Kenlsa

Wooden prop should use Belleville washers, just like the jab wooden prop. 72 inch pounds of torque 

Ken

I have yet to purchase mine and claim the rebate. If it’s anything like transferring a VH registered plane to a new owner, me, there was 8 pages of instructions so I could fill out a 2 page document. Unbelievable.

Ken

I was listening to a psychologist a while back who said that nature has developed and reinforced the fear of heights for our species survival .  If we stand at the edge of a cliff, we need to protect ourselves so adrenaline kicks in, the ‘Fright’ part, to stop us there before taking action or to back away.  Same with being at the top of the tree.  
Apparently we are physically connected to the ground (safety) through our senses - we see the potential problem, but we feel the solution because we still keep our feet on the ground/tree keeping us based. This has been passed through the generations for ever.

BUT , flying (not falling) has not been implanted in our DNA as unsafe, as it is not a naturally occurring situation.  Children won’t be afraid of it as it only becomes a learned fear, through their own experience or relayed information from others.

It was an interesting article 

Ken

3 hours ago, Bruce Tuncks said:

Gliders have a much higher risk of a mid-air because there can be many gliders in the same thermal. They use Flarms which are gps/computer radio tx and rx. They cost less than $1000 each.

Does anybody know the reason why they have been rejected by CASA? My personal opinion has been that flarms are just too cheap to be liked by bureaucrats.

Not that I have ever been near a mid-air myself, the sky is really big compared to our planes. Flarms sure do alert you to all sorts of things you never noticed before, so I suppose they are a good idea. 

In two mid-air collisions I know the details  of, they would have prevented one but not the other. ( the "other" was a gaggle of gliders which had left a thermal. they flew into what was probably just a hint of lift, it lifted the RH wing of one glider and the LH wing of the other, and they turned towards each other...  bang! )

5 k range Bruce, not far enough when they require a 10nm call to inform others of your intentions 

Ken

Some feel that 760 implementation is taking too long, but for me and my Colt, I have got my rego number from RAOz so it is moving along.

I am just about to start the fabric, so I’m not to worried about the speed of 760 development.

 I have spoken to the managers at RAOz and I am just waiting for the prefix to my rego number. This should be 34 for certified aircraft. This has yet to be approved by CASA as part of the operating/tech manuals that will include some other requirements that I don’t know of I’m guessing.

it’s all happening so all good.

Ken

I think it’s time

2 hours ago, Carbon Canary said:

If you get a chance can you ask your mate how much lift these things will deliver to ? ie. will they pump directly upwards say, 1m ….and how much slower is the delivery at that height ?

He is away for Christmas but we lifted the fuel about 1.3m from the ground to a fuel cap at the top of the boot cowl on a Mini Cab

Ken

23 hours ago, Garfly said:

This (AA) battery powered unit from Easyflo works well for me.

 

https://easyflo.com.au/

A mate uses this model and it works very well. I will get one for my Colt when it is finished 

Ken

We run glider training as well at Gawler.
All should be aware that gliders may be flying contrary to normal circuit direction. Not unusual to turn left on take off in a powered plane then to watch the glider turn right after launch. Then the tug will be Released at 2500ft then it will rapidly descend to 500 feet and land on any runway they want, but the runway is usually one that permits a rapid hook up of the next glider. An aircraft carrier has nothing on our operation.

ken

RFguy, 

how would a sonex turbo go? They work at the rpm you need and not too much boost to normalise for the MAP you need.

Ken

On 15/10/2022 at 9:44 AM, Bruce Tuncks said:

Here's the big new Jab in the big new hangar. I like the engine, but it sure is an orphan these days. If anything, it runs too cool and I can't figure out why.

Bruce, I see that you still own the SK.

Ken

Gawler has bunk accommodation available 

Our club ROKO with a 912 was time expired but only 900 hours on it. Liaised with RAoz who said that we could convert to Experimental. So we did that. We put an ‘E’ before the number 24 on the rego.

Just ring RAoz

Some of the UL450 were limited to a single 45lt tank. I wonder if this was one?

Ken

25 minutes ago, turboplanner said:

What about the pilot who died after taking off into severe turulance?

That was from a near by field. Into IMC and tore off a wing from memory.

Ken

11 hours ago, F10 said:

Eurocopter and spares are problematic, I get that. But all I can say is in South Africa, the SAAF operated Pumas and later the Oryx hPuma airframe with Super Puma engines and gearboxes, upgraded cockpit) for over 40 years, getting excellent service out of them. Yes, the honeycomb floors were soft, but then 5mm super wood load spreader floor coverings were fitted, solving the problem. The aircraft had two big cabin sliding doors, but not the rear ramp which surely is a great feature? Just seems strange that these Taipan helicopters, made by the same people, were so troublesome?

