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damo

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Posts posted by damo

    Rec Flying GPS

    in AUS/NZ General Discussion

    Posted

    GPSmap 96 any good?Or oz runways better?

    I like both for different reasons.

     

    For local flying I use the Gpsmap 96...it does everything I need in a small compact device.

     

    For XC trips, the Ipad is great for flight planning and loading all your charts, airstrips and other doco.

     

    With the 3G you can also check weather etc

     

    Our local CASA rep advised us that we still need to carry paper maps etc

     

     

    A new Airborne model

    in Trikes and Microlight Aircraft Usergroup

    Posted

    Some photos and flight review of the Airborne T-Lite at Sun N Fun 2011

     

    It won Grand Champion in the Ultralight category.

     

     

    DSC00045.jpg.acdbd7459a243364100e5ea29b05574e.jpg

     

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     

     

     

    Larry Mednick – Tampabay Aerosport

     

    I am pleased to anounce that not only did I get to look over the new Airborne

     

    nano light at this years Sun N Fun, but I got to fly it!

     

    The construction, fit and finish is what you come to find with Airborne's larger

     

    trikes. Even the cam lock mast block concept found on the Big 912 XT was

     

    present. The seat frame and keel were very original and well executed. What I

     

    was so impressed with was the overall simple, yet smart design of the carriage.

     

    The padded, fiberglass, contoured seat for example was possibly the BEST seat

     

    on any trike in todays market. It wrapped around my body and felt really nice

     

    and gave me an extremely secure feeling compared to some other nano lights I

     

    have flown where the seatbelt is what keeps you from falling out to the side of

     

    the seat. The saddle bag skirts really cleaned up the trike aerodynamically. The

     

    Motor mount was a firewall style install like a Tanarg, for example, which used

     

    the least amount of material with the cleanest engine install. Even the fuel

     

    pump was integrated into the frame which left nothing hanging off or bolted on

     

    as an after thought. This design wasnt thought of overnight, it is clear some

     

    real work went into making the T Light's extremely refined, non traditional, yet

     

    simple design.

     

    The engine itself was a 22 HP Bailey with electric start and was extremely

     

    compact and clean looking as well. It ran with a little thump to it being a

     

    single piston, but very smooth in general. Climb was pretty good, I weigh 200

     

    pounds and was off and climbing in no time. I dont think it will keep up with

     

    some of the AC racers or sky cycles using Rotax 447s or anything like that, but

     

    i was up to several hundred feet within a couple of minutes regardless.

     

    The wing is actually one of their existing, popular hang glider wings. It was

     

    around 15 meters and all PX upper surface. The handing was very solid, the pitch

     

    was very nice and the roll was very soft in the middle with a hair more

     

    resistance than I would have expected when I really cranked a hard turn. the

     

    roll was very light compared to most LSA trikes, just not as light as some

     

    other nano light wings I have flown. When turning there is a bit of adverse yaw

     

    until you push out and then the nose really swings into the turn with a very

     

    tight radius which would be great for catching thermals. All and all the wing

     

    is really solid and flew well.

     

    I did find a few things that I would have preferred different based on my own

     

    personal taste. first was the control bar height was about 4-6 higher than I

     

    prefer, If you like the height of the XT's bar, this was quite similar. And

     

    second there was a lot of rake in the forks which has benefits, but those do not

     

    include moving it around on the ground without holding on to the forks. The

     

    front wheel wants to constantly be all the way to the right or the left. Taxiing

     

    with the high rake angle was not an issue nor take off or landing. Lastly the

     

    wing had a king post and we had to actually fold the mast down to get it into

     

    the same hanger the big REVO easily rolled into first with plenty of clearance.

     

    All and all this is a true soaring trike, I would think it will compete head to

     

    head with the Dragon Fly. The fit and finish of this product is stellar and the

     

    design is very clean and well though out. As a package it is a perfectly

     

    balanced flying machine. If you want to soar and want the same quality and

     

    attention to detail you see when you look at a $60,000+ XT, your trike has

     

    arrived!

     

    Larry Mednick

     

    DSC00033.jpg.ddadc38756e0890e6e187b3c1e76232f.jpg

     

    DSC00034.jpg.4e6dd2534a73a8724f2e003443d56bc5.jpg

     

    DSC00035.jpg.4fbe7d612afaaadda0806757a2c0cba1.jpg

     

    DSC00036.jpg.c396bdd44ba731fa7525585700536f1e.jpg

     

     

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