bushpilot

Now, there's an idea; home grown beef and lamb on the barby - and lotsa fly-talk! :big_grin:

Well I finally committed to buying a new 3-axis a/c.. It took 18 months of consideration and deliberation - a lot of it based on information from this Forum.. I couldn't start to list the people who fed my appetite for views and experience - covering everything from pros & cons of various a/c, to GPS's & other instruments, to airstrips, etc.. But I can thank Ian, for making the Forum happen and giving people like me access to so much information and the 'brains trust'. So, early last week I plonked down my deposit on a new Jabiru J160C; then headed for Narromine to talk with the Jab people about panels, interior trim, etc. and look at a range of different panel configurations on the many Jabs there. I'm still finalising the spec. - but likely to go for the 'big' panel with Dynon D100 avionics and AvMap GPS. It's interesting when I think back over the top contenders in my serious deliberations over the last few months: Savannah, Brumby, Allegro, Foxbat, Jabiru J120 / 160 /170. Originally I thought that with my paddock strip I should go STOL, but in the end I thought the compromises too great and the price too high - given my preference for 100kt cruise, long range and no main fuel tank in the cabin. It's hard to beat the value in any of the Jabs. So a few weeks ago the D5, trucks and grader were brought in to make my strip fit the a/c We added 80m to the length (now 638m) and 6m to its width; moved 300 tonne of earth, graded and compacted it. So I can also expect a few more visitors now!! :thumb_up: June delivery - so many sleeps to go... Cheers, Chris

I agree 100%! If Rocko (Scott) had the time and inclination to do it - I think it should be issued to all flying schools by the RA-Aus, and put on the RA-Aus website.. Then, in time, it would find its way into training manuals. Great effort; thanks. Cheers, Chris

The thing that I got the most out of was some of the Forums: The 2 hours on maintaining Jabiru engines was extremely useful; told me lots of things that I had not contemplated.. Also interesting that Rod Stiff announced that he is working on a Jabiru helipcopter; to give Robinson a run for their money... Seems he has some work to do before it's certain, but he is keen! Caught up with Ian - and was spell-bound by the mega-sized pics he had of the Millennium Master; I dragged a few other pilots to the RFF tent to see the photos also. I think it will set a new standard for LSA / Rec. aviation. Cheers, Chris

Hi Ian - Wondering if you know what the slope is on that runway? And, with 15kts tail, do you find any issues with the higher ground speed? Cheers, Chris

Slightly off topic, and at the risk of a whack from Ian, why are some types an accident waiting to happen with a 10kt tailwind?? I land downwind (but uphill) on my strip, regularly, as do visitors in Jabs., etc..

Recover fast and well, Terry..:thumb_up:

Throw his company a polite email... How else will they know... That 'incident' could have been a major 'accident'... Safer skies for everyone doesnt just happen. Thanks for posting your experience; scary as it was.. Cheers, Chris

So, Paul, what other a/c have you flown in the lead up to the Texan? What was it's main attraction to you? Cheers, Chris

Well done Phil... I know that feeling well!!:)

Changed from "my day"; when I applied, QANTAS covered ALL training and related costs. All you had to do was accommodate yourself. (I didnt get through, but my buddy did: Now a 747 Captain)

Not disagreeing at all here - but to help with my learning - if you are testing both plugs (in each cylinder) on run-up, then even if one plug fails, surely the other will get you home? Cheers, Chris

