SSCBD

I lost track of it for a while but I reckoned it would still be flying...Goodonya.

 

No it wasn`t! But I would have tried to fly it! .

 

Frank.

MAKE AUSSIE SPORT FLYING GREAT AGAIN

The top end today at 50k as an ultralight class and built - ElectraFlyer-ULS the 2hour full flight time but also glider - and its ultralight class, that we really don't have here any more in AUS, but in USA which means no license - no medical - no rego. Beat that.

Have a look at the ziglog 14K USD. again in USA no license - no medical - no rego -(what we have lost here in AUS.)

I also refer to the post

Reminiscing! Ultralight Photos And Stories From The Early Days.

So how do we feel about an aircraft that costs $14,000 US, but has some major advantages and cost savings.

My opinion and assumptions

Flying training for RAA members is going through the roof, to hire for myself an aircraft from a flying school is give or take around $180 an hour ish, don’t get picky.

As the Aussie dollar is going down I don’t see it going back up to the old par with America, bits again will get more expensive to import.

Most people who don’t own their own aircraft hire an RAA sport plane usually do so and fly for now hour and a half on average at a time. Correct?

As far as I can see flying training is never going to get cheaper and this is a major barrier for a lot of potential RAA students.

Looking at the posts and reminiscing ultralight photos and stories from the early days and all pictures our heritage, is disappearing in Australia faster than the way the government can think of a new tax to put on us.

So the point is, we are now a mini GA outcast, conflicting rules, a board that has commercial interests in the sport, more rules being introduced, more requirements to conform with to exercise our right to fly.

I’m not talking about people operating via primary or secondary airports which is becoming more common, I’m talking about a majority of people actually flying out of strips, clubs, ALA’s etc, and some lucky few that they have their own strip on their own property.

To be fair and with full disclosure, I have a GA license, I also was flying ultralights at the age of 20.

I have grown up in both worlds.

And here is an interesting fact over the weekend while talking to a few US mates of mine.

The got a beast over there now amongst others, that has a 27 foot Rag Wing, is single seat, and is powered by a 40 hp electric engine. It costs $14,000 usd I am told. But here is the interesting thing, and has an average battery endurance of about an hour and a half. However with the 27 foot wing which is huge from what we used to fly, it’s all is, or as they explained to me you climb up to 3 or 4000 feet can shut the engine down because it’s electric, and glide or catch or you can ride any thermal very well. It’s not like a high-performance glider, but you can pick up between 300 and thousand feet just was some weak thermals, in full glide mode with engine off it comes down at less than 200 feet a minute. To me that’s very impressive from flying the old rag Wings with some of the early ones you through a brick out just followed it down.

They said they can fly locally around on a good day and get to 2 ½ hours by just getting some thermals and then turning the power back on when low. Realistically if you not going from point A to point B this is an ideal machine for those who just want to fly locally or within 100K say.

The costs, thinking about it and believe me I have NOT read the Ops manual, but one has no fuel to put in the damn thing, there is zero engine maintenance I’m told because it’s electric motor, the batteries last 3000 recharges, and by the way the guys said they always have a spare battery pack and it takes them 10 minutes to change batteries and get airborne again. So you really have 3 hours min flying time.

Myself and a few of my friends when we were flying rag wings many years ago, used to go up to 5000 feet turn off the engine and glide back down it was fun.

This beast seems like its just a local fun flying machine like we had at the start or before the Thruster, Drifter times.

It’s a single seat so were not worried about anyone killing a pax.

However, he is my question. The way they fly them is to climb up and turn the engine off in America, yes I know it’s an electric motor so restart is not a problem, however does the Ops manual cover this in Australia. I don’t really care, but I’m sure someone will.

The next thing is, zero maintenance on the engine, can’t wait to see what someone in RAA comes up with on that. Its is basically as simple rag and tube frame like a single seat drifter so maintenance will be low to non-existent.

So I see this as an answer for people to fly very cheaply and have some fun.

No fuel costs, no real maintenance costs, cheap to buy new, engine wise I would assume more reliable than any two-stroke or four stroke and it is purely just a fun machine for local flying.

Yes you can stick it in the back of modified trailer, drive to where you want to go if you want to visit people and go flying there like we did in the old days. Drive out of the city, find a paddock or friendly farmer and go flying.

And yes by the way gets off on in a small paddock with those big wings in about 50 or 60 feet.

I know there’s a couple of two seat electric airplanes coming out now which be great for the training. This is where I think RAA one size fits all just does not work, and is a burden to those who do not want all the bells and whistles.

That my point is this aircraft is only for local flying outside of controlled airspace so would the students wanting to get into aviation be able to fly with simple modified theory and exams. AND do it cheaply?

This is almost bringing is back to the beginning of the old AUF training syllabus where you keep it simple stupid, teach everyone what is going to kill you and really enjoy flying.

Thank this’ll be an interesting concept coming up in the next 12 months, so which way to we go with it. More rules or not?

Did this with Dragon 13 speech to text so forgive typos.

I'll be dammed, Wayne L, well done, You picture has caught me in the aircraft behind the amphibian. The good old days, when you flew above a tree you got a nose bleed and had to climb over the wire fence to the strip, or drag the wheels through the grass and around the trees.

