Bass Strait plane missing 02/08/25

[BurnieM]

Early articles after release mention an NG5 empty weight of 302kg but later googled POH have 335 to 365kg.

 

Empty weight NG5 - 340?kg

Adult 1 - 85kg

Adult 2 - 75kg

120 litres fuel - 86kg

left wing luggage - 15kg

right wing luggage - 15kg

dog (cocker spaniel as I do not see a labrador fitting behind the seat in a NG5) - 15kg

Total = 631kg

 

While this would be illegal I am guessing the plane could probably handle it but all it would take is an extra bag behind the seats and you have a w&b problem.

 

[Love to fly]

4 minutes ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

 

The engine is a 912 ULS (100 HP) and it has a mechanical fuel pump. 

Engine verified by RA-Aus incident report on their website. 

It would be very heavy with 2 people, luggage, a 20 kg dog and probably full fuel with just 100 hp. (and no flaps if the electrics went out)

Thanks for the correction. I was basing this on comments made elsewhere on the Web. I should kniw better 🤷‍♀️

[red750]

Three nulti-posts deleted. 

[Love to fly]

4 minutes ago, red750 said:

Three nulti-posts deleted. 

Thank you.  Not sure what happened. Posted. Put phone down. Picked it up and duplicates. 🤷‍♀️ And there's another one now 🤦

Edited 5 hours ago by Love to fly

[onetrack]

52 minutes ago, Love to fly said:

Hmm what about an electrical failure. I’m told no manual fuel pump, just the electric one. Fuel pump is electric,  No transponder, radio, fuel could be an issue methinks. 

The Bristell was first registered in November 2023. It would essentially be a brand new aircraft, possibly less than 150 hrs flying time.

With a pretty expensive factory-built European aircraft, do you really think that a total electrical failure is a possibility at just over 18 mths old? I see that as a very, very low possibility.

Whatever happened, happened fast, so if it was a major electrical failure, that would not create the scenario of a rapid crash with the piloting experience this bloke possessed.

 

By all reports, he was a quiet and unassuming legend, as far as aviation knowledge went.

He kept such a low profile, I cannot find any photos/information of the aircraft doing any flying, nor any records of when/where it was advertised, or sold to him.

Even the clubs produce no records of him, which I find quite amazing for a man in his position, reported to be "highly active" in aero club activity.

[Thruster88]

1 hour ago, Love to fly said:

Hmm what about an electrical failure. I’m told no manual fuel pump, just the electric one. Fuel pump is electric,  No transponder, radio, fuel could be an issue methinks. 

Engine is reported in RAAus accidents and incidents as a 912uls so would have engine driven mechanical pump.

[spacesailor]

Will a 912uls run without electrical power , an 18  month old battery could be the problem ! 

if, left flat for any time  .

spacesailor

 

[440032]

Airservices ADS-B coverage maps (5 years old) show no coverage below 5000 feet in TAS.

Don't know the status of TASWAM these days.

Many years ago, TASWAM had been operationally live for about a year before Melbourne ATC's using it found out that the simulator crew never heard of it, didn't have it, and couldn't replicate it (easily)!

That was a rather hilarious conversation at the time, coz I was in on it:

Can the simulator do TASWAM?

TAS what?

TASWAM.

What WAM?

TASWAM.

What What?

[440032]

3 hours ago, pmccarthy said:

Sky News had an "aviation expert" Byron Bailey. He said three things and, as generalisations, they were all wrong. 

 

OMG, what an absolute FLOG "expert" - he's living 40 years in the past!

("I'm just really glad to be on TV again!")

Someone get me a bucket, QUICK.

[facthunter]

I've met Mike a few times when he worked for CASA. Quiet, Unassuming and Capable. I doubt anybody would say a bad word about him.  Nev

[FlyBoy1960]

2 hours ago, spacesailor said:

Will a 912uls run without electrical power , an 18  month old battery could be the problem ! 

if, left flat for any time  .

spacesailor

 

Yes it will run after starting no problems

[FlyBoy1960]

3 hours ago, Love to fly said:

Thanks for the correction. I was basing this on comments made elsewhere on the Web. I should kniw better 🤷‍♀️

Someone said it was a 914 which has no mechanical fuel pump only electric but when the information came up on the RA-Aus website it said it was a 912 ULS  which I am assuming is correct

[pmccarthy]

37 minutes ago, facthunter said:

I've met Mike a few times when he worked for CASA. Quiet, Unassuming and Capable. I doubt anybody would say a bad word about him.  Nev

Mike who?

[facthunter]

   Sorry Greg Vaughan, the Pilot.   Nev