Winton Grasshopper

[Roblob]

Hi All!Have aquired myself a Winton Grasshopper and although it's going to undergo a rebuild before it flies again, I'd love to hear from anyone out there who has expierience with one or presently owns one, the usual things to look for ect.

 

Thanks in advance!

Hi Y Grasshopper Just joined forum caus i have owned both a Grasshopper and Jackeroo I flew many hundreds of hours in both in the mid 80's in western

qld . Can tell you a lot about density altitude/ wirlly winds etc . Not sure how to contact you privatly . I Don't do Facetubetwitterbook

 

 

[Roblob]

I'm not as green as I'm cabbage looking haha!But yes most certainly want to be as familiar as possible with the Grasshopper as possible before I take her up, but it's not exactly a short term rebuild.

 

First tick in the book will be the slow speed endorsement, after all they aren't quick.

 

I've heard from a few people that Grasshoppers had a tendency to refuse to roll wings level if you exceeded 15 degrees bank too[/QU

 

Hi All!Have aquired myself a Winton Grasshopper and although it's going to undergo a rebuild before it flies again, I'd love to hear from anyone out there who has expierience with one or presently owns one, the usual things to look for ect.

 

Thanks in advance!

G-Day again Y G-hopper Be carefull in a steepish turn As noted in this forum they are difficult to return to level flight after a steepish turn I found that full ailreon+ liberal application of opposite rudder +power and nose down a tad to get air over your rudder worked. Of course you require ample air under your bum to do this Please safety tie the rubber pullstart chord if you have the Robbin engine It will unbalance the prop markedly if the return spring fails

 

[AussieB1rd]

Not sure how to contact you privatly . I Don't do Facetubetwitterbook

What's wrong with right here, then we all gain the knowledge you have to pass on

 

 

[Roblob]

Ok Good idea. Forgot i also had a Stingray By Ray Tolhurst which was basically a Grasshopper copy except for cantliver wings and other small changes I think they were sort of partners for a while . I have seen one of these looped. Never quite had the gutz to attempt it myself even though i was mid 20's and bomb proof then. Did not do a lot of time in this machine

 

As per another comment [and i am talking Grasshopper here] in this thread re returning to level flight from a steepish turn YES... it can be verrrrrry verrrrry hard to pick up that wing ,You need to apply full aileron ,lots of opposite rudder ,nose down and fullpower .You need to ensure you have ample air under your bum and DO NOT steep bank downwind or you may hit the windscreen like a grasshpopper

 

I think it was the result of excessive aileron drag when in the up position. If u look at the aileron underside- front, in the up possy, you can see how the airflow could possibly cause this

 

If you have a Robin Engine PLEASE safety tie the big rubber start chord . It will markedly unbalance your prop if the return spring fails.

 

Check your Cof G if you are a skinny buggar .I had weights tied in the nose . They are tail heavy

 

Be verry carefull of the control cables running under the seat to the elevator especially around the pullys and indeed all cables They chafe and/ or can be frayed internaly out of sight. They are quite unmanageable with a broken elevator cable.

 

Re the Jackeroo Please check/Replace the bolts that the rudder pivots on. I had one of these break .The rudder locked on full lock to RH side I could hold her level with full aileron in a tight circut luckily. Interesting landing though .

 

I probably prefered the Jackeroo because of mainly it,s STOL capibilities. With a good headwind you could trot faster and always won the spot landings and flour bomming at fly ins .They can also be safetly landed through large wirlly winds Unintentional [ Do not try it at home]

 

If i think of other issues i will post Happy to answer any questions :-]

 

 

[YoungGrasshopper]

Hi YoungGrasshopper,If the one you just bought has a round tube trailing edge and a welded aluminium aileron, then it is one of the 13 I built

waaay back. I just heard from someone who bought one of my "Stingrays" and it is as good a new inside.

 

Send me some pics and I can tell you exactly what to do.

 

raytol at tpg dot com dot au

 

Ray

are you meaning aluminium surfaced airleron?

 

I'll have a look over the wings as they're in storage at the moment, and ill send you through some pics to your email, I'd be massively appreciative of any pilots notes or similar documentation you might have on them too.

 

 

[YoungGrasshopper]

Ok Good idea. Forgot i also had a Stingray By Ray Tolhurst which was basically a Grasshopper copy except for cantliver wings and other small changes I think they were sort of partners for a while . I have seen one of these looped. Never quite had the gutz to attempt it myself even though i was mid 20's and bomb proof then. Did not do a lot of time in this machineAs per another comment [and i am talking Grasshopper here] in this thread re returning to level flight from a steepish turn YES... it can be verrrrrry verrrrry hard to pick up that wing ,You need to apply full aileron ,lots of opposite rudder ,nose down and fullpower .You need to ensure you have ample air under your bum and DO NOT steep bank downwind or you may hit the windscreen like a grasshpopper

I think it was the result of excessive aileron drag when in the up position. If u look at the aileron underside- front, in the up possy, you can see how the airflow could possibly cause this

 

If you have a Robin Engine PLEASE safety tie the big rubber start chord . It will markedly unbalance your prop if the return spring fails.

 

Check your Cof G if you are a skinny buggar .I had weights tied in the nose . They are tail heavy

 

Be verry carefull of the control cables running under the seat to the elevator especially around the pullys and indeed all cables They chafe and/ or can be frayed internaly out of sight. They are quite unmanageable with a broken elevator cable.

 

Re the Jackeroo Please check/Replace the bolts that the rudder pivots on. I had one of these break .The rudder locked on full lock to RH side I could hold her level with full aileron in a tight circut luckily. Interesting landing though .

 

I probably prefered the Jackeroo because of mainly it,s STOL capibilities. With a good headwind you could trot faster and always won the spot landings and flour bomming at fly ins .They can also be safetly landed through large wirlly winds Unintentional [ Do not try it at home]

 

If i think of other issues i will post Happy to answer any questions :-]

Don't think i'd really want to attempt a loop in one either, they don't strike me as being anything like an aerobatically capable aircraft.

 

What sort of degree of bank would they start to exhibit that characteristic from? and also what are their general flying characteristics? as i have been told they're generally pretty docile apart from the excess bank issue, and Vmax is somewhere around 80ish knots.

 

Mine still has an electric start EC44PM, though as it sat in a museum since around 1997, and hasn't flown since around that time and quite likely not run since that time either, it'll likely be updated to a 503 or similar.

 

 

[Roblob]

Don't think i'd really want to attempt a loop in one either, they don't strike me as being anything like an aerobatically capable aircraft.What sort of degree of bank would they start to exhibit that characteristic from? and also what are their general flying characteristics? as i have been told they're generally pretty docile apart from the excess bank issue, and Vmax is somewhere around 80ish knots.

 

Mine still has an electric start EC44PM, though as it sat in a museum since around 1997, and hasn't flown since around that time and quite likely not run since that time either, it'll likely be updated to a 503 or similar.

Hi Young G-Hopper

 

 

[Roblob]

Hi Young G-Hopper

Hi Young G-Hopper---Don't look at this site much, Yes u have the right info . They are very docile in most aspects and can be put into steepish turns if u have ample height .It is just something to be aware of .

Give me a ring on 0428996189 Rob