– Steve Hitchen
The Engadine Corridor will probably work, but like so many Airspace Change Proposals (ACP), it's not the actual change that brings the angst; it's the reason for the change. In this case, the corridor will enable VFR flight from Bankstown to the south-east remaining OCTA, whereas before that route would transit SY CTR, and so a clearance was needed. Perhaps the biggest upside to this corridor is that it will connect the Victor 1 route at Jibbon Point to Bankstown VFR all the way. As it is now, VFR pilots wanting to return to BK have to skirt all the way around the Holdsworthy restricted area and back to 2RN. So, bouquets to the proponents; this is a good idea. But why now? This is about trying to encourage training in the south-east as lopsided compensation for Western Sydney Airport commandeering much of what was Bankstown's training area to the west. Designers and regulators have presumed that having student training in that area is a good idea. I am not convinced. The CLL in the corridor is 1500 feet, and from Woronora Dam down to Stanwell Park the CLL is 2500. If you want to do some stalling, you could cruise to the area south-east of Wedderburn to get under the 4500 step, but with the terrain there up to 1500 AMSL, instructors will need to be happy to stall with a recovery deck of less than 3000 feet. In my experience, instructors turn white if you suggest doing that; they like a bit more under their belt. Consequently, this corridor is good for transit to some where south, but is no compensation for losing training area acreage in the west.
In a GA sense, bits of the ALP's 2024 Aviation White Paper have the potential to work, but holistically this is a plan that just won't come together. Mandating ADS-B whilst there aren't enough engineers to fit the equipment, coming down hard on the operators of leased federal airports whilst promising to review the act to give them security of the future; acknowledging the importance of new net-zero technology for GA and cash for manufacturers whilst denying operators grants to adopt it. These are just a few of the contradictions that mean the entire white paper won't ever be an effective way forward. I'll give the department a chop-out here: they have been listening and this document acknowledges the challenges, but too many initiatives are heavy on motherhood and light on action. How will things get done and when will you do them? This is what the GA community wants to know; it was what we were counting on. There are happy people in the industry, though: regional and remote airports, sustainable technology developers and the eVTOL industry. The government clearly sees how they fit into political policy and has embraced them. But if there is any group out there that is feeling completely ignored, it's the recreational community. Other than a "we're watching you" statement, it barely gets a mention. And yet, recreational aviation makes up a large part of a general aviation community that the government says it's committed to. One of the better initiatives the should work in GA's favour is the study to determine the value of GA to the Australian economy. If that, too, ignores recreational aviation, we still won't know the real numbers once the report is in.
Geoffrey de Havilland is credited with saying that he liked his aeroplanes to look right, because it meant they usually were right. I think, then, that Sir Geoffrey would be happy with the Electra EL2 Goldfinch. This is a high-wing hybrid that uses only 300 feet (not metres) for take-off. Despite the eight electric engines mounted in the leading edge of the wing, the EL2 is a very conventional design that looks right straight off the drawing board. Many electric designs being touted as the future don't resemble the aircraft of the past, usually because of the need for vertical flight. But when your aeroplane will take-off and climb to 50 feet inside a standard rugby ground and still out-climb the grandstands, it does beg the question if vertical flight is really needed. We'll be keeping an eye on this one; it does look right from the very first glance.
And now I leave you for four weeks. LMH is going on leave and will return on 4 October. In the meantime Australian Flying editor Kreisha Ballantyne will continue feeding new onto the website and produce a weekly newsletter, so you'll still be up to date with what's going on. I am headed to Europe, where I am scheduled to visit Pipistrel Italia and catch up with the Explorer certified two-seater, and the Velis Electro. I will bring back the good oil on both of these models.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch