FlyBoy1960

I think Peter Harlow (Foxbat) brought one into Australia from memory.

as someone famous once said.. "Oils ain't oils - Sol" unless it's Valvoline

perhaps they have a different standard in Japan because they don't have the sport plus oil available in that market ?

The history of AeroShell Sport Plus 4 The story really begins with the unique design of the Rotax 912 series. Unlike traditional aircraft engines from Lycoming Engines or Continental Aerospace Technologies, the Rotax engine is much closer to a motorcycle engine than a conventional aircraft engine. It has: liquid-cooled cylinder heads air-cooled cylinders an integrated reduction gearbox an overload clutch shared engine/gearbox oil relatively high RPM (up to 5,800 rpm) That immediately created a problem. Traditional aviation oils were designed for slow-turning direct-drive aircraft engines. Motorcycle oils were designed for gearboxes but weren't designed for aviation fuel contamination. Neither was ideal. Before Sport Plus 4 During the 1990s and early 2000s Rotax recommended a range of motorcycle oils depending on fuel type. Many operators used: Mobil 1 Racing 4T Castrol Power 1 Motul motorcycle oils various semi-synthetic motorcycle lubricants These generally worked well when operating exclusively on unleaded mogas. The problem came when using 100LL Avgas. Leaded aviation fuel creates lead salts during combustion. Those deposits have to remain suspended in the oil until the next oil change. Many fully synthetic motorcycle oils were poor at handling this contamination, allowing lead sludge to build inside the engine and oil tank. Shell and Rotax begin working together Around 2004, Shell and Rotax began collaborating to develop an oil specifically for Rotax aircraft engines. Rather than adapting an existing automotive or motorcycle lubricant, they worked toward an aviation-specific formulation that addressed the engine, gearbox, overload clutch, and fuel-related issues together. This development programme lasted roughly three years of testing. 2015 – AeroShell Sport Plus 4 is released In March 2015, Shell introduced AeroShell Sport Plus 4. It wasn't simply a rebranded motorcycle oil. It became the first aviation oil: designed specifically for Rotax engines tested jointly with Rotax approved to the new Rotax oil specification RON 424 At that point Rotax revised its service information to make Sport Plus 4 its recommended oil. Why Rotax wanted its own oil specification Rotax realised its engines had requirements unlike almost every other piston aircraft engine. The oil has to simultaneously: ✓ lubricate crankshaft bearings ✓ lubricate the gearbox ✓ protect the overload clutch ✓ resist gearbox shear forces ✓ suspend lead from Avgas ✓ prevent clutch slip ✓ resist foaming ✓ flow well in cold weather ✓ maintain viscosity at high temperatures That combination simply wasn't covered by existing aviation oil standards. So Rotax created RON 424. Only oils passing extensive testing against this specification are officially approved. What exactly is Sport Plus 4? It is not a full synthetic. It is best described as a semi-synthetic (synthetic technology) multigrade aviation lubricant. SAE viscosity: 10W-40 Typical properties include: Pour point: -39°C Flash point: 228°C Excellent cold start flow Strong anti-foam package High shear stability Zinc/phosphorus anti-wear additives (ZDDP chemistry) Why not use ordinary aviation oil? Traditional aviation oils such as: AeroShell W100 AeroShell W80 Phillips XC are "ashless dispersant" oils. They work brilliantly in: Lycoming Continental They should not be used in Rotax 912-series engines because they are