facthunter

Redair , you did address a question to JL. However------- Do not feel that the LOW end (So called) of aviation is a problem of status or some thing . You get much more bang for your buckin the"recreational" area . You can be a good airman, (or a bad one ) in any kind of aeroplane .All aeroplanes fly like aeroplanes really, but the smaller ones can be quite challenging in poor conditions. Some of the people who bag the smaller stuff may not really feel confident enough to put themselves to the test, and an elementof snobbery, can come in to it as well, however, decision making is a very essential part of being a pilot Good luck ..N..

I second JL's advice. You would not be without the RAAus material. regardlessof whatever else you get, subsequently.So load up your printer with paper & go to it & put it in binders as you will refer to it frequently. A big thanks toJohn Brandon is appropriate here. ...N...

Love it!!! You made ME laugh. In a similar vein,I always thought the ground proximity warning was saying " Don't think, Dont think". N....

Less throttle opening eases the load on the starter as the cylinder does not fill so much.This is more noticeable on bigger enginesi If the battery is sick, sometimes you will get by if the engine is rotated initially with the throttle fully closed, and gradually opened while still cranking. The engine is also less likely to kick- back, as it has more rotational speed as top of the compression stroke is passed. N..

In the 50's, & into the early 60's I would have thought that virtually every instructor (there may have been exceptions but I never knew any) did aerobatics,& certainly was endorsed as such. When the 'new' cessnas , and the (land itself) Cherokee 140's arrived, the DH-82's, Chipmunks Austers etc.became sort of obselete & gradually only" oddball "people( like me ) flew them. Of course we had then arrived at a situation where none of these newer aircraft could legally do aerobatics or spins ,So this sequence(spinning) was removed from the syllabus.This did not stop aeroplanes from spinning, and some thinking pilots still wonder at the wisdom of where we are at . I believe it should be extensively covered( at least in theory), with a view to never doing it .Ialso believe that,if a pilot is capable of getting an aircraft out of a spin, the same pilot should never have gotten into it (Unintentionally) Where am I going with all this? I think I'm saying that we have moved on .The aircraft manufacturers did not see the need to build this type of aircraft for the market(with a few exceptions, Zlin,& manufacturers with an eye to a military trainer style of product) The modern aerobatic A/C has evolved into a very speciallised article, Flown hopefully by fully trained, competent, current, pilots. There are quite a few training schools which provide Instruction in aero's & I'm sure the dual flying could be done and it's all part of ones flying knowledgebase, but sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, if its not used appropriately. This subject could go on forever N.....

Got to agree with Tony. How would any of us like to take the responsibility of overseeing this organisation , when aerobatic category aircraft were (hypothetically) available? These are very specialised aircraft & are generally overweight & overstrong, with special consideration to reducing aeroelasticity, flutter Etc They don't usually carry much payload, and have reduced endurance & need more inspections.( All compared to normal aircraft.) We build lighter than lightaircraft, with many freedoms with materials and construction methods, simplified designs that save us money,and the ability to service & repair our own machines. We could easily compromise all that, by trying to "stretch the envelope" There is also the worry of someone trying to emulate the performance in an unsuitable aircraft with no training. Sorry to try to curb the enthusiasm, but we have a pretty good scene, & we should try to do well, what we are allowed to do now. N.....

I think the corby starlet is aerobatic. VH of course. N... Makes you think though. ( One of the reasons I own a citabria. but they do need extra inspections) Things should be done properly, training & discipline as well N.......

Check that the engine has a good earth to the frame. Generally if an overriding clutch slips, the unit should be replaced ,as damage rapidly increases with continued use.N......

Yes, is the simple answer,but it looks interesting with a roomy easy to enter with good side & forward Viz cockpit. The wing & rudder both look like they mean business too. Got any more details Ian? Nev

Generalising here, but 3-axis handle crosswinds, weightshift is handled by crosswinds.( I'm ducking already)Unless you have a genuine short field capable A/C I reckon you need 400 Meters, especially on warm days.(Have a look at density altitude effects.) Also consider your approach & departure paths , turbulence around trees & sheds. N....

We all started with no experience at all. With a bit of luck you might get paid to do, what you would pay to do. That's our secret,( don't tell anyone, or you might not get any pay.) Nev...

Why not just give the fibreglass heaps more clearance on the strut ? Its not going to cause any extra air resistance and you can inspect it better N......

