Blue Skies The official newsletter of the Mildura Aero Club

March 2016

Scenic Diversion – Airmanship has its upside On a recent trip to Albury, I found myself on a Left Downwind for R25 whilst a Virgin ATR 72 was about to commence “straight in final on R27’. To assist with separation, I offered a Right hand orbit over the Hume Weir (below), which the controller in Albury tower was happy to accept as ”A scenic resolution”.

Instead of an orbit, I was invited to track to the Dam Wall and then extend tracking along the lake. The Hume Weir, and Lake Hume is looking a picture at the moment. It is great to see a bit of colour around the landscape…for a change. I was told to join Base at my leisure when I was finished the “scenic”. In so doing, the RPT flight was happy and not delayed. The Controller was happy and didn’t need to go out of his way to achieve separation and I got to fly over the Lake which is in controlled airspace whilst the tower is operating.

View to the East, looking towards the arm of the Lake where the Mitta Mitta river enters Lake Hume.

Website Goes “live” A reminder to members that the long awaited Mildura Aero Club Website has now gone “live”. Check it out at www.milduraaeroclub.com Thanks to Brett Saunders at SDG Designs for setting up the platform and providing on-going support. The website should help visiting Aviators contact us, lift our profile and keep members up to date. We look forward to all of our members regularly accessing the site.

President’s Report – “Frothy Friday”

By now I should have been able to report that the worst of Summer is

behind us, but it looks like she's still got a bit more up her sleeve yet with a

good run of 40+ degree temperatures and plenty of thunderstorm activity

throughout the Mallee.

The bright side is that the conditions are even more conducive (as if we

need an excuse) to having a beer at the Club after knock-off on a Friday

afternoon.

Friday arvo drinks were a long-standing, if not informal tradition in years gone past, so the Club is committed to making sure the bar is open from 1700 to revitalise the occasion. All members of the airport community are welcome, and we encourage Club members to bring a friend who wouldn't normally be familiar with the aviation environment to increase the awareness of our activity. See you on Frothy Friday!

Frothy Friday Hours and reminders We are aiming to open the club by 5:00pm every Friday afternoon for members and guests. Members should bring some nibbles. Guests are most welcome. Guests MUST sign the visitors book, whether they are inside or outside the clubrooms, so that we comply with our Liquor Licensing requirements. The drinks will not be held on Friday March 25 as this is Good Friday. Committee members will be rostered on for bar duty. The club will assist the committee to obtain or renew their Responsible Service of Alcohol certificates, as required. Copies of RSA certificates should be put in the Liquor Licensing folder lcoated above the cash register.

Deni Fly in Deniliquin Aero Club has a fly in & dinner planned for Sat 23 April 2016. Given its close proximinity to Mildura, we should see a number of local and our memebers in attendance. There will be a Mini air show and drinks at 5pm. Fire bombing, low level flying and an acrobatic display by a Pitts Special. The dinner speaker is Michael Smith who flew around the world in his SeaRey (at 80 knots) – see picture below.

Deni Airport signs MOU The Deniliquin Council has signed an MOU with Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport (Toowoomba) to look to establish a horticultural freight service from the Riverina to Toowoomba, and then to international destinations. As reported in the Deniliquin Pastoral Times Tuesday 9 March 2016. The MOU will seek to have the Deniliquin Runway upgraded and lengthened to 2,000m to enable 747 freighters to fly in and out. We will watch developments in Deni with interest.

Training We will be holding an information night for people interested in obtaining a Formation flying endorsement. Nick Mason is driving the push for formation flying and the Committee sees the benefit in formation flying as an extra skill for members, and something that will increase the profile of Aviation in Sunraysia.

Clubhouse Members are reminded to turn off the air conditioner and lights when leaving and locking up the clubrooms.

Constitutional Changes The Committee has recommended that we adopt the new Incorporated Association Act Model rules, with minor amendments. The new Model Rules are updated, with improved dispute resolution provisions. We also seek to change our financial year to 30 June, to bring it into line with normal accounting practice. Members will receive a notice of Special General Meeting by email and the proposed Constitution will be in put up on the website shortly.

RV 14 A

John Saunders has his RV 14A nearing completion.

The LAME constructed four seat kit plane should cruise around the 170 knots mark. Book figures show a very impressive rate of climb of 1,800 ft / minute from the 210hp motor.

Silver Lining for REX? Passengers on Regional Express services to Melbourne have been frustrated by the use of Terminal 4 at Melbourne. I recently booked a 6:45pm Friday flight, only to have that flight cancelled and be transferred to the 8:00pm service. The 8:00pm flight was 15 minutes departing Mildura due to storms. I reminded myself that REX could handle the adverse Melbourne weather better than I could have, and the inclement Mildura weather gave me this photo opportunity.

