AISHK Aviation Club

It had been a while since our last update, however rest assured we will still continue to cement our promises.

These weeks were tough, getting back into full time flight training as well as getting my head around the summer course was definitely a challenge however as the schedules calm down discussions with our flight training provider, Learn To Fly Melbourne will commence regarding the summer flying course.

It’s the beginning of a new era for Learn To Fly as we collectively enter a new stage of high professionalism and quality with our partnership with the Australian Pilot Training Alliance, or APTA. Personally I envision the summer course to be inaugurated next year with 5 students from Year 10-12 participating in a one week flying program. We hope, with the growth of the fleet and campus we will have the capacity to offer this course to more committed individuals.

So let the future begin now, as we welcome this new era of our aviation club.

—
Howard Lau, President.

More great news from our flight training provider, Learn To Fly Melbourne!

After discussions with the MAC (Moorabbin Airport Corporation), Learn To Fly is granted a sublease to build a flight training facility in the northern side of Moorabbin Airport. After completion, the facility will include 4 lecture rooms, 15 briefing rooms, 2 cafes, a restaurant, specialty pilot shop, lounge, 2 simulator rooms, bathrooms and a sky view balcony. It will be the largest flight training facility in the entire state of Victoria and is built in order to accommodate the growing number of students and demand for quality training in light of the recent Part 142 accreditation which is one of the most prestigious qualifications for a flying school.

The facility should be completed by late 2018, and students of the Learn To Fly Summer Course of 2019 will be able to train in the best facility in the entire state of Victoria.

Announcing the Learn to Fly Flight Training Centre (LTFFTC) Want to know what it feels like to touch the sky? Our beginner courses will show you if flight training is right for you and all hours will count towards your pilot licence if you continue.

Great news from our Flight Training Provider in Melbourne! Learn To Fly is now a Part 142 training operator. That means we are capable of delivering:

1. Advanced flight training up to Airline Transport Pilot Licence.
2. Integrated courses for Private Pilot Licence and Commercial Pilot Licence, offering increased cost effectiveness and quality of training.
3. Third Party recurrent training for airlines and pilots.

Furthermore, with this qualification we are able to:

1. Offer increased safety with a fully fledged safety management system.
2. Issue Commercial Pilot Licence with a reduction of 50 hours.

These are only the most important points of being a Part 142 operator, so read more on this blog post!

5 Benefits of Training With a Part 142 Accredited Flight Training Operator Learn to Fly Melbourne is excited to announce that we have become a Part 142 accredited flying training operator. There are numerous benefits for students and pilots as a result, and we’ve put together a list of our top 5.

Aviation transforms lives, it inspires action and brings upon success.

Photo by John Chan, fellow pilot and photography extraordinaire. Our Sling 2 pictured here in a typical winter Melbourne first light.

Our flight training partner's BRAND NEW Sling 2 trainer will be ready to fly soon! Join the summer flying course next year for an unparalleled flight training experience.

The sling features excellent flying characteristics, "glass" computer display cockpit just like airliners and provides excellent safety and a highly efficient Rotax 912 engine.

--
Howard Lau

The "Hobbs", also known as the hourmeter is the aviation equivalent of a car's pedometer that measures mileage. Instead of mileage, it measures hours and is used to track airframe time and also is how we as pilots log how much time we flew for one flight! The Hobbs is for our airframe and the Tach, or engine time is for our engine. The Hobbs is normally activated by an oil pressure switch, and when the oil pressure exceeds a certain value it will start counting.

--
Howard Lau

We need passionate and dedicated individuals to continue the mission of the club and allow this club to soar high in the school community!

As you might know, I, Howard Lau am going to leave AISHK soon as I'm in the graduating class of 2017. So I am delighted to say we are looking for individuals to fill the role of vice-chairman that requires dedication and passion.

I will continue to run the club through email and through this page and my personal Facebook after I leave, however a vice-chairman will be required in order to directly control the course of this club. Responsibilities will include communicating with teaching staff, arranging holiday excursions to aviation related places and also arranging logistics for the LTFxAISHK summer flying course when it comes to fruition.