Redair, youre certainly keen. This scene is a bit like a chinese restaurant (too much choice) But thats a good fault in the long run, as variety is the spice ...so they say!

Don't rush in, talk to people,keep doing what you are doing already & with any aeroplane you purchase, accept that it will not be all things . Try to work out whether you want to do long trips (4-stroke, faster,larger fuel capacity, comfortable, quiet,reliable) for example. Do you want 1 or 2 seats.Everyone wants 2 seats of course but your choice is more limited, if price is a major consideration. Do you want exotic& (possibly) imported or simple & easy to inspect & repair.If you buy well & don't like it ,You could change your mind & not lose too much You could save some money if you buy a particular aircraft & then train on it .Has to be 2-seat of course &The instructor has to be willing. The X-AIR has a strong undercarriage & they are not very old so you should be able to get a good one. Hope this helps a little bit N.....

I did say some.. I am refering to the khaki/camouflage type of colour, so my comment does not relate to the roulette scheme but since the topic of military livery was raised, and visibility is a safety issue ,I mention it in that context only. My recollection is that post-war service aircraft, not on active duty, sported high visibility painted panels (dayglo?) frequently, but I'm not pretending to be an expert there. There are quite a lot of other paint colours that are not easy to see as well(dark green & dark blue for instance).N...

Yes it would. You get slip, angle of attack from such a simple source ,but that would be cheating in this instance, wouldn't it? We do need to keep some challenges in life. It would probably have the sideslipping characteristics of a Wright Flyer,as well. I distinctly remember thinking that you would have a unique feeling of the sky around you & no security. I'm not sure if all pilots would cope with it easily I'd like to hear from someone with first-hand experience of flying it,....Thanks JL, Nev...

Thanks OZZIE. Thats the one! The only one I ever saw was near you, being built by Lance Fletcher, One of the long-term engineers at RNAC at Rutherford,( west maitland) Maybe you know of it? I would imagine that it would present quite a challenge to fly as there is nothing in front of you to get any idea of the aircraft's attitude. Incidently ,not all C-90's will work as pushers, if you want to build one Nev...

One other aspect of some of these colour schemes is that they are painted that way so as to make them hard to SEE .Don't want to stir up too many, but it should be pointed out. N....

Keep these aircraft alive. The only A/C that has a better view would be a thing called a BREEZEY, (have I spelled it right?) I reckon they are a real classic in the true sense of the word . (The Drifter I mean) N...

I think it's a conscious effort to emphasise our kind of aircraft at AVALON by the management, A recognition of the reality of where the action is. I remember seeing the early jabiru there what seems like a million years ago& was impressed. We've come a long way since then. If I get any special information I will pass it on in these forums. Nev

Enroute with a small number of aircraft to contend with, it could be life-saving in an alerting capacity.The pilot has the job of effectively managing the flight. You are right to indicate the availability of this new technology but some training in its interpretation would be prudent. There have been numerous erroneous responses to TCASindications that have been carried out by pilots who thought they could finess the situation and have made it more dangerous.These are full-time professionals, supposedly properly trained , with the best APPROVED equipment.still get it wrong!! Ian, I guess I'm a bit of a devils advocate , but I dont want to upset anyone too much. N....

I think the cost of putting powerlines underground is quite highandI dont know if there are losses through themgreater than ABOVE GROUND due to leakage, I have found that when selecting a suitable forced landing area when training, a remarkable number of times, a single wire earth return wire becomes obvious late in the sequence which would compromise the safety of the operation.( They always seem to be across the middle of the best looking paddock.) N...

where does it get its altitude reference from? In a high density traffic situation I feel you would be better to make sure you can account for all the traffic you know, or suspect, is in the area, visually. If you are half-in , half -out of the cockpit I can imagine a confusing overload situation happening where you are not sure of anything. Comments? N...

I thought New Zealand was the Land of the wrong white crowd, Now I'm enlightened. Ben Buckley lives in Benambra, just north of OMEO in N/E Victoria. There is a fly-in each year, which co-incides with a local horse racing event.I will probably attend again this year. The aerodrome is the bed of Lake Omeo, Bens hangar is at the N/E end of the lake. Nev.......

How much there is to this subject. To have the knowledge to impart is one thing, to get it across in the appropriate form effectively is everything. Every student is different,with skills & attitudes which may help or hinder the learning process, providing an enormous challenge to the instructor, as aspects of an unsound skills & knowledgebase can persist & compromise the performance of an individual into the future,if unchecked. N......

It's hard to type underwater. N...