not formulated for the integrated gearbox and wet clutch system. Why not use ordinary motorcycle oil? Motorcycle oils are actually much closer to what the Rotax needs because they also lubricate: gearbox clutch engine However there are drawbacks. Some motorcycle oils: don't suspend lead effectively aren't tested for aviation duty cycles may not provide optimum corrosion protection for aircraft use aren't approved to RON 424 If you exclusively use premium unleaded mogas, many owners have historically had good results with quality motorcycle oils. If you regularly use Avgas 100LL, the dedicated aviation formulation of Sport Plus 4 offers clear advantages in handling lead contamination. Lead handling One of the biggest engineering achievements of Sport Plus 4 is its ability to suspend lead. Remember: 100LL contains tetraethyl lead. That produces: Lead bromide Lead oxide Lead salts If these settle out they can block: oil passages oil tank gearbox hydraulic tappets oil jets Sport Plus 4 uses detergents and dispersants specifically selected to keep these contaminants suspended until the oil is drained. Gearbox protection This is probably the most overlooked feature. The Rotax gearbox creates extremely high shear loads. Ordinary automotive oils can shear down rapidly. Sport Plus 4 was formulated specifically to: maintain viscosity protect gearbox gears protect the overload clutch reduce gear wear minimise foaming This is one reason Shell emphasises its high shear stability. Engines approved Originally it covered: Rotax 912 Rotax 914 Today it is also approved for later four-stroke Rotax families, including the Rotax 915 iS where specified by Rotax documentation. Oil change intervals The oil itself doesn't determine the interval. Fuel does. Typical Rotax guidance has long been approximately: 100LL Avgas: around 50 hours Premium unleaded mogas: up to 100 hours (subject to the engine model and current Rotax maintenance schedule) The shorter interval with Avgas is driven by lead contamination rather than lubricant degradation. Why many mechanics like it Most Rotax maintenance organisations appreciate that Sport Plus 4: produces clean engines has low sludge formation provides excellent gearbox protection gives reliable cold starts has consistent quality worldwide is backed by Rotax testing and approval Criticisms No product is without criticism. The main complaints are: Price It is usually more expensive than motorcycle oils. Availability Some regional suppliers don't always have stock. Exclusive recommendation Some owners believe Rotax's recommendation reflects a commercial partnership with Shell, while others point to the technical testing behind the RON 424 approval. Regardless of those opinions, Sport Plus 4 is the oil that Rotax specifically tested and approved to its current specification. My view after many years of Rotax operation For aircraft that: occasionally use 100LL, have expensive gearboxes, or are operated commercially, AeroShell Sport Plus 4 is difficult to fault. It was engineered specifically for the unique combination of engine, gearbox, clutch and mixed-fuel operation that defines the Rotax 912 family. For aircraft operated only on premium unleaded mogas, quality motorcycle oils have historically given satisfactory service for many owners, but they lack the formal RON 424 approval and the dedicated aviation validation that Sport Plus 4 has received. Given the cost of a Rotax engine overhaul, the price difference between Sport Plus 4 and a less expensive alternative is relatively small over the life of the engine, which is one reason many Rotax specialists continue to recommend it. MIKE DROP !!!