The service was Captained by Andrew Talbot, a former Mildura resident. The trip was reasonably smooth, given the scattered thunderstorms around Melbourne.

After arriving at Tullamarine, we were loaded onto a bus and driven to T4. We sat on the bus for another 15 minutes before the bus driver advised that the security guard “knocked off at 10pm and has gone”. There was a further delay before replacement security arrived to open the terminal and let us out. The REX service is normally on schedule, but the use of T4 must be hurting its patronage. On the brighter side, REX is rumoured to be negotiating the purchase of some AT50’s to replace the aging Saab 340’s, this would be a welcomed development for the Mildura services.

I hate them “Meeses” An unopened chocolate frog may have been an invitation for a “mating pair” of rodents who briefly inhabited LRT. Chewed up Arrival and Departure sheets and a plastic bag were tell-tale signs of “nesting”.

Alas for the young lovers, the Engineers at Horsham captured one of the stow-aways, whilst the lure of peanut butter in a newly acquired mouse-trap, proved too much for the other! Peter Brandt also advised that a Rodent Carcass Disposal Fee may be charged! Whilst the plane has now been vacuumed and all food stuff moved to a more secure location, the fear of course, is that the little buggers may try to nibble on electrical wiring. As to how they made their way into the plane, this remains a mystery. The mouse traps will get occasion use in the plane and full time use in the hangar, though.

Extra GA Parking As previously advised, Mildura Airport Pty Ltd has installed tie down cables North of Taxi way Bravo. The GA parking will soon be sign posted and added into ERSA. There is space for up to 20 GA aircraft. The area currently has a lot of Californian Puncture weed present. The Airport Management have the area is scheduled to be sprayed and intend to vacuum the area with the Runway Sweeper once the spray has taken affect. It is hoped that this will remove the remaining jacks or prickles.

New Mooney Models Our friends at Avweb have reported that Mooney has a new Ovation that it is flying and preparing for FAA certification. The Composite bodied “Ovation” features twin doors - a first for the Ovation. It claim a top speed of 242 knots – which even allowing for the “bull-shit factors”, of a perfect day, 20,000+ feet

(where we never fly), single pilot and light fuel load – is still fairly impressive.

The Ovation will have the full G1000 avionics suite and sell for around USD $700,000.

Australian Owners and Pilots’ Association (AOPA) The January / February 2016 AOPA magazine has an article by Mark Newton, which is worth a read. It includes the following statement:

"Over the lifetime of CASA's regulatory reform program our accident stats have barely changed, which tells me that we wouldn't have been worse off if the regulatory reform program had never been started; and we're unlucky to be better off if it ever finishes". Whilst, I personally, do see benefit in CASA’s safety seminar program (learning from the mistakes of others) I am sure that many of us share Mark’s sentiments. CASA’s focus needs to be on promoting sustainable safe GA flying, not regulating GA pilots out of GA or out of flying completely. The AOPA magazine also has a good article from the Resident DAME.

The Mildura Aero Club is a member of AOPA and encourages individual memberships as AOPA is our one united lobbying voice.

Calendar - 2016 March 11 Frothy Friday 18 Frothy Friday 25-27 No End of month BBQ or Frothy Friday due to Easter holiday. April Each Friday – Frothy Friday

26 Deniliquin Fly in.

Contacts

Mildura Aero Club Inc. PO Box 10144, Mildura, Vic 3502 Website www.milduraaeroclub.com Home Mobile Email

President Adrian Thompson 5022 8293 0407 663464 athompson@ozemail.com.au Vice President Denis Moy 5021 0925 0417 306192 drm1@iinet.net.au Secretary Lindsay Anderson 5023 7806 0419 870998 lealaw@bigpond.net.au Treasurer Geoff Steedman 5022 1780 0428 250856 steedy@pobox.com Committee Rhonda Moy 5021 0925 0428 267698 rmm1@iinet.net.au Shane O’Halloran 5021 1642 0418 176160 mildura.aviation@westnet.com.au Michael Holcroft 0419 891129 mholcroft@holcroftlawyers.com

Graeme Gaylard 0429 179166 gmgaylard@bigpond.com Nick Mason 0448832260 nickm@ramairflyingservice.com.au David Smith 0408 032 912 smithyandjo@bigpond.com Jim Cavallaro 5021 1528 0418 358215 stingray36@bigpond.com