onetrack

No superglue? How could you forget one of lifes basic requirements?

Clear plastic bags to harvest water from the leaves of shrubs and bushes have to be a good investment, if you're heading into remote terrain.

You can always guarantee the one item you forgot, is the one you really need, when the chips are down.

....but when the swamp was finally drained each century, it revealed an amazing array of discarded, abandoned and largely stolen items. However, the greatest prize that the 2022 manure pond draining revealed was a selection of WW2 fighter aircraft, all quite well preserved by the manure that permeated every remote part of the aircraft and which manure sealed the surfaces from corrosion.

Turbo's eyes gleamed (despite the bruised coccyx pain), as he sighted in the pond sludge, a Mustang, a Kittyhawk, three Boomerangs, at least two Avro Ansons, and a Vultee Vengeance (please note the desperately needed avref, without any reference to roosters, or the other menagerie of farm animals).

CT's eyes bulged at the revelation of what the pond bottom had revealed. This was much bigger than anything that had ever happened in Darraweit Guim - where the biggest event of the year was slushing out Farmer Freds back paddock dam, which only ever revealed 15 sheep carcasses, about 300 yabbies (which were rapidly scooped up by the local crows), a roll of rusty ringlock fencing wire, and the rusted rear mudguards from an FX Holden ute, that had once been part of.......

[OT's mind is boggled by this totally overwhelming "War & Peace" tome presented by Turbo, and wonders if Turbo is still coming down from his drug-induced high, after his massive overdose of amphetamines that he took - which pills were mistaken for Panadol, which was what he was actually seeking, to reduce his bruised coccyx pain]

....am innocent of all the reputed charges - none of which have actually been issued, because they're all rumour and gossip". At that, gasps were heard in the room, and several of the CWA women fainted.

 Turbo used this diversion to make a hasty exit, whereupon after reaching the outside of the building, who should he meet, but none other than.......

As you get older, you have to lift your feet when you walk. If you start shuffling, that's a good indicator of seriously declining health, and is often the precursor to dementia.

OME - What about asking one of the radial engine 3D plans producers to modify one of their plans for you?

This bloke below, has plans for a neat 7 cyl generic radial - surely a bit of fiddling, such as reversing the plan for the crankcase can produce the required rear position for the rocker gear - and maybe he can even knock up a PSRU for you.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3808530

......generous with his outlays (since last weeks share market rout, which has severely impacted Turbos finances), so he chose the older REX girls as the cheaper option, thus saving himself a substantial amount of money, which could now be utilised for drinks, and fine food, and a little entertainment for himself and the girls.

But speaking of entertainment - Turbos choice of entertainment was completely clouded by his upbringing, where he had been subject to...........

I'm intrigued by the Liquid Piston engine, and how it's going to go, as regards reliability and longevity. The designers ideas on the combination of cycles sounds good - but the real test is going to be how the sealing and durability of the rotor holds up, after say, 300-500 hours of continuous full power production.

The heat and pressure on those seals that seal against the outside of rotor must be enormous under continuous, extended load. Then there's the need for extended life of the side sealing of the rotor to deal with.

I don't see how that sealing works, is it totally reliant simply on close tolerances for sealing? If so, then those extremely close tolerances must be maintained for the life of the engine, and that is going to rapidly become difficult.

Then there's the close operating tolerances of the outside of the rotor. That appears to be very dependent on the large ball bearing on the crankshaft. What happens when the bearing wears, and develops a couple of thou operating clearance?

The rotor will then start to wobble and contact the outer housing, creating conditions for extremely rapid wear.

What is the engines tolerance for overheat, overload, or a bit of dust? All these conditions are real-life operating conditions, that every engine has to deal with.

An engine lab can produce remarkable results with all newly-produced components, but it's real-life operation "in the field" that shows up whether you have a viable and durable product or not.

Then there's emissions and economy to deal with. Not much point in a new engine design, if emissions and economy goes backward over previous designs.

