Visit to Europe

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Scott

Hello everyone – I’m soon leaving for a short trip to Europe – including a visit to the Aeroprakt factory in Kiev.

As a result, blog posts may not be as frequent as usual for a while, although I’m aiming to continue as far as possible, including news and pictures direct from Kiev while I’m there.

Just before my visit to Aeroprakt, I’ll also be going to the e-Go Aeroplane factory near Cambridge in England – info and pictures ditto.

Hopefully, when I get back, spring will be well under way and – at least in Melbourne – flying weather will have improved a bit.

Meanwhile – happy flying!

Oshkosh 2014

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Scott

At this time of the year – end of July/beginning of August – there’s one thing many pilots dream of doing: visiting the EAA Airventure show at Oshkosh, in Wisconsin USA. It’s on every year and is without doubt the biggest regular gathering of aircraft on the planet.

The numbers are staggering: during the week long event, typically over 10,000 aircraft fly in (and out) and more than half a million visitors pass through the gates. There are more than 800 exhibitors selling everything from bizjets to nuts and bolts.

Although I have never attended the show (what an admission for a flying nut like me!) I know there’s something there for everybody. From heavy metal civil aircraft and warbirds, current and yesteryear, to the lightest of ultralights, and even aeromodels for aspiring full-scale pilots, the show covers the whole spectrum. And not only pilots are catered for – there are sideshows of all descriptions, vast food courts and funfairs, a concert arena and a drive-in movie screen. And, of course, flying displays day & night.

You can learn to build your own aeroplane. You can buy your own aeroplane. You can attend one or more of over 1,000 aviation workshops and presentations. You can wander up and down the rows of parked aircraft, which are grouped together by type. Or you can position yourself near the main runways and watch the day-long stream of arrivals and departures. Friends who have been to Oshkosh tell me that a week just isn’t enough time to see everything – so (unfortunately!) they have to go back for another year.

I keep promising myself…next year. In the meantime, I’ll just have to make do with following along on the EAA Airventure Video site. If I put the video on full screen and dim the lights, I might almost be there….

For anyone thinking about going, next year’s Airventure Oshkosh dates are 20-26 July 2015.

PS – Interstate Cadet pilot, Kent ‘Jelly Bean’ Pietsch is due to perform at the show this year on 30 July and 1 August. No doubt YouTube will have clips of his exploits.

High flying in the Himalayas

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Scott

Here’s a great article contributed by Captain Alexander Maximov from Avia Club Nepal. For photos of his experiences, please click here for the Foxbat Pilot Flickr Gallery.

For the last 17 years I have been flying in the Himalayas. I believe it is one place every adventure and high flyer dreams to be. I fly both Foxbat A-22 three axis aircraft and weight shift microlights.

I love flying high and I do fly high. I usually do commercial flights in Pokhara and its periphery. A 26,250 ft peak is just 30 km from the airport where we take off. The highest we can go up to is usually about 12,000 ft above sea level but in some cases I am flying at 16,000 ft altitude. Nothing can beat the experience of soaring with the birds of prey up high in the sky. I do it every single day and get a different experience every time I do.

Its not that I don’t do low flights. But considering the terrain and the conditions we have in this region, high flying is the best. We fly one of the best aircraft for the job – the Aeroprakt A-22, so gliding if the engine stops is not a problem.

I have been with world champion glider pilots who fly even higher. There was recently a Polish gliding expedition team with their sailplanes. The height they fly is amazing – up to 22,000 ft. Flying with the mountains and even sometimes the mighty mountains below you is simply unexplainable.

I have flown many aircraft types and in every terrain worldwide but the love of flying in Nepal with its beauty has kept me here.

An open invitation to all you adventure flyers…come to Nepal and you will know the difference of FLYING HIGH by FOXBAT!

Many thanks, Alexander!

More bush flying – Zimbabwe

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Scott

Foxbat owner Mike Kellow, based in South Africa and Zimbabwe, has sent me a couple of photos of his Foxbat up in the tea estates in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe.

The dirt strip is a short 250 metres long, with hills – including an 8,500 foot mountain – at each end, so approaches have to be tight and take-offs quick!

Full size versions of the photos are in the Bush Flying album on Foxbat Pilot’s Flickr site (click here to take you there).

World Cup celebration – Foxbat Brazilian style

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Scott

Brazil A22LS Amphibian

To celebrate the start of the world cup in Brazil, I thought you’d like to see some examples of the A22 Foxbat, Brazilian style.

There are some very attractive and eye-catching paint jobs and some interesting instrument panels. And one photo I would definitely advise not trying at home…

Have a look in the photo gallery at the bottom right side of this blog for further pictures.

Many thanks to my colleague Wander Azevedo of FLY Ultraleves, Aeroprakt distributor for Brazil, based in Goiania, south west of Brasilia.

