BrendAn Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Hi all. What are the early skyfox taildraggers like. Aeropower vw engine. Can you check the airframe without removing the fabric . I read that the ply wing ribs can rot and fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Do you mean the aileron supports? Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrendAn Posted February 26, 2023 Author Share Posted February 26, 2023 24 minutes ago, facthunter said: Do you mean the aileron supports? Nev Not sure nev. I read about a skyfox that broke up in flight due to rotten ribs in one wing. I am talking about the early taildraggers not gazelles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 (edited) This was likely to be the event that Brendan is talking about. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1998/aair/aair199800361 Here is the aircraft model history. https://aeropedia.com.au/content/calair-ca-21-skyfox/ Edited February 26, 2023 by onetrack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 He is asking about the engine arrive as well, they are not the most powerful engine IMHO. At least 80 hp Rotax is best. I bent the undercarriage leg twice on my Ca21 with a 912 80hp. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 32 minutes ago, Blueadventures said: He is asking about the engine arrive as well, they are not the most powerful engine IMHO. At least 80 hp Rotax is best. I bent the undercarriage leg twice on my Ca21 with a 912 80hp. Arrive is read as aerovee. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrendAn Posted February 26, 2023 Author Share Posted February 26, 2023 3 hours ago, onetrack said: This was likely to be the event that Brendan is talking about. https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1998/aair/aair199800361 Here is the aircraft model history. https://aeropedia.com.au/content/calair-ca-21-skyfox/ makes sense now. plywood does not like the tropics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) The ply wood aileron hangars are good; just need to assess them and maintain them. They don’t tolerate standing in water as the plywood rots (storing out side in rain, drain holes in underside of fabric blocked etc.). Edited February 27, 2023 by Blueadventures 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 There's an AD on the aileron hangars for the Skyfox. They must be inspected every 100 hrs or 12 mths, whichever occurs first. https://services.casa.gov.au/airworth/airwd/ADfiles/under/ca25/CA25-007.pdf 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) The AD linked by Onetrack above does not appear on the RAAus website, there are some listed. Bit piss poor RAAus, it should be all or nothing with a link perhaps https://www.casa.gov.au/search-centre/airworthiness-directives-aircraft-below-5700kg to the casa website. For people new to aviation it can be hard to understand how it all works. Do casa Airworthiness Directives apply to non VH aircraft? Edited February 28, 2023 by Thruster88 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 On 26/02/2023 at 10:19 AM, BrendAn said: Hi all. What are the early skyfox taildraggers like. Aeropower vw engine. Can you check the airframe without removing the fabric . I read that the ply wing ribs can rot and fail. Have a read of the casa Airworthiness Directives. All aircraft should now have inspection panels where required for things like the lift strut attachment etc. Yes you need to look inside the wings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 A lot of RAAus planes would NOT be but where the type is also able to be VH registered you'd be negligent in ignoring them.' Skyfox and Gazelle sare now pretty old and I noticed a bit of airframe corrosion on some 20 years ago on the steel fuselage tubing. Some plastic parts should be checked also. I checked the elevator bell crank every flight. The folding wings set up makes the aileron set up complex.. The TW version is not the easiest thing to land on a rough field OR in gusts, contrasting with the Gazelle which is very forgiving. In the AIR they are similar but don't get the airspeed above 85 knots and have "G" loads or the wing may twist off. It's undercambered. Nev 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgwilson Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 The Gazelle was a great training aircraft. Very easy to fly & forgiving. No flaps but super easy to side slip. Pretty slow but good if you are new to RA stuff from GA. It was the first RA aircraft I ever flew. If the CA21 flys the same it will just be landing and ground handling that may be a handful in inexperienced hands 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) My view is the Gazelle is the most forgiving plane you will ever fly. It's almost TOO easy to be a good trainer, but don't ever let it spiral.. My first RAAus plane was an SB Thruster 2 seat when they first came out Mid 80's . My Job was flying B 727's so you would be unlikely to get a bigger contrast. though I had access to a DH 82 occasionally. Quite a few Airline types flew like this. Some never would but that's their choice. Nev Edited February 28, 2023 by facthunter 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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