Lozzer

It looks like this old 150 is worth nothing more than scrap then sadly!

Thanks. A mate had Piper Colt which he registered with RAA. They are only slightly lighter than the 150 and weight can be reduced further to a degree. Definitely viable as a solo machine. Would SIDS apply to an old 150 on the RAA register?

I'm aware of some lightweight GA models being registered with RAA such as Piper Colts. Would there be any interest in a Cesna 150 for this? Their empty weight is around 450kg.

Lots of good points in the above posts. I regularly operate a motor glider out of the Sydney Basin and over the Blue Mountains and often mention to people that after having flown all over the country, this area is one of the most rugged. Taking safety height just after departing and maintaining same during cruise/climb towards the upper limit of the step is standard. 26:1 opens up the landing options over GA glide performance and so I'm always amazed while at around 7000' to look down too often to see a GA pilot just hundreds of feet above the tree tops. One consideration worth expanding is that of utilising any area wind to maximise ground speed and range. 10kn westerly at 5000' over the Blue Mts is unusually calm and 20-30kn westerlies are far more common. The enhanced glide range utilising any tail wind component on an aircraft cruising at 60-80kn is significant. So it may well be a better option to plan for , and turn for a landing area much further away yet more reachable with the higher ground speed from a significant tailwind component. The GAF Grid Point Wind and Temp forecasts at levels to 10000' are generally fairly accurate and easily confirmed using GPS. http://www.bom.gov.au/aviation/charts/grid-point-forecasts/# There is a popular piece of software in gliding circles called XCSoar which offers an astounding range of info. One function is where it provides a shaded overlay on the map defining the limits of glide range under the prevailing conditions and an estimated arrival height at A/Ds within that range which is consistently reliable. You never trust your life to technology (especially electronic devices and 'infernal combustion engines' LOL) but its a useful tool for flight planning.

Yes Ads touring motor gliders are the way to go. Ergonomically comfortable, economical to run, very pleasant to fly, good cruising speeds of 90-100kn and a great viewing platform. Then the bonus of being able to soar when conditions are suitable or when they aren't to be able to shut down at cruise height and glide much of the final leg. Some TMGs don't soar anywhere near as well as others though.

We've operated Limbachs for neatly 20 years. They are the certified versions of aviation developed flat four air cooled direct drive VW engines with either 1000 or 1400 hrs TBO. Ours are older versions of lower output 80hp (yes same as those used by the blimp that operated around Oz) and 94hp. Under stressed, economical, relatively light, very reliable with regular maintenance. Continuous operating range of 2300-3000rpnFor a home builder, VW parts are often interchangeable, cheap, widely available and there are a host of racing enthusiasts who offer specialised parts and advice on souping up performance. Newer versions have FI and EI and much higher output ratings but also prices of course :>)

Thanks again for the suggestions. Has me thinking about going for a cheaper smart phone with 6" display and XCSoar.

Thanks Guys, The Aera is a bit of an overkill for our needs Ross. Yes we run XCSoar on the Nexus too Bill which is very handy. Really liked the simple and clear display of the old 315 and was mainly looking for something quite similar again. Laurie

Hi All, We run a Nexus 7 with OzRwys as main nav tool. Next to that we have an old Magellan 315 which as a backup was excellent as the screen display was simple and easy to see. Sadly the 315 has lost most of its aviation database and I'm advised by the expert that its no longer recoverable. Can anyone suggest a used replacement with aviation database?

Hello Admin, Any more word on Fly Safe? Laurie

Great news!

I finished Alex Henshaw's Book 'Sigh For A Merlin' yesterday. He was a production test pilot primarily on Spitfires over 6 and a half years from the first mark to his last Spitfire flight in a Mark 22 in Jan of 1946 . He also tested many Lancasters and wrote fascinatingly about how nice they were to roll during his testing of them and with minimal loading. He enjoyed raising the backside of his co-pilot no more than half an inch off of his seat during the roll.

