Thruster88

Attended the Jabiru seminar at airventure today which covered the gen 4 engine (i was impressed) and the twin development. A new steel engine mount saves weight and eliminates the unwanted aerodynamic pitch down of the old canard mount. The engines will be even closer together, from 2metres down to 1.5. The engine is being repackaged to fit in a lower drag nacelle. Drag was mentioned a few times  and that due to the high drag of the current model it is slower with 160hp than the single with 120hp. Single engine performance was not mentioned but hopefully they can reduce drag enough to get some. They are hoping for a TAS of 130kts.

One-off Jabiru 1100 twin 40hp was running at Wagga in 2006. It never flew in the airframe that it was fitted to. (Shook like an angry mother!)

 

That is interesting, I flew a Thruster once that was fitted with a BMW twin opposed driving thru a rotax C box, vibration was low like a 582. The gearbox would help giving more power pulses per prop revolution ?

The HKS twin was tried on the Thruster in the 90's, don't think it was successful. The HKS is still in production and looks good on paper, anyone have any experience?  

Very wise choice!

 

Saturday morning reports (METAR / SPECI) gusting up to 36kts from the north - all crosswind on available runways and 6000m vis in dust. 

 

It was an interesting day, vis would have been down to 500m. Talked to a guy while we sheltered in the aero club who turned out to be kevin from the forum. All the planes will need a good wash 

The Ercoupe was designed to be installable by limiting up elevator travel. Why hasn’t that been tried by others?

 

It would be due to landing considerations, I would not like to have any less up elevator in the Musketeer.

One reason that pilots may get into trouble is to much up trim, they don't feel that they are pulling back but the trim tab is very powerful. It is more difficult to gauge the position of a control yoke compared to a joy stick that changes angle as it is moved. Maybe the inner part of the yoke shaft could be painted red, when the red appears a stall is imminent, it would work regardless of airspeed and trim.  

Certified aircraft that have a stall warning vane (angle of attack) and loud horn should be fool proof, the Pipers with only the little red idiot light don't seem to fare any worse in stall accidents.

A few times I have heard the stall horn chirp and released some back pressure, would I have seen the light, unlikely. 

The wilga airframe is limited to only 5200 hours total time in service. It is an AD in Australia.  

I plan to leave after the airshow & it looks like there will be a 20 knot NW headwind all the way home if Windy is right. Oh well "Time to spare go by air"

 

So down to only 100kts GS, oh you poor thing?

Forecast wind on Saturday is making me undecided if I will fly the Thruster. Will most likely drive over, if anyone needs any kind of help call me oh four five nine 521 660 

No struts. 

 

You are so right, it's no wonder journalist's struggle with this stuff. I have seen a million pictures of draco, just assumed being high wing that it was strutted.  

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I can't agree with your opinion. The aircraft didn't roll, it nosedived lightly, then did a quarter roll to the left, whereupon both wings and the LH landing gear broke off, and the fuselage roll stopped.

 

I'm of the opinion he wasn't really going all that fast, when he ran off the runway and nosedived (maybe 35kts?), and I would have though the wing attachment strength would have been higher than what it is.

 

The starboard wing fracturing downwards and breaking right off, with a simple quarter roll to the left, appears to make the wing strength look weak.

 

I know the direction of the fracturing is being caused by some serious negative G forces, but I would have expected the starboard wing at least, to be able to handle that quarter roll.

 

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I would not say the wings have broken off, one strut has collapsed and the other has broken most likely due to the undercarriage having been torn from the aircraft sideways. The wings are still bolted to the fuselage.  I missed the nose dive bit. It is no wonder journalist's struggle with this stuff.   

In my experience this is exactly what happens even if it isn't regulated.

 

Most people in aviation have an extremely strong self preservation instinct and if they are unsure, will seek knowledge, experience and/or assistance until they are satisfied that it shouldn't kill them.

 

That has been my experience at work. We look after a number of RAA types and even some VH that could already have been RAA registered. On the VH-XXX side only a few owner's will come in and assist with their annual, I think this can make for a better pilot having a good understanding of the aircraft's system's. Preparation of the paper work that will pass audit is a time consuming process, the spanner turning is the easy bit.    

Have experienced this also, the toggle flips over but nothing happens inside the switch. Obvious when it's the master or ignition switch on the Thruster.

