TEFC - TEFC

Ageing Aircraft study meeting

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:26:00 +1000

From Peter Ball at CASA

As you may be aware, CASA has recently initiated an Ageing Aircraft study.

The aim of the study - The Ageing Aircraft Management Plan (AAMP) - is to scope the magnitude of the ageing aircraft situation in Australia.

The AAMP will determine if there are any safety consequences associated with the continued operation of ageing aircraft, and if so, what actions might need to be taken to ensure appropriate levels of airworthiness are maintained.

As part of the AAMP study, CASA is conducting a series of Industry Consultation visits around the country.

The AAMP Project Team will be visiting Darwin Airport on Wednesday 1 September 2010 where they will be providing a presentation to an invited forum of industry professionals such as yourself and then seeking comments from the floor that will be directed back into the AAMP plan.

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TEFC Flying Competition and official opening of MKT with bitumen makeover

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:56:00 +1000

While the V8 cars were belting around Hidden Valley on Sunday, Top end Flying Club pilots and friends of MKT Airfield were participating in our flying competition. With our new bitumen surface less than a week old, it also made sense to combine an official opening by Kath Meyering with the event.

Competition on the day was fierce and so was the Southerly wind that had my drifter and many of the trikes pointing their noses at the airstrip on the downwind leg (which means that we were flying sideways.

Photos in main part of entry...

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MKT Airfield - Back in Black - Bitumen airstrip

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:04:00 +1000

Yesterday marked a special day in the history of MKT. The airstrip that has been here serving light aircraft needs (and military, customs, coastwatch, firefighting aviation needs) is now a bitumen strip. This is a very significant event made possible by the contributions of the people who use MKT and the Meyering family who own the airstrip. It is fair to say that the cost of creating that one kilometre of black ribbon was not cheap, but it was paid for by the people, not through a government grant.

Want to see what it looks like/ read on...

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Changes at MKT

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 07:27:00 +1000

I attended the monthly meeting last Friday and it was entertaining and productive with a great salad and sausage sizzzle to top it off. Thanks to Arti. We learnt that MKT will be covered in 1km of bitumen in about two weeks time and this will be paid by friends of MKT without any external funding from taxpayers to top up, prop up or support this massive infrastructure investment.

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End of month meeting this Friday

Tue, 25 May 2010 22:56:00 +1000

The end of month meeting will be held this Friday at the MKT clubhouse. Lots to discuss as always. I am pretty sure the upcoming bitumisation of MKT will be on the agenda and I understand that yet another helicopter is to be added to the Toy Box.

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MKT future looks bright

Tue, 11 May 2010 20:47:00 +1000

Despite some shaky events including the granting of only a formal three year extension by the Government to the existing permission to allow the Top End Flying Club to operate at MKT Airfield (which is not under threat as it is an authorised landing area in the formal and traditional definition of the term) we are still going from strength to strength.

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New procedures for non-towered aerodromes

Tue, 11 May 2010 20:26:00 +1000

I went to a CASA safety presentation the other day. John Bradley, Steve Allen, Vince Cassaniti (late again), Ron Lawford, Skippy and myself made up the TEFC representation at the presentation, again hosted by the extremely professional Peter Ball who chaired a great presentation by Mark Richardson (Richo) who is no stranger to Darwin or these presentations.

Follow the more link to find out how to access their eLearning material...

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Non-towered Aerodromes Seminar

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:24:00 +1000

CASA will be holding a free seminar in Darwin on Wednesday 5 May.

It will cover the changes to rules at non-towered aerodromes, effective 3 June. Also the GAAP to Class D changes, too.

