Leaderboard

Having now spoken with several J160/J230 owners who have retrofitted Rotax engines to their airframes, and also having spoken with several of the individuals/teams that actually undertook the conversions, It is very interesting to note their experiences and also their aircraft’s demonstrated performance with the Rotax installed. I am not going to repeat them here as the information would be second hand, but it is motivating for us to fit and demonstrate some Zonsen engines in Jabiru airframes. To that end, we now have a J160 airframe being prepared to have the 110hp Zonsen CA510 that we took to AusFly installed. Once that combination is flying, we will be able to provide first hand performance figures for the combination. We also intend to take that aircraft on a demonstration tour to allow flying schools and Jab owners to experience the conversion for themselves. This will also build hours on the engine in real life operation that together in conjunction with other Zonsen dealers around the world, we can start building reliable data about the reliability of the engines. It’s a start…. Anyway, here’s a photo of the recipient J160 that is currently undergoing a full restoration with the necessary firewall forward and instrument panel conversion to be undertaken. Standby for further updates.

The 110hp CA510 has no Rotax equivalent. It is fully water cooled, and does not require any air cooling of the heads etc. This explains the different architecture of this model.

It is not certified but it is ASTM compliant and comes with the statement from Zonsen if requested. Under the MARAP framework, we will complete the installation and seek approval under the MARAP framework to maintain it as a S-LSA, allowing continued use in commercial operations, i.e for flying school duties. If other Jab owners want to do the same thing, approvals are on a one-off basis so each installation must go through the same approval process.

I presume this is it:

Let's unpack this a bit.. Everyone on this forum against ASIC, as far as I am aware, has maintained that ASIC (and presumably its lesser sibling, AVID) is for security checks to prevent terrorism. I did not, and I don't think anyonw has portrayed it based solely on some Die Hard type scenario. But, if I, as a pilot, am expected to pay for a security check for my flying activities, it is not fanciful to expect the risk to originate from my flying activities. Were the people and the ISIS cell you were talking about deteected as a result of ASIC/AVID? Were the terrorist activities they were planning or training for involve the use of private aviation? Or was it pure chance that someone decided they wanted to fly and apply for an ASIC? My point is, if the security checks are not related to a risk borne from aviation, why do pilots have to pay for the security check and renew every two (or 5 for the AVID, if it still exists)? And how would that be anything other than a tax dressed up as a security regime to fund more general surveillance activities? If it is based on a perceived threat from light sports and general aviation in the private sense (i.e. non commercial), then how is it fanciful to think that light aircraft would be involved in the scenarios that the ASIC is designed to detect and prevent? And why would it be invalid to question whether the cost is proprotionate to risk, regardless of how convenient it is? And if I can get it immediately over the counter, how is that a proper security check before allowing someone to go on their way and commit a terrorist act before the secutiy check is carried out and they are stopped? And why, at the time of applying for my license (which is a cost) and paying the $90 to the government for my medical (of which all the work of entering the data is done by the DAME), can they just not run a security check anyway and not bother me? In fact, if I was a terrorist, applying for a ASIC (which has security in the name) would sort of deter me (although I admit, they are not all the smartest on earth)? It just doesn't add up as reasonable and to be quite frank, your assertion that ASIC does the job is invalid, because they can run these checks without it.. So I reiterate, it is either a dressed up tax or ASIO & Co are still lagging other coutnries like the UK who have a far higher terror threat for far longer and don't need this crap. And, both ASIO and MI5, and other countries' intelligence services are foiling terror plots daily without the use of ASIC or anything like it. Yeah, it may only be $x00, and a bit of inconvenience, but I am with @skippydiesel on this - its just one of a continuing erosiion of rights and increase of costs with little actual beneift and should be resisted.. Otherwise we may end up with anti terrorist laws that lock up whistleblowers who, after all efforts to rectify the issue through their organisations decide to blow the whistle, while allowing those who are alleged to have committed crimes or at least misconduct to go free without investigation or trial. But, like countries such as even the USA, who promote whistleblowing and even reward it, Australia would not want that to happen, would it? @skippydiesel put the response very well. And all the items you list are where the risk is directly from the user, and the risk has a relatively high probability of occuring. And, we already need to have a licence (or certificate) for various flying activities, so the argument that others need a licence is sort of moot. And the cost and effort you need to go through to obtain a licence is usually proprotionate to the risks and probability of those risks materialising your activity bears. I have no idea a firearm costs, but a PPL is,what, around $20K on average and on average takes how long? I am not sure how much an RPL or RAAus licence/certificate takes, but I would wager it is more than getting a gun licence, and for the average person, a lot longer, too. Also, the sheep/cattle licence, if it is a thing rather than regs on registering your livestock and tracking its movements, is about traceability of livestock in the food chain - quite a big and real risk to manage. I am still not sure that the real risk of terrorism from private aviation is commensurate with that. And, the most common vehicle for terrorism - cars/vans - do we do security checks on every driver and should we not introduce a DSIC? I mean, that would be popular at election time, right?

