CEO FOREWORD
CLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORT
03
04
ANZAC DAY
OPEN DAY 2022
16
18
by David Currey
by Tom Keamy
by Mick Harcourt
by Taylor King
APRIL-MAY 2022
Tarmac Topics
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
PATRON Kim Beazley, AC Governor of Western Australia
Welcome to our new club members Liam Brown Matthew Gabriele Daniel Wallace
COMMITTEE
Ashley Rice
Ray Challen
Peter Hill SNR
President 0408 321 262 ray@challen.com.au
Bruce Rathbone Vice President 0427 004 130
Robert Dicey Jonathan Pinardi Julie Emery Craig Sargeant D’Arcy Holman Paul Hill Rohan Miles
rathbone@iinet.net.au
Darren Heath
Jim di Menna Treasurer
Lachlan Gooding
0419 434 283 Jim.diMenna@zetta.com.au
Mitchell D’Esterre
Mick Harcourt
Christopher Barnes
Club Captain 0402 800 862 mickh@iprimus.net.au
Andrew Eldridge Committee Member 0438 220 703 andrew.eldridge@bigpond.com
Russell Philip Committee Member 0427 999 261 raphilip@westnet.com.au
Stephen Pearce Committee Member spearce@outlook.com.au
Vaughan Emery Committee Member 0412 923 494 vaughanemery@bigpond.com
Haydn Vernon Committee Member haydn.vernon@gemcorail.com.au
Samuel Farrand David Link Hasnain Bangash Marcus Bunn Shane Chea William Evans Matthew Joubert Rylan Joynes Nuruddin Mazard Hemarai Thanikachalam Riley White
CEO FOREWORD Written by David Currey
demonstrated the Club’s activities. Many, many thanks to all our members who helped on the day. Many members
This will be my last foreword as CEO of the Club, as I step
joining the Club cite attending one of the Club’s Open Days
down from this position on 13 June. The last eleven and a
as the reason they commenced training at the Club.
half years have certainly had some challenges, especially in
I would like to thank all members of staff for their hard work,
the early years of my tenure. Thanks to the support of our
many of whom go way beyond what is expected of them. In
members, staff and committee, the Club has weathered
addition, I would like to thank committee for their guidance,
these challenges and emerged with a stronger balance sheet
especially Andrew Eldridge and Ray Challen. We are very
and replaced a number of aircraft in our fleet.
fortunate to have such a high degree of commitment from committee members.
The Club is very fortunate in securing the services of Alan Wilson to take on the mantle of Chief Executive Officer. Alan
I will be returning in mid-July to take on the part time role
has an impressive track record which will be called upon to
of Principal of the WA Aviation College and look forward to
steer the Club into the next chapter of its evolution.
participating in more club events with you all.
It has been a privilege watching members achieve their personal goals. Watching members ring the Achiever’s Bell to highlight an achievement will always put a smile on my face. It is equally heartening to see how other members in the operations area share in the euphoria of the achiever. Aircraft don’t fly backwards, so there is no point in reminiscing about the past. Let’s look to the future. There is general consensus that there is going to be a severe shortage of commercial pilots in the very near future. This bodes well for the flying training industry, but we need to accept that there will probably be a higher turnover of flight instructors as the airline industry enters a recruitment phase. Unfortunately, we have been hit hard by sharply increasing costs. Avgas has rocketed up 87 cents in the last year, equating to an extra $33 an hour in a C172. Some spares are proving to be extremely difficult to source, even at hugely inflated prices. An example being a C152 fuel sender which cost $2,014 in February is now being quoted at ‘over $4,000 when available’. As with many other commodities, freight costs and delivery times are often very unpredictable. Having our own maintenance facility certainly helps to control these costs wherever possible. The Club’s greatest asset is the strength of our membership. This was very apparent at our recent Open Day where we
David Currey
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
CLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORT Written by Mick Harcourt
The future – What does it hold? Well, with aviation fuel prices on the up and up the simplest way to maintain
Well into the year now and as I write, last evening we com-
currency and get a “Couple of laps in” is to partake in the
pleted the second Night Flying Competition of the year,
monthly Comps both at Jandakot and Murrayfield which
with 26 pilots, including a few getting night experience
will guarantee you remain ‘legal’, however, that doesn’t
for the first time and with help from five instructors, had
hone your navigation skills. This is why we arrange fly-
the deal done by 8:45pm! The final in the trilogy of night
aways and fly-ins to various place around the state, not
comps will be in early July and overall winners will be
massive interstate fly-ins (although the Kangaroo Island
announced, however, I believe everyone is a winner not
flight this coming September is an exception), but fun
only because of the excitement of flying at night for the
flights of a couple of hours or so.
