About David

Aeronautical Engineer with an M.Sc in Aerodynamics. Grade 1 Flight Instructor specialising in Aerobatics. Flight Examiner authority to grant Spin and Aerobatic training endorsements.

News June 2018

Introduction

Well into winter now here in Melbourne but there are some good flying days so take advantage of them when you can.

News and Rumours

Well …..

  • the circuit booking system at Moorabbin is still fully booked up two weeks ahead so make tailwheel endorsement training very difficult … over to someone else …. perhaps David Prossor …
  • there are quite a few people doing tailwheel and basic aerobatic training in the Super Decathlon one or two working up to competitions. Perhaps there will be an Ozaeros team at the next Victorian Championships.
  • I had an opportunity to speak to Greg Hood, CEO of the ATSB, recently about one of my pet subjects.
  • LOC-I – usually stall/spin from a turn – continues to be the single biggest cause of fatal GA accidents yet it seems that neither the ATSB nor CASA have little interest in changing the situation.
  • Many examiners and instructors also seem to have little interest as well. When was the last time that you did a stall in a turn?
Read More

Ozaeros Shirts and Caps

I have some top quality polo shirts and caps with the Ozaeros logo available for sale. Polo shirts are $40 and the caps are $15 (both free to new Ozaeros Team members competing in 2017).

For more information email David.

Upcoming events

I’m not aware of any upcoming events interesting enough to entice me far from the fireplace so no plans to take UPG anywhere at this stage.

Happy Flying

I plan to visit the USA in July to go to Oshkosh etc so an opportunity to escape the Melbourne winter.

I hope to see you at the airport sometime soon. Keep in touch – email David.

News 19 August 2017

Introduction

Anyone is welcome to join the Ozaeros email list by filling in the form online at https://www.ozaeros.net.au/?page_id=774.

Moves

Congratulations to Dick Gower, Kyneton Aero Club and Moorabbin Flying Services for their WINGS awards .

Dick won the Col Pay Award for Lifetime Service to Aviation! Watch this space as we’ll have a presentation dinner for Dick later in the year.

 

The Melbourne Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society has John Corby as guest speaker at the Hargrave Lecture and Donner on 11th October at Moorabbin Airport – all welcome – book tickets here.

Congratulations to Michael Schlepko and Natalie Korrum – joint winners of the Ken McKechnie Memorial Trophy this year for “best and fairest” Victorian aerobatic pilot.

 

Aerobatics Down Under

My new book – a comprehensive guide to basic aerobatics including operating the Decathlon and instructor training in spinning, aerobatics and tailwheel. Currently available as an e-book or paperback – get details and the discount code at https://www.ozaeros.net.au/

 

NSW Aerobatic Championships

These are being held at Narromine on 5-8 October – please let me know if you are interested in competing.

Moorabbin News and Rumours

The residential areas have now significantly encroached on the Moorabbin aerobatic area so please stay away from built up areas despite the lines on the charts!

Don’t forget to consider other users of the aerobatic area and make a general traffic call before entering.

Melbourne Flight Training will soon be offering aerobatic and formation training in a neat Airtouer T-6.

Airplane Updates

UPG has been doing quite a bit of flying since the previous newsletter despite it being winter. Now we’re in the windy season – good for finding crosswinds at Moorabbin but please be conservative and don’t go in wind conditions that might strain your skills – remember that the aeroplane will fly at about 40 kts so a gust can easily ruin your whole day.

Free Membership of the IAC

Join up now to get free six months membership of the IAC including the excellent Sport Aerobatics magazine at https://www.iac.org/roll-with-us-join-or-renew

Ozaeros Shirts and Caps

I have some top quality polo shirts and caps with the Ozaeros logo available for sale. Polo shirts are $40 and the caps are $15 (both free to new Ozaeros Team members competing in 2017).

For more information email David.

Happy Flying

Hope to see you at the airport sometime soon.

Keep in touch – email David.

News – 7 May 2017

Introduction

Winter is approaching however there is often good weather for flying at this time of the year and it is a good time to start preparing for the summer aerobatic season in the Melbourne area.

Anyone is welcome to join this email list by filling in the form online at https://www.ozaeros.net.au/?page_id=774.

Moves

We finally have the scores from the 2016 National Aerobatic Championships so congratulations again to Sportsman (or is that Sportsgirl?) Champion, Natalie Korrum, and Michael Chlepko! A great effort and a fine performance to come out ahead of all the keen competitors.

Results of the Australian Light Aircraft Championships aerobatic competition held at Latrobe Valley on 1st April: First – Campbell Davies, Second David Clemence and Third Des Barry (from NZ) – congratulations!

