JG3

Have a look at the nose wheel bungee in your Savannah. We've checked the bungees on four Savannahs in our group and found all of them with partially broken bungees, 'necking' down in several places. These aircraft have anything from 100 to 700 hrs. None have had hard impact nose wheel landings, but considerable taxiing over bumpy ground. The breakages are not at the ends where the bungee goes over the attachments as you'd expect, but are midway down. Have to remove that aluminium shroud, to get a look. Don't seem to break suddenly, but strands break progressively until all the stretching is happening at that weak point. Won't last long after that..... We got the replacements from Aircraft Spruce USA. Aircraft Spruce part number 06-00829 "Shock Cord ring 9010HD". Cost US$18.50 each, with postage shared on four units, landed cost was about A$30 each. Arrived in one week. Less than half the ICP dealer price....... To mount the bungee I've made a puller which makes it really easy. It's just made from some 20mm RHS and some flat steel. Photo attached. I can't figure how to add dimension lines to the photo.... but the distance from the yoke on the left that fits over the top engine mount to the pivot is 130mm, and the distance from the pivot to the end of the handle is 400mm. From the pivot down to the hook is 330mm. The design of that hook is fairly important. It's made from a stub of tubing welded to the RHS so that it can fit over the attach stub on the nose leg. This way you can just push the tight bungee across onto the stub. If the hook is smaller diameter than the stub, it's really difficult to get the tight bungee across onto the larger stub. JG stolspeed.com

One problem with UHF CB that you will find in the air, is that you are almost always on 'some one else's frequency'. To explain - UHF transmissions are line of sight, so on the ground very limited range, so regular users such as working crews find a quiet channel for their area and then consider it to be 'theirs', while other operators in that area find other quiet channels for their regular use, and so share them around. When we are at altitude we have very long range line of sight, and intrude into all those regulars down there who have become used to having a quiet channel to themselves. Brings lots of comments such as, "...go find another channel, you xxxx..." Sometimes it's hard to find a clear channel, and then it keeps changing as you move over different areas.......

Arkaroola has Avgas and PULP, and excellent hospitality. JG

Use a sharp cold chisel to put a good nick in the outer edge, in the direction of unscrewing. If that isn't enough to loosen it already, use a pin punch in that nick to knock it loose. Works a charm, without any damage anywhere. The plug can be reused, and the notch is already there to tap it loose next time as well. JG

Many years ago at a country show, a fund raising effort by a local service club was to drain the oil from an old Valiant sedan, and run it around the dirt track until it seized. Bets were taken as to how long it would run. Totally fouled up the scheduling for the events for the evening, cause they thought it would only go a few laps. Even worse cause they'd pulled the exhaust off for more dramatic effect, so it drowned out following events and kept raising a cloud of dust. Off course it wasn't at full power for that big engine, but going as fast as the track would handle. No 'magic' additives, just the remaining film of old oil. Three hours later, getting to the end of the evening, it was still going strong..... Finally they drained the coolant, and then it didn't last long.......

After many years of ultralight flying, much of it x-country adventures, I really envy you the excitement of those very first ventures away! There's just nothing quite like the 'tingle in the tummy' of heading out over the horizon for the first time. Enjoy! Wishing you many memorable adventures to come. JG

Ring RAAus and explain. They can do a letter which tells that you have applied and it's in process. This worked for a friend of mine. JG

That thermostat that X-Air is selling is a Thermostasis brand. I tried one of those Thermostasis thermostats on my 912S. The results were SO MARGINAL that I took it out again, rather than put up with all those extra hoses and hose clamps in hot oil lines. (There's already more than enough hose clamps on a 912......) I ordered it directly from the factory - US$89 plus postage - so about A$110 - while X-Air is asking A$200..... Will sell mine again for A$60 including postage, if anyone wants to try it. I also tried a Permacool oil thermostat, purchased at Oshkosh, same results........ Both are now sitting on the shelf...... A friend in USA is preparing to test a thermostat he has found for the coolant system. Looks hopeful. If it works I'll let you know here. Duct tape over the oil cooler is the most effective so far. A bit inconvenient, but the price is right... JG

Have others noticed that the Elders site seems to be more optimistic than others about predicting rainfall - more green area?? Would that have anything to do with trying to sell more fertilizer??

I know a mechanic who services a 912 used in a gyro for mustering, so that engine is running full power much of the time. At 2400 hrs he put in new rings and hand lapped the valves. At 5400 did the same again, and now it's out there again working just as hard as ever. Yes, the Rotax 912 will become an aviation legend. The 'Toyota Corolla of aircraft engines' - just keep up the liquids and change plugs and don't touch anything else..... JG

I have a new Kiev for sale at $1200. Located SE Qld. JG

I don't know about 20 grams, but we always balance props by spraying clear lacquer paint on the back side of the lighter blades, particularly toward the tips. This is with the prop mounted on a low friction spindle. Small ball bearings with no oil or seals work well. Or a solid spindle set on absolutely level, smooth, steel rails. Have to wait for the lacquer to dry after each application of course. Keep at it until the prop stops at random orientations after a gentle push. Must be in a draft-free room, very sensitive. Works really well, and sure makes a difference to smooth running. JG

