RossK

LSA rules are clear, if factory no longer supports the aircraft, bankruptcy etc, then it must go to E reg.

Have done so already. 👍 It doesn't really affect me, as we have a mode A/C transponder, but 1500AGL is just a dumb idea.

Who came up with the 1500AGL idea. So dumb on so many fronts. Over a lot of the East Coast terrain, there is no way your climb and decent rates could match the terrain, Tracking that height, how do you do that accurately? From a map, not likely, so you need a GPS with terrain overlay with integrated altimeter. Transiting airfields at circuit arrival height, what could possibly go wrong. 😧 1500AGL gives 90 seconds give or take, if the engine stops. Which depending on your best glide gives you 3km of range, give or take. Not a lot of time or area to pick a spot. Why not pick an achievable figure, say 5000ft AMSL I assume they know that 1500AGL isn't achievable and it's their way of making everyone get a transponder or EC device so they can fly in Class E, but they can claim that they have still left some Class G for those that don't have them, even though that Class G is mostly unworkable.

Ours has had an Aspen EFD1000 fitted, which gives both AH and DG, plus a few other functions. Fits in the Round hole where the Steam AH was.

SLSAs are a different category, SLSA homebuilts don't have to be 51% owner built according to my reading of the SLSA regulations. So a homebuilt RV-12 built to the factory build plans would get its Certificate of Airworthiness under the SLSA provisions, and therefore need to be maintained as per Vans RV manual. If you deviate from the plans it would be Experimental SLSA. That's how I understand it, but I could be wrong, it has happened before 😁

RAA has an LSA Synopsis here https://members.raa.asn.au/storage/lsa-synopsis.pdf extract from that; "The Special Certificate of Airworthiness for LSA is for production ready-to-fly aircraft. These aircraft may be used for hire, flying training and towing gliders. The Special Certificate of Airworthiness remains valid provided the aircraft is maintained in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer and the aircraft has not been modified unless approved by the manufacturer. However, if the aircraft is not maintained in accordance with the manufacturer, or the manufacturer can no longer provide the continuing airworthiness, or the aircraft is modified without the manufacturer’s approval, the Special Certificate of Airworthiness will no longer be in force and the owner will need to apply for an Experimental Certificate to operate the aircraft" Evektor Manual says motor to be maintained in accordance with the Rotax Maintenance manual. Rotax maintenance manual lists TBO as 2000hrs or 15 years. Doesn't say anything about running on condition, so doesn't allow or specifically disallow, depends on your interpretation. EDIT: from the Rotax Maintenance Manual; "GENERAL OVERHAUL (TBO) Definition The time between overhauls (TBO) for all objects (such as the engine, component assemblies, add-on components) is the approved length of operation under normal operating conditions before it becomes mandatory to send in these objects for an overhaul. Normal operating conditions are the conditions which comply with the manufacturer's and the aviation authority’s recommendations for the certification of airworthiness." They've used that word, mandatory, so to comply with the Special Certificate of Airworthiness for LSA, it is mandatory to overhaul the motor at TBO.

To answer the original question; if it were me and I had the money to burn, I'd pick 4a or 4b. Keep the Sportstar and run on condtion, the deciding factor between 4a or 4b is whether RAA allow you to run on condition for factory built LSA and the cost of the Evektor Glass panel approval.

Interesting questions, and response. We recently asked the same question to RAA in regards to our 2007 Sportstar and the response was that as a Factory Certified LSA (ie 23 or 24 Reg) it must be manintained in accordance with the Factory Maintenance manual and therefore can't run on condition. To run on condition it must be moved to E23 or E24, so no hire or training. I'm interested to see what you get back from Evektor on the Glass approval. We enquired about the paperwork to increase the MTOW to 600kg, and the cost was pretty high for what amounts to a couple of sheets of paper to stick in the POH, this cost didn't include RAA fees to update the MTOW either, just what Evektor wanted to supply the paperwork.

