Blackhawk

Thanks FB1960,

I knew they stopped production in 2013 and only about 100 were manufactured from 1992 with most being used for military flight training and also private flight training. in Europe.

If anyone knows of a non flying Skyboy for parts anywhere, let me know.

Anyone here owned an Interplane Skyboy.

How many were imported to Aus.

how many are still flying.

Any for sale.

I wrote to Malcolm Turnbull when he was prime minister and the government was selling off the C130's to Indoneasia for peanuts.

I suggested they convert them to Fire Bombers to fight australian bush fires plus any other emergency use; never got a response, but Indoneasia ended up with them. (plus multi millions in new spares)

These may be of interest;

CLIMATE CHANGE.pdf

If there is a close by water supply that can be scooped up amphibians have got to be the way to go. The Canadair CL415 only carries 6000 litres but it has a fast turnaround & can deliver 100,000 litre an hour which is about 16 loads.

 

They must be getting water from a lake that's beside the fire; it works out to 3.6 minutes per load ??

Came across this headline the other day; "Lockheed Martin expects certification and first delivery for LM-100J before year-end" (2019)

I have admired the Hercules aircraft since they first took to the air in the late 1950's

Their new LM-100J will be a valuable aircraft now in private industry once the deliveries start.

The one thing I can't understand with Lockheed is their tunnel vision for other massive potential uses the LM-100J could have had if they had gone back to their drawing board of the mid 60's.

Back then they tested the idea of producing the C130 as an amphibian.

Now that these aircraft are being made available for private enterprise I would have thought in this day and age an amphibian would be far more useful.

They have already crunched the numbers back then so they would be 75% in front.

All the Islands throughtout the world that dont have airstrips available to them would be able to benifit from freight delivered by plane rather than boats, and the fire bombing capibilities of an amphibian Hercules would outweigh the land base Herucles aircraft; then there is the search and rescue abilities that would again outweigh the land based version.

We have just (and still) going through the worst fire season on record and a fleet of these amphibian Herc's would have astonshing results.

The water bombers that have been fighing our bush fires here in Australia are doing an excellent job, but more water means quicker results.

Saw this on another forum; A-22 landing and taking off on a ship.

And that's the problem. I have an RV-9A, registered RAAus. I'm swapping it to VH-, but as I built it, I can maintain it.

 

If I sell it to someone else, they will need a LAME to maintain it if they keep it VH-, but if they bring it back to RAAus, they won't. The system is broken. At least I made a comment on this peculiarity, but whether they recognise it and then close it, or simply 'meh' it off, remains to be seen.

 

KRviator,

The MTOW for a RV-9A is listed as 1600 to 1750lbs (727 to 795kg)

How did you register it in RAAus ???? when the MTOW is currently 600kg

Roughly you'd be looking at about AU$60,000 for a single seat "KIT" to your door.

The Merlin is a very nice and well made single seat aircraft and were originally being sold by the ProTech company in the Czech Republic; it was listed as assembled 15,500 euro and kit 5,500 euro in 2017

But now they don't sell them from the Czech Republic, it was acquired by Aeromarine in the US about five years ago and the factory works for them manufacturing the Merlin's there for export.

https://aeromarine-lsa.com/photo-gallery/eg-plane-gallery/

ProTech do not reply to emails, all enquiries are directed to Aeromarine and they handle all reply's and orders  

Typically when a good design like this is swallowed up by another company, especially from the US, the price escalates and for the US that's OK because everything is priced in US$ but all other countries especially here, get screwed.

It would be better to buy a 2 seat Jabiru or other aircraft than to import a Merlin into Australia.

  Plane Prices

Top of Form

Merlin price calculator and order form

To place your order please download and complete this order form and send to [email protected]

Total Estimated Cost

AIRFRAME QUICK-BUILD KIT:

 $18,500 - Quick-Build E-A/B Airframe Parts Kit: Spars & Sub-Assemblies Are Riveted All Parts Are Pre-Fabricated And Pre-Drilled. Includes Composite Gear, Wheels, Brakes, Control & Fuel Systems

POWERPLANTS

 $6,950 - Rotax 582: 65HP Electric Start, B Drive, Oil Injected

 $12,950 - HKS 700E 4-Stroke Aircraft Engine

ENGINE INSTALLATION PACKAGE

 $3,850 - Firewall-Forward Engine Package Includes: Engine Mount, Cowl, Throttle, Oil Tank, Exhaust, Propeller, Spinner, Air Filter, Radiator, Hardware And Fittings

