boingk

Hey there guys, I was there Friday and departed Saturday morning... met a load of great people and saw some fantastic aircraft. I even had the "honour" of botching Matt Hall's landing; I couldn't get onto the taxiway quick enough without risking a nose-over on the wet ground and forced him into a go-around. The Spitty was fantastic and I really enjoyed seeing the Pitts Specials fly in and land - what I'd give to be able to fly one of those! There were some top aircraft all over the place and plenty flying around on short hops or wide circuits taking in the views. I did get ramp checked by CASA but it wasn't a daunting experience at all. There were a few items on the list but main were not having a maintenance sign-out onboard (although I did have my maintenance and engine/airframe log book) and not having a demarcated flightplan (although I did have written magnetic heading and distance waypoints for my route). Overall it was a positive experience and gave me good feedback on procedures I could improve on. I didn't attend the GM and haven't heard much about it either. I was also deeply unsatisfied with the way the CASA audits were handled and would very much like to hear from anyone at the GM if the situation has improved. My departure was a tad embarrassing as the good old Minicab didn't appreciate being left out in the cold and subsequently did not want to start! I eventually got her going without incident (thanks to all who lent or offered a hand!) and left on my merry way. I had a short stop-over at Cootamundra to refuel and experience a new airstrip and then continued back to Goulburn via Yass and Gunning on Visual Freeway Reference. Cheers again! - boingk

berxbetter - lets all get cynical, sarcastic and generally nasty over this interesting and serious engineering endeavour. I think it might be helpful. Lets start by you showing us the aircraft-grade engine that *you* have designed, tested and built, eh? I think its an interesting concept, and as an operator of the 1940 Continental A-65 currently in my Minicab I think its about time the redevelopment of the VW engines (Great Plains, Revmaster, Jabiru etc) was laid by the wayside. We really do need another lower revving engine with some genuine ingenuity (and torque!) behind it. Toothpick props and gear reductions are starting to get on my nerves - give me a sidevalve any day! It looks to have a wonderfully flat torque and power curve, very nice indeed. I dare say the 6cyl version would be equally as impressive. If you want to knock the Nikasil then you've got another thing coming. My first motorcycle was an Aprilia RS125 with Nikasil bore lining and made a legitimate 33hp from 125cc - that's about 264hp per litre. It revved out to 10,500rpm and didn't wake up til 7,500 or so, so most of its life was spent between those two numbers. It got a staggering 12,400km out of its second piston during my ownership and had around 22,000km on it when I sold it. The bore lining was still mint condition. At an average of 70km/h that means it did over 300 hours at more than triple the max revs of an aircraft engine... making over 7 times the specific power! I doubt Nikasil linings will be any concern during the ownership of a new engine. Reliability? Hell, you never know until something happens. At the moment we have Jabiru cylinder and valve problems and a Rotax crank AD. We'll see soon enough if there are D-Motor problems I guess. Until then I think they seem alright. Cheers - boingk

Hey there guys, great attitudes! I'm also an avid aero-enthusiast and have done a bit I guess - gliding, air shows, air cadets, GA and now RAA. I love my RC models and fly them when I'm not out in the Minicab. Favourites would be a 5ft nitro 'Stick' and a Freewing F6F Hellcat on electric power. Grand fliers with good manners and a turn of speed! A word of advice when after your first plane... think about what you really want to do in it. After getting an 80kt aeroplane with an extra seat and some luggage room I found that I didn't really take people up very much at all - maybe a handful of times in the last 8 months. I'm now selling my beloved aeroplane for something more 'realistic'... and affordable. Most of my flights are localish and for the odd trip here or there I can always take an extra half hour or that extra stopover for fuel if need be to stretch my legs. It doesn't have to be fast, it doesn't have to be flash... it just has to be yours and you'll love it! A big up on the working nights etc to pay for it - I'm a bar manager, at the ripe old age of 24, and put myself through flight school and then swung a loan to buy my aeroplane. I'm loving it. One other thing... if you like aeroplanes then you may also like motorcycles. I love mine and always liken riding to flying. Another plus of them is that they can be inexpensive to buy and run, and they also tend to pull the ladies Anywho, all the best lads! - boingk