Did anyone have the opportunity to watch the video? I don't want to single out any of the individuals involved, as they are clearly employees/managers rather than professional media presenters. However, as an association, I felt it was one of the least effective presentations I have seen. The presenters appeared uncomfortable and lacked confidence, and it was obvious they were reading from prepared material rather than speaking naturally. That isn't a criticism of them personally—it simply highlights that public speaking and media presentations require a different skill set. I believe it would be a worthwhile investment for the association to provide a few hours of media and presentation training to anyone who may represent us publicly in the future. Even half a day of professional coaching could make a significant difference to the confidence, delivery and overall impression our representatives create. As representatives of our association, they help shape how the wider industry perceives our professionalism, credibility and integrity. Investing in their presentation skills would, in my view, strengthen the reputation of the association as a whole.

They have changed these, Think fuel injected version. No Ducati Regulator and no Bing carbs.

Could it be that the Ducati regulator/rectifier is being used well outside of its original functional specifications? Answer = YES A bit like the regulator used in the Jabiru. Originally designed for garden equipment like ride on lawn mowers where it only had to recharge the battery after starting and sometimes control the outputs to the lights etc. Then someone finds it is really cheap and we can throw it in an aeroplane and expect it to work with all of the additional loads like avionics, strobes etc. then, we wonder why it fails so often. Just my $0.10 worth. Ducati never made aircraft, and therefore, never designed an aircraft regulator. Ducati Energia very openly states that these regulators are only intended for permanent magnet alternators commonly used on to wheel and 3 wheel vehicles as well as stationary engines operating off 12 V and 24 V. It was never designed for high continuous electric loads, long operating periods or high engine compartment temperatures. This was part of the Rotax philosophy at the time when the 912 was being developed. They kept using proven automotive and motorcycle components where they could to keep weight and cost down.

There’s actually no officially recognised “world’s longest running thread,” because it depends on what you mean by longest: Oldest continuously active discussion system: probably Usenet, which is still running today in various newsgroups. (UK Asian Forum Daily News) Oldest continuously active forum community: often cited as The WELL, which is still operating. (Wikipedia) Longest individual forum thread by replies/pages: this is much harder to verify. Some forum threads have exceeded 200,000 replies, and there are claims of threads with millions of posts on very large forums, but there is no central record keeper. (XenForo) One famous example often mentioned in internet culture is the debate about whether an airplane can take off from a conveyor belt, which ran for years across multiple forums and accumulated enormous numbers of posts. (Reddit) If you're talking about a single thread that has stayed active for the longest period of time, there are forum threads that have been continuously updated for 10–20+ years, particularly on aviation, car, gaming, and hobby forums. (Straight Dope Message Board) A more interesting question might be: What is the oldest internet discussion thread that is still receiving new posts today? That would probably involve digging through old Usenet archives from the 1980s, and some of those discussions may still technically be alive in descendant groups.

It wont be 19 rego, way before that time. Try replacing 19 with 10

Here is a better'er copy from AI

I am not talking about a zephyr I am talking about the Cobra when I mentioned empty weight. The Cobra is one of the heaviest ways to make an aeroplane out there and very primitive by modern vacuum bag techniques.

I think the market is supersaturated with low wing, side-by-side aircraft. The instant gratification of buying something used, (that is also certified and proven) has a big appeal against building something over many years for most people. 20 years ago, maybe but people have changed and they no longer accept a job that may take 10 years or more a rather spend the dollars now and go flying tomorrow. The EAA recently published information about the number of kits currently being built and it was less than 1/5 of what they were building 20 years ago

So if somebody quotes “280 kg empty,” it is probably technically possible by using advanced manufacturing techniques that are not consistent to the models manufacturing. 280 kg is not representative of any real owner aircraft flying around Australia today. A very realistic “honest” empty weight for a normal Cobra Arrow with a Rotax 912 and practical avionics is around: 315–340 kg empty rather than the often-advertised 280 kg.

Those numbers in the specifications are, well, dreaming. 200 kts max speed, no way. Most owners couldn't get above 120 knots in a dive. The weight was also over 340 kgs empty. Let's just make it all up.

I was recently up at Laura on Cape York and revisited an Aboriginal rock art site that I first visited when I was about 15 years old, many years ago. This time, the local Aboriginal group had installed some photographs, a shelter, and a strongbox with signage stating that payment was required — I believe it was around $20 per person — to walk approximately 500 metres up the hill to view the rock art. The night before, however, the local publican told us that although the signs suggested payment was required, it was apparently only intended as a contribution and that they had no real authority to charge people to visit the site. He described it more as an attempt to encourage tourists to donate money. Based on that understanding, our small group decided to visit the site. In the end, we did not even stay long enough to see the rock art properly because a storm started coming through and we turned back before even getting to the site. About six weeks later, we unexpectedly received notices in the mail and fines issued by an Aboriginal Land Council for allegedly failing to pay the fees. It appears they are recording vehicle number plates and somehow obtaining registered owner details through the Queensland Government in order to contact people afterwards. What surprised me most is that if people entered my own private property, there is absolutely no way I would ever be given access to vehicle registration details or home addresses by the government in order to pursue payment afterwards. Just my two cents’ worth.