Dafuq 😯 Looks like someone is going to be an ex pilot. Much better than there being ex people though

The longevity of EV batteries manufactured since 2022 has shown that most will outlast the vehicle they are installed in & with CATL providing up to 2 million km warranties on their current batteries plus the ability to charge them in the same time or less than filling up a tank of diesel or petrol reduces the benefit of a swappable battery. Most of the earlier EV batteries are currently being repurposed for fixed storage but if that market becomes saturated or the battery is too damaged etc they are ground up to form black mass and over 95% of the minerals are recovered for recycling.

At the current rate of battery development I can't see much future for internal combustion engines at all. CATL have just unveiled a new EV battery that has a range of 1500km on a single charge and can be recharged to provide 520km of range in just 5 minutes. https://carnewschina.com/2025/04/21/battery-giant-catl-showcases-three-innovations-1500km-range-battery-520km-in-5-minutes-ultra-fast-charging-and-2025-mass-production-sodium-ion-battery/

For those that didn't make it to AusFly, here is a photo of our 110hp CA510 minutes after we opened the crate which had only arrived in Adelaide a few days before the event and we were that busy that we didn't open the crate until we had arrived at Wentworth. Luckily, it was all there and in excellent condition. The fine specimen of a man watching over it is Milton, owner of the yellow Lightning Bug who by the way is selling that Bug to help fund getting the next Bug flying with a Zonsen engine in it. The boxes that came with the engine contained the accessories that we ordered with it such as mounting rubbers, etc.

good luck with it . looking forward to seeing the demo flying.

It could be worse. They might instead remove all mention of any of them, and go on to redact any mention of Enola Gay, because gay is 'woke' 🙄

That is the Jabiru assessment of it... When considering the forces applying, you have to consider the larger order as being more significant. Potentially it's harmonics.. There will be a bad rpm SOMEWHERE on any engine. IF there's been a fault with SOME crankshafts and is Known that is a Quality control issue so fix that anyhow.. Gyroscopic forces broke Crankshafts in Croppy C-180's Pivoting on one wheel at High engine RPM. Nev

Detail is important ..Quote " no component cost to the customer." Removal of engine, complete strip of engine and rebuild with new crank plus any transport costs involved in shipping parts/engines aint gonna be cheap.

What we need is Avid+, or Avid premium, $20 extra for the extra button press or two on the security computer back ground check. Good for those who only need occasional access to "secure" regional airports, same 5 year duration or make it 10 like a passport, then I think we would all be happy. If I was a journalist there would be many questions.

The P3 does not have a mess inside when used just a thin dried coating. (Skippy message not for your viewing; so don't get up tight about the fact that it is not my tube / tyre I'm talking about; I don't want you concerned that its not personal experience / ownership of the tubes😇.) The tyres I'm talking about are not ply rated but advertised as like 4ply in strength. Thread depth is 3mm. The Sava type on Wagga Bike and Tyres webb site. For sure a heaver thicker 6 ply tyre would be better. Yes the 3 corners get us for sure. I carry two spare tubes for this reason to fit a new tube, need to ensure no thorn or thorns in tyre before fitting.

because australia is a nanny state. we have more laws than china.

i think he is getting confused with new zealand. over there you need a marriage certificate for livestock husbandry.😁

Or possibly he saw them, but the “I’ve got to get this rented plane back, so I can’t risk getting stuck by stopping” thought process took over. Another form of get-there-itis.

I have a mate who is installing sodium batteries in his motorhome as we speak. Bernie.

bloody hell. i bet a few pairs of ski pants went to the laundry that night.

