Update - Taking the plunge, new horizons and more.

Greetings faithful reader,

I apologise for the lack of posts around here.  Hmm...A lot has happened since my last post in February, both in the cockpit and out. First, a little background.  Those who have read my About Me page may have noticed that I am a full-time musician.... Well... I was, until the Government department I faithfully worked for (for some years) decided to pull the rug out from under the band. All of us.  It was a bit of an upheaval. I decided not to take the unpalatable work options on the table (with no guarantee of longevity anyway), took the plunge and pulled the ripcord.

I have always wanted to work in around aircraft; I see a lot of parallels between the people drawn to aviation and music.  In fact, there are a lot of aviators that are (or were) also musicians.  As a general rule; smart, funny, interesting, curious and kind people can be found in plentiful numbers in either of these worlds.  I took the devastating news as a sign that I should move music into the fun column, and see if I can find a way to put aviation into the career column.

That's where AvPlan came along.  For those who might not know, AvPlan is an electronic flight bag (EFB) app for the iPad.  It contains maps, weather, flight plans and many other things that pilots like me can use both on the couch in the lead-up to a flight, but also in the cockpit as the flight progresses.  Almost a year ago as I write this, AvPlan received its certification from CASA to be an official paper replacement.  No more carting around dead tree versions of charts and books, nor replacing them every couple of months.  I have been using the app myself for some time, and have now been lucky enough to be invited to be a part of their team!

This has opened up some doors I never really thought possible. Firstly, I represented AvPlan at NATFLY, a pilot get-together and fly-in that is held in Temora during Easter each year.  Travelling up there, I had my first introduction to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR); flying with another team member in a Piper Archer. The autopilot in the aircraft wasn't working correctly, so I ended up being the autopilot! A wonderfully smooth flight, it was also my first try at flying on top of the clouds. Once we arrived, I got to talk to other pilots all day; from breakfast at the accommodation right until "last drinks" were called by the publican at the local watering hole. A fantastic time indeed.

Our aircraft.

The Cathedral Ranges

Heading home.

Passing Wagga Wagga.  Kapooka can be seen in the distance.

A few weeks on, I'm now working in the office at Moorabbin Airport several days per week, and working from my home office the rest.  It's a wonderful opportunity, as I've been able to do many different things to assist, both the data management side of things, but also assisting the development team by creating artwork and graphic items used in the app. When I'm not doing that, I get to talk to pilots and assist them if they have questions about how best to use the app.

Enough about work....get to the flying!!

Yes... Sorry!  I'm getting to that.  Working at the airport is great - especially when working with several other aviation geeks. Each time we hear something interesting start up, we can look out the window and see a shiny new aeroplane roll past on the apron, and then blast into the air moments later. There's always something interesting to listen to or look at - or smell.  There's nothing like the smell of burnt jet fuel!

One morning, Bevan (my boss and the original creator of the app) said,

"Do you want to go for a fly?"

"Always!" I exclaim... Thinking he's joking and focussing back to my computer screen.

"No, seriously... Grab your things, let's go!"

"Really?!"

"Yep...", says Bevan as he grabs his flight bag and heads out the door.

I didn't need a second invitation.  I grabbed my bag, locked the office door and followed Bevan out to the apron where we found a beautiful Beechcraft Bonanza. The flight was up to the snowfields for a look around and then back again - a flight both Bevan and I had always wanted to do.  There was a bit of cloud hanging around Melbourne's Eastern suburbs, but we climbed above it all and it wasn't long before we could see the tops of the mountains ahead of us bathed in the beautiful Winter sunlight.

There was work to be done in the process.  We monitored the many mobile devices we had running in the cockpit.  Some with new features or new versions of the app that we needed to test in the real world.  That didn't stop us from having an immense amount of fun at the same time!!!

Departing cloudy Moorabbin.

Over the top of the clouds.  Mountains in the distance!

Mount Hotham

Mount Feathertop

Can you see the hut?

Mount Buller

The flight.

That's great...But what about YOUR flying?

