From July 3rd to 6th, 2024, Sura Mendis and Jarod Rowe went on an unforgettable adventure, ferrying the club’s new P-Mentor VH-TMG from Southport, Queensland, to Jandakot. Their journey took them through diverse and stunning landscapes, with stops at Broken Hill, Nullarbor Road House, and Esperance. Let’s hear from Sura as he shares his first-hand experience flying this impressive new aircraft and the memorable moments along the way.
Can you tell us a bit about your flying career? (When you started flying, how often you fly, why you wanted to be a pilot, etc.)
I’ve always been interested in aviation but didn’t know much about Jandakot Airport, the Royal Aero Club of WA, or how training worked. My wife, Ramya, bought two tickets for a scenic flight with Rottnest Air Taxi, which set things in motion. First, I realised there’s an airport in Jandakot near our home. Second, I remember thinking, “I could be flying this!” Third, I discovered the Club at the end of Eagle Drive. On a side note, I believe the Open Days the club hosts are one of the most important engagement events for this reason.
My first training flight was a TIF in 2013 here at the Club. It took another year before I began flight training towards a Recreational Pilot Licence and later a Private Pilot Licence. Like many recreational pilots, I trained on weekends, which made progress slow. I thank my instructors for working at my pace. I later passed the seven CPL exams, but my flight hours were reduced as my non-aviation career and family took priority. So, the Commercial Pilot Licence remains on my to-do list.
When I saw the opportunity to bring the P-Mentor home, it was the perfect mix of experiencing a new aircraft, experiencing IFR flying, experiencing the great towns of rural Australia, having an experienced instructor for four days, and resetting my mind for greater things such as a PIFR.
Can you describe your overall experience flying the P Mentor over the past 4 days?
My overall experience flying the P-Mentor was exhilarating, educational, and fun. Our entire flight was under the IFR so entering IMC and conducting instrument approaches were all new to me as a VFR pilot, as was flying at FL120, and it’s impressive that a training aircraft can do all that.
What were your initial impressions of the P Mentor in terms of comfort, handling, and performance during the flight? Are there any specific features of the plane that stood out to you?
My initial impression is that this is a game-changing aircraft for the club. It could be an excellent RPL trainer (pitch full-fine all the time – might be a new rhyme I just came up with), a great PPL/MPPC platform, and it provides class-leading value for money as an hour-builder for CPL students. I am convinced this is the perfect plane perfect for those pursuing a private instrument rating, which I intend to undertake later this year.
Economy cruise fuel burn can be as low as 13 litres per hour. These numbers are crucial for lowering operating costs and reducing the club’s scope-1 greenhouse gas emissions, which is important for our social licence to operate and meet modern student expectations.
The level of integration and automation across the flight displays, radios, nav equipment, and autopilot is phenomenal. I do encourage pilots to look outside when VFR is flying and not be distracted by the amazing amount of features the aircraft has.
The aircraft handles well, has a TAS of around 105 kts, and feels heavier than others in its class, making it a good transition to larger aircraft. The canopy provides great views, but summer might bring some crispy heads, so that’s something to consider on longer nav legs.
While it had no issues flying across the country, this is a training aircraft, and the 30 kg baggage limit (shared between two pilots and emergency supplies) was a frequent reminder of this. I’m glad we didn’t have any significant delays; otherwise, my laundry situation would have required an unplanned diversion.
Did you enjoy flying with Jarod Rowe?
Jarod is a true professional, great at what he does, easy to get on with (which is important when the lack of motel rooms at the Nullabor Roadhouse meant room sharing was the only option), can have a laugh, and has a good taste in music which made the four days enjoyable.
What’s the highlight of your trip?
The trip was memorable in its own right, but arriving at the Nullarbor Roadhouse, refuelling with the cars out the front, and having dinner with fellow pilots was a highlight. A flat tyre in Esperance could have been very frustrating if not for the lads at Esperance Airport, who had the compressor out before I could even figure out what to do next. Thankfully, there wasn’t a puncture.
Having my family at the club as we arrived was special, and the number of people there was amazing. A special shoutout to my wife, Ramya, for giving me a family leave pass, and my employer, xDNA, for giving me an actual leave pass—both of which were essential for me to pull this trip off with Jarod.
