BirdDog

Ok... So I am going to add my 2 bobs here, for what it's worth. I have been flying for just over 5 years. I have about 220 hours of flight. I have spent time, like most of us, reading forums and participating in discussions etc. I am always very interested when accidents are reported, trying to understand what happened, and maybe add lessons learnt to my kit bag. After all that is said and done, personally, I will not step into an aircraft with a Jab engine. I have been offered flights at fly ins etc, and I have kindly said no. Why you ask?? Not because someone told me anything bad, or someone suggested they are not good - purely based on my own observations, and how nervous I would feel flying in one. Maybe that mentality is unfounded - but that is just how I feel. No offence intended nor implied. Just how I feel. Same way I would not spearfish off the rocks near Sydney. I would be too nervous to get into the water. Not because it's bad or more dangerous than anything else - just how I feel, and I think we are all entitled to have opinions without offence. Fly safe peeps.

Light plane crash update - Wentworth Two people, who survived a light plane crash this morning near Wentworth, in the state's far south-west, are now being treated in hospital for minor injuries. The 'Jabiru' ultralight lost power just before midday today forcing the pilot to attempt a landing in a flooded paddock near the Silver City Highway and the Wentworth aerodrome. The plane clipped trees and crash-landed. Fire and Rescue NSW crews from Wentworth reached the pilot and his passenger on foot, working their way around the floodwaters to the crash site. They treated the pair's injuries before the arrival of NSW Ambulance, NSW Police and the Rural Fire Service. They have both been taken by road to Mildura Base Hospital for further treatment. The crash site has been sealed off pending further investigation.

A few of us had a debate on the 01 part of my callsign and use "zero-one", where other suggested the, easier to say "oh-one". Meaning the call sign would be "eighty-Nine-Oh-One" I am not convinced!

Hey Garfly Thanks for the vids. I’m based at YCTM and have just secured my CTA endorsement and will be in and out of Canberra a bit. Already done a couple but always good too brush up. One question I have and have not been able to get it answered is what is my appropriate call sign. I’m in a Bristell 8901 and I call Bristell eighty nine zero one. Thoughts?

OK... So I have been away for a bit and looks like a bit of banter went on! LOL! So an updated.... I have found that there is absolutely no way of finding ANYTHING remotely like I need for 2 hoses that I have on myt radiator. SO... It would appear my only choices are.... contact Bristell and find out if they can send some over. (doubtful and the long wait) OR.... move to something like below which is a Gates UniCoil. Other than that, I can't see any other solution.

Hmm.. I would have thought the expansion tank would be the plastic bottle attached to the firewall. Or do they call that the overflow! LOL! Have not been able to try anything as Repco have had nothing even close.

Hey Skippy. Spent another hour in there with them this morning, and again left empty handed. No. Never mentioned an aircraft. They basically told me that unless I know the exact Gates part, they can't help me. So I would have to sift through the catalogue and then give them a part, and they can order it in. Best they can do. We put a gauge on the hose this morning - 21mm (but slightly expanded because of the nipple) I am going to cut this one in half and measure it where the nipple has not stretched the tube. Coolant bowl (or whatever its called) is what the radiator cap screws on to.

Yeah man!! Mine appear to be all 19mm ID.

I called both Repco and Supercheap. Both said they don't have anything appropriate - hence why I came here. The search results I got on the forum where quite old, so I asked the question. I use the Constant Tension clamps. They hold niceley, and I have a hose cutter too. Great tool to have.

Hi Pluessy, I need two lengths about 30cm long or so, from the radiator (with the 90 degree) and then one small bit that goes from the coolant bowl to the thermostat.

Hey all, So I have searched the forum and can't really get the info I need, so I am asking in the hope that someone can point me in the right direcion. I am in the middle of rubber replacement and I need 2 lengths of coolant hose. From the Radiator back to the motor. Both have a 90 Degree bend in them. I have tried a number of the usual suspects (Auto supplies and motor cycle shops etc) and come up dead - mainly because it appears to have about 19mm inside diametre. Any clues? Cheers all

Easier said than done when your licence is not rated for it. My information is, unless you are enrolled as a student, you can't fly a GA aircraft - with an instructor or otherwise, but correct me if my info is bad.

100% prevention is better than cure. BUT, with all due respect, it happens. Is it pilot error - probably - but if we didn't train for situations we could possibly find ourselves in, then there is lots we wouldn't be trained on. Remember - "the pilot stalls the aircraft" but yet we practice stalls. 😉 My point is, we should not simple say... "don't fly into cloud" because that leaves the pilot completely unprepared in the event that he or she does. There should be at least some tools provided to give them half a chance at surviving. Of course - Do your best as a pilot to fly legally and safely, and avoid non VFR conditions. However, thinking it will never happen, and not being prepared is asking for trouble. We are forever students!

