skippydiesel

Thanks Onetrack - I was more surprised than anything at the brevity of information in ERSA & ZIP! in OzRunways. If I decide to attend the Fly-In I will certainly follow up on the contact details you have provided and also with the organisers. Thanks again. 😈

SF Gnome - I suggest joining the Rotax Owner Forum - you won't regret it. Great for solving all these little Rotax problems. https://www.rotax-owner.com/en/rotax-forum 😈

I have an oil thermostat - yet (never?) to fit. At a guess, I would suggest, if at all possible, prefiling all hoses & heat exchanger ie minimising air pockets. I would do this anyway when replacing hoses (5 Year Service) etc FlyBoy1960 suggestion sounds good but I would be concerned the wax pellet would be rapidly cooled by the cold oil, closing the thermostat - perhaps heat the oil to 100C. "When cold, the radiator is bypassed" Are you sure ?- In my limited experince, thermostats do not completely cut off supply, rather divert the bulk of cool liquid around the heat exchanger, back to the engine. If I am correct - bleeding the lubricating system, as per Rotax manual, may still be possible😈

Your POH should have the MAX Cross Wind Component allowable for your aircraft to manoeuvre (TO/Land) safely. For a steady Head Wind (straight or almost straight down the strip)- thats up to you and your personal comfort zone. WARNING! strong winds, can create severe surface turbulence, which may catch the pilot unaware. Gusting Head Winds can likewise create sudden changes in landing/TO performance making TO/Landing a chalange. As a general rule, if winds are presenting as a challenge, use minimal to no flap and keep your speed up and be ready to abort (ie have a plan in mind), should nature do something unexpected.😈

Thanks T510. Unfortunatly my application has almost continual small (occasionally larger movement) . I would be concerned that the aluminium would fatigue quite quickly. Thanks again😈

I need thin walled, heat resistant, light weight, flexible, about 30 mm (1.5") ID, ducting I have wire reinforced SCAT tubing. The wire is in the way of what I want to do. I have removed the wire but it leaves the "fabric" damaged - it does the job "at a pinch". Would much prefer something similar to SCAT, without the wire. Anyone know of such a product and where I can get it from???? All constructive suggestions welcome.😈

Corowa ? Funny thing, must have one of the shortest ERSA entries, for a sealed runway(s) airfield, that I have come across. No mention of facilities, even a toilet? No Pilots Touring or OzRunways Guide - stange indeed. Anyone direct me to more information.😈

What Fly-Ins are comming up? - Post on Events page😈

Corowa ? Funny thing must have one of the shortest ERSA entries, for a sealed runway(s) airfield, that I have come across. No mention of facilities, even a toilet? No Pilots Touring or OzRunways Guide - stange indeed. Anyone direct me to more information.😈

ANTIQUE AEROPLANE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA 2026 National Fly-in Corowa, NSW 16-19 April 2026 https://antique-aeroplane.com.au/contact

ANTIQUE AEROPLANE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA 2026 National Fly-in Corowa, NSW 16-19 April 2026

$70 for the pleasure of flying in - does this include the illusive landing fees (see web site??) refried to in ERSA?😈

I'm not surprised it's "... bleeding cash...". The formulaic approach to airshows, in Australia, bores me and I would guess, the great unwashed as well. Once you've seen one (x 10) aircraft flypast/aerobatics, you've pretty much exhausted the novelty - need to "change gear" have other, hopefully aviation related, attractions. From the promotion info., Tyabb seem to be taking a diffrent/fresher approach - good on em! Smart event organisers make a point of conducting random short surveys of customer likes/dislikes/wants, for any future events - when did you participate in/hear of such, at any airshow you went to? RAA/Parkes would seem to be doing what they have done for the last three events. All the imagination of a brick - I predict a flop. I no longer go to airshows (fly-ins are a diffrent thing altogether) - may make an acception for Tyabb.😈

Amazing! Note the public interest in being up close to aircraft - something that cannot happen , to any significant extent, at RAA's premier annual event at Parkes😈

Old fuel mixed (shandy) with fresh, likly good. Have done this myself, many times, without any apparent problems. "That's 4.1hrs on the clock for 60L of fuel ......" Hobbs hr/L of fuel works out to ne 14.6L/hr - Not bad and even if you can do better, with practise/familiarity, it's safer to go with a conservative figure. So you might flight plan at 15L/Hobbs hr. 😈

I assume your aircraft is fitted with the usual Rotax (Ducati) VR - if so it may be worth checking it out. The Rotax Owners Forum is full of discussion on this topic however you may find the following helpful; https://pointsforpilots.blogspot.com/2012/12/testing-rotax-912914-generator-and.html 😈

Hi BurnieM, "That is pretty disappointing 18-20 amps for a 912 ULS. But still should probably be 'enough'." Yes it is more than enough for a basic day VFR aircraft. The two 912 ULS powered aircraft, I have owned, never had a shortage of charging amps (assuming VR working correctly). I do make a point of having ancillary navigation device (iPad/GPS/SE2 & any other systems) fully charged before flight. My simple thinking - reduces demand from charge system and heating of individual devices, reducing chance of going out on over temp. As a rule of thumb - its best to fly/drive for at least 30 + minutes, to give the charge system enough time to make good any losses due to starting. If you start adding lights and extra electrically driven systems (eg autopilot/flaps/trim/seat/retractable undercarriage/constant speed prop) you may want more. This is when the option for a second alternator comes in.😈