Many thanks Wayne, Its a great training reference. However it may be that its just because I am an IT reluctant but I cant seem to find the actual tutorial among all of the files at that location. Laurie

Hi All, I was just wondering if John Brandon's excellent Fly Safe Tutorial is still available? Laurie

Just to add a little more to the useful info in this thread.... Re older servos - Also avoid older servos in lower lying areas in country towns and urban areas that may be exposed to flooding, even rarely. You can guess where some of the flood water find its way to and remains. Re fuel quality - Several of us use blends of Avgas and 98ULP. After extensive investigation we discovered that the only ULP with a specified shelf life in its MSDS is BP. (12 months). This has proven the case in practice with the higher volatile and less stable fuels (the ones the discounters turn over quickly) rapidly losing octane levels in a very short time. I'm not advocating that even the BP 98 be stored for more than a couple of weeks if you have a higher compression motor.. Re fuel storage - UV exposure and time reduce fuel quality surprisingly quickly (in days especially for the discounted fuels. Just check out the volatile fumes being emitted from an open fuel can or funnel). Best only stored out of sunlight and preferably in metal jerry cans. Notwithstanding the above, old stock, poor handling/filtering by servo operators/users, contaminants, etc all make a big difference..

Many thanks. Great pics and sketches.

Can't seem to find the War Letters part on his site?

Maybe a little late in this thread but I regularly fly a motor glider in Class D. The current (for some years now) GFA endorsement for flying in Controlled Airspace isn't quite as shallow as it was earlier made out to be.... 1. Technical Knowledge References: Visual Flight Guide, GFA Airways & Radio Procedures for Glider Pilots manual, Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) books, En Route Supplement Australia (ERSA). (a) Use of Transponder. (b) Standard words and phrases. © Standard Radio Calls applicable to:- • Class D aerodromes, • Class C aerodromes. (d) ATC Readback requirements. (e) Interpretation of ERSA, VTC, VNC, ENC, and PCA. (f) Maintaining Track (g) Responsibilities operating in Class E airspace. 2. Flight training and Radio Requirements (Circle applicable class of airspace) (a) Departure Procedures D / C (b) Circuit Operations D / C © Arrival Procedures D / C (d) Transit Procedures D / C Pilots holding Private or higher Licence or a Pilot Certificate issued by RAAus may be issued a Controlled Airspace endorsement provided that the Instructor issuing the endorsement is satisfied that the pilot meets the requirements above.

Thnx Steve, Have emailed them asking if their gauges have an alarm.

Thanks all for the info. I've made enquiries about a four channel MGL with just a light alarm but which can be modified readily to accept a buzzer. They also record max temps reached. Currently black and white versions only but colour version being released in a couple of weeks.

Thanks Ray. Will do

Thanks for the feedback. The MGL seems like what I was looking for with just two CHT channels. Flashing light would suffice although years ago I used one with an audio warning. This came in handy for when your attention was outside and usually when engine management can suffer) Its for a Limbach (air cooled) so unfortunately the automotive units designed around liquid cooled aren't suitable as they don't seem to have a CHT range up to the 200C that we need.

Hi All, Is anyone able to recommend an electronic CHT gauge which also has an audio overheat alarm function? Ideally something with dual readouts for the rear two of four cylinders. Thanks Laurie

Hi Ben, We operate a Dimona motor glider at Camden. A typical 45 minute Air Experience Flight is to around 6000' over the Blue Mts/Lake Burragorang area and a 60 minute Air Experience Flight is usually to 7500'-8000' in the Katoomba area. We shut down at each of these locations, feather the prop and glide back to Camden for an engine off landing. The big advantage of a touring motor glider is the extended gliding flight time even when there is no thermal activity to access. A typical conventional glider launch using aerotow is to 2500'-3000' providing a flight time of 20-25mins. Another is the side by side seating which although aerodynamically a little less efficient, wins hands down in terms of communication, direct demonstration and feedback. Feel free to email me with any questions. Laurie. Sydney Motor Glider Flight Group [email protected]