Category: aviation

Last Saturday I took a Qantas flight to Melbourne to pick up the club’s Piper Warrior VH-DJR. I’d been planning the trip for a week or so and waiting for fine weather. I decided early to plan the safest and easiest trip possible – I didn’t want any surprises with restricted airspace, bad weather and…

This year I am treasurer or the Sport Aircraft Builders’ Club of WA (Inc). (Less time for maintaining and building aircraft.)Bernie, my great mate who used to look after maintenance on the Tripacer, died.We have a new granddaughter and lots of babysitting duties (less time for maintaining and building aircraft.)And a few other important things…

I am no longer involved in SABC committee activities so spending a lot more time on the project. Beginning to come down mid-week since weekends are occupied with family, social activities, football etc. Leonie still heavily involved in the club as Membership Registrar, which takes probably 20 hours per week of her time.

The fuselage kit arrived in Fremantle so we hired a furniture trailer and picked it up at Rouse Head. Spent the rest of the day unloading and opening the box.

This year I’ve made little progress on the aircraft due to committee and family activities. Two weddings, a trip to the USA with Leonie, the kids and their partners, two cruises, trips east etc etc. Quite a busy year.

Leonie and I flew the Tripacer in to Langley Park, Perth CBD. That was an experience of a lifetime.

Gordon Johanson has moved into Don Dunbar’s old hangar and we have bought his old hangar F6 at Serpentine Airfield. It has an air conditioned amenities section so we no longer need a caravan. We sold the old hangar to Gwynn Smith for her Jabiru.

Attended the SAAA Denmark fly-in with the Tripacer. Had a memorable flight to Albany airport nearby for fuel, landing in a howling crosswind.

In July/August 2009 Leonie and I visited Oshkosh, Alaska, Canada and cousin in Washington. In September attended the SAAA fly-in in Cowra NSW and visited Temora. Over the December/January period we were driving around England and Wales in a rented motor home.

We are now well established in our own hangar with caravan accommodation at the back. The Tripacer is having a very sedate annual inspection / maintenance as and when I find time to arrange the various jobs on it. Work has ground to a halt on the RV7 project as I simply don’t have enough…