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Err, g'day
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I'm more than surprised to see this list still up and running. I think I last posted over 11 years ago, so maybe an update is in order.
The Q1 I bought in New Zealand stayed in New Zealand, due to the ridiculous cost of shipping from there. It was resold a few months after I bought it to an enthusiast from Timaru and afaik still hasn't flown under his care. I moved aboard a concrete yacht in 2011 and lived on that for almost 10 years, during which time I sailed to NZ (on a friend's yacht, mine was unseaworthy) and actually bought a house there. I also scored a single-seater homebuilt for very little money, but turns out it hadn't had it's test hours flown off and was a one-off airplane, so I needed more training before attemtping that. Of course, there wasn't a flying school within 200km of where I was living, so that didn't work out too well. Eventually I came back to Australia to sell up, only to get stuck here by a change in the rules related to pensions, then CoVid19 hit, and finally a friend in NZ reported that the house had been robbed and even my bed was gone, not to mention my Pilot's Log Book and Student Pilot ID card. I gave up and sold the place. Nowadays I live in a decommissioned Post Office in a small NSW country town, and the Quickie bug is biting my arse again. But CV19 has killed all the flying schools here, and I still don't have the PPL after all these years. I started flying in 1987 but due to financial issues over a long period never got it finished. *sigh* And now that I have the time and can sort-of afford it, there's no-one around to train me. Life. Does it ever get any easier? I see John Ten Have's Q1 is no longer on the VH register. Is he still about? Cheers to all, Rob |
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Rob.. have you considered taking an extended holiday in the States to earn your PPL? Transfer to Australian certification should not a problem since all that would be required is proof of citizenship and a check ride, same as an Annual Flight Review. Many foreign
nationals earn their certifications in Florida. But be prepared, you will have intense immersion!!
If you wanted to move quickly (and you should!) Southern Florida is now moving into the season where there are few if any large storms about. Usually fairly quiet in late Winter and Spring. Prices are lower after New Year as well.
Another advantage is you can easily link up with a member here and probably do some transition training. When you are ready to return down under, then decide if the Q is actually the aircraft for you. If so (and you can find one and are ready to be an owner),
the shipping from the States is drastically less now than it was even 6 months ago.
I read last week on the financial newslines that many cargo ships sailing West from the West coast are nearly empty, so now they simply do not sail until they have enough cargo to justify the costs. A complete Dragonfly will easily fit into a 20 foot shipping
container with the flying surfaces lifted and supported on one end (Span of both Canard and Wing are 22 feet). The Q2 would also arrive safe if properly supported
(18 feet spans for the Q2) and the tail removed as is common for conditional inspections.
The Dragonfly wing and canard both bolt into the fuselage for final assembly. Australia has some strict ruling about Experimentals. For that reason, if you purchase
Q2, DO stay with the Continental Q200. At the end of the day it will serve you well and no hiccups with the authority folks because the aircraft was specifically permitted with this engine/airframe combination.
When I learned to fly I flew at least 4 times a week. My CFI was worn out by the time I reached the 20 hour dual minimum (it was also 40C ever day in 1980 and in Little Rock Arkansas the humidity in Summer is oppressive). We ended up flying quite a bit at
night for the required 20 hours dual instruction. His choice and I was ok with that. Naturally, I became comfortable with night flight and instrument transition was easier since night flying is "semi" instrument flight anyway. I was signed off at 39.6 hours
in my logbook. Solo'd at just over 5 hours. The intensity of training and my unwavering determination is what made my check ride uneventful. I have been learning about flight ever since! :-) Don't give up on your dream.
From: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> on behalf of haiqu <judd@...>
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2022 12:56 PM To: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> Subject: [Q-List] Err, g'day [Edited Message Follows] I'm more than surprised to see this list still up and running. I think I last posted over 11 years ago, so maybe an update is in order.The Q1 I bought in New Zealand stayed in New Zealand, due to the ridiculous cost of shipping from there. It was resold a few months after I bought it to an enthusiast from Timaru and afaik still hasn't flown under his care. I moved aboard a concrete yacht in 2011 and lived on that for almost 10 years, during which time I sailed to NZ (on a friend's yacht, mine was unseaworthy) and actually bought a house there. I also scored a single-seater homebuilt for very little money, but turns out it hadn't had it's test hours flown off and was a one-off airplane, so I needed more training before attemtping that. Of course, there wasn't a flying school within 200km of where I was living, so that didn't work out too well. Eventually I came back to Australia to sell up, only to get stuck here by a change in the rules related to pensions, then CoVid19 hit, and finally a friend in NZ reported that the house had been robbed and even my bed was gone, not to mention my Pilot's Log Book and Student Pilot ID card. I gave up and sold the place. Nowadays I live in a decommissioned Post Office in a small NSW country town, and the Quickie bug is biting my arse again. But CV19 has killed all the flying schools here, and I still don't have the PPL after all these years. I started flying in 1987 but due to financial issues over a long period never got it finished. *sigh* And now that I have the time and can sort-of afford it, there's no-one around to train me. Life. Does it ever get any easier? I see John Ten Have's Q1 is no longer on the VH register. Is he still about? Cheers to all, Rob |
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Hey Vern, Thanks for the encouragement. I actually love Florida, having been there in 1995. I'll give that some thought, but it won't be this year. As for shipping, the issue isn't whether it fits but who will pack it, and how to get it to my remote country location when it arrives. As a former motorcycle importer I'm a bit familiar with picking stuff up from customs hold, but although I hold a semitrailer licence it's a long time since I've driven one.
