rick-p

PM ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A WHOLE PLANE CA21 WITH A 350HR 912. RICK

Now that's what is all about, great pic's, looked like it was a great time. I thought that I would never say this as the drought up here has been so very painfull but the bloody rain (murphy's law) once again came for 10 days at the wrong time. At least I got to go to Old Station (Raglan) and see the Sabre disguised as a MIG, (Yen will appreciate this observation) Regards, Rick

And in how many posts have I made the comment in respect of Skyfox TD's don't go over 70kts as there is little room for movement particularly if there is severe turbulence. Back off the throttle. This apply's to any aircraft, you may get away, once or twice, with an indiscretion and then on the other hand you may not, but you can be certain that one day it will bite you. Has anyone ever seen what happens to a power boat when hull design speed is exceeded? The hull comes apart, sometimes with explosive force and other times bit by bit. It's bad enough on water but in the air you don't get a second chance. Anybody who has been, at any time in their life, seriously into RC Modeling would understand completely what I'm talking about. There is little difference in principle between an ultra light, GA aircraft and large scale model's like I used to build, with 16ft wingspan's. The only real difference being that you could push the envelope and design spec's and when things came unstuck the last thing you see at the time of impact isn't you thigh bones being pushed up and out your chest and your brain exploding all over the back of your eyballs. You may feel that my comments are in bad taste but maybe it's about time we started to really look at the end result of a stupid act. I'm certain that most of the poor victims that being the family and friends of these cowboys would say that if it saves 1 life then show the mayhem and the blood and guts. We put fetid rotting teeth on cigarette packets to show the effects of smoking so why not show the end result of an act of stupidity on the part of those who choose to spread themselves all over the ground like strawberry jam. I'm not talking about the genuine victim of fate I talking about the idiot victim. I think that we have created a culture that flying is safer than most things we do on this earth and it can be, but only if the idiot factor is removed from the equation. And if my comments offend anyone I don't apologise for it. Rick-p

Ian that wasn't my point. I typed up a great long reply but my fat fingers at the end got in the way and backspaced it somehow which resulted in a total delete being effected. I will PM you my phone number in due course and if you like you can call and I will explain to you my observation. Maybe it was better that my reply was lost in cyberspace as it may have been offensive to some. Best regards, Rick

Jokerman, I will try and find my books on the pup and PM you on the weekend. regards, Rick

Tony, in a nut shell thats it, a bloody big one at that. I hope the appropriate people read your post. Regards, Rick ;)

I would like to put my two bob's worth in here as I have read all the posts in this thread and although interesting basically in my view for the most part what has been opined is nothing more than conjecture based on a knee jerk reaction to a situation that is no different statistically to that of probably 15 years ago, in fact it may even be better now than it then was. I think that the guys most on point here were Terry, Tony and David. Regulating further is not the answer, disemination of worthwhile information to those who want to hear it, take it on board and use that extra knowledge to fly safer is a step in the right direction. When you go solo or get your pilot certificate you really don't know too much and the real learning as to what it is all about begins when you can get out and away on your own and practice because that's what it's all about and never stop asking questions of those with the experiance and knowledge and keep reading those aviation mag's and books. Finally, you will never break free of the Richard Cranium's they are ever present and no amount of training or education will save them from themselves. Look at the gun laws they have stopped nothing, but unfortunately governments will never learn. I do a lot of ultralight flying in a country where there are basically no regulations, lots of mountains etc., and at one stage for a long time only a 300ft (I think) ceiling and to the best of my knowledge there has only been 2 deaths in 15 years. As for the post, I just can't remember who said it, "maybe it's something to do with age",young people adapt more quickly and react quicker than the older person who learns to fly later in life." Well what can this old fart say? My reply to that is, if it is being said that this may be related to the increase in the number of accidents, what a crock. I'm sure Middo would be impressed. I would have thought that the mature aged pilot statistacally would be more cautious and conservative than the young bullet proof Jet Jackson. I will leave it at that as I probably have raised more than just a few eye brows, but that's just my two bob's worth for what it's worth. Rick-p :devil:

