DavidJPilkington

Well, I just managed to get to the Victorian Aerobatic Championships with our “new” 1974 model Pitts S-2A. VH-MCR was formerly N20MC and was imported to Australia at the end of 2008. We did quite a bit of work on it including rebuilding much of firewall forward and tarting up the paintwork. It flew for the first time in Australia on 18/2/09 and took a few flights to get the rigging just right. I arrived at Tocumwal on Thursday, the day before the contest started so my first contest flight was also my first aerobatics in MCR as well as my first sequence in a Pitts for some time. Consequently I stayed high which, combined with the smoke from the bushfires, displeased the judges. Pitot-static problems aggravated the situation and resulted in some breaks, unnecessary in retrospect. After the contest a formation sortie with Rob in the other S-2A from Moorabbin, VH-SZE. You should see the photos from this in a future issue of the AOPA magazine. Then departed for Moorabbin with Rob and Bart i...

I've been on holidays here on the surfcoast at Torquay so plenty of time to relax and ponder. Earlier I had anounced my new year resolution: To lay low! The intent is to become less involved in organisations in which I've been active in recent years; fewer emails on the few lists that I've posted on; fewer meetings and committees. i.e. to slow down. That should make some time available for other things and near the top of my list is more flying. 2008 was the first time that I competed in all but one aerobatic contest in Australia. The one I missed was the aerobatic event at the Australian Light Aircraft Championships - they don't allow professionals so I'm not eligible. Victorian Championships in February, Nationals in April, Queensland in June and New South Wales in October. Perhaps this year there will be a contest in Western Australia - plenty of help available from some of us if need be. The Avalon Airshow is in there somewhere but I'm not interested in see...