Australian Flying September-October 2017 is now available for all those who are ready for a decent dose of general aviation news, views, yarns and good informative stuff. We look at the Topaz LSA, go behind the scenes of CASA's Stakeholder Engagement team, meet Hall of Fame legend Harry Schneider, find out what's happened to the jump pilot industry and much more. You'll find it all beneath a cover shot of the beautiful Topaz.
Destinations
In the second part of this feature, Shelley Ross and her P-platers tackle the west coast of Tasmania from the majesty of Lake Pedder to the quirky hide-away on Three Hummock Island, and all points in between.
Terms of Engagement
Philip Smart gets inside the CASA Stakeholder Engagement Group to find out what they are doing to get the aviation community involved with regulation, and examines the industry’s attitudes toward these efforts.
Flight Test: Ekolot Topaz
Ekolot’s Topaz LSA is not only a head-turner, but also a very respectable performer in the air. Steve Hitchen was given the chance to strap one on and found it to be a very viable option as a trainer and tourer.
Clear to Drop and Descend
With new rules surrounding jump pilots, the industry was due for a shake-up. Steve Hitchen visited the Australian Jump Pilot Academy to find out how jump pilot training has made the transition to professionalism.
The Grunau Eagle
Hall-of-famer Harry Schneider and his father are part of the Australian gliding community’s DNA. They built gliders in Australia that proved world class, and today are still thought of as some of the best. Lucianne van Gelder visited this legendary aviator and recounts his story of ambition and enterprise.
Lessons from a Logbook
Old Piet is at it again, this time confusing Jim Davis over roles and responsibilities in the cockpit. Chaos ensues, and only fortune averts disaster when a golf-course landing gets hairy.
Theoretically Speaking
Technology has taken a major role in the delivery of aviation theory, prompting rumours of the demise of the faithful aviation theory books. However, Philip Smart’s investigation reveals that books and classrooms are here for the long run as technology adopts a complementary role.
Servicing the City
Once it was Melbourne's international airport, but the rise of Tullamarine in the 1970s threatened to relegate Essendon to nothing more than a ghost airport. Now, investment in infrastructure is driving a revival that stands to secure the airport's future. Paul Southwick reports.
Plus: Editorial, Airmail, News, Down to Business, Products, Rotors, A Spot of Recreation, Good Sports, Safety Matters, What Can We Learn, The Kernels of Wheatie, Short Final.
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