skippydiesel

"....factory built is built to a standard design and quality." That what you hope & pay for. Ufortunatly there have been instancess where factory quality was wanting.😈

Sorry to hear of the Sportstar's demise. This won't help the Sportstat - Once again, the cost advantage, of a kit/home built, over a factory build, is demonstrated. Its quite likly the Sportstar could be rebuilt but only by expensive, suitably qualified persons, making it uneconomical do so, a "write-off". The home built can be repaired by an amateur for the cost of the materials, which can also be sourced from the lowest cost, suitable supplier.😈

130 Knots / 150 mph / 241 kph - no matter how you express it, that is a gale of a wind. When you say "..we lost the Sportstar and its shelter." what exactly do you mean? Written off? Not many temporary structures will stand up to the above wind. Our prevailing winds are from the WSW. My structure is in the lea of a large vegetative planting and is oriented with open ends north/ south. There are 14 very heavy (two men to lift) concrete anchors that will hold/tension the tarp. The hollow "foot" of each hoop is over a short star picket that has been hammered into the ground. My aircraft, will be secured within the structure, to 3 star pickets, driven deep into the ground, at 45 degrees or better, to the tie down pints. My hope is that being open each end and secured as above, the structure will have less wind resistance than a fully/partially closed structure. This combined with some flexibility will prevent the whole thing blowing away/lifting. I do not have access to a more solid/permanent structure. In my 30 years associated with The Oaks, we have had one destructive wind event & several hail storms. As far as I know the hail cause no damage to the various (composite) Jabs parked in the open - I don't think there were any metal skinned aircraft in the open (as mine currently is). The wind storm was more destructive than the hail, damaging one or more poorly secured aircraft and flattening some makeshift structures.😈

Hi Dean, You may want to specify Make & Model. If memory serves oil thermostats, for Rotax 9's, came in at least two temperature opening/ratings. All the best

How big is the structure? I am just going through the process of replacing my tarp - highest quote so far for 9 x 11 m HD tarp, eyelets every 0.5m, delivered +GST is $1,200. No back / front wall as this will just turn the whole thing into a parachute, making the need for substantial anchoring/foundations. My structure will have no foundation & be primarily anchored by weights, holding the tarp/structure in place. KISS all the way. My primary interest is hail protection for the Sonex, follower by UV and rain, in the context of me being comfortable. 😈

Ye Gads! Bureaucracy/taxation by another name, gone crazy. !0 years - not bad. The tarp shown is far too big and of an unknown age, so will be purchasing a new (fitted) cover, that will likly outlast my flying activity.😈

Temporary Hanger ; Planning permission (outside town limits) not usually required😈

Have a read: https://pointsforpilots.blogspot.com/2012/12/testing-rotax-912914-generator-and.html 😈

Continuing Airworthiness Notice – 57-005 Tecnam P2008 Fuselage Extrusion P/N 28-2-1095-1 Attachment Lugs - Corrosion 7 April 2026 Issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand in the interests of aviation safety. A Continuing Airworthiness Notice (CAN) is intended to alert, educate, and make recommendations to the aviation community. A CAN contains information and guidance about an airworthiness concern that does not meet the criteria for an Airworthiness Directive (AD). The inspections and practices described in this CAN must still be carried out in accordance with the applicable NZCAR Parts 21, 43 and 91. CAN numbering is by ATA Chapter followed by a sequential number for the next CAN in that ATA Chapter. Applicability: All Tecnam P2008 aircraft (i.e. certificated, LSA and microlight aircraft) fitted with a fuselage extrusion P/N 28-2 1095-1. Purpose: This Continuing Airworthiness Notice (CAN) is issued to bring attention to defect reports submitted to the CAA of finding corrosion in the attachment lugs of fuselage extrusion P/N 28-2-1095-1 on five P2008 aircraft. For further details of the location of the corrosion found, refer to the photos in this CAN. Background: This CAN is prompted by five occurrences reported to the CAA of finding corrosion in the attachment lugs of the fuselage extrusion P/N 28-2-1095-1. The fuselage extrusion attaches both the LH and RH wings aft spars to the fuselage. The corrosion found in the bolt attachment lugs is intergranular, and had advanced significantly to require replacement. The corrosion was found during wing removal for an unrelated issue. The corrosion appears to have occurred in areas where the protection paint finish was not damaged and also not in areas of dissimilar metal contact (e.g. from the attachment bolts). Recommendation: Operators should follow manufacturers recommendations for corrosion control applicable to operation in high salt/high humidity environments. In the case of Tecnam aircraft, the manufacturer recommends applying anti corrosive to wing attachments every 12 months. The CAA strongly recommends that operators and maintainers of Tecnam P2008 aircraft inspect the attachment lugs of fuselage extrusion P/N 28-2-1095-1 for defects and corrosion. If any defects are found accomplish appropriate corrective actions before further flight. CAA requests that operators and maintenance providers report any cracks, or damage found, via the occurrence reporting process: https://occurrencereporting.services.aviation.govt.nz Tecnam has been notified of these findings. Refer to the photos below for examples of typical corrosion found. This CAN is considered to be an interim action and further CAN, or AD action may follow.