The schedule below is copied from the CASA website, complete with type ( can you find it )

To register, visit the following link...

http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_100087

Northern Territory

Day	Date	Session	Location	Venue
Wednesday	05/05/2010	7.00-10.00pm	Darwin	Darwin Airport Inn	Henry Wrigley Drive Eaton
Friday	07/05/2010	6.30-9.30pm	Ayers Rock	Ayres Rock Resort	Yulara Drive Ayres Rock
Wednesday	19/05/2010	10.00 -1.00pm	Gove	CASA Office	Gove Airport
		2.00-5.00pm	Gove	CASA Office	Gove Airport
Thursday	20/05/2010	6.30-9.30pm	Jabiru	Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn	1 Flinders St Jabiru

I have applied for my first ASIC card

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:51:00 +1000

Seeing as I am going through this process, I thought it best to share it with you... Firstly for those who don't know, it isn't a card that gets you into the Australian Security Investments Commission... but rather

If I may quote from Fact sheet 13 http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/security/aviation/factsheet/fact13.aspx#1

What is an ASIC?
An Aviation Security Identification Card, known as an ASIC, is an identification card which is used to identify a person who has been the subject of a background check. An ASIC is required to obtain unescorted access to the secure areas of security controlled airports that have regular public transport (RPT) services. ASICs are valid for up to two years.

The ASIC scheme is a layer of security that ensures that only people who have been background checked to a certain level are permitted to be in the secure areas of airports. The ASIC scheme aims to reduce the risk of unlawful interference with aviation, not just terrorism.

Why do I want an ASIC? Read on...

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Gliding at Batchelor available until 18 May

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:43:00 +1000

The Motor-Falke has now got a refreshed Form 2 and is flying, based at Batchelor.

I will be operating from Batchelor on all weekdays (except public holidays) from 19th April onwards.

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Our Karl wins GYFTS Scholarship

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:11:00 +1000

For the first time since the inception of the GYFTS scholarship, a young Territory pilot at the Top End Flying Club has been awarded one of the annual scholarships. Karl Staben who has not only been learning to fly at the Top End Flying Club is also often seen helping out around the club at working bees and is a very deserving recipient of this scholarship.

The 'Giving Young People Flight Training Support' [GYFTS] fund was launched at NATFLY 2008. The intention is to provide scholarships to deserving and capable young flyers that enable them to continue their flight training http://www.raa.asn.au/students/gyfts.html.

Congratulations to Karl and to Phil. Young student pilots are our future and instructors and chief flying instructors nurture that future.

Karl Staben - GYFTS Scholarship Recipient

The Litchfield Lap - My Easter Flight and Video

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:04:00 +1000

I went for a flight on Easter Sunday and created a kind of travelogue video using my iPod (not iPad) nano and my Nikon D90. I purchased a program that I generally use for developing online learning modules but as it was a new version I decided to try it out, Here is the video...

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Video Conferencing - free and cuts down on costs

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:36:00 +1000

I wrote an article over on my blog about Acrobat.com the other day and recommend that those on the board of RA-Aus read it and establish an account. It is free and we can trial its use for meetings (admittedly only three people at a time) but those who can and are willing will be able to see how this works better than a normal phone conversation.

http://www.xsymetrix.com.au/share/index.cfm/2010/3/21/Acrobatcom-free-video-conferencing-using-Adobe-Connect

I have established a room and I am very happy with the video quality for a service that is hosted out of North America.

Proposal for a converging airstrip with MKT Airfield quashed

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:32:00 +1000

Just a short note to report that a proposal submitted to the development consent authority here in the Northern Territory for an airfield adjacent to MKT and having a converging flight path with MKT Airfield has not been approved.

Conversely, permission has been granted by the relevant authorities for the Top End Flying Club, MKT Airfield and associated activities to continue, which will take us beyond 30 years of continuous operation as a training facility for recreational aircraft.

Natfly this Easter

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:09:00 +1000

Don't forget that NatFly is on again this Easter, but in a different location. Temora. Check out what is going to be happening by visiting http://www.auf.asn.au/natfly/index-natfly.html as well as http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/ and http://www.temora.nsw.gov.au/ .

I googled for videos from YouTube and sadly there is not much to report on. I did discover a picasa album http://picasaweb.google.com/Pylon500/UltralightsIVeFlown#slideshow/5200936642641628882 which will present as a slideshow of a wide range of early ultralights flown in Australia.

For those who are going to NatFly 2010 - take some footage, tag it as natfly, raa, 2010, temora and upload it to YouTube. Then with a combined effort we could present a single web page with videos and words telling a story of Natfly for those of us who can't make it.