GyPySusi

Rather than create further thread drift on Guess This Aircraft thread, I have moved the drift here, if anyone is interested..When I got my first car over 50 years ago (a Morris Isis), I lived at Pascoe Vale, about 2 miles, or just over 3 km, from the end of Rwy 09. I used to drive over to Essendon and park in the carpark just north of what was the Ansett-ANA finger, now GA parking. I took quite a few photos there (lost a lot of them). I used to save my money so I could afford to ride the helicopter shuttle service to the city and back. Here are a few of the photos I still have.

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Came across an interesting topic for conversation while surfing the 'Net - Can you run an petrol engine on fuel vapour and use miserly amounts of fuel to go great distances?The basic concept here is that using the vacuum created in the intake stroke of an engine, air is bubbled through a tank of the usual fuel the engine runs on. The fuel/air vapour then enters the engine through the throat of the original carburetor, with the throttle butterfly controlling the volume of the mixture entering the engine, thereby controlling the revs.

This video shows that an engine will run using this set up, but it raises many questions about its practicality.

 

1903 Wright Engine .... yes they used it.

Here's a few observations from someone who has watched engine developments closely over many years:1): When the adjectives/adverbs in the commentary ( 'revolutionary', 'greatest', 'unmatched') etc. seem to outnumber the actual fact-bearing words used, ....

I saw or do not remember any mention of lubrication.

The pistons themselves are not subject to side loading which is good. That is absorbed by the cylinder sleeves.

Methinks the Free Piston technology as posted by Arron 25 in Post #3 this thread has much more potential.

Reciprocal motion of the pistons is directly converted to electrical energy.

Electrical feed back would be available to aid in actual piston positioning when and as necessary, such as when starting or modifying the piston motion to increase thermal efficiency. The latter would require delicate balance between any potential thermal efficiency increase and electrical losses, but maybe achievable.

The Russell Engine would be subject to more friction, wear, and resultant hot spots, all of which may be minimised by adequate lubrication and design.

As many will know I have been working for the last few months on the new site update. This update has become a turning point for the site even raising the question of whether the site should even stay in a forum type format as it is or even completely change it's whole foundation of how it goes about helping every recreational aviator.The developer of the forum software has released a complete radical change to the entire fabric that makes up the forum. It has a complete new change of direction requiring a huge learning curve in its coding and its structure whilst leaving out many of its features and functionality. How Recreational Flying is built is by taking the forum software which includes core files and html templates, and I enhance the html templates and make minor changes to the php core files. I try not to change the core files as much as possible to make it easier for updating so I also develop pieces of my own code to override some components of the core php files.

 

On top of that I acquire modules from other developers who create extra features as addons to the site like the Classifieds, the Resources, The Media Gallery etc. I take those modules and customise them to suit the overall site look and feel plus also enhance them as well like I do to the forum software. I then develop the necessary functionality that brings everything together into one overall solution. Doing all this provides you with one very easy to use, enjoyable and satisfying user experience that ensures you get the extreme most out of the site rather than a resource that just turns you off ever using it.

 

Along with the new forum software requiring a massive new learning curve, many of those that have developed modules that I use today no longer produce them, especially not with the new forum structure. This means that to update the site many of the features will no longer be available like the Classifieds, the import to the new forum structure of the media gallery will lose all the existing media in it, the existing Post Ratings will have to be migrated to being just "Like" and other things. However the new forum software does have some extra great features with it as well. So you say "Well, just leave the site as it is!" but in the not too distant future the software will be at its "End of Life" which means no more updates, no security fixes etc forcing me to do something anyway.

 

The point I am trying to make is it is going to be really really hard which ever way I will go and I am not sure whether this tired brain is going to be any use any more.

 

I don't know which way to go for you all. Do we even consider a complete change of the site to a non-forum type resource like Facebook, or to a blog/news/article style site like using Wordpress, or what?????????

 

The site's growth is stagnant and has been for some time now. It still gets around 500 different registered users logging in every single day and around 3,000 unique visitors reading the site every day. The number of new threads and posts have also remained stagnant but there are new users registering on the site every day. The site got really hostile so I took action to entice those hostile posters to go away...a bit of damned if you do and damned if you don't scenario but there is less hostility on the site these days but the quality of recreational aviation posts has declined, in my opinion. With RAAus the way it is these days I am also not sure whether I have the incentive any more, from the days that I so much loved anything and everything to do with recreational aviation...it was my passion but has the passion. I have seen with the many people that I have respected in our industry to leave it as they too lost the passion, or it was driven out of them. So is Recreational Flying even worth it these days i.e. worth all the hard work, long hours, huge financial cost to support a destroyed industry with this site?

 

I am so open to your comments on a way forward for the site as I just don't know what to do. It will still take many more months of work to update the site, I could just start the site again with just the forums and existing threads and posts and slowly add all the other functionality and features as I relearn them with the new code. Do I forget that and look for other means to help everyone to help everyone else in recreational aviation? Do I bow out, disappear and let the hostiles come back in to increase the flying posts and let them take over.

 

Perhaps there is a solution you know of and I can't see because I am just too tired?

 

Here are some early screen shots of the new forum software:

 

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From a little boy who saw a Tiger Moth (I have later guessed) fly over our pine tree in Tassie and has since been mad about engines and airplanes I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

If you can maintain a similar structure to the existing forum then that would be wonderful.

Please do not consider, in your words, a " non-forum type resource like Facebook ". This would, as far I have seen, enable complete domination and takeover by "facebook" or similar avenue.

Even though I do not fly, and haven't since 30 Years ago (Yes, it is 30 !) flying a "Paraplane" in New Jersey, USA, I try to keep up with all current developments and your Recreational Flying site/forum has been one of my favourite means of keeping in touch with those who still fly or keeping in touch with their endeavours.

And if I can be of any assistance to you in getting the forum updated, then please be my guest.

As I put in my re-subscription to (the US) Aviation Week and Space Technology, I am a "Temporarily Retired Engineer" which I did not expect them to put on my mailing address, which they did to my high amusement.

Regards,

George, aka GyPy.

My wife has said, "You can tell this kitchen was designed by a man", of every house my wife and I have lived in.Our current house has the hot water service 10 or more metres from the area closest to the kitchen, laundry and en suite. There is a perfect alcove outside each of these rooms where a water heater could be placed.The only bathroom close to it is the family bathroom which, being Darby and Joan, we don't use. We waste heaps of water waiting for hot water to reach the kitchen sink or en suite shower. (Wash in cold water).

There is one song that I just get emotional about at this time every year and if it is done properly it is just so all absorbing...The Little Drummer Boy. Many people just sing it and then it just becomes a song but those that really put every emotion into it, it becomes a masterpiece. The versions that I love listening to are the ones done by

Jerry, Thank you.

Well, may have to get the book.. All time fave aircraft (I have a thing for twin taoil boom aircraft - when they scrapped the IPEC Argosies that were based at Essendon (from memory), I was devastated)...Probably going to join this group once a few short term things coming up do actually occur.. Vampire Preservation Group - Home Page

 

And this is very tempting... May have to part with the XC90.... De Havilland T22 Naval Vampire | eBay

You say: "when they scrapped the IPEC Argosies that were based at Essendon (from memory), I was devastated)"

A younger George used to wonder at those same IPEC Argosies when at Launceston Airport (or was it called an "Aerodrome" then).

And now such are relegated to memories, or such as they may still be.

Georgy Peorgy.

Gotta have faith in that airplane after seeing this.

That airplane did what that rudder was telling it to do.

Also look at that tailplane.