Kev

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 » 05:17pm Telstra BigPond News and Weather A cancer survivor will attempt to become the first person to fly around the world in a gyrocopter. A cancer survivor from Northern Ireland has launched a daring attempt to become the first person to fly around the world in a gyrocopter - a tiny rotor-powered aircraft with an open cockpit. Norman Surplus hopes to fly around 480km a day to complete the 27,000-mile solo journey by mid-July. After setting off from a field in Larne, on the coast north of Belfast, Surplus plans to travel east to west and take in 26 countries. He will stop off daily to refuel and rest, a spokesman told AFP. Surplus will also be making a big detour to avoid flying over China, because it was 'too difficult' to get the necessary permission, the spokesman added. The 47-year-old businessman - who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2003 - intends to raise money for cancer research along the way. 'Before I got cancer I had never done anything like this,' he said. If Surplus manages to circumnavigate the globe in his little yellow autogyro, a predecessor to the modern helicopter, he will be setting a new world record. 'It's the only type of aircraft in the world that hasn't made it round the world. Someone tried in 2005 but he was stopped by the monsoon in India,' explained Surplus - who has timed his trip to avoid the rainy season there. 'Good Luck' to him and here's hoping he has a safe trip

This does appear to be the current thinking, but it seems wrong to me. I am looking into it. Will post outcome here. Safe Flying Kev

Alf, To my knowledge, the HGFA currently has no plans to get rid of their trike membership. In fact, they are actively trying to re-register previous members who have lapsed. Secondly, although the rego letters are affixed to the wing, it is the aircraft that is registered - not the wing. The wing is an interchangeable part of the aircraft. I have sent you a PM regarding your rego. Safe Flying Kev

Alf I kept my original HGFA Rego when I sold my Streak 1 and bought a Streak 11B for the Edge-X (a couple of years ago). All I did was complete a change of registration details notification form (after phoning the office to confirm I could keep my rego). I removed the numbers off the old wing though, as I was selling it - might be worth checking again as all you are doing is 'de-registering' your old wing? Safe flying Kev

......or you can buy a 912s for around 63k (without a chute). With the exchange rate from UK being so good at the moment this drops to around $51k :thumb_up: We burn around 9.3 ltrs/hour (Premium Unleaded) so fairly cheap to run. Our previous Edge X 582 used about 12 ltrs/hr so equally cheap to run and just as much fun to fly. Safe flying Kev

JC, The differential pressure test should be carried out iaw the Rotax Manual. The engine should be at operating temperature (oil temp 50-70 degC) and the supply pressure should be between 80 and 87psi. The maximum allowable drop is 25%. Leakage is expected past the piston rings (detectable by oil tank burbling). Any leakage past the inlet valve will see air coming out of the relevent carburetor and leakage past the exhaust valve will see air exiting from the exhaust. The correct equipment must be used. Smaller engines (including Rotax) require a 0.04in restrictor in the test equipment. Larger engines have a larger restrictor - take note if you ever choose to purchase one. Values or comparative results from other types or makes of engine are not relevent. Your results are within limits. :thumb_up: Safe flying Kev

That's good to hear, Glen. Let me know if you are planning on coming up this way again and we'll meet up, either at Cooloola Cove or at Maryborough (where the coffee is always 'on') :thumb_up: Safe flying Kev

Good one Rod, Have flown over a few times as we have friends that have moved up to Cooloola Cove from NSW, but never landed. Would love to drop in sometime (when the weather settles). Are trikes welcome? Safe flying Kev

Yes - I hadn't seen the thread in General Discussion however my post was from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) investigation, not the initial news reports/speculation being discussed previoulsy. Safe flying Kev

Men in microlight crash drunk - CAA Thu, 19 Nov 2009 Two men who died in a microlight crash in northern Hawke's Bay last year were drunk, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) investigation has found. Each was said to have downed 20 beers before taking to the air, the investigation said today. Darren John McNay, 39, and Antony Donald Bell, 30, both of Wairoa, left Wairoa Aerodrome in the microlight about 3.15am on May 25. Mr McNay, a pilot with 220 flight hours, and Mr Bell, an instructor with 560 flight hours, died after the microlight crashed about 400 metres from the runway. The two men had been drinking at a party before taking the microlight out in the dark. A third person, who had also been at the party, raised the alarm, after they did not return. Searchers found the wreckage about 7.30am. Both men were heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash, the CAA report said. Mr Bell's blood alcohol level was 320 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood and Mr McNay's 236 milligrams. The legal limit for driving a car is 80 milligrams. Tests also indicated Mr McNay had used cannabis before the flight. Their friend, who raised the alarm, told police they had drunk about 20 beers each before the flight. Strong winds, passing rain and poor visibility created unsuitable conditions for the plane to be flying, the report said. "This would have been a challenging flight even if the instructor and the pilot's performance had not been impaired.'' Mr McNay had no night flying experience and Mr Bell, though previously rated to fly at night, was not at the time certified to carry passengers or instruct in night flying. The plane was not certified to fly at night, the report said. "It is probable that the pilot and the instructor became spatially disorientated after losing reference to the ground lights and/or flying into low cloud or rain.'' A post mortem found both men died from injuries sustained in the impact, which likely happened on their return to the runway, the report said.

