Friarpuk

Thanks for all your input guys! I have been a little occupied in the last couple of months as mum seven year battle with cancer finally ended in death. Cancer's a real bastard! I will follow a few leads some of you have mentioned. Sometimes a wide berth of experience in things other than aviation can help solve a problem. I use to run my radio control planes on Shell A through silicon and I never had a problem, so I bought a metre of very expensive silicon hose, and as I've found it's bloody useless!

Hi folks I am wondering what others use as transparent fuel hose, needed to visually see how much fuel is in the tank. I have just returned from the hangar now which now smells like fuel due to the silicone hose sheering off the bottom attachment point and letting fuel spill into the bottom of the plane:censored:. At least it didn't happen when I was flying! I have also tried standard clear hose (PVC) from the hardware store but it goes yellow and very brittle very fast. Does anyone have suggestions or a supplier of appropiate 10mm inside diameter transparent fuel hose?

Yep! I would have to agree with that! I hope you have a great time on your cross country, I wish it were me! Ah well back to the shed to keep building! Just the wings to finish! Oneday I would like to do the cross country from Katanning to Dalby and Nanango where the parents and the outlaws live.

Don't kid yourself! 9500" is barely out of a decent thermal in Qld. I was flying with a mate in his Aerocommander Shrike at 9500 after lunch between Roma and Dirranbandi just before Christmas one year and we got flogged. And my wife lost her lunch down the back. But the height is better for tiger country that's for sure!

G'day mate It sure is daunting. I love the jab hulls but am not too sure about their engines. I would love a Jab with a Rotax. I just find that there are too many Jabs on the market with 600 hours on the dial. I always wondered why. Or they have 1200 tt and a 600 hour engine for sale. Seems from what I've heard the cylinders can't handle the heat variation and the engines start using too much oil after a certain amount of time. I previously trained in a 160 and a 230 and I loved them both to fly, but they are currently been pulled from training as they both clocked up about 600 hours and then needed to be rebuilt. For me that's not very good value for money, and it seems that Jabiru have not done much to change this relatively short engine life of it's motor. I have gone for a Rotax motor in a Skyranger I am building myself. I would encourage you to look at as many planes as possible, and note how many of them have gone for the Rotax engine. For me that says something! There are also sites on the net that assist with maintainence for the rotax. Such as rotax-owners.com When I fly Jabiru's I would rather hire and fly someone else's plane and not have to worry about the long term viability of the engine. At least then I only have to worry about the engine while I'm flying. FWIW

Hey good on you! I'm in WA but am a Dalby boy from out near Bell. I was at Chinchilla until earlier this year and did my training in a 160 and a 230. Hang in there you'll get there! I find making three conscious deep breaths just as your turn onto final always relaxes and focuses me. I have done a bit of flying out west and the thermals get pretty bad out St George and Dirranbandi way in Summer. I hear the temps are really getting up there again. In Katanning WA Summer is the choice time to fly as most of our rain falls in Winter. Building a skyranger and just have the wings to go. I am missing the flying on the Downs familarity is a great thing. Bunya's and grain silos make it hard to get lost over there!

My Prop is bigger than yours! Well good for you mate! Hi folks, I am wondering about what the best cruise speed prop to purchase for my Warp Drive hub. Does the shorter prop give a higher or lower cruise speed? Or does it have more to do with the shape of the prop? Or is it a combination of both? I have a skyranger and know that climbing will never be a problem but I am looking for the right blade to give me the best cruise speed. Those of you who use Warp Drive Props I am especially interested in your advice. Thanks

Hey Doug G'day. Thanks for the encouragement! The build is going well! I have also been a fan of your videos on utube. It seems that every time I go near the net I am on Utube typing in Skyranger into the search. I plan to make video of my flights as before I was a padre, I was a news TV cameraman for Win, NBN, Seven, and Ten. Cheers Heath (Friarpuk)

G'day Brett I see Mat has referred to my Skyranger build. The dual thottle set up is not that difficult to make. The right throttle piggy backs on the left via a auminum rod behind the dash. My blog has pics (i think) The Conscious Pilot's Skyranger Build Project Friarpuk

Hi folks The build is coming along nicely! I have completed over 150 hours and now have only the wings, windscreen, upper doorwindows, and rear spats to go. To see all the pics and an embedded video of the Rotax 912 test run go to The Conscious Pilot's Skyranger Build Project Friarpuk:thumb_up:

I have added a few more pages of pics in the Skyranger photo gallery!

Sorry about the whole page thing I will post some individual pics from now on. I just wanted to get what I have completed up and posted as easily as possible.

No! I'm still using the white ones why?

G'day folks Attached are my pictorial builder's log. I will add to it as I go! Enjoy!