Hi Jokerman, I had a Supapup a few years back,probably same vintage as the one you are considering purchasing. I'm not sure but I think mine may have been a Mark 2, I would have to go and dig out the copies of the books on it I kept, to confirm the Model. I don't think that there was much difference between the Mark 1 & 2. Good reliable little aeroplane. Rotax single carby 447, cruised at about 70kts. If you pull the wings off you can see most of the internal construction, just look for any suspect glued joints. Should be push rod elevator and ailerons and rudder cable. All control devices should be clearly visble to inspection. Check out the fuel tank behind the engine with a drain inside the fuse, it's fiberglass and has a tendancy to get crud in it. Make sure all fuel lines are properly secure with the correct hose clamps. Check all control surfaces and hinges. The tail wheel spring was a bit inferior and needs beefing up as usually got a bit of a bend or sag in it which brought the rudder very close to the ground. Watch your take off, that is make sure that you don't over compensate on the rudder, anticipate as the rudder is big and effective. Depending on the wing, mine had the speed wing, on your first flight just feel it through and don't be distracted from what you are doing. Good little plane to three point. Depending on the motor in it 447 or 503 how much rudder input you will need on take off, remember the rudder is big and effective but it is also open to a goodly amount of prop wash. I hope this helps. Regards, Rick ;)

Hi Kevin, I thought that there were a couple of flight training schools at the Rocky drome. Rockhampton Aero club is one that comes to mind. Welcome and Good Luck ;) Rick

Well Andrey I'm sure that you will realise your dream because you certainly do have initiative and the drive to do so. If I was you I would not apoligise for my english as it should be your translator doing so for his, but I can't talk because I think that the only Russian word I know is "Moscow". I viewed you web site and I must say that it looks very cold where you are, almost as cold as Biloela in central Queensland Australia. It dosn't snow here it's worse than that it rains refrigerators.;) Anyway all jokes aside I really do wish you all the best in achieving your dream and I'm sure that you will as there is always someone out there willing to help, particularly in the area of aviation and recreational pilots. Kind regards, Rick ;)

Great photo Ian. You were in the right spot at the right time I would say. Regards, Rick

In my view and speaking from experience, folding wings are a convenience to be only used when absolutely necessary otherwise if used on a daily basis the wear factor will raise it's ugly head and then convenience is outstripped by the resultant cost and inconvenience of the aircraft being grounded for sometimes minor repairs and at other times major repairs, especially when something major gets bent by Murphy. Regards, Rick-p

Ditto those SUPER CHEAP LED torches are the bee's knees. Once upon a time those led's they used cost about $20 each, that's a single led and how many do they have in the Super Cheap Torches about 7, I think, so go figure. Does this mean that a Texan or CT may 20 times cheaper in years to come. Regards, Rick-p

Brentc change your accountant or get him to subscribe to the Australian Taxation Reporter. rick-p

Ian very impressive but just think what is today's fiction is tomorrow's future. If you have ever read Arthur C Clarke's books or even Jules Verne (if that's how you spell his name) you will no exactly where I'm coming from. Kind regards, Rick

My God I thought a forward slip was when you fall head first down the stairs at the local flying club because you have been flying the club bar, due to inclement weather, for about 6hrs prior to the execution of the forward slip. Rick-p

Mate if you PM DANDA as I think he hangs out in that area, I'm sure that he would be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Regards, Rick-p

Welcome Bluespin, you are headed in the right direction. Regards, Rick-p

Sorry Ian I must not only be deaf but blind also I was thinking of the blue Sabre over the other side of the strip when I did the post but hell who cares whatever it was it went like a scalded cat and sounded like a symphony orchestra playing. Regards, Rick We can't be right all the time only 99.99999% of the time.

Ian it was a good show, I only attended on Sunday due to the death of a very dear and close friend of mine who was in fact to accompany me to Old Station but as fate would have it this didn't occur. Only 38yrs of age and exercising at the time which has brought home to me that one must live for the moment and cram as much into this very short journey of ours on this earth before it all comes to an end. Anyway Sunday was a magic day with plenty of action and planes to see. Though I missed you I'm sure that we will catch up one day at Smokey Creek. There were some very nice aircraft at the show but one particular plane that stirred the blood with it's sneak attack on the crowd, was the Sabre, know wonder the enemy was caught off guard with those things as you didn't hear it coming until it was about all gone. When you did hear it it sounded like what a fighter jet should sound like, all grunt and speed and looked so slippery too. Anyway I didn't hear one knocker there and I would say all who attended got there money's worth. Great day in all and I can only imagine the whole weekend there would have been the same good time for all as I had on Sunday. Regards, Rick

