eastmeg2

The same reason people go somewhere cold so they can put on a thick jacket.

Not as bad as was initially thought then.

If it's what I've heard, the trike manufacturer had just issued a notice a few days earlier advising owners to replace the restraining cable for that bar with a shorter version that prevents it from being able to reach the battery.

Hi Jason,

I didn't want to influence you one way or the other, now that you've made your decision, welcome to the area. I'll PM you for more details.

Cheers,

Glen

Hi Jeff,

We met briefly at Natfly last month.

The optional flight to Rylstone during the Megafauna will be on Thurs 24th May, weather permitting.

Airborne have now installed the correct ratio 2.43 in my gearbox and it nows revs to 5400rpm in a static engine test on the ground. Hopefully this will translate to optimum peak engine revs in flight of 5500-5800rpm. Weather is looking promising for this weekend, so I hope I'll have some good experiences to report next week.

I did my Trike license training at Rylstone and believe it or not have not been back there since completing my training and endorsements 5 years ago this month.

It does look very likely that I'll have the chance to fly my trike there again in a few weeks when the Megafauna goes to Mudgee with an optional lay-day versus fly to Rylstone day.

I'll take the second option for old times sake.

Rgds,

Glen

I do have a couple of pre-requisites for that safe feeling though - thorough pre-flight check and the snug feeling of the seat belt around my waist. The seat belt is all that more important when flying in an open cockpit, since it's the only thing that stops you making an unexpected exit when some nasty turbulence rears its ugly head.

Cheers,

Glen

I recall reading an article several years back of a trike with a BMW bike engine converted for Aero use. That article included a story of an engine outage due to the battery going flat, so I assume these engines cannot run when the battery goes flat or gets disconnected unlike what I've seen on Rotax 582's where the ignition circuit is independant of battery power.

Has this all been rectified since then?

Just ask any Trike pilot, or I suppose Drifter pilot or similar would do too.

It is a buzz flying in the open air at anything up to about 60kts, if you want to go much quicker, just look at the size of the windscreens fitted to faster trikes like Pegasus GT450 and Quik. After market touring screens are also popular on XTS-912's in the cooler climates/months.

And taking a look over the side is one of the things I enjoy about triking - you can really see the gap between you and the ground rather than just believing what your altimeter tells you.

Cheers,

Glen

Hi All,

I've heard that Paul Haines hangar at Albion Park (Wollongong airport) burned down yesterday morning with numerous trikes and a few very slick ultralights all going up in smoke.

Anyone got more news ???

I've just heard today from a friend who is collecting their XTS-912 from Airborne today that aparrently Bert Floods has installed the wrong gearbox ratio on a batch of 912 engines they sent to Airborne. Both our trikes were built at the same time, being completed on Friday 13th, of all days. . .

I think we'll be having some words with Airborne on Thursday morning to see what they're going to do to fix it.

NOT IMPRESSED !!!

Glen

Thanks John,

I take it that you did not experience the same thing when you took delivery of your XT.

I've been operating at less than full power anyway, especially early in the takeoff roll since we have a grass/dirt strip and no stone gaurd net yet, although the GRS chute does help provide some protection. Hence it was only when I was established in cruise 3500ft AMSL and specifically tested climb performance that I noticed the engine would not rev above 4900rpm. Our airfield is 2500ft AMSL.

Cheers,

Glen

I've noticed there are a few of you out there with XTS-912's.

I collected mine from Airborne last week and flew it for the first time this weekend. (Not the first time I've flown one).

Airborne claimed they set the propellor pitch so that the 912 can rev to 5500rpm in flight. However I find that mine will only rev to 4900rpm.

Could it be that the engine is new and tight and will free up with time?

I suspect the prop pitch is set too coarse and will bring this query up with Airborne this week, and would appreciate any feedback from you more experienced XTS-912 owners & pilots out there.

It still cruises 56 knots (GPS) burning only 9 litres/hr 2 up. - amazing after 6 years flying Edge X Streaks at 48knots at 15 litres/hr.

And yes, we had definitely removed the airfilter covers.

Cheers,

Glen

Try these guys in WA.

http://www.microlight.com.au/hangar.htm

Rgds,

Glen

I spotted the April edition of the RAAus mag in the news stand today and had a quick flick through. Mine has not arrived in the mail yet.

