BurnieM

These were not top model prices. For Sling 2; a 9 year old, 300 hour kit built Sling 2 with 912ULS was on display, with new paint and upgraded avionics, Garmin G3X efis, G5 backup mini efis, garmin GTR200 radio, g3x controlled autopilot. $185k plus gst. A new base model factory built Sling 2 similar avionics without autopilot $260k. 9-12 months delivery. You can take a Sling 2 up to 300K easy with 912IS, second G3X efis, autopilot servos and controller, ADS-B transponder in/out and ballistic parachute. Over 300k if you add an IFR naviator.

Price wise most (all?) factory built 2 seaters were $200-250k. For comparison a new 172 is over a mil but it does come with 2 nice EFISs.

Yeah, wind was light and variable. This morning I saw 2 departures from opposite ends of the same runway within 3 minutes of each other.

Basic 5 limits you to 2000kg. RPL further limits you to 1500. Good thing a Sling TSI is 950kg MTOW. Quite a lot of 4 seaters are under 2000kg.

2 people, 2 dogs, a decent amount of luggage and full tanks. Basic 5 med and RPL has changed the game. Only issue is the $450k price 😀

There was a post from Aero Sport the US Bushcat distributor; apparently they got told on 8 April when they were at Sun N Fun. GAP only got told a short while ago. Nobody seems too impressed. Apparently they also make parts for a variety of aero manufacturers and this part of their business (including Bushcat parts) will continue.

Parkes Sling porn;

At Parkes; John from Rotax saying they are going to try to price the new XPS oil similar to Shell. Also said he believed Shell were developing their own oil for the 916.

9 degrees and blue sky in beautiful downtown Parkes

I hear there is a guy in Perth. ...

Plus GAP so should be some Slings and Bushcat there.

Its not about reality, its about perception, like NGK sparkplugs. Unless its high volume and they can make a large amount of money out of it 🙂 You never hear this about cars, motorcycles,snowmobiles, jetskis or outboards. Lots more engine failures, some with fatalities and very rarely does anyone sue.

There are a lot of politics both ways ie the CASA delays to group G and then quickly bringing out basic 5 med makes you wonder. Its do-able but there are always Casa rumours. Would require hiring extra staff on a constrainted budget. Annual Casa rego/license fees rumour also floating around but unable to locate source.

Also $240/hr for Evektor Sportstar (912ULS with 6 pack) or $260/hr Evektor Harmony (912IS with EFIS) Those 3 prices are RAAus. He did mention it was time to review pricing so I am expecting maybe $20? bump shortly .

Disappointing, I was hoping for this year. Another reason to go RPL ?

Garmin Pilot displays weather via an internet connection. It only displays ADS-B equipped aircraft via BT to the aircraft ADS-B in (or SkyEcho etc). A more widespread takeup of ADS-B would be very useful. Anything proprietary (like EFB to EFB via internet) is subject to all software vendors getting it right all the time. My iPad mini is cellular but I do not have a phone sim in it. I have to set my phone to hotspot for it to connect to the internet. I believe a lot of iPads are setup this way (no sim) on all EFBs. (Using the cellular iPad version because it is the only one with a GPS in it)

I always think these total numbers for a particular segment are close to meaningless and wonder why they keep being quoted in government reports. Surely the numbers should quote pollutants per kilometre travelled NOT per segment or per aircraft or per litre consumed. I am still trying to convince a friend to use 95 in his car (lowest cost per kilometre travelled) and I keep getting cost per litre back.

As there has been a lack of mobile communication (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) over large areas of Australia for decades, what is your plan b (communications and survival) ?

Same as ShellHarbour. Real hassle is they changed the gate codes after

Basic 5 med is a motivation to convert to RPL. Then you can fly most 4 seaters (with 1 passenger). Also a chance to get your CTA endorsement earlier. Unless the LAME maintenance changes, group G is on its last legs and it has not offically started yet.

Clarify idle speed; 1400 is with zero throttle Normally we use 2000 for warm up

On a 912IS; connect engine to battery (startup/backup power switch) start engine startup power off once rotating alt B (30A) powers engine (ecu, fuel pumps etc) increase revs to 2500 for 6 sec and engine switches to alt A (16A) Alt B is now available to charge battery So you know you have 2 good alternators and battery is charging before you leave the ground. I believe Rotax reconmends a 1400rpm idle speed

Just because you can download the maps does not mean they are in a format that your EFIS can read. In fact most mapping GPS manufacturers use a proprietary format that only their GPSs can read.

Timing of Basic 5 med may kill group G. RPL and basic 5 and you can fly a 4 seater (with 1 passenger and a lot of luggage and full tanks).

It appears that this XPS oil is not a normal 5W-50 synthetic without friction modifiers. It appears to have a specialist/custom additive package.