first time, but also the challenge against yourself to ‘do it
We try to pick places where fuel is available so that you
right’ and fly in a totally different environment that you
can load up with bodies and still be legal and within
may be used to.
weight limits. This way you can cost share in a C172 three
Of course, safety is of paramount importance, and every-
or four ways and still enjoy the camaraderie of likeminded
one flies with an Instructor, whether they are Rated or not!
people, without feeling that you need a few weeks ‘down
Koorda Show, view from the Sling
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
4
the salt mines’ to recover financially! Plus, it is also a great
Adam Bettles has done a lot of work in organizing a fly-in
way of retaining weight and balance skills that sometimes
to the north eastern wheatbelt town of Koorda. The dates
go by the wayside when only flying solo or just with your
will be Sat/Sun 1st and 2nd October and whilst it is a mere
partner or mate on board.
112nm from Jandakot, there will be a host of activities and accommodation available. But that is October and more
Which brings me to the safety aspect of Club Flying. We
details will be forthcoming.
are, after all, left to our own devices once we leave the bosom of our home base and venture out into the world,
Speaking of Koorda, their Agricultural Show will be taking
be it 50 or 500 miles from ‘home’ and I have to say that in
place on Saturday 3rd September and RACWA will be
recent years I have been so pleased as to the standard of
represented with not only the Sling being present for joy
flying safety that we achieve on these events, that makes
flights, but a few of us will be flying out in C152s to join in
my job as “leader’ (for want of a better word) so much
the fun.
more relaxing.
The Battle of Britain Dawn Patrol, this year on Saturday
Up and coming events contain fly-ins, comps and tradi-
17th September is a traditional flight that we undertake in
tional flights:
memory of “The Few” that fought for Air Supremacy over the skies of Britain in 1940. Whilst there are several Formation Flights taking part, it is not a pre-requisite to be formation endorsed to take part and on completion we meet up in the members lounge for a well-earned traditional breakfast. You know, as time goes by, we look at what we’re doing in our lives and how we go about things and sometimes a change is needed to ‘re-invent’ oneself or just seek a rest from the day-to-day hubbub…. so, I have decided that the time has come for me to retire from the RACWA Club Captaincy. It is a decision that has taken me over a year to come to grips with and as I’ve gotten older my enthusiasm has not waned, but maybe my ability to perform all my duties satisfactorily I feel, is becoming jaded. I feel I’ve done my bit and to be honest, the “job” needs new blood to inject a perhaps more modern outlook on the future of Club Flying. Mick Harcourt, Life Member Club Captain, RACWA
Perth City - Night Flying
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Written by Jarod Rowe
set me on my journey. I was made redundant after nearly three years there but as they say “life’s a funny little thing”
Some of you may know me at the Club and some of you may
by moving back to Perth it gave me time with my father for
not, for those of you who don’t my name’s Jarod and I’ve
his last few good months before dementia took over and
been at RACWA now for coming on nine years. I’ve recently
sadly took him away from us.
had the honour of being appointed the head of operations
Since then, after being given a start by Trevor Jones with the
and head of flying operations (HOO/HOFO) of the Club. I
Aero Club I’ve done some work for charter operators CASAIR
thought I’d use my first article to tell you a little about me
and STAR to help compliment my skillset at the Aero Club
and my background in aviation.
progressing from a casual G2 to where I sit now.
Long before I was a twinkle in my father’s eye aviation was
Outside of aviation I survive by my wife Sydney and our
in my blood, he himself was a naval aviator flying Fairey
daughter Harriet who at nearly three keeps us on our toes.
