Riley

Given the open-fronted hangar plus the ferocity of the wind gusts in some of the storms we've had over the past weeks, I'd be tempted to guess that something bigger and harder than a mouse was being blown around in (or off) the hangar - say a part sheet of galvanized iron or the like. Was there any indication of corresponding damage to the wing covers in/near the positions of the dacron damage? Failing that, I reckon it could be Pol getting back at you for taking your wife flying instead of him.

Apologies Louis for inadvertently including part of your post in my abv defence of the 1/2 VW-H'bird. We obviously share similar thoughts on the matter. Guess maybe I started too early this morning. cheers

(quote) I've done some more reading. If you have a half vw engine with the cyl head poking through the cowling to be cooled by the slipstream, that is not acceptable on its own. You also need scoopy things that direct flow to the hottest part of the cyl head which is also where the exhaust valve is located. Some reference elsewhere about air being directed into casting holes to cool the exhaust valve area. The same would apply to other engines, I am sure. Sapphire I find your "one size fits all" statement that the Hummelbird engine/fuselage design is unacceptable for proper cooling along with the "I read something, somewhere" treatise rather curious. Discussion with T. Hallet of Hummelbird in the USA reveals that there are quote, "700 to 1000" 1/2 VW-powered Hummelbirds flying worldwide with no heating problems that weren't resolved by a change to proper fuel, corrected fuel/air mixture or a review of propellor selection. Rather than to leave the above statement (specific in it's relation to 1/2 VW/H'birds et al) unchallenged and thereby a potential reference for someone in the future to quote as having "read something, somewhere", methinks perhaps more specific research or a statement qualification might be in order?

Provided you don't start entering '.hores' in in your logbook rather than 'hours', the quality of your flying shouldn't be affected by your spelling. Alternatively, get it wrong and Mrs Pud will most likely ensure that you suffer for the incorrect use of something.

About a week or so back we had a forum discussion about an Australian radial engine company that was going/gone bust. I didn't hear the outcome and now can't find the thread. Can someone please advise the facts of the matter? Tks all.

I'm ashamed to publicly admit it (cause Thrusters of all persuasions, as much as I love them, are gawdawful fugly - forgive me Pud) but that's gotta be the prettiest Thruster that I've ever seen and it's got a bloody nosewheel too!! There, I've said it but how could I ever explain it to my dear old mother?

Greetings Geoff Perchance, would the recipient of the T300s back in 1988 been either John Giles or Ray Sweeting who both farmed near Collie? Neither gentlemen are with us now however at least two of their former Thrusters (25-0176 and 25-0178) are still around (tho not flying) and your quoted rego nr indicates these would most likely be from the delivery you mention. I did a Condition Report on 25-0177 when it changed hands here in WA about 5 years ago and I believe it's back in the air near Albany; 25-0178 crashed during a simulated EFATO @ Bindoon 2 years ago; and 25-0176 is in my possession (bought it crashed & incomplete about 9 years ago) and is basis of my ever-ongoing Stitts-winged, Suzuki-engined, T300 Special thats been in my workshop for far too long. Great thing about 'rag & tube' is that (like my grandfather's favourite axe, you know - the one that's had three handles & two heads over the years) they bend and they break but most times they usually don't die - some mug rebuilds them. Cheers

Another great weekend of aviating (by those who were) and aspiring (by those who weren't). You're spot on with your assumption re the h'winds. Had to leave the trikes in a hangar at Wylie on the outbound due to rampant gusting X winds. Ground party diverted to collect them on the journey home but conditions improved so all flew back into YBOO. I'll give you a bell re the battens as I need to confirm the profiles. cheers

Well done Pud, or should I be giving congrats to Gay?? I must confess that the only time LeeNaa came up with me in the Thruster, it kinda pumped up my ego that my wife would put her life on the line just for her husband's idiosyncratic hobby. Mind you - she's never been flying with me again in either the Thruster or the LightWing so when you get Gay to the point of 'having a bit of a drive' let me know and I'll come over to get lessons in 'wife-whispering' from you. Again, congrats for achieving a milestone. Cheers

Due to a sphincter-pinching twenty minute flight in an aged Thruster (it was still wearing the factory coackroach- egg GRP tank) over some not user-friendly terrain resulting from fuel starvation caused by minute glass shards partially plugging a clear vision see-thru fuel filter, I am now quite circumspect of an aircraft fitted with older fibreglass fuel cells. Despite a careful pre-flight, the de-laminated glass fibre particles (being clear), weren't discernable via the naked eye. Only after limping home did close inspection reveal that the gel coat had broken down and tiniest of glass fibres had accumulated on the filter screen. As geoffreywh stated above, with some degree of suspicion I've used 'Slosh' and 'Kreme' on vintage automobile restorations with satisfaction but I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with relying on it in an aircraft that was more than a few months old. That said ... how am I gonna put galvanized tanks in the Sapphire? cheers

There ain't no meeting venue that's sensible and/or central between West Australia and the rest of the world so I couldn't participate in any think tank but I would certainly look favourably at supporting any workable improvements to the current less-than-effective parts of our Constitution. Count me in!

Bought an Ivo over the weekend. This 'Want Ad' now defunct. Tks all.

