Tell us about your last flight

[Moneybox]

4 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

The Oaks - Crookwell Hobbs 1.2hrs

 

Ambient temperature about 30 C.

Engine start normal.

Post start checks - normal.

When oil temp above 50 C, taxied to run up area.

Run up checks all normal  (no recollection of checking electrical charge)

Took off. Very little aircraft activity in Sydney Basin, possibly due to lumpy air (not real turbulence).

On Climb-Out to 4000 ft (Max 4500 ft step above) oil temperatures a bit high @ 108 C. Still in the green but lowered nose to increase speed/airflow

Continued Climb to 4500 when past CTA step.  Oil temperatures established at 100C - prefere mid 90 C (Mental note to remove the last of the winter oil cooler blanking).

All right with the World. Stunning scenery. Aircraft performing flawlessly.

Crookwell was part of my conversion training from GA-RAA cross country review. Landed there that time - my prop mowed the long grass.

This time just overflew - seems that they now have two parallel runways, some distance apart. One all marked out as per standard , the other no markings but similar length.

Back home via Mittagong - Climbed up to 5500 ft for the return , much smoother trip. Life just great!

Just as I was preparing my thoughts, to make my 10 NM overfly call to Mittagong, my radio/Mode S transponder went dead & I got a Battery Fail Warning on my Dynon - "Oh Bother Says I XXXXXXX"

Checked everything I could in the air. Decided on a Precautionary Landing at Mittagong. Pulled all the none essential breakers,to conserve battery power.  Made all the calls but transceiver dead!

On descent for YMIG my electricals all came back. What to do? Can almost see The Oaks and still at 4000 ft, engine purring. Made a random call on 126.7 CTAF describing problem and that I would continue on to The Oaks.

Naturally power went off again - on / off several times, on the short run to The Oaks.

Unable to reduce prop from Course to Fine for landing.

Made a Straight In Approach/Landing - something I rarely do, so a bit fast and not the smoothest  - nothing bent.

No other aircraft arround.

On investigation found:

• The start battery down to 11.8 V
• The wiring spade connection between Generator & VR,  significantly heat effected  (see pic)- could this be the problem?

Why did my main battery not last longer?  I think the VR must not have been charging the battery adequately, for at least the last two flights,  I somehow have not noticed (lesson learnt).

I will:

• Replace the plug/spade connectors - make sure they are very tight & may even use a smear of conductive grease.
• Charge the start battery to full capacity.
• Start the engine and carefully note the power input volts & amps for any deviation (I hope the CARMO VR , only 100+hrs, has not failed).

😈

 

 

 

A 1.2hr flight, is that enough to flatten a battery? You'd probably have noticed if it didn't crank over too well when starting from cold.

 

Mine needs a good battery charge to crank for quite a few seconds when cold. Now I have a solar panel connected all the time it's parked. Of course that can mask a poor battery too. I'll jump into the plane on a full battery but if the battery is week I wouldn't get to find out until I parked up somewhere else without the solar charge.

[Thruster88]

10 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

 

Back home via Mittagong - Climbed up to 5500 ft for the return , much smoother trip. Life just great!

Just as I was preparing my thoughts, to make my 10 NM overfly call to Mittagong, my radio/Mode S transponder went dead & I got a Battery Fail Warning on my Dynon - "Oh Bother Says I XXXXXXX"

 

Why did my main battery not last longer? 

😈

 

 

 

You need to set the low voltage warning on the dynon to 13.2? Volts then you will get a timely warning if the alternator goes off. 16-20 amp hour battery should run avionics for several hours.

[skippydiesel]

On 02/10/2026 at 1:28 AM, Moneybox said:

 

A 1.2hr flight, is that enough to flatten a battery? You'd probably have noticed if it didn't crank over too well when starting from cold.

 

The engine started as per normal.

 

As you say the 1.2 hrs was no long enough, hence my speculation that the battery charging was likly ineffective, for at least the previous two flight.  Will have to pay more attention to charge condition during my run up checks.

 

Note: My start battery is an Earth X  ETX 900. These battery's have a reputation for delivering good cranking amps even when severely depleted.