Loops, Voices and the Fear of …

The title comes from a short story in the book by Richard Bach: A Gift of Wings which is a good intro to the talk I will be giving at the Kyneton Aero Club on Monday, 19th June when I will cover “What is a loop?”, the abysmal and tragic accident history of Decathlons in Australia, the state of spin instruction in this country, LOC-I training initiatives by the FAA in the USA compared with CASA and a short course in upset recovery which I recommend for all pilots.

Qld Aerobatic Championships

These are being held at Watts Bridge on 13-16 July – please let me know if you are interested in competing.

Airplane Updates

UPG will soon be finished its annual maintenance which was extended this year due to the need to repair a propeller blade after a minor stone chip and also to replace one of the main strut attachment fittings. I expect it to be ready to go for the weekend of 13-14 May.

Michael Chlepko took delivery of his “new” Laser recently with a ferry flight back home from Perth. It is now based at Bacchus Marsh which is fast becoming the main centre for aerobatics in the Melbourne area. I look forward to seeing Michael compete in higher categories in future. Michael’s Laser was originally built by my friend Bob Davis in the USA in the early ’80s and he competed in it in the World Aerobatic Championships. Bob was inducted into the International Aerobatic Club’s hall of Fame in 2002. Read more about Bob at http://www.ilavhalloffame.org/members_12.htm

Jacqui Walker, the late Alan Shiels and I built our Laser VH-JAD at the same time that Bob built his. Both aeroplanes are still going strong as is VH-KGZ which was also built at the same time in Melbourne.

USA National Aerobatic Championships

A few of us are interested in competing in the USA in 2017 – anyone else?

It is on from 22/9/17 to 29/8/17 at Oshkosh, WI – more info at https://www.iac.org/us-national-aerobatic-championships-2017

I can provide copies of the sequences and rules for anyone interested.

Free Membership of the IAC

Join up now to get free six months membership of the IAC including the excellent Sport Aerobatics magazine at https://www.iac.org/roll-with-us-join-or-renew

Ozaeros Shirts and Caps

I have some top quality polo shirts and caps with the Ozaeros logo available for sale. Polo shirts are $40 and the caps are $15 (both free to new Ozaeros Team members competing in 2017).

For more information email David.

Happy Flying

Hope to see you at the airport sometime soon.

Keep in touch – email David.

News – 31 Jan 2017

Introduction

Happy New Year!

People can join this email list by filling in the form online at https://www.ozaeros.net.au/?page_id=774.

Moves

December and January are typically slow months for aerobatic flying with people partying and then on holidays.

Normally there are some people starting to practice for the Victorian Aerobatic Championships in February but that is not happening this year.

The current National Sportsman (or is that Sportsgirl?) Champion, Natalie Korrum, has moved interstate – good luck with your future career, Natalie.

Michael Chlepko, who was runner up in Sportsman Category at the Nationals, has just bought his own aerobatic aeroplane – more on that later when he takes delivery!

Australian Light Aircraft Championships

This aerobatic competition will be held at Latrobe Valley on Saturday 1st April at 9 am. Graduate and Sportsman will be flown – just one flight.

You must compete as a representative of an aero club affiliated with the RFACA e.g. RVAC.

Let me know if you are interested.

USA National Aerobatic Championships

A few of us are interested in competing in the USA in 2017 – anyone else?

It is on from 22/9/17 to 29/8/17 at Oshkosh, WI – more info at https://www.iac.org/us-national-aerobatic-championships-2017

I can provide copies of the sequences and rules for anyone interested.

Don’t forget – free six months membership of the IAC is available so join up at the end of March to compete.

Ozaeros Shirts and Caps

I have some top quality polo shirts and caps with the Ozaeros logo available for sale. Polo shirts are $40 and the caps are $15 (both free to new Ozaeros Team members competing in 2017).

For more information email David.

Happy Flying

Hope to see you at the airport sometime soon.

Keep in touch – email David.

News – 27 Dec 2016

Introduction

We now have two newsletter email lists: the public one is for the regular Ozaeros News – sign up using the form on the sidebar.

The other one is for UPG Pilots with updates on operations.

Signup forms for both are here.

Aerobatic Contest

This aerobatic competition will be held at Latrobe Valley on Saturday 1st April at 9 am. Graduate and Sportsman will be flown – just one flight.

You must compete as a representative of an aero club affiliated with the RFACA e.g. RVAC. More details online here.

Let me know if you are interested.

USA National Aerobatic Championships

A few of us are interested in competing in the USA in 2017 – anyone else?

It is on from 22/9/17 to 29/9/17 at Oshkosh, WI – more info at https://www.iac.org/us-national-aerobatic-championships-2017

Don’t forget – free six months membership of the IAC is available so join up at the end of March to compete.

Ozaeros Shirts and Caps

I have some top quality polo shirts and caps with the Ozaeros logo available for sale. Polo shirts are $40 and the caps are $15 (both free to new Ozaeros Team members competing in 2017).

For more information email David.