Gannets off the HMAS Melbourne and including one sortie
As animal lovers we have two sausage dogs, Dallas and Dax,
through the atomic clouds at the Montebello Islands. If this
two rescue cats, Viva and Peanut and a large collection of
wasn’t enough to set me on my journey, club legend Rod
fish that for anybody who know me has now spilled into my
Garnaut is also my cousin, but both were unknown to me
office too. I follow a few sporting teams (none of which I’m
at the time of starting my journey.
willing to name currently!) and wind down working on my car, mowing stripes in my lawn or playing a game or two.
Fast forward a few years to a toddler growing up in Geraldton after a move from Perth and being obsessed with the
I’m looking forward to the challenge of running the largest
traffic overhead to far north WA or Asia. “Vapour trails!” I
training organisation in Western Australia and am grateful
used to say all the time and point to the sky, I still have family
for being bestowed the prestige of that title. With a new
friends that use this for banter, from there I was just two
CEO also on the way I’m hoping to be able to work closely
years old and I wanted to be a pilot.
with him to help shape the future of the Club and college for
Jump forward again and I travelled to an out of zone high
many years to come. If you’re at the Club come say hi and
school to attend the Greenwood SHS aeronautics program,
introduce yourself if I don’t know you, I’m always interested
I then went onto ECU to study my Bachelor of Science in
in a good aviation story and hopefully next season I’ll be able
Aviation. With no fee help it was a slow grind taking me
to start enjoying talking about football again too. Until my
seven years to complete my CPL and working a dozen or so
next article, safe flying.
different jobs to help fund my way. I completed my training down the road at the now defunct aeroplane company and not long after passed my instructor rating. With the GFC in full swing it took nine months to find a job down at the Bunbury Aero Club, I spent nearly three years down there and still stay in contact with my former CFI Leith Wilson, from down there who gave me my first job and help
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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ACHIEVERS Congratulations to all of our achievers for the months of April and May. We are very proud to see so many people reaching new heights in their flight training with us.
FIRST SOLO
Craig Sargeant - First Solo - April
Kaya Farrell - First Solo - April
Kohl Branch - First Solo - April
Kyle Birch - First Solo - May
Marcus Bunn - First Solo - May
Matthew Gabriele - First Solo - April
Mohamedamin Nour - First Solo - April
Riley White - First Solo - May
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
Rylan Joynes - First Solo - May
Samuel Farrand - First Solo - May
Shane Chea - First Solo - May
Shawn Taylor - First Solo - April
Tariq Hartley Turner - First Solo - April
Tom Watts - First Solo - April
RECREATIONAL PILOT LICENCE (RPL)
Zaymin Chapman-Ryan - First Solo - April
Danielle Wright - RPL - May
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
Cooper Sutton - RPL - May
Jett Colletti - RPL - May
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Raizagul Qurbani - RPL - May
PRIVATE PILOT LICENCE (PPL)
Riley Wallace RPL - May
Will Taylor - PPL - May
COMMERCIAL PILOT LICENCE (CPL)
Adam Bettles - CPL - April
Liam Kirk - CPL - April
Mitchell D’Esterre - CPL - April
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
WAAC APRIL AND MAY UPDATE Written by Jerry Woong
PPL navigation training. I am sure seeing the wheatbelt region is something quite refreshing for them and the
April and May have been busy months students and
extra space in the cockpit must be nice too. They start
staff at WAAC, but the same could be said for every
their first CPL theory subject at the beginning of June
other month. The B21 class have now completed their
and will be flying in between whenever possible.
classes for their CPL theory exams and the ones that
The end of April also saw a new class starting, B22. They
have passed all seven papers will now progress into
have since attended the three initial weeks of theory
their hour building flying and some commencing the
for their RPL exams and have achieved good scores
CPL flying syllabus. Seeing as they will spend a little
across the board. Most of them have completed their
less time in the classrooms, I wish them the best in
first solo flight and have moved onto their first area
their flying.
solo training syllabus. I wish them the very best in the
The A22 class passed their PPL theory exams and have
remainder of their training and to the ones that have
commenced their training on the Cessna C172 as well as
gone first solo, congratulations.