This flying was the most fun ever. Plus the beer, wine, scotch, rum and camp fires at night with the great guys. Thanks Wayne L

Hi All,Got a go pro for my bday and well, the footage is not pretty but i do walk away from all my landings :)

 

First solo circuit i missed judge how much lighter i was and landed well down the runway the the next few i got it sorted out.

 

Try not to fall asleep. Solo stuff at 39:00 min mark

 

Great flying. For you information low level circuits back in the day meant, some grass on the wing tip and climbing over the wire fence to make the strip.

Love the 747 approaches you are doing, could have lunch and a nap. Not having a shot - smile.

I am sure this was Franks First Attempt at building at machine!

I remember that yellow beast of yours, and flying around with you. As you know Frank and have said before, you are a God of the Air and true veteran, with a purple heart. You have also promoted the sport in FNQ all your life and still am. Hats off.

Sscbd would chauffeur be okay as job description:stirrer: neil

SSCBDDoes that mean a non pilot (student failure) can "own", then have a certified pilot fly his aircraft (at owner's expense) to wherever the owner likes to fly to?.

"From Aro" In this case, CAR 2(7) is easy to satisfy. You don't have to satisfy ALL the conditions, so flying in the course of the personal transportation of the owner of the aircraft ticks the box as a private operation. No need to look at schedules, advertising or who pays what etc.

 

spacesailor[/quote

 

Yes - my example, a father owns the aircraft by cant fly. His son can fly the aircraft as long as not being paid to do so.

 

Another is that you own the aircraft, and I pay you to hire it (level two maintained) but what stops you going for a ride as well?

 

It has happened in GA ,when the father for example has lost his medical and son or someone fly's for the hours.

There is certainly one well known person who flys all over the place in their RAA aircraft with someone else at the controls.So long as he is not being paid extra to fly the aircraft above his normal salary and his job description does not say pilot I would see that as acceptable within the rules.

But then I am not a lawyer.

Two rules to keep in mind with RAA engines.

1. if its a two stroke always keep a landing paddock in sight - its not a matter of where but when.

2. If it a four stroke both Rotax and Jab - its IN GOD WE TRUST and cross fingers.

Two other things to consider. You mentioned that you would prefer to be doing the flights in your own aircraft, which means your other option is to hire. In that case you would need to run this by the owner/school etc. Their ops manual might have a condition on that type of flight.The other thing is to think about the intention of the flight. If you are intending to do the flight regardless of who tags along, then that would lean towards private commute, but if you start to operate more like a service to others, that would lean more to a commercial flight in a grey area legally.

 

Just my thoughts

Well BEING all political correct, as I am now, all we need are some stop and go traffic management guys. Right!

Somewhere along the Bruce Hwy Qld, also was a good spot to land and got some fuel at a petrol station and some food etc., from memory - many, many years ago, Your Honour.

Hi and welcome.

The ground temperature on the day was around 41 degrees, so there's a density altitude issue involved as well.

Not enough airspeed generally?I was of the understanding that cowl flaps were more to limit over cooling and cooling drag in higher speed flight than allow more at low speeds.

Why are we not we running manual cowl flap for engine airflow cooling?? Its simple old tech or is it another thing for pilots to push and stuff up?

To be honest I did a twin endorsement between ppl and cpl. It was more valuable when I first stared, as the company I got a job at had singles and twins and needed both.

Have no idea of costs now for a twin. But gives you the retract and CSU plus twin at same time.

Where up north are you going?

I know it costs but gives more flexibility.

You pick that up with peripheral vision, these are toys we fly and a gust will move you around - up or thud down.

Try flying over a long strip at one meterwheel height a few times to get the correct perspective. Don't know how many hours you have but seems practice makes perfect and we all get caught out sometimes in rough landing weather.

Eyes outside. This is not a good idea.

Very sad.

He was empty I am told, and the Mallard has plenty of power in that config, Could have been a false sense of security being empty and aircraft feeling light. Have flown them many times loaded with pax and empty. Its like us flying RAA two seats for example one up instead of two. I can only say not enough power for some reason, or loss of power and too slow. How or why he got into this no one will really know. Could have been mechanical failure, structural, or control, as they are getting pretty old these days with lots of salt water corrosion problems. Nightmare for LAME's to keep up.

But we are all guessing at this point of time.

More info needed. I got my PPL in the early 90s and apart from the BFR I have not needed to do any regular exams, checks etc. Maybe if I was commercial perhaps? As far as I'm aware, all I need to go back to PPL is a medical and maybe a flight review through CTR.

C of G Bush Pilot Method - This is true story.

I watched a bush pilot method of balance on a Cessna when he loaded it. If you go to the front of the fin and press down to lift the nose wheel off the ground with say (guess 15kilos) of pressure, he was happy that it was within C of G tolerance.

To ALL reading this, I am not recommending this practice, just in case someone goes off at this post as irresponsible.

Mick I was not having a shot at you - but understand that RAA now is not everyone's friend. They are on the road to GA standards for all and fun flying be dammed.