He just makes them up. keyboard warrior with google and gpt to add to the diatribe.

Yes, saw this recently. What may be the biggest game changer may be the sodium ion battery production. These don't burn, and don't need excessive amounts of controversial minerals.

Where do you get these stories

Give it a rest Nev. Another completely unsubstantiated sweeping generalised negative comment from you about the 912 series. 50,000+ mostly happy users must be all wrong aye….

For clarification the wiring from your meter box to all of the 3 pin sockets and light fittings in your house is generally TPS (thermoplastic-sheathed cable) and is called "twin core and earth" and comes in numerous diameters. In most houses lighting circuits are 1.5mm, 3 pin socket cables are 2.5mm with things like ovens and cooktops 4mm to 6mm. It all depends upon the current required and the distance the wire has to run. The colours are Live = RED, Neutral = BLACK and Earth = Yellow/Green. That's it. Wiring from the socket or fitting is usually Live=Brown, Blue = Neutral & yellow/Green =Earth. Specialist equipment with comms capability can be different colours depending on the job it has to do.

Thanks. Often cranks have sections that are much weaker than the general section and that concentrates stress in those areas. Poor design. Usually where a throw goes to a crank pin section. Billet is not really like a bit of grained timber as some imagine if it's rolled properly. The ends of each rolled length should be discarded if there's any chance of a Scarf being there.. Nev

Are you saying Brown is earth? I hope that you are being facetious. Better not write that herr for fear someone may use it.

The Cunningham-Hall Model PT-6 was an American six-seat cabin biplane aircraft of the late 1920s and was the first design of the Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Corporation of Rochester, New York. The Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Corporation was formed in 1928 and the first design was the PT-6 (Personal Transport 6-place), which first flew on April 3, 1929.[3] It was flown to the Detroit Aircraft Show two days later, with minor alterations being made later including a switch from a tailskid to a tailwheel. The PT-6 was a cabin biplane with an all-metal structure that was stressed to meet military strength specifications rather than the much more lenient commercial requirements, however aside from the cabin, which was covered with corrugated aluminum, most of the airframe was fabric covered. It had a fixed landing gear with a tail wheel. The cockpit held a pilot and either a copilot or passenger, with a separate cabin for four passengers. The aircraft was powered by a 300 hp (220 kW) Wright J-6-9 Whirlwind radial engine. The company's final aircraft was a freighter conversion the PT-6F. Built during 1937 and flown in 1938, the passenger cabin was modified as a cargo compartment with 156 cu ft (4.4 m3) of stowage space, an NACA cowling was fitted, along with a variable-pitch propeller. A freight door was fitted to the fuselage and a loading hatch fitted in the roof. It was powered by a Wright R-975E-1 radial engine of slightly greater power. Only two PT-6s (s/n 2961 X461E and s/n 2962 NC692W) and one PT-6F (s/n 381 NC16967/NPC44/NC444) were registered, however as many as six of each type may have been built. The discrepancy from many publications with higher numbers may indicate that from two to nine additional airframes were built, but scrapped without being registered or sold, due to the collapse of the aviation market with the deepening of the Great Depression. A production line had been set up, and materials bought to produce 25 examples. Plans for a slightly smaller 4-seat derivative to be named the PT-4, and an armed military variant were also cancelled. One example was used for charter flying by the Rochester - Buffalo Flying Service, often fitted with skis or floats. One customer was the Fairchild Aviation Corporation. George Eastman of Kodak had his first flight in PT-6 The PT-6F was supposed to have been one of three built from parts still available from the original cancelled production run, for an expected Philippine customer, and even carried the Philippine registration of NPC-44, however a lack of funds caused that sale to be cancelled. The aircraft was eventually sold for around $7,000, and made its way to Alaska for a career as a bush plane with Byers Airways.

and this ............... I assume

it's Extremely Difficult to forge something like a six throw crank shaft with seven Main Bearings. The grain flow you refer to is not ideal either in that application as it is in a poppet valve where you an extrude the shape and jump it up to thickness it. Plenty of racing car shafts are from billet and the get a more balanced result as well. Aero shafts are often nitrided where stress reliving is achieved at the same time as surface hardening.. Crack testing is done new and at every rebuild. There is NO non destructive test for Metal fatigue. At some stage the Part should be discarded, "Lifed" or it was built far too heavy to be on a plane. .Nev

I would not call any crankshaft breakage normal. As Paul points out in his vid, the front bearing is very short, the standard prop extension is too long. The crank is not properly supported.