WAAC Class B22
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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CAREERS EXPO Written by Trent Donovan
In the past, we have seen many students who had previously spoken to us at the expo when they were
The Western Australian Aviation College was present
in year 9 or 10 enrol and complete the College’s Diplo-
again at the 2022 Careers Expo held at the Perth Con-
ma course once they finished school. This means the
vention and Exhibition Centre. Running Thursday to
lead time between the College attending an Expo and
Sunday, the first two days of the expo see over 3000
seeing those students enrol can be between 3 and 4
school students a day attend to find out information
years! We hope to have another successful Careers
about future careers. A recent investment in a new
Expo next year.
Xbox based simulator was a huge drawcard to pique
Congratulations to Fred Harris, who entered our com-
both students’, and the general publics, interest in
petition at the Careers Expo and won his first flying
aviation. A huge amount of interest was shown with
lesson!
a surprising number of enquiries about private flight training shown by parents (and even other exhibitors) on the weekend.
Careers Expo Competition Winner - Fred Harris and Family
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
MURRAYFIELD MATTERS Written by Harrison O’Brien
Private student, Craig Sargeant achieved his First Solo on the 29th of April. After multiple paperwork and
The Tiger is coming! Have you ever wondered what it
weather delays, Craig thought he might never go solo.
would be like to fly in a vintage DH-82A Tiger Moth?
Luckily, after multiple weeks of being grounded, the
How about flying out of Murrayfield when you do it?
weather cleared up, the winds died down and he was
The Tiger Moth Vintage Flights will soon be available
off. At the time of writing this, Craig is almost at the
down in Murrayfield once a month. Grab a 30-minute
end of his RPL training and is looking to go onto PPL.
flight for a quick spin over Mandurah or a 45 or 60-min-
Even though winter has set in it does not mean good
ute flight to see the estuaries and beaches. Stay tuned
flying weather is gone. Many mornings, though a little
for updates in either the weekly email or social media
cold, are calm and clear. So, make the most of it while
for when it will become available.
you can! Happy flying!
View of Mandurah from a Murrayfield Trial Flight
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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WHAT A LOAD OF POTENTIAL FOD! Written by Reece Bateson
An ink pen lodged beneath the rudder bar - jamming it. And a “glass jar” was found beneath the front seat, next to the
It is amazing how often we go to pre-flight and are disap-
forward control stick, with new dents in the lid.
pointed to find an aircraft with empty oil bottles, rags, and
The pen and the jar caused an accident that seriously
rubbish (including used tissues and food scraps) left in the
injured one and, luckily, left the other occupant uninjured.
cockpit or glovebox.
But it could have been much worse.
Not taking away from the fact that the hygiene issue this
So next time you go flying, before leaving the aircraft, do
poses for ourselves and not forgetting our friendly main-
a once over and think “would I be happy to receive the air-
tenance team who get lumped with discarding this rubbish
craft in this condition if I was the next pilot” and if not either
when the aircraft comes in for inspections. But there is also
fix the issue, if possible, or report it when you return the
a major aviation safety issue with leaving these things in
aircraft book to operations.
the cabin.
Demonstrate good airmanship by not being the one that
You secure everything in your cabin, right? I mean every-
leaves an aircraft untidy for the next pilot.
thing - pencils, pens, that plastic bottle you use when the flight’s too long and the bathroom’s too far - everything. We’ve all heard the dangers of FOD on the runway, and you probably check the cabin for an out of place tool before you take off. If you don’t, you should. I’ve heard stories of tools being left under seats and on cockpit dashboards that were discovered on pre-flight, which had potential to add excitement to the sorties. How about in the cockpit? Do you strap down all the luggage? How about your flight bag and your EFB? A quick survey of NTSB reports picked up a great example of what can go wrong when even little items are out-ofplace. A pen and a “relief jar” came loose during the take-off roll in a Vans RV-8. What’s the worst that could happen? At rotation, the airplane pulled “hard” to the left, and pitched up “more aggressively” than a standard take-off. The pilot applied full down elevator, “but the nose would not come down.” The airplane then pitched nose down, the pilot applied full up elevator, and the airplane attained a level pitch attitude prior to ground contact. (NTSB Report IAD05LA072)
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
MAINTENANCE MATTERS Written by Gig Papa-Adams
condense into solid fuel which is less likely to provide a combustible mixture. To compensate for this the pilot can
Recent cold weather has highlighted the need to revis-
add more prime fuel than is usually required and reduce
it some starting issues in these conditions. Some issues
the time between priming and cranking the engine to a
are beyond the control of the pilot but if we know about
minimum. Less than 5 seconds is good.
