dingduck

Adelaide Biplanes at Aldinga has 3 SportStars - I don't know the details - Google it.

That blue colour is from holding your breath mate, very unhealthy thing to do when CASA's involved!

Just noticed Merv's L O N G post . 2 thoughts: - PPL (& RRA cert. for that matter) are a standard, not a box ticking / hrs building exercise. So how does the same person get to the same standard, ie PPL, in less hrs via RAA? - I think CTA training should be added to the budget as part of the RAA Cert or to PPL conversion because that would be a normal part of PPL training. RAA CTA sylabus requires 3 flights.

Couple of points: RAA is cheaper up front - there is less in the syllabus, no medical, no security checks. After a number of years the annual membership to RAA does even things up. - Older folks take longer to learn - sorry, just stating the facts. - On the face of it the J160 is a cheap trainer but keep in mind: - The J160 is a quirky thing to land - older folks can take significantly longer to get on top of it & need to fly regularly to stay on top of it. - The poor rate of climb makes it an inefficient trainer. - Unless your flying school has shorter NAV's for the J160, they may cost more than in a more expensive plane that is faster. - What flying is planned once training is complete? If 4 seats is what he needs, then Dad may as well do PPL straight off with some NAV's at least in the plane he intends to use. The J160 has taught many many people to fly well, it's just not as cheap as it looks on paper. Have you looked at other ultralights? - the total cost of learning on a Tecnam, Texan, SportStar etc is probably no more even though they cost more / hr. but would still be cheaper than a C172.

Thanks Merv, but you won't see much from me , I hate typing. Did mean to ask you what Terry thought of it??? Macnoz, thanks, that would mean empty at about 325kg - better load then too. Skydog, some J230 (factory built LSA NVFR version) Flight Manual numbers for you: the following are RPM, litres/hr, TAS: 2600, 15, 100 2700, 18, 107 2800, 23, 110 - 75% 2850, 25, 115 2900, 28, 116 We tend to use 2700 RPM to limit fuel burn (& noise) - we are often wt limited to around 70 liters (empty wt 376.6 kg). If a clean J230/ J400 will go close to VNE on 6 cylinders, why go looking for 8? I assume the 140+ / 150+ figures are TAS at altitude on a warm day - VNE is 140 KIAS. Handling: most seem to prefere it over the J160 - climb is good but can get hot - so increase IAS, visibility better (more back windows - less stress in a busy CCT), landing not quirky - Glide & Vref 65 KIAS (same as J160) but stall lower - 40 & 45 KIAS. BUT all this for more $ so tends not to be the basic trainer which is probably a pity. Cockpit seems narrower - is this real or imagined?? Ultralights, J160 figures may vary because flying school ACFT may have bigger jets in the carby to improve cooling.

I fly J160's (x3) & J230 for work 3 or 4 days a week. What did we buy? A SportStar. Just wondering though, what's a typical empty wt for the J170?

What about 6min markers? Why doesn't the poll list 6min markers? From 1979-2003 I used whiz wheel & GS checks. Tried 10nm markers, now use 6min markers & don't go past the training area without 'em. !-- @page { size: 21cm 29.7cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> 6min markers are are easy to calculate – simply 10% of your ground speed gives you the distance you mark each leg off in on your chart. On departure, add 6min to your departure time, write this time beside the first marker. Add 6min to that time & write it beside the next marker & so on for the whole leg. Now you have what amounts to instant Dead Reckoning, you can always know where you are by just looking at your watch. By the about the middle of each leg you will know if you are late, early or on time. If, for eg. you get to half way 2 mins late, you will be 4 mins late by the end, so revise your next ETA by 4mins. Keeps the electronics honest too. Even if I haven't done wind calcu's I still use this method – just based on TAS & having taken note of the forecast wind, know whether to expect to early or late. For very short legs I use 1 halfway marker. If you always think in time you won't get caught out being behind the plane when going from slow to fast ACFT or with the 40kt tailwind we had coming home from Cowra last weekend. Time is also good for planning descents to your destination or for avoiding CTA – descent for Camden from 7500' last weekend was started with 9min to run - for all you mile junkies ;) that's 27nm to run with the tailwind or 13 nm if it had been on the nose!

Hi Steve & Co, we didn't get around to playing with the pitch before the chief shot through to Oshkosh for 2 weeks - waiting till he comes back. My oil temp is low too, only reaches the green in a long climb. There is an oil thermostat fitted, it gets to 50deg nice & quickly. From reading the books, the issue is having it hot enough long enough to burn off impurities - water etc. There is a suggestion that part of the oil cooler be covered during colder weather. Anyone tried this? Still thinking about the vertical card compass option & wishing I'd gone for a quick fly with you to see it in action. Dingduck

Hi Folks, been reading this great site for ages, but typing is such a chore I hadn't got around to saying G'day. A couple of things have finally got me to now hit the keyboard - Ian's little "you- really-should-say-hello" notes & the Sportstar we recently bought will soon be coming "home" to Camden - we've gunna need some tips from time to time I'm sure!