 

😈

[sfGnome]

I don’t know which Carmo regulator model you have, but the one that I looked up had an output voltage of 14.5 +/- 0.5V. EarthX say that the maximum regulator voltage is 14.6V. What was the battery led doing while all this was going on? Flashing?

[skippydiesel]

8 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

. What was the battery led doing while all this was going on? Flashing?

No battery or CARMO LED fitted.

 

My Dynon has a voltage / amp draw, read out - As stated ; It would seem that I have no paid it sufficient attention on my relight checks.

 

😈

[sfGnome]

Ok. The ETX900 has a warning led output which tells you the internal state of the battery beyond just the voltage and current. It’s well worth connecting up to a led on your panel. The EarthX user manual gives a table of actions to take if it starts flashing, ranging from keep going to land now. 

[skippydiesel]

54 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

Ok. The ETX900 has a warning led output which tells you the internal state of the battery beyond just the voltage and current. It’s well worth connecting up to a led on your panel. The EarthX user manual gives a table of actions to take if it starts flashing, ranging from keep going to land now. 

Just read (after 5 years) - I now remeber why I didn't connect the warning LED - no less than 7 possible flashing combinations,  with multiple pulse rates, combined with diffrent voltages, over times ranging from 3 minutes to 60. You may be able to memorise them all, this aged brain likly to self destruct.

 

The only flashing combination that requires urgent response ;

 

Slow Fashing (5s on/5s off). Greater than 15.2 V Over-charging. "If in flight, shut off the charging system immediately"

 

My Dynon already gives me way more information (overload) than my last steam gauge panel.

 

I am reminded of the  Air France Flight 447 passenger aircraft that went down in the South Atlantic 01/05/2009- The crew spent the time, from first problem indication, at Cruising (FL350) altitude, of a problem, to crashinga perfectly fliable aircraft, reading manuals.

Sometimes there can just be too much information.

 

😈

 

 

[facthunter]

You have to KNOW your Aeroplane, or you will stuff up. Nev

[Garfly]

I see that the POH for the Tecnam P92 SE (2006 model with a 912 ULS and an 18Ah battery as original) reckons that an alternator failure (red light) is a "land as soon as possible" situation.  It says that the battery can only be relied upon for normal needs for 20 minutes.  Mind you, it's fitted with a transponder, strobe, landing lights, electric flaps and trim, and who knows what kind of other avionics was taken as normal 20 years ago. Anyway, good to keep in mind; another reason to carry a working VHF portable with headphone adapter and spare batteries for nav devices.

And I guess it's also good to avoid making rash decisions about landing 'as soon as possible' if that's going to bring its own risks.  Such simple aircraft as these don't, after all, need electrics to continue aviating.

 

 

 

CLICK THUMBNAIL TO READ:

 

Edited October 3 by Garfly

[skippydiesel]

9 minutes ago, Garfly said:

 another reason to carry a working VHF portable with headphone adapter and spare batteries for nav devices.

 

Best to check that your "....VHF portable with headphone adapter..." will work in your aircraft. Mine does not like all the metal - almost useless without an external antenna hook up.😈

[Garfly]

8 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

Best to check that your "....VHF portable with headphone adapter..." will work in your aircraft. Mine does not like all the metal - almost useless without an external antenna hook up.😈

Yeah, got to know that your back-up comms will actually work from your own aeroplane.

Still and all, it's interesting to see how well these popular portables do perform aloft - even with just their own antennae

(admittedly from inside of a Cirrus ;- )

 

 

 

[Thruster88]

2 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

 

 

The only flashing combination that requires urgent response ;

 

Slow Fashing (5s on/5s off). Greater than 15.2 V Over-charging. "If in flight, shut off the charging system immediately"

 

😈

 

 

In most if not all Rotax 9xx engine installations the alternator can not be turned off while the engine is running. Smoke in the cockpit from a bad connectionlike you almost had, tuff.

 

Does your earth x battery have the "fire vent tube" fitted to vent nasties overboard? 

