The 7th annual Fly-in Biggest Morning Tea Fly-in is fast approaching.  Weather permitting we are expecting a huge turn out to share a delicious morning tea in the hangar and raise money for the Cancer Council.  Last year we raised over $6000, bringing our total to more than $19,000 over six years.  

Fly-in or drive, morning tea is served from 10am to 12noon.  Everyone is welcome.
Donate on the day or donate prior to the event online:
http://vic.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/kynetonflyinmorningtea
More information on Kyneton Airfield

While most of us fly a little less in winter, we hope to get out and enjoy the clear air whenever we can.   Please keep in mind the increased chance of carburetor ice at this time of year. To help you plan your winter flights we have a carby ice probablility chart available free of charge from the office (reproduced with permission from Flight Safety Magazine), or you can download it from the website here. The chart is very easy to use, and handy to keep in your map folder for quick reference. 

Certain aircraft seem to be more prone to ice than others, we have found our Auster to be a frequent victim, and Jabiru’s also seem prone to it. Given the small carburetor in the Jabiru, it is important to apply carby heat immediately if rough running develops, and pays to put it on occasionally during flight just to check. If you know the probability from the chart, you are much more likely to keep on top of the icing problem, and it won’t be able to sneak up and bite you. Other things to keep in mind for winter flying, especially when your aircraft has had a prolonged period on the ground:

• Remove all ice from the aircraft prior to flight; even a small amount left behind can be disastrous.
  
• If using MOGAS (Unleaded), make sure it’s free of ethanol, and fresh. MOGAS has a very short shelf-life. If in doubt, run the old fuel in your car/mower and put some fresh fuel in the aircraft.
  
• Check carefully for contamination of fuel, even in a hangar water can make its way into the fuel tanks.
  
• If you are lucky enough to have cabin heat, check the ducting and controls for defects. It might seem just a luxury item, but defective cabin heat can be deadly. Install a carbon monoxide detector to be extra sure.
  
• Take extra care to warm-up your engine to operating temperatures prior to applying power to avoid premature wear.  
  
• Fogged up windows can be difficult to clear on the ground, take extra care taxiing and have a chammoi within reach to wipe them clear.
  
• Be extra careful to check the conditions of the runways you intend using.  Also check your alternates are servicable in case of a diversion.
  
• Plan for bad weather.  Watch the weather closely before you leave, get updates while you are in the air, and make sure you always have a plan B.
  

And remember, winter is a great time to catch up on maintenance!

This question might seem pretty easy to answer, you have a current maintenance release, and a certificate of registration from CASA, the aircraft is flying beautifully, so everything is sweet. Maybe not. Have you got a CERTIFICATE OF AIRWORTHINESS (CoA)? It is just a piece of paper, and CASA won’t check every 3 years that it is up to date as they do with Registrations. Really, the only time it may be brought up is during a CASA Audit, or worse, an insurance claim or accident investigation involving the aircraft. It is the Registration Holders responsibility to ensure it is valid, and the aircraft cannot fly without it, but most people focus on the Maintenance Release and Registration as the important documents to have, and forget about the CoA. Normally an Australian CoA is valid indefinitely. It can be cancelled or suspended by CASA, by written notice to the Certificate of Registration (CoR) holder. This would normally only happen if the aircraft is not being maintained (in accordance with Part 4A of CAR's), or if the CoR lapses. Be careful of that, CASA has been getting tough about CoR transfers not being completed within the required 14 days of sale. A short delay could see both the CoR and consequently the CoA cancelled. CASA has an Airworthiness Bulletin regarding expired certificates of airworthiness. 

If you can’t find your Certificate of Airworthiness to see if it is current or expired, you should contact your local CASA office and supply a Statutory Declaration that the Certificate of Airworthiness has been misplaced and requesting a replacement. If there is a current certificate, CASA can issue a copy. If there happens to be no certificate current, you will need to apply for a new one (and your aircraft is grounded).

