NT5224

Departure this morning from Robin Falls international.

After clearing the strip of roos, my Boy watches on as I do my run ups, but loses interest at the prospect of some 'stick time'  of his own 🤣

Takeoff  illustrating my standard 'Baghdad Corkscrew' departure circling  up to 1500ft before setting out  over Tiger Country.

Alan

Adels Grove was a jewell in the Gulf, packed during the dry season. Michelle and her husband had made a wonderful destination and prospered.

Lets hope the Waanyi folks can bring in some competent management and then they too will prosper. They have  a great opportunity to educate about the dark history of that country and their prosperity on the station would be a fitting reversal of fortunes.

Lets hope this destination comes back online soon. 

Alan 

On 29/06/2022 at 3:33 PM, RFguy said:

it's got quite alot of wing area !

 

A Rebel Copy? Nah I don't see the similarity...

Anybody ever done this? 

I feel really dumb!

On Sunday my wife and I were refuelling at Batchelor prior to a flight over Arnhem Land when we were distracted by a problem with the bowser.

My wife was up on the wing with the hose and I was stabbing buttons on the Avgas bowser.

About 30 minutes into the flight I turned to my wife and asked if she had put the fuel caps back on. She said 'no, I thought you had'.

I couldn't recall doing it, so told her we had to turn back for safety... After an hour we landed back at Batchelor and found both fuel caps correctly fitted!!!

I take responsibility for this because I was in the left seat at the time ( my wife is also licenced),and  its definitely unerving when it happens! Makes me wonder what else I might be missing...

Price of growing older?

Alan

The dog and the wife come as a package. He follows her everywhere. Actually his contribution to my take off usually comes after start up,  chasing roos off the strip at RFX. But at 0930 it was too late for them.

Alan 

44 minutes ago, Old Koreelah said:

When I clicked on that video I just happened to be listening to some loud music on my excellent new headphones. The engine roar was more enjoyable!

Nothing quite like a Lycoming.

24 minutes ago, Flightrite said:

Looks like the wife knows her place there😉😉

Absolutely she does. Since she got her licence  Im lucky I get I  get any left seat  time at all...🤣

Alan 

After a month grounded first by monsoonal skies and then awaiting a replacement tractor tyre so I could slash Robin Falls International (RFX). I finally got airborne. 

Hoped for an early departure but after a thorough preflight and then a last minute decision to take on extra fuel, I then find my battery dead. So I have to fetch the wife and dog to help me jump start.

Didn't get off the ground until 0930 but flight conditions were beautiful. Flew into Batchelor for circuits and bumps and shared a coffee with a senior aviator mate

RFX is looking good and my wife filmed departure

Alan 

I recall my wife's instructor always insisted that pilots fly with long pants not shorts, in case of fire. Im not sure how much difference pants would make. I tend to fly in shorts for comfort and an easier and faster exit if I need to.  Never wear boots. with brake pedals and rudder pedals together don't want to risk landing on the brakes...

Cheers

Alan 

My  little Dynon EFiS artificial horizon just died. It was installed in my aircraft in 2008 so has had a good run, no regrets.

Replacement options are the portable Dynon D3 which isn't really a panel mount and doesn't do much, and the slightly more useful Skyview SE with 7 inch screen for about 500 bucks more. 

Anybody have experience of either of these? Hear the Skyview does AoA which is fair substitute for stall warning. Any insights one over other?

Cheers Alan

I have a Garmin  aera 660 as my panel mounted GPS. Used to have a  Garmin 596 and this is way better. Just love the simplicity.

Is it over priced? Yes probably, and it doesn't do much your EFB can't.. 

But as a backup its great.  My airspeed indicator  and AH just died and I completed my flight  using the Ground Speed and AH  on the 660 panel..

Alan

10 minutes ago, turboplanner said:

What’s been happening here is that medical appointments have been working well so I’d recommend you book. Once you’ve done that the Practice will tell you if rules change. In Victoria the pathology companies have been taking blood right through the past two years as an example. Hospitals have been requiring a negative test before surgery. A Dame should be easier than those.

So no extensions -even in states where health services are on the verge of collapse?

I recalled there was a 6 month extension given in 2020...

Folks my basic  medical is due renewal next month.  Here in the Territory we expect a COVID peak around then. GPs are struggling.

Have CASA granted a medical renewal amnesty (extension) or anything like that? As state health services struggle to provide emergency services...

I have absolutely no problem with the medical. I just don't want to burden stretched Territory  health services, and I don't want to contract COVID in a doctors surgery full of sick people. I live out bush so am not regularly exposed to COIVID. 

Cheers

Alan 

 I  must confess to have less love of radials than the original poster. 

I now fly behind a solid Lycoming after several in flight emergencies flying behind a rotec.  Looks pretty and sounds pretty but I was always too terrified by the looming shadow of  catastrophe to enjoy the experience.  Despite constant investigations by qualified technicians had three failures and partial failures in about 20 hours at one stage.

