0216 Airsport winter

WINTER 2016

HE MAGAZINE OF THE SPORT AIRCRAFT T AS SOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

THREE DAVES + THE RV4 IMPORTING THE XBEE PELICAN AIRCRAFT PAINTING

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SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

CO N T E N T S

E D I TO R I A L Hello and welcome to Airsport Winter 2016.

I hadn’t seen my husband Denis for six weeks. By the time we staggered into the Perth hotel it was 4am over east.

I don’t know what Chinese timezone he flew in on, but as I lay there in the humidity willing the bloody fan to work, exhausted after a long fortnight of lone year-end parenting commitments across two states, he whispered something surprising in my ear. “Oh, by the way. We bought a Skybolt.”

Cover photo Andrew Long’s RV10 in its new paint scheme. Story on page 16. Photo thanks to Paul McVitty

FEATURES FEATURE 16 OBYs New Clothes

BUILDER STORY 20 Importing the X-Bee Pelican

TRAVEL FEATURE 24 Geoff and Susan’s Excellent Adventure

SAFETY FEATURE 34 Canopy Open Events

SHORT FINAL 46

REGULARS President’s Report

04

Calendar of Events

06

Photo Competition

14

Safety 26 Builders Log

38

Classifieds 43 Chapter Contacts

44

SAAA Contacts

44

Apparently he’d already told me this but perhaps I was standing in loud traffic. As I wondered what a Skybolt was, I simply replied, “OK” as an anaesthetic-like fog of 21 parenting and 22 married years descended on my weary head and the heat of the Perth night sapped my last morsel of energy.

You can read a man’s version of the story on the last page in ‘Short Final.’ I hadn’t dreamt the Skybolt up and ten airborne minutes flying in it has made me love the darned thing. Something about wind in the hair. Frank is posting regular updates on the Snoopy Trio facebook page and I thank him for once again contributing to Airsport. A writing pilot. Who’d-a thunk?

It was a pleasure to tell Geoff Wood that he’d won the $100 photography competition and in reply he said, “I feel like I should contribute more” and promptly gave me the story of his first date with his now wife of many years. Even without photos, this story paints a brilliant visual and I suggest you recline with a cuppa and have a read and a laugh. The rabbits…

The next photo competition theme is ‘airborne’ so that can be an aerial photo, a photo of something airborne, an air-to-air, a… you get the idea. I wonder how many selfies I’ll get? I should just harvest everybody’s Facebook profile. Ever noticed how pilots usually have a photo of themselves flying the plane? If you need a few photography tips there’s a nice contribution from aviation photographer Keith Anderson – he’s a gun for hire y’know – and thanks to David Taylor for calling me just before deadline to come up with his Three Daves story. Also a big thanks to Ian Goldie for his importing story and Gary Weeks for his report on the Canopy Open Events, which is something we felt was worthy of examination.

You’ll see there’s no letters to the editor, because there isn’t any, and anyway we needed the extra space for all those fantastic Builder’s Logs. Was it the warm weather?

I’d love some more travel stories with photos please, just so I’m not interviewing Frank Deeth every issue – poor man has to go to work at some stage – and new voices are fantastic. If you hate writing, just send me the facts and I’ll make it pretty for you.

Thanks everybody and I hope you enjoy your magazine.

Kathy Mexted Editor airsport@saaa.com www.saaa.com

The Sport Aircraft Association of Australia is a group of aviation enthusiasts assisting each other to build, maintain and operate sport aircraft. We educate members to continuously improve safety outcomes.

Ai r S p o r t AT ISSN 0 156 -6 0 16 i s the j ourna l of t he Spor t Aircraft Associat ion of Au st ralia I n c. PO Box 108 , K a l l a ngur Q l d. 4 50 3 Inc no. A0 046 510Z Telephon e: 07 318 8 9368 / Genera l enquiries : email en qu iries@s aaa.com / www.s a a a .co m Editor: Kathy Mexted airsport@saaa.com / Art Director: Melinda Vassallo Produced by:Fineline Design www.finelinedesign.com.au AIRSPORT 3

FROM TH E E XE CU TI V E

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Members, To borrow from Dickens, the past three months for our Association could best be summed up as The Best of Times and the Worst of Times. We don’t have time for a book here though, so I’ll focus on the positive.

In our 50-year history we have been formed and nurtured by highly motivated and skilled volunteers. In March we suffered a significant loss with the resignation of four long serving executive members Bruce Towns, Ken Garland, Neil Unger and Shirley Harding. The contributions made by these long standing members cannot be overstated and we thank them for their overall and ongoing contributions, which have benefitted all members of the SAAA. Your NC is reviewing and identifying new systems to better recognise and reward members that contribute most and receive little in return. If you know of members or stories of members going above and beyond to serve the Association on a local or national level please advise your Chapter president or NC.

resources required so that a new role can be created, advertised and filled. Perry McNeil is leading the greater re-emphasis, resourcing, standardisation, organisation and delivery of existing and new training programs from a national perspective.

Martin Daniell is overseeing improvement in our safety reporting and management systems.

Since becoming National President in late January, I am most often asked about my vision and direction for the Association’s future. My perspective, currently shared by your NC on ‘Vision’ is quite simple and should come as no surprise.

‘The SAAA is a group of aviation enthusiasts assisting each other to build, maintain and operate sport aircraft.

We educate members to continuously improve safety outcomes.’

My only addition is we would like to encourage (note: not force) more new members so they can share in the positive experience and assistance that comes with being an SAAA member.

The five remaining National Councillors face a significant hole created by these and the CEO’s resignations and so set about consulting with Chapter Presidents via many hours of phone conversations including two 3+ hour teleconferences.

The Chapters were asked to recommend members they thought could help the Association progress at least until the next AGM and full election by members.

The current direction of your national representatives is to refocus our energies to better deliver on core aspects, namely; education and practical training, improved safety outcomes, expansion and delivery of tangible member benefit schemes, efficient and cost effective administration, improvement of governance procedures, process and documentation. All these core functions must be achieved in a way that provides for financial stability, sustainability, growth and longevity.

Kim Jones, Perry McNeil and Martin Daniell were put forward by their respective Chapters and subsequently appointed by NC as per our Association Rules. Kim Jones is assisting Geoff Danes our Acting Technical Manager to clearly define the scope, responsibilities and

In regards to our regulatory approvals and privileges to satisfy CASA we first need to improve our safety reporting and management systems, our centralised data collection and storage and ourdocumentation of organisational, technical and administration procedures

4 AIRSPORT

These are current projects that continue to be vigorously worked on. We are in discussions with another like organisation that have developed a Safety Reporting System tailored for our area of Sports Aviation which will have a significant impact on improving our safety reporting and data collection ability. We have already centralised and secured our data storage facilities so that all Association documents can be shared as appropriate and collaboratively contributed to while maintaining access and version control.

We are also planning an overhaul of maintenance approvals, our fuel discount scheme which is currently being reviewed, greater access to online services including the members’ portal, and redevelopment or upgrade of our website.

Some new benefits are discount freight packages for domestic and international shipping, and a discount Foreign Exchange scheme.

We will keep members updated as these initiatives come to fruition.

Due to the enormous amount of work involved in running Ausfly it has been handed to an independent group. The event has been rebranded as Oz-Kosh and will be a collaboration of other aviation interest groups to encourage greater involvement by the broader GA community. The date has been moved to the weekend of 6 - 9 October, 2016.

Thanks to those who have offered support so far and I look forward to working with our new committee towards achieving the objectives I’ve outlined above.

Rob Lawrie SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

N AT I O N A L CO U N C I L LO R S

KIM JONES  Kim is a professional mechanical engineer and 930 hour private pilot. He is endorsed on tailwheel, controllable prop, retractable, formation, aeros, glider towing and multi-engine.