Here’s a link to his website, if you’re interested in a Foxbat in Brazil: Ultraleves Brazil

Ido Segev flies the Foxbat

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Scott

Ido Segev is a world champion aerobatics pilot – of large, freestyle RC model aircraft. In his spare time, he’s also a flying instructor for full scale aircraft, based at Moorabbin Airport, Melbourne, and a multi-copter pilot for a video and photographic organisation.

As you can see from his video channel on YouTube – Ido Segev YouTube Videos – he’s a very accomplished pilot!

In our latest video, he talks about flying the Foxbat: Ido Segev Flies the Foxbat

Thanks to Mike Rudd for the video production. Mike Rudd YouTube Channel

Moruya to Temora by Foxbat

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Scott

Here’s a nice little YouTube video of David May flying an A22LS Foxbat to the Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) annual Easter fly-in – NATFLY – at Temora in New South Wales. It is over 10 minutes long but has nice views of what it’s like to fly inland over the Dividing Range from the south eastern coast of Australia. Some of the reservoirs which are part of the Snowy River Hydro scheme are easily seen. Nice one David!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shKfKxxKNNA

Small footnote – this Foxbat is based at Moruya Airport and has controls adapted for use by pilots who have lost the use of their legs. It is available for training – contact Sheldon Jones on 0427 102 540

Natfly 2014

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Scott

Doug Ross’s very smart A22LSA with red highlights and leather seat cushions was one of 9 Foxbats attending the show.

It’s Sunday evening and I just returned from the annual Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) Easter jamboree ‘Natfly‘ at Temora Aerodrome in southern New South Wales, home of the Temora Aviation Museum.

Unfortunately, it would probably be better named ‘Notfly’ – only about 130 aircraft flew in (and out) over the three days (Thursday-Saturday) and that included all the exhibitors, who probably accounted for around 25-30% of the numbers – the Foxbat display alone had four aircraft. These figures are way down on the heyday a few years ago when upwards of 600 aircraft visited the fly-in/show.

It’s a pity really – if you didn’t attend, you missed some very slick aerobatic displays, including one by our own Red Bull ace, Matt Hall, as well as a pair of totally manic Pitts Specials led by Paul Bennet. Temora Aviation Museum also put their Spitfire into the air – the sound of that 12-cylinder Merlin engine always gives me goose bumps (and I’m not even old enough to have seen them in action!).

Lowe Flight Powered Parachute

Although there were no truly new models of aircraft on display, most manufacturers had updates and revised models. A couple of powered parachutes caught my eye – in particular, one you can just pack up and hitch directly to your vehicle tow-hook and take it home, by LoweFlight.

If you were in the market, it was an opportunity to sit in your shortlisted aircraft and go for test flights back-to-back, which I think is the best way to help finalise a decision. It’s a chance too, to meet the distributors and assess them for yourself. And last but not least, there was an excellent coffee stall. The high quality of their brew was confirmed when they ran out of large size cups and lids on Sunday morning, in spite of the poor numbers turning out.

So, what’s the problem? Did you go – why/why not? Are the low numbers because it’s over Easter? – if so, why didn’t that stop people on previous Easters? Is it the Australian economy? Have people fallen out of love with small light aircraft? Is it the location? Is it something else? Any ideas anyone?

Unless RA-Aus fixes things – and only some of the possible reasons are down to RA-Aus – I think there will be even fewer people there next year and the event will probably die. It’s then a long road to get the sizzle & sparkle back again. What do you think?

Recreational Aviation Australia – Easter NATFLY

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Scott

The annual Recreational Aviation jamboree is happening as usual over Easter 2014 at Temora Airfield, NSW. Dates for your diary: 18 & 19 April are the main visitor days. Thursday 17 April is arrival day, Sunday 20 April is departure day. So you don’t miss out – note that most aircraft and exhibitors depart on Sunday morning!

Foxbat Australia will be there – look for us on adjoining display spaces 11 & 13. We hope to have on show a Foxbat with controls adapted for disabled pilots, which has been in training use at Moruya Air for almost 3 years. I’m also expecting Sydney Recreational Flying to be there as usual, offering TIFs (Trial Instruction Flights) in one or both their club Foxbats.

And who knows? there may be a ‘Show Special’ or two around…..

Tyabb – magnificent airshow

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Scott

Peninsula Aero Club celebrated ‘A Salute to Veterans’ with an airshow on Sunday 9th March. For once, the weather was perfect – high 20’s to low 30’s with unbroken sunshine. I am told over 10,000 people came to see the (mainly) old warbirds flying in formations of all kinds. There were several more modern aerobatic stunt pilots to thrill the crowd. The finishing display was a paired fly past – in fact several – by a WWII Mustang and the current jet fighter in service with the RAAF, the Hornet. There will be an official DVD of the show available soon, made by Southern Skies Media. Copies can be pre-ordered through the Peninsula Aero Club – here’s a link to their website, which has contact details: Peninsula Aero Club Meanwhile, the whet your appetite even further, here’s a YouTube video with some photos which capture the event: Tyabb Airshow, 2014

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