newairly

I have heard that "Mr Sheen" is also good Phil

Hi all again, I have read somewhere (wish I could find again) that an EGT probe mounted at the junction of the pipes will read quite a bit higher than the reading at the correct location. This is of great interest to me because I am getting very high readings from a probe in the junction while the plugs are a nice light brown. Makes you very nervous. Phil

Hi Knighty, There is a table on page 3 (or about) which gives the distance from the manifold gasket surface that the probe should be mounted. For the 503 it is 2 1/8 inch. Phil

Hi Jordy, I have a 447 with a single EGT probe similar to yours. I would be very interested to hear what difference you find between that and a probe in the individual port. Have a look at: http://www.ultralightnews.com/engineinfo/egtwiringdia.htm for good info about EGT installation on Rorax engines. Phil

Jeff, If you use a headset connection intended for a late model Icom on a A20 you will get just a carrier with no modulation because the A20 combines the PTT and mic in one connection. The PTT switch in this connection will just short out the mic input. The later models apparently have them on separate connections on the 2 circuit connector. If you have a dynamic mic the PTT can just be in series with the mic because it is the partial grounding of the mic circuit which causes transmission on the A20. With an electret mic it appears necessary to separate the mic audio from the PTT operation. Hence the capacitor. It is also necessary to supply voltage to power the electret. The A20 has +5volts on the other circuit on the plug which can be used.

RLP, I dont think it is on that site. It came from Turo Flats in SA originally. I did not build it so I can not comment on difficulty. The wing structure is quite sophisticated using a "D" box and single main spar for torsional stiffness allowing the use of a single strut for support. This gives a nice clean appearance with none of the numerous bracing wires found on some basic ultralights. I am still sorting out a few things on my Tyro. The main one is rather high cylinder head temperature and EGT. I have played with mixture and adjusted fan belt tension without much effect. Plugs look a reasonable colour. It is a Rotax 447. Nevertheless I am getting in some flying from my 250m strip right here at home. So convenient to just pull it out and go! I can not think of a way to put a canopy on. The whole cockpit area is very open and simple. There is just a windscreen going up from the pod to the wing. It gives suprisingly good protection from wind. Phil

Have a look at Geoff Eastwood's web site. It has some photos of the VW version. http://www.goolwaairport.com.au/Tyro.htm Phil

Hi ZULU1, Could you post the circuit diagram for the mic connection as well. It would make it much easier to understand than just a description. The Icom IC A20 has the same microphone and PTT setup and the same feedback problem. Phil

It has a Rotax 447 with a Bolly 3 blade prop. Should climb like a rocket with a bigger motor. Phil

Thanks Facthunter, The EGT does drop significantly at 75% power which is why I hoped that it is just the main jet that needs changing. How long does a new set of plugs take before their appearance can be used as a guide? Phil

Hi to all the experts out there. I have recently bought a Tyro with a Rotax 447 engine. I am finding that the EGT and CHT are right at the top of the safe range at full power. They are 1200 EGT and 400 CHT. I have checked that the fan is working OK, belt tension is a little below spec but not bad. The plugs confirm the mixture is lean so I have ordered a larger main jet. The correct one is shown as 165 see chart at: http://www.ultralightnews.com/enginetroublshooting/bingjet.html but the one in there is a 160. I have ordered a 165. I hope that this will reduce the EGT, but will it also reduce the CHT? Phil

Useful web site for ICOM mods For the techies. This web site seems to have a lot of useful info on the range of ICOM radios of all types. http://hamradio.online.ru/ftp3/All_ICOM_mods_from_mods_dk_in_ONE_file.pdf In particular this section has information about the mic interface for the IC-A20 "ICOM IC-A20 alkaline headset-adapter lost-in-the-soup English language" Service manuals in PDF for the A20 and A20Mk2 are here: http://www.thiecom.de/ftp/icom/ica20/information/ Hope this is useful to others. Phil

Here is a photo of the hanger and Tyro.

Yesterday I finally realised my dream of flying my own plane from my own place.:thumb_up: I have a Tyro Mk2 which I brought home 2 days ago, on a trailer, from Inverell airport where I have been getting used to it. I have cut a 250m grass strip in the paddock behind the house and built a small hanger to house things. Yesterday afternoon, in the calm of the evening I summoned up the courage to put it all to the test. And it works! A 250m strip looks awfully small from the air at first but I still only used about half, both for take off and landing. Now all I need is lots more practice. Looking forward to it. For anyone intertested, the hanger is 10m opening, 7m deep and 2.7 clearance with an open front. It uses 10m long commercial timber trusses for the roof supported on steel RHS poles. The covering is corrugated second hand Colorbond (donated) The cost, without the iron was under $2,000. This is a very cheap and easy way to get a hanger. At the moment the floor is dirt but I may put down a floor of crusher dust mixed with some raked in cement powder. This is lightly watered and then wacked down with a plate wacker. I have put tie down points in the floor for the plane. Phil