He has built and test flown a Corby Starlet and a Wag-Aero Wagabond and passed all LAME airframe exams, most practical experience requirements completed for issue of aircraft maintenance engineer licence. Kim expects to complete this during 2016.

Kim also has an RAAus pilot certificate and Level 2 maintenance approval and has completed the SAAA MPC course.

Kim has been a member for more than 40 years and was SAAA President 1990-1992 He was part of the team that developed the initial self administration proposal that gained SAAA authority to conduct stage inspections on ABAA aircraft, issue Permits to Fly and Certificates of Airworthiness. The delegated authority to undertake those tasks was issued when he was President and he set up the infrastructure and processes to enable SAAA to meet those responsibilities.

He was also the WA Regional Technical Coordinator under that self administration approval and Designated Inspector/ Technical Counsellor.

He was the founding manager at the Temora Aviation Museum undertaking initial business planning, research of the history of the Museum aircraft and project managing initial development of the facility.

As an engineering management consultant Kim’s area of expertise was in improving the operational performance of technical management and maintenance in heavy industry.

Kim has worked in the CAA, Airservices Australia and CASA in a wide variety

President: Rob Lawrie Hon National President Sydney NSW Mob 0401 578 700 president@saaa.com

Perry McNeil Hervey Bay QLD 07 5520 2411 0450 964 926 USA +1 (714) 331 0388 Foxhound57@bigpond.com

Mr Eddie Seve Hon National Secretary Sydney NSW Phone 0402 829 966 sec@saaa.com

Geoffrey Danes Part 149 Mindarie WA 0428 992-399 geoff.danes@saaa.com

Richard Talbot Hon National Treasurer and Information Technology Sydney NSW 0421 475 933 treasurer@saaa.com

Martin Daniell Safety Albury NSW 0429 378 441 martin.daniell@saaa.com

Tony White Information Technology/ Part 149 Perth WA 0419 421 632 twhite@westnet.com.au

Kim Jones Canberra ACT 0412 090 951 kim.jones@saaa.com

of management and operational roles since 1992. As a result he has a sound understanding of their operational philosophies, standards and requirements.

He also has an excellent working relationship with all levels of CASA staff including the DAS. This background is essential for any regulatory change proposal to succeed.

AIRSPORT 5

2 0 1 6 C A L E N DA R O F E V E N T S

SAAA EVENTS These course dates are approximate, and will be confirmed in response to member interest.

Maintenance Procedures Courses

SYDNEY Proposed dates 9-10 July.

BRISBANE AND MELBOURNE Proposed dates 13-14 August.

NARROMINE Proposed dates 6-7 September.

PERTH Proposed dates 8-9 October.

ADELAIDE Proposed dates 12-13 November.

AD/ENG/4 NARROMINE Proposed dates 11-12 June.

OZ-KOSH

GENERAL EVENTS QUEENSLAND

NEW SOUTH WALES

4-6 JULY 2016 THE BIG RED BASH

18-19 JUNE 2016 LISMORE AVIATION EXPO

Birdsville bigredbash.com.au

Annual event and information expo. This year will include flying displays including aerobatic displays from Paul Bennet.

0425 292-391 lismoreaviationcentre.com.au

13 AUGUST 2016 ANGELFIELD BREAKFAST FLY-IN Every 2 months on the second Saturday.

Hearty breakfast $15 from 7:30 - 9:30am.

Ralph or Deb 0741 686-248 On fly-in day call 0490 069-550 for weather information. burnettflyers.org

30 SEPT - 4 OCT 2016 WHITSUNDAYS FLYIN & RUNWAY DINNER Whitsundays airport 07 4946 9180 whitsundayairport.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 17 JULY AND 21 AUGUST 2016

NARROMINE

LOXTON FAMILY FLY-IN AND BBQ

6-9 OCTOBER 2016

A fun, friendly and relaxed fly-in/drive-in with BBQ every 3rd Sunday of the month.