Such is life! - Try your best to be efficient and financial "shoot yourself in the foot"😈

Curious; Please advise warn part (Overload Clutch?) replacement/rebuild cost, versus new gearbox???😈

More like a touch-and-go than a full on landing. Having said that I can't help but admire the skill of the pilot, while also being disgusted at the undoubtable high cost of such a meaningless challenge/achievement.😈

I don't doubt your concern or the possibility that your local area has a particular issue/problem however the Au wide statistics do not back you up. As for my "safe bubble" - Bubble suggests lack of awareness/complacency - not true. Just not so easily influenced by alarmist language, however heart felt. Brendan - It is my impression, that your writen language has, in resent times, become overly combative to the point of personal attacks eg what would you know of where I live now or my personal history. Best not to go down the personal observation track, without in depth knowledge of the person (me).😈

I think his point was easily understood - IF the USA had a social safety net, similar to most other advanced nations, the illicit drug problem would likly be much less than it is. While abusing your body with drugs (legal & illegal) can afflict every strata of society, there is no doubt it disproportionally impacts the poor. Speculation: The USA has the most advanced, intrenched, culturally condoned & promoted violence in the western World - I very much doubt that anywhere in Australia can be compared. The murder of just one person, in Au, hits the national news. The USA has a murder somewhere every few minutes From Google; Australia's homicide rate roughly 0.85-9.9 per 100,000 people USA homicide rate 6.8 per 100,000 people and has been declining for some time. UK 8.6 homicides recorded per million 😈

Isn't the required ultra cool storage/tank, one of the problems with using hydrogen as a vehicle fuel? 😈

Well produced propaganda/sales video - no mention of wet/cold weather opps. The reality is this is just a nice looking low performance aircraft, that will cost someone a heap to keep free of corrosion /looking good. Its cruise & stall are nothing to write home about. Many in this class will easily out perform it, but probably not look as cooooool. Most pilots like the look of a single seater (usually with a canopy) but few purchase. Why? Simple, a second seat confers versatility, the occasional passenger, somewhere to put your inflight stuff. I am not against the Spirit, its an aircraft and for the most part I support aircraft. It just doesn't tick my boxes. I am sure it will be popular amongst those who want to fly in nice balmy weather, low so that people can admire and charge for all the photo opportunities where the "pilot" sits in the cockpit with a retro look leather flying cap on. I would admire a similar looking, genuine vintage, aircraft that someone lovingly refurbished but this ??????😈

Blueadventures, Curious - The exhaust springs shown, second photo above, are they Rotax issue?😈

Looks good Rodgerc. I would be concerned about ; The ability of the concertina not to fatigue in the "valleys" My ability to detect fatigue cracking in those "valley" should it occur. The stuff I have purchased was suggested by Thruster88 (above) . I am hoping that it will do the job very well. The claimed dimensions(ID) and heat tolerance are a perfect fit. The smooth, flexible wall should perform well and any deterioration show up quite readily. If it does as I hope, the minimum amount I purchased, should provide plenty of replacement material (if required) & last for several 100hr service intervals. 😈

Quit the character. Entertaining comentry. Did I miss the pre-flight ignition checks?? Unsecured heavy looking items behind the pilot??? 😈

Very pleased (so far). Purchased another Bluetooth adapter, from Clear Prop (Ian). Despite no instructions ( I read up on similar devices, found on The Net) got it going, on the ground. Started by checking that it transmits music from my iPad - Then switched over to AvTraffic. Sitting on the ground I had warnings for traffic, within the circuit area and up to 3000ft. In the next day or two, will try it at altitude. For what I want (simple connect with AvTaffic /iPad), its a tad over complex, in that there are multiple controls, I guess to facilitate music & possible phone. If it does the job, it will be left set to go and I wont be fiddling with it.😈

