Captain

Looks nice. Isn't it interesting what each individual chooses when they have the chance to play with a dash layout and colourscheme.

It'd be boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it.

I note that it looks like that dash has the GPS antenna on the outside. Is that what it is up front behind the screen?

????? 1 - If so, does anyone know whether GPS signals have any trouble thru vinyl .... as it has noworries with fibreglass & perpex so I was going tomount mine inside the panel just under the glass. If nobody knows I'll have to do a test later this week.

????? 2 - Also does anyone know whether there is any problem mounting a UHF antenna below the aircraft, behind and within 150 mm or so of the transponder antenna ?????

Regards Geoff

Captain

Good on ya Clem.

Ears are clean ..... that feels better.

Have also done a computer enhancement of those peepers of yours in that photo. Still don't recognise ya though, so will send the pic off to the experts for further forensics..

I was competing in the US Trap Shooting Championships a couple of years ago in Dayton, Ohio and a few of the Stealths came into Vandalia Airport on a public relations mission for a series of touch and go's while they were based at Wright-Patterson. They came in about 200 ft over the trap line whichwas on Vandalia Airport. Talk about stop the shooting. 7000 competitors just stood with their jaws on the ground.

There is nothing like that profile .... and the racket they make.

At the airforce Museum at Wright-Patterson there is a Stealth on display so within a couple of hangars at that museum there is a section of the Wright Bros prop + a replica of their 1901 wind tunnel, then you can go touch a Stealth, & a Blackhawk etc. Just mind blowing.

Now .... back to the shed.

Regards Geoff Captain

Thanks Clem. Was thinking of puting tiles on the outside. What do you think?

To use an old kitbuilder's joke, I reckon I am now 85% complete and only 85% to go.

But have grown attached to the grey colourscheme of the undercoat, so have made a few changes to the traditional J230 shape and have gotten myself a haircut+ a blonde rinse.

Geeeeez it's dry around here.

Watch out Roger. When you get your new J230 and come over to Wings Over Wagga I might just sneak up on you ... although it looks like you will win the race.

Regards Geoff

Captain

Two posts in 2 days. That MUST mean progress and makes up for a few weeks when I was slack with updates.

Spent all day today superfine bogging any remaining pinholes (and before someone asks, the black speckled paint is on there tomake it easier to seewhere I have sanded)and gave the entire fuselage a dry sand.

The compressor has really had a workout over the past few weeks.

Is now ready for a wet-sand of the fuselage tomorrow by the professionals ready for their finish spraying.

Also did a final location for the panel and am about to do a final fitup of that panel.

Have just clicked thru 600 mhrs ..... so even accounting for my being slow, overly pedantic on some issues, and putting in a few instruments that are a bit of a wank (I told my wife that Winter Altimeters are $50) let me assure you all that the factory builtJ230's are bloody good value at around $95000 (if you don't want the fun/thrill of building)... as evidenced by the strength of Jabiru's order book.

Regards Geoff

Are any members of this Forum coming to Wings-Over-Wagga this year on October 27th & 28th?

Regards Geoff

G'day Stuart and thanks for your note.

Progress report - The engine is on. It's not a huge job if you have some lifting assistance, so the family got drafted last night as a condition precedent on a baked dinner.That ployworked well.

While the engine installation is no big deal it's another milestone in the build.

For those aspiring Jabiru builders, here's aworthwhile tip. Give the G-clamps a miss and get a cheap valve spring compressorlike thatshown in the pics.This keeps the engine mount washers straight so that the bolts don't bind or bend in the washers/bushes. They go straight thru and this clamp made the fit-up a breeze.

Now ....... on to rubbing back the undercoat this week, working on the wings and progressing the panel.

Captain

Thanks for that Ross. How's yours progressing as you haven't put up any pics for a while?

Had a great weekend at the Island .... except the fellow that we arehelping came off in turn 10.

[ATTACH]185[/ATTACH]

Oh well ... that's racing ... and a few also did itas well while riding home on the roadin the showers on Monday.

Now back to matters aeronautic .... rather than the low flying at PI .... the panel is back after being trimmed in town as per the pic. Looks nice, I think.

