phonetic

On 31/03/2026 at 10:03 PM, GolfWhiskeyHotel said:

Flying a friends Aerostar a few days ago. Really nice ,But the radio......Loud engine (912uls) related noise (change of pitch when increasing revs)

sounds like alternator whine sound, do other stations report the whine on your transmissions or just in your reception 

8 minutes ago, kgwilson said:

If your SE2 has been unused for some time it does take a little while to get a 3D GPS fix. If used regularly it takes very little time. Even if you haven't used it for months it will have easily got a 3D fix by the time you have got the engine started, warmed  up & taxiied out to your run-up spot. In 2024 I coulnt get my aircraft out of the hangar for 6 months as the aerodrome was a quagmire plus I had been ill. It only took 6 or 7 minutes to get a fix when i finally got it out again.

Yes takes a long long long time, its GPS engine only 8 channel GPS constilation only, why I use the Stratux as primary ADSB-IN and secondary navigation source for OzRunways 

3 minutes ago, Blueadventures said:

Try Tony Kerr at Gympie Aircraft Maintenance.  He has been selling Skyfox parts in last couple of weeks on Facebook market place.  He was an authorised repairer.

thanks will contact after easter looked at his web page has a very good pedigree and experences 

1 minute ago, BrendAn said:

but i think that would have involved cutting away fabric to change the complete hanger. it would be a lot of work.

cut enough fabric  to get access to rib use a right angled stubby chuck  dril for holes & fasteners , the fix uses flat cut metal going by pic  , rather than in the USA Kitfox used a bent drilled bit of metal, Im hopting only bolt hole damage not the whole rib and hanger damaged migh get a less intrusive method 

5 minutes ago, Blueadventures said:

Use the correct epoxy, scarf ratio, sandpaper may include cotton flock.  The epoxy may be 3600 Arildite - )i'm not sure just check)

will do some research after easter will ring around L2 and RAAus

many thanks possible to scan the doc or take a high res pic of the doc instructions or where to find 

7 minutes ago, Garfly said:

True ... and right up there among its talents is the ability to handle OUT as well as IN.

Plus its tight integration with popular local EFBs for IN display.

except takes a while to lock on from cold start

Just now, BrendAn said:

I know of one gazelle that has had the alloy hanger conversion and I am sure he said it cost $11000

Wow thats insane.

im better taking a the risk pay $770 and submit Modification and Repair Approval Process MARAP proposal, saying  SINGLE 25mm of broken 7mm birch plywood can be repared with a lap patch using metal carbon fiber ect as the remaining hangers are pefectly sound.

Can use AI to ask what is the shear and peel rating of a lap patch using  metal epoxy plywood, maybe get a Enginering student to write up calculations.

I cant see a laser or CNC cut bit of metal costing beyond $500 ?? 

Or go to a sheetmetal frabricator locally, I supply the 6063T6 sheet.

here is the damage again is the aircraft is now a economic writeoff 

Sky Echo2 nice bit of kit, except its poor GPS engine takes for ages to sync up, I infact gave up using it.

instead I got a Stratux  homebrew ADSB receiver with GNSS USB receiver  does GPS GLONASS Galileo BeiDou QZSS, get 12-16 satelites under a tile and sarking roof and 24 plus while in the air  

55 minutes ago, T510 said:

The RAAus rules we have to operate under are not perfect but they are what we are stuck with.

 

I understand your frustration, as I said earlier, get any correspondence in writing, maybe you can try to get RAAus to give you permission to do the repair, you may even manage to convince them it is a minor repair. If you can't I would strongly advise against proceeding unless you have a L2/L4 who will sign off on your work. You may end up with a plane you can't legally fly.

 

I would be requesting the repair document from RAAus, or get your L2 to request it. They should supply it to him/her.

 

Also as much as you won't use the plane for training/hire, do you plan on taking passengers? It opens another liability issue if you have done repairs without authorisation. 

 

I fully understand the limitations imposed by the tech manual. It is why I won't buy a factory built/certified aircraft. I went through similar to you when I was looking at the Skyfox I was considering buying. RAAus were aware of the aircraft and made it clear that as a L1 I could not conduct the repairs myself. 

 

That's why my RAAus aircraft are home built and my other aircraft is VH experimental and will not be getting transferred to Group G.

 

 

If you can get the repairs done for $1k I would be jumping on it before whoever quoted you realises just how big a job it is. The maintainers I spoke to where talking 4 - 5 times that. Everyone I spoke to said it is a shit of a job and requires a lot more effort than you would expect. Apparently it can't be done without cutting the wing covering.

You ae not the 1st person saying that, 19 reg gives freedoms for DIY and sourcing data from builders forums.

The $1k was assuming the RAAus approved repair scheme is what the guy did all that years ago lap epoxy ie 2 bits of shaped metal epoxy bolt and L2 labour and sign off, I got the 6063T6 2mm alloy jigsaw drill ready to go.

So much for RAAus being the affordable option for single pilot Day VFR LOL   

48 minutes ago, T510 said:

I was told that it needed a L2 or L4 to complete the job when I enquired with RAAus about a 55 reg Skyfox I was looking at that needed the aileron hangers replaced.

 

The tech team also made it clear that if the repair was done by a L1 or unqualified person they would cancel the registration. RAAUs do have an approved repair method but as I am a L1 they wouldn't share it with me.