Just heard: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 » 03:17pm A man's been killed in a gyrocopter crash east of Adelaide, near the Murray River. The crash has occurred about one o'clock this afternoon, a few kilometres from the riverside town of Mannum and was reported to police from houseboats on the river. Police say when emergency services reached the scene they found the man, aged about 50, had died. It's not known whether anyone else has been hurt in the crash. Gyrocopters are small aircraft typically capable of carrying only one or two people. Terrible news - does anyone know any more? Kev

...and in sight of the surface. Safe Flying Kev Whoops, missed two pages out there. It's already covered.

Ray, If you plan to do the weighing fuel thing, be aware that most bathroom type scales are totally inaccurate at the low end of the scale ie empty fuel can. To accurately weigh an empty can (especially the plastic ones), get on the scales first and weigh yourself, then do it again whilst holding the can. Safe Flying Kev

Thanks Bill, Bonza pics. Safe FLying Kev

Ray, Loading the trike is no problem, as the nosewheel castors. To stop the nosewheel cocking when unloading, I use two straps around the passenger steering bar to secure it in the neutral position. No answer for keeping the front down other than do it carefully. I don't use a winch, but push it on/pull it off from the prop hub. Fly safely Kev

Ray, On my 912S since new I have averaged less than 9.5 lt/hr - that's two-up and average trimmed at 60kts. Drag counts. Fly safely Kev

Bill, I like the wing rack on your trailer. Thinking of doing something similar on mine. Until now, have carried wing on car, but now have new car and don't want to fit roof racks. any chance of some closer-up piccies? Safe flying Kev

Baphomet, Have just checked on the airborne website:Airborne Microlight Aircraft, microlights, trikes, ultralights, ultralight trikes and hang gliders Torque values are: blade 11lb/ft and mounting bolt 14lb/ft. Retorque every 20hr. Dismantle & inspect every 200hr. Safe Flying Kev

Baphomet, I used to have a Brolga prop, although it was a 4-blade, not 3-blade. the torque values from memory were: 10ft/lb for the clamp bolts and 15ft/lb for the mounting bolts. Beware of substituting grade 8 bolts for grade 5. If the manufacturer specifies grade 5, then that's what you use. Grade 8 are harder (for this read more brittle) and will fail by shearing whereas a grade 5 will bend. One or two trike flyers in US have found this out to their cost, when they replaced their hang bolts with grade 8's supplied by their local hardware store. Safe flying Kev

This service bulletin concerns possible cracking of the welded end caps and details inspection and rectification action. Details can be found on PM Aviation - Microlight flying and Ultralight Manufacturing, and select SB 127 issue 2. Safe flying Kev

Recently received from US. AirBorne trike owners and repairmen - check mast block Aloha AirBorne trike owners and repairmen. We here in Hawaii have had this discussion recently and wanted to share it with all of you. We've noticed on all of our aircraft the black mast block that fits into the aluminum block (below the shoulder harnesses) can move down the mast. If it moves down far enough, the "overcentre latch", or the mast support latch, will press against nothing and the weight of the wing will be on the front tube. The black block should be flush with the aluminum block. If you find yours low, mark on the mast with a sharpie a line even with the top of the aluminum block. Then lower the mast halfway, loosen the two 5mm Allen head bolts, slide the black block back up to your line and tighten the two 5mm Allen head bolts. Owners can easily miss this as it's not listed specifically in AirBorne's checklist. Repairmen should know about it so they can enlighten the owners when they catch it. That's it. Just wanted to share our findings. Safe flying! Aloha~

Good one Alf - it says it all. Safe flying Kev

Aaron, Yes, Airborne are issuing an Approval on a one to one basis for this modification. Contact Ricky Duncan and request the Approval. Safe flying. Kev

Ray, No, it doesn't have to be registered as an LSA in Australia. It is certified under LSA for export purposes. You are free to register it in Australia under LSA or Primary Category (CAO 95.32). Safe flying Kev

Scott, Be aware that although both organisations comply with CAO 95.32, their respective Operation Manuals continue on from CAO 95.32 and differ considerably at the moment. Apparently this situation is set to change in the future, due to the CASA decree that both organisations will jointly rewrite their Ops and Flying Manuals. The idea is that the playing field will be completely level, and the two organisations will hold hands and play nicely. Also encompassed in this change wil be a raising of the bar with regards to flying training and maintenance standards. I have chosen to remain with the HGFA because of the current board's attitude to raising maintenance & safety standards on trikes. Safe flying Kev