[Moneybox]

I just returned from and 58.44 minute flight to Reedy, a ghost town in the Murchison just 40km NE of here. I took off in Cue on runway 22 in dead still conditions, circled around and did a touch-and-go on runway 04 before flying back over the Cue industrial area to see if my CAT loader had been picked up. It's being delivered to Wongan Hills today so I can do some work on our shed foundations.

 

 

It's a short flight up to Reedy YRDY where I've been looking forward to landing. When I circled over the airfield I saw a couple of big dongers/caravans with awnings erected right on the edge on runway 19.

 

 

I circled over the vans and a few deep goldmine pits before landing on runway 10. I backtracked 19 up to the caravans and knocked on the door but go no response. Just as I cam out from the awning I saw a LandCruiser approaching with four onboard. I told them I wasn't impressed to see their accommodation erected on the airport. They are the mining company who recently purchased the lease and have been told the airport is unusable. They want to use it for fly-in-fly-out. Most of the airstrip surface is in excellent condition with a smooth flat and wide runway with nothing but a few wattle trees.

 

 

I guess their safety protocol prevents them from attempting to land on the perfectly good 500 and 600m sections. They escorted me back to their office where I gave them my details including the fact that I have two neighbouring leases not 500m away. After seeing me land on 10 and leave on 19 I'm sure they'll look into it further. It's such a waste to see perfectly good airstrips abandoned. The head honcho asked me to notify them before landing next time.

 

The MGL iEFIS says I consumed 15L from the LH tank. At least with the new fuel valve I can now use the tank I choose.

[facthunter]

He's really saying  Far Cue. Donger is derived from "Donga" PNG but it mostly means something else. Here's a clue. Dongerkopf.   Nev

[Moneybox]

2 minutes ago, facthunter said:

He's really saying  Far Cue. Donger is derived from "Donga" PNG but it mostly means something else. Here's a clue. Dongerkopf.   Nev

If you heard this word spoken aloud, it is highly likely the German insult Dummkopf. [1]

• Meaning: It literally translates to "dumb head" and is a mild, somewhat old-fashioned insult meaning idiot, blockhead, simpleton, or fool.

Are we getting a glimpse of your heritage here Nev?

Mine are the Hintz family from the Gold Coast hinterland. You must remember Russel, my mother's 2nd cousin.

[facthunter]

'Scottish" Mainly I think. As long as there's no Pom in it.  Nev

[facthunter]

"WE" have our own Clan, Laddie. Nev

[facthunter]

The Bagpipes are a Wind that nobody blows any good.. Nev

[Blueadventures]

3 hours ago, Moneybox said:

If you heard this word spoken aloud, it is highly likely the German insult Dummkopf. [1]

• Meaning: It literally translates to "dumb head" and is a mild, somewhat old-fashioned insult meaning idiot, blockhead, simpleton, or fool.

Are we getting a glimpse of your heritage here Nev?

Mine are the Hintz family from the Gold Coast hinterland. You must remember Russel, my mother's 2nd cousin.

I enjoyed an evening in December 1979 at his Upper Coomera property, Russ was not in attendance only the work crews.   Cheers.

[Moneybox]

2 hours ago, Blueadventures said:

I enjoyed an evening in December 1979 at his Upper Coomera property, Russ was not in attendance only the work crews.   Cheers.

We visited the old Hintz property, all the uncles and aunties (all dead except one now), about that time. They had constructed the second stage of the Hintz Dam and the old home was going to be flooded. Somebody got behind it and had the house moved to a nearby heritage reserve, perhaps Tamborine Mountain. Sandra and I went looking for it last time we were in Queensland but couldn't track it down. 

[skippydiesel]

On 03/10/2026 at 2:59 PM, Thruster88 said:

In most if not all Rotax 9xx engine installations the alternator can not be turned off while the engine is running. Smoke in the cockpit from a bad connectionlike you almost had, tuff.

 

Does your earth x battery have the "fire vent tube" fitted to vent nasties overboard? 

Moved response to - Engines & Props - The Issues Surrounding Lithium Batteries

[danny_galaga]

On 03/10/2026 at 11:56 AM, skippydiesel said:

Just read (after 5 years) - I now remeber why I didn't connect the warning LED - no less than 7 possible flashing combinations,  with multiple pulse rates, combined with diffrent voltages, over times ranging from 3 minutes to 60. You may be able to memorise them all, this aged brain likly to self destruct.