 

It is considered a major repair, given the Skyfox that crashed in the NT reportedly had the aileron detach in flight I am not surprised.

 

 

 

Yep RAAus getting sued in recent times wants another party have the legal liability it seems, looks like  I will track down the document make the bits give it to my L2 he dose the work, hint factory24  rego aircraft are pointless for owner L1 maintained, the RAAus tech manual is not correct it seems a "major structure" can according to RAAus vary on the day, its going to cost me min $1k for something for a 19 reg variant say a kitfox would gost me $50 for the 2 part epoxy, alloy sheet,  bolt washer nylock nut.

4 minutes ago, T510 said:

Don't rely on an answer on the phone or CAA/JAR/EASE rules. Get it in writing. Otherwise it's your word against theirs.

 

If RAAus are aware your plane needs the repairs make sure it is done by an approved person and in accordance with their approved repair method. 

 

Your plane could end up with the rego cancelled and requiring the repairs redone. I am having to jump through lots of hoops at the moment with a plane I have bought because it's history is incomplete and a previous owner did work he was not authorised to do

RAAus Tech manual says:

7.1.5 REPAIRS TO FACTORY BUILT AIRCRAFT - NON LSA (excluding Group G Lightweight aeroplanes)
CAO 95.32 & CAO 95.55
Repairs to privately operated aircraft, excluding Group G Lightweight aeroplanes may be conducted by the holder
of a Level One Maintenance Authority (or higher), using firstly, the manufacturer or designer’s repair procedures,
or secondarily, in accordance with repair methods and techniques detailed in FAA AC43.13-1B.

Repairs to aircraft used for hire and/or flying training must be undertaken by a person holding an RAAus Level Two
or higher Maintenance Authority, using firstly, the aircraft manufacturer or designer’s repair procedures, or
secondarily, in accordance with repair methods and techniques detailed in FAA AC43.13-1B.

So as its not for flight training hire or reward, only for private use ie me I can do the repairs using and apprived method, apprently it exists but the person who wrote the instruction did not post it online and has since decesed, im going with FAA AC43.13-1B "plywood lap patch repair method using expoxy bonding"

2 hours ago, Neil Denmark said:

Hi there

Bugger! My Gazelle had a similar "wing swing" mishap by the previous owner. They were able to make an "approved" repair 3 or 4 hangers with aluminum to replace the plywood. I have all the drawings etc somewhere which I will dig out and send send to you. Best if you have an email address? Not a nice job I am told...

Maybe the guy who did the repair will get in touch with you??? I know he is on this forum.

sent you a message with my email addy cheers frank 

1 hour ago, Neil Denmark said:

Hi there

Bugger! My Gazelle had a similar "wing swing" mishap by the previous owner. They were able to make an "approved" repair 3 or 4 hangers with aluminum to replace the plywood. I have all the drawings etc somewhere which I will dig out and send send to you. Best if you have an email address? Not a nice job I am told...

Maybe the guy who did the repair will get in touch with you??? I know he is on this forum.

1cm2 of metal to wood epoxy bonding has 10kg shear strengh breaking point 30-40lg cm2 allowing both sides thats 16cm2 at least at a guess we north of 160kgs rating or 700kgs shear breaking force, my L2 recons its fine, stronger than the parent material with the bolt offer a 2nd point of fail safe he recons deprnding on the RAAus person ansewring the call will approve it or not, certified to CAA JAR EASA rules  actually VH rego a historical thing even Volksplane back in the day were VH reg, not the same regulations as a C172 or PA28 for example, I doubt its only a GA LAME scope  

After the approved Skyfox Gazelle CA25N aileron hangar repair process bit of plywood cracked at bolt after wing swing mishap, I understand there is a approved fix using metal and epoxy giving as a suggestion of someones fix approved by RAAus 

The problem is RAA instructors are few and far between, with time poor and cash rich students RAA schools need to get there acts together

In Au we dont need to follow FAA part 103, our 95.10 is 300kgs or 660lbs gross makes part FAA103 254lbs empty weight rather pointless with our 95.10 ??

VHF comms radio, GPS & PLB recon is all I need to worry about, GPS is non TSO rest is CASA/AMSA & ACMA approved

18 volt 2 amp hour $18 lithium battery pack from ALDI used to repack old Icom Nicad battery, 3x3.6 volt lithium-Iron cells fits in the original Icom battery pack, 2 years later still works a treat

Was student PPL in early 90s often asked the purser on the flight I'm a student PPL they always allowed me up to the flight deck, some of the crew even known the flying school I was learning at

Should find an reasonable 95.10 machine for $6-7k

stick & rudder fly by the seat of your pants, saying that you be surprised so many ex military & airline pilots choose to fly 95.10 ultralights

Australian airlines really have the pick of the crop to hire as junior aircrews , ATPL theory with bachelor and diploma degrees from academies or ex ADF aviators, with out either how does a bare bones CPL actually get to advance ??

fake news. one reason why I dont trust mainstream media nowdays

My partner who is not a pilot or aviator, knows a ultralight aircraft with a sink rate of 5 feet a second controlled emergency landing is a lot safer than sitting on a road motorcycle hitting a car at 10kph, in fact rather wants me to fly ultralight aircraft than ride motorcycle on the road