back at work.
After the experience of my first night nav, I had typed my flight plan in large letters, marked the tracks on the map with a thick dark line and bought a headband light at the pilot shop. The light turned out to be far too bright for night flying, so I was back to fumbling with papers in the dark.After the nav I agreed with Sam that I was not yet ready to take the flight test. Sam suggested we repeat the nav. I booked to do it a week later, but poor weather intervened again and the flight was cancelled.
A cycle of bookings and cancellations due weather continued and it wasn't until a month later at the end of August, when my leave was over and I was struggling to settle back into work, that I finally got to repeat the nav. Before the flight, I pulled out two of the three LEDs from the headband light. Also, I committed the key numbers in the flight plan to memory. I was surprised how little time this took, but with tracks, frequencies and circuit heights in my head I could confidently fly with only occasional use of the headband light to check the map or note a time. Now I was enjoying myself! All went well this time and Sam pronounced me ready for the flight test. A few days later he left for the Northern Territory to take up a flying job there.
In September, I did an optional night flight with Peter Newman to Mt McQuoid and back to make sure that next time I flew north at night I would be able to find Parramatta. I also wanted to practise some more with the VOR. After that, I booked in for the flight test in early November. The test was cancelled because of weather. In fact, the test was cancelled five times due to weather. Five times psyched and ready, five times left at the altar. Finally, on 23 January, the skies cleared briefly and testing officer Ken Andrews declared me proficient and pressed the all-important white sticker into my logbook. My three-month schedule had blown out into nine!
If you are planning to take on a night VFR this winter, bear in mind that you can't schedule the weather and that as well as proficiency, you'll need a palette load of patience.
David Jaffray
T he International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has directed its member states, including Australia, to assess and certify that all flight crew and air traffic controllers are competent in radiotelephony communications. English language will be Australia's language to assess for proficiency. Also, for international operations, English is accepted as the standard international aviation language.
These new standards are to be in place worldwide by 5 March, 2008.
These new standards are to be in place worldwide by 5 March, 2008.Any licence applications (PPL or above) received by CASA on or after 5 March 2008 must comply with the new language proficiency standards.
As part of these new standards, ICAO has defined six levels of language proficiency, where only the top three levels (levels four, five and six) are acceptable for operational flight crew and air traffic control.
Australia already has an excellent standard for English proficiency in place. For this reason the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has carefully examined the new ICAO standards to determine their likely benefits and how they might be applied. CASA has found that the adoption of the ICAO standards will boost existing English proficiency levels in Australia, provide a better system of review and as a result, enhance overall safety. ICAO requires that anyone with English proficiency below level six should be formally assessed at regular intervals. For level four this is every three years and level five reassessed every six years. Once level six has been certified, no further testing of English proficiency is required.
CASA is working towards making these changes as easy as possible for the industry. One of these initiatives is that flight crew already with an Australian private pilot licence (PPL) or above before the cut off date of 5 March 2008 will not need to be reassessed if conducting domestic operations only. Their previous assessment is deemed as operationally proficient to fly domestically without any need for further action.
If you hold an Australian private pilot licence (PPL) or above that was issued before 5 March 2008 and only fly domestically you will not need to take any action as you were assessed under CAR (1998) 5.09(1) as English proficient. You will be deemed as operationally proficient in English which allows you to fly domestically without any further action.
If you hold an Australian student pilot licence (SPL) you will not be required to take a language proficiency assessment until you apply for a PPL. Your language proficiency would have been assessed at the time your licence was issued and each time you fly you are required to be authorised by a qualified flying instructor as competent to conduct that flight, which includes language proficiency.
19 July to 3 August 2008 - flyaway to
Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands
Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands
Want the trip of a lifetime? Happy memories, envy and boasting rights for ever? Good enough for your spouse/partner and non-flying friends? Fine dining and first-rate accommodation at good prices? Fabulous destinations and tours combined in a way only possible by light aircraft? All organised for you? Read on.