I see the Liquid Piston engine as having the same problems as the Sarich Orbital Engine - insurmountable sealing problems, and emission and economy problems - all of which, not even the combined abilities of Ford and GM engineers could overcome.

......been raised in an Indigenous gunyah on the outskirts of Coonabarabran (can I actually say that word? - why hasn't that towns name been changed?), by an old toothless part-Indigenous great-grandmother, who had found Turbo wandering the streets of Coonabarabran (there's that word again!), at age 3, clad only in a ........

They were all put up for auction or sale by Pickles, and the Soar aviation assets sales were held from March 2021. All 56 Soar aircraft were sold by auction or "expressions of interest" (negotiated sales), realising a total of $5.3M.

Pickles, as with all auction houses, will never reveal purchasers identities of auction items they sold. You could only find out from publically-available aircraft owner registration details.

https://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/soar-fleet-to-go-under-the-hammer

https://aviation.pickles.com.au/soar-aviation-auction

https://australianaviation.com.au/2021/07/flight-school-soar-didnt-trade-while-insolvent/

.....levels as the hay aged and the fleas continued to increase in number. But the "roll in the barrel" was a long-standing Friday evening CASA event, that had reached the level of defining what.......

The figures that state older drivers have a higher road fatality fate and crash rate doesn't stack up on an overall basis. S.A. may be experiencing a higher level of crashes and fatalities amongst older drivers, but it's not a consistent or general trend.

In the U.S., where there are 31M drivers aged over 70, the crash and fatality rates for this group have been falling for the past 25 yrs.

https://www.iihs.org/topics/older-drivers

There are quite a number of factors that govern an older persons ability behind the controls of either cars or aircraft.

1. Whether the person is taking medications, and what effect those medications have on reflexes, cognisance, sleep patterns, and energy levels.

2. Older people develop bad habits over a lengthy period of time, unless they're pulled up on them. That's why regular oversight and checks are important.

3. Older people have worse short-term memory and develop a varying level of forgetfulness. Forgetfulness is a very dangerous factor when you're either driving or flying.

4. "Fixed focus" is more common in older people. They become fixated on one thing that takes all their attention, to the detriment of other important things they need to be constantly aware of. You need to be aware of this, as you age.

5. Faculties such as sight and hearing deteriorate with age, and muscles and joints become stiffer. This is unavoidable, it's simply the aging process at work - but you need to be aware of your reduced limitations, as this decline occurs.

......where we could put the Tentacle soldier to better use?" "Yes", said Woffel, "I believe the AUF is holding a meeting in a small public toilet - because, fortunately for us, there's only 3 members left - on the 27th of next month, in the town of.....

I learnt an interesting thing today - in 1964, Qantas took out 4 purchase options on the Concorde aircraft - which was still in the design and construction phase at that time, of course (it didn't fly until 2nd March 1969).

At the same time, Qantas put down $600K for 6 options on the Boeing equivalent, the SST. But the Boeing SST project was cancelled - and Qantas would not proceed with the Concorde purchase, thanks to concerns about sonic boom impacts over land, the range of the aircraft, and the cost of the seating. The Qantas options were finally canned by Qantas in 1973 - despite the manufacturers aggressive attempts to turn the options into firm orders.

https://simpleflying.com/qantas-concorde-order/

.....tentacles, which belonged to one of the CASA soldiers right behind him. "Tentacles?", you might ask? Yes, dear NES readers, ever since the CASA job selection criteria was extensively widened to cover all non-binaries, all sexual orientations, all possible breeds and backgrounds (including interbreds) - they had put some amazing creatures on the payroll.

When one job applicant turned up sporting tentacles, instead of the normal appendages, it was deemed by HR, that not only could they not refuse him a job, it was also a light bulb moment for CASA, as senior management suddenly realised, that someone sporting tentacles could be universally useful to the regular CASA aircraft and air facilities checking operations.

"Imagine putting this bloke onto a suss aircraft or pilot?", said Senior Operations Manager Woffel Junkson. "Neither the aircraft nor the pilot would stand a chance! They talk about the 'tentancles of CASA!' - well, now we'll be able to show them, we really do have them fitted to our soldiers!"

