rgmwa

The documentation that came with your brake kit should tell you what type of brake fluid to use. For example Matco say "red aircraft fluid Mil-H-5606 or other suitable petroleum or silicon-based fluids". I used Royco 782. One litre was plenty. Pump up slowly from the bottom using a one litre garden sprayer with some line connected to your bleed valve until the fluid eventually ends up in the reservoir. Do each brake in turn. Pumping from the bottom up reduces the chance of trapping air the system. Nylex 1L Manual Garden Sprayer rgmwa

Airservices want to know where you think they should locate weather cameras: Airservices calling for industry to identify locations for weather cameras rgmwa

Do you mean dual brakes confronting each other in a duel, or just leaving their options open? rgmwa

43. Good quiz.

Old fashioned Brasso on a microfiber cloth will take out fine scratches, or your can buy a scratch removal kit like this one available from Vans Aircraft, and probably Aircraft Spruce etc: Restores Optical Clarity Description Scratches on your canopy? Developed for the Aerospace industry in 1994, Scratch-Off™ has been hard at work restoring optical clarity to acrylics and polycarbonates worldwide. This easy scratch/defect removal system walks you through a thorough step by step process utilizing the most technically advanced system components available. Ordering Information Canopy Scratch Kit Part Number = CA SCRATCH OFF Price = $34.50 If your canopy is deeply scratched then be careful you don't end up with optical distortions caused by uneven sanding and polishing, rgmwa

Others may know more than I do, but any solvent that would remove the paint would probably damage the Perspex too. Also, if the canopy was scuffed before painting you could go from bad to worse trying to remove the paint. I suspect that a new canopy might be the best option, but obviously also an expensive one. rgmwa

Might as well move all the other threads over too Ian. it will save us having to change channels. rgmwa

Yes, I stand corrected on the `anyone can' as per US practice. As I read it, Instrument 15/16 which covers Experimentals, requires anyone doing maintenance to have at least a requisite level of prior experience on the bits they are working on. rgmwa

Yes, just wanted to clarify the distinction between performing maintenance and signing off in response to post #28. rgmwa

Anyone can do maintenance on a GA experimental but only you as the builder can sign the maintenance release, provided you have passed an approved maintenance procedures course (which is all about rules and regulations, not maintenance). Again, anyone can do the maintenance on a GA experimental. If the aircraft you bought is similar to one you have previously built (eg, built RV-4, bought RV-8), then you can also sign the maintenance release (as above). If you haven't got that background, then you need to get a LAME to sign the maintenance release. rgmwa

Amazing how much material, effort and skill went into building these aircraft on an industrial scale. rgmwa

Did the trip in March last year. Had to wait for a day when leaving Perth and then had a day's delay at Port Lincoln, Nullarbor Motel and Esperance on the way back due to weather. Great trip though. Learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I'm thinking of going again in Sept/Oct this year. What are conditions usually like in those months, Poteroo? rgmwa

Nullarbor Roadhouse - good motel accommodation, 95 unleaded and avgas, good gravel strip, long taxy, can't recall the fuel costs but it's the Nullarbor so expect to pay more. I think the motel rooms were about $120 this time last year. Cocklebiddy has a rough strip, but has 98 unleaded available from the bowser. Border Village strip is gravelly but not too bad. Motel accommodation similar to Nullarbor. It pays to ring ahead to check strip condition and accommodation. rgmwa

Took my dad up a year ago for the first time, aged 97, in a plane he helped me to build. Never got a chance to take him up earlier in a rental as they lived on the other side of the country (Vic) so we didn't see them that often, but he always wanted to `help' with the plane when he came over (we're in WA). I had to cringe sometimes when his idea of acceptable practice was more suited to assembling a lawnmower than an aircraft, but it worked out OK in the end. Unfortunately, mum contracted Alzheimers about 5 years ago and died last July, so I never got the opportunity to take her up. Then dad also went last November, but I'll be forever grateful that we finally got to fly when I took the RV-12 over to Vic last March on its first big trip. Make the most of life's opportunities before it's too late. rgmwa

Time will tell... rgmwa

That's what sets Bex apart from most of us watching from the sidelines. You have to be an determined optimist to tackle a project like this. It's no small task. rgmwa

I'd say Bex is perhaps 25% of the way to a flying aircraft at this stage, so say an even 3,000 give or take. rgmwa

Just curious. How many here fly with radios that cannot monitor a second channel? rgmwa

There may be a solution. Bex.is working on it. rgmwa

Mine leaked on a flight across the Nullarbor. Rang the manufacturer in Qld and was told to put some lubricant on the threads - WD40, silicone or similar. When the threads are dry, friction stops the cap from sealing properly. Seems to work. rgmwa

My wife did the Pilot Partners course at Jandakot when she worked for RACWA, probably about 8 years ago now. I hadn't even thought about flying at that stage, but she felt that doing it would give her better insight into her job. It was a weekend course, cost about $750 from memory. She has a log book somewhere with about 4 hours dual instruction recorded. Could even be a bit more. I don't think the course has been run for a long time, but worth calling RACWA to find out. She got a lot out of it at the time, but like everything, the skills and knowledge gained are soon forgotten without ongoing practice. rgmwa

Isn't that normal practice in the USA?

What did you make the dies our of Bex? rgmwa

A couple of interesting videos comparing the Spitfire and bf 109 cockpits. Although in the previous video, the 109 lost points because the hinged canopy made it hard for the pilot to get out quickly, the canopy was in fact able to be jettisoned in an emergency. rgmwa

Bex, I feel I should warn you that while your chief designer is a well known nuclear specialist, his credentials as an aircraft designer may be suspect. rgmwa