All aviators welcome Kerrie Palamountain 0409 847 790 kerriepal@bigpond.com

Narromine Airport (07) 3188 9369 info@ozkosh.com

21 JUNE 2016 CASA SAFETY SEMINAR Hunter Recreational Flying club 6pm hunterflyers.com.au

2 JULY 2016 WW2 AIRCRAFT SHOWCASE Temora Aviation Museum 02 6977-1088 aviationmuseum.com.au

16 JULY 2016 WW2 TO VIETNAM Temora Aviation Museum 02 6977-1088 Aviationmuseum.com.au

10 SEPTEMBER 2016 WAGGA CITY AERO CLUB OPEN DAY Includes parachuting, free flights, bbq waggacityaeroclub.com

NO STRINGS ATTACHED EQ-1 SERIES 3 WIRELESS AVIATION HEADSET

Last week we tried the newest model Wireless Aviation Headset from EQ-1 It’s sporty looking with orange trim, a bit bulkier than a Bose but not more then a David Clark, and the EQ-Link, which plugs into the aircraft sockets.

It also has an optional Bluetooth mobile phone adapter, which lets you make and receive phone calls. The charger can charge both the link and the headset simultaneously. It has 24 hours battery life for the headset and 30 hours for the link.

6 AIRSPORT

On start-up a friendly voice informs the amount of battery life are remaining. If needed, the headset and/or link can be charged while in use as well using a standard USB charger.

The best thing about the headset is that it is wireless, no wires that get tangled, no wires that get caught and restrict your movement, especially when it gets busy in the circuit.

We took it on multiple flights in different aircraft and it performed flawlessly each time. Just plug the link in, turn on the headset and it will connect automatically. Then it is just as any other headset.

Could not be easier!

The sound quality was excellent and the passive and active noise cancelling worked really well.

Even in an open cockpit.

The volume can be adjusted using the turn/push button on the left hand side of the headset. The same knob can be used to alter countless settings of the headset and link.

We did find that when using sunglasses with thick arms it can degrade the noise reduction. It’s best to make sure the arms are not covered by the cups.

They are very comfortable to wear although a little bit heavier then a normal headset. The headset can be adjusted to fit everyone.

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

EVENTS

WINGS OVER ILLAWARRA AFTER A DAMP START TO THE SHOW, THE CLOUDS EVENTUALLY LIFTED AWAY AND WE WERE ALL TREATED TO TWO FABULOUS DAYS OF AVIATION AND FLYING DISPLAYS.

The SAAA marquee at the show was a great opportunity to showcase our association to the public.

Big thanks to Mark and Kerry Bright who gave us the opportunity to have a SAAA display at WOI 2016.

A special thanks to Ken Garland who ‘picked up the ball and ran with it’ and without whose efforts the SAAA marquee at the show would not have happened.

Thanks also to Michael DeFeyter, Alex and Mel Edwards, Gordon Griffin, Paul Folkes, Rob Lawrie, Gary Weeks and Martin Russell who came from far and wide to help out.

A Big Thanks to all of you. Your efforts are really appreciated.

John De Battista SAAA Chapter 4

AIRSPORT 7

NEWS

ABSOLUTE TIME-TOCLIMB RECORD ATTEMPT SEVERAL YEARS AGO RUSS MCFARLAND, AN AMERICAN ROTOR HEAD LIVING IN NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA BUILT A MAZDA ROTARY POWERED WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT TIME TO CLIMB AIRCRAFT. HE USED A 650 HP TURBO CHARGED MAZDA 13B ALL-ALUMINIUM ENGINE. He was counting on the high powerto-weight ratio of the Wankel and its exceptionable robust nature. This 13B TC engine weighed less than 200 pounds with the turbo. I believe the absolute time-toclimb record is 90 seconds from a deadstop on the runway to 3000 meters, held by a Grumman Bearcat. This is not a weight class record. This is an absolute record. If this works the turbo wankel will go down in history as another type of viable aircraft engine, joining piston engines, turbo props and pure Jets.

