Geoff_H

The Mooney I used to own had been flown to Australia via Canada, Europe, down through the middle east and India, Indonesia, new guinea and Darwin then down to Perth.

Some years ago the Mooney club was looking at flying to New Zealand. Port Macquarie to Lord Howe to Norfolk island to top of North Island of New Zealand. We also considered East Timor but you can't get avgas there. I looked into shipping 44 gallon drums to their but our contact there was not interested in doing all the paperwork for the importation.

I was once told to call "aircraft on final" at non controlled airfields!

Trick them call VH-OQD on final. Lol

Understatement. This is what happens when critical monopoly infrastructure is privatised. Look at roads, electricity, airports etc.

I don't think that they want RAA, under

From what I read on the internet it would appear that the 6 built were kits. I expect that there were no commercially offered plans just parts and a kit with assembly instructions. It did appear that the designer still lives in NZ, not sure.

Howuch is a Hirth F23?

One of the problems that I have in converting to a single engine is "which engine". The original idea of this design was to build an aircraft that could be built for under $10k using tools and equipment that could be easily borrowed or used by 'friends'. The two two stroke engines cost $4k. They put out around 30hp together, each weighs just under 10kg. They have 600mm props and operate up to 6000RPM. So to keep the weight down, to maintain less than 45kts stall speed I need a light 30hp engine that is reasonably light including and drive speed reduction for a single prop that will have to turn at a slower speed ( still have to do the calcs on this)

Thanks Nev, Spacey. I am trying to catch up with RAA rules. I have a lot to go but I think that the specs for wing loading etc are in line with other single seat aircraft.

Ok you have me. What is category A?

I had an initial SAAA inspection. If I can find a suitable single engine how would I get RAAA approval?

The cri cri can take off and fly on one engine. With props 600mm diameter and engined 400mm off centre it is engine out simple. Tail surfaces are comparatively large, it is an aerobatic aircraft.

Hi Kasper, thanks but I would have to single engine it. RAA are unable to accommodate two engines. A recent attempt to register one totally failed. The aircraft has Junkers flaperons has a large speed range. What about the beauratic stuff? Are construction inspections required?

Thanks Nev. Stall speed full flaps expected approx 35knots

I have been building a CriCri similar aircraft for some years. As it has two engines and CASA (unlike the original designer, UK an French authorities) says it is a twin in its behaviour even though it's two engines are just over 24 inches apart. The endorsement will cost me $5k to $10k. RAA can't seem to accommodate a twin engined aircraft. So I have thought of changingind the engines to a single. Question is what inspection etc are required by RAA to register the craft? What are the costs? I know I have to get an RAA licence....never really understood why, I learned on C150 and still fly them on occassions. But what other problems am I likely to encounter as it is a composite design very much unlike a cri cri, only the aerodynamics are similar.

I feel the same about Mooney aircraft☺️

I learned to fly at Cooronbong. A large part was in a 150 Aerobat.

The electricity grid was sold off to get money for making tollways toe sell etc. I worked on a Victorian Power Station control system upgrade circa 2000. At that time the SECV (Victorian state owned power authority) for a very large amount of money, in fact they overpaid by about 100%. The Company that bought it quickly realised that they had overpaid and let the industry know. Seeing how much money that Victoria had got ever other state in Australia tried to sell their power system, but the industry had woken to the little money that they would make and were not interested. So to be able to sell the NSW system a Poles and wires upgrade was initiated. A few future possible use substations were built but the Poles and Wires (all very reliable) campaign was stated, a huge increase in the cost of electricity was then applied, we all groaned but paid it. These new rates changed the profit margin that an authority could make. The industry flocked to buy it. They are making a mint. My data from 2019 was that electricity bulk average rate was $0.14c/kwh, most us pay around $0.33c/kwh. Ok there are expenses but that is a nice profit for using computers to buy and sell electricity. The sale of the NSW electricity commission was essentiall an ongoing pseudo tax on NSW residents courtesy of the politicians. Similar to Tollways etc. When I bought my Cherokee in 1983 I just paid an Air Navigation Charge (the name may have been different as my memory is not good). For that charge I got all my government landings, documents and administration for free. Now everything costs way more than it costs them so that they can return money to government coffers. Airports given by the government to local governments quite often saw the real estate being sold to fill the local government coffers, more often than not wasted.

https://avdata.com.au/airport-charge-rates this gives charges that need to be paid through avdata.

It is the area that the "fly neighbourly" in ERSA asks you not to fly. Not that I would ever go against the request.

Some years ago I just flew over and thenw by Ayres Rock. It had the radio operator all confused. He thought that I was landing, told him I could not afford it for so limited gain. I also got to see why there is a fly unneighbourly area. Mmmmmmm.

I believe that the problem that we have with CASA is the way it is set up. For the safety of the airways! A public servant responsible for anything is a hopeless situation. They will overprotect their backsides without any wish to get meaningful operations. One situation I know of is with Cri Cri aircraft, lighter than most RAA aircraft but with 2 200cc engines, two foot diameter props puts the engines very close together. In most countries they are regarded as single engine, engine out is very simple, even the designer makes that statement. CASA has refused to make this allowance. Why help some people, they just protect their ass.

The thing that surprised me was the response about Blackhawk aircraft from CASA. I was told, by a helicopter rebuild place, was that the reason that any aircraft that has been in a war zone cannot carry passengers because there was no certainty as to maintenance or out of boundary stresses from abnormal flying. Maybe I was not told the facts, but the CASA management seemed to not have a clue as to what CASA was actually doing. No real surprises for me. The medical guy was on the ball though. Maybe he should head CASA.

Very interested. Please continue to show progress. Cheers Geoff