pylon500

OK, fire-suit on...., here's my take on the whole deal; Weights; We thought we were doing alright when we went from 480kg to 544kg. 600kg is plenty. If you can't build a decent two seater under 600kg, you shouldn't be building production aeroplanes! Remember, many of the hot ships that used to come from Europe did so at 450kg! Travelling; The majority of us are flying for fun. That's not to say we don't want to do trips, BUT, most of us do trips FOR THE TRIP, not to get to a destination. The old adage 'Time to spare, go by Air', is just as true today as in the past, probably more so. The reality is, if you want to travel less than 400km, drive your car. You will get there, you can be overweigh (figuratively), you will have transport when you get there, and you will get back, all within the timeframe you plan for. If you want to travel further than 500km, buy an airline ticket. You will get there, you may have to pay for extra weight, you may have to hire transport when you get there, and you will get back, all within the timeframe you plan for. Ultralights are NOT made for travelling. Even GA is impractical most of the time. You may not get there, you wont be able to carry much, you will have to hire transport when you get there, and you may not get back, plus it will probably cost you at least twice the price of the first two options. LSA's; With the introduction of LSA, we took about a fifteen year step BACKWARD by allowing the old (can't pass medical) GA pilots to join us, who then wanted all the privileges they had with their old hot ships. Did they thinking that CASA wouldn't then turn around and apply the same amount of regulation to all of us because of it? Before LSA, we were operating on exemptions, which kept costs down, but allowed advancement. Those that could afford fancy machines could buy constant speed retractables, that fit the European standards, and rightly show off. The rest of us bought or built what we could afford, and simply enjoyed getting into the air. Local manufacturers managed to stay close to the weights allowed, although 600kg would be nice. After LSA, and I mean when CASA just copied the American rules, we are having questions about variable props and retractable gear, which are not allowed in America, BUT, unlike America, CASA still wanted the final authority on Airworthiness!? OK, two things here, many of the manufacturers (worldwide) have proven they weren't up to the task of complying with the LSA rules and standards; and; I believe CASA overlooked (as did Steve Bell) to write in an exemption against Special CofA's, for LSA aircraft aimed for registration as ultralights. Not that they will admit to that now. So, where to go? No, we DON'T want the training for RPL. Nor do we want the heavier aircraft that fit this class, or the more over regulation that goes with it. GA has struggled over the years to keep up with CASA rearranging the goal posts, so GA is ready for it, as are the GA flying schools that are beginning to realise they are not going to survive just trying to pump out airline pilots. They can look after the 'family' pilots and the private business pilots. Yes, I know that sounds like I'm contradicting my previous comments but, I have an example here in Taree of a guy with his own business and a contract in Bairnsdale Victoria, 1036km by road, 766km direct. Taking airlines (and buses), takes him all day. Driving, takes him all day. Flying his $250k Trinidad, he can do it in under 4 hours, MOST OF THE TIME, but he doesn't always make it! (no, he's not IFR yet, got a business to run). Some people can afford this option. We need to step back to recreational flying, flying for fun, dare I say 'Ultralight' flying? We need to maintain training for safe recreational flying. We need to keep aircraft approval (not certification) and maintenance, at affordable costs. We need to agree that we are, in a way, an adventure sport, and insure as such. We need to have CLUBS, more so than schools, where members can share their abilities and be overseen by volunteer skilled people. What happened to the days of clubs building their own flying machines? What changed in the 60's? We can still be a cheap stepping stone to further flying for those who want that, but also a place for those that just want to get into the sky..... We need to reinvent ourselves, how about we call ourselves the Australian Ultralight Federation

Of course, I should have picked up on that......

I'm usually around my hangar most days of the week (I live next to it). If you come to Taree, someone there will point you in my direction. Must update my artwork.... Now have a Lightwing and Foxbat available. Arthur.

Not too bad, will be better once they put the tailwheel in the right place

When mentioning aircraft, be sure you have the right name, and watch out for re-badges This is a T-6; This is a PC-9, but don't tell the Yanks, they think Beechcraft designed it; And this is as far as the AAC Wamira A-20 got before being scrapped by another one of our inept governments; We ended up buying PC-9's, but had to modify them to suit the Australian conditions (read, match the conditions the Wamira was designed for)

To say nothing about the Bugatti racer replica being built in the US.