Another ‘paperwork’ issue that could stop your insurance company from paying a claim is the Logbook Statement. This is another document that aircraft owners often don’t know much about, but it is your responsibility as an owner/operator to ensure it is current and appropriate to your aircraft’s operations and maintenance needs. The logbook statement is found in the front of the aircraft’s logbooks, so you may need to ask your maintenance organisation to send you a copy if they have the logbooks. The things to check are that the ‘operational category’ matches your operation. For example if your aircraft is being used for Charter make sure that not only your maintenance release but also your logbook statement reflects the Charter Category operation. We have seen several cases of aircraft being used for charter when the logbook statement says either private or airwork. If there was an incident with the aircraft this situation could mean a way out for the insurance company, and some serious questions to answer to CASA, and possibly a magistrate. The same goes for Airwork and Private operations. Your logbook statement must also match your maintenance release! Another one to check is the ‘aircraft equipment’ box. Whether it is IFR or VFR (day) or VFR (night) you need to ensure the aircraft has all the required equipment for those operations (see CAO 20.18) and it must all be working. The box ticked here must also match your maintenance release. The main purpose of the Logbook Statement is to describe how the aircraft is to be maintained. It needs to identify the aircraft’s maintenance program and note the maintenance release inspection. It is the Certificate of Registration holder’s responsibility to ensure that there is a maintenance program for the aircraft and the program ensures adequate maintenance of all aircraft components fitted to the aircraft. There are far too many variables to be considered for our short newsletter, but CASA has some guidance material that can help with understanding the requirements and options available. Your LAME should also be able to provide some assistance with this. CASA publications to read are:

CAAP 41-2(1) Maintenance programs for class B aircraft

AWB 02-003 The manufacturers maintenance schedule and your aircraft’s maintenance schedule.

The Maintenance Guide for Operators from CASA puts a lot of this information into one easy to read document and is available to download or ask for a printed copy next time you visit Transaero.

The 2013 Biggest Fly-In Morning Tea at Kyneton Airfield was the biggest and best we have had in 6 years of running this event.  We estimate there were 500 people in attendance including 80 aircraft.  We also raised a record $6563 for the Cancer Council of Victoria. 

Transaero would like to thank the Kyneton Aero Club for providing the venue, including ensuring the airfield was looking it's magnificent best.  We would also like to sincerely thank the many members of the Kyneton Aero Club who helped on the day and/or brought food along.  We couldn't do it without you.  Thanks also to the members of the Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia who always turn out in numbers to support the event.

 The Biggest Fly-In Morning Tea will be held again on 17 May 2014.

On September 14 &15 2013 the first annual Wings & Wheels event will take place in Maryborough, Central Victoria.  The event is a joint project organised by the Central Goldfields Shire Council, The Old Aviators Flying Museum Inc and the Austin 7 Club.

www.wingsandwheels.net.au

Plans are afoot for a BE2a to be completed in time for the centenary of the establishment of the Central Flying School at Point Cook, in 2014. The gift of this aircraft to the RAAF Museum, and the Australian nation, will complete the Museum's 1914 'story'; it already possesses a reproduction Deperdussin presented by Mr Jack Gillies, and, nearing completion, an airworthy Bristol Boxkite being built by Messrs Rob Gretton and Geoff Mathews who are members of the Friends of the RAAF Museum.

Andrew Willox is also a Friend of the Museum and has been planning and undertaking work on the BE since the beginning of 2007. Initial planning for a rudder was undertaken with the assistance of Transaero and work has proceeded to the completion of one example. Three rudder frames have been made in anticipation of perhaps completing more than one BE variant in due course, but the project's main thrust is the delivery of a BE2a for Point Cook.

Original specifications have been used to construct the first rudder, which is of all-steel construction. Traditional methods have been used to make the various components in a blacksmith's forge; the most complex tool used being a lathe. The ribs were cut out and fashioned by hand, although originally they would probably have been pressed out. The three hinge pairs on the rudder post were carved by hand from square bar and individually matched together and only oxy acetylene welding was employed, with solder used where specified to seal the rudder frame. Although modern aerospace metals were used for the rudder frames, ordinary mild steel will be employed throughout the rest of the aircraft as it is easier to fashion. Modern metals still rust and can provide no greater integrity for aircraft designs from this earlier period.

Traditional unbleached ‘Irish’ linen fabric to BS7F1 was imported from Belgium, being identical in quality but at a lower cost to an Irish mill. After fitting anti-chafe strips to the frame where it would contact other fabric, the pocket method was employed to fit the overall covering. Durabond in Sydney make a good-quality tautening dope and this proved to do the job well. Sewing and lacing thread was imported from LAS Industries in Britain. Finishing tapes to seal the lacing and outer edges were hand frayed and doped on to complete the fabric covering. At the present stage six coats of dope have been applied but to provide an airworthy finish a further four to six coats will be needed.

