It's not true!

[Guest Redair]

Greetings each, I know this isn't really a recreational aviation subject, but I really think that the truth needs to be out there. What am I talking about? The very misleading information being put out to the masses at Saturday's RAAF Edinburgh airshow, by the commentators.

 

Firstly, and this one really got my goat, when the Gloster Meteor was doing it's display, the crowd was repeatedly told that it was the ONLY FLYING METEOR IN THE WORLD, this is NOT true!!!!

 

Secondly, it was also said that the Meteor was the ONLY AIRCRAFT IN THE WORLD to make "The Blue Note". (For those of you not familiar with this term, it is a strange, almost ghostly, howling noise, created by the airflow over parts of the aircraft). This is too NOT true, as the Hawker Hunter also makes this sound, and in my opinion, does a better job of it!

 

Thirdly, and this one was just plain silly. The crowd were told that the F-111 was the same length as a 747. Are they for real? F-111, approx 73 feet long, 747 approx 230 feet long. Mmmmm I think they need to check their facts!!

 

Is it me, or does anyone else find things like this a little bit annoying?

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

At an airshow some years ago a comentater was telling the crowd about just how beutiful a sound a Seafury made - and continued to speak non stop all the time the Fury was doing its thing.

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Annoys me totally.

 

As in, gives me a good cure for constipation....

 

Seriously, I wish these folks would get their fact cards written up and checked before the show - and before opening both Mike and Mouth.

 

I made mention of a similar thing (Ultralight crashes with four on board) in a professional news & IT journo forum a few weeks ago, and the replies were consistent with "duh, whats the difference, no one would care anyway". Bloody frustrating.

 

Ben

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Ha ha Good subject I hate the commentating when the a/c are doing their thing. I think that's the worst in the world. Happened at Narromine the last one. That and PA systems at airshows that have feed back-that happened at Narromine last time too "Pip, can you hear me. I'm not sure if you can hear me we can't hear you" "Are you there Pip"? Does the public need to hear this

 

 

[facthunter]

Airshows.

 

for a while I've tried to determine just WHO the airshows are meant to be for. OK. Many years later I'm still no closer to knowing. The no-nothing commentary is certainly irksome. Perhaps the high point is to watch the ace airline pilot prang the best example (at least up to that point ) of some very rare warbird. but like the Al-Qeada bomb demonstration, youve got to be there at the right time, ( Watch carefully, I'm only going to do this once).

 

The pink smoke and mock battles are the last straw for unreality. Fact is stranger than fiction it is said, so why make things up. I'm happy to see old stuff flying, hear big round engines start-up, hopefully see something fly with a real rotary going, ( the ones where the engine goes round and the crankshaft doesn't). Be provided with a little history (factual, there's that word again), and it is great to get a view of some of the latest offerings, I can still remember the attention the first Jabirus attracted at Avalon, in 199? I can still get a lump in my throat and the hair on the back of my neck elevates, sometimes, so there is hope . Perhaps we could do a survey of what Pilots would like and pass it on, where it might be listened to? Possibly just do it ourselves eventually, if we keep growing as we have.. Nev ....

 

 

[PaulN]

Possibly just do it ourselves eventually, if we keep growing as we have.. Nev ....

Now there's a challenge Ian ... let's see you pass that one up .

 

Paul

 

 

[TechMan]

Secondly, it was also said that the Meteor was the ONLY AIRCRAFT IN THE WORLD to make "The Blue Note".

It would be impressive if it made the "Brown Note". ;)

 

It would be one way to give your enemy the runs..

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Haha. That's what I was thinking Chris.

 

Airshows would smell a whole lot different then.

 

 

[Yenn]

Maybe they could take a tip from the Bundy airshow. Or even better the Old Station. Both of them seem to get it right.

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Hello Facthunter, speaking of cranks that don't rotate, whats the latest on the Rotec engines - You hav'nt answered my previous question on it yet.

 

In this Forum I've read the negative information regarding the Rotec and would like to check the "facts".

 

From the information available to me in the Rotec related threads, and my own previous experience with radials, it appears to me somebody foregot to drain the oil from the lower cylinders. Perhaps somebody may care to point out where I am wrong with this assesment of the "facts". HPD

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

take a tip from the Bundy airshow

I don't know about the airshow but the drink has one thing in common with other comments on this thread. It smells like

 

 

[Mazda]

The Hunter is indeed another Blue Note aircraft.

 

 

[Admin]

Now there's a challenge Ian ... let's see you pass that one up .Paul

Hey, I got a good idea - The Recreational Flying Airshow Down Under - has a good ring to it - how about January

 

 

[facthunter]

Rotec radial.

 

High Plains Drifter, I couldn't recall you asking ME anything about the said engine. I think it was Techman, that you enquired of. I am interested in the engine and have read a few comments from the USA., and they're mixed. I have a lot of radial engine time and they do have some idiosynchrasies and as the subject is upon us I will list some that I can remember.

 

1. They can hydraulic, ( Oil in the lower cylinders ) and are pulled or motored ( starter ) over prior to starting, as a procedure. Connecting rod bending can result from hydraulic lock.

 

2. They don't like high revs without much power being delivered, ie. throttle closed. This places giant centrifuging loads on the bigend bearing. Far more than when power is being delivered. Think about WHY?.

 

3. they are hard to get the oil to scavenge out of.(refer to No 1) There is no real sump as such.

 

4. They need a diffuser (like a blower)after the carburetter to get the fuel to be evenly distributed to all cylinders. especially hard to get it to the top ones, and when starting.