Ozrunways or similar APP, will give you a "track" & heading. Even in turbulence ,its easy to follow the track (magenta line), even if you diverge a bit, from time to time. No down side, as with autopilot (George). George may disconnect in turbulence, then there are concerns about system failure (how long before you notice you are far of track), loss of control feel, cost, etc I have "toyed" with the idea of fitting a George - I would need both altitude & heading control - so far resisted making my simple aircraft more complex.😈

Speculation; The fire in the Viva refereeing has been reported as being in the "Mogas" section. As an earlier respondent mentioned the term Mogas, is used in refineries, to describe that section of the system dealing with petrol (rather than diesel/Aviation kerosene & similar). I suggest that what comes out of the Mogas system will be further processed into various grades of ULP & AvGas. So there is likly to be an impact (??) on ULP & AvGas supply/cost 😈

I hope your prospecting went well Moneybox. In my limited experince, Rotax 9 carburetor engines have two air inlet system, that can be used; Simple, no ducting, air supplied from within engine bay, through individual carburettor conical shaped filters. Rotax or other airbox, supplying cool air from outside engine bay to both carby's. Air filtered at some point in the ducting. The airbox will usually be mounted separate from the carby's so there will be flexible connections to duct air from airbox to carby's Note: The carburettors are connected to the inlet manifold via "rubber" vibration isolators. If you should somehow restrict the action of the isolators, the carburettors will spill fuel, through the float bowl vent and possibly cause accelerated wear of internal components. The simple, no duct air filters, allow for the carburettors to move ie no impact on the rubber vibration isolaters. In the Rotax airbox, the box is mounted on the Ring Mount and flexible ducting connects it to the carburettors. The flexible ducting minimises the chance of interfering with carburettor movement. The initial problem with my custom airbox was that it was mounted on the carburettors themselves, almost completely negating the action of the rubber vibration isolators - fuel was being ejected from the float chamber vents. My first solution was to dispensed with the air box & fit the simple conical filters. The fuel spillage stopped BUT my engine was now breathing hot air (+10C above ambient) from the engine bay. I really wanted to use the airbox but how to mount it so as to allow the carby vibration isolators to perform as designed? I don't have a Rotax ring mounting system to mount/connect to. Make/install a firewall mount but I really didnt want to take my aircraft out of the air/back to the workshop if I could avoid it. The solution seems to be to mount the airbox on the engine itself. This would remove the weight/movement restriction on the carby's AND at the same time have the airbox move with the engine, a definite plus. However a second issue arises, the space between carby's & firewall is such that the airbox outlets and carby inlets are only about 15 mm apart (very close). Flexible ducting depends, to some degree, on the length/distance of the unsupported section to allow movement ie the shorter the distance the less movement can occur. This means that whatever flexible ducting between the two, that is used, will need to be very flexibly, so as not to restrict the movement of the carby's. The origional thick walled "rubber" hose/duct was way to stiff. Metal concertina duct may work for a while but I suspect that fatigue cracks would rapidly form, allowing unfiltered air to enter the system. Variose other suggestions ie using modifies rubber concertina suspension / steering rod covers, were considered SCAT tube seemed to be the solution however the coiled wire stiffener impeded the flexibility of the duct over such a short distance (15mm) - solution, remove the wire. Removing the wire needs to be done with considerable care, as there is a tendency to damage/rip the flexible silicon wall. The result is a soft, lightweight flexible tube that works very well. BUT I wanted a solution that did not involve damaging the SCAT and possibly reducing its service life in the process. I have found/purchased some soft, thin walled (2mm) silicon ducting (no wire). It looks like it will do the job, although heavier and possibly slightly less flexible than the modified SCAT. I am in no hurry to try the new stuff as the SCAT is doing the job for the moment😈

Hi Jack Jones, Thanks for your thoughts. I have a quantity of aluminium concertina duct (a Gates product to use as cold air "blast" tubing) that is pretty much what you describe. I feel that it may not stand up to constant movement/vibration all that well, so haven't gone down this track with the carby/airbox ducting. I have purchased a thin walled silicon tube/duct on lsBay (made in China) that claims several times the heat tolerance required and likly has the characteristics I have articulated. As the de wired SCAT is doing a good job at the moment, I will not be trying the silicon duct for some time - will report back when I do.😈