It had a report on a fatal accident at the Oaks last year, but still nothing on the fatality involving a top of the line 4 stroke RAAus registered trike fitted with a BRS chute in Jan06. That accident was one I found very disturbing and we're still waiting on a report 15 months later.

Rgds,

Glen

Hi Simon,

Well I know plenty of flexwing flyers in Victoria who I'm sure will be pleased to have you drop in at their airfield. Depending on your short field confidence with the Quik I may invite you to drop in at our property near Goulburn NSW during your trip between Melbourne and Sydney. 400m grass cross strips may be pushing it a bit with a Quik.

Cheers,

Glen

Hi,

Am due to collect my XTS-912 next week and will be doing a few circuits or more to learn the differences compared to the Edge X Streaks I've been flying so far. From the check flight I did in an XTS-912 in December it seems that shallower powered approaches may be better suited due to the extra speed involved and I suspect I may need to get back into some low altitude training to fully appreciate the handling differences, climb angles and turning radius compared to the Edge X, just to make sure that I'll know what to expect if I have to do a go-around, and not get caught out by not getting the exact response I'm used to.

Rgds,

Glen

When we made our strip we understood the restrictions to be that so long as you are not building anything and don't cut down trees more than 600mm trunk diameter at 4ft AGL, then you're not breaking any rules. Also hangars less than 100m2 don't require approval in rural areas.

A tramac runway would be considered building something, but a grass/dirt runway is merely a smoothing of the ground.

Cheers,

Glen

Hi Simon,

I'd suggest using a MiniDV tape camera. Because there's less risk of vibration upsetting your recording as could occur with DVD and Hard Drive cameras. Also they're dirt cheap in comparison and still give reasonably good quality video. It will just take longer to transfer the video to your PC than with DVD or HD camera. I use a Sony HC30.

Which parts of Australia do you plan to visit with your Quik?

Cheers,

Glen

Hi Simon,

Unless you're going to have a good cameraperson in the passenger seat you will want to be able to operate the camera with a minimum of distraction from your piloting duties. I use a bullet camera and a cheap security camera wired through a cheap video switch box into my camcorder so I can switch cameras on the fly. I also use a camera remote control button velcroed onto the dashboard of my trike to turn the camera on/off and start/stop recording and connected an intercom output to the camcorder to record on board commentary/conversations & radio calls. For this last bit I really need a 3rd output from my intercom when I have a passenger on board.

Cheers,

Glen

I don't think it is appropriate to be specific about what I've heard 2nd hand until the official report is released, risk being booted off this web forum, or worse.

March 07 RAAus magazine has promised write ups of so-far-unresolved accident investigations in near future editions. The trike in question was RAAus registered.

I can say that I personally don't believe that the accident will be attributed to any mechanical or design problems with the trike, and will come down to a series of events that led to the wings ultimate design loading being exceeded.

Sorry.

The Jan06 Streak-III wing failure with the outboard wing spar breaking upwards and backwards sounds consistent with the wing exceeding its G limit loading. There were apparently eyewitness reports of it being in an out of control spiral dive.

Airborne now have the XT Outbacks on their website. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has flown one though I don't imagine they would be much different from flying the existing faired XT models.

Have also heard that Airborne may be developing the Wizard wing to be used on the XT bases by using the same wing frame as the Cruze & Streak-III. Yes I know the nose angle is different so they must be using different length cross tubes. I did see an XT Outback with a Wizard wing on it when I visited the Airborne factory last month.

I wonder if they will eventually do the same for the Streak-IIB so they can have the full range of wings available for the X and XT models.

Couldn't help but notice that the AIrborne Edge X trike base in post#10 converted to a gyro also has what appears to be a Rotax-912 donk fitted. That and a larger fuel tank have been the dream of many an Edge X trike owner. I myself given in to Airborne's marketing and am updating.

I'm using a "TOP GUN FOX 2 PRO" joystick which came in a package deal with the FS2004 package in March 2006 for about $90 total. It has plenty of features including throttle slide button and rudder yaw control by twisting the stick one way or the other (That feature would be nice on my trike in X-wind landings).

I've also downloaded and installed the Vista Oz packages (www.vistaoz.org/), which helps with the scenery, as well as a freeware FA-18 from I can't remember where, but it's a hoot to take for a blast through the Grand Canyon, 500kts at 50ft & bouncing off the walls occasionaly. No I don't fly that low in the real world. . .

Has anyone found any good trikes for FS2004?

Cheers,

Glen