them, we can revise our starting methods to accommo-
The viscosity of the oil in the engine changes with tem-
date them.
perature. As it becomes` thicker’ in cold temps it increas-
The capacity of the aircraft’s battery to crank the engine
es the friction inside the engine and makes it more dif-
decreases with the decrease in temperature. This is due
ficult for the starter to turn it over. In some cases, the
to the internal chemistry in lead/acid battery we use.
`thick’ oil can prevent the magneto impulse coupling from
As pilots we can ensure that we have as much cranking
operating and stop it from `flicking over’ the magneto to
power as possible by reducing the electrical loss from the
give a good spark at cranking RPM. Oil issues are beyond
battery before and during cranking. During the pre-flight
control of the pilot during starting but it is worth noting
inspection when checking any electrical service make sure
that the speed of rotation is not important as long as the
that ALL other services are turned off and keep the time
engine is turning over and the impulse coupling is oper-
the master switch is ON to a minimum. When cranking
ating with an audible `click’.
the engine ensure that ALL other non-essential services
Once the engine has started, the cold dense air and the
are turned OFF.
lack of good atomisation will make the idle mixture a little
The atomisation of the fuel during priming is reduced in
leaner than usual and therefore the engine may not idle
low temperatures. The priming system usually delivers
with the throttle fully closed for a couple of minutes until
the fuel into the engine’s induction manifold as a fine
the engine has warmed up.
spray. In cold temperatures the fuel droplets quickly
Cessna 152 in the Hangar
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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ROTTO BUN RUN Written by Tom Paynter Club Member 11729 This year I was fortunate enough to go on the famous RACWA Rotto Bun Run, the yearly tradition of flying out to Rottnest Island to buy Hot Cross buns on Good Friday as a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. I had flown to Rotto before, and flown with passengers before, but I had never flown with so many other aircraft in a club event, this was going to be something new and different. The morning of the event I sat down and pre-planned the flight as much as I could, checked the weather and tried to mentally prepare and rehearse as much as possible. This proved quite helpful because by the time it came to the club briefing, I realised that it was actually a simple flight and not half as complex and I had led myself to believe! The flight out to the island was very enjoyable, however, there was a lot of traffic; nothing unmanageable, but it certainly was busy. The upside to this was that it is quite surreal to see so many other aircraft from the sky. I’m certain I’ll give formation flying a go in the near future. If I thought the CTAF was busy, I was in for a surprise when I saw the parking. I have never seen so many aircraft in one small space before. It was a great feeling to know that the keys to one of the aircraft was actually in my own pocket. After parking we all walked into the bakery for a late breakfast. We spent the rest of the morning exploring the island, visiting many lovely beaches and lakes. Of course, we found some very friendly and curious Quokkas who were as photogenic as expected. For the flight home we chose to go the long way back to Jandakot, via Mullaloo Point and a nice trip down the coast through to Rockingham. This was a peaceful way to finish a great day of aviation. I thought the trip would be far more stressful, however the support and assistance I had from the Club and other members was amazing and was most appreciated. I strongly encourage other members to go to these events,
View of Rottnest Island from a Cessna
you learn so much and it is a great way to spend a day out.
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
ANZAC DAY Written by Tom Keamy
From the air you could see the mass of the crowds for the dawn service and the small glow of the eternal flame.