The rudder has been fitted to a presentation stand was on display in the Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia marquee at the Avalon International Airshow 2009.

Andrew Willox

For the fifth year running Transaero will host Australia's Biggest Morning Tea to raise money for the Cancer Council of Victoria.  Once again the event will be held at Kyneton Airfield with the generous assistance of the Kyneton Aero Club.

Aviators are encouraged to fly-in to Kyneton to enjoy morning tea in the hangar.  All we ask in return is that you make a donation to the Cancer Council. 

Non-flyers are also most welcome; the Airfield is on Kyneton-Metcalfe Rd just north of the Kyneton township. There is plenty of parking and it is a great opportunity to see a huge range of aircraft up close.  The event is a perfect opportunity for Macedon Ranges locals to visit the Kyneton Airfield and enjoy morning tea while supporting a worthy cause.

Fly-in visitors will apreciate two runways and plenty of parking on the grass.  See the ERSA entry for fly-neighbourly advice, and visit the Aeroclub website for more information www.kynetonaeroclub.org

This event would make a great destination for car and motorbike club outings, as well as Aero Clubs.  If you have a group you would like to bring, please contact Kim and advise expected numbers so we can ensure there is enough food.  Phone 9744 7228 or 0418 100 028.

Download pdf brochure 
Visit the Kyneton Aeroclub website

Hopefully everyone has recovered from the changes to the distress beacon requirements, and subsequent outlay on new equipment, because you could be forced to upgrade your radio next.  Soon, in fact. 

If you have an old VHF radio, which is not uncommon considering almost half of the General Aviation fleet in Australia is more than 31 years old, you may be forced to upgrade very soon.

Airservices Australia is responsible for assigning VHF aeronautical frequencies in Australia.   Due to increasing number of frequencies being assigned they are struggling to continue to find interference-free frequencies for use in high traffic areas.  To overcome the problem frequency spacing has been reduced from 50khz to 25khz.

We have been warned this was coming.  In September 2005 Airservices Australia and CASA told us about the pending changes in AIC H11/05.  There was also an article in Flight Safety Magazine (Channel Squeeze) around the same time.  At the time, the real effect was too far in the future for most pilots and owners to worry about.   The first to be affected was the high-flying IFR traffic in Class A Airspace (Nov 2005), next in line in November 2006 was Class C, D and E airspace users in high density traffic areas.  I bet you didn’t even notice.  There are relatively few frequencies at 25khz spacing, so you may not have needed to use any yet.  Is it something you check during flight planning? 

CAO 103.25 (receiving) and CAO 103.24 (transmitting) tell us “The frequency range and number of channels must be adequate for the intended operational purpose of the equipment” which means, if you don’t need to use a 25khz spaced frequency, you don’t need to have a radio capable of transmitting and receiving at 25khz spacing.  That’s a relief.  So, all you need to do is check your charts before you go, and as long as there are no tricky frequencies (118.02, 134.32 etc) along the way, you can continue to fly with your antique equipment. 

This will continue to be the case; however it is going to become more difficult to practice.  Bruce Bilton, CTAF frequency assigner at Airservices Australia, has advised that in high density areas 25khz spacing of CTAF frequencies is a year away at the most.  Anyone flown at Kyneton and heard aircraft at Geelong and Barwon Heads?  It can get busy and confusing at times with these areas sharing a frequency. 

So if you fly at CTAF’s around the major east coast cities, it is highly likely you are going to be affected by the new frequency spacing in the next year or so. 

Let’s get clear on who has to do what. 

If your VHF radio displays 3 decimal places, e.g. 118.025 can be dialed up and displays on your radio, you are not affected; your radio supports 25khz spacing.

If your VHF radio displays 2 decimal places you need to check if you can dial up frequencies like 118.02, 118.17.  If you can, that’s great, you are not affected.

If your VHF radio goes straight from 118.00 to 118.05 when you turn the knob, you have a 50 khz antique and this article was written for you, read on.

The next thing to do is consider the area you operate in.  Anyone regularly flying in controlled airspace or flying IFR should already have upgraded, but if your home base is Broken Hill, and your biggest cross country is to Menindee to see a mate, you will probably not need to take any action at all.  If you operate in the maze of CTAF’s on the outskirts of Melbourne or Sydney, or in South East Queensland, you should plan an upgrade soon.