 

5. they can be quite smooth, especially with lots of cylinders.

 

6. The crankshaft, conrods and pistons ALL act as a flywheel. The counterweights have to be very heavy, as they have to balance the whole caboodle.

 

7. Only the master rod big end describes a circle, all the others ,( articulating )are distorted ellipses so they have different strokes on some cylinders. This amongst other things, requires the magneto to be timed to a specific cylinder. Cheers if you're interested. Nev...

 

 

[Flyer]

Gloster Meteor, one of a kind blue note howler, mach 2 speedster about twice the length of an F111 and half the length of a 747, rare as rocking horse . Fair dinkum fellas:;)2:, you cant expect the media to get the mundane facts right and get in the way of a great hyped up totally twisted story now can you? ;)

 

Regards

 

Phil

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Hello Facthunter, My apologies, you are right it was Techman. Thanks for taking the time to answer any way.

 

I recently joined this Forum to do some research for my next project which is (maybe was) to be Rotec powered. The problems mentioned by others have put the project on hold until I can work out if the Rotec will be reliable - I think I got a little impatiant to hear more.

 

If any body else has some info for me, perhaps put it in the engine section. HPD

 

 

[Guest Redair]

I should point out, that despite the crap commentary, I did enjoy the airshow, and the highlight for me had to be the couple of occasions when the tannoy packed up! Ah the silence was bliss, and we could all hear the aircraft.

 

As for a recreational airshow downunder... who would do the commentary?!!

 

Redair.

 

 

[Admin]

As for a recreational airshow downunder... who would do the commentary?!!

I reckon good ol Nev (Facthunter) would be good at that, wouldn't you Nev :big_grin:

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

Red, I believe that the Temora Meteor is "the only airworthy F8" in the world at present.

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/aircraft/documents/Meteor_001.wmv

 

In regards to "airshow verbal dihorere" what is becoming more & more popular (nee annoying) is the playing of rock music during the displays.

 

Van Halen, Top Gun movie theme, etc. you all know the ones. Its even starting to infiltrate Temora :;)1: Now when we go there, we go to the Aero club next door. Membership is cheap, they have beer on site, you dont have to line up for a steak sanga, and you can sit right on the apron & see the planes taxi right in front where you can practically touch them. And you can barely hear the PA next door. ;) The members are top folk and your there with other pilots.

 

Bearing in mind that the museum is my pride & joy in this country and I do go in to have a look around & show my support for a truly magnificant organisation hats off to David Lowy and his team ;)

 

 

[facthunter]

Commentary.

 

Not sure Ian . It does take a certain skill, which I'm not aware that I have. My comments relate to the theme of the commentary, that it is frequently innane, innaccurate and often all-pervading. We do have proven commentators with aviation involvement active in the motorcycle environment who I am sure would do an excellent job especially if provided with supplementary information.

 

There is no need for incessant chat, and walkmans hired or sold, if necessary or bring your own would be a better way of getting the message around ( when necessary ). This was done at Phillip Island this year and the speakers turned down. Big improvement!. I'd consider getting rid of them except for a couple of defined areas.

 

Ian , aren't you being a little shy. YOU have the background. Anyhow the point is that a change of theme would be welcommed by me , & apparently plenty of others. You could do interviews, commentry, state relevant facts. discreetly mention sponsors.and whatever else seemed appropriate, and if whoever is doing it didn't shut up at the right time we could just remove the earplug and listen to the merlins ..Nev...

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

High Plains Drifter, I couldn't recall you asking ME anything about the said engine. I think it was Techman, that you enquired of. I am interested in the engine and have read a few comments from the USA., and they're mixed. I have a lot of radial engine time and they do have some idiosynchrasies and as the subject is upon us I will list some that I can remember.1. They can hydraulic, ( Oil in the lower cylinders ) and are pulled or motored ( starter ) over prior to starting, as a procedure. Connecting rod bending can result from hydraulic lock.

[snip] Nev...

I remember as a young kid getting a lesson in hydraulicing that I will never forget.

 

The Himatangi Radio Station in NZ - a big HF station - had huge diesel generators in case of a power outage. We went on a tour and they showed us a bent conrod from one of the generators. Water had leaked into the cylinder - one assumes a gasket problem or a crack somewhere.

 

The engine had been started and immediately started to make deathly noises so it was stopped. On stripping it down the bent conrod was found. The amazing thing was that the solid conrod was about 12 inches in cross section - absolutely massive - and it was bent about 20 degrees midshaft.

 

That was a lesson I never forgot about the incompressibility of liquids.

 

Sorry for the digression :;)3:

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Red, I believe that the Temora Meteor is "the only airworthy F8" in the world at present.http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/aircraft/documents/Meteor_001.wmv

Mmmm, does this mean that the Meteor flying in the UK is NOT airworthy?

 

I believe it was indeed the above mentioned aircraft, that was displaying at Edinburgh, but the claim was repeatedly made that it was the only Flying Meteor in the world, perhaps they should have added the "F8" bit, or better still just checked their facts. Economies of truth are still... oh what's the word I'm looking for?:)

 

Redair.

[Yenn]

Meteor was known as the Screaming Meatball by the RNAS I believe. Concerning unwanted noise I will not be staying overnight at some of the fly ins that I have been to. They all seem to be having loud "music" running till late or even early. The last time I was at Old Station the loudspeakers were still blaring away the day after it was all over and we were packing up. They did get turned off when I loudly commented that if they didn't stop I was going to accidently put an axe through the cable. Of course it was radio 4CC our local commercial station.