Russ contacted Jim Mederer, owner of Racing Beat in Southern CA. Jim was able to extract 650 HP running on alcohol. Jim also developed aluminium end housings that dropped the engine weight from about 300 pounds to 200 pounds. The Mazda 13B block is a sandwich of 5 castings.

It is held together with 17 long bolts. The front, middle and rear are cast iron in the production engine. Jim designed and had cast aluminium housing to replace the three cast iron housings.

Lots of other engine changes were made. A dry sump oil system was needed so the oil pan was done away with and replaced with AN pluming that extracted oil directly from the centre and front-end housings and send it to the oil cooler. A new larger capacity water pump was needed. A p-ported was chosen instead of the stock side ports.

8 AIRSPORT

A Motec after-market EFI system was chosen to supply fuel to the engine. That came with an EFIS. The rotors are modified stock rotors as is the eccentric shaft. The Mazda 13B rotary engine has been around since 1973 in the RX4 and last sold in 2014 in the RX8. Over 2.5 million have been sold.

A flying Harmon Rocket was purchased and

During that time no increase in displacement or weight has occurred but the street HP has increased from 120 to 280. The projected life of ceramic apex seals is now 20,000 hours

two large Dodge truck radiators were TIG

The Wankel rotary is almost a continuous combustion engine like the jet engine. The intake and exhaust valves never sleep. They are always open to one or more of the three chambers of a single rotor as it orbits around the eccentric shaft.

Actually Felix Wankel did not specifically design the engine with robust structure in mind. It just happened that a reasonable geometry Wankel is an extremely robust mechanism capable of extremely high manifold pressures.

Ask any piston engine engineer/designer about the importance of structural strength. The end is not in sight for the Wankel power and efficiency. Just wait until Mazda or some one else builds a turbo compound version. Not only will it best a turbo prop on power-to-weight ratio, it will burn half the fuel.

the Lycoming engine and instruments were removed. Russ chose the same gearbox that Dave Garber used.

Russ chose Dan Gray from Santa Paula to help complete the installation. The liquid cooling system was a real challenge so welded back-to-back in what is known as a cross counter flow configuration. Cold water will be sprayed on this radiator as needed in the evaporation-cooling mode.

The pilot was moved to the back seat and the fuel, water and oil tanks were installed in front of and behind the stock instrument panel. A new carbon fibre instrument panel with altimeter, air speed and EFIS screen was made.

The power-to-weight ratio of the Bearcat was approximately 2 pounds per HP. The power-to-weight ratio of this aircraft is only 1.5 pound per HP. Power-toweight ratio is 90% of the time-to-climb performance.

We estimate the Harmon Rocket will climb vertically at 175 MPH based on the exceptional power-to-weight ratio. This should easily break the 91-second record.

Paul Lamar SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

AIRSPORT 9

TECHNICAL

CRITICAL ANGLE OF ATTACK – The Rest of the Story

WHEN THE TOPIC OF ANGLE OF ATTACK (AOA) COMES UP IN VARIOUS ON-LINE DISCUSSIONS, I OFTEN COME ACROSS THE SAYING: “A WING CAN STALL AT ANY AIRSPEED, BUT ONLY ONE ANGLE OF ATTACK”.

WHILE THIS SOUNDS NEAT AND CONCISE, IT REALLY ISN’T CORRECT. HERE ARE FIVE VARIABLES THAT WILL INFLUENCE THE CRITICAL OR STALL ANGLE OF ATTACK.

1. FLAP POSITION. After-market AoA indicators require calibration in cruise and landing configurations because deploying flaps will lower the critical angle of attack. Thus any AoA instrument must adjust for flap setting. In reality this calibration must span the continuum of flap settings.

For simplicity however, it is common to only use the end points.