 

The only flashing combination that requires urgent response ;

 

Slow Fashing (5s on/5s off). Greater than 15.2 V Over-charging. "If in flight, shut off the charging system immediately"

 

My Dynon already gives me way more information (overload) than my last steam gauge panel.

 

I am reminded of the  Air France Flight 447 passenger aircraft that went down in the South Atlantic 01/05/2009- The crew spent the time, from first problem indication, at Cruising (FL350) altitude, of a problem, to crashinga perfectly fliable aircraft, reading manuals.

Sometimes there can just be too much information.

 

😈

 

 

Yeah. Screw flashing codes! It's not a 1980s digital watch 😄 Do you happen to have a USB outlet fitted in your plane? To keep things light, I put in a small 2 X USB outlet (25 or 30mm hole from memory). But I really installed it for the digital voltmeter built into the face 🙂. I also noticed my radio has a voltage readout but it's not easy to see.

 

Anyway, once you have everything sorted, take note of what voltage reads when everything is working properly, in flight. Otherwise you have no baseline to compare. At rest a lead acid battery is roughly 12.4v. Mine charges at 14.6v on the USB meter, 14.4v on my radio. It doesn't really matter what it says, 14.6v, 53 bananas, 37! Etc. if it's something less or more, then start thinking about what's going on. On my plane, I've decided anything less than 14v is noteworthy. And since 14.6v is pretty high, even a smidge over that warrants attention.

Edited October 5 by danny_galaga

[facthunter]

The condition(Charge wise) of your Battery After you have started the engine is Important. If it s nearly flat you are not safe till it's more charged  There's a significant variation of voltages on different Types that corresponds to the fully charged state. Readings under a Load are more accurate of a battery;s charge state. Some digital Chargers do this. Can test the Battery and desulphate it in some circumstances. IF the battery or the charger gets hot something is wrong. Very cold nights can Knock charge out of a battery. There's also a cranking limit on the starter. Nev

[skippydiesel]

2 hours ago, danny_galaga said:

Yeah. Screw flashing codes! It's not a 1980s digital watch 😄 Do you happen to have a USB outlet fitted in your plane? To keep things light, I put in a small 2 X since 14.6v is pretty high, even a smidge over that warrants attention.

Moved response to - Engines & Props - The Issues Surrounding Lithium Batteries

[Moneybox]

The last of my electronics turned up today on DHL transferred to StarTrack/Post. I've got the plane booked into a workshop at a Jandakot Airport workshop on Monday.

 

My CAT 928 loader arrived in Wongan Hills last night so I'm trying to tie everything together. I need to be in Wongan Hills asap laying foundations for concrete to be laid before the end of the week.

 

The caravan and camping show is on this weekend. I was hoping to get into a new motorhome for our fly/drive to Lake Eyre.

 

The result being I've been rushing around madly getting ready. I packing my face with food while watching the clock tick over. It just turned midday and I've got a four hour fight ahead of me. The plane has to be prepared and I have to pack clothes and supplies for a few days. I made the call "I'm not going today", the job will have to wait.

 

I can't carry a couple of jerry cans all the way out to the plane so I called the airport manager, told him I need access to the airport at 2:00pm to fuel the plane and access to leave early tomorrow morning. At last somebody came to the senses and I got a code to the lockbox, it must be kept secret but I have no problem with that.

 

Now I'm getting Mrs M ready to come and rescue me because I'll be leaving the plane at Jandakot and it's a long walk back. So tomorrow morning I'll set off south from YCUE stop briefly at YPYF fly to YNTM, attempt to start my van (solar on the roof) that's been parked for about six months and head an hour north to Wongan Hills for a few days. Now that I've sorted out the fuel valve I should have no problem with 100L on board.

 

I'm using a USB power bank to look after the iPad so I'm hoping to keep OzRunways going for the duration of the flight. It tells me 259NM in 173 minutes burning 43L of fuel.