The planning for the July 2008 Flyaway to Queensland has been
Cape York Peninsula at the tip of Queensland finalized - departing Saturday July 19, returning Sunday August 3. The Club needs to make final bookings with operators soon, and we still have some vacancies. You are invited to join us.
In brief, the trip will be up the NSW coast then the Queensland Coast mainly to look at the Islands, the coast, and the Cairns hinterland, then on to the Torres Straight (Horn and Thursday Islands) down the gulf Coast and across to Undara (the lava tubes) then Carnarvon Gorge in south-central Queensland, then home.
Flight times for an Archer (for example) will be about 30 hours over 16 days. Schofields aircraft are still available, or bring your own. Share the costs with others if you like.
The cost for accommodation is roughly $1700 pp. Ground tours are optional, but if taken in full would come to about $900 pp. Final figures will be advised once numbers are settled. Transfers and meals are additional, with some exceptions.
Like to know more? Contact Suzanne or Nelson at the Club and they will be pleased to send you the plan in more detail.
If you are interested in joining us it is all very simple :
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Put your name down via Suzanne |
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Indicate how many are in your party and whether you would like to share aircraft |
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Book an aircraft if required |
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Pay a $500 deposit |
We would love to have you with us!
Richard Pincus
Director, Recreational Flying
The south-western corner of Bankstown DEMISE OF THE OLD SCHOIES CLUBHOUSE: The first stage in the works to south-west of the Airport includes earthworks, drainage and site preparation in accordance with the Airport Master Plan and it is anticipated that works will commence in late March.
This development will reconfigure the area for the first development site and will take about 4 months to complete. Further development will be undertaken under a separate approval process in the near future and will be for a freight distribution facility.
Concurrent with these works is the closure of taxiways W6 and W8 (between Whitworth Aviation and the Aviation Museum) as envisaged under the Airport Master Plan.
During the construction activities, all construction traffic access will be from Tower Rd just east of the existing roundabout servicing the retail sector fronting Henry Lawson Drive (Hungry Jack, KFC, etc.) Appropriate traffic management measures will be employed to denote the site entry and any changes to traffic arrangements in this area of Tower Road.
In addition, the following proposed development activities will occur during 2008:
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Former Training Trotting Track subdivision - earthworks, road and services |
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Servicing of various development sites - water, sewer and power |
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South West Precinct - Stage 2 and final subdivision works - earthworks. |
HOXTON PARK AIRPORT CLOSURE: The Lease with the Federal Government for Hoxton Park Airport will be expiring in October 2008.
Vale, Hoxton Park! (194x-2008) The Hoxton Park Airport sale and closure was determined in 2003 as part of the privatisation of the federally leased airports. All aviation operations at Hoxton Park Airport will cease at midnight local time on the 27th October 2008. A thorough communication program is in place to advise all airport users and the Aviation Industry of the closure. Over the next few months Sydney Metro Airports will implement that program to ensure the closure process runs safely and smoothly.
NEW DAY VFR SYLLABUS: Version 4.0 of the Aeroplane Day VFR Syllabus came into effect on 1 March 2008 and can be downloaded from the CASA website. This syllabus specifies the progressive flying and aeronautical knowledge training requirements relevant to the Student Pilot Licence (SPL), the Private Pilot (Aeroplane) Licence (PPLA), and the Commercial Pilot (Aeroplane) Licence (CPLA) for aeroplanes. The regulations that specify the requirements for the issue of these pilot licences are contained in Part 5 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs). This Syllabus of training is authorised by CAR 5.59. Items in this syllabus are limited to those required for operating single piston engine aeroplanes under the Visual Flight Rules (VFR), by day up to 10,000 feet altitude. Note that all training and testing for the issue of these licences is required to be conducted in accordance with this syllabus.
FEEDBACK AND CONTRIBUTIONS: 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: Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses.
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