MM2 If you were around the traps a couple of years back and wanted transparency, you would have had to taken long service leave to conduct an autopsy behind the reasons for the departure of each and every operational AUF/RAA head-of-department since formation. If you feel you need a reason why Mr X or Mrs Y moved away from our organization (or from anywhere else that you believe your expenditure constitites a purchase of all things) why not ask them direct? Steve's contact details are on these forums, he is an honest man and he'll either satify your curiousity or tell you to p++s off because it's none of your business. Whatever the case, a public forum isn't a proper place to scratch your itches. I again suggest that we lay this foolish thread to bed as it's demeaning in both content and atmosphere. I'll say no more.

Come on guys. Where are you going with this and for what purpose? For whatever reasons, the man no longer sits in the chair so unless you have grounds to suspect that Steve was a clandestine former executive of HSU and collected some 'technical nookie' on the wages you paid, I recommend that this thread be terminated. Moderators please?

David, I believe the RPL would have to appear attractive to many PPl holders who are either facing class 2 medical pressures or are feeling exposed by the much-higher per hour maintenance cost loading of casual use GA machines as compared to RAA. Don't get me wrong, I applaud the revised status of both the new RAA mtow limits and the RPL (I could well end up with a foot in both camps at some time in the future) but if, as has been suggested, CASA ultimately handballs the administration/regulation of the non-commercial low end of aviation to a management body, be it RAA, SAAA or any other agency, I sincerely hope that it isn't RAA that gets the nod. At our present roll-call of some 10,000 members there are already demonstrated areas where we are not doing an effective job of self-regulation and/or administration. Woe betide us if we take on more responsibilites. It isn't my intent to bag RAA but, with the inevitable spill-over of RPL applicants and 'go faster' carbon fibre grease machines (that they will most likely be operating) potentially added to our current state of capabilities, I anticipate that "the squeaking hinge that gets the oil" won't be a few piddling little rag & tube ultralights. In earlier days I'd be running the risk of getting burned at the stake or at least horse-whipped for saying it publicly but I already sense a 'them & us' mentality amongst the low & slow (dare I say it, older) recreational flying fraternity. I'd be more than happy to eat crow if I'm ultimately proven to be talking crap. Now, down off my soap box. Cheers

With reluctance in going on record with my opinion, I do believe that ozzie and M61A1 are both 'spot-on' in their above assessments. RAA (AUF) has done a commendable job over the years in gaining us fun flyers access to recreational airspace but I do not believe they have shown the capability to effectively manage the existing requirements let alone attempt to oversee the potential 'defacto' GA that seems to be facing us. Perhaps if and when it does eventuate, we of the 544 kg MTOW class can go back to enjoying our activities without all the razz & pizazz of the '100-grand-plus' ultralight society . Progress, be damned!

Just surfed across notice of a very interesting executor's clearing sale of a lifetime collection of 30's thru 70's vehicles & machinery at Coolamon (near Wagga) on Sat, 12 May. Amongst the myriad of multi-interesting lots (to a junkaholic anyway) are a single seater JEEP ultralight (looks quite complete except for wheels) and a rough XXXX?? two-seater pusher (less engine & prop). Anybody from Holbrook Ultralight Museum planning to attend? View catalogue with pictures at <<http://www.millerandjames.com.au/clearing_sales>> Worth a look. cheers

Further to Turb's above post, I seem to recall fm my revhead youth days that speedway freaks used a rule-of-thumb that 1 hp required a minimum of 1 cu inch of radiator volume. Anyone ever used and proved it or am I having a senior's brain fart?

Further to Pud's query - what's the dia? Methinks as it's ex-582, probably too big a spin for my requirement. Gotta confess to not having big enough testicles to take a hack saw to the tips of a Warp Drive. Thanks for the contact.

Arthur I agree with most of what you say so if someone can show me how to mount a R503 to my Hummelbird without having that pug-ugly exhaust system ruining the whole picture, I'll pull out the 1/2 VW and power a lawn mower with it. Whilst the Rotax-powered longer nosed H'bird presents and performs significantly better, that bloody muffler makes it look like a topless Pamela Anderson in a bikini bottom with road kill tied around her neck (IMHO). Cheers

Tks for the kick-back. I'll do some sleuthing and get back to you. Cheers

I'm looking for a decent 3 blade Brolga pusher propellor about 50" for a R503. Anybody got one that they'd care to sell or swap? cheers Riley

Don't know what the norm is over East but I've never charged for time spent doing an aircraft inspection/preparing the resultant condition report paperwork however, there have been occasions where an appreciative new owner has forced a carton on me later. Pity that I'm too busy this weekend to hop in the Thruster and whip across to get you sorted. Good luck. cheers Riley

Yah beat me by a buck Yenn (so that must make you older than me?) In Canada in 1959 I opted out of PPL lessons at the 17 hour mark after realizing that I couldn't afford to fly, drink beer and chase girls (only three things that mattered at the time) on my serviceman's wage. Lessons in an Aeronca Champ or Taylorcraft 12BC were $12/hr dual & $10/hr solo. However, putting these figures into perspective at the time, a surface labourer working at the local mines was earning $2.05/hr. Thinking back on it, perhaps I should have kept up with the flying lessons as I seem to recall waking up with far more beer hangovers than I ever did gorgeous girlies. I ask myself, were they really the good old days? Cheers

Promises to be a great event as Gordon & Gary at White Gum Farm have developed some degree of fame for both the facilities and their hospitality on their previous annual fly-ins. WA flyers will be doing themselves a dis-service if they don't participate in this first (for a long time) RAA sponsored/supported event.