rodgerc

The venerable Warrior II 160HP has a wing loading around 13.7lbs/sqft and weight to power of 14.5lbs/HP. On a good day she’ll climb at about 600-700fpm, cruise at ~115kts and stall around 44kts. A 600kg MTOW Sling 2 has a somewhat lower wing loading at around 10.4lbs/sqft and a better weight to power of 13.2lbs/HP when fitted with a bog standard 912ULS. It climbs at 700fpm, cruises about the same or better than the Warrior and stalls at about 40kts. (The 700kg Group G RA-Aus registered Sling 2 will bring the wing loading closer the the Warrior at 12.1lbs/sqft when that becomes a reality) Both aircraft are low-wing and tricycle undercarriage but significantly, the Warrior will set you back $95/hr in Avgas versus $40/hr for RON95 ULP in the Sling….and if you’re capable of building a Sling 2 kit you’ll save an extra thousand or two each year by performing your own annuals. The Sling 2 seems a pretty good fit for a Warrior 2 nostalgic.

It makes as much sense (but is potential more dangerous) as delivering law and medicine lectures to students in Latin.

Yes…but of more annoyance is the drumming from my ANR headset from sound leaks caused by glass’ arms.

I’d like to imagine there is a moral in this (Storey Bridge) photograph….. Imagine if before “the decisive moment” Nino had been a little miffed that he had missed out on scoring a prime position along with the Hi-Vis jacketed crew on top of the bridge….Appeals to my sense of justice.

Poor Skyranger 😕

All good JG….It works for me….I’m in your hangar block at YKCY but currently at Loch Lomond, so very appropriate selection I’d say.

This RANS aircraft was offered to Piper some years ago when they were looking for a product for the 1320lb MTOW LSA market. Piper opted to go with the CZAW SportCruiser, but not for long.

Southco

With apologies to Ella Fitzgerald…. You like Werner and I like Verner, You like tomato and I like tomahto, Werner, Verner, potato, potahto, Let’s call the whole thing off.

Thanks Clinton. Yours is an all-too-familiar scenario. Good luck with your adventure.

Hi Clinton….I’m not a S14 owner sorry, (S-20) but I am curious to know your motivation to return to RAA. Lower cost of flying/ownership, freedoms, medicals, reduced bureaucracy, other?

....and a locally built example

On the subject of power plant cost, based on my experience it makes absolutely no sense to spend a single cent more on any engine, until the millisecond after the less expensive option selected earlier starts to play up. At that instant, a pilot’s perspective is changed and the sound reasoning behind earlier decisions is brought into sharp focus.

There is a very comprehensive list of L2 Maintainers on the RA-Aus website. You’re looking for an L2 (or L4) not a LAME.

Ist February 2023…..😳…🤔…😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

As an amateur/experimental aircraft repeat offending builder, it is my opinion that tenacity is a far more valuable personal trait than technical prowess. When I first commenced building I was told by an experienced builder that for any mature model of aircraft kit sold, 1/3rd were flying, 1/3rd were under construction and 1/3rd were abandoned. The two finest examples of the Vans RV6/7’s that I’ve inspected, were completed by builders without pre-existing technical skills….but they both possessed a keen “eye for detail” and were totally committed to the finishing the task. After 1,500-4,000h of hard slog, it’s reasonable to assume that completing builders will acquire and develop the technical skills and knowledge. So my advice to a prospective aircraft builder is to critically assess yourself. If you tend to chase after every shiny new object and have a collection of unfinished projects in your garage, then do yourself a favour and buy a flying airplane. If however you’re prepared to launch yourself “once more into the breach” whenever obstacles, exchange rates, drill bits through fingers or life gets in the way and have a willingness to remake parts 3, 4 or 12 times to get one that’s right, then you’re a homebuilding candidate….but it almost certainly won’t save you money. The joy and satisfaction that comes from sitting in your hangar and gazing upon your completed aircraft will cause the considerable cost and years of labour to seem insignificant….and before long you’ll want to build again.

From my viewpoint, RA-Aus is pursuing the weight increase in response to the stated wishes of its members. Many of whom have both GA and RA flying qualifications. In my case, CTA access is the only reason I maintain a Part 61 licence and the instant RA-Aus gains CTA access, the small novel sized document that is my GA licence will be placed in the round file under my desk.

Wondering if anyone in the greater Brisbane area has found someone who can cut a replacement (copy) double-sided key to suit an ACS Ignition Switch?

Possibly time to become accustomed to VH-XXXX with only 56 VH-XXX options remaining to chose from. The good news is, there are some great choices remaining…. For example; VH-JUF ie New Zealand speak for a very short piece of elapsed time, VH-FVR ie A set of flight rules for those afflicted with dyslexia, VH-ING ie Good rego for a financial institution’s corporate jet, VH-FNN ie Not fun without you, VH-VAQ ie Perfect rego for those in the sunshine state flying an aircraft designed by Dick, and VH-SEQ ie The only rego choice for those living in the best part of Oz. 😛

There’s some scary content in these videos….I’m often amused when I talk pilot friends who say they couldn’t bring themselves to fly in an aircraft they built themselves (experimental/amateur). I counter by saying I can’t bring myself to fly in an aircraft that was built by someone I’d never met…. But then, I wouldn’t fly in aircraft that some of my pilot friends built either.

Heart breaking

Those reading this forum will be.

63 today….~2 1/2 months until crunch date?

Only 78 VH- marks available now. I wonder if CASA is banking on RA-Aus’ 760kg initiative freeing up a bunch of C152, Vans, PA-38 etc regos. 🤔