Yep. But let's play this out... Let's say you are flying in hills etc. You hit cloud and BOOM! You are no longer VFR. I would assume you would not be currently on a head on collision path with a hill. So... my first reaction (as my instructor trained me) would be to hit the AP Auto Level. I would then proceed to check my charts to know what is around me. Maybe, I need to climb 2000ft to get above the hills I am in. So be it. Dial that in to the AP and get above the terrain. Then, dial up a heading and head out of trouble. That is what I was trained to do in my current aircraft. It was drummed into me.... "The AP will save your life!!" If someone is flying around hills with no charts reflecting surrounding terrain, then I guess they are more silly than they should be I guess. If you don't have an AP, then that is totally different I guess. I have even showed my partner how to engage the auto level in case I ever become incapacitated. She can instantly level the machine and buy us some time.

Have to agree with the autopilot comments. Hit the heading hold mode. Dial in 180 and sit tight.

Hi All, I have used Caltex 95 in both of my aircraft (912 ULS) and have never had an issue. My aircraft at one point would have sat for 3 months. Yep the fuel would have deteriorated, but topped up with fresh, and it never skipped a beat. I use AVGAS if I am out on a big nav and need to top up. It mixes well. No issues there. Cruising at 9500 feet - no probs. I use the square jerry cans that sit on the wing and drain well. They have spout tube so does not spill much.

That was quick.

ATSB Simulation already? Was only today!

Oh man. So bad this close to Xmas. ☹️

Surely this thread is taking the piss? How is RAA not a cheap way to get flying? Obviously there are costs, and I actually don't think they are that high! FIrstly - you need to be trained. Someone has to buy that aircraft (and keep it safe) THAT has a cost. Then, someone needs to pay the instructor (which they still are underpaid) THAT has a cost. You are going to have to wear those costs - PLUS - The school is in business to make money - not the goodness of their heart - so you are going to have to wear that cost. All that said - $4000 to $6000 is not what I would call expensive to be trained in decent aircraft to have your arse in a chair in the sky and stay alive. Next - your aircraft of choice. You can spend cock all - like above 6 grand and away you go! Put Mogas in it. Maintain it yourself, and it's cheaper to run than your family car. What more could you ask for!! If you want to spend big and get a fancy machine with glass etc, because you can - Excellent!!! I congratulate you on working hard and rewarding yourself in life (as I have) Why does everything in life have to be cheap! LOL! Things cost money. That's how it is. You can't get it all for free. Personally I don't think it's expensive - but there are expenses along the way you will have to pay! That's the way the world works. I am SUPER happy that RAA gave me the opportunity to get into aviation at a level that is above wood and paper mache glued together on a prayer. I fly a pretty sophisticated machine at a price point that I think is decent, without the complex crap of GA, and I can maintain it myself - WINNING! As far as CTA. I converted to also hold a Part61 RPL, and went and did the CTA endorsements! It's easy, and not that expensive. Now I can fly into anywhere! How could I possibly complain!

My Rotax 912 has a fuel pressure of about 5PSI and a flow rate of 22Lph at wide open and full pitch. I don’t know anyone that has had issues running Mogas in their 912s. The flight school where I learnt to fly ran mogas in all their machines for years - never had a problem. like anything we do in aviation, sure there is always a risk, but the stats show they are low, in my opinion.

For what it's worth I have been running 95 on my 912ULS engines for the last 5 years, and never had an issue. I mainly use CALTEX, but there is now a brand new servo next to the AD which sells 95, so I use it. I always do a fuel drain, etc, and makes sure no water etc has come along for the ride. I use AVGAS when I have to, but not often.

Hmm So I will stick my neck out here and say it has little to do with contacting CB APP, and more a broadcast to anyone else in the area. Same for when a Parachute plane calls a drop. The reason it's on CB APP 125.9 is because that is the frequence you should be on in Class G (under the steps) so that is the best freq to broadcast.

Can't quite agree here. My previous aircraft had only a ModeC transponder, and it was used to great affect many times. I used Flight Following a lot, and it was by others who could see me. Was contacted many times by Melbourne Centre to want of converging aircraft - so that's a good thing - AND - Was used to enter controlled airspace (which we can actually do with the right aircraft and gear) Yes. Of course you will need a part 61 licence, which I have. But the fact remains, an RAA registered machine can enter CTA. ANY transponder is better than none - but I do agree, ADSB is far superior - which my new bird has both in and out.

Yep! Mode S, and just added ADSB in.