X-Air Standard. Is it surviving the test of time?

[BrendAn]

5 minutes ago, jackc said:

450 KG

Mine is 490.  My first 2 were 544 

[BrendAn]

On 18/09/2025 at 11:43 AM, Blueadventures said:

You'll enjoy flying the Xair, they are nice to fly and I hear better without the rear fuse skin (Farri told me as a mate of his had one at his strip a few years back).  Putting the new engine on it and with SAAA or remain RAAus?

I would not remove the fastback.

It would be ugly with the fuel tanks and battery hanging out in the open.

Also the luggage compartment would not be useable.

[jackc]

2 minutes ago, BrendAn said:

it will get signed off with no drama.

A lot of them are registered as 544 and raaus have decided not to allow it any more.  

So RAAus just change things at whim?  I suspect they are even rated higher in other countries?  Who is gonna weigh me at takeoff anyway, it’s just a number well under what others are rated at?

[BrendAn]

3 minutes ago, jackc said:

So RAAus just change things at whim?  I suspect they are even rated higher in other countries?  Who is gonna weigh me at takeoff anyway, it’s just a number well under what others are rated at?

That's exactly what they do. They tried to drop mine from 544 to 450.

I said don't go any further with it and cancel my membership. Next minute I get a call offering to make it 490.

Absolute rubbish. It's all because casa are looking at everything they do I think.

[jackc]

Well, I will wait and see, maybe I should ask for higher MTOW based on precedents being set?  OR I have other options I have already investigated? 

Or just ignore my MTOW within reason, if I have to…….simply fly the machine, and be happy 😃 

[BrendAn]

1 minute ago, jackc said:

Well, I will wait and see, maybe I should ask for higher MTOW based on precedents being set?  OR I have other options I have already investigated? 

Or just ignore my MTOW within reason, if I have to…….simply fly the machine, and be happy 😃 

I want to carry a passenger and 450 doesn't allow that. But like you say. No one is going to check it anyway.

[jackc]

Just now, BrendAn said:

I want to carry a passenger and 450 doesn't allow that. But like you say. No one is going to check it anyway.

Well, it’s a 2 seat aircraft? If others have had MTOW adjusted upward and it must have been engineering checked to do this? I do have other options? 
But RAAus, MAY demand a Weight and Balance IF an increase in MTOW is requested? To scare people off?

THAT needs to be done by a  CASA W&B person, at great cost? 

[robinsm]

What is their reasoning, Mine was registered at 544 and I had no problems flying 2 up with solid built people.   Mine was bought as 544, registered for years at 544.   I extended the fuel tank to 90 lts.   Extra weight not a problem.   Flew all over the state, flew to cameron corner, plane performed great.   Someone is having a moment at Raa aus.

 

[jackc]

I will see what happens? May send the Tech Dept a request for increase? Then see what happens?  Can only ask?  I will go from there 👍

[BrendAn]

4 hours ago, robinsm said:

What is their reasoning, Mine was registered at 544 and I had no problems flying 2 up with solid built people.   Mine was bought as 544, registered for years at 544.   I extended the fuel tank to 90 lts.   Extra weight not a problem.   Flew all over the state, flew to cameron corner, plane performed great.   Someone is having a moment at Raa aus.

 

2 of my xairs started as 544kg and were for years . 

Then when ownership transfer was applied for the 544 got cancelled.

But to give me a 50 kg increase because I threatened to cancel my membership just shows what a flawed system it is. 

[BrendAn]

5 hours ago, robinsm said:

What is their reasoning, Mine was registered at 544 and I had no problems flying 2 up with solid built people.   Mine was bought as 544, registered for years at 544.   I extended the fuel tank to 90 lts.   Extra weight not a problem.   Flew all over the state, flew to cameron corner, plane performed great.   Someone is having a moment at Raa aus.

 

How did you Increase your fuel capacity. I would love to do that.

The 618 likes plenty of fuel.

[jackc]

3 hours ago, BrendAn said:

2 of my xairs started as 544kg and were for years . 

Then when ownership transfer was applied for the 544 got cancelled.

But to give me a 50 kg increase because I threatened to cancel my membership just shows what a flawed system it is. 

Be interesting how the RAAus ‘playbook’ works?  Under what ruling, they initially derated your 544kg MTOW but then agreed to raise it to 490kg, to appease you? 
The engine options originally started at the 503? Went as high as 912?
in other markets? Test Specs suggest it’s a rather rugged aircraft? 
Maybe a call to Jared Smith, RAAus Tech Guru is in order, to find out

how the ‘playbook’ works? 

[FlyBoy1960]

It's a 19 registered aircraft built from a homebuilt kit.   Declare your own maximum takeoff weight (within reason) I am of the belief that they cannot challenge you because you can do any thing in the 19 category yourself

[FlyBoy1960]

[jackc]

1 minute ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

It's a 19 registered aircraft built from a homebuilt kit.   Declare your own maximum takeoff weight (within reason) I am of the belief that they cannot challenge you because you can do any thing in the 19 category yourself

 

1 minute ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

It's a 19 registered aircraft built from a homebuilt kit.   Declare your own maximum takeoff weight (within reason) I am of the belief that they cannot challenge you because you can do any thing in the 19 category yourself

I think the ‘skirts’ at RAAus might spit their dummy on that plan 🤩

[FlyBoy1960]

This is from my RAA accepted manual at 490 kgs, then there is also a 520/544 version somewhere which is a certificate on RAA letterhead.

