F10

Well politics being one of the big no, no’s...but just to bring some balance, I think Trump was awesome. Loved the fact he wasn’t a politician. He had great respect for the US military and was well on the road to getting them out of all the ME mess they were entangled in. He did achieve unheard of peace deals in the ME between Israel and other Arab states, it was a very quiet four years for Israel. He did pretty well compared to disaster Joe so far, rampant inflation, city destroying riots across the USA, highest fuel prices and shortages on record, warfare erupting all over the ME again, border security and immigration control in utter chaos. As for his medical team, Dr “death” Fauci, who funded cross over research at Wuhan labs and has tried to cover up this damn thing escaped out of their lab. This after Trump was called a bigot and racist after he called it. Yes, as someone commented earlier...it’s going to be a veeeery looong 4 years.

Yes I know it was easier to organise the Normandy Landings, then get an airfield fuel installation approved and installed. Which is the world we live in today sadly. We’ve just had one installed in Yarram, with a large chopper pad right next to it, but I’m not convinced the fuel hose will reach a helicopter like an A139, parked at centre pad.....I just find it a pity it can’t be used by the majority of aircraft hangared at the field. But, it’s still good to have at the end of the day.

Just seems strange with so many LSA/RA aircraft using Mogas, it’s still so rare at some smaller airports. As a bonus, club members could even be buying more, to fill their cars!

I remember Hurricane Andrew I think it was, caused severe damage to Kermit Weeks’ aircraft collection. Was watching some of his utube clips, taken at his “Fantasy of Flight”, still down in Florida....If I was him, I would be having sleepless nights.....but then you have Tornados in the Midwest...can’t win. Still wish I had his collection however.....!

Would be great to have Mogas at more airports or rather, small airfields with RA aircraft operations. Rotax discourage Avgas usage, because of led affecting the gearbox, and leaving led sludge in the oil. I hevesen on occasion led globules closing up plug gaps causing a misfire on Lycomings/Continentals (can clear sometimes by running at high power), but never heard of any other problems like oil sludge with regular aero engines? Another question, topping up your tanks (Mogas) with Avgas, to make it home, I guess that should not be a big issue?

Yes...One thing I’ve always liked about trim tabs, they give you some form of main control failure redundancy...but in the Gazelle the trim just biases the control stick neutral position...so no secondary control possible with that. For my own peace of mind, I removed the one panel under the tail plane so I could inspect the elevator pushrod tie rod end and rose joint, gave it a lube too. Looked ok, but I think I might cut a section of the panel away and replace it with a piece of Lexan, so I can visually check it on a pre flight.

Yes I agree, and a mate at my club said the same...I just drain the collector tank and gascolator twice or three times if I see any UFO’s (unidentified floating objects). Still creeps me out a bit...those jets and for example choke fuel drilling’s in these Bings are pretty small and fine. I think you can pop the bowls off pretty easily with that clip. Easier than most car or bike carbs. Mine aren’t wire locked....perhaps they should be? But it takes a bit of force to pop the clips holding the bowls of, so not somthing that will easily come undone.

Yes, if you find you are flying S&L with your trim far out from its neutral or cruise setting, this would indicate a C of G problem. Yes, this would also show up if you had a large elevator deflection to maintain level flight. One thing to consider is, changing weight with new avionics or such like, in the cockpit area, probably won’t have a large effect, but putting in kit or an item near the tail, can have a surprisingly large affect on aircraftCofG. For example, I was told that one of the dangers of damage to a 206 Jetranger helicopter tail rotor, is this can cause a severe imbalance vibration, which can cause the tail rotor gearbox to depart the aircraft. Now a 206 tail rotor gearbox is actually quite small. However, should this occur, despite its small size, it can cause the aircraft CofG to go totally out of forward limits leading to loss of control, because the tail rotor gearbox is located at the very end of the tail boom.

Interesting. I’m sure fuel tank venting is sometimes neglected, but it is vital for good fuel flow. My Gazelle vents are a clever design, butI think are a bit prone to blocking up if not kept an eye on. I would prefer small tubes on the fuel caps facing into wind, like on a Kitfox. Also, yes I actually remember thinking this very morning, that I need to pop off the collector bowl on the gascolator, clean it and check the gascolator mesh filter. This is a very fine mesh, so can become clogged up quite easily. This leads me to my question, you can get these scintered bronz inline filters for cars and bikes, some are in a transparent casing, are these legal to use in an aircraft? You would think an inline filter might stop debris clogging up carbies?

Gee lucky then she didn’t have twins....then he would be for it with CASA! Yeah, love the “minor” engine failure....kind of like a “minor” wing-spar failure!

Well, to add....I see the tech manual says it’s an aluminium tank...so, no corrosion. Fuel does appear on that first drain to be slightly darker coloured...will investigate further I guess. We’ve replaced all fuel hoses, but will double check if we replaced the tank to fuselage drain cock hose...

