Virago

Just a word about cheap headsets in general ... often, the cords are the weakest link. A quality cord has many very fine wires which give the cord the ability to withstand constant flexing. Cheap headset cords invariably use fewer, thicker wires which cant take as much flexing and so they go intermittent much sooner. Another consideration is the mic quality. Cheaper mics have inferior noise cancelling and greater susceptibility to RF feedback. Also, some of those "gold plated" plugs are made of metal so thin they bend or snap quite regularly. There is no comparison between those plugs and the good quality plugs used on say David Clark headsets. I have no commercial interest (retired) but I wouldn't mind a dollar for every headset I repaired over 42 years. John.

Hi Alan, Sorry to hear about your arm! What have you been doing to yourself? Garry's pics only seem to show the flap motor with a dual stick installation ... and none with the electric trim. I'll send him an email just in case. Take care and look after that arm! John.

Hi Alan! If you have an opportunity, would you be kind enough to post an image of the electric trim motor installation in the Sierra? Not sure if you guys have flaps fitted or not but if you do, some piccies of the flap motor installation would be appreciated too. I'm at the stage now where I'll need to start fitting these items anytime soon. Thanks Alan. John. P.S. You could just email them to [email protected] if you don't want to go to the trouble of posting them on the forum. John.

Well done Garry and friends! I wonder if they've repaired the ferris wheel too?? John.

Kevin, great to see you back on the project! Hope the kitchen all went well! John.

As of today, my fuselage sides are now joined to the steel frame, I have pulled the front end in and am now fitting the top and bottom cross tubes at the firewall position. I was lucky enough to have the use of a bending brake which, even though it only caters for a 6" width, weighs a ton and does a top job on the gussets. When I learn exactly how to format images suitable for this forum, I'll post some. Only last week, I ordered some tooling from yardstore.com and was surprised when it all arrived today (by USPS too ... usually takes three weeks. I now have a real good bench riveter (and a great set of dies) for the solid rivets in the spar caps. Kevin, great to hear you're back into the fray! Looking forward to seeing some more posts from you! John.

Yes that's true naremman ... I learned to fly on a V115 back in 1970. $15 per hour dual!

Eightyknots, the kit is a Morgan Sierra 100. I'm only in the very early stages ... RHS frame almost completed ... hope to start on the LHS frame tomorrow. John.

Hi OME! Thanks for that, Aviall still have a branch at Jandakot so I'll source it from them. John.

I spent most of Saturday there and caught up with several people I haven't seen since I retired (eight years ago). Matt Hall put on a great show but they put him on first which made the rest of the show look a little flat. There were some great aircraft there including a Waco, Stinson Reliant, Pietenpol and a flying Sopwith Pup complete with rotary engine. Recreational aircraft (19 rego's etc) were not represented at all ... quite disappointing! If flight over built up areas was the issue, they could have got around that by flying coastal from Serpentine, then along the Swan river to Langley Park. I think there may have been a touch of ego in the decision to exclude the non VH registered aircraft.

Thanks for this wealth of information! I do have an air driven pop riveter ... I bought that early in the piece. Tonight I called a friend who has completed a similar aircraft. He used steel stem rivets and didn't think it is a problem. I do like fly_tornado's comment about comparative strength too. Everyone's comments are most appreciated! John.

Thanks guys, appreciate your input! The reason I asked is that I have taken delivery of a kit and on checking, I find all the rivets (yes, all 5000 of them) are aluminium with steel stems. I'll have to asess my options on this one. John.

What type of pop rivets are suitable for recreational aircraft construction? I always understood that dissimilar metals (aluminium rivets and steel stems) could invite corrosion. I welcome discussion on this subject. John.

I recall the comments of "shock horror" when Victa produced their pop rivetted Airtourer back in the early sixties. Many of these classic planes are still flying nearly 50 years later. Having learned to fly on one (VH-APV which was destroyed in Cyclone Tracy) I have no issue with aviation type pop rivets being used, particularly in homebuilt aircraft.

The upper and lower longerons join to uprights and diagonals by pop riveted gussets and also the outside skin. The whole aircraft is basically pop rivetted except for the main spar which has solid rivets. This makes for quick and easy construction but it's still a strong little plane. That was quite a thump it received and I'm surprised it held together as well as it did!

A trainee air traffic controller was receiving some "on the job" training at a military airfield in the States when an SR-71 Blackbird called up requesting a flight level change. The conversation went something like this: Pilot: SR-71 requesting amended flight level 750. Trainee ATC: SR-71, cleared to amended flight level 750 ... if you think you can get up there! Pilot: Roger, SR-71 left flight level 850 for 750!

I will be attending but only as a visitor this time. Have flown in to Langley Park three times in the past, once when I had a Beech Sundowner and twice when I had the Beech Debonair. Now that I'm retired, the Beech's are long gone but I have just commenced building a Morgan Sierra 100 so maybe I'll get to fly in to "Langley Field" again sometime in the future. It's a fabulous experience! John.

Those unzipped rivets may just have absorbed some of the "sudden stop" energy and helped protect the occupants. It is interesting to see that the engine mount pins remained attached to the longerons. I had thought they might be a weak point but obviously not. I agree with Swanny ... these are tough little aeroplanes. John.

Great news Swanny! I wish the pilot all the best and sincerely hope he gets the full benefit available from the marvelous recent advances in burns treatment technology.

Yes, fly off to the right to keep the whole runway in view to the left ... particularly (but not necessarily) if the go-round was due to traffic on the runway which could climb up under you. I learnt under the GA system back in the early 70's.

Guys, I have two points to make on this occurrence, apart from expressing my relief that no-one was injured: 1/. With reference to the pilot drifting off the runway centre line, I would suggest he carried out the correct procedure of applying power, then moving off to the right of the strip, so as to keep the whole runway in sight during the climb out. This would have placed the ferris wheel in his flight path. This is the procedure I was taught and I would not have done it any differently. 2/. The fact that both wings sheared off at the roots proves the strength off the steel "carry through box" frame which kept the cockpit area intact and no doubt protected the occupants ... and excellent design feature!

Just heard the pilot and passenger have been rescued and are ok. Also, the kids have been rescued from the ferris wheel. It appears the aircraft is a Cheetah Sierra 200 (locally made at Taree). Thanks goodness everyone is ok ... it could have so easily been a huge tragedy.

Congratulations Mike! Your first solo is a major event which you will remember for the rest of your life. My first solo was in 1970 in a Victa Airtourer (VH-DAM) and I could still describe that flight in every detail! John.

Took delivery of my Sierra 100 kit yesterday. This one will be built at Port Kennedy, W.A. I have unpacked the crate and am in the process of identifying, inspecting and storing each part. The crate will be disassembled and turned into the long bench. Can't wait to start cutting metal! Here is my first image, with the crate on the trailer ready to brave the traffic!

Thanks Alan! The reason I asked was ... I'm looking at an airspeed switch system to prevent inadvertent flap deployment at speeds above the safe flap extension speed. 80 knots is within the adjustment range of the system I'm considering so that's good. John.