I'm not sure if anyone has asked this question of you Pioneer200, but what type of approach are you making? My instructor has 18 000 hours flying in PNG and Agwagons in Qld and teachs his students in 120s, 160s, and 230s to come over the fence at 70, half flap turning onto base 1000 agl, keeping the aircraft at 70 kts and -500 vs, turning final at 500 agl, then full flap once committed to land. The only variation is in turbulence where we add 5 to 10 knots and stay on half flap or clean if it's really rough. Last glance at the instruments before roudout settling down to 65. If you are making a glide approach I can understand you might float down the strip and scare yourself. But if you are using power to drag you to the strip then the only floating you will do is on the round out. I understand many are taught to make glide approaches increasing the chance of floating in ground effect. But being an Ag pilot my instructor has taught us to come in lower with power. fwiw

G'day folks Have been pondering how to secure the top half of the cowl so I can easily remove it for engine inspection and maintainence. I'm not a big fan of the little cowl screws that chew out the fibreglass after time. However I have been wondering if the butterfly latches used on roady cases would do the trick. Has anyone out there got any ideas? These butterfly latches are in their own metal recesses making them easy to cut into the cowl. Different types can be seen at http://www.penn-elcom.com/Default.asp?MC=1101000&GC=Group[url=http://www.penn-elcom.com/Default.asp?MC=1101000&GC=Group][/url] What do others think?

Skyranger on hold till WA G'day blokes I will be on the ground in WA in early March and am champing at the bit to rip open the boxes and start building my Skyranger. I figure it is easier to transport a kit in it's original transportation boxes rather than a half built plane. But seeing the 100 Rotax in the garage everyday just sitting there is driving me crazy! Especially now that I have my full cross country licence and nothing built to cross the country with!

In short: There is no answer! All the tests in the world will not improve human factors or airmanship. At the end of the day it's basically up to the individual. And I would not go as far as to say "the individual's common sense" because from my observations as a TV news cameraman in a former life and now a flying padre common sense is not all that common. So I'll say it's up to the individual to use uncommon sense!

Cow tags I hope those cows have been issued ASIC tags!

Skyranger I was luck in purchasing my instruments when the dollar was good compared to the US dollar. The only things I haven't got for my plane is a transponder and a AH but will leave spots for them. Still considering putting in a EFIS instead of an AH but manna needs to fall from heaven for that to occur. Plane is still on the Gold Coast and will pick it up from Tony Holtham, the OZ distributer, when he finishes getting a metal tank built and the exhaust welded up for me. He gets a bloke to do a heap of job making it cheaper (I hope). But the most imhibitting thing for me at the moment are the calls I am receiving. I have been called to Katanning in WA and until I know what I am doing am hesitant to start building just in case I have to take a half built plane across OZ. It would be safer to transport in its original boxes.

I flew to St George for a Navex and then stayed overnight to take a church service, since I am a flying padre and all, the next morning I returned to the airport and the gate onto the apron was wide open so I told my parishioner to drive out to the plane to unload my gear. Bad mistake! The council bloke returned from his glory lap around the strip and proceeded to try to take strips off us for entering the gate and not having a card. After he finished his over inflated mantra about not letting me back on the strip and reporting me he let me go. But I do wonder, if security is sooooo important at St George Airport is SW Queensland, why did he leave the gate wide open on his inspection of the strip????? There is security and then there is security, but then there is stupidity. ASIC falls into the latter category!

Hi folks The 120 is a nice fast little plane. Western Downs FS at Chinchilla has access to a 230, 160, 120, and soon another 120. My instructor and were on a navex a couple of weeks ago and we had to pick up a 120 from Miles. It was just as quick as the 230 on the way home. However for bigger blokes it's still a bit pokey. The doors pinch my hips on closing and on a long trip I'm guessing it would become a little uncomfortable. However, I have just received news that my Skyranger swift with the British ninja mods has arrived in Brisbane from France. Now I have a hull to put my motor and instruments in! Friarpuk

G'day mate Good to see more Skyranger flyers joining us. I have got the New Skyranger swift ninja bobbing around in the brine somewhere between Rotterdam and Brisbane. I have been learning in a Jab 160 and 230 and can't wait to get my hands on the Skyranger kit. Tony Holtham (Oz Skyranger rep) is getting a metal tank made to replace the two plastic tanks increasing the fuel capacity to 90 lts and is getting a flush mount so fuel can be filled from outside the aircraft. The ninja package has the british mods of larger rounded dash and fibreglass panels on the fuse added to the swift which has shorter wings. It also has the covered centre console. My kit has the xlam pastified covering and I'm hoping to get close to a 90kt cruise with the 100hp Rotax. We will see! CFI has just signed off on my licence, passanger radio and human factors endorsments. So now I'm onto navs and studying for that in spare moments. When I get my Skyranger built, being a pastor I plan to use it for my ministry in the bush, cutting the time down between the places I travel to in western QLD. And I also love flying because helps me in my curiosity being the stickybeak that I am. Friarpuk "Fly like a homesick angel!"

Thanks folks for the information! You have all been a great help and I have learnt heaps since I asked the initial question. Skybum I think you have answered one of my questions, thanks! However, since I am only the messenger here, I'm not sure exactly what my instructor is looking for. I have passed on information you have forwarded to me and he still says that there was a simple explanation for the use of the kane computer, that was in the CCA Correspondence course. I imagine he will start up about it again soon, as I am not far off nav training. Thanks again folks Friarpuk

Hi Mat and others I'd encourage you to keep an eye on ebay as I just purchased a Santech E-6B computer, a square protractor, two rotary azimuth plotters, an airworthy timescale, and a 1 in 60 corrector for $35 including postage. And I believe there are a few Jeppesen CR3s and CR2s currently floating around at the monent too. There also seems to be a steady flow of headsets as well, varying in price and quality. It's worth a look anyway! Friarpuk