And the panel now has all of its components.

Gee Winter make a nice altimeter (I reckon).

Am wading thru the wires coming out of the Dynon to their full Jabiru sensor kit. Will show pics of that when I have them sorted.

Regards to all Geoff

Captain

Howdeee Clem.

Am hooking up an Ipod for the music thru the Xcom. No CD's for me.

Well, it's been a great day here so far and it looks like the 1st pic below.

Two professional spray painters have been here and the undercoating is finished. A few pics are shown below.

The yellow is the etch primer then 4 coats of grey Standox primer-filler, most of which will be rubbed off to get the right final finish. Now the fuse needs to sit for 7 days for the solvents tobleed off before the rubbing starts again.

The painters are raving about these Standox components. Just as well, given the price.

While this was done outside, the final spraying will be done in a booth in town.

I can now head to the Island with a clear conscience ..... although I should be starting on the wings, instead.

Captain

Fuselage is ready for undercoating .... planned for tomorrow morning if the weather is calm.

Just picked up all of the undercoating components this morning and at trade prices it was almost $2000 for the best stuff. I told my wife that the spending was about over so a slow death may follow as I shudder to think what the crash-hot 2 pack german paint will cost.

Panel is taking shape. Now waiting on the Transponder that is in the mail from Bundaberg thru this forum's shop (thanks again Ian) and the Altimeter is on the way from Winter in Germany.

Now ... off to Phillip Island for 5 days playing withbikes.

Clement made comment (since edited)about radio use at Natfly ... and while he is right that the circuit can certainly be flown there without radio & onmultiple occasions, surely Clem will agree that the non transmit use of radio, and more particularly not listening to others,reduces situational awareness under the circumstances applying at Narromine.

Did you turn your radio right off Clem, or just not broadcast?

On the times that I was on the air listening to the Unicom at Narromine it was busy but not unnecessarily congested, and reflected the number of movements in the area.

Clem is right that Blimps are "special" but there is something wrong if their operations require that an airport be closed so that they can refuel.

You blokes are spot on.

I reckon that radios give vital situational awareness and the rules for their use work well.

How anyone can choose not to use them as per the latest rules .... or at all .... isa mystery tome and MUST show either arrogance or incompetence if a radio is fitted.

Further ..... my opinion is that the RAA is in error not making radios comulsory inall aircraft. If members can't afford a basic radio then they can't really afford to fly.

How anyone could contemplate entering the circuit without a radio at Natfly is totally beyond me.

Regards Geoff Captain

Ben

I went back to the local distributors to get the info you were after and to make sure that it was correct.

Mike Pendergast has advised the following in reply:

Performance:The 200 with CSU - 118knts cruise.The 300 with CSU - 130knts cruise,both when powered with Rotax as below

Engine:Factory build Rotax 912S -100hp.Kit buildchoice of Rotax or 6 cyl Jab

Range:300 Model-621 miles.200 Model -430 miles.

Cost:The 300 Model -$125,000 and up to $170,000. The 200 Model -$91,000and up to $120,000

Kit or Factory:Both models available in various forms of kit or full factory finish.

Hope this helps.

G'day Clem

From what Logan told me about his trip across the Tasman, they werepretty cold-refuellings and the wind was blowing pretty hard at both Norfolk and Lord Howe.

From memory I think he averaged about 120 knots on the return to NZ with the westerlies on his tail.

Havn't Ultralights come a long way ... when it is "relatively" routine to cross the Tasman. I think 3 aircraft came over for the last Wing-Over-Wagga. I understand that one was direct NZ to Tassy.

Are you interested in flying (yourself) to Oshkosh next year?

Regards Geoff

Both Kit & Factory. The aircraft with the orange colouring and the fellow leaning on the wing is factory built and delivered recently.

Engines Rotax or Jabiru.

The 300 I flew at Wings Over Wagga had a 3300 Jabiru + retracts and cruised about 130 if I recall correctly.

On range I'm not sure but Logan McLean flew it over from NZ with 2 stops ... so it isn't too bad.

