JG's Patch

John Gilpin's home airfield and flying life.

This is where I live.

This is near the small town of Kilcoy, Queensland, NW of Brisbane.

To zoom in on my hangar click the link

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1y6WA1j_h5icm-vCmIaLaiJg6xm7Hbcd0&ll=-26.969267412874792%2C152.56799510773556&z=20

Then zoom out and you'll see the idyllic surroundings we fly over.

It's unusual in Australia to have much water around at all,

but we are right next to this reservoir.

It's part of  the drinking water supply for the city of Brisbane,

so we are protected from subdivision closing around us.
I built my hangar here in 1993 and have flown 3000hrs from it since.

Great flying country for ultralights and sport aircraft.

Several airfields within 50nm and lots of flying activity back and forth.

Excellent climate, shirt sleeves most of the year.

Uncomfortably hot and humid for three months in summer,

and maybe a frost or two in the winter, but that's it.

I live in a man cave in one end of my workshop,
and rent out the house for a basic income.
Of course that's easier without a wife.....
On the edge of a nice small town (2000).
Two fuel stations, two pubs, supermarket, good hardware,
small hospital, big meat works.....
Living frugally makes all this adventure flying affordable.

The view from my window as I sit here at the keyboard.

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To me the purpose of owning an aircraft
is to travel around and see new countryside from the air.
Going for a local flight just to get up into the air doesn't appeal.
Same when I had motorcycles, all for long trips.
So this is a story of long X-country flights over strange new territory.

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Started out in 1990 with a Spectrum Beaver RX40, and what a lucky choice that was!

Fully enclosed so very comfortable for long flights.

60 litres (15 gal) of fuel so 5 hrs endurance @ 48kts.

In Australia single-seat ultralights like this

 are allowed empty weight 200kg (440lb)

so that makes possible a very capable and sturdy aircraft.

We need 20 hrs training and a light sport license to fly, which adds to safety.

Loved every minute of the 1000hrs I flew it, often on long outback trips.

Stories of those flights below:
Eager Beaver goes to the Birdsville Races
Eager Beaver goes to Birdsville Again
The View from Mt. Hopeless

All on a faithful Rotax 447 that never missed a beat.

Now it's retired up in the roof of my hangar so it can watch the activities.

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In 2005 I built a Savannah aircraft from a kit.
Really easy and straight forward, with all holes pre-punched.
Just like a big jigsaw puzzle.
A terrific aircraft for any flying but particularly bush flying,

100hp 912s Rotax, 1600 hrs trouble-free so far.
130 litres fuel, 8 hrs endurance @ 80 kts, so great for long distance travel.
Really good STOL capability, sturdy all metal construction.
Feels like a good 4WD.
Very comfortable and capable,
but not as exciting as a single-seat ultralight...
Cost about $50,000.
Seems like a lot for recreation, but about the same as a good 4WD,
so I drive an old $2000 car so I can fly a $50k aircraft instead.
Much better value I reckon....

Several of those flying adventures are at
https://www.stolspeed.com/nid/16



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Then in 2007 I had the chance to get this Rans S7

I knew these were a popular bush plane and had to try it out.
Flew it 100 hrs in direct comparison to the Savannah.
But couldn't afford to keep both so had to decide which....
Finally decided to keep the Savannah.
That analysis here
https://www.stolspeed.com/rans-s7

Then flew it coast to coast to deliver to the new owner.
The story of that trip here
https://www.stolspeed.com/08-coast-to-coast-by-rans-s7



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Now I also have this ultralight that I designed and built.
I call it my 'High Clearance Trail Bike'.

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1 of 38

Rotax 503, 40 litres fuel, 50 kts cruise, excellent STOL.
All welded aluminum frame, very strong pilot protection.
Folds to go in a trailer, but not as easy as a Kolb....

10"x2" tailwheel gives excellent control even in soft dirt,

too bad Kolb geometry can't take a tailwheel like that...
Makes it into a real tail wheel aircraft instead of a tail dragger.....



Here's a couple of road/flying trips that I have done with this aircraft
https://trailbiketosouthaustralia.blogspot.com/
https://intothetweedvolcanocrater.blogspot.com/



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During the summers of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
I went to the USA and flew a couple of Kolbs all over the western US.

In 2012 with this FireFly

Flew from 48 airfields in 14 states.

To zoom into details of the airfields click on this link

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Upa6ecImE9X5JkbnYSIA-BUkiEM&usp=sharing

The story of this trip at http://jgwalkaboutusa.blogspot.com/


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Had so much fun that I returned in 2013

and bought this FireStar and Trailer

Flew from 13 airfields this time.

Checking out the Bakken oil find and following the Lewis and Clark trail.

To zoom in to airfield details click on this link

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1J48w3wgssHgmHCObRkjr0_xDyjg&usp=sharing

This is the story of that trip http://jgflyingroadtrip2013.blogspot.com/

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Then put the rig in storage in California and came back again in 2014.

These are the 50 airfields that I flew from that summer.

To zoom in to see the details of each airfield click on this link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qUuRWE8PFtYb-w2lQHuN8NiPxwQ&usp=sharing

This is the story of that 2014 trip http://jgflyingroadtrip2014.blogspot.com/


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Then returned once again for a last trip in 2015.

 Flying the California Aqueduct and the Mississippi River.

To zoom in on airfield details click on this link 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xVBP_Za7pIkoe4moQX4Z81u8-X4&usp=sharing

The story of this trip is at 
http://jgflyingroadtrip2015.blogspot.com/

So ended the best flying adventure ever!
I really enjoyed the spectacular scenes that I found in the western USA.
It cost a bit but not all that much,
living frugally in the van and flying those little ultralights.
Best value ever!

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