Thanks for those replies. At the moment it is working OK so long as the antenna is well away from the headset. On my plane this is the case. It is hopeless if the aerial on the hand held is used. I am powering the electret mic from the +5 supply and capacitive coupling into the mic input. A resistor to ground of about 27K seems to be enough to trigger the transmitter. If I get problems again I will try the suggestion from Zulu1 Phil

I am trying to get a headset to work correctly with an ICOM IC-A20 Mk2 handheld. This ICOM uses a different interface to the later models. The PTT is combined with the mic such that if the mic input is grounded through a relatively low resistance the transmitter is keyed. I think this is intended to allow a dynamic mic to key the Tx. However with an electret mic it is necessary to fake this PTT function. I have found info on the web giving a method, and I have looked at the circuit diagram for the Icom (also found on the Web) and can see how it should work. There is a +5v supply available as well as the mic on the double circuit jack so this can be used to energise the electret mic with a simple resistance and capacitance filter to feed the audio to the mic input and a resistor to ground to key the PTT. All very well. However I get feedback on transmit coming , I think, from the RF signal getting back into the mic. I seems OK when the aerial is well away from the unit but I think it is still marginal. Has anyone had experience with this setup? I am using an Altronics headset. Thanks,:thumb_up: Phil

Dear Paul, I bought the plugs at a local auto parts store. They had to order them. The individual price was about a dollar more than the whole box price. I figured I would need them all eventually anyway. I am aware of the issue of solid vs screw on tips.

I just bought a box of 10 BR8ES. $33 for 10. On the box there is a symbol of a microlight trike with a slash through it which I assume means that they are not for ultralight use. Anyone else noticed this? Is it a liability thing? Phil

I finally got to fly the Tyro Mk2 that I bought a few weeks ago. The Tyro is a little 95-10 single seater. Very basic. Real stick and rudder stuff. I didn't really mean to take off the first time. I was just doing a fast taxi along the main runway at Inverell to get the feel of it when suddenly I was well off the ground so I just kept going! This is my first powered plane. Previously flew gliders years ago. When I get the hang of it I will bring it home to fly from my grass 250m strip behing the house where I have just built a small hanger to house it. Just fun local flying. I would like to get in contact with other Tyro owners to pick their brains about some aspects of how they are rigged and set up. Phil

Just noticed this in Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/flying-machine-takes-high-road-to-work/2008/01/05/1198950128938.html It is a combination of a 3 wheel car and a gyrocopter. The specs look interesting. However the weight of 550Kg (empty I assume) may preclude registration here as an ultralight. Phil Technical data Performance on land Air performance DimensionsTop speed: >200 km/h Max airspeed: 195 km/h Rotary nginePower output: 213 hp 0 - 100 km/h: < 5 sec Min airspeed: 30 km/h Length: 4 m Max tilting angle: 30° Take off distance: 50 m Width: 1.2 m Estimated fuel economy: (100 km/h) 30km/litre Min landing distance: 5 m Height: 1.6 m Range: 600 km Range: 550 km Weight: 550 kg Fuel: 95/98 unleaded

I am getting a Tyro MK2 and wondering if there any other owners that I might be able to exchange information with. I will not be with a club, flying from my property, so would appreciate being to learn from others about this little machine.;) Phil

The Cartercopter is much more than an autogyro. The rotor is designed to have no lift and little drag at higher speeds where the wings take over. This allows vertical T/O and landing using high inertia in the rotor along with fast and economical cruise. I think it is revolutionary. Prototypes have been flying for some time. It has been at Oshkosh I think. Read about it on their web site and be impressed. Incidentally modern jet transport aircraft are simulated, built and test flown without a prototype. Phil

Hi Mick, Thanks for all your comments and observations. This is the great thing about this forum, the ability to tap into experience much greater than I will ever have! In your original post you said that you did "bird mustering" in one. What is that! Is it aerial mustering? I have a nephew who is doing that in the Territory with a 182. Phil

Mick, again. If I can test your memory. Can you remember if there was a "Rough Air" max speed quoted. I am proposing to use a 250 metre grassed strip at 2500 ft elevation. Does this seem reasonable? What type of landing approach did you use. My experience is on a Drifter. How does it compare? I want to use it for mostly local flying. Just something to get into the air with. A very different aircraft to your Vari-eze I think.

Mick, Thanks for your comments. They have added to my knowledge. I had done a few calculations and also come up with a climb rate of around 1000'/min so good to have this confirmed. The one I am getting has brakes, operated by a car handbrake lever on the left. They can be locked on, so useful for engine run up. Look the same as a Drifter. It also has a Rotax 447 and a Bolly 3 blade prop. The undercarriage suspension has been changed from the original design and now has cantilevered leaf springs. Soaks up all sorts of rough surfaces apparently, even Buffel grass paddocks. (Queensland people will know what that means. Very rough clumpy grass) Phil