I'm too old for all that excitement!

Alan 

17 hours ago, spacesailor said:

Never got that First solo.

Boo Hoo, tears & tantrums.

spacesailor

Maybe not yet, but its never too late...

Alan

24 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

I tried to do what l normally did, or was taught. 

Speed to rotate, revs held be angle of attack & horizon at the correct position on the windscreen. 

Should have been all ok.

NO solo flight fo me !.

spacesailor

Spacey

This kinda sounds like what we all did first time flying solo!

Alan 

On 23/12/2021 at 7:29 PM, red750 said:

I haven't held a pilot's licence or certificate since 1986 and never will again, so I haven't kept up to date with the proposed change to MTOW rules. My question is, can an aircraft with a MTOW of 750 kg yet be classed as recreational or is it still GA? 

Plenty of aircraft with manufacturer MTOW of up to 750 Kg have been registered with RAAus. Mine was. I have seen Cessna 152s, RVs and other types. But for compliance under RAAus rego weight is restricted to 600kg at takeoff. 

I had to chuck out the second row seat and with an adult  passenger  I was theoretically limited to about 1/4 fuel capacity....crazy!  That’s why I registered VH to get around this restriction.

Alan 

On 20/12/2021 at 5:53 AM, Thruster88 said:

This is good news, 30m grant available for general and recreational aircraft to fit absb transponders. Limited to $5000, so 6000 units potentially. Should be a big help for traffic awareness. 

 

 https://www.aap.com.au/uncategorised/aviation-gets-78m-recovery-plan-launched/

Glad somebody else saw this. Is it clear how this subsidy will work? Is more information to come? Will this be good for a cheap Skyecho unit or is it worth investing in something more sophiscated?

Opinions?

Alan

50 minutes ago, Yenn said:

I do not understand what you re saying that it felt as if you were flying with rudder in to fly straight. A glance at the ball should be all that is needed. Did you have to fly with rudder to fly straight?

When the ailerons are equally placed the stick could be off its centre position, but that doesn't really matter unless it is way off. Are the ailerons even? You can usually check to see if they both align with the wing tip or the root end of the wing.

The airspeed problem does seem to indicate a leak somewhere. I wouldn't advise blowing into the pitot, unless you want to risk damaging it. A better way to check is to get a plastic tube that snugly fits the pitot head. Attach it to the pitot, block the other end to prevent an air leak, then gradually roll it up to increase the air pressure. This should show a gradually increasing air speed and if it increases, but then subsides you have a leak. If it doesn't increase you have a big leak.

Obviously you flew on attitude to get home and that proves the old saying that attitude is everything. If you feel happy enough to fly again, take it up to a safe height and check how it feels at several speeds as you approach the stall, but I suggest you check for a pitot leak first.

Hi Yenn

Yes,  the ball was off and I was applying  a noticeable left rudder to keep straight. However, prior to takeoff the issue of the uneven ailerons seems to have been remedied. At least they looked level. My LAME has since confirmed he adjusted them. I have no idea if my sensation of flying crooked and the unusual airspeed readings are related but one would assume they were. My aircraft flew perfectly before the annual inspection and ailerion adjustment, but slightly crabbed afterwards. However my LAME confirmed neither the Airspeed indicator or the GPS has been touched during the inspection.

On my LAMES suggestion (and on yours too)  I will try to clear the Pitot tube outward from the cockpit. Then I'll go up for a test fly,  get up high, try flying slow  see what indicated speed I get to  just before stall.  

This would be no big deal,  but for the GPS reading the same as the airspeed indicator. Baffling!

Alan 

Hi folks!

Im just putting a query out there to the brains trust. Many of you are much more experienced than I and  can bring a second  (and additional) opinions to my own conclusions regarding an incident over the weekend.

Here's the story. Sorry if its long but I'm including all potentially relevant details to give context

So my bird went in for its annual this weekend. Its a great aircraft but I mentioned  to my LAME that the last time the wings were detached for work the  control lines hadn't been accurately tensioned, so the ailerons did not appear level when the stick was centered. And to maintain wings level in the air  I was flying with the stick very slightly to the left of centre. I showed him this minor issue and asked if he could adjust during the inspection. Everything else was fine. 

I picked up the aircraft  over the weekend. Doing my walk around I saw the ailerons appeared my level with the stick centred. But I  didn't see my LAME, just took off and flew home. In the air  I immediately noticed it wasn't flying quite straight. It felt like I was flying with rudder in just to keep straight.  It made be wonder whether he had overcorrected the tensioning, or I was just feeling the difference because I was used to flying it as it had been before. Not sure.  It was nothing dangerous, but we just seemed to be crabbing a little.  Retrospectively I also recall my airspeed was rather low on the flight home.  

