Hi Peter,

You're not the only one pulling their hair out at the contradictions and complexity inherent in the current regs structure. There's not much we can do about it at the moment as the wheels of law grind ever so slowly and if they ever tried for a rewrite we'd just end up with yet another set of docs that wouldn't end up replacing anything for at least 20 years :laugh:

There are a few good mini-summaries floating around that you might find handy as you start spreading your wings. One is the "Visual Flight Guide" from Aviation Theory Centre. It gives a plain english overview of the important regs relevant to VFR flight and has a lot of useful tips for pilots in there as well. Well recommended.

Another one is the "Pilot's Index" also from Aviation Theory Centre. It is a more user-friendly reference to the CAOs, CARs, ERSA, AIP, CAAPs and chart legends. It's a bit out of date now though: 2009 seems to be the latest edition. In any case, it can point you in the right direction if you're looking for some particular reg and can't for the life of you remember where it was.

I should mention however, for the exams you must make sure you know your way around the indexes provided in the documents themselves since they'll be the only ones allowed into an exam.

Ah, air law, you've just got to love it, warts and all :laugh:

Cheers,

Rich

Air Law, such a fun topic isn't it? I feel like sometimes I need to go and complete a law degree just to understand what I'm allowed to do before I get in the aircraft!

But anyway, we have to deal with it as best we can, so that being said here is a handy little document for anyone doing a PPL exam (unfortunately this will not apply to CPL, but it can still be a good document to carry in the aircraft nonetheless)

CASA has published something which is called the Visual Flight Rules Guide

[url= http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD:1001:pc=PC_90008 ]Casa DAY VFR Guide[/url]

This is a handy little document which covers alot of the air law considerations that private VFR pilots are likely to come up against when flying out in the real world (and also in the exam) There are a few things that it will not cover (carriage of infants, dropping of articles etc) but other than that, it covers most bases for the PPL Air Law exam. Best of all, you are allowed to take it in with you(no tagging of this document, but highlighting is allowed). It also does a, lets say reasonable job of creating contents and an index so is relatively easy to find the information you are looking for.

CASA used to sell a hard copy version of this through their store, but recently it got pulled, I suspect because it contained some minor mistakes. Now there is only a PDF version of it available from their site.

What I recommend people do before their PPL exam is take it down to officeworks where it will cost you less than $30 to get printed in B&W and bound. It is certainly easier to reference this document in the exam than go hunting through the CAR's and CAO's.

Another point is that when this document talks about a rule, it will also give a reference to the relevant AIP, CAR or CAO. So if you don't trust it, you could always go and find it in those documents.

I also have it on good authority that CASA will be printing in again in colour shortly, although I don't have a date for that one. Another benefit includes a fairly detailed rundown on submission of a flightplan through NAIPS, I actually find it better than the in program help from NAIPS.

Like I said, it's a handy document to carry around with you in flight as well.

Good luck with it Peter.

Ben

Good one Ben! I'd fogotten to mention that one. Thanks for adding it 🙂

Ok, what nutcase said, "let's make student pilots do stall recovery". I hate those.

Ok, what nutcase said, "let's make student pilots do stall recovery". I hate those.

A mate of mine and I started our PPL training together and on one of his very early flights, he and the instructor went up to do stall recovery training. He was really nervous about it (as are a lot of student pilots I guess) and of all things, they totally borked one of the stalls and ended up in a full spin. He got such a shock, after they landed it took hours of beer and bloke-talk to keep him from packing his bags and buggering off home again.

Despite this experience, he kept at it and finished his licence with no problems. So, don't worry, it gets better - just wait till you do aeros :sick:

What are 'aeros'? Now you have me panicing.

Aerobatics - don't worry, they're optional 😉

Unless you do end up in a fully developed spin 😀 my personal favourite I must admit 😀

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iju7n5SIsvg <- this one was fairly weak but good to intro someone to them

Ok, what nutcase said, "let's make student pilots do stall recovery". I hate those.

This can be very daunting to anyone, let alone students. When I was completing my CPL training I had instructors who didn't like the idea and I'll be the first to admit I was terrified before my first lesson on stalls, and after my first wing drop stall? I was contemplating another career path such as accounting.... I can promise you that it does get better though.

I think most student pilots are under the impression that when they conduct a stall the aeroplane will simply "fall" out of the sky. I know that's the impression I had in my head. This isn't helped by programs like air crash investigation which sensationalize things with phrases like " the 40 tonne aircraft was now falling out of the sky", and a-lot of the american babble you read about the "graveyard spin" etc.

In some countries, spin training is mandatory, and I don't think it's such a bad idea. Hopefully Bob will jump on later and tell you that when he learnt to fly in the Tigermoth you would have to be competent at spin recovery before you got sent solo.

What are 'aeros'? Now you have me panicing.

As Rich said, Aeros is aerobatics.

The basic endorsement is made up of a loop, stall turn, some of the rolls (barrell, aileron) and a spin recovery endorsement. The rest of the maneuvers are "combinations of" the above.

Ill also be the first to admit I was scared s*%tless before I did my first loop. (notice a pattern here?) but I think it is something every pilot should experience, even if they don't enjoy it and don't want to pursue it. It has done my overall confidence in the aircraft and general handling the world of good, which is something you hear most pilots say after they do some aerobatic flying. Some people do feel a little ill afterward, but this feeling usually passes.

