Hi Wouter, thx for your message. It was about R 550k. Happy to help you with the breakdown and advice if you need. Get in touch: [email protected]

Thank you so much!

It is in Germiston, just east of the Johannesburg CBD in South Africa.

@@FlyingFA ok

Thanks Conrad, great suggestion - will do!

Thanks Jason for your comment and question. I agree with you w.r.t. law, but those outside of aviation don't know about the planning, various airspaces, weather, NOTAMs, preflight, etc to make sure it is safe. So the short answer is yes, but the long answer is a bit more complicated. In terms of the buffer zone: Mainly stay clear, but if you have to, you need to get in touch with ATC and typically follow JHB special rules altitudes and seperation instructions. This is an extract from the enroute AIP from www.caa.co.za/industry-information/aeronautical-information-aip/ top of page 244: All aircraft wishing to enter the Buffer Zone must communicate with Johannesburg Information on 119.5MHz between the hours of 0430 - 1600 UTC and between the hours of 1600 - 0430 UTC must communicate with Johannesburg Area on 126.7MHz Pilots are advised to communicate with Johannesburg Information on 127.4MHz should they have no reply on 119.5MHz when trying to establish contact with them during their stipulated HOD as mentioned. Thanks again!

@@FlyingFA Such valuable information! It makes me feel like a dangerous armed man. Thank you, I'm sticking this onto my notepad 👏😁.

Thanks for your question, perhaps this is a great idea for a future video! But meanwhile, what I suggest is to go for an intro flight. Most flight schools will do them, but it will probably cost about R 2 000 for the intro. To find a flight school Google for flight schools at your closest airport, they are quite wide spread all over the country. I always wanted to do it since I was a child. I got the opportunity just before I turned 40! I went to Grand Central airport (actually for lunch at the restuarant) and then popped into two flight schools and asked them to explain the costs. Both provided me with costing and I decided to go with an intro flight with the one that resonated more with me. I guess there is more to choosing a flight school, especially reputation, fleet and getting along with the instructor(s). So if your local have more than one option be sure to evaluate at least 2 would be my suggestion.

@@FlyingFA Thank you for your response! I live about 60 min drive away from Wonderboom Airport and I've heard of some schools operating from there, I will definitely start there.

What is your closest town, there could be something closer than Wonderboom, although Wonderboom would be ideal in terms of options. If you do pursue, the issue is that one ends up traveling to the airport frequently, and sometimes without being able to fly. So ending up 2 hours of travel for a session can be a lot.

It depends on the airspace though and where / how far you're flying. For me planning is a critical aspect of safety to make sure you don't infringe airspaces, or know how to fly in them, weather and Notams can also be critical.

😂 Yeah... if you want all the the aviation smartypants to give you a lecture you can do that. There is no profession outside of aviation that possesses such a large number of practitioners who think they know better than the next person and can judge everyone's actions except when convenient to them. However, if you don't want want to end up confused and potentially make poor decisions you have to have a plan, unless it's a frequent route. So it's not at all like a car in that regard.

Indeed a pity. What I find strange is that there is no NOTAM on this. Last year (before closure) I couldn't find FAAP official aerodrome data on the SACAA AIP either when I did the blog post.

Thank you for your comment and thank you for taking the time to write a comment - much appreciated!

Baie dankie!

Thank you very much!

Thank you, and likewise, it is going to be awesome!

Hi Derek, this sounds great! Congratulations, I hope get delivery soon. I agree, fixed gear takes away a lot of headache. And those doors on the Cardinal are amazing. It definitely makes things a lot easier. No doubt you'll be making great memories soon. Wishing you lots and lots of happy hours flying!

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for your message and insights Tony.

Thank you so much!

Thank you very much for sharing your experience!

@@FlyingFA Happy to, and if you have any questions or want a free opinion on anything, don't hesitate to ask.

Hi Tyson, thanks for your question! These engines are very basic and it doesn't have automatic fuel management like we have on cars. I'm principle fuel burns in an air and fuel mixture that is set alight by the spark plug. One part fuel with between 9 and 17 parts air should combust but provides different fuel efficiency and temperatures. We use the mixture lever to vary the amount of fuel in the mixture. This is necessary as the amount of air changes based on air density at different temperatures and altitude. Basically anything above 3000ft one would need to 'lean', i.e. reduce the amount of fuel as the air is reduced for better performance. Before takeoff as part of the run up checks we set the mixture and check the performance. A great video that explains this very well is linked here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYfJmoOrncqYfdksi=hY--4GrQq6FJNko7

@@FlyingFA Thank you *so* much. That was really comprehensive 🙏

@FlyingFA are there any scenarios where the mixture would be adjusted/tweaked/reset *in flight*? Or is it pretty much done once the engine performance is OK at take off?

Hi Tyson, good question. This is something that you need to adjust in flight. There is a range in which the engine will operate, but to be efficient you need to set it again in cruise by leaning the mixture as the pressure will be less, meaning you would gradually get a richer mixture ascending if you don't lean. And then the opposite is true, when descending you need to increase mixture and typically land full mixture if under 3000ft. The adjustment is probably every 2000ft or so and I usually fly within 3000ft AGL so basically it is being set for takeoff at cruise and at landing for me. Its not a constant adjustment unless you change altitude a lot. Managing mixture, especially leaning mixture is quite contentious as it was originally thought that running rich of peak is safest for engine longevity but with modern know how it is becoming preferred to lean rather aggressively and run lean of peak. Having a good engine monitor should make this easy. I'm busy installing a JPI830 engine monitor in my aircraft now (should be done this week) and I'm keen to see how this changes how I operate the aircraft.