AVIONICS OPTIONS

 $1,500 - BASIC PANEL: ASI, ALT, BALL, FUEL & ENGINE ANALOG INSTRUMENTS

 $1,100 – Custom Panel – To Be Quoted

 $2,500 – TRIG MODE S TRANSPONDER, WIRING HARNESS, & ANTENNA

AIRCRAFT OPTIONS

 $5,500 - Brs 800 rocket parachute

 $450 - Upholstery: temperfoam seat cushions

 $500 - WHEEL FAIRINGS: SET OF 3

 $975 - Night lighting package: led strobe, landing & nav lights

 $3,000 - One colour painting

 $0 – Taildragger option (tundra tires available)

OPTIONAL AIRCRAFT BUILDERS’ ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

 $6,500 - Quick-Build Kit - FAA E-A/B Compliant Builders’ Assistance Program. The Builders’ Assist Program can be customized to suit the individual builder. It can be divided into several time periods. It can be increased to cover customization. It can even be offered at the builder’s facilities. We can also offer a reduced cost 2-3 day ‘Jump-Start’ program to introduce the builder to the aircraft and assembly methods. Call to discuss these options. We are happy to make accommodations to each builder’s experience, time available, and locations.

CUSTOMER SPENDS 2 WEEKS IN OUR FLORIDA BUILD CENTER TO FINISH AIRCRAFT.

INCLUDES INSTALLATION OF BASIC PANEL & ENGINE & 1ST FLIGHT

 $500 - Container Packing

 $1,500 - Ocean freight to USA

NOTE:6% Florida Sales Tax If Applicable.

Freight: Pro-rated container cost from Europe: To Be Quoted

INTRODUCTORY PRICING: SUBJECT TO CHANGE

I've done a bit more searching and if you need clarification on the exact specifications of the G97/M7;  Peter Harlow - Foxbat Australia  would be able to give you the correct information as he was the approved Australian/New Zealand distributor for them.

He may even pick up on this thread and let us know what happened to the design.

APenNameAndThatA you will know Peter.

I think you got the MTOW wrong; it's 472.5kg not 742kg

I did some searching last night and found information from 2014, which I've put in a PDF attachment.

The G97 was renamed the M7 by the designer who I have emailed but not received a reply yet.

Cheers, 

G97 - M7.pdf

Thanks Ian

Hi, can you tell me more? Classifieds section isn’t available.

 

Hi dj_rex

I sent you a pm but never received a reply, If you still want the information contact me.

Sent you a PM

There are a lot of difference way's to produce a coaxial propeller drive

This sketch could be one

Or you could use one of these

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Drive+for+coaxial+propellers+1+-+10

Just work on what suits your application best; but I would use belts to the prop shafts.

Only a concept.

Oh, Yeh !

No, it's a side by side boxwing design, but not a Ligeti Stratus.

Bevel gears in a counter rotating gearbox makes it too complicated and heavy; it can be done with spur gears only and will run smoother an quieter. 

Just go up 4 posts; the 3 view drawing is there; it's fully enclosed so you can't see the internal tube frame but basically the same setup as the HM-1000

But not a flying flea design; it's a boxwing.

There isnt a lot of wriggle room if you dream includes a couple of 100-150mm dia high speed bearings and a bevel gear system with torsional vibration dampening - I dont want to appear to be a troll or naysayer, I know how difficult it is to design and build an aircraft within the RAA regs.

I don't know where you got 100-150mm high speed bearings and especially a bevel gear system.

If you look closely at the HM1000 photo you will see the tube that has the prop hub is about 44mm so the solid bearing shaft would be 38mm, so the bearings would be 38mm ID x 63mm OD x 4 off (2 at the front of the hub and 2 at the hub. This is a proven system and has been operating for nearly 20 years.

Being a belt drive it gives you the required reduction and would be turning the prop at about 2700rpm max. and using belts, torsional vibrations are almost nil.

The top support for the rear fuselage is that thin solid round bar (about 20mm OD) that connects to the 38mm solid bar at the front of the prop.

Haven't got a clue where your bevel gear system would go.

This is another brilliant mid tailboom propeller aircraft; the HB-204 Tornado tandem seat trainer.

This is my concept mid boom propeller aircraft; a bit heavier the yours at 600kg MTOW and the boom has more support from below.

It should have very good handling characteristics and light on fuel. 

Unfortunately no folding wings.