Re cost ... if nobody else answers, I'll find out the latest.

Hope this helps.

All windows are just about faired in as you can see in the pics. Maybe one more pass of bog on a couple just to get them absolutely perfect.

Engine arrived into Wagga today and is shown below..... geee that's a milestone and hopefully I can get the undercoat on next week so that the engine can be installed.

Panel face is off being powder coated and should be back mid week, so the final instrument fitting & wiring should also kick off next week.

It's getting more exciting every week.

See the below claim for a new altitude record.

50000 ft ain't bad in a glider.

FAI has received the following Class D (Gliders) record claim :

====================================================================

Claim number : 14043

Sub-class DO (Open Class Gliders)

General Category

Type of record : Absolute altitude

Course/location : El Calafate (Argentina)

Performance : 15447 m

Pilot : Steve FOSSETT (USA)

Crew : ENEVOLDSON Einar

Glider : Glaser-Dirks DG-505

Date: 29.08.2006

Current record : 14 938 m (17.02.1986 - Robert R. HARRIS (1932), USA)

====================================================================

The details shown above are provisional. When all the evidence required has

been received and checked, the exact figures will be established and the

record ratified (if appropriate).

See http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060829/NEWS15/608290365/1144/NEWS

Thanks for that Ian. I'll keep you well appraised thru this forum.

Geeeeeeeeeez Clem. That's over a month later than I was planning on and isquite depressing. I was wanting to have it up and running by Wings-Over-Wagga at the very latest so that the Jabiru blokes can look at any isssssssssssues ... if there are any ... while they are here. I hope you are wrong, but doubt that you ever are, seeing that you have done this yourself previously.

Are you sure that Nov 25 is the date for me, or is it perhaps the likely date when your Shuttle will get into the air, and you got 'em mixed up?

I think Ian should chuck blokes off this forum who give other chaps dates that they don't want to hear.

Oh well ........ back to the shed with the added incentive to (try to) prove Clem wrong.

Thanks fellas. Captain

Thanks for that Clem.

Did I hear that your shuttle launch has been delayed? Does that mean that you might have to go back over there?

On the more mundane home-front, the panel is just about ready to be covered and painted - see pic below.

The doors and their windows are bogged in and will be ready to undercoat after about one more wipe with the bog.

The windows in the fuse will be attacked today.

All minor f/glass parts now rubbed back and ready for painting ... so hopefully will undercoaton the 1stcalm day next week.

Geoff

Captain

That link to 7 news says that it was a Stemme S10. They are a gun bit of gear.

Captain

A further update from a Gliding Forum that I inhabit says as below ... but this is all speculation at this time and may not be accurate.

The motor glider in question was privately owned by a member of Southern Cross Gliding Club (which is based at Camden).

The pilot was apparently heading from Camden back to Bankstown where the aircraft is hangared, with his young son as a passenger when the accident occurred.

Apparently the Sydney Channel 7 and 9 news at 6pmshowed pictures of the scene showed a completely burnt out wreckage apart from what looked like a small part of a wingtip.

The following from ABC news:

Two killed in Sydney glider crash

Two people have died in a plane crash on Sydney's south-western outskirts.

A glider crashed earlier this afternoon near the suburb of Camden.

Both occupants were found by emergency crews inside the wreckage.

Fire fighters are continuing efforts to control a small fire at the scene.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1725234.htm

Captain

Thanks Greg

That's the perfect spot. I'll put it thru the skin in that location.

The Dynon probe requires a 3/8" hole and is about 1" long.

Regards Geoff

Thanks for that.

I was thinking of putting it underneath out of the sun behind the transponder antenna however that would get hot air from the cowl and maybe some exhaust heat.

Anyone have any more ideas?

G'day all,

I need to mount an OAT probe forthe Dynon system and am looking for guidance on where it is best located toprovide a real & representative temp reading.

Any serious suggestions would be appreciated (my wife has already provided her thoughts after seeing the Southparkabout Cartman's anal probe),particularly if anyone has installed one successfully in aJabiru.

Where does the factory put them in factory J160's?

Regards Geoff