biggles

Think that one went to the keeper . Well done Maj !!!

Bob

Not a Jabiru to be seen from the " Legendary Major " .........hmmmm . What about an aerial shot of the Montpelier E/W strip Maj !!

Bob

( another old bod )

Graeme ,

Like you I started flying when I was 62 . Before that I had no interest and used to think that , " if it goes faster than I can run or higher than I can jump ", I really don't want to know about it . My first flight in an X-Air without doors confirmed my previous thoughts . On a holiday to Qld in 2005 we called in Bundaberg and visited the Jabiru factory and I started taking lessons in a Jabiru LSA 55 with Coral Coast school of Aviation .( I had done around 10 hours with Anthony Morrison CFI Latrobe Valley prior to going on holidays ) . Another 15 or so hours saw me go solo , and , with many more hours , I completed my cross country and passenger endorsements . We were staying in a caravan park in Bundy during this time. I left there after about 3 months " certified ". My wife and I returned to Bundy the following year and after much soulsearching placed an order for a J160 kit . About 2.5 years later , with about 18 months actually spent on the build , the a/c was test flown in March this year . The day of the test flight , feeling a little apprehensive I will always remember the comments of test pilot Marty Higgins , CFI Bairnsdale from 3000 ft. - " flies beautifully Bob , 100 knots at 2600 revs , hands off ", and it has been performing faultlessly ever since - still only got around 30 hours on it , but there have been other things to catch up on . In a few weeks time we plan to leave for an extended trip to NSW , QLD and SA , and to be in Bundy for the 2009 Airshow and Jabiru " back to the nest " early July . I am now 66 . Hope that this inspires you to continue with your lessons and show the disbelievers that you are really ," never too old " .

Regards

Bob

Slarti

When trying to download the Thresholds I get the dialog box - " The attached zip file/folder is either invalid or corrupted "

Bob

Ross ,

The instructions that came with my J160 kit , indicated that when setting the rudder movement , it should be 98mm +/- 2mm each side of the centreline . I agonised over this for some time and noted that , as the axial movement of the cable was only 80mm even with the advantage created by the horn , that sort of movement would be difficult to get . In desperation I rang Jabiru , who happened to have a new J160/170 out the back and , after measuring , confirmed that those coming out of the factory have a movement of 70 mm each side of centreline !!

Regards

Bob

Hi Ross ,

Just joking , and are glad to hear that you are recovering after your op. I'm sure all former Jabiru kit builders have a wealth of information that would be useful for those following in their footsteps , just getting them to put their thoughts down on paper is the problem . Often after a frustrating day this takes a big effort , and there are always other demands which seem to take priority . Having said that ,I'm sure I speak for most Jab . builders/owners when I say that the effort you make to document your experiences is certainly appreciated . On the interference problem , for what its worth , I have found that placing a ferrite ring - (Dick smith R5120 for around $3.00 each ), had the most marked effect on reducing the noise caused when the strobe fires , when placed on the 12 volt supply to the strobe box , with only minimal noise reduction when placed on the discharge cable . Like most things it is a matter of trial and error , and what works for one may not work for another .

Bob

Hi Ross ,

We have come to a standstill , and are anxiously waiting to get a lead as to what we should do next !!

Biggles :thumb_up:

Ross ,

I have mounted my fin strobe power supply on the engine side of the firewall on my J160 and the sound of the thing ' firing ' still interferes with radio reception . Like you , I have yet to fire up the engine so the effect of that is unknown . I believe that Jabiru now have coax that is much better than that supplied with my radio . Daniel Mulder at Jabiru is the man you should speak to .

Bob :thumb_up:

Ross

Ross ,

For what it's worth , this is where/how mine are installed . If the attachments are missing , send me your email address

Regards

Bob[ATTACH][ATTACH]5283.vB[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Hi Karen ,

Congratulations on doing your first Nav. Your comments about cockpit management reminded me of the same problems I had , when doing my Nav's in a little LSA Jabiru in Queensland some 2 years ago . Like most people my age , I wear glasses for reading and , under the watchful eye of my Instructor, I well remember trying to fly the aircraft , navigate , communicate , and having paperwork flying everywhere , with the airvents full open due to the heat . I lost count of the number of times I 'lost' my glasses on the floor , and very nearly gave the idea away . I could'nt see how things could improve , after all there isn't much room in a little Jab for an average size Instructor , and a silly old fool as a student . Fortunately my wife encouraged me to continue . Although I made some slight improvements to my cockpit management over the next few Nav's. , I was still feeling uncomfortable . On the day of my solo Nav. I was naturally a little apprehensive , but could not believe the feeling of freedom flying over this strange country , and the spare room I had , without that extra body . The little Jab. didnt seem so small 'today' . I had plenty of room for my paperwork on the spare seat , and by that time my cockpit management had improved a little anyway . I really felt comfortable for the first time , as I'm sure you will . So keep focussed on the what you have been taught , and , as I found out , things will fall into place , and your solo Nav. will be an enjoyable experience also . Good Luck !

Bob

Could I have your thoughts on whether a Gazelle is still considered to be a reasonable aircraft to buy . I learnt to fly in a short fuse Jabiru which is quick and forgiving and know little about the Gazelle other than the concerns regarding airframe etc. Am I likely to get stuck with something un-saleable in afew years time . What would be the top price for one in "excellent condition"

I am a newly certified RAA pilot . When backtracking , either prior to

take-off or after landing , should your aircraft be in the centre or to

the side of the runway. Both my Instructors differed on this point of

view .

'Biggles'