metalman

You will NEVER regret learning to fly a taildragger, Matty

I like the utube stuff on the Stewarts system, I have heard of some issues with the top coats, keep us posted it would be good to hear your thoughts. I used the poly fibre stuff and the 2pak paint on mine, pretty happy with the results, but I'd be keen to give the Stewarts a go. Cheers Matty

Wow, 52 posts ,so far, over some joker not reading the ops manual before putting his stickers on,

the people who designed the product, make the product and who write the manual say to NOT use a heat gun,,,,aswell as being an uncontrollable heat (read inaccurate) small,super hot particles can dislodge in the airflow and burn holes in the fabric, but if a LAME says so then I'm not gonna argue :)

I'm a metal worker and found the covering process almost therapeutic, it was the most enjoyable part of the build. I bought a small hobby iron from aircraft spruce for the tight bits and used an older type iron that a mate had for the big areas, I also use an infra red thermometer to keep it all in check. Have fun it really is good to see large areas suddenly start to look like an aeroplane! Matty

there's a distribution block between the carbs that also has a restricted outlet for a fuel return to the tanks, it seems to be a later 912 thing as I don't think the early installs had it Matty

I've run the return line back to the collector tank in my aircraft, so far works okay , I do know a lot of older installations don't have a return line. The early Skyfox didn't have them , not sure about the gazelles. Matty

Looks pretty cool, it amazing that the little bit of fibreglass on the front of a drifter changes your perception , without it. There's really is not much difference between the two.

Skyfox,,,,,,a redesign but what isn't really!

Much better, but I also have more HP, I'll have to get in at look at the rigging

Mmmm hot air and dodgy advice,,, on the internet,,,,nooo , it couldn't be true! As for me if I want to pick on a dumbarse I see one brushing his teeth every morning ;)

Thanks OME, I was thinking a remeasure might be in order , short hops around the valley don't always show up problems , I've just done about 43 hours in the last ten days and all the niggely things get pretty annoying after a few hours in the seat

Is it light on the stick inflight?

Hi all, has anyone flown their skyfox/gazelle without the rudder springs on the pedals or the aileron centering springs, the reason I ask is I have a problem flying straight and level and keeping the ball centered, it won't fly "feet off" and after a couple of hours it gets very tiring to have to keep weight on the pedals, unless there's a rigging problem I might be able to tune out of it, cheers Matty

hehehe,,,funny funny funny

I've just done a trip from Coldsteam to Longreach via White Cliffs ,Orchid Beach, Port Macquarie, lot's of top spots, Noccundra is worth a visit (ULP fuel only), White Cliffs is very interesting, Longreach I can highly recommend, Orchid beach is a great spot for a $200 meat pie(or camp for a while), Taree (a big thanks to Morgan Aircraft guys for their help) Port Macquarie, Wagga (probably the most vibrant GA field I've been to, gotta get back there to check out the Tecnam Taildragger online there), cheers Matty

Bit of a testament to the basic design,,, and you can add the highlander to that list

That's my thoughts if I end up owning this one, I'd like to mount it on three forty foot containers and then build some hoists to do a two story thing, the containers also will make great workshop / storage rooms,,,,,,and all this on out own bloke with an airstrip,,,that's the long term plan anyway, Matty

My hangar is a vinyl "bellman" type, seems to work okay ,and although the front is open it doesn't seem to get much water inside, still gotta pay for the dirt under it but it'll do for a while,

Coldstream use a Tecnam Echo for RAA, good school, and there's a pretty lively social life there on the weekends as well cheers Matty

The maintenance issues aside, and having engine probs in a Jabiru isn't unusual ,I get the feeling your not happy with the syllabus, it's been a while but I think it's standard to do the training you've mentioned after you've gone solo. It has a flow so your considered safe in the circuit , then before letting you go further afield there's a few things you need to learn. I can remember being so sick of circuits and just wanted to get out there and fly around , but now, oddly , I really enjoy the time in the circuit getting acquainted with a new aircraft, experimenting with different landings and so on. You've asked some opinions, and it's a bit of a guess as to which school your talking about ,but if its the one I think it may be I'd be sticking with them , the CFI I'm thinking of is a good pilot and easy to talk to ( go to him with your concerns) . Another thing is your flying ultralights ,part of the trip is being ready for an engine failure at any moment , the 912rotax is such a good engine it can instill a fair bit of complacency ,you've obviously been taught well enough that a few issues haven't turned into anything major, my advice, have a talk to the CFI about it , you cam send me a private message if you want to talk , and just so you know I'm based at Coldstream and have no connections , other than knowing people in the area, to any of the schools around Melbourne , Cheers Matty

I'll be heading off on Friday morning, and dropping in along the way to an outback QLD trip, cheers Matty

Someone doesn't want you to be lonely,,,,,,,it's good to cared about!

It's the same pilot that used to do the wing walking act using a stearman , till they crashed and his missus died, actually his dad was a display pilot who got killed recently to,,,,, sounds like a dangerous activity all this low level stuff!

PPPLLLLEEEEAAASSSEEEEEEEE GIVE US A "WHAT A D1CKHEAD "BUTTON!!