Appreciate his honesty, I will go forward thinking am I about to have a Draco moment. 

I can highly recommend going for a lap in his Extra 300, a truly unforgettable experience. 

Some engines do not open valves until compensators are filled with oil, and after long pause oil drains out from there. It causes no compression at all, as no intake happens.

 

Mb this is the same for rotax. How are valve drives done there?

 

If you are talking hydraulic valve lifters then the valve still opens at least 75% even with the lifter collapsed (no oil). On a Lycoming the collapsed valve clearance is checked and adjusted with different length push rods. I presume the Rotax is similar. 

He seems to land almost on all three wheels, much faster than a full stall. And therefore not protect his nose wheel at all. (Disclaimer: I have 40 hrs total time.) 

 

The stall warning is chirping on his approach and touch downs. 182's don't have enough elevator authority to get the nose any higher with full flap. The fire wall on these can be bent by average pilots.

Just thought i would write a short story about my love for Thrusters and experience from 34 years of continuous operation of the type. As a wide eyed but very shy 22yo I was in the fortunate position to buy a new T84 single seat Thruster with a rotax 377, the best thing around at the time and a total rocket compared to the scout i started in. Flew the single for five years with one engine failure due to carbon fouled spark plug (single ignition), no broken metal. 1990 got my current T500, it had been demonstrated at Oshkosh 88. Loved the two seats and took lots of people up. 1992 the Rotax 582 came out and I had to have one, the faultless Rotax 503 DCSI was sold. Time flew by with many adventures, Holbrook flyin, Louth races, Gunnedah to finally get a licence. Before long 300hrs was up and the 582 got a rebuild, new crank bearings and piston rings. About this time I was feeling the need for speed and got a PPL, not long after saw a cheap Beech musketeer for sale close by. The musketeer is not fast, it takes 3 hrs to do what an RV can do in 2 but it is spacious, and strong, dependable like a true friend. I enjoyed flying the two very different aircraft and still do. Soon enough the 582 had done 600 faultless hours, time for the second rebuild but this time I decided to fly on and buy a new engine when required. At just on 1000hrs and 23 years the old greyhead 582 told me the time had come. It was retired still making rated power. ? The new blue head 582  complete withe radiators and B gearbox cost about $7.5k in 2015,  Cheap flying. I guess i like 2 strokes. The thing I most like about the Thruster now is that it flies slow, can turn on a dime, feels real and connected to me. A 30 min flight burns 9 litres.   

 

Definitely has the fragrance of fiefdom building there, but the general membership won't have an issue with that if they continue to deliver uncomplicated flying.  Probably better than the war zone of GA at the moment.                

 

The strategic plan. Not sure what it is all about, consultants may have been involved.?  

 https://members.raa.asn.au/storage/2019-2023-strategic-plan.pdf

And I bet it looks just as beautiful on the inside. Old aircraft that have been looked after are not the disaster waiting to happen that casa likes to make out. Show me the accident reports. 

That is exactly what happened. The government deliberately restricted the number of medical students in Australia to reduce costs. When that blew up, we imported a huge number of international doctors. 

 

Was it the government  or was it the AMA ?  

Just feed the power in slowly and dream that your flying a P51?

The front hit cowra hard at about 4.30pm with raised dust. The accident happened  about 6.13pm 10-20 minutes after last light. The aircraft may not have been equipped for night  VFR, Leigh Creek deja vu. We need to learn from those who have gone before us.

Those costs seem excessive so perhaps a less ambitious effort would be suitable. I can't see it's a majority of people issue. You are leaving a minority with out  a means of connection, which the rules require.. Nev

 

Without a "means of connection" how does one legally pilot an aircraft with regards to NAIPS.

I don't think Colin Furze is anyone to model your flying machine design aspirations on.

 

He's not far off equalling the illiterate black African aviators that utilise secondhand car wrecks for materials to try and get airborne - and I'm quite sure Furze has a death wish, and he'll be lucky to see the age of 50. 

 

There are a few differences. He is very entertaining and knowledgeable  and nearly all his builds do work.?

 A settled in engine should not tighten up when hot.

 

I said at the beginning of this thread that my 1500hr Lyc 0-320 feels tighter (not just on compression)  when hot than cold. Checked another at work yesterday and it was the same. Can anyone explain exactly why this is so.

The passing of Mark Smith will be the end for the printed magazine.