ANZAC Day 2022 saw our club members and associates
On completion of our overfly we then tracked coastal
embark on our annual dawn patrol formation flight.
towards Fremantle then south to the Power House where
The flight consisted of three DH82 Tiger Moths and a Fock-
the formation split in half, two returned to Jandakot while
wulf FW-44J organised by Werner Bulman and Mick Har-
the other two continued onto Serpentine.
court. Departing Jandakot at 6am we were greeted by an
The ongoing tradition of this flight is a gesture of remem-
incredible sunrise. A brilliant red, yellow and pink warmed
brance for those who gave all for the lives of others.
the early dawn as we flew direct to Perth City.
Lest we forget.
Our track was to take us for an orbit of Kings Park and overfly of the war memorial. Calm winds and a high cloud layer that sensationalised the sunrise made for incredibly picturesque conditions.
ANZAC Day Dawn Flight
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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JURIEN BAY FLY-IN Written by Mark Kemp
The trip was a great incentive to get some flying in, an opportunity to catch up with other club members to share flying
On 14 May 2022 “Norm” and a group of pilots from the Royal
stories and to socialise over good food and drinks.
Aero Club and their passengers flew to Jurien Bay for an
On Sunday morning Holly and Simon departed to continue
overnight stay.
their adventure northwards in the Victa Airtourer whilst BOF
The group departed Jandakot ahead of impending inclement
and the Sling returned to Jandakot. Sue and Adrian were
weather, which prevented some day visit pilots from joining
lucky to stay a little longer.
the group for lunch, as the weather conditions were forecast
It was a very enjoyable trip and always a great experience
to worsen for their return in the afternoon.
flying over the beautiful WA coast.
The remaining group had good flying conditions and arrived
Thanks to Mick Harcourt for organising the trip and to Ian
to pleasant weather in Jurien.
for kindly providing transport to and from Jurien airstrip.
After time to explore the pier, shops and cafes the group gathered at the local hotel to discuss the evening plans since the hotel restaurant was closed due to COVID-19 staffing issues. Sue and Adrian volunteered to host a BBQ, which was cooked to perfection by Simon, Justin and Anthony and enjoyed by all.
Club Members ‘The Harvard’
Norm in Jurien Bay
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
OPEN DAY 2022 Written by Taylor King
We hosted two learn to fly seminars and sold just over 20 scenic and trial flights taken on the day.
This year’s Open Day was, without a doubt, the best Open
For the kids, we had a kid’s zone at the back of the Club,
Day the Club has ever held. We could not have asked for
which had a face painter, a few lawn games, and a Mr Whippy
better weather, which we used to our advantage, and held
ice-cream van.
the sausage sizzle on the rooftop.
The Open Day cannot happen without the hard work and
We were supported by stallholders including the Air Force
support of our staff and members. Thank you to all involved,
Cadets, Australian Women Pilots’ Association, Flight City
from the preparation of the event to the running of the
Simulator, WA Aviation College, WA Radio Modellers and
day, we are very proud of the way we all came together to
Jandakot Instruments & Avionics.
showcase our Club.
As well as our fleet, we had a Cirrus, Tecnam, Extra Ng, Penjet’s Beech 1900 and Citation on display on the apron.
Open Day - Aircraft Display
Open Day Formation
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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Open Day - Club Members’ Cirrus on Display
Club Stand at the Open Day, supported by our Club Committee
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
WAAC STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Written by Allan Moi
Written by Matthew Cox journey
Since I can remember I’ve
began at the Morley
always been fascinated
Senior High School. The
with aviation. Still to this
aviation program ran by
day, I find it mind blowing
Bridget Tait propelled me
how it’s evolved over the
towards the discovery of
many decades.
one’s potential and abili-
The technology utilised in
ty. Hence why, I decide to
the different areas of an
pursue a career in aviation to challenge myself and influence
aircraft, from the airframe’s structure to the cockpit can
change in my social circle.
be seen as newer aircraft emerge. We are very fortunate
My
aviation
that we can use the Clubs well-kept aircraft, and progress
After high school I decide to study a Bachelor of Aviation at
through from the simple to the more complex aircraft as
Edith Cowan University. Prior to the completion the degree,
our training progresses. The simple well-built Cessna 152
an opportunity to become a pilot presented itself under
provides everything we need to use in-order to build the
the VSL program at the Western Australia Aviation College
basics of our flight training, we then progress to the Cessna
(WAAC). I took the opportunity with both hands to fulfill my
172’s that allow us to fly further and complete more in-depth
dream of becoming a pilot.