Taree is about 1¾ hours up the road from Newcastle, assorted building, maintaining and flying going on here...

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Interesting headline from an ABC article, read here- http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/07/08/3798080.htm?site=northcoast More interesting the photograph under the headline; This photo was taken during one of the 'Drag' meetings the council approved on the airstrip which, although didn't damage the strip too badly, it did inspire the local hoons to damage a couple of aircraft afterwards... Comments that the strip is still plenty long enough, according to the above photo, would imply it was one hell of a long runway originally!? Looks like it's cut in half to me....

Bureaucratic anomalies like this exist everywhere, me as an RAAus Senior instructor with 3000+ hours and around 80+ types, am not recognised by the FAA and as such can not legally fly any of their LSA class aircraft. Even though I do most of my instructing in the same aircraft. Guess that's just the way it is.....

Talking airports, this is all that's left of Sydney's Hoxton Park Aerodrome, swallowed up by big bussiness and displacing around 50 planes. Interesting to note that Google Earth still (07-07-13) shows the airport. The 'Bing Maps' (http://www.bing.com/maps/) still has the name...

Have heard this a few times, now the NIMBY's in the possibly 'illegal' caravan park will all want the airport closed down Have a look at the Google image, and see where the 'Airport' now is...! Even the airport weather station and main windsock are within the caravan park!

It might pay to have a read about trim systems.... Here's a start; http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/aircraft-design-aerodynamics-new-technology/14961-stabilator-trim.html

I think the members numbers vs voter numbers is always going to be a problem. By the same token, how would having say 50% of the membership turning up at an AGM be handled? I initially think it would be easier to do all voting on line, but then I realise that a large portion of our membership is probably computer illiterate. Even those here on the forum only make up a small proportion of membership. This usually means we have to go back to the current system relying on the magazine, that turns up late and is a mouthpiece for those who we now find don't always tell us all the information needed to make informed decisions. These are problems beyond my mere Instructor level to fathom.....

Re you tail trim tab, is it an 'Anti Servo Tab' or simply an adjusting tab?

Remember, the safest aircraft is one that is welded to the ground, preferably with a large fence around it.

Thought I recognised the name.... Or how about one from 22 years ago? Flew with you (I think)out of Proserpine and did water circuits off Airlie, 14/04/91. Arthur.

So, is that a three barrel 'common knocker'? Going to run on diesel? Rootes blower or turbo?

Guess you mean the Kittyhawks... Couldn't hear the sound of the Se5's motor for the wires

Could you imagine the arguments between Jeremy Clarkson and James May over this....

I would regularly get the 'Microsoft' slow computer callers from India. Sometimes I just tell them I'm on a Mac and they hang up. Or, if I want a bit of fun I ask them to hold a minute while my call tracker finishes downloading their phone number. The beginners hang up right away, the smart-a$$es usually say "You can not find our switchboard number", to which I reply, "Country code 91, and area code 33, I then slow down as if waiting for more numbers and slowly say, two, two, (pause), one, (another longer pause) four"... This is a valid country/area heading for an area in India known for these calls. And if they haven't hung up, say things like "That's interesting.... my Mac is having trouble with your last numbers, I guess I could just add 3111 for your switchboard?" Trouble is I'm usually having tea when they ring up....

While it is obviously better to solve your 'leak' problem, it is something that can still happen on rare occasions, and there goes another window If these are side windows, you could look into a more 'Hydro Carbon' proof material. Have a look for PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), the stuff that soft drink bottles are made from.

Nice glider, just don't do aerobatics in them.... Oops, didn't look at full post

The Rolls Royce Merlin, and Packhard license built Merlins were used in a wide range of aircraft. Just a short list; Spitfire, Hurricane, Defiant, Mosquito, Lancaster, Mustang, (P-15) Lightning, (P-38) KittyHawk, (P-40) And numerous lesser known aircraft...

It's surprising that with better performance engines, ballistic parachute systems and hopefully some better knowledge and materials, that these things aren't everywhere?