[jackc]

2 minutes ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

This is from my RAA accepted manual at 490 kgs, then there is also a 520/544 version somewhere which is a certificate on RAA letterhead.

Evidence of the Certificates for greater than 490kg are probably long gone.

I did not build my aircraft, so I think I am in for grief? 
BUT if the crunch comes to the crunch……I can go VH Experimental Rego, do an RPL with a CASA Part 149 Independent Operator, NO Flying School needed.

Fly away happy as a Member of SAAA, no rego fees needed. THEN do the new SAAA Maintainers Course, take  that certificate to CASA who then issue their authority to maintain my own aircraft I did NOT build, under the new system.

CASA are changing the rules 🤩 

[BurnieM]

CASA are slow.

Maintenance Course sounds good but the voices I am hearing say 2028.

 

Thought you would already be an RPL ?

Get an ARN (the only thing free).

Submit a passport sized photo $10 and declaration for your ARN record.

Pay $330 for ASIC (and wait 8 weeks).

Pay $150 for English Language assessment.

Do a class 5 medical online $10.

Do extra 3 hours solo (at RAAus rates) if you want the Navigation endorsement (including one trip of 100 NM with 2 away full stop landings).

Pay $50 for CASA to process form.

Do a flight review, say 2 hours at GA rates.

Will probably require 5-ish hours to 'convert' you as most GA schools do not seem to want to just do a FR.

 

Do a CASA flight review every 2 years then advise RAAus and they will update your RAAus records (no RAAus FR required).

 

Edited November 15 by BurnieM

[robinsm]

5 hours ago, BrendAn said:

How did you Increase your fuel capacity. I would love to do that.

The 618 likes plenty of fuel.

added a "camel hump" on the back of the existing fuel tanks...fibreglass with connecting holes to existing tank.   Went from 50lts to 94 lts...because COG is over the wheel centres the change to cog was minimal, still within spec.   Made the Aircraft a longer distance machine... eg..brakon hill from Goulburn...fuel at Griffith and Ivanhoe...   The pic shows the pass side, the pilots side had a similar extension.  Very important to use the right ester as one ius fuel safe and the other breaks down.   Cant remember which one I used but it lasted a number of years before I sold it and no sign of breakdown or trouble.

 

 

 

[jackc]

The new CASA approved SAAA Maintainers Course was  run at the SAAA FlyIn at Narromine, early October. CASA were present and approved the course. But it gone to CASA Legal, and the Legislative Instrument to cover all this,  is estimated first quarter 2026. 
And SAAA have opened bookings to sit the course, they have been swamped. 

[BrendAn]

1 hour ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

It's a 19 registered aircraft built from a homebuilt kit.   Declare your own maximum takeoff weight (within reason) I am of the belief that they cannot challenge you because you can do any thing in the 19 category yourself

Wrong.

[BrendAn]

2 hours ago, jackc said:

Be interesting how the RAAus ‘playbook’ works?  Under what ruling, they initially derated your 544kg MTOW but then agreed to raise it to 490kg, to appease you? 
The engine options originally started at the 503? Went as high as 912?
in other markets? Test Specs suggest it’s a rather rugged aircraft? 
Maybe a call to Jared Smith, RAAus Tech Guru is in order, to find out

how the ‘playbook’ works? 

Jared is the one who changed it.

But he would have been directed from above

[BrendAn]

1 hour ago, jackc said:

 

I think the ‘skirts’ at RAAus might spit their dummy on that plan 🤩

It's all changed. Flyboys is quoting out of date info. U have been through this 3 times now.

544 kg was the maximum a homebuilder could have in raaus.

The factory says 490 is the maximum so raaus are dropping the mtow each time an xair gets transferred.

The 450 is the British mtow. I don't know why they used that for some.

Edited November 16 by BrendAn

[jackc]

Just now, BrendAn said:

Jared is the one who changed it.

But he would have been directed from above

Therefore, there should be a documented  reason?  But I really have to wonder as they caved in, to your request? I really have also wonder where your original 544kg came from, as I have not seen that MTOW documented anywhere I looked? 
Jared IS in charge of Tech?  I figured he would have made that decision alone, for reasons known to him?

People further up the tree would need to justify their direction? 

[jackc]

2 minutes ago, BrendAn said:

It's all changed. Flyboys is quoting out of date info. U have been through this 3 times now.

544 kg was the maximum a homebuilder could have in raaus.

The factory says 490 is the maximum so raaus are dropping the mtow each time an xair gets transferred.

The 450 is the British mtow. I don't know why they used that for some.

Well, nothing ventured…..nothing gained, so I will ask for 490kg MTOW, and I should not be refused? 
IF I am?  Then I will do, what I need to do……🤩