@@FlyingFA Thanks once again! 😊🙏 Your pilot journey is so inspiring and I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Looking forward to more of your videos 🫡

Hi @JostleMedia, good question. I'm terms of general aviation, single engine, 4 seats, it doesn't get much better than the 235. My aircraft has quite a high empty weight compared to POH, but gives me useful load of 537kg and payload with full fuel (82 gal) of 308 kgs. So full fuel takes 229kg, but gives 6 hours+ endurance so one could sacrifice there if needed. 308 kg may be a bit short for 4 adults depending on weight, but it could be possible if avg weight is 70kg leaving you with 28kgs of bags. If you go half tanks with 3h+ endurance then you can almost definitely do it. The 182 gives a useful load of 503kgs or 267kg payload which isn't bad but not as good. This is based on what I see here: cessna.txtav.com/en/piston/cessna-skylane

Thank you very much @JostleMedia, I really appreciate your comment.

USD 12k / ZAR 230k all in.

No, I don't unfortunately. But I see many companies are in the ferry business to / from USA. avpay.aero/marketplace/product-category/experiences-services/aviation-services/aircraft-ferrying/

Hi @RaceMentally, thanks for your comment and question. These are April 2022 prices when I locked in the sale and it worked out to $74k purchase, $ 12k refurb and $ 5k maint. So all in all $ 91k but arguably the refurb is optional. Prices have climbed in the last year and every aircrafts condition is different so it's hard to pin down, but I believe covid had spiked GA aircraft in the US alot. I found the following in the ballpark though: 1966 235 with low engine time and reasonable equipment for $80k out of Canada: www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/219506017/1966-piper-cherokee-235-piston-single-aircraft And this one 1964 at $ 106k in Florida: www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/214640541/1964-piper-cherokee-235-piston-single-aircraft They are both the older / shorter layout but equally capable to later models. At the same time there is a listing of $ 160k for a 1968 so very individual. www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/226347231/1968-piper-cherokee-235-piston-single-aircraft That first listing I posted looks very good though. Buy low, improve and sell for profit if possible is what I'm hoping for in the long run. All the best!

Thanks @Vico649, these are great points. Its hard to do a 'bad' landing in a low wing and come to think of it turning final, or any turn opens up full view.

Thank you so much Derek!

Great question @XOrionFE. I'm 6'04" / 1.84m and 220lbs - I was up to 233lbs and trying my best to get down to 187 at the moment, but that's just trying to be generally healthy and active again. Unfortunately life has a way of happening. Your point is valid. The 182 cabin and entry is for sure a lot easier and more roomy. I didn't mention it in the video, but for a long time the only thing I researched were 182s, I still have a document where I pasted all that looked great. My main issue were specs and price, they were priced so much higher, perhaps you'll have more luck finding options in your country. I would say though, go try out a 235. I've not felt cramped in the cabin, and you get use to how to enter / exit. Load rear passengers first, then pilot then front pax. My wife is also not small, so the useful load has a case to make for the 235. One makes the entry / exit work, especially if that's the only premium to pay for a 182... I haven't been in a SR22, but I think two doors already makes that easier. Honestly flying has been one of the key motivations to work on my health and weight. One of the nice thing of low wing is the visibility turning final as some people have commented. But all things considered, make sure you're comfortable and committed, these are not assets that you turnaround very fast.

Thank you for the insights. Really appreciated and yes, that last suggestion is key...comfortable and committed. Big decisions. Happy you found great fit for you.@@FlyingFA

Super, thank you @MaxB50 - appreciate your comment!

Thank you very much Sicelo!

Thank you so much for your feedback!

Thank you so much @etvd1, I appreciate your input that I could use in this video and you feedback!! Fair enough it is double the fuel in my example, but capex and insurance could somewhat be comparable; i.e. a high end car can easily insure >R 5k per month. But definitely safer considering the state of our roads in some areas. Just plan well, be sensible - especially with the weather, and good luck with your aviation adventure!

Hi Patrick! Thanks for your message. I would love a 210, in my opinion one of the ultimate GA planes. Just too far above my reach at the moment, but certainly something I would aspire to. They seem to go for at least R 3m / USD 160k. What is your experience with the 210?

Thank you very much for your comment, much appreciated. It really is great shared experiences.

Much appreciated, thank you.

Thank you, I love the suggestion. It's already on my mind to make a video on the purchase and I'll take note of your points.

I've just published the buying video and I incorporated your feedback. Let me know what you think!

@@FlyingFA awesome thanks will watch now thanks so much for doing it!

Many thanks!

Thank you very much for your comment Lindsay! We've got some currency fluctuation, but all in all it was about USD 11 000. Great value.

Hi Dan, thanks for asking. It was my first edited video, so I appreciate the feedback. Climb rate I get at 90MPH is about 750fpm, considering we're already at 5500 Airfield elevation. Cruise speed I get is usually around 136kt TAS. Let me know if you think of other stats you'd like to see.