A friend of mine took the Aircraft Maintenance course at Caloundra, and is now doing his on-job experience to qualify as a LAME. He finds there's lots of work readily available if you're willing to go away from the coast - Mt Isa, etc. There's a real shortage of LAMES now, and most of them aging and near the end of their careers, so the shortage will be critical before long. He's 50 now and really enjoying his new developing career. JG

If you can get out to Kilcoy airfield next Sunday you can get a fly in a Savannah for no cost. I'll probably be out there mid-week as well. Ring me at 0429 943 508 to get in touch. JG

When I'm out bush where there's no premium unleaded for my 912S, I carry some 100LL and blend it 1:4 with regular unleaded. Research that did indicated that a small amount of lead is very effective at boosting RON, and 100LL has Lots of Lead (isn't that what the LL stands for??). It's a much better octane booster than that costly (and largely ineffective) stuff you can buy in little bottles...... JG

I flew 'Willy Coastal' south to north in a RA aircraft without transponder last May. In touch with the tower all the way and he gave clearance, but instructed to hold for about 10 minutes while departing military traffic cleared. Radio procedure was very 'clipped' and brisk and difficult for me to catch, so lots of "..say again.." from me. The operator was impatient, being used to pilots practiced in such procedures - seemed to me that he enjoyed deliberately embarassing an amateur..... To do it again I would announce right up front as follows, "....I'm and amateur and a bushy, and not practiced with your procedures. Please be patient with me and speak slowly and clearly, and then I'll do exactly as you instruct...." Or I'd go the inland route. So busy and tense trying to get the procedures right that no time to enjoy the very ordinary coastal scenery anyhow..... Just my experience....... JG

See my first flight of 2010 at StolSpeed Aerodynamics - Performance Enhancement for Light Aircraft Wishing everyone lots of memorable flying adventures in the coming year! Cheers, JG

This is a story about animals in light aircraft that I heard long ago: The fella went flying with his favorite dog, unrestrained in the back seat, as he had done many times before. Little did he realize that his cat had crawled into the aircraft and hid under the seat..... At altitude the cat panicked and started scrambling around the cockpit, ripping it's claws into everything, including him..... So he slowed the aircraft and opened the door. The cat leaped out the door, just as the dog went for the cat, so both disappeared out the door.... That's the last he saw of his pets, until a couple of days later the cat came home, hungry and limping..... So the story goes..... JG

That's not my dog. The photo was sent to me by a customer in the USA. Looks like he and that dog are real good buddies..... JG

How bout his dog..... Ear muffs, harness, goggles.

Here is my real-life experience with both types of gear - StolSpeed Aerodynamics - Performance Enhancement for Light Aircraft JG

Yeh I really like the Kool. Light, smooth, strong, tough stainless steel leading edge. JG

Yep, exactly right - there'll be no difference in cruise speed. See 'Prop Comparisons' at StolSpeed Aerodynamics - Performance Enhancement for Light Aircraft . I've just completed another series of prop testing comparisons, this time between Bolly 68", Bolly 66", Kiev, Kool, and Aon. Just writing it up now, but once again all gave the same cruise speeds, +/- 1 kt, when tested at the same manifold pressure. Manifold pressure gives a good indication of actual engine power output. You'd think there would be more difference than that, but I did many of the tests over and over just to confirm.... Only difference in all these last results was a slightly reduced climb rate for the 66" Bolly, but identical cruise speed. These were tested on a Savannah. The 68" Bolly is actually 68" Bolly blades in a Warp Drive hub. The 66" Bolly is the same blades in a Bolly hub. (Why Bolly labels them such is a mystery....) I have had a Warp Drive, and cruise speed was the same as the Bolly, but the much lighter Bolly blades in the Warp Drive hub are much smoother running. The Warp Drive hub is very good, and it's a good combination with the Bolly blades. Just specify to Bolly that you intend to mount them in a Warp Drive hub so they can make a small adjustment to the very base of the blade to allow them to seat properly. JG

Speaking of tricks up the sleeve, just what would be the best technique to descend through cloud, if caught up there??? I'm not tempted to go over the top, and have no IFR experience, but would like to have a plan of action just in case...... My Savannah is very stable in a full slip. Slow to 45 kts, full right rudder, and watch the ASI to hold that speed, and compass to hold a constant heading. Gives a descent rate 1000fpm, and can be released instantly when clear. Seems that it should work....... Would it???? JG

October issue RAAus magazine lists an incident when a Savannah hit a fence on take-off. The only comment that got in the magazine is that "..slats had been removed and replaced by VGs..." Not quite true. That aircraft was built without slats in the first place, and had 165 hrs of very successful STOL Ops by the original owner. There's lots more to that story, as verified by the pilot, at StolSpeed Aerodynamics - Performance Enhancement for Light Aircraft . That incident is the one marked Incident #1 in the analysis. There's also analysis of another couple of incidents, and some real life cautions and tips about STOL Ops in these aircraft. Also very detailed and careful flight test comparisons of a Savannah with slats, the original wing with VGs instead of slats, and the factory 'VG' wing. Very interesting real life results! JG