Someone needs to tie a rope around this thread....

DD, I'm originally from Roma / Surat area, and used to cover most of western QLD, Birdsville right up to the cape, northern NSW, SA, NT etc mending broken planes, left there in 2003 and still miss it, beautiful country

Battson, there are rules specifically prohibiting the installation of 31's on the Bearhawk in NZ. In fact, I've just spoken to the CAA and they tell me your only solution is to fit 5.00 x 5's on the mainwheels. I know it's not ideal, but at least you'll keep your CofA. Now about that surplus set of 31's.. I'm happy to take them off your hands for a nominal fee..

onefitty wrote:Battson, there are rules specifically prohibiting the installation of 31's on the Bearhawk in NZ. In fact, I've just spoken to the CAA and they tell me your only solution is to fit 5.00 x 5's on the mainwheels. I know it's not ideal, but at least you'll keep your CofA. Now about that surplus set of 31's.. I'm happy to take them off your hands for a nominal fee..

I should have known to check with my IA first! Surely the only thing to do is ceremonially cremate the bushwheels, in mourning...

let my mate have a go in my drifter today where he did his first off airport landing. tryed a new spot today that shows alot of potential. most aircraft should get into this one I think. named it 'Nut Cracker' after while moving a few rotten logs a chunk snapped off, the name of site will tell you where it got me!

Good to see "Lil' Popsy" She may forgive you now that you include her in the fun.

What the hell?...first you quit posting on here because you are too busy flying your fancy new airplane...and now I hear you are ditching us for the HSF as well? You need to get your priorities back in order!
...Seriously, we are bummed you can't make it this year, hope to see you next time!

Ok so Ive been super slack so about time I update this thread! (now that I remember I even started it!)

So on Saturday was the 'Aviation expo' In the town of Lismore right near me. Coming to the show however was my good mate, and Australian aircraft dealer bringing his latest Super STOL XL, and a highlander. the boys on there route where flying just about right over one of my favorite spots 'Pump station'. So we thought before the how wed head out there and have a bit of breakfast by the river.

the view of pump station, the fog just lifting


an earlier video from about a year ago, not from Saturday, but this is the approach into pump station


Enjoying the serenity waiting for the boys








Pump station is a pretty east spot but being a cattle paddock that floods about 4 times a year it does have quite a large number of deceivingly nasty holes. The cattle chew all the grass to the same length so its near impossible to see these holes till you run through them, so how do you best mark the perfect spot to land? well you get resourceful and you turn to those same cattle......Cow pat constructions all the way!





Finally a bit later than planed the fellas arrived. Not that I was complaining, I could have sat there all day listening to the birds. Unfortunately I didnt get there landings as i was on the radio to them trying to point out my shitty arrow (see what I did there ).







Finally it was time to head to the airshow before the airspace closed for the display, the fellas having a just aircraft stand had to get there earlier than later and where already running a couple of hours late following ill little chill out on the mighty Clarence river. The superstol and highlander though not normally known as rocket ships though certainly seemed it that day as they ploughed off into the distance ahead of me. My theory however is I just got to enjoy flying for longer!

The airshow proved to be fantastic with great warbird displays and aerobatics, none of which however I managed to get photos of as I was to busy catching up with mates (this is what happens when you go to an airshow in your local area and you know everyone!). I did however manage to slip away and do my usual airshow routine and put on my inflatable Dinosaur suit which always goes down a treat.







I couldnt help however but give my mates a just aircraft a bit of a plug!





But unfortunately Australia is not know for being for great at the whole dead of winter thing, particularly not in the sub tropical northern rivers and after a few hours I was cooked! sadly dino didn't make it............

Sadly the day ended prematurely when my close friend, hands down the greatest flyer Ive ever seen and the man who introduced me to back country flying in his mighty wilga, had a accident while ending a simply stunning aerobatics display in his MDM Fox glider. it could have been ALOT worse but he managed through incredible skill to get the plane level atleast but it still resulted in an exceptionally hard landing. His beaten, bruised and has quite some recovery ahead of him with a damage spine but I think all of you will join me in wishing him a fantastic and quick recovery,

not my video but this is a video of him 7 years ago when he first acquired the glider. before getting into gliders he was known as one of the worlds greatest sukhoi pilots

Ouch, that sucks. ++++ vibes to your buddy.

The Storch vids just tooling with the Aussie scenery are just awesome mate. She's like a big dragon fly just cruising around! The dino suit look like a good way to earn a beer or five, holy it must be hot in that thing!

Best of wishes to your bud with his recovery!

Went for a quick scout yesterday in the Storch to have a look at a burn our brigade has coming up in a couple of weeks, had a look in the truck today. Was scary to see how many camps are down in there with 0 clearance from the scrub. Was well worth the look in the plane otherwise wed never have known they were there. Its only a 161 hectare burn but it hasn't burnt since 1953 and the fuel load was measured at 54 tones per hectare!









Just to give an idea how thick the undergrowth is, remember too this is all eucalyptus hard wood so when it burns its incredibly intense.

So yesterday I had my mum fly up from Sydney for a day of 'The bush flying experience'.



Day started with a short hop around Byron light house and into Blueberry Fields where my mate who owns the place so very kindly gave her the tour of the farm and let her pick a bucket load of amazing blueberrys.







Next stop was off to paddys flat for a walk along the river, a bit of lunch and a look at the tank traps.















Third stop was into homestead to say Gday more mates at Cheviot Hills station. A quick trip in the atv over to the old stables where Captain thunderbolt used to shoe his horses to check out the old black smiths workshop complete with massive bellows, anvil and all sorts of amazing tools.

Well havnt got a great deal of flying in lately, but thats mainly as we've entered fire season down here with a bang! was out fighting this fire Sunday night trying to forfill the role of 'Property protection'. Biggest problem was most of the houses in the area arnt council approved so we had no idea of what was out there to protect! so Monday morning I took the Storch up with one of our local group officers to get a lay of the land and try and find some of these houses under threat before getting back onto it. Thankfully as we flew over we found the fire had died off massively with the wind change blowing it back on itself.

fire was started by a punch of clever campers who decided to have a camp fire, get stoned and pass out!

Went out last weekend with a few of the boys for a bit of a play date. Day started with BBQ bacon and eggs for breakfast then a playdate in the hills. what more could you ask for? anyway less words, lets get to the pictures!

and a bit of drone shot video for your viewing pleasure if you have nothing else to do in the next minute

Well My HSF journey has officially begun!

Drove from lismore to Brisbane last night
About to board a plane to sydney now
Then I fly to LAX, then to oregon, where I meet with Rob Burson to head for HSF! Stay tuned, it'll be quite the adventure

Awesome!!!

Been quite for a while, still lurking, but quite! been run off my ring getting an aussie bush flying scene up and going! anyway since Ive seen my buddy dogpilot is back I think thats as good a reason as any to show my face again! a little video from flying with a mate the other week. sadly it ended with a blown header pipe and a plane stuck in a really crap sport for a week but cant be helped! its back home now safe and sound getting a whole new exhaust fitted this week!

and while Im at it a little river bank I landed a couple of months back, just liked this shot with the sound of the river in the back ground. If you wanna see what Ive been up to scan that youtube channel!

You seem to be ripping up the air there down under. I may be in Brisbane in October. Seems my son's wife is going to deliver a new Aussie there in a couple of weeks. So is your Storch doing deliveries? I should have the 206 back on its floats sometime this fall, so if your out here in the fall I'll take you about.