I am concerned about ".......I’m yet to work out the Sportstar’s range." Range is a factor of fuel available, fuel consumed/hr, at a given ground speed. Ground speed is affected by wind speed & direction ie faster & further with a following wind/slower & shorter with a head wind. The short message is - work on knowing your fuel consumed/hr, at your preferred Cruise speed. Your Take-off , Climb & Descent to landing are your short duration exteem consumptions. Cruise is where you spend most of your time/fuel consumed on a trip. I prefer to know my average fuel consumption/hr for the whole trip, rather than fuel consumed at Cruise itself. This will include Take-off, Climb, Cruise & Descent to Landing. If using OzRunways, it will ask for Taxi, TO, Climb, Cruise, Descent , fuel consumption - put in figures that are most likly to give a conservative result (POH/Rotax Operators manual will help with this). Keep a fuel log - Flight time (I use Hobbs) and Litres to refuel to same point (easy just to completely fill) = L/hr used for last flight. I then add a conservative extra eg known to deliver 14L/hr & 100 knots, flight plan at 15 or 16L/hr . Remember higher power settings = more fuel used for a faster air speed and the converse. Try & figure out what you prefer to do and stick to that power/prop pitch setting for all long distance flights. Plug your planed fuel consumption/hr into your calculations - this will tell you if you will make your destination or have to stop for fuel at one or more waypoints. Your range will vary for every given leg of every trip and will hardly ever be exactly as planned. Try never to use your reserve (mine is 30L = two hrs = 260 Nm in still air ) Be Safe! 😈

"Can somebody tell me how much charge I get from the 912 ULS alternator?" https://www.rotax-owner.com/en/912-914-technical-questions/10084-what-is-the-net-output-of-rotax-s-internal-generator_1 There is something not quite right about your charging system😈

There are "crush washers" and then there are other washers; The crush washers supplied by Rotax are really one use items (very thin formed/folded copper)- at a pinch may do a second period. Soft thick, aluminium, copper, washers can be used almost indefinitely, with care (as you suggest). Thick plastic/neoprene types, can also be used many times, with similar care but doubt you will get the X uses that the above may deliver. Rubber - with extreme care (very low tightening/torque) may give weep free service, once if you are lucky. The old style thick aluminium, copper, plastic, are not see easy to find these days, in the the automotive stores😈

https://www.aero-hesbaye.be/ROTAX/pdf/operations 912.pdf Page 5-4

Moneybox - check this out SB-912-079.pdf 😈 PS Your aircrafts POH should have the prop/engine inflight adjustment operating instructions.

"When I'm cruising I have to adjust my propeller to a high pitch to prevent the engine running over maximum revs. " Small but important point to avoid any confusions - Propeller pitch is expressed as Coarse to Fine. Terms relative to the angle of attack (like a wing) to the airflow. What you seem to have described is Corsening the pitch to slow the engine rpm at a given power setting. "What I don't understand is where my best/least fuel consumption comes from when matching RPM to Manifold Pressure while maintaining cruising speed." In my aircraft (912ULS/Constant Speed prop) best speed/economy is in the region of 5000 - 5200 rpm. I usually Cruise at 5000 rpm, 25" Hg , 2500 ft ASL for a an average (whole of flight)fuel flow of about 14.25L/hr @ 130 knots true. Your aircraft will deliver a diffrent True airspeed at similar settings. "Lets say I want to keep the Rotax 912ULS spinning at 5000 revs while getting my best economical cruise speed. Do I control this with manifold pressure?" Manifold pressure will change with density altitude. With an acurate graph/power chart for your aircraft/engine/prop combination, you can adjust power accordingly. I find the following easier; On my last aircraft I had a reasonably accurate fuel flow meter, so was able to adjust power at any altitude to fuel flow. My current aircrafts fuel flow meter is nowhere near as precise, so I fly to True airspeed - probably offends the real pilots but works for me.😈

Rotax do publish the manifold pressure/expected fuel flow/ altitude/ engine rpm charts; Join Rotax Owners Forum for all the Manuals/Service letters/etc https://www.rotax-owner.com/en/rotax-forum I strongly advise you read the Rotax 912 ULS Operators Manual file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/OM_912%20Series_Ed4_Rev2%20(3).pdf Some downloads that may interest you; https://legacy.rotaxowner.com/si_tb_info/serviceletter/sl-912-016-r1.pdf https://aquila-aviation.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/SL_912_016R2_914_014R2_Rotax_Notes_engine_handling.pdf A couple of excerpts; Note: The figures given are nominal ie will differ due to many factors eg airframe😈

It should be a "copper crush washer". Yes any correctly sized sump style washer, can be substitutes eg soft aluminium, solid copper, neoprene, etc. The above washers can be purchase from almost any auto accessory supply store. I purchased my "stash" from Floods at the same time that I purchased oil filters. I get x3 washers to filters, as I use the same crush washer on the magnet and I practise 50 hr oil changes, filter at 100 hrs.😈