And with one quick movement, the Rat grabbed one of the tentacles of the CASA soldier, and started to twist it. But as the Rat soon found out, as soon as you nail down one CASA tentacle, another........

.....grab an unwary set of.....

Glen, you have to stop reading this American stuff that talks about Winter and Summer Gasoline and Mogas. We live in Australia, we call it petrol, and we don't have Winter and Summer blends of petrol - unlike America, where the ambient local ground conditions can vary from -40°C to +50°C, and ground level elevations can reach 10,000 feet.

What we do have, is petrol supplied to end users, refined to meet the following Standards;

Fuel Standard (Petrol) Determination 2019

New South Wales Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010

Queensland Environmental Protection Regulation 2019

Victoria Environment Protection (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2003

Environmental Protection (Petrol) Regulations 1999 (WA)

https://jade.io/j/?a=outline&id=785918

The first Standard governs the quality, the octane rating, the various ingredient parameters allowed, as well as a range of other measurements, which are all carried out via testing to various ASTM Standards.

Note that the other four Standards above are largely related to environmental pollution via emissions - either before or after combustion of said fuel.

Our petrol is refined then blended to meet a specific Reid Vapour Pressure according to the climatic season and ambient temperatures. In essence, it's illegal for the oil companies to supply petrol in the warmer months that has too many volatile ingredients, which add to environmental pollution via VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds).

Every time you refuel, you release a certain amount of VOC's into the atmosphere, the environmental laws are designed to minimise that pollution, specifically in densely-populated areas.

These VOC's were recognised as a major pollution problem in the late 1960's, and it's the reason all our new road vehicles from about 1971 have had charcoal canisters fitted - to catch those VOC's.

The local oil companies are obliged to meet set RVP levels with every fuel batch in the hotter months and hotter regions, so they blend the ingredients accordingly to reduce the RVP in hot weather, and then allow it to creep up in cold weather, to ensure good starting.

I can't speak for other States, they all have different legislation, but the link below gives advice to fuel suppliers in Perth as to the levels of "monthly volumetric average levels" of RVP they must meet during the hotter months of the year in Perth (Oct 15th to Apr 15th).

https://www.der.wa.gov.au/component/k2/item/4152-calculating-reid-vapour-pressure

He explains the entire series of unfortunate events very well, for those who have previously had no knowledge of what happened. It was a classic case of all the holes in the Swiss cheese lining up.

The fact that the metal strip from the DC10 was tough titanium, and not aluminium as specified, only magnified the problem that the Concorde already had - inadequate tyre strength.

There were multiple and regular tyre failures with the Concorde - 57 events in total, and 7 of those, involved fuel tank puncture - it was a recognised problem.

Michelin had set to after this crash, and designed a stronger tyre for the Concorde, the Michelin NZG - but it was all too late, and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 finally sealed the Concordes fate.

All I can think of, when I see Gyrocopter Girl flitting around wearing very little or nothing, is how painful a crash involving a fire would be for her - same as these blokes and gals who ride motorcycles with lots of exposed flesh.

Can't beat decent protection for our delicate skin we're fitted with, if you're going to indulge in some activity that carries a serious risk of bodily damage.

A light, simple, fireproof suit, beats a lifetime of painful scarring. Ask anyone who's been seriously burnt.

I set an open 1-gallon tin of petrol alight when I was much younger and sillier, by accidentally dropping it on battery terminals - and I can tell you from personal experience, burns are not fun. It sure made me very "fire-risk alert", from that point on.

Nev, I can't see any restrictions in the Lycoming O-320 manual, as regards specific applications for the various O-320 models.

However, the O-320-B and O-320-D models do have a higher compression ratio (8.5:1) as compared to A & E models (7.00:1). Plus, there's quite a range of different magneto models, through the various models of engine (Table 1).

https://www.lycoming.com/sites/default/files/O-320 Operator Manual 60297-30.pdf

There are quite a number of propellor-driven aircraft on the register using the O-320-B2C engine - but its primary use is in rotorcraft.

https://www.casa.gov.au/engine-models/o-320-b2c

As always, acquiring an engine specifically set up for one application, and changing it to another application is going to cost money.

