wanabigaplane

Defining factor From my reading of various publications, below 45 knots, with appropriate restraint and design of aircraft, most occupants will survive a crash with minimal harm. Above 45 knots, the picture changes dramatically, and the occupants on average suffer considerable harm or death. The speed range between the two outcomes is reported to be pretty narrow. So, I have always assumed that the defining factor in the difference between an ultralight and GA aircraft is the stall speed in landing configuration. I don't know if that is the real reason this specification was chosen, but it sounds good to me. Jack. :):)

arrival in port My kit arrived in Port Botany. I was given about three days notice. The providor would only hold the kit in store for two days before he charges for storage at about $50 per day - or was it $100, I forget. You can pick it up yourself with a car trailer, or you can arrange for it to be freighted. The providor would not arrange freighting. Jack. :):)

vote for centre stick Most of my experience is in the Sapphire and Titan Tornado. The stick is in the centre. Being right handed I am most comfortable during take off or landing with the stick in the right hand, and throttle in the left. With the stick in the centre, I can hold the stick with my left hand while I write, adjust anything with small controls, or just have a rest, with my right hand. If you put the stick on the right hand side, left handers will be unhappy, and you won't be able to swap hands when necessary. If you put the stick on the left hand side, right handers will be unhappy, and you won't be able to swap hands when necessary. If you make the stick position moveable, you up the up the costs in development time, certification complexity, and manufacture. I think more people would be satisfied with the stick in the centre. Jack. :):)

I see Jack.

voltage regulators Using a voltage regulator to supply a smooth voltage brings its own problems. Integrated circuit voltage regulators like the LM 317, LM 7812, etc requres up to 2.4 volts to work. So, if your battery charging circuit supplies 13.8 volts, you are left with 11.4 volts, which is just on the margin for some radios, but not others. You have to check the specifications that come with the radio. There are 'low dropout' regulators available. These regulators also limit the current according to the temperature - on an average heatsink, it could be around 1.5 amps, which is also on the margin for some radios. The squealing is due to RF getting back into the headset. I was able to reduce it on my A20 by adding a small bypass capacitor and adding a few clip on inductors, but I was never really satisfied with it. The next obvious step was to move the antenna farther away from the pilot, but I never got that far. Jack. :):)

Activity At Narromine I was told there are 50-odd kits in the country. Since the change in the US$ the price is right. Sport Air Services at Coolangatta has taken up the dealership and are supporting the Zenith product with enthusiasm. There were three flying CH601XL's to be seen at Narromine this year, and I hope next year there will be many more. See Kit Building >> CH601XL kits for what could have been a good start to this thread.

So, Ian, if I use the name Richard Cranium on this forum, the moderator, or the software will immediately change it to Richard Cranium ? Jack :):)

Is this really a problem ? If your carburettor is gravity fed, and vapour has filled the fuel line, surely when the float opens the valve to demand more fuel, the fuel and vapour will flow into the bowl and there would be no problem ? If, in real life, this is really a problem, would it not be fixed by installing a second line to the top of the tank from where the present fuel line enters the carburettor? If pressure really is required, why not install a fuel squeeze bulb as used in outboards ? I had one in my Sapphire but never had the need to use it. The rubber deteriorated over the years of previous ownership, and it became another thing to maintain. With the extra fuel line wandering a torturous path to the hand of the pilot to fix a problem that didn't exist, I eventually deleted it, and never missed it. Jack. :):)

music & pone with headset Tried on a set of "Light Speed -zulu" headsets at Natfly- Noise cancelling was impressive in the canteen area. Works with any bluetooth equipped cellular phone, ipod, etc. Can be set to dull out music etc while receiving radio calls. Great - no wires or special connectors you cannot find. This arrangement was so impressive that even a grumpy old ersa reader like might be encouraged to embrace the unwired techno-freak complexity !

but he realized he was dreaming when rudely awaken by a phone call from his Richard Cranium mate (by association only) Jabiru Joe. "Hey, someone has stolen my airstrip. It was there in my paddock when I left it last night , but it is definitely gone now." "Struggling with sober wake-up reality, Tony Techman said ".......

Name change ? Hi Captain, at the rate I am building, the username 'Wanabigaplane' will be valid for years to come.......unless I change it to 'wanamillenium'. Jack :):)