If you decide to pursue it further you can compete at state and national titles, where you fly a sequence of maneuvers over a box which is 1km by 1km and then 1km high, with the object being to complete your sequence completely in the "box". There are different categories or classes of competition, with a beginners level of the basic maneuvers, right through to unlimited category, where the bottom of the box is 300 feet. Bob flew in the unlimited category with his Pitts. Or you can just fly for fun and enjoyment as well.

PS. I hate roller coasters at theme parks, but I do love aerobatics. Weird huh?

Peter, here's a couple of videos, first one is Bob doing an aerobatic display in the decathlon at redcliffe.
[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRfJGDc_g-o [/video]

Second one is me doing some aerobatic practice with Bob in the back seat. After the sequences are finished he then takes over and fly's some fun on the way home.

[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qawShXmeQas [/video]

It goes for a while but worth a watch if your interested.

Third one is the same aeroplane, with Gerry Dick flying a passenger around (Gerry is an aerobatics instructor, whom Bob taught to fly aerobatics as well). Also worth a watch.

[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8pY6bWX6K0 [/video]

Like I said, it is normal to have these feelings of apprehension, but I promise you it does get better.

Enjoy!

Great choice of music for the last vid.. Good old Gunners!

Hey guys. the vids are great. Bob, I did one of those one wheel down the runway also. But i was trying to land it. Instructor wasn't impressed. Would love to see some vids of the early landings of students. Some of mine were absolutely shocking. I wonder if ATC sit up there laughing at us students.
I recall a number of years ago of seeing someone in i think a 737 maybe or a large jet doing a barrel row. the camera was on the flight deck behind the pilot. The pilot was i believe demonstrating how to do a barrel roll with a glass of water sitting on something. the water in the glass remained level and did not spill. has anybody seen this video. be interesting to see it again.
Thanks for the encouragement. i'll be needing it. out for my first area solo on sunday. looking forward to it. My instructor has told me some of the exercises i have to do out there. not just simply flying around and enjoying oneself. PFLs, steep turns and stall recovery. the last has me a little nervous. previous practice, my instructor (Phillip) has been there. I have absolute confidence in his ability as an instructor. that is where the problem is. previous practice at stall recovery, i knew he was there just in case something went wrong. On my own, i don't have that luxury. i've practiced these, studied the procedures yet having the correct feel especially the rudder i don't think is there just yet. I'm going to make sure i have full control at all times which i think is not quite at the stall. at the stall, there is a short period of uncontrollability especially if there is a wing drop. I really don't want to be facing the ground. I'm training in a Diamond Katana DA 20. it has a canopy with very good vis. the canopy also doesn't look very strong. i've seen the ground a few times above my head.
I don't know why i'm like this. i think it is to do with having control of the situation. i'll jump on my bike and tear through the hills a high speed. i have no problems with that. but stall recovery with wing drop scares the hell out of me. yet not enough for me not try it again. lol. that's flying. still can't get enough.

This might be the video you're thinking of. The legendary Bob Hoover pouring iced tea while performing a roll (you can click forward to 2:07 to see the roll but the whole film is really interesting).

[center][video size=100 width=600 height=350 type=youtube]5hjVxQ1kKVk[/video][/center]

Apprehension is normal, Peter don't sweat it. It's a natural safety mechanism. As you get more experience you'll feel better. It's a whole, wonderful, new world up there so don't be surprised that it takes you a bit of time to get your confidence up.

Putting it another way, would you have felt confident tearing through the hills riding a motorbike at high speed with only a few hours on a bike under your belt? Would you consider a rider that behaved like that to be responsible and properly cautious?

With flying it's the same: experience builds confidence. Stalls and the like are a new thing to you, but as you gain experience and develop your skills, your confidence will also grow.

The trick is to make sure the confidence doesn't grow faster than the skills. THAT is what will get you into trouble!

You'll be right mate 😉

That is a great video Rich... I've suggested to Bob that he flies the decathlon from the back seat and I'll sit in the front and pour some kind of drink while he flies some positive aerobatics.... But I have a funny feeling that he may throw some negative in there just to drench me for fun.

I recall a number of years ago of seeing someone in i think a 737 maybe or a large jet doing a barrel row.

You're right, the aeroplane is a 707... See the video below.

707 roll
[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHiYA6Dmws [/video]

Would love to see some vids of the early landings of students. Some of mine were absolutely shocking. I wonder if ATC sit up there laughing at us students.

Check this video out, from the description it is of students trying to land the famous U2 spy plane, Although I'm pretty sure some of my landings still look like this.

U2 Landings
[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eamnTyfkUBY [/video]

While on the subject of the U2, this is a great video from James May from top gear who is lucky enough to get a ride in one ( I'm just going to share some of my favorite vids, this is around the coffee table after all)

James May - edge of space

[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6cZLfK4Zjk [/video]

This one is just plain funny. Or should that be plane funny?

Negative G dog.
[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpKyLvI-ivE [/video]

One more for good measure which I'm sure alot of people have seen, quite mean, but funny at the same time.

[video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX0-QL7YEyU&NR=1 [/video]

Enjoy, and share if you have other good ones!

Is spin recovery not mandatory in Australia?