Tucano

Bladder tanks are used in the Tucano to offer speed of assembly. The main tanks fiberglass sleeve fits into the ribs, bladder installed and basically connect the fuel line, wire to the gauges and fit the supplied fuel caps. The tank is factory fitted with the fuel senders.

It's a goon bag for wings and if someone is shooting you need self sealing not bladder

What dose this mean to a builder - no need to seal up aluminium tanks and if you have not had to do it, consider yourself lucky.

The bladder in the auxiliary tanks is for the same reason - plug and play.

For those after the technical details of the tanks

These new items are 200 mm OD x 1030 long and while currently only dummy's to examine the aerodynamic effects they will either be able to act as storage or as fuel tanks. As fuel tanks they are projected to hold 25 liters per side contained in bladder tanks installed in the cylinder.

Testing has indicated a 15 km/hr speed penalty when installed.

A lane north south would all be overbuilt up area if you were to place it between the two zones all over happy people in very built up areas. To the west there are a few nasty hills.

I am however not worried as I am sure Macquarie Bank and CASA will cradle all our hopes and dreams in loving arms

A wild guess but if current owners win the bid for Badgerys Creek - Camden and Bankstown are in doubt.

If you were the developer offer the federal government a all new GA airport on the northern edge - you know state of the art facility's etc - sell the other land to offset the cost's to make your offer sharper. The two control zones for Mascot and Badgerys will for all purpose's cut across the basin from the Blue Mountains to sea.

Wedderburn could end surrounded on the southern side.

Lets see

This is a question I have wanted to ask about the IMC.

Instrument flying is the battle between the mind and the instrument so to maintain the IMC dose the pilot have to do a review or ongoing training to maintain that skill set?

They are but currently they do not have the necessary certificates to allow registration in Australia. A BUDGET cost estimate in $A190000

If we are approached we will have to re-visit the area. I am sure based on the reading of the rules but would have to speak to a independent consultant in this area as it is a mine field.

The budget is about $130K and factory aircraft is priced at $120000 euro so building is cost effective.

I gather the $134K was a shock but the company seeking to produce a premium product and I agree with that. There is little room for another low cost high wing or a pencil sharp plastic aircraft.

The target market is for ultralight military replica's so that is why the Hurricane is undergoing redesign for production.

New Flash - Tucano is currently undergoing +6 / -3 testing as we blog - Woo Hoo......!

The landed price is dependent on exchange rate so is not fixed & where $A includes GST the rest no GST

I will relate actual costs including some current estimates.

A quick build kit requires a full 20 foot container this costs $A6250 FIS Sydney. There are no crating costs as this is built into the cost of the kit, the container cost was $2400 euro the rest was internal freight plus a lot of local Australian Wharf costs to many to list. Local delivery will require a tilt bed truck say $500 + and the crate is 1400 kg

The kit was subject to 10% GST so for the current quick build you will have to add $5100 euro.

To this you need to add a engine say a 80HP Rotax at $A16700 ex Bert Flood, to this I have to add a supercharger kit from FlyGas to boost output to 120 hp + these are currently $5000 euro plus freight estimated about $A600. Why a supercharger - prefer them and its full time not prone to taking a nap

Propeller is a 4 blade constant speed at $A8500 plus controller say $A9500 could save a lot of dollars here with a fixed 3 blade

Panel and radio say all glass $A5000 to whatever.

Add say $A2500 for bits and pieces - they add up

Paint - No idea but I will paint it my self

The air frame is very complete down to bladder fuel tanks but no replica aircraft is cheap check out the Titan T51 or the Mk26 Spitfire.

The Tucano really needs 630kg and this has been discussed with the factory and they have agreed in principal. In Italy this aircraft is flown at that weight regularly thought it is registered as a 600 kg . Is the Tucano a true Ultralight 2 seater - not for two Mac Heavy's. Mine is begin built as a experimental and that final decision is next year.

Like all replica they are not built to be practical just raw fun and I am past owning a station wagon.

Do anyone know of a good low hour 80HP Rotax?

The complete quick build kit ex factory Italy $e51507 [0.70 euro = $1.00]

See http://www.flyinglegend.com.au/index.php/kit-cost

This is by the standard of the type clean as was the prototype.

Speaking as a builder the stubs are not a real issue I think more could possibly gained by filling in the hole as its a big cliff for a molecule to fall off. The issue is weight the whole mechanism would have to weigh under a kg. , this can be done if it is totally mechanical using the leg to close the door but its all weight and weight is the problem

The company would like to lower this cost BUT low volume's at this time. This always the problem with the low volume point and wanting to keep a high quality. They are gas oleo with all the cost to produce. The only task at assembly is to install the tires on the rims, mount brakes with the nut plates installed on the spar faces. With the nose gear i removed remove the pivot pin's, applied grease with the installed gear having a strong, positive over center mechanism.

The gear includes the pump, hoses, fittings and solenoid so is complete you really only have to add wire and a switch.

On the Australian first of type I will be installing 2 x 4'' OD fake turbine exhaust as per the Shorts T1 Tucano- the engine exhaust will dump into these and this should provide a means for the cowl air to escape.

The exhaust on the factory aircraft are dummy's

Right now there is not a lot of speed advantage but that is begin looked at. I would like to fit nose gear doors as personally I believe this may be a contributing factor if applying Roy LoPresti theory "If I was a molecule of air what would I do" - it would look nasty head on.

But I agree it look tougher legs up and with the tanks.

I will post one final point - DO NOT OP FOR CAST IN BRACKETS its a long story but once on a DA very expensive to change.

The better option is to mark out and use chem sets.

Hangers building for this guy is strictly a spectator sport.

Concrete for mine 18 x 15 = $32000 slab / $8000 apron plus survey certificate $1000 / Inspections $1800 / Council Fees DA Fees $800 / Engineers Certificate [ inc building] $4000. All have to be done as the council will not grant permission to occupy if done under a DA

Do the homework and get some budget quotes per m2 from a local concretor and the shed builder. For erection you will need to allow for a crane with rigger, scissor lifts to access the steel work {$1200 / week] to do the connections.

Do a budget and get the some of the shocks on paper first and like building a aircraft, just stone it to death with money.

You might with no floor and sliding doors with bottom tracks bare bones. To stay in budget it will have to be a converted farm shed as structural steel will hit 175K and you will have to do the erection yourself. From experience 15 meter clear opening would be the minimum to offer maximum flexibility by being able to fit a Cessna at 11 meters span. My hangar has a 16 m x 3.4 m opening

Footnote

The bottom track by Eltrak work just fine - do not consider top track regardless of the deal offered

David- The 15 meters of span is better than 18 but its a large span were the goal is to keep the deflection to say 20 mm. Unless very carefully designed opening in Lysaght rolled section is will not man enough particularly the columns at the opening as they proved the restraining moments by having enough bolts to create the necessary clamping force while having enough flange to remain vertical.

With regard to shed company's you are dealing with used car salesmen. I have in a previous life been involved in engineering design and was left in the fetal position dealing with these people.

I had to reinforce my door after discovering a 70 mm sag in the middle and a distinct hog at the top of the column and they wanted me to hang another 800 kg's worth of door, what I got was it all your fault and good luck. Luckily they had supplied two doors worth of steel that was reassigned based on my design experience and I still have to resign the doors to run on bottom tracks. I got burnt big time with the doors and its the door that a hangar makes.

Do not use Maxi Sheds the shed is OK the door design would rate a failure at engineering 101.

What I am saying to all is hand them the whole package and stand back and have a good contract and even better lawyers .

Not to be a wet rag but speaking from a bad experience. A set of doors 4 off to cover 18 meters weigh come out at nearly 850 kg the real problem is the structure required to keep the deflection within reasonable limits across the span and support the doors. I had to convert a set of doors to bottom track from top track for this very reason plus beef up the opening with tie bars and collar ties as the company supplying the shed had a engineers certificate that was not worth the paper it was written on.

This is why if you look at the photos of this style of door the frame is all structural members not Lysaght C sections IE converted farm sheds.

Gary

$US25K is about $A35 with freight and GST

I think this is for the US market

A link to the manuals for the Tucano R has been added to the site. The files are located in a Dropbox folder for viewing or download.

Link: http://www.flyinglegend.com.au

If you find any issues post a reply

Gary

Flying Legend Au

The new LSA version of the Tucano has flown and full details will be on the web site as soon as they are available. This will take a range of engines to 150HP with the prototype flying with a Rotax 912ULS.

Merry Christmas

Gary

Thanks - The factory is very happy that is the big positive feedback that I received from the factory. I am trying to be informative without lecturing but have to keep in mind that some builders may have not have as been as lucky as me to have known some really talented people who managed to get a little across to me.

The aim is to make it real and speak about where it goes off the rails and to assist others in avoiding that error at least.