Depends whether it's a recall or not. If it is and Jabiru are paying for the changeover, that's quite normal for Australia, and should be commended.

There's plenty of engines that run exclusively on Avgas and have no issues with Lead even when it contained much more lead than it does today in 100LL.. Being synthetic these days where the Oils will mix does not mean much but infers better quality and uniformity.. Suitable additives are more often the critical factor, The Rotax requires the oil to serve a multitude of Purposes . The friction part of the Clutch(damper) the Cam of same, the reduction Gear and the General engine with Turbo Boost ( heat and load). PARTICULARLY. That is why it requires a special oil. There's a LOT of BS about what oils are best. In this case just DO what Rotax SAYS on the ones over 100HP. the 80HP and ULS can use what they always did. Sludge usually happens when engines don't get to run fully warmed up enough. Nev

Yep. You need an ASIC before applying for a RPL or PPL. I believe you do not have to maintain it after the first issue.

What we need is the same system as the country with the Twin Towers incident that started all this.

I ride adventure motorcycle's. Tubed and tubeless. Vast experience with punctures. A plug in a tubeless tyre works perfectly. A tube in a damaged tyre or rim on a tubeless tyre works perfectly. ( Patch the inside wall where damaged) Tubed , get the wheel off and patch it properly or a new tube. There are no short cuts. I personally wouldn't want to land on a tyre that wasn't fixed properly. Once you have done it a few times it does become easier. Lyndon

Its close; received message that will be approved to fly early next week. We've had short weeks and school holidays over here so expected possible delay. Didn't matter much two weeks ago as weather was horrible, great now. I'll post when I have paperwork back. Thanks for asking, Cheers.

.... Broken Hill Wino and Druggies Cooperative, who, given the popularity of gay 60s effemera in Broken Hill, could now only find an occasional thong at Vinnies or at the tip. "I don't like wearing thongs" commented Bluey "As even when you wear them the right way around, they still chafe your .....

Weather looking fairly ordinary for Wedderburn over the weekend, fabulous for farming in central nsw, we need it.

The Ikarus 452M (B-452-2) was a Yugoslav experimental aircraft first revealed in 1953. It was Yugoslavia’s first swept-wing light jet fighter-interceptor. The all-metal aircraft featured retractable nose-wheel landing gear and was the first to incorporate a domestically produced light metal alloy for its fuselage skin. A distinctive aspect of the design was its twin-fin tail unit, an uncommon feature in Yugoslav aviation. The fins were mounted on beams extending from the wings and connected by a V-shaped stabilizer. The aircraft had a 36º wing sweep, with plans to add slats for improved performance. It was powered by two Palas 056A turbojet engines arranged vertically in the fuselage, each fed by separate air intakes. As a technology demonstrator, its armament was minimal, consisting of two 12.7mm Browning machine guns. It was publicly revealed on April 30, 1953. However, a test flight on July 24 ended in an emergency landing due to fuel system failure, severely damaging the aircraft and injuring the test pilot. To address inadequate engine thrust, a three-engine variant (B-452-3) was proposed, with upgraded armament, but it remained at the design stage. A later iteration, the B-452-4, incorporated a more powerful Turbomeca Marbore II engine, an enlarged airframe, and twin 20mm cannons. Intended for both interception and ground attack, it was designed to carry air-to-surface high-velocity aircraft rockets (HVARs). Despite its modern concept, the project was ultimately shelved in favor of the B-12 interceptor. Results of the experimental programme provided a basis for the production of the Soko Galeb. Only two prototypes built.

The photo is not as described. No front canard or retractable nosewheel. Either these were dropped or they were a later modification.

"Analysis paralysis" Analysis paralysis is the inability to make a decision due to overthinking or overanalyzing a problem, often resulting in inaction. It can occur when faced with numerous options, too much information, or the fear of making a mistake. Frequently a mid range or non-optimal product or action is better than no product or action at all.

I don't mind getting an ASIC but why charge $300 for it and why can't they accept other is that we may already have. For instance my cat h handgun licence took months of applications and security checks , Finger prints etc. surely something like that would suffice for airside entrance. Like everything else now ASIC is supplied by third party providers and they all have their hand out for your cash.