Fact remains he was denied clearance and didn't have the skills to navigate around it, maybe a BFR would have picked up that deficiency. People criticise RAA pilots as dumbed down GA, insufficient training etc, yet we are required to navigate around CTA all the time, it's not hard if you plan for it. Having to avoid CTA doesn't kill you, RAA pilots are living proof of it

You may have missed this in the report "The previous owner of the aircraft, a flying instructor, advised the ATSB that at the time of the pilot’s purchase of the aircraft, the pilot declined familiarisation training with the GTN650 unit as the Aera 500 would be used." Also "Two smartphones and a tablet computer were recovered from the wreckage. Neither smartphone contained an electronic flight bag or other aviation application. The tablet computer was found packed in an overnight bag indicating that it was not used during the flight. Date-expired air navigation charts for the area encompassing the flight were found stowed in a flight bag indicating that they were not being used at the time of the accident. No paper flight plan or other flight planning notes were located in the wreckage" See the trend.

So a non current pilot departs with no charts, no EFB, no weather information, no flight plan lodged. Purposely decends into IMC (not IFR tained either) and flys into the ground. And it's ATC fault?

I disagree with this bit. In VIC kids have to do 120hrs to be eligible to sit their test, 20 of which is night driving. Can you imagine being told you have to do 120hrs to get your RPC 😲 Both my kids had to do their 120 hours and really the last 50 or so, I was very comfortable with their driving. They are now 25 and 27 and the only bending of panels has been the result of a roo doing what roos do. She did well though, drove straight into it under heavy braking, didn't swerve or veer, just straight into it, as taught. I reckon I had less than 10 hours when I got my license to drive - and had bent 2 cars by the time i was 21: one by being a stupid teenage male and the other one pure inattention.

Opening post was about turns in the circuit, at low speed. Your points are valid though, I've come across RAA pilots who have no concept of weight and balance, but that's for another thread.

Yes, but of the 2 activities I posted above, I know which one makes me a better pilot. I think this thread would be better with less of the deep theory and more of the practical realities of piloting an aeroplane in the circuit. I gave an example earlier where I felt least comfortable in the circuit and got some great practical responses, without the maths to go with it.

This thread has too much of this^^ and not enough of this

Go to a quality flight school and take note of what they do. A lesson plan formulated from an internet forum - what could go wrong?

Or maybe lurk around in the sky - at a safe distance and outside of Controlled airspace. Ie, if the Air Armada is cruising across Port Phillip heads at 2000 AMSL, it would be a pretty spectacular view from 4000ft.

Not open to RAA pilots.

Norton and McAfee are basically self installed viruses.

I'm thinking you'd be better plumbing into the header tank and using the Aux tank first, that way if there is a problem with the Aux tank/pump, you still have the full wing tanks to get you somewhere.

Yeah, it's just one of those situation where your senses are lying to you, particularly when still climbing, ie still full power, so still require some right rudder. Trying to turn left, raise the right wing and then feel like I'm trying to hold it down so it doesn't overbank. The sensation is I'm putting in a little right aileron down, and still on the right rudder (just), but trying to turn left 😬. The brain and the senses are saying this is all wrong, but the instruments confirm I'm turning left a balanced turn.

answering OMEs orignal question, where I'm least comfortable in the circuit is turning downwind from crosswind on a windy day. Typically I'm still climbing or have just reached circuit height, so still slow and doing a climbing turn. The wind gives the sensation of trying to pick up the upwind wing and flip the plane whilst the crosswind on the tail seems to slow the rate of turn, so I feel like I want to kick in a bit of left rudder, but the ball says I don't need it. I feel I could easily end up overbanked in a skidding turn if not paying attention. Ross

Did you know that Supermarine started out as a boat manufacturer, who moved into float planes before the Spitfire. The Spitfire was actually their first aircraft that was designed as a land based aircraft.

Thanks for the info guys. And whilst i may agree with waht you've said, I'd be there with my wife, trying to make it as enjoyable for her as possible. So easy, hassle free access is what I'm after. And if it cost me $100/year, so be it.

Thanks, but we'd probably want to get through the gate. ie a visit to Kangaroo Island(Kingscote Airport) or Merimbula.