An upgrade shouldn’t be too heart breaking if you are constantly having problems with your old radio.  They are expensive to repair these days, and once they start to have problems it is usually the beginning of the end. 

For VFR aircraft, a new Icom A-210 non TSO’d is about $1500.  For IFR aircraft a TSO’d radio is needed, and these start at about $5000.  In order to install a new radio (or anything new) in a certified aircraft you will need CAR 35 approval.  This is where it starts to add up.  You need design drawings to show how the radio will be mounted, a wiring diagram, an electrical load analysis and weight and balance change calculation.  Once the CAR 35 approval is received, the installation begins.  Removal of the old radio, manufacture of mounting brackets, wiring new radio, materials and a possible new antenna all add up.  You would need to budget at least another $2000 for the installation and associated approvals and documents.  If you are considering upgrading anything else in your panel, this would be the time to have it done as the installation cost will only increase slightly for each new item installed at the same time (of course the purchase of the new gear could easily blow the budget).

If you have one of these antique radios and can’t bear to part with it (it works perfectly- why throw it away?) you could consider having a more modern radio installed as a second radio.  Two radios are really quite useful, and it won’t matter if only one of them is capable of the 25khz spacing.  You may have to factor in the additional cost of an audio selector panel.

In the information issued in 2005 regarding changes to frequency spacing, there was mention of CASA introducing new frequency stability requirements of 0.003% from November 2009.  That would mean that even if you could get by with your old radio with 50khz spacing in your operations, your radio would have to comply with the new requirement (which stops transmissions from ‘spilling’ over and jamming adjacent frequencies).  Many of the older radios would be unable to comply, and therefore no longer be approved for use.  No NPRM has been issued by CASA on the proposal and current information suggests this won’t be happening now.  AIC H03/09 is the latest information on the topic, issued by Airservices Australia.  They have confirmed upgrade of equipment is not mandatory, and only required if 25khz spacing is needed for your particular area of operation.

Article by Kim Skyring

Hans de Vries is an old family friend, who, with his late wife Brenda and children, was a neighbour of my grandparents on a dairy farm near Gympie, QLD in the 1950’s.  He moved away and lost touch for a time before turning up living in the same street as them in Hervey Bay in retirement.  Hans has six daughters and many grandchildren.  Still an active and adventurous man, I had the pleasure of flying the jump plane when Hans did a skydive for a recent birthday.  

Hans is now working on writing his autobiography and, from the stories I have heard over the years, it will be a great read and a very important record of a remarkable life.

Born and raised in Java in the then Dutch East Indies where his father was accounts manager for a shipping company, Hans begins this story at the very start of his flying career.

Kim Skyring

Hans de Vries, in his own words…

I started flying lessons just before my 17th birthday and got my ‘sport’ licence a month later on a Tiger Moth

At the start of the war in the Pacific, Pearl Harbour Dec 1941, I had just graduated a month earlier from High School and was hijacked into the Infantry.

The Army Staff found out that I had a flying licence, which I had obtained a year ago at the Naval Base in East Java, so I was transferred and given the rank of ‘Cadet Officer Flying’ with the then Royal Netherlands Naval Air Force.

In Feb ‘42 we escaped, by ship from the Dutch East Indies to Australia, landing in Fremantle. I was lucky as from the three ships that started out, two got torpedoed and only one made it to Australia.

The Netherlands Naval Air Force personnel were located at Lake Macquarie, NSW, where for two months we continued our flying training, on the water, and we were integrated with RAAF personnel and were issued RAAF Uniforms.  We flew the Ryan (STM-S2?) on floats.  The Ryan was a nice plane to fly and without the ‘slippers’ (floats) could do stunts.

In April ‘42 we, the Netherlands Naval Air Force contingent, were transferred to the USA as training facilities in Australia were very scarce and the RAAF cadets from other locations, were transferred for training to Canada.

In the USA, we reverted to our own Dutch Uniforms when off-duty and were trained by American Instructors at a number of different Bases. As a Unit we were integrated with the USA Air Force and known as the RNMFS (Royal Netherlands Military Flying School) and the Dutch Navy & Army Air Forces were combined in one unit. 