GA is well and truly dead here. Even getting a reply from airports about basics like how much landing fees and parking cost go unanswered. Being decidedly single I'm more interested in the Quickie that the Dragonfly but have always hesitated on buying parts because it was originally a kit, and building one from the available data is risky. But I've just seen that there's a new one about to fly down south (as reported in the RAAus newsletter Sportspilot, Issue 102 p66) https://www.raa.asn.au/sport-pilot/the-archives/ and that has inspired me again. I also rejoined that organization last week, and did their L1 Maintenance Authority test online, passing with 88% on my first attempt, so I have the right to maintain whatever I decide to build. I won't ever give up on the dream, but it sure has been a long runway. :-) |
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Just as an afterthought, what are the hourly wet rates for training in Florida these days? Might start saving up the pension ...
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The program I am working on now at Boeing in Oklahoma City is the AEWC UK E7.. Australia has a fleet of very similar E7 "Wedgetail" aircraft and we work very closely with the group in Australia. Some of the shocking (to me anyway) recent changes in government
actions there have really been unreasonable. The crime rates have rocketed up, similar in many of the larger cities in the States. My wife and I went to vote on Saturday for Senate and Govenor of the State, and now we are watching what the results might be
tomorrow as far as regaining some form of balance. As it is now the United States is heading straight into the worst of ideas. Oklahoma is a place where conservatism and standards have been in place for decades. People here believe in gun ownership and there
is crime but not as in the liberal left controlled states and cities.
We also didn't shut down from Covid as much as other States, so the economy was much less impacted. We had our losses in Covid deaths but we also have losses each year in Enfluenza deaths. Not the best of situations but people in this part of America are pragmatic
about life in general. Most realize that on a long enough timeline everyones life expectancy reaches zero.
Terrible you cannot get even simple airport data. Where did everyone go? Are you considering the Q1 then? I have flown a Q1. There is actually quite an interest in this original Rutan aircraft (Q2 was not Rutan). A chap in Germany has almost completed his
Q1, and he is using a modified V2 Briggs and Stratton that are used in racing. The Briggs engines have an outstanding reliability history. The Q1 as you might know is a totally plans built aircraft, but the main advantage is the economics both in build and
ownership, and there was never any question about it being plans built. I have seen the main structures built in a living room of a normal sized house. Economic in every way and they perform quite well indeed. The Q list members are well versed in the design,
so there is support.
I flew the Q1 from the same airport I learned to fly from and was signed off as Private Pilot. I wonder if an Instructor in your area might be interested in learning a new aircraft and sharing the ownership, you earn your certification for the cost of the
rental of a conventional design? A bit like a partnership. There is no reason you cannot build the airplane first and then earn your certification. It is after all what Wilbur and Orvil Wright did 😉
Vern
From: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> on behalf of haiqu <judd@...>
Sent: Saturday, November 5, 2022 10:12 AM To: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> Subject: Re: [Q-List] Err, g'day Hey Vern, Thanks for the encouragement. I actually love Florida, having been there in 1995. I'll give that some thought, but it won't be this year. As for shipping, the issue isn't whether it fits but who will pack it, and how to get it to my remote country
location when it arrives. As a former motorcycle importer I'm a bit familiar with picking stuff up from customs hold, but although I hold a semitrailer licence it's a long time since I've driven one.
GA is well and truly dead here. Even getting a reply from airports about basics like how much landing fees and parking cost go unanswered. Being decidedly single I'm more interested in the Quickie that the Dragonfly but have always hesitated on buying parts because it was originally a kit, and building one from the available data is risky. But I've just seen that there's a new one about to fly down south (as reported in the RAAus newsletter Sportspilot, Issue 102 p66) https://www.raa.asn.au/sport-pilot/the-archives/ and that has inspired me again. I also rejoined that organization last week, and did their L1 Maintenance Authority test online, passing with 88% on my first attempt, so I have the right to maintain whatever I decide to build. I won't ever give up on the dream, but it sure has been a long runway. :-) |
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