training. Before eventually finishing up our CPL training on
As a student at WAAC, I receive a lot of support from the
the Mooney’s with a retractable undercarriage.
instructors and staff who have created an environment
What makes our aviation journey at the Club even more
which enables oneself to succeed. The ground school
enjoyable is the people around the place. From the staff at
instructors Herman, Jerry and Palak adopt multiple teaching
the front desk, to the fantastic instructors that are always
styles to accommodate students who have different learning
there to offer their assistance, as well as the mechanics who
styles. They ensure that all every student understands and is
maintain the great aircraft and the students who share a
satisfied with the teaching material. In class, despite study-
bond as we advance together in our training. No matter who
ing to pass exams, the theory also exemplified transferable
you speak with there are always words of encouragement
skills to be applied towards flying and improving safety.
and support, making you feel welcome and at home. That
Currently, I am a PPL holder, but I am working towards
environment really helps in achieving in our little goals that
obtaining a CPL. I am very grateful for the staff, instructors,
then grow to bigger ones.
and facilities at WAAC.
The Aero Club has a fleet of many different aircraft that members can utilise through private hiring. As a student it allows me to polish up certain aspects that I may need to improve upon, but it also allows us to share our passion and love of aviation with our families and friends. I have been on adventures with fellow students to Rottnest and was even able to take my Dad for his first flight in a light aircraft. Being able to share these experiences with those around me is incredible and reminds me about how blessed we are, not only in the country we live in but for our families and friends that we can share our experiences with.
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
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THE OLD FLIERS GROUP Bulletin No 187 February 2022 Written by Stephen Rogers
Bulletin No 188 March 2022 Written by Stephen Rogers
This month we met at RAAFA Estate.86 members came for
Rebecca Maddern was invited to talk to us about the Royal
lunch and to hear our two presenters. The meals prepared
Flying Doctor Service. I asked her to elaborate on the day-to-
for us were delicious.
day activities.
Don Gordon spoke first. He has previously spoken of the Prone
It just so happened that the Federal Government have just
Meteor, RAF Cosford and the Fairey Delta 2.Today he spoke
announced a one-billion-dollar support package over ten
about the DH106 Comet 1 accidents. Specifically, how the
years. Rebecca told us what the RFDS had planned for this
aircraft had to be handled on take-off. Raising the nose above
typical day, what they have done this week and this month.
a modest climb could cause tail drag and failure to climb.
Keeping the RFDS promise: The furthest corner. The finest care. The OFG were pleased to donate to the work of the RFDS.
Don is coming back next month to continue the story of the Comet. I received favourable comments after the talk. After a ten-minute break we returned to hear from David Leith. David was introduced to us by member Bevan Marshall. David’s father was a Spitfire pilot during WW2.David has his father’s logbook and memorabilia. He read passages from
Rebecca then introduced Anthony Green, General Manager
contemporary accounts of the events after D Day when
Aviation.
their squadron had been moved to France. In fact, just
A lively and engaging speaker, Anthony told us about his great
behind the Normandy beaches.
crew and aircraft. The medical staff, pilots and engineers who make it all happen. The searching questions at the conclusion of his talk showed how interested our audience was. Don Gordon then returned to present part two of the DeHavilland Comet-1 story. A story of three in-flight break-ups. May 1953, January 1954, and April 1954. Exhaustive investigation revealed multiple design and structural flaws. Was the cause the square windows? No. Other aircraft had those. Was it weather related or sabotage?
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
Explosive decompression was the culprit. Metal fatigue, cabin
What could be simpler. Take two Tiger Moths, land in the park,
pressure differential and the flimsiness of the skin and struc-
hear some speeches then return to Jandakot. Not so. Mick
tural elements were to blame. Competitors such as Boeing
became engaged with bureaucracy.
were highly interested.
City of Perth, WA Police, Insurance cover, CASA, etc. Will another fly-in to Langley Park take place?
Bulletin No 189 April 2022 Written by Stephen Rogers Jim Dowell flies a Cessna 340. He and his family live in WA
Bulletin No 190 May 2022 Written by Stephen Rogers
where the highest mountain is 4,098’.
Retired Engineer Jack Apgar told us that there were three major inventions that helped win WW2 for the Allies. These were radar, proximity fuses and nuclear weapons. It was ‘Deak” Parsons that had a hand in two of these. It was proximity fused flak that brought down V1 Doodlebugs aimed for London and Antwerp and Kamikaze pilots in the Pacific theatre. He brought his expertise to the Manhattan project, working alongside Robert Oppenheimer. Jack’s father was a B29 Captain. Jack rated the F111 aircraft very highly, an ideal fighter /bomb-
He grew up and learnt to fly in Colorado where the tallest
er/ reconnaissance aircraft for Australia. We then broke for ten
mountain is 14,440’. In fact, there are 52 mountains over
minutes during which 85 thirsty people headed for the bar.
14,000’. He told us of the challenges of high altitude, ferocious
On return, Paul Williams rose to tell us of an upbringing in
wind, and poor visibility. Landing at an airport often involves
the UK where, as an Air Cadet he flew in a Piston Provost at
committing to descent into blind valleys. Excellent photos and
the age of 14. No wonder then that Paul joined the RAF as an
video accompanied Jim’s talk.
avionics technician. When volunteers were called for to work
Mick Harcourt was asked by the family of Sir Norman Brear-
in the Zambian Air Force, he applied.
ley if the Club could celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
Returning to the UK, he worked on the RAF Britannia and
establishment of an aerial service to the North-West.
third prototype Concorde before emigrating to Australia and
The Club invited pilots to fly together over the route.
obtaining his CPL.
In addition, it was proposed to conduct a fly-in to where it all
We have now 102 members for 2022. Our Old Fliers Group
began at: Langley Park.
channel has had 2,734,451 views. No wonder, with 686 talks to choose from!
ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)
22
STAFF NEWS Written by David Currey
this task, or purchased a generic version, David has largely single-handedly completed this task by himself.
David Royans has stepped down from the HoO and HoFO
We were very pleased to announce the promotion of
positions to commence the process to become a Flight
Jarod Rowe Head of Operations (HoO) and Head of Flying
Examiner for both Flight Instructor Rating and Low-Level
Operations (HoFO) and Jenny Schmidt to the role of Deputy
endorsements, in accordance with the Club’s succession plan.
HoO on May 30.
During his tenure as HoO and HoFO, David successfully saw
Congratulations to Jarod, Jenny and David, please give them all your support in their new roles.
the Club receiving its Part 142 accreditation. In addition, David continued to navigate the Club through the rest of the regulatory reform process that CASA has required (CASR 135 and 138), which remain on-going. I would like to thank David for his efforts in ensuring that the Club met all deadlines imposed by CASA for the rewriting of all the Club’s exposition, manuals and guides. Whilst other organisations have either employed a team for
NEW MEMBERS’ PORTAL Written by Kristin Moriarty
We are continuing to add content with the goal of providing our members with access to useful resources all
Coinciding with the launch of the new website in May we
in one place. If there is anything you would like to see
also launched our new members portal Wild Apricot.
in the future please let us know by emailing marketing@ royalaeroclubwa.com.au.
It is accessible from the front page of the website, the top left-hand corner has a light blue button, just click on Member Portal Login and it will take you through to a login page. If it is your first-time logging in, you will be asked to reset your password. In there you can update your contact details, this ensures you are receiving the weekly emails, membership renewal reminders and invitations to special events. You will also find training guides, aircraft guides, links to register for events. aircraft bookings, maintenance bookings and ideas for flights around our great state.
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TARMAC TOPICS APRIL - MAY 2022
Sunset over the Club captured by WAAC Student Will Evans
TARMAC TOPICS Want to advertise in Tarmac Topics? Or have an idea for an article, we would love to hear from you, please email marketing@royalaeroclubwa.com.au