Nice flight tracker work
 

I heard the unusual engine pitch as I had my rice bubbles.

nice work!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....df0716356.jpeg

Michael Smith is replicating the Anzac rising sun badge.......most appropriate on this special day.

Job done :ok:


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....cc82f5be3.jpeg

Long flight, 3 hours and still at it.

Poor bastard, looks like he tried to get a clearance into Tullamarine 12 times and gave up. Must be busy in the class C today. Looks like he took my advice from last week about trying from different angles and he still didn’t get in there.

How much would conflicting traffic have ruined your day. Nice work.

"I say again and again and again, clearance limit 9DME!!" :) :ok:

What a magnificent gesture !!

WELL DONE that man..!!

CHEEERRRSSS..... And, Thankyou.

Good on you Michael! I wonder what the next adventure is going to be. 15 hours duration, hmmmmmm.

Indeed most impressive.:ok: Did anyone else see the TV interview with him?

I found two things a bit odd; The first is that in the interview he was wearing the epaulettes of either a Royal Navy Commander or Captain. Three bars and a loop style bar or four bars and a loop bar.

And he stated in the interview that he was well supplied with something to eat during the flight. He had plenty of Anzac Cookies!:ugh:


Sorry Michael, but they are Biscuits!:= Not cookies!

If anyone thinks I am being a bit pendantic.....Tough!!:*

Well.....I think you is........

Cheeerrrsss......

Pinky, Here's my guess: Mike Smith's flown his seaplanes vast distances around the world, possibly stopping off at a few potentially difficult places? (Particularly Third World Countries.) So it's not a bad idea to wear some important looking 'uniform' to scare off any who might cause trouble.

(Andy Hardy and Sam Kidd did the same during their "Cherokee Challenge" flights from London to Sydney, several years ago. Upon their adventure it proved rather worthwhile, particularly when they needed to recharge their Piper's battery in a Cairo slum. That followed their alternator failing.)

For his Anzac Day commute to and from YLRV, it was probably a damn good idea. Just in case Vic plod pulled him over..

(My humble apology to Mike Smith if his uniform is authentic.)

Probably just picked up the overalls complete with epaulettes from Aussie Disposals.

If you read Michael’s book, you will discover he was strongly advised to wear an official looking uniform when transiting third world countries because it implies government backing. This is important in the Third world.

The converse, looking like an Australian Bogan (which Michael most definitely isn’t) when you arrive at a Third world airport will see you treated accordingly.

Spot on Pinky!! Now I am off walking down the side walk to the drug store for a soda and a cookie. Have a nice day plus tax.

Thank goodness for the equator, God bless Australia!

Lb.

Liklik balus; Nogat sem bilong yu?:D

As he is a past Commodore of the Yacht Club which sponsored him he is surely entitled to wear it's Royal uniform proudly. It is after all a boat he flew.

Past Commodore, yes. Sponsored? No. We have all watched Michael first with curiosity, then with respect. I still remember the first arrival of the Searey at low tide. The new Sea Bear is a very capable aircraft and I think Michael’s has 915’s and Airmaster props. I wonder what the next adventure will be?

On the subject of uniforms Michael was advised to dress the part, as I believe have others before him. Third world officials are used to deferring to members of the military. Yacht club uniform is insufficiently impressive.

I defer to you about the sponsorship, I knew he departed and arrived there and had thought I had read that. As far as uniforms were concerned, although many clubs changed their uniforms in recent years to be more in line with modern fashion and also the trend towards a more egalitarian structure most Commodore Uniforms in fact included the gold he wore but without generally the aviation wings although I think if there was an entitlement to them they formed part of the formal uniform. It is true that uniforms can help in many countries, though it is also possible that they could cause a barrier if they appear military based in others. I presume that was a factor for him too. He still has my utmost respect and I would dearly love to share a dinner table with him but alas that never will be.


Seabear 4 to the moon? Whatever it is I will want to follow every minute.

He appears to be running VH reg now. How does he get around the whole selling of images / videos as a private operation? There seems to be a lot of this going on at the moment.

Yes, uniforms are highly advised in countries that have a predilection for bling, braid and badges as well as a penchant for triplicates of useless paperwork. It's not about a power trip, it's about making things simpler. Pilots there are expected to be in uniform, either military or civilian. For a pilot not to be in uniform often just arouses questions that are just not worth the hassle on a long day.

I know of one company that frequently positions empty and the decision to wear uniform is usually based on the aforementioned matters!