The sensible thing for the seller to do, is to find someone looking for a replacement engine for a Robinson rotorcraft.

"Home-made" aircraft - remember, "Home-made" - just like the media loves to describe RA aircraft - especially right after a crash.  

.......fly in the ointment, the bloke known around Kapookistan as "The Rat". He gained this moniker thanks to his continual furtive looks, and style of quick, short movements, before darting into the next set of shadows - as if at any moment, something or someone would step out, and grab him, and say, ".........

Flyboy1960, I did not make the statement you have attributed to me, in a previous post. I do see the need to ensure quotes are directly attributed to a person, as I failed to do.

....has his glasses on. Then there arose the regular problem, in that numerous users started reporting that their credit card melted upon near contact with the EGR, which meant the transaction was annulled - and immediately a transaction for emissions payment was declined, the software locked the controls, which immediately meant that......

.....he'd blow the limit for....

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It turns out that, according to the ABC news, the pilot is an RAAF veteran. So he's got the right to do what he likes. But my own view remains that if you are a retired airline pilot, you don't turn up with gold epaulettes. This makes me look worse that it makes you look Vic, but it's still a 3/10 from me

The bloke in question is simply wearing a plain flight suit with no rank markings, just a name tag. There's no epaulettes or other insignia, which to me signifies the bloke isn't a wanker or a moron. Veterans are entitled to wear their former rank insignia at appropriate public events. But anyone wearing rank insignia every day in civilian life, after retirement, would have to be deemed an attention seeker, and is certainly inappropriate.

To me, it looks like he made a highly suitable choice of wear for a flight in his new aircraft. It's a flight suit, specifically designed for the use to which he put it. Having a name tag on your clothing could help rescuers no end with ID and family member/partner contact, when they drag you unconscious from a wreck.

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Maybe he had too much air the tank and has learned something as most of us do, but preferably not the hard way.

One would hope he didn't simply run out of fuel as he tried to stretch the reserves, because he was obsessed with the cheaper fuel at a location he'd chosen, which was at the aircrafts range limit. That has been known to happen.

I would hazard a wild guess that unfamiliarity with a new (to him) aircraft and how the fuel tanks and supply arrangement was set up, was behind the emergency landing. I'm sure no-one treats an emergency landing as a casual option.

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That sounds like Pommy talk onetrack. Here in Oz we normally say G'day, but we all have to learn.

I for one do not derive pleasure from taking the pi** out of others misfortune, even if it came about from his misjudgement. Gladly he's ok and lives to tell the story, but wonder what you would have done to prevent an unfortunate tipover?

There's no telling what ruts or stumps there may have been in the ground. I imagine you know no more than the rest of us on here, and his approach looked good to me.

In life it pays to try and be kind if possible, rather than ridicule.

Another poster assumed the position the event was all over, the result was as good as could be expected from a forced landing in less-than-satisfactory terrain - and it was time to crack a joke - as we all do, once the seriousness is over.

The photo indicated a quite formal "WW2" type dress and pose, and the caption I came up with, was from a joking, poking-fun-at-formality, approach. I wasn't "taking the p*ss" out of the bloke, and I fail to see where you're coming from.

Sorry it didn't meet your very precise criteria of never joking about an adverse event, even after its all over, and all's well - apart from some aircraft repair needed.

I have no idea what I would have done, if I'd been in his position - I'd probably have done the same thing. Hardly anyone gets the full details of a crash event, unless they speak directly with the person involved.

There was no ridicule in my simple joke caption - ridicule is when you set out purposely on a sustained track of continued denigration and unwarranted criticism, all designed to make yourself look superior and the person involved in the unfortunate event look positively stupid.

The gent involved carried out as good a forced landing as he could arrange - only a thorough investigation can identify if he went wrong anywhere in his decision-making, or if it was all caused by unavoidable mechanical failure.