One big culture clash was the loadmaster/door gunner. I believe Pumas and Eurocopter products were never designed to defend themselves in a hot LZ. That’s the orbiting gunships job, and the defence from the troops exiting the helicopter. in the SAAF we flew with flight engineers. They carried out certain flight duties and all loading and field maintenance duties. They were good, they could change an engine, in the bush. To me, a better config than door gunners?

I seem to remember that one of the big problems, only a couple of years ago, was with the LHD. During rough seas operations, there wasn’t enough movement in the rotors to help compensate for the rocking of the landing deck, therefore over stressing the landing gear….the pitch changes overtook the ability of the pilot to control it.

Ken

I kit built a SP500 (18 months to build, one hour every day and 6 hours per weekend)

If I were to do it again I would build a j230 and set it up to fly it at 700 or 760 under the new rules

for my latest build I have decided to rebuild a certified aircraft, though that can be spendy as you have to use certified and TSO’d or PMA’d parts and any modifications have to be STC’d. Though I am having fun doing it.

if this is your first….go j230

Ken

Let’s just support one of our forum members.

Ken

I hope everyone fills out the survey 

Ken

We manage our airfield for the council, they are happy with this as they keep any interaction with us to a minimum. If we don’t go to them with any headaches, they will allow us to operate.

We don’t charge landing fees for sport aircraft as we expect a reciprocal fee  waiver from others at their fields.

we charge any commercial flight $10 per engine.

We also charge our private owners (90 of us) $50 per year landing fee. This is separate from our hangar site cost.

But a quick napkin cost structure of the NON FLYING portion of our operations is substantial.

Rates, insurance, maintenance and salary for a site manager is over $100k plus volunteers who slash, repair fences etc

Note this does not include any flight operation that is double that amount.

This seems to work for us as everywhere in our normal flying destinations are reciprocal…..all good.

BUT, just think of a council that RUNs the operation that doesn’t have a reciprocal agreement with other sites (why would they as they are the council) they have to get get their $100 plus cost back somehow. They are not going to throw away rate payers cash.

I often hear that visiting pilots spend up BIG in town adding to the council and business coffers but I have yet to observe many/any calling a taxi to get a pub meal, shopping etc.

Most just grab a coffee and leave, putting it a a destination in their log book.  The only exception I have noted is if it is a major event that most fields only conduct every 2 years.

The money must come from somewhere.   $100k has to be recouped somehow. User pays.

Ken

Evidence, not hearsay thanks.

ONLY direct evidence given by the person who actually saw or heard the incident, counts. All the rest: ‘I was told, did you hear, I heard that, he was actually there and he said to me ‘ is called hearsay.

 I used to do this for a living. So no more unless you are in a position to give direct evidence. Then I am happy to hear it.

Ken

We keep revisiting this RAOz :company, business, association, limited by,  club, AUF, better in the old days, my opinion doesn’t count, castles, no longer for members etc etc etc. and of course Jabirus are crap 🙂

 I was a  member in the AUF days, saw and voted for development of RAOz and the absolute stuff up with records and systems that stopped us flying.

I voted for the new RAOz that has got us on the table with the grownups.

I complete every survey, write letters to the editor, talk by email and phone to the tech and ops staff. I attend every info session when they come to visit our club.

 I am involved.
 

I own, fly and continue to build planes.

 I have to say that I am more than satisfied with the state of affairs at the moment.

Sure, most of the members (and just how many of you are actually  members anyway and not disgruntled ex wannabes) did not vote for the last change (as they were  lazy, didn’t care or were happy to be led)? Sometimes I wonder how many of you actually fly.

Only those who really cared voted and the new system was supported by those who had skin in the game—owners and potential owners.

If you don’t like flying under RAOz……..start another association.  Oh that’s right, it seems to have crashed and burned. Or you can move over and fly VH and then see how much influence you have on your recreational flying.

This is the organisation we have at the moment and we are moving forward under their hand, both paid and volunteer. And to those of you who intimate corruption by the executive and staff, as has crept into these forum discussions …..PUorSU. 

Ken

I have just completed the above survey to get rid of the stall speed limitation so I can fly my Colt under the RAoz banner.

 If I may urge all owners and potential owners to respond positively to it.

For those who have articulated a reluctance to increase the stall speed, remember, it is NOT COMPULSORY that you alter your aircraft in any way, all will stay ‘as is’ for you.

Ken

They are looking to put them in a microlight soon

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