Ok, Ok, so I've been holding back then; mainly because it went unreported at the time.. Several years ago I configured my own nano-trike: Put a lightweight trike base under a high performance (high apect ratio) 'topless' carbon-fibre hangglider. Checked with a few other nano pilots and feedback said it should fly well - with the soaring capability I was seeking. (By then I'd logged well over 600 hours in hanggliders, without power assist). There were no 2-seater nanos, so bit hard to get checked out; but I did have a CFI on hand to observe and assist by radio. I took off with a bit of cross wind, which at about 100 feet AGL shifted suddenly to 90o cross.. This lifted the wing and initiated a turn down-wind; I kept the nose too high and entered a spin. At 50 ft AGL I finally pulled the nose down to about 70o down and got the stalled wing flying again, and had commenced a rotation when the nose speared in, at about 10o down attitude. The machine skidded for no more than 10 feet, so the energy dissipation caused interesting affects: the pusher engine pushed the seat back flat onto the seat base; problem was I was still in the seat; undercarriage collapsed (all 3 wheels) wing leading edges both broke; I broke - collar bone, right leg and thumb. (Could have been much worse...)

Welcome Brad... If you are into dirt bikes, maybe you should start your flying in a trike!... the bike of the air... Cheers, Chris

Welcome Ross, You should not have any trouble doing trike lessons in different locations. I self-taught in a powered hang-glider, but with heaps of regular hang-gliding experience before that, then did 9 hours training in a Cosmos trike in Seattle, USA, then came back to OZ, bought my Redback trike and did 6 hours more with local instructor to get signed off... I'm now doing conversion to Jabiru, but will keep on triking.. It's a bit like owning a motorcycle and a car... 2 different purposes.. double the fun! Cheers, Chris

Welcome J. You will get lots of great advice and support here - and make your own contributions of course.. It's so good that I find I can tell my 3-axis instructor some things that he doesnt know.. :) Cheers, Chris

Thanks Mike - and I do take your point.. Mine was meant to suggest that there is a lot that I did not know when I was trained many years ago.. I actually do think that more knowledge is better... my 'ignorance is bliss' was tongue in cheek.. Cheers Chris

So - how about Garmin 296 and Lowrance 2000C? Does anyone know the problem rate with them? I am interested in Lowrance, but seems Jab only do Garmin 296 in-dash installs; cutout is standard on their panels.. Cheers Chris

Hmmmmm - All this talk of the dangers of side slipping makes we wonder how I survived my early GA days when I had a quarter share of a Piper Colt; no flaps so we were taught slide slip approaches as a matter of course.. Did heaps of them and never thought about the 'consequences' aired here... Maybe ignorance is bliss - sometimes.. :;)2:

Welcome Tim, There are not a lot of J170 pilots on this forum; how do you find it? Has all your training been on the 170? Which school? Cheers, Chris

Downside of drought finishing.. A spring has re-emerged at the bottom of my strip - after 5 years of not working.. We measured the effective loss of runway today and I am back to a bit over 600m. Going to have to change my signature caption now.. :;)2: Fortunately the 1:22 downhill slope helps with acceleration... Good 'ole Newton...;)

Its the "reluctance to stop flying" that could be a disadvantage; if flying into a shortish strip you want to know that it will stop flying - with minimal ground affect.

BigPete says: "The 170 requires more attention to the approach speed and flare, otherwise your still flyin' and running out of strip. :black_eye:" Then there is the point Blueline makes about lower IAS on approach. So would one cancel out the other? i.e. Would the slower approach but with greater ground affect likely result in similar landing roll distance? If so, it seems you are together saying that TO distance will be shorter (than J160) for sure, but landing distance will be about the same. Cheers, Chris

Any J170 owners out there? Ive just done a thread search on J170 and there was some debate about a year ago about J170 virtues; in essence: Longer wingspan gives bumpier ride but better climb rate (Makes sense) Longer wingspan is cancelled out by heavier weight making TO roll the same distance(??) Floatier on landing. (Makes sense - but is this an advantage?) My interest is whether the 170 would make a better STOL proposition than a 160. Any thoughts from wise men (& women :-) ? Cheers, Chris

Welcome Shedpilot... I note you fly Lightwing and Jab; do you, or are you intending to own an a/c? If so which one? I assume you instructed on these same types(?) Look forward to your contributions to this Forum.. Cheers, Chris