Dave,
I don't even know where Boonah is, except that it is somewhere north
of Ararat, the gliding centre of Victoria. However, your comment
about airspace and transponders interested me, as at least three Clubs to
my knowledge have negotiated glider access to Class A airspace through
Letters of Agreement with AirServices Australia. This process has
CASA approval and a legal instrument has been promulgated allowing access
for non-transponder equipped gliders into controlled airspace subject to
approval by AirServices.
The clubs are as follows:
Canberra Gliding
Club: Access to Class A
airspace within the Snowy Mountains Wave Soaring Area (low and
high)
Grampians Soaring Club: Access to Class A
airspace within 4 sectors of the Grampians Wave Soaring Area
WA
clubs: Access
to Class A airspace in the Stirling Ranges area (I don't know
details)
All three Agreements permit glider access (with various conditions)
to Class A airspace which, in the nominated areas, has a lower limit of
FL245. You might think that seeking clearance to fly above FL 245
is mighty greedy, considering that many glider pilots have never exceeded
FL150, but when the wave is really on and you're sitting on 10 kts
climbing through FL 220 you'll be eternally grateful that you have a
legal means of pushing higher if you want to.
So, in principle, there is no reason why your club should not
prepare a case for a Letter of Agreement for a nominated area. Run the
application through your state Airports & Airspace Officer and RAPAC
for consideration by AirServices and Office of Airspace Regulation.
There is no guarantee that an application will be successful, but if you
don't make one you will never know. All I know is that scores of
glider pilots, myself included, have gained authorised access to
controlled airspace and experienced flying conditions and rewards that
they would never have achieved otherwise. Go for it!!
Regards,
Geoff V
>A couple of the guys were at 8500ft at Boonah Sunday before last
and were
>bemoaning the fact that they couldn't go any higher. If you plan
to go
>into controlled airspace you will not get a clearance unless you
have a
>transponder. I've butted up against this a number of times where
you ask
>for a clearance and they ask 'Transponder fitted' - 'No' -
'negative on
>the clearance'.
>
>When I had my Astir it had oxygen. I used to get lots of
headaches because
>we'd be at 8-10000 for hours and I thought it was dehydration.
Drank lots
>and still got headaches. Then I twigged - turned the oxygen on
to just a
>trickle and the headache was gone!! Great performance improver
for really
>cheap!!
>
>Let me know if you need any help. (0409059929)
>
>Regards,
>
>Dave
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm about to purchase a Mountain High oxygen system for the
mosquito.
>> Does anyone have any advice on purchase or configuration of
the system?
>>
>>
>> regards
>>
>> John Ashford
>> 36>
>> Maintenance Supervisor, Dullingari / Cross Border
>> Santos Ltd
>> PO Box 1010
>> Bne 4001
>>
>> Ph 08 8678 4751
>> Fax 08 8678 4740
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> <html>
>> <body>
>> <font face="arial" color=#808080
size="-2"><img
>> alt="Santos Logo"
src="" href="http://www.santos.com/library/logo.gif" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://www.santos.com/library/logo.gif">
>> <br>Santos Ltd A.B.N. 80 007 550
923<br>
>> Disclaimer: The information contained in this email is
intended only for
>> the use of the person(s) to whom it is addressed and may be
confidential
>> or contain privileged information.
>> If
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