In late 1943 I obtained my full military flying and navigator’s licenses. The additional Navigator’s license is compulsory for commissioned pilots. At the same time I received my commission as a Lieutenant jg (junior grade).

In early ’44 we picked up our B25 from the USA factory and flew to Australia, to the Amberley base near Brisbane.

Apart from a brief stint flying DC-47’s with the USA 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, flying wounded personnel from the New Guinea Campaign, I was transferred to Batchelor in the NT for Operational Duties. This involved mainly ‘Seek–and-Destroy’ shipping and low level attacks, although we also engaged ships of the Japanese Navy when in our range and had to dodge the Jap fighter cover.

During Operational time, I had a ‘mixed’ crew as it included RAAF personnel and we were known as RAAF No 18 Squadron in the North West Area of the RAAF Command Structure.

Upon the Japanese surrender the Combined Dutch Air Force Unit was disbanded and I was once again a Naval Officer and based in Bundaberg, QLD. During this time we used stripped B25’s to fly Red Cross supplies to Java in the Dutch East Indies.

I also used one of the flights to fly my family out of a POW camp in Java and settled them in Bundaberg. They were in Australia for two years before relocating to Holland. I met my future wife as a 17yr old in Bundaberg. After some months I was transferred to the Naval Base at Rose Bay in Sydney, where I finally received my discharge from active duties in May 1947 and settled in Australia.

I did fly a brief stint with the then equivalent of Ansett as a contract job, loaned out by the Netherlands Navy but except for a Geological flight I never have flown again myself. The geological flight was interesting as it was a twin-engined Beechcraft with a ‘V-tail’, as I remember. This was in the late ‘50’s while I was employed as a Geologist with Mount Isa Mines. Well, the pilot found out my flying experience and handed control to me. We were the only ones on-board. Coming in to land in Darwin, he said “you fly and land” while he did the radio work. So I landed, with a bit too much height initially, but it was as smooth landing and gave me an enormous boost of self-confidence. 

From experience and not a few arguments with instructors early in the piece, I never felt comfortable with a ‘dead stick’ landing and I used to ‘fly’ the plane on to the landing, albeit with a near closed throttle but with my hand on it.

While in the States, in particular, we found out about the ‘attraction of the opposite sex’ of a foreign uniform.  More than a few members of the RNMFS made lifelong friends. I still have my uniform and what’s more, it still fits, mostly. Just wish that I could use it again!!
    
My ‘End of WW2 celebration, VP-day’

I happened to be on a week’s break from Operational flying and was quartered at our off-duty base in Queanbeyan, ACT when word spread that the War was over; it was about 10 at night. My co-pilot and other friends had been out ‘on the town’ that night and on hearing the news broadcast on the Radio decided to involve me in their now heightened celebration status. Woken up from sleep and gauging their sobriety, I thought that it was a bad joke and rejected their invitation to join them on their booze track.

Next morning reality hit.  An impromptu decision by the CO to an invitation of RAAF HQ to fly a 3-plane formation over the War memorial in Melbourne at 10 that morning had me and two other pilots getting ready. In effect we were the only ones at base who were stone-cold sober, having retired early the previous night.

So, three B25 Mitchells from the predominantly Dutch crewed No 18 RAAF Squadron were in the air at about 3000ft over the War Memorial in Melbourne at precisely 10 am. After a few passes we flew back to fly over Martin Place in Sydney, according to our ‘orders of the day’.  I had the lead position at the time and was on a dare to fly under the ‘Bridge’.  I peeled off and did just that before rejoining my flight position. It only took a few seconds as we passed low over the ‘Bridge’ while I dived under.

There is a sequel to this.  Years later, when the old CO had long retired, he was questioned about this event and maintained that he would have known about it.  To be fair, if my CO had thought that I would have told him what I had done, he hadn’t reckoned about my youthful exuberance and what CO’s should not be told.
Incidentally this escapade has been written up in a book published in 2001, titled “The Fourth Ally” by Doug Hurst, a retired RAAF staff officer

Hans de Vries    
  
Footnote:
Hans had one more flying experience. In 2004 he was co-pilot to Kerry Skyring in Auster J5B VH-KAL on a flight from Hervey Bay Qld. to the Auster rally at Naracoorte SA and return. Kerry comments: "Every time I handed the controls to Hans the Auster seemed to fly faster and hold track better than it ever did for me. He truly has a great touch".