They do apparently get vetted and are supposed to be some form of security clearance and illegal alien thingy check. The UK arguably has a much higher risk of terrorism. And the risk of other nasties is probably the same, yet we don't have one the is ubiquitous across all CAT (RPT) airports. It is up to the airport to assess its security requirements and determine the implementation. I have flown in Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter (more times than I care to admit), East Midlands (landing fees - ouch!), and Norwich Tumbleweed International on nought more than an phone call and I think East Midlands required a flight plan to be lodged - it was a long time ago. My previous home airfield, Blackbushe, required us to have an identification card.. to allow us to put the fuel on account and pay monthly. and to validate to security out of hours departures and landings. Blackbushe doesn't have RPT, though.. but it has bizjets (famously, Osama Bin Laden's sister, I think, died in a crash there prob 10 years ago). In a country that has far more terrorist attacks than Aus, far more regular RPT (as opposed to Bordsville type RPT) airports than Aus, it is exemplary of the waste of time the ASIC is, in its application across the board. I guess UK intelligence orgsanisations have more experience than Aussie ones at this sort of stuff and are mature enough not to require this sort of draconioan application.. Or, as was drummed into us from early days in Aus, "it only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us".. instead of "We'll stop that one person from ruining it for the rest of us".

Do we need to analyse this to death ? 'Repair in a can' products are cheap and in some circumstances (mainly with tubeless tyres) useful. They are less useful with tubed tyres where the tube sometimes tears. 'Repair in a can', spare tube, tools to remove the wheel and the tyre from the wheel and a pump are still cheap and relatively light weight. Buy it, chuck it in the back and hope to never use it.

Skip; I've shared what I know, Your detail is piss poor as you don't bother to share the brand you used with success. You often do this when you push for detail off myself and others, you need to lift your game or exit. As for your comments running down my information you can keep your opinion to yourself. For others I can assure them that the information is as good as top shelf RD testing by an approved authority, and I'll back in the effectiveness of the Motul P3 product for flat tubed tyres.

I have experienced fuel vaporisation with a Rotax 912 ULS powered aircraft. Symptoms were nothing like what I have seen on my current aircraft. Aircraft 1999, ATEC, Zephyr, Rotax 912 ULS - This engine was installed before the fuel return line concept became commonplace/Rotax recommended practise. It did have a return line, routed through a, relativly complicated adjustable, pressure relief valve. Hot day - from memory, 40+C on the ground. Landed/shut down engine, after aproximately 2 hr flight. Short stay on ground Difficulty starting/getting engine to run - suspected fuel vapourisation. Got engine to run - post start checks all good Taxi to run up bay Extended duration high engine power checks, 4000 rpm (brakes on that aircraft would not hold at higher) to give time for vapour to dissipate - all good. Commenced TO - engine lost power/rough running- aborted - engine returned to smooth running on backtracking. Repeated high power checks Tried again - all good😈

I would NOT recommend THAT. DOG only knows what penalties that would attract. Nev

Hard to say. Thoma Bravo does have a reputation for purchasing software companies and then developing them so all is not lost (yet).

If he was colour-blind, he shouldn't have been in possession of an electrical licence. "Woke" is a very abused and misused word today, it originally meant, "be awake" (to conniving trickery, as regards racism and social injustice). There's nothing wrong with people who have some kind of physical or intellectual deficiency being employed in certain jobs, provided they can perform the job to the required standard, and be generally accepted as capable. Now "Woke" is applied to anything that offends conservative senses and established values or positions. There are plenty of incompetent people amongst conservative ruling classes, just look at the recent list of British PM's. As regards employing women, I have employed women dump truck drivers and they had a better attitude to operation of equipment than most males. They had a better maintenance record, when it came to things being broken by abusive treatment. They were better at repetitive, boring tasks than many males. But not all women were capable of doing the job, it was no different to how some men weren't worth employing, either. And when it came to WW2, 30% of the workforce during WW2 were women, and they built everything from machine tools to aircraft, without too many problems. Most of the problems that affected them were related to abusive and domineering treatment by men. The women who carried out transport of new aircraft from the factories in the U.S. to Britain, did outstanding work.