As an example, let us look at the airfoil used on the Lancair 360, the NLF-0215F. Three flap settings are shown -10 degrees, 0, and 10 degrees in Figure 1. In a cruise setting of -10 degrees the critical angle is about 15 degrees. This decreases to 13 degrees at zero flaps and then decreases to 12 degrees at 10 degree flaps. As an aside, note how much the angle of attack is reduced to maintain a given lift coefficient when flaps are deployed (Figure 2). At a lift coefficient of 1.6, the required AoA starts at 15 degrees and reduces to about 6 degrees. The wing produces the same lift at a much lower angle of attack.

Figure 2, Effect of Flap Deflection on AoA at constant CL, NASA TP-1865

2. GROUND EFFECT.

Figure 1, Effect of Flap Deflection on Critical AoA, NASA TP-1865

10 AIRSPORT

Ground effect does two things. First in tends to lower the critical angle by some amount. This amount is very difficult to determine.

Short of extensive CFD, we are left guessing to some extent. All is not lost however, since the lift curve slope increases at the same time. Effectively this means you can produce the same lift as before, but it will occur at a lower angle of attack (Figure 3). Flying our home-built aircraft, we are generally not too worried about this level of detail, but it can be deadly in aircraft that use AoA as a guide. The Gulfstream G-650 crash during certification flights in 2011 was caused by an incorrect estimation of the critical AoA in ground effect. The real decrement from the ‘out-of-ground-effect’ critical angle was higher than assumed and so the pilots were pulling up too far during simulated single engine take-off testing and stalled. The stick shaker was also set too high for the same reason and did not activate until well into a stalled condition.

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

TECHNICAL

of one section of the wing is diminished, the remainder needs to compensate. If unable (washout may allow the outboard sections to do more work), the critical angle for the entire wing goes down.

If you spend enough time in this low speed/low power flight regime, you can feel the change in the air coming off the propeller. It becomes quite turbulent and the pre-stall buffet become much more random and violent Effect of Engine Power on Critical AoA, L360, N91CZ 18.5

Flaps: 5 deg 19.0

3. REYNOLDS NUMBER AND MACH NUMBER. For both of these parameters this just translates into airspeed.

Reynolds number is a function of velocity, the viscosity of air and chord length. Our chord length is fixed and we can’t change the viscosity of the air. If you stall the wing at a higher airspeed, the critical angle will be a bit higher.

4. ENTRY RATE.

This isn’t the whole story however. A closer examination high AoA flight in different configurations reveals is a strong dependency of stall speed on the propeller. The air behind a propeller is never clean, but the air behind a wind-milling prop is particularly bad. It has just extracted energy out of the slip stream to turn over the engine.

What is left is a turbulent air mass with less energy going over the center section of the wing.

Figures 4 and 5 below show the difference in critical angle and indicated stall speed as a function of manifold pressure (AoA is referenced the aircraft longeron). Stall here is defined as minimum sustainable flying speed while in the pre-stall buffet region. In other words, these test points could be maintained indefinitely. Some were recorded as long as 40 seconds. Just for reference, 12 inHg is enough to sustain level flight (~46 hp and 160 lbs thrust). This drops to zero thrust very quickly, somewhere just below 10 inHg. The impact on the aircraft is significant. The critical angle dropped ~2.5 degrees and the stall speed at the weight tested climbed 7 knots. The critical angle is an aggregate of the entire wing. So if the performance

20.5

21.0

Critical Angle is defined as continuously sustained flight with stall buffet

22.0

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

Engine Manifold Pressure (inHg)

Figure 4, Effect of Propeller Thrust on Critical angle of Attack Effect of Engine Power on Stall Speed, L360, N91CZ 51 Stall Speed is defined as continuously sustained flight with stall buffet

52 53

Stall Speed (KIAS)

This factor can be rather significant and will vary by aircraft type.