Requirements:
- Be Year 9 or above.
- Have a passion for aviation and the aviation industry.
- Have the passion of learning about aviation, and imparting knowledge to others in order to promote aviation amongst the student body.
- Have good management skills.
- Be outgoing and willing to network with industry professionals.

All candidates should email me at [email protected] with the reasons as to why you think you're suitable for this position. After selection the candidates will undergo a short interview with me on order to allow the best one to be selected for this role.

Apply now, and add one more item to your aviation resumé!

One of the most crucial items during preflight is to check the quality of fuel for contaminants such as water. Underneath the lowest points of the fuel tanks, there are spring loaded fuel drain points that allows you to take a small sample of fuel into a sampling jar or tube in order to inspect the fuel for an contaminants that might get into the fuel system and cause engine troubles.

Water is the most common contaminant of all, fuel tanks with excess air in it left overnight can create condensation which creates water, and therefore "sumping", the slang term for checking the quality of the fuel is required before first flight of the day and of course after every time the aircraft is refuelled. This is also the reason why most flight schools top off the fuel tanks after the final flight of the day, given that weight and balance allows. This is not normally done during summer months due to high temperatures that can cause significantly degraded aircraft performance.

If water was found in fuel, the tank will be sumped until the fuel is free of contaminants.

Photo by Keith Cooper from Facebook and demonstrates what water in fuel looks like.

--
Howard

You can be assured that when you fly with our partner Learn To Fly during the summer course that is still WIP, you're in safe hands.

Safety At Learn To Fly At Learn To Fly, safety is and always will be our number one priority. A cornerstone of our operation is to ensure LTF maintains a positive and transparent safety culture.

GOVERNANCE UPDATE + FUTURE OF THE CLUB:

Hi everyone, it's Howard here, acting president of the AISHK Aviation Club.

Recently I have noticed that the club had been rather neglected and events really couldn't take place, this is due to the mounting workload of the HSCs that I am personally involved in. So I felt that today I should really update everyone on what the future holds.

I really still believe in the mission of the club of bringing aviation into the student body of the Australian International School of Hong Kong. However I will be returning to Melbourne to commence my further flight training to become an instructor in November. This does not mean that the club will disappear into the abyss, however I will still take command as the president of the club and will still oversee club operations and events.

Our partnership with Learn To Fly Melbourne (FYI I am going there for my further flight training) is yet to be consolidated and confirmed, and due to a number of reasons the summer program proposed with them did not manage to leave the drawing board this year. However it is proposed that next year, we will hold an activity week in March with aviation as the core theme and it will be led by Learn To Fly Melbourne. The course outline will be tailored towards the AISHK secondary activity week criteria and will allow you, the students to experience what being a pilot is like and hopefully will broaden your horizons and career choices.

The future is uncertain, but it is surely full of surprises! Have a great holiday and as usual.

Have fun, fly safe.

--
Howard Lau

Did you know our partner Learn To Fly Melbourne operates two Sling 2s? The Sling 2 was originally designed as a long distance tourer which just coincidentally also had capabilities as a light sport aircraft.

Learn To Fly owns the first Sling 2 in the Victorian Region and uses it extensively as a trainer. The Sling 2 is sturdy, strong, efficient and most importantly handles so similarly to traditional "GA" style trainers. Also the Sling 2 had flown AROUND THE WORLD TWICE! The only modification was extra fuel tanks and the around the world flights were flown by designer Mike Blyth and the chief test pilot. It was a good testimony to how well built the product is and even overweight by nearly 400 kilograms, the Sling 2 still performed satisfactorily during the long and arduous flights of the around the world tour.

So contact us for more information on flight training packages with Learn To Fly and experience possibly the most well built aircraft of the 21st century!

Go Flying Australia Podcast 039 – A light aircraft you can fly around the world - Sling Aircraft - Go Flying Australia Blog Summary: Interview with Errol von Rensburg who is the Australian distributor of South African built Sling aircraft. The Airplane Factory which manufactures Sling aircraft currently supplys both kits and factory built aircraft for 2 seater Sling...

Moorabbin is the busiest training airport in Australia, with 4 operational runways and 1 emergency use runway, it makes for some interesting parallel runway approaches! Join the summer flying course and experience this beautifully choreographed dance of the metal birds this summer!