But things got really interesting when I came into land. Landing at my place in the wet season is kinda like landing on an aircraft carrier.  On the approach you are at 300ft then you are suddenly at tree top height as you fly across the edge of the escarpment (the strip is on an escarpment).  Flying my approach  everything seemed quite normal but checking my airspeed I saw I was at 45 knots coming onto final and as I slowed for landing this fell to 35 knots!  Normally I cross the threshold at about 50 knots and land  touch down at 45 knots, so 35-40 knots  seemed much too low. According to the operating handbook my Rebel will fly 34 knots with full flap, but I don't want to test that at 10ft over the trees, so  I put on power and went around.

My first thought was that maybe there was a headwind or something. so on my second approach I watched airspeed both on my panel and on the GPS (ground speed). Now,  if the  issue was a  headwind ( and there was no evidence for a headwind on my windsock), surely my airspeed would read true?  But both sets of data read consistently and again I was over the trees at 35 knots indicated.   Again this was too slow and I was spooked and went around for a third time.  I was actually worried and wondering whether i should head back to an alternate  (less challenging), airfield to land at, so to figure out the problem. But then something occurred to me. On my approaches indicated at 35 knots, the landscape didn't seem to be moving any more slowly than usual. If I didn't have the instruments and flew looking outside the cockpit  the 'picture' on approach looked quite normal. So I wondered if my gauge and GPS could be inaccurate (although it seems strange that both could be reading wrong  by the same margin). So on my third  approach I just flew like I always do, and didn't really look at the airspeed.  I landed fine.  I actually ballooned slightly and so it was a long landing because I subconsciously  landed fast (worried about the low indicated airspeed).

So ladies and gents, what's going on?  I have thought this through over and over.  The aircraft incorrectly configured, crabbing and flying slow,  the mysterious  'gulley winds' for which our district is famous, or somehow both my pitot steam gauge and GPS  both reading incorrectly. I struggle to believe my aircraft was actually flying at 35 knots, its never flown that slow before and it didn't feel sluggish or on the point of stall. And on my final landing I actually slightly ballooned which was unlikely to occur under 40 knots.  But  to my knowledge the LAME didn't so anything to the airspeed indicator.  Very strange indeed. 

Any ideas or suggestions? Obviously I will discuss with my LAME

Cheers

 Alan 

What are the merits of dropping it into the surf just offshore rather than a beach landing?

Was it because of people on the beach or concern about digging  wheels into sand and flipping? In this instance maybe the pilot couldn't  safely make the beach?

Don't know the circumstances of this particular incident, but often thought a water landing  close to shore in a low wing  might be safer, although of course  after saltwater gets into systems the aircraft belongs to the insurers. 

Thoughts?

Alan

1 minute ago, NT5224 said:

Unfortunately I live in the Territory and fly behind the same Lycoming 0320 as you find in Robbo 22s. I fuel out of drums the same as  other remote operators...

 

I remember seeing an article on this in Flight Safety  but don't recall the conclusion.

 

Am I doomed? 

 

Alan 

Ok just read the article and am somewhat relieved as it seems to be a long term engine wear issue, rather than bad fuel that can result in sudden  engine failure in flight.

Also I appreciate that as a fixed wing, even flying STOL operations over tiger country in the Territory, im not thrashing my Lycoming like those whirly birds which operate at constant high revs.

I'll flag this with my LAME at some stage and try not to lose sleep!

Cheers

Alan 

16 minutes ago, Thruster88 said:

From what I have read about the issue of avgas in the Northern Territory it seems to be confined to R22,44 helicopters. There are plenty of fixed wing high performance aircraft like cessna 206,210 turbocharged that are not having the issues. Is it the fuel or is it the type of operations in high ambient temps, dust and hard use etc.

 

https://www.casa.gov.au/about-us/news-article/r22r44-fleet-engine-durability-issues-casa-update

Unfortunately I live in the Territory and fly behind the same Lycoming 0320 as you find in Robbo 22s. I fuel out of drums the same as  other remote operators...

I remember seeing an article on this in Flight Safety  but don't recall the conclusion.

Am I doomed? 

Alan 

4 minutes ago, RFguy said:

this leads to inflight engine failure.

Oh dear.

Don't want that. Again. 

Anyway to test fuel?

Alan

19 hours ago, RFguy said:

DId anyone read the report of the high Toluene in the LL100 fuel causing trouble in northern australian helicopters ?

 

I have been reading about it the past couple of years with the numerous damaged Lycomings etc,

and lots came to the surface in the latest edition of the magazine FLYING, (which i subscribe to) .

 

Half the lead and in order to maintain the 100 octane, a ton of Toluene added .... Toluene unfortunately is a volatile and thus the LL100 will share unwanted properties with MOGAS....

 

This is quite dangerous I feel for Jabiru (and others) flyers with little tolerance of detonation, because the Toluene is very much a volatile, and the old addage of you can leave LL100 in your tanks for years may now be not the case.

 

glen

 

Hi Glen

Is this just an issue of additional engine wear or could it lead to performance issues in flight? 

Cheers 

Alan