During my Phase 1 testing, I determined my indicated stall speed in the departure and landing configurations. The departure stall was clean and full throttle. The landing configuration was at the opposite end of the spectrum, gear down, full flaps and engine at idle. Given the weight flown at the time, stall was about 60 KIAS.

20.0

21.5

The FAA controls the methods used in determining stall speeds for aircraft because the rate of approaching stall can influence the outcome. Approaching the stall quickly will lead to a slightly lower stall speed. You can get to a slightly higher AoA. 1 kt per second deceleration is the target to establish uniformity.

5. THE PROPELLER

Negative Propeller Thrust

19.5

Critical Angle of Attack (deg)

Figure 3, Critical AoA Change in Ground Effect, from NTSB report on G-650 accident

Positive Propeller Thrust

54 55 56

57 58

1615 lb Flaps: 5 deg

59

60

Positive Propeller Thrust

Negative Propeller Thrust

61 15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

Engine Manifold Pressure (inHg)

Figure 5, Effect of Propeller Thrust on Stall Speed The magnitude of each of the above effects will vary by aircraft type. While most flying is done well above stall speed and far below the critical angle of attack, it is beneficial to at least be aware of the factors that can affect the critical angle of attack.

Fred Moreno #06704 Chapter 1 Chris Zavatson is an aerospace engineer working for the U.S.Navy. He is a graduate of the University of California at Davis with degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering, as well as German. In 1995-97 he built a Lancair 360 that won a bronze Lindy at Oshkosh. He uses his Lancair as a research platform for experimentation and exploration. www.N91CZ.net AIRSPORT 11

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R Forced landings over hostile terrain, at night or over water.

R Mid-air collision with other aircraft R Structural or system failure R Loss of control or disorientation in turbulence, at night or poor visibility

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Contact us on: info@LEAV8.com Ph: 02 8355 7009 12 AIRSPORT

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

NEWS

AVIATION MEDICALS PART 3: REVIEWING YOUR APPLICATION CASA examines applications for medical certificates on their merits and without preconceived ideas. In many parts of the world, defined conditions prevent any further consideration, and pilots are refused certification.

quite significant and that is a concern and something we are talking more widely about.

doctors or by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

‘Pilots and passengers have died because of medical problems which were not declared.

As I live in Australia, it matters to me as well!’

In Australia, it is different. This case-by-case review requires detailed examination of each person’s circumstances, which means that there is a need for more work by the specialists at CASA and increased effort by the applicants to provide the information for assessment. In certain cases applicants receive certificates, which they might not in other jurisdictions.

We could summarise this and say, ‘We want it all and we want it now’ and certainty about a condition lends a lot of strength to the risk assessment.

‘The Clinical Practice Guidelines–available on the CASA website–describe our expectations about how certain medical issues or matters are approached and examined by a DAME. They also describe the type of limitations likely to be imposed by CASA on a medical certificate.’

CASA’s principal medical officer Dr Michael Drane says the regulator is here to work with certificate holders to help keep them operational—if it is safe to do so. But it takes a lot of work to enable this. And, CASA must work with accurate information.

‘The information we seek from pilots is about levels of risk,’ says Dr Drane. ‘We have to do a lot of assessments and it obliges us to make a case-by-case assessment for anybody with a medical condition to see that they meet the standard of aviation safety. However, it is evident that there is temptation for a pilot to skip the necessary processes to gain medical certification.

‘We did a study where we looked at the complex cases,’ says Dr Drane. ‘We found approximately one-third of those cases discovered additional conditions not admitted to by the applicant. These were

So what do we want?

Withholding information makes it impossible to be sure we are assessing the real situation and we are obliged to err on the side of caution: safety is the ‘paramount consideration.’

In effect, CASA’s philosophy is that if you’re truthful with us now, we can trust that you will report any future issues.

Change in medical condition?

For more information about aviation medicals or if your medical condition changes call CASA’s dedicated assessor helpline on 1300 4 AVMED (1300 4 8633), or go to casa.gov.au/avmed.