I'm getting to that!  I have been doing some flying: I finally got to actually fly in to a fly-in!  Each year, Kyneton Aero Club hosts a "Australia's Biggest Morning Tea" event to raise funds for the Cancer Council. Mel was busy doing other things, so I put the word out on Facebook.  My new aviation friend Daniel Prowse (who is in the process of getting his PPL down at Tyabb) was very quick to respond.  I booked the Tecnam Sierra and got all my weather and flight planning in order.  The plan was to get to the hangar early, so I could have everything ready - the paperwork done, preflight the aircraft, etc.  It's lucky I was so early, because a niggling feeling was in the back of my mind.  I checked my flight bag...just as I had suspected.  I'd left both my iPads on the bench at home where I had pre-flighted them!  DUH!  Luckily, ducking back home to pick them up only put me a couple of minutes behind Daniel's arrival at the airport. *phew*

By the time we got the aircraft ready, some of the other Ballarat Aero Club members had arrived to fly their own aircraft to the event.  Even though we left first, we were overtaken on the way.  I got to about 13 nautical miles out from Kyneton and switched the radio to its CTAF frequency to get an idea of who was around.

We were presented with something that seemed close to bedlam!  For a moment, I thought that I had bitten off more than I could chew.  Pilots joining the circuit from all directions, one pushy pilot insisted on flying a straight-in approach - an announcement that was not well received amongst the pilots in the area.  Adding to this confusion was the fact that we could also hear aircraft calls from all the way down at Barwon Heads airport.

Daniel was a big help, he noted down the new callsigns as we heard them...So I would be able to talk to them if necessary to organise traffic flow between ourselves.  Runway 36 was the active, so I decided to head Northwest a little and make an oblique join for the Downwind leg.  This must have been the correct decision, because we slotted in with the traffic perfectly!  I landed, took the first taxiway and followed the ground marshals to the parking - which turned out to be the East-West grass runway.  It was amazing seeing so many varied aircraft lined up. Next to us pulled up an Ercoupe. I'd always wanted to see one up close.

I made my way to the volunteers and made my donation, but was so busy talking and catching up with so many great aviation people I actually missed 98% of the morning tea! But that's ok. At about 11:30 AM, most people started departing, so we decided to wait for a while and watch the aircraft taking off.

Some of the aircraft on static display at the airport.  This is a beautiful Tiger Moth.

The Ercoupe parked next to us.

Touching down on Runway 36 at Kyneton.  This image by Andrew Downey, used with kind permission. 

It was a great morning's flying - especially after I got over the initial shock of the busy radio.  I had a wonderful time and I'm pretty sure Daniel did too!

Biennial Flight Review

Several weeks later, the time had come for my Biennial Flight Review.  In order to keep my flying certificate, I need to fly with an instructor who will check me out and make sure I haven't fallen into any bad habits.  I can hardly believe that it's been TWO YEARS since I qualified for my cross country endorsement!  How time has flown (pun intended).

I thought it would be as good a chance as any to jump back into the Jabiru J160 and do some flying with Manny. He booked in the flight and said, "I'll think up some scenarios to get your brain working...".  That he certainly did!  I had many things thrown at me; coil failures, flap failures, engine failures, bad weather,  not to mention other student pilots flying 747-size circuits - all while working with a steady crosswind.

Operating on runway 23, I didn't realise actually how much crosswind there actually was until Manny said, "Yeah, we're pretty close to the max demonstrated for this aircraft."  I checked later and he was right.  The crosswind component was sitting at 13 knots.  Max demonstrated is 14 knots!

Various sized circuits, depending on the scenario (and other traffic in the circuit).

It was good, challenging fun.  I didn't take too long to get back in the groove of landing the Jabiru.  By the end I was right back landing just as I had when I was flying it regularly.  I'm glad I didn't know how strong the wind was...I think if I knew beforehand we had such a crosswind I would have been tense.  We had a coffee and discussed various things, then Manny signed my logbook.  All clear for another two years!

Flying from Moorabbin

Working at a bustling GA airport like Moorabbin, I figured I should go and talk to some of the schools there and see what they're all about.  One lunch time, I strolled the 50 metres over to Soar Aviation to introduce myself.  I'd been interested in their school because they are one of the rare schools in the area that teaches both Recreational Aviation and General Aviation.  I see their two Jabirus and Foxbat regularly zooming around the circuit.

