FOR RECREATIONAL PILOTS. Sport Pilot^15
NEWS
ONE GRE AT
MAGAZINE...
TWO FORMATS
THE Board of RA-Aus made a decision
in October to look at options to deliver
Sport Pilot in different formats. The
decision was centred on two key areas:
1) Offering a free digital alternative to
members to aid in reducing some costs
of production and also allow Sport Pilot
to be available on a variety of platforms:
PC, laptop, tablet and other mobile
devices.
2) Giving members an option to
purchase a subscription to a printed
copy.
In recognition of the important role
Flight Training Facilities (FTF) and aero
clubs play, a decision was made to have
complimentary printed copies delivered
to all FTFs and clubs each month as
a marketing and promotion tool to
students and potential new members.HOW WILL THIS AFFECT
YOUR MEMBERSHIP?
A small change will apply to all
membership types as we roll out the
new digital edition of Sport Pilot. The
change will only affect those members
who would like a printed version. All
members will have access to the free
digital version.
If you would like a printed version of
Sport Pilot you will need to subscribe
before June 30. Updates and details on
how to subscribe and the subscription
fee will be communicated shortly.FOR MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
(NON-MEMBERS)
Current magazine subscribers will
continue to receive their printed copies
until their subscription renewal is due. At
that time you will need to decide on how
you wish to continue your subscription.
There will be a couple of options:
1) Re-subscribe to a printed version for a
non-member fee;
2) We are exploring digital access
subscriptions for a small fee to the RA-
Aus website, which will include access
to digital Sport Pilot and a range of other
RA-Aus documents.
Members who do not subscribe to
Sport Pilot (the printed version) by June
30 will no longer receive it in their letter
box.
To aid with the transition we want to
hear from you. We have created a short
survey online at http://www.surveymonkey.
com/s/8VWMM2Q and ask that you
complete the survey by April 30.we’d still be able to see it.
So, after a 4am start, armed with a
carefully marked VTC, DSLR and a thermos
full of coffee approaching rocket-fuel
strength, we prepped our yellow Foxbat in the
beam of our car headlights, taxied as the red
glow of the sun peeked above the horizon to
the east and took off on The Oaks runway 18
in utterly calm conditions, bang on 7am.
Thirty minutes later, we arrived over YWOL
to see crowds of people on the ground, but
not a single other aircraft in the air.
We took position two miles south-east of
the field at 4,700ft and the excitement built
as the clock ticked down. Before long, on
CTAF 127.3, Wollongong Ground announced
“The 747 is due to depart in two minutes”.
We maintained our racetrack pattern and
then: “The 747 has now departed Sydney”.
A few minutes later, we spied the huge
white body of VH-OJA six miles away,seemingly crawling along base leg, before a
steep bank left revealed its huge wingspan
and low speed.
Then: “Wollongong Traffic all stations,
Oscar Juliet Alpha, Boeing Seven Forty
Seven, on a five-mile final straight-in runway
one six for a final landing, caution wake
turbulence, all stations Wollongong Traffic”.
We had a perfect view as she crossed the
threshold, touched down and decelerated
unbelievably quickly. I mused on the novelty
of a Foxbat pilot admiring a 747 for its STOL
capabilities.
We loitered a little longer to watch the
pushback, then headed home after a pass
over Kiama to watch the blowhole with a
gorgeous day still ahead of us.
It was a historic day, a great experience- and I have since wondered how many
ultralight pilots can claim to have flown over
an airborne 747.
Heather Haynes at the
controls with Bundaberg
airport out the windowNathalie Gochel,
Photographer Peter
Pretorius and Heather
Haynes holding the batonThe Foxy Ladies at Bundaberg