Submitted by CASA

‘Our decisions remain transparent and open to review and reconsideration by other

AIRSPORT 13

NEWS

PHOTO COMPETITION

Mem

WIN

!

be r p hoto co $1 Pleas e em 00 vouch mpetitio n. ail ph e oto@ r.

Next s aaa is sue .com Airbo ’s theme : rne

WINNER: Martin Hone in his now departed RV6 and equally departed Mr Pickle a mini poodle that loved riding on the motorcycle and flying. Taken at a local farmer’s airstrip on the Darling Downs.

KEITH ANDERSON Keith Anderson has two great loves. Aviation and Photography. They came together for us in the last issue of Airsport where I accidentally credited his colleague for Keith’s photo of Peter Cash’s Culp Special.

Here he is with some photography tips so we don’t forget him again!

Keith has been published in books and magazines and is a gun for hire through www.aviationwa.org.au

AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHY Equipment: Digital SLR camera, a long lens (typically 100 to 400 mm) and a shorter lens in approximately 24-105mm range for static or larger aircraft. Zoom lenses are preferred for their flexibility in framing the subject. Always use a UV filter to protect the expensive glass elements in the front of the lens. Install apps on your smartphone or tablet, such as Flight Radar 24, Plane Finder and Live ATC. An airband radio or scanner is also very handy. Sunscreen and hats are a must in our harsh summers and a stool or fold-up chair can be useful, photographing aircraft is a waiting game.

Wherever possible, you want the sun behind you. Look for the best airport vantage point for morning and afternoon, on the correct side of the runway for the sun.

Camera Settings: For aircraft in flight, I set my camera on shutter priority, this way I can quickly adjust the shutter speed for different types of aircraft. Typically, I find 1/800th second is ideal for jets, but lower, in the range of 1/125th to 1/320th second for props and helicopters. You can also try a much lower speed such as 1/30th or 1/60th to blur the background, giving the sensation of speed to your 14 AIRSPORT

Roberto Franko and Keith Anderson with Roberto’s Skybolt photo. Most importantly, you must pan smoothly with the aircraft and follow through as you press the shutter button. For static photos, you don’t have to blur the props so a faster shutter speed is the way to go and if you are shooting through a window or aircraft canopy, get your lens as close as possible to the glass to cut out any reflections.

For air-to-air photography the settings would be similar but you would have to contend with the reflections in the canopy, unless you have an open cockpit or window. I shoot with ISO 200 and increase it if the light is falling. I also shoot in raw because it gives more flexibility in post production.

Finally, join a group of like-minded enthusiasts as this can be a great source of information regarding aircraft movements, spotting locations, photography etc. I am Vice President of the Aviation Association of W.A, inc. (AAWA) and with over 55 members, there’s plenty of people with the same interest in all things aviation to talk to. We have a great Keith Anderson camaraderie between members.

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

NEWS

SO YOU’VE HAD A CLOSE CALL? Why not share your story so that others can learn from it too? If we publish it, we’ll give you $500.

Email us at fsa@casa.gov.au Articles should be between 450 and 1000 words.

If preferred, your identity will be kept confidential.

If you have video footage, feel free to submit this with your close call.

Please do not submit articles regarding events that are the subject of a current official investigation.

Submissions may be edited for clarity, length and reader focus.

AIRSPORT 15

F E AT U R E

OBY’S NEW CLOTHES EVEN THOUGH I DESIGNED A SCHEME EARLY ON, IT SOON BECAME CLEAR THAT PAINT, LIKE A TATTOO, IS HARD TO REMOVE. One idea was to paint the background then use a projector to overlay different designs onto the aircraft. This would show how a design worked with the RV-10’s curves. Ian Irvine from Aeroshine Aviation, helped me understand priming and spray painting techniques and became my paint coach, guiding me on materials, preparation and the areas that would require filler/glazing work. Aluminium, for example, heats up and expands quite easily, therefore if you are filling and sanding, try to work an