At the front desk, I was greeted by David - one of the many instructors at the school.  I told him about my experiences and we chatted about how they transition their students from the RAAus aircraft to the GA fairly quickly after gaining their Pilot Certificate.  It's a cost-effective way to a PPL.  He then said that he'd be happy to help me transition to bigger aircraft and gain my own PPL.  One of the advantages of the licence over the certificate is the ability to operate in Controlled Airspace (such as Moorabbin).

I asked David if he'd take me on a "Controlled Airspace Introduction" flight, and maybe do a city orbit as well.  When I mentioned the orbit his eyes widened and a big smile came over his face.  

"Absolutely!  We can do that...and...how about we do a landing at Essendon Airport, too?" he asked.

So we booked in a slot...well, actually two.  One as a backup if the weather wasn't good for the first booking. I figured that I'd request the J160 so I was at least not dealing with a completely foreign aircraft. As it turned out, we did need the second booking as Moorabbin was completely fogged in for the first time slot. The next was the following day, and in the afternoon so the fog had time to lift.  We used the first session to brief on Controlled Airspace procedures, which was handy because we'd just be able to jump in the plane and fly the next day.

The fog lifted with plenty of time, as planned...and the large high pressure system kept everything nice, still and smooth.  David had me doing the radio work with the tower from the beginning - only interjecting if needed.  We departed Moorabbin and headed straight for Albert Park Lake, where we would contact Essendon Tower and request one left city orbit.  They came straight back and gave us the go-ahead and asked for us to let them know when inbound for Essendon.

Approaching Albert Park Lake

Beginning the orbit - Flinders St Station and Federation Square visible

Docklands Stadium and Southern Cross Station

Eureka Tower

After the orbit, Essendon Tower instructed us to "Join oblique base for runway 35".  This would be a first for me. I always follow CASAs recommended procedure of flying at least three of the circuit legs before landing.  The runway is so much wider than I'm used to it was tricky to judge how we were tracking.  I just used Manny's mantra of "Aimpoint - Aspect - Airspeed" all the way down final...and it worked!  A very nice landing (even if I do say myself!).  

There was no time to waste; we taxied off the active runway and requested permission to taxi to the runup bay.  It turns out Essendon Tower sometimes uses the inactive runway for runups.  We were instructed to taxi and do our runups next to a 172 already on the runway doing their pre-flight checks.  By the time we finished, they had moved off and another Cessna with a King Air behind it was taxiing for the active runway. Our instruction was to "follow the taxiing Cessna".  Oh, the King Air would have to wait for our little aircraft! They didn't seem to mind, though, as they paused and let us slot in in front.  I have a feeling that the Tower wanted us up and out of the way so we don't get into any wake turbulence issues with the bigger aircraft around.

As we departed downwind, we headed South for Station Pier...To give me a taste of flying the Melbourne Coastal Route (the purple dots on the map), and then we'd call inbound to Moorabbin at Brighton.  On the way, David encouraged me to talk to Melbourne Centre and ask if the Point Ormond Drop Zone was active.  I looked at the map and asked, "Melbourne Centre, Jabiru 8052, request status of Delta 342" (the official code for that particular danger zone).  The reply "Jabiru 8052, stand by" came back quickly, but there was a pause while they looked it up.  Centre replied that there was no parachute ops presently and I thanked them.  Here was I thinking I had to be formal at all times in controlled airspace. It turns out if the Point Ormond Drop Zone was active, they probably would have replied straight away.  Oh well, I guess you can't be told off too much for being too formal!

Moorabbin instructed us to join base for runway 17 Right.  I miss judged the descent a little and ended up high turning final.  David momentarily took over and side-slipped to lose some altitude without gaining airspeed.  I certainly wasn't going to try any tricks like that in a busy environment like Moorabbin, but David was on top of it.  My touchdown this time wasn't as nice as before, but still ok.  

I thanked David and headed back to work.  Adrenalin was still well-and-truly flowing when I got back.  I described the flight to my colleagues back in the office and told how Soar would help me get my PPL.  All in the office were very supportive, and encouraged me to go for it.  If there was ever a great chance to do it...it has to be now!

My aviation medical is booked, and I'm back in the books to brush up for PPL theory exams. After the difficulty of the late last year and early this year I'm excited and thankful to have these new opportunities. Next stop, PPL training!  Who knows where that will lead?  NVFR rating? I'd love to be able to fly a sunset city orbit flight.  

Anything is possible!