One point that I would like to make here is that the locking device has to be completely visible and can't effectively impede the safe operation of an aircraft. In other words a device or an action on the part of the pilot that could be missed and left in situ or overlooked and not reversed and by some quirk of fate the aircraft is started, taken off then as a result of that device or action comes heavily in contact with the ground causing death, bodily injury and property damage that pilot who caused the incident would be in it up to his neck. I'm not going to spell it out for all, for obvious reasons, but please think about what I have said here. The reason for my observations is because I have heard a couple of aircraft owners make comments about how they have fixed their aircraft so whoever trys to take them is in for a big suprise, this in the eyes of the law is a no no. Regards, Rick

Geoffery I think that apart from a larger tail fin and adjusted rigging and maybe tighter skin there wasn't a great deal of difference. Your cruise speeds are close to the mark but once again there was some variance not only between models but also from aircraft to aircraft. I suppose that it's not unlike mass produced cars, I have heard that you should always try to avoid buying a car that was built either just before Christmas or Easter as the mind is not on the job and the job is being rushed to be completed before the pending holidays. Off course the very early Skyfox's had Aeropower motors in the whereas the first Kitfox's had 532's and then 582's. I really think to know all the differences between the 2 models of Skyfox's that you would need to have one of each side by side and then compare and measure up everything including noting all angles and rigging and how taut the skin was on each of them. I don't know whether this is of much help to you, but there maybe someone out there who knows the complete story. Possibly you could talk to Tony Kerr at Gympie Aviation Queensland he was one of the Skyfox factory employees when the factory was in operation. Regards, Rick

Ian I agree with you that the Gazelle is an extremely nice plane to land apart from I think, only in the early model, that there was a little drop (freefall) of the nose wheel to the ground when speed dropped off (washed off) on landing rather than a smooth progression of the nose wheel to the point of surface contact. As for landing a Skyfox, they got better as the models improved from CA21 onwards being given a bigger tail fin etc which helped dramatically landing characteristics and ground handling at low speeds with in stiff x-wind. The CA21's were nearly impossible to 3 point unless you taped up all the gaps in the elevator as basically the way the aircraft was rigged it was more comfortable with wheel on's. I think the proof of the degree of difficulty operation is in the fact that no insurer really wanted to take them on in the end because of the number of ground loop incidents resulting in damage to these earlier Skyfox's. Any that were reinsured were done so at a substantial premiums. Also mate you ain't a dam bad pilot for gnome. Regards Rick

John, I assume that the "i" beam you refer to is the strip of metal inserted inside the main spar, basically, for the full length of the spar. As far as I'm aware the strengthening beam was only used up to the Kitfox model 2 and thereafter they moved to a slightly heavier walled spar. I'm not 100% certain of this and will stand corrected if someone knows better. I have not seen this stengthening fillet used past the Kitfox 2. Also I think that it was only used in later versions of the Skyfox and or some Gazelle's. Regards, Rick

The real truth of the matter is that most couldn't fly a Skyfox properly because there weren't too many instructors, at the time, out there, that could impart the required wisdom needed to fly one, to their student. The initial Skyfox CA21 was a very difficult aircraft to land in fact some of the early models couldn't be properly 3 pointed, you had to wheel them on. Unfortunately a lot of instructors didn't either know or just didn't want to teach wheel on landings. Good for stiff cross wind landings. There were so many Skyfox's damaged because of ground looping etc that basically insurance companies gave up insuring them. Someone at the Skyfox factory got half smart and decided to put a training wheel up front which resolved the problem somewhat. The CA22 (TD) was an improvement in the handling stakes but the CA25 (Gazelle) fixed most of the problems in the gound handling, landing and take off configuration that the original CA21 experienced when first out. Teething problems will always occur when another design is copied but given certain changes so as to avoid law suits. The Skyfox is a copy of the Kitfox 2 which was also called a Skyfox. The ailerons were segmented on the Australian Skyfox to help offset flutter due to the greater flexibility in the OZ Skyfox's wing to that of the US Kitfox. The original Kitfox had a much stronger wing spar to that of the OZ Skyfox. The Kitfox had flaperons whereas the Skyfox trim is a bungee trim on the elevator, this may have some adverse effects particularly in the area of downward forces on the tail plane. The original tail fin was smaller whereas on later skyfox's and kitfox's it was given more area, mainly height. All these things, including the very narrow main gear, made for some very interesting landings, at times catching the uninitiated by surprise, with varying results. A very experienced instructor once told me that if you can fly a Skyfox without incident then you can fly anything. Rick-p