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rgmwa

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Everything posted by rgmwa

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. rgmwa
    Time will tell... rgmwa
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. rgmwa
    Just curious. How many here fly with radios that cannot monitor a second channel? rgmwa
  8. rgmwa
    There may be a solution. Bex.is working on it. rgmwa
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. rgmwa
    Isn't that normal practice in the USA?
  12. rgmwa
    What did you make the dies our of Bex? rgmwa
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. rgmwa
    I know the RACWA 152's typically didn't have transponders and still don't as far as I know, but CASA proposed in 2014 that they should be required for operations in Class D. I don't know whether that became mandatory. A call to the control tower would be the easiest way to get the answer. rgmwa
  16. rgmwa
    Came across this classic: rgmwa
  17. rgmwa
    Me too. One of the smart early RV-12 builders came up with this modification a few years ago using either a rivet with the stem removed or a ball inflation valve installed as a pressure tap just below the leading edge of the wing, plus a length of flexible tubing run back to the AOA port on the Dynon ADAHRS. Very simple and only cost a few dollars for parts. Dick van Grunsven has been keen to find ways to increase the safety of experimental aircraft in recent years, and an AOA display has been seen as an important aid for pilots. It's obviously only part of the solution, but it's interesting that Vans have now released this kit, which is essentially a copy of the home-made system. rgmwa
  18. rgmwa
    Might as well toss a coin. It will be quicker and just as reliable. rgmwa
  19. rgmwa
    Yes, very useful. The amount of information that these modern EFIS screens can display is remarkable. rgmwa
  20. rgmwa
    This tool is good for deburring drilled or punched holes. Just one or two light turns is all it takes as you definitely don't want to countersink them, just take the sharp edge off. Using a flat file will take off any raised burrs but can still leave a sharp edge to the hole which is likely to contain tiny nicks and gouges. These can become effective stress raisers and lead to cracking. What you want is a smooth transition at the edge of the hole, but without countersinking it. If you don't want to use a deburring bit, then rubbing the surface with red Scotchbrite after filing is probably a good idea. Hex Shank Hole Deburring Tool DB04 - Cleaveland Aircraft Tool rgmwa
  21. rgmwa
    I don't think you're the only one. Practising stall recovery is probably something most of us do regularly, but then you're in a situation where you're anticipating what's going to happen and are ready for it. In a case like this in hot conditions where you're low, slow, maybe the ball's off-centre and perhaps you're distracted by the event, it would be all too easy to put the wrong control inputs in when a wing drops unexpectedly. Not that it would probably have made any difference to the result in this case. Also in a plane of that size, I wonder how often you would go out and practice stall recognition and recovery. rgmwa
  22. rgmwa
    Don't be fooled SrPilot. HITC's got it easy. Now, I had to go out and dig the ore and do my own smelting before I could make a start. He just went out and bought stuff, so apart from the odd bit of fabrication and a few simple welds, he's just about done. rgmwa
  23. rgmwa
    Some good trip writeups here too: StolSpeed Aerodynamics - Performance Enhancement for Light Aircraft rgmwa
  24. rgmwa
    Good general reference here for all sorts of things: http://vansaircraft.com/pdf/revisions/RV-ALL_05.pdf A 10" file works well on long edges. Small flat and round files or deburring tools for corners and cutouts. Maroon Scotchbrite works well for smoothing edges. A Scotchbrite wheel on a bench grinder is also very useful. rgmwa
  25. rgmwa
    mmm...Falco....very nice! Big job though. rgmwa
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