A further “gotcha” with condition checks are aircraft weight, or when last it was weighed. In the Skyfox Gazelle, the aircraft manual or pilot notes clearly state the aircraft weight is “perpetual”. This may not cut ice with some L2’s. A lot of Gazelles have the new Costal Aviation landing gear struts fitted, in place of the original struts. I understand due to a better bungee chord setup. The issue is, if you have the old ones removed, weigh them...then weigh the new ones, record this “weight off/ weight on”, in the aircraft logbook. Any significant equipment change, should go through this procedure. Yes, you can not worry and merely have the aircraft weighed and a new basic weight and moment arm form drawn up...but I’m told it will cost you around $1000....

The Gazelle has a fuel collector tank, fed by the two wing tank lines. The collector then feeds through to the engine, via the electric booster pump and the fuel cock, to the engine. The system will feed with booster off, the engine pump delivering enough fuel to the Bing carbs. The collector tank is encased in a fibreglass casing, I presume providing leak protection. I have noticed when draining the fuel from the collector tank drain, during a pre-flight, the fuel seems slightly dark in colour, as if corrosion discoloured possibly? Draining another sample seems to improve this. I haven’t checked my maintenance manual yet, but is this tank steel? Stainless steel? Is it possible to have an aluminium one made? Anyone taken one out, apart as such?

Get the Jab! Very tempting, the D250 strain would be good, will my Medicare cover the cost of a D250? Can I bulk bill this...?

I know this post is a bit old, but, isn’t this just an on/off switch? Could be replaced with a simple switch (guarded type preferably) or a switch that has a key? Or am I speaking with “forked tongue”? (I tried....)

Ok, have the Rotax manual, that came with the aircraft. Will see what it says about props!

The Boeing 727 was a rocket ship! It had greater sweepback to the wings than any other Boeing, so could go up to Mach .92, before shockwave separation Mach buffet occurred. Most airliners get up to around M.86. With three engines in the tail, if an engine failed, all you noticed in the cockpit, is the VSI needle sag by 200’/min! No asymmetric. In the cockpit, very little engine noise, just the hiss of airflow. Roll rate was very good, low and high speed ailerons and spoilers. Spoke to a pilot who said it handled like a fighter. Heavy fighter I guess! The tail air-stairs were brilliant, no support required at some small airports. Great pilots aircraft, but yes, sadly killed off by those three thirsty turbojets!

Sadly true, CPL basically useless unless you want to fly charter for the rest of your life, or sufficient to instruct on. However, any airline job or any good helicopter job, all companies require ATPL. The CPL day VFR basic licence is pretty close to the PPL. You just can’t fly for a living with the PPL. The IREX is a seperate exam as such. Similar to air law really, but you need to know the AIP’s, ERSA and the TERMINAL charts really well! You need to work fast...I managed to pass...only just! Not maintaining the rating however...too expensive, and correct, you only really need it for a flying job. Yes I talked a lot about vertigo in cloud, but as has been said, planning is a big thing. Airways charts make it easy using standard routes. R-Nav approaches have been an interesting development, fairly easy to fly.

Yeah I know...but still a valid topic? Gazelles been around for a while now....

Yes this is interesting. Lots of Gazelles have 3 blade carbon props fitted. With a VP prop, you set the RPM with the prop pitch, the boost of manifold pressure, with throttle opening. With the fixed pitch carbon prop an the Gazelle: If you are only getting 5000 RPM, but have the throttle fully open....could this be slightly over boosting the engine, particularly at sea level, (manifold pressure will reduce with height)? Yes you will not be getting peak power for the climb, but should be getting good prop thrust (coarser pitch) in the cruise? Would Bolly props have some answers?

Pin it baby! When I dive and get up to 85 KIAS, my wings creep back to about 30 deg of sweep...eat your hearts out F cripple 1 pilots!

Yes technically, but if your in IMC, you should be operating under the IFR.

Sorry, wasn’t commenting on your post, more on the topic. As far as I know, the only time you could fly IFR without a clearance, is if you were unable to contact Centre for a clearance, whilst taxiing for take off at a Class G airfield. In that case you can contact them once airborne. They have your flight plan, so Centre should be aware, you will be calling them at some stage. The system of SAR flight following and traffic separation, all becomes ATC responsibility, under IFR. Another interesting one is an IFR Dash 8 arriving at a Class G airfield. If the weather is bad, an instrument approach is flown, and in bad weather, no VFR aircraft should be bashing around the circuit. But for a Dash 8 out at let’s say Moree, when descending to join the circuit, radar contact will be lost at some stage. All centre can say is they “have no reported traffic”. In good weather however, the Dash 8 will be speaking on the CTAF, for normal Class G circuit traffic procedures. My experience at Tamworth (after hours) Armidale and Dubbo for example, is, they come in pretty fast, preferably on a straight in final, and most people just extend upwind, downwind or orbit on downwind, traffic permitting, to get out of their way, in respect and understanding of every minute extra airtime, eats into the profit margin!

“Look out” will never get old! Scary stuff, I remember flying back from a UN deployment to Burundi, mate invited me to the cockpit of our B707 tanker. We heard another aircraft calling up, close to us and because of GPS accuracy, we looked out. Saw this 747, going in opposite direction, the closing speed was terrifying. You have mere seconds....

Isn’t this the aircraft the USAAF had a number of spin accidents with? Not recovering from a fully developed spin. The strange thing is, it seemed the Brits never had spin issues...? Looks like a nice aircraft as such.