Urns and gensets. It aint that simple. Lets look at what really happens. An urn is a very simple device. If the water is below a certain temperature, the thermostat cuts in, and 1800 watts is delivered into the element, and the generator chugs away at the 90% load. Theoretically, there is enough power left to drive a few lights, laptops, and mobile phones. When the water is at full temperature, the thermostat cuts out, and the generator sees no load at all. A few lights, laptops, and mobile phones mean nothing at all. There is no in between. If you turn down the thermostat, all you do is adjust the temperature at which the changeover occurs. It does not change the load on the generator during the on period, or the load during the off period. BUT - lets look at what happens when the generator has been purring along happily with almost no load, then suddenly, out of the blue, the thermostat cuts in, and introduces a 90% load. That's a staggering change. Firstly the contacts in the thermostat spark and arc high voltage spikes all through your delicate electronic equipment like lightning at the end of your street. The voltage regulator cannot handle the step input, and the motor may alternately almost stop and then over rev with subsequent high and low mains voltages which would strain any power supply designed for a nice even 240 volts. Your computer gear may survive it, and it may not ! Going from 90% load to no load, or vice versa is very risky indeed! So what to do? The traditional solution is to only partly load the generator with something that switches on and off, plus a load that that stays on all the time. Like a 600 watt jug for heating water, and a 600 watt light (great for camping out). Another solution is to operate the urn, and your electronic equipment at different times. And another solution is to use the 12v battery charger output most generators have to charge a car battery, and run a 240 volt inverter from the battery. Anyway, surely we will be more interested in cool drinks than hot ones! Jack. :):)

Half clip-ons. I need my normal glasses to read maps and instruments, and sunnies here are not suitable because of darkness or polarization. For looking outside the cockpit, I need my polarized sunnies. The solution was simple. Purchase a pair of clip-on sunnies and cut them in half horizontally. I tried getting graduated darkness glasses, but the attenuation was limited, and not polarized. Jack. :):)

You wanamorepictures The box was plastic lined, but the way the plastic was folded allowed the water to get in. I was away on survey when it arrived at my workplace, so it was left a few days out the back. Jack :):)

601xl kit Water got in, so I had to unwrap everything and get rid of the brown paper. This took ages! I built my workbench out of the packing case. The wood was pretty rough, so the top surface had to be from new material. I was most impressed by the completeness and workmanship of the kit. Jack. :):)

Not LSA If the purchaser is installing the motor and doing the avionics, then the 'plane is not likely to be supported by the manufacturer, and therefore not meeting the guidelines for LSA ?? A retractable undercarriage also limits it from LSA. So, surely it's 540 Kg, and I'd be happy with that. Jack. :):)

closest to Nimbin? The closest reasonable sized strip to Nimbin must be Tyagarah. Grass strip. There are ultralights, gliders, and skydiving activities there. Think it is the airfield for Byron Bay, but not walking distance. A long way from any facilities. Very quiet during the week. Lismore would be the next closest. Much closer to facilities. Jack. :):)

Wanaseeoshkosh Thanks for your advice. Things have firmed up, the deposit has been paid. I am going with a mate, so the itinerary is not purely up to me. Looks like we'll attend Oshkosh as arranged by Avtours, then hire a car and with some flexibility, drive to Wright Patterson and a Smithsonian at Washington. I suppose seeing a shuttle launch would be one lifetime experience, but I would not go there in the faint hope of striking it lucky! One for Zenith enthusiasts - I am building a Zenith 601XL. Will I see all I need to see at the factory presentation at Oshkosh, or is it worth going to the Zenith factory? Jack. :):)

Wanamilenium I'm watching with great interest. Will there be one at Oshkosh ? If you are to be the importer. Ian, will you be arranging type certification in Australia with RAAus? The question is - can the 'plane be certified at a higher MTOW, so we can fit in both a passenger and some fuel? Jack :):)

surpise announcement Ian, you like your surprise announcements, so where is the Recreational Flying Airpark going to be ? Jack. :):)

I am considering Oshkosh with Avtours this year. With the the cost and the time it takes, I think I should see a just a bit more than Oshkosh. If I were to spend, say, another week and do a bit of travel, is there anything within reasonable distance worth attending? Suggestions have been Smithsonian Institute, Boeing factory, or Wright Patterson. Any advice from those who been before? Jack. :):)

Higher MTOW specs? With the MTOW of 450 KG the pilot can have a great ride, but what he wants to take a passenger ? Obviously the top speed would be less, and the stall speed would be higher. Could it be flown at a MTOW of 540 KG, and what would the specs be like then? Jack. :):)

What about ... What about flying to Oshkosh ........by commercial aviation of course ? Apart from that, I'm not that interested. Jack. :):)

Taxiing across a bridge on the highway with a sign on the side of the road closer than the length of the left wing. Stepping into my Sapphire after starting the engine, catching the throttle in the leg of my trousers. Half in and out, I grabbed the handbrake, thinking that would stop it. The plane just put its nose down and ploughed forward in the gravel. In retrospect, I should have switched off the ignition. Underestimating fight duration due to the headwind, and landing in close proximity to sunset. Seeing fifty wallabies on the strip, looking back after I had landed ! I have learned to explain to enthusiastic questioners that I have to do my navigation preparation and then preflight checks alone. The onlookers have always accepted this without any problems, but it still seems to leave me rattled a bit. I also like to take a last leak before I get into the aircraft. But I am becoming more experienced.

Inox spray ? How could some Inox spray in the starter motor cause a problem? The liquid is an insulator, and a lubricant. Would it be more likely that in disassembly and reassembly you cleared a mechanical problem you were previously unaware of ?