Skyhog

Get a new instructor!!!

What is the steering link to the tailwheel?There are a few different tailwheel steering mechanisms as we all know,ranging from bungees/springs to castoring/partially castoring.To fly a Thruster it is generally taught to get the tail up ASAP on takeoff as you would be aware Yenn.On some other aircraft such as the Citabria (and maybe the D18) it is recommended not to rush the transition to get the tailwheel off the ground.It sounds a bit like it was hard to control in the 3 point attitude with the tailwheel on the ground,suggesting that the tailwheel may not be aligned with the rudder.Think about if you were happily rolling with the tailwheel on the ground as your steering control and it was 10 degrees different angle to the rudder,then suddenly you lifted it off the ground,there would have to be a drastic change.If you combine this with the torque and slipstream effects as well,it may be quite significant.I could also suggest (as I once did in my Thruster),that you were not paying enough attention with your feet.I didn't groundloop but left the runway.You have probably thought of all these angles but I'm just trying to enlighten other readers of the many variables.

I'm sure that the last aircraft to land as the stormfront was approaching Natfly was in fact a Boorabee in a major gusting crosswind.I was a bit busy hanging onto the upwind wing of my tied down Thruster but saw most of the approach and landing.I could hear calls of "this bloke's dead"and"I can't watch this"but he actually got away with it.He needed wing walkers to taxi back to the parking area.He did a brilliant job to land safely but if it was me in those conditions I would have landed next to the windsock on the grass directly into wind.

There are NO RAAus reg'd aircraft with a 310hp engine.If you were within 3kms and knew anything about aircraft,it would be clear that it wasn't RAAus.There is a very distinctive sound created by 300+hp and 3 blade prop.

Yeah,I was a bit suprised to see him depart in that weather.Now you have put the facts forward though,I guess it isn't as bad as it looked.That Cirrus is a beautiful machine!

Hi Brent.Look here.Swift'Light-PAS This would be the machine as I saw them at Forbes on Thursday.

Here's my lot. 1.Witnessing the last 4 Mirage fighters leave RAAF Williamtown in 1988.They came along the field heading east and peeled off one at a time.This is a pretty standard millitary manouvre except that none of these planes were more than 20' off the deck and a couple of them were only half that. 2.Scoring a 50 minute ride in an F/A-18 in 1990 when I was posted from 3 squadron at Williamtown N.S.W to 75 squadron at Tindal N.T 3.Standing on the top of the range control tower at Delemere air weapons range in remote N.T and seeing an F/A-18 go past on its side lower than me.The pilot said afterwards that he was at 30' doing 480 kts. 4.Being a member of the Australian 8way formation skydiving team competing in the world championships at Turkey in 1997 as a part of the first world air games. I have many other great memories but these are about the best.

I've got one for the next three and a half years.There isn't really much to it,just like going for a check up.

Orange was part of my RAAus X country flight test.Runway 11 is a bit uphill.Don't forget your ASIC card.There is a 5062ft mountain about 5-6nm to the west.I've seen cloud on the ground at the airfield and it snows there a few times each winter.Cadia gold mine is not far to the southwest,you're not meant to fly over it a less than 5000ft from memory.Hope this helps.

Yeah,good call Brent.I do know of a Mooney in NVFR that suffered vacuum pump failure and all on board were killed.I can't say which category this falls into but it could have been the downright stupidity section.If more attention was payed,it may have been prevented.

Ya not wrong BLA(except about my name)ha ha

The GA engines have been proven over a long period but the jabs are running commodore pistons and (I beleive) sort of "making it up as they go".I have never personally had a problem with a jab engine,apart from ice on cruise,but cannot beleive that people rego a jab with a vh on the side and then go flying around (legally) in the dark.

I have plenty of jabiru time in older lsa55 types.They don't do any more than 90kts.They are worth 30-40k.A 30-40k c150 will do roughly the same speed.If I was flying over water or the great dividing range,I really would like to be in the cessna.I have seen the aftermath of more than a couple of jab engines that ceased operation for various reasons ranging from thrown conrods to broken cylinder retaining bolts to broken flywheel bolts.I'm not saying one is any better as an aircraft but one of these engines is clearly head and shoulders above the other.

I know what you're saying mate.My 7yo boy usually flies with me and always wants to have a go at steering.I can't even drive the farm ute any more if he's with me,I'm in the passengers seat forever more.Both kids have been promised a RAAus cert when they're old enough.That's when I'll be sucked dry!

Yeah Maj,that's right.I dragged the old Thruster out this arvo and took my 5yo daughter for a burn (only because she asked).I should have done a preflight on her as well as the plane.Her (very long) hair wasn't tied up too well and after approx 20 minutes at 55 knots,she had approx 1100 knots in her hair.After much discomfort (and frowns from mum) the problem is fixed and we won't make that mistake again.

As a drought affected farmer trying to accumulate more land and keep machinery up with current technology,I've been broke for years.The few bucks spent on flying help keep me sane.My flying bill is not small,but it is in comparison to my farming bill.

Same as the C182E I have been doing parachute ops in recently.Pilot plus 5 jumpers makes a 182 look like a 180/185 whilst taxiing.Brakes are definately required to turn!! It's funny...over the time I jumped out of planes over 2500 times,when the pilot was concerned over something we would just tell him just get us to height "you'll be right mate".When you're in charge it's a bit different.

It must be on the side of a rocky hill for that money.

I put a smaller aerial on mine because I could hear every truckie,farmer and 4wd traveller within about 150km on the channel.Sometimes I can still hear "unwanted" transmissions but generally it's pretty good.

I think the other comment about the Qantas captain IS stupidity.If the 2 Jabirus in question were RAAus reg'd,the captain would have to had to convert over to an RAAus licence with an instructor and could not possibly lack enough skill to do what was alleged.Even if they were VH reg'd,it's still blsht.Maybe there needs to be a tall stories forum added.

Jabiru 3300 engines have had issues with cooling of the rear 2 cylinders.I've heard if you're in a 130kt machine this may not be a problem,but something slower could be different.As for cold temps,Jab engines don't seem to start well on cold mornings.They need to be turning over quite quickly to fire up (over 300rpm).When Jabiru used to sponsor Natfly and had a large range on display they all had solar battery chargers plugged in.

That old timer student never took his hat off(except to sit his theory exam).I wonder how well headsets would fit over it.

It is fine to do what you suggest.I did it for years at my strip which is 11nm from YFBS.The only reason I actually did my XC endo was because my BFR was coming up,as was a club flying trip,so I decided to sort of combine the two.

NO,If you read the previous posts on this page you will see why. While we're at it we should put the Pitts S1s into the ultralight category.It has 522kg mtow and stalls at the same speed as the Midget Mustang.

Couldn't agree more mate,I'd love to own one too.