Common practise here at Goulburn, we often have large/fast traffic coming in for maintenance at Corporate Air. I was an exterior preventative maintenance technician (ie used polish and rags) with them for a while and got to work on some nice aircraft indeed. Nothing beats a hand-polished bright white aeroplane. Anywho, back to the point... a few months ago I was in the circuit doing a brush-up on landings and takeoffs in the good old Minicab. A call comes in that XYZ was 50nm out and due in circuit UTC 12. I knew that was only a few minutes away... what the hell? Anyway a few minutes later he calls again and says he's at 15nm... and moving at 200kt plus (!) circuit traffic please be aware. He comes in, downwind was clear (I radioed on crosswind and advised as such, also that I would extend climbout) and he orbited at the end of downwind to allow the other fellows to get down or otherwise out of the way. I'll never forget this massive, magnificent aeroplane simply blasting into the circuit at 1000ft. It really was unreal and a credit to the guys that flew it. I saw them afterwards on shutdown but never got a chance to have a chat. Anywho, be aware and be at your best. Safe flying all - boingk

Righto... maps set, flight planned, aircraft fuelled/oiled/inspected and cleaned, and campsite booked. Oh, and ELT packed and radio batteries charged! Bring it on! - boingk PS - Ultralighting and camping? No sweat: 1000g - Outer Limits 1person Tent 1000g - Outer Limits TrekSmart 3 Season sleeping bag 500g - Puffy jacket for pillow (worn during flight) 350g - Mini Trangia cookstove 150g - Fuel for trangia + coffee & cup All the 'basics' covered for 3kg. Throw in another 500~900g for an inflatable insulated sleeping mattress and you're laughing.

Point taken but its an entirely different situation. I do agree on the airline crew vs theatre team analogy, though - my father (generally supervising head on duty) is forever commenting on how so-and-so didn't follow procedure or such-and-such wasn't done properly and he had to intervene. Gnarly Gnu - How did you know I needed to search for that??? Thanks! - boingk

Yeah that's the modern world, certs for everything. Not a terrible idea if you ask me, they generally improve the standard of whatever they're applied to. As a ludicrous example, though, my father (an experienced doctor/surgeon with decades of experience) was recently asked to renew his CPR rating. You know, the rating for the thing he uses on a daily basis to KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE??? Yeah, uh, right. He sure didn't think it was funny, I can tell you. - boingk

It then goes on to say that structural failure is fairly rare, and that pilots are to blame. A quarter of accidents are apparently due to pilots mishandling the aircraft and over half are initially caused by engine failure... which would only be a big deal if you didn't know how to handle the aircraft... ie you mishandled it. [sarcasm] Big surprise. [/sarcasm] - boingk

Ditto what facty said - pick a point and fly to it. Hell, we fly in relation to the ground when we're in the circuit don't we? I'd go mad if it weren't for this method of flying, most RAA compasses I've encountered are a little bit jumpy... - boingk

Cheers Phil - I've never flown one but only heard good things, especially from a building-it-yourself point of view. Your amount is around $4~5k Aussie, but they seem to go for anywhere between $5k and $10k here depending on condition and specification. Definitely a steal for a flying machine and I'm sure you could build one yourself very cheaply indeed - the airframe is simple plywood and that only leaves you with the covering, controls, control pivots and engine to worry about. Plans are still being sold on evansair.com and the site alone is worth a look. Cheers - boingk

Might be a shot out of the blue but the Volksplane VP-1 is a very similar plane that could be built from plans only and is designed to use only basic materials. It isn't the fastest, or the best looking, or the lightest... but then again nothing at this end of the scale is fantastically any of those things. Just a thought - boingk

I recall having approach and specifically landing problems in my Minicab - I found it very intimidating to three-point as I'd only ever flown tri-gears... and it was my first low-winger, too! I needed about 5 hours of circuits with an instructor and 5 hours ground taxi testing before I felt comfortable to solo. I didn't feel at home in it until about 20 hours flying time. I think the more you fly something the more you'll get used to it. Different aircraft are all... wait for it... different! I think you'll get there for sure - and the 95.10 is a high-wing taildragger as well, so you can see exactly whats going on with your gear simply by glancing down. Cheers - boingk

Thanks mate, and yeah I'm already planning. Maps are enroute and I've tagged the appropriate pages in my ERSA for primary and alternates. Frequencies go on a postit-note on the dash and my 406MHz beacon is on the shelf with my 'go-to gear' in case of an outlanding. Camping stuff all packed... lets do this! - boingk

Good, sound advice. I've never been to a fly-in so I'm pulling out all the stops for this one in terms of perparation. Glad you took the time to give a writeup, Motza. - boingk

Bandit12 - no offence taken. I realise my reply is a bit out of the ordinary but there is a reason we have as many sophisticated resources available to us as we do in aviation; specifically for our safety and that of others. I'm not trying to upset people at all, but sometimes I just find it highly aggravating to see a discussion on a basic issue blown out of all proportion. There is a reason I don't fly in 'marginal' weather. I've trained and done the majority of my flying in and around Goulburn NSW and the weather here can vary a lot in only an hour, or even just a few miles away. I don't like flying in or around marginal weather - I've done it plenty of times in rented aircraft from the flight school and refuse to do it in mine if I can help it... which I can. I'm not trying to start a debate about conditions or failures, just encouraging proper procedure and preparation. Good, solid, sensible things. Happy flying - boingk

Thankyou for spelling it out, facthunter. I thought most of us on here were already pilots, but I'm beginning to doubt that if a matter as simple as this causes so much debate!

True. But if you initiate a descent and increase the bank then you can technically unload the wing. Most of the G and other flight figures people have been quoting for the entire thread are based on level flight. Personally, I stand by just flying ahead of yourself - forsee problems before they happen and avoid them where possible. Where not possible, take actions to negate and danger. In a teacup... don't f*** up. - boingk

...while maintaining level flight. - boingk

I agree with that, but a big part ofbeing a 'good pilot' is being aware of these things and how to minimise their effects, negate them, or avoid them to begin with. I wouldn't regard myself as anything special as a pilot - I've only got 80-something hours - but some people just seem to have the wrong attitude. Its not 'what happens' to you, its 'how did I get myself in this situation'. Once you realise how you can avoid bad situations or negate them when they do happen and are beyond your control, then you really start learning about being a 'good pilot'. At least, thats what I've been taught. - boingk

How about people just avoid the things altogether, have good airmanship... and heaven forfend... be *good pilots*? Sweet, dear, zombie Jesus. - boingk

Interesting. I like the part where both the FAA and the local Police are giving conflicting statement. I'dve politely told the local boys that I was listening to the FAA on this one. Possibly not so politely. Anywho, credit to the fellow for being on the ball and knowing what he had to do to get back home. Not saying he should have landed at request of the police, but still, possibly not a terrible choice. Cheers - boingk

Thanks Nathan! I'm looking into it as a viable medium-term alternative to fixed wing ultralights. I've always loved gliding - went up in one as a kid and got given control for a few minutes - and think paragliding would be great, especially the practical side of things; the whole rig costs maybe 5k and you keep it under the bed! Cheers - boingk

Did the same in a C150 with my CFI - almost zero-G over the top of an arc and very low airspeed (less than 40kt) but still flying happily and no stall warning. - boingk

Hi there guys, just wondering about paragliders and gliding in general. I suppose its a fairly basic question, but who regulates the paragliding in AUstralia? Is it the HGFA? How do you even go about getting a paragliding licence, if there is one? -boingk

My process was basically listing 5 criteria with a price. Here were mine for my choice: 70kt or greater cruise 15L or less per hour Preferably two seater 3 hour endurance Under $20,000 I ended up with my Minicab, which embodies all of that. It needed minor work but overall I've been happy owning it... past terms of course because I'm arranging sale of it at the moment! Like BoxFat above I found a huge array of compromises, more so because of my limited expenditure. One aircraft I particularly like the specs of is the Sonex with a Jab 3300 in it. People are reporting 130kt+ cruise figures on 17~18L/hr burn, with space and weight for two people and baggage. Being more realistic I do like the Jabirus - good cruise, plenty of support and never mind the engine just maintain it well. I get the feeling some are literally 'set and forget' type jobs that don't get the level of service they really need. On high vs low wings, I did all m training in highwing craft (Gazelle and C150) and now own the lowwing Minicab. I find that while I do like visibility in turns, I miss the view while flying level more - and you spend more time level than turning. The practicalities of a high wing are pretty good, and the sun factor is a big one. I remember going up one day in the Minicab and forgetting a hat - I had to put my aircraft checksheet under my headset to stay cool! Also decide whether you want taildragger or not - I tend to favour taildragger/conventional undercarriage now I have flown it. It is stronger, more aerodynamic and handles rough field better. Downsides are groundloops and nose-overs, but if you play the flying game properly (calm, capable and prepared) then its a non event. Cheers - boingk