alan_k

After looking at the price of new cockpit bags / flight decks, I had a rummage around and found a money belt in a draw that hasn't been used for 18 years or more. I have 're-purposed' it as a flight deck holding my altimeter, radio, camera and GPS. All items have a safety lanyard attached. The black loop is to prevent droop in the middle when standing and during take off. I've fitted rings to each side of the harness at a suitable height so the whole lot just sits in my lap once seated. Any constructive criticism welcome.

Great to hear of really good service, thanks.

Have you added the weight of the wing into the total all up?

Ah, should really have said 'in the new year when the weather is good ...'

Excellent, I am hoping to get down to Cornwall in the new year for some epic flying.

I have to give a huge shout out to Airbox for their brilliant service on e-mail. They have provided really detailed instructions of how to use and update their products, so full marks from me

Thanks Si. I've had an Amateur Radio license for 35 years, just didn't get around to the RT license.

As it was a rather nice day yesterday I went up to my usual field and happened upon a van and some chaps on another field owned by the same landowner. This other field is used on some/all Sundays for car booting and has padlocks on the gates. I had a friendly word with one of the chaps that rents the field for the car boots and he expressed no objection to me using it, but not on Sundays, providing the landowner was OK with that. So after my flight I visited said landowner and he said OK This solves a problem that was looming as the usual field is going to be ploughed and planted in the spring. So I prepped and took off from the usual field, this is just outside the Halfpenny Green ATZ. I always go equipped with an airband radio so I know what is going on in the vicinity, plus the helicopter circuit at 800 feet was active and a heli had passed withing the ATZ on a couple of occasions. Very shortly after T/O I heard someone announce that a paraglider had taken off, presumably as a warning as normally the intentions wouldn't be known. I replied on the Halfpenny Green frequency but as I was facing away from the tower I don't think I was picked up well. The heli pilot came back to ask what my intentions were so I replied I was avoiding entering the ATZ and would keep a listening and watching brief. The tower then came on and I repeated my message , to be followed by a suggestion to get an FRTOL (airband license) and to give the controller a ring later. I'm assuming he thought as I was merely a PPG'er I wouldn't have a license. I had a good flight bimbling around for 50 minutes then as I was close to the airport I called in after my flight, thinking it more personable to go and have a chat face to face. Turned out the chap on the RT only stood in about once a month and was employed by the CAA. He was unaware of the fact that I have flown from Halfpenny Green on 14 occasions so was known to the usual controller. He wasn't knowledgeable about PPG even though he is a very experienced aviator so we ended up having a very good chat about usual PPG activities (well mine anyway). I felt it was a rather good result to be filling in the gap in his knowledge, plus I'm booking to sit the FRTOL course and exams. All good stuff.

Sounds like you're all set Dave, roll on PPG

Lovely. Just what this sport is about - FUN. Great stuff.

As I understand it from the translation the battery failed due to overcharge. I'm guessing it replaced a gel battery with no extra protection for overcharge, a definite requirement for Li-po's.

Good one Sandy, very nice talk through's for the newbies looking in. Excellent tip on rotor in the lee side of trees when there is a breeze or gusts.

I've been flying 9 years and 457 flights and never had a collapse. The biggest safety factor is deciding when NOT to fly. Stick to low winds and non (low) thermic conditions. Get to know the wing before advancing to low level or dynamic turns.

Must be a strong wing to need chains

Yes, there are stand alone units called Aware Airbox GPS units, or there is the app RunwayHD for iphone or android http://www.airboxaero.com/

£75 to £100 a year to stay out of trouble? A no brainer if you are doing any long flying or out of your 'known' area.

Essential information, how big are you bigdaddy? All up weight?

I think you will find that the engine is a Rotax 582 judging by the blue cylinder head. I may be wrong but check other details and look against this web site http://www.rotaxservice.com/rotax_engines/rotax_582ULs.htm It will definitely be a 2 cylinder engine, there are 4 plugs because it has twin ignition, 2 plugs per cylinder. As Simon says , good luck.

Yes, this one's better though Oh and Simon, the prop art isn't quite useless, it reminds me not to f*** up on T/O.

He he, I know it looks a bit long but I always find it better, particularly when you have your arms up on the brakes

Picked up a suit suitable for flying, it is actually a ski suit but has plenty of pockets plus excellent cuffs. The cost? ............a measly £8 from a local charity shop

Yes he is. He might have good piloting skills but he is an arsehole. Very poor training safety and continual rule breaking, There are plenty more who are worth following. Check out Tucker Gott if you haven't already

Yes that really does look like fun. Balls in a vice (1:02) but fun

Yeah, if you are flying a drone, don't be a dickhead, it's official. A copy of this should be included in every drone box sold IMO.

Having not flown one does the tipsteer give a more dynamic turn, like the red ball tipsteer on the old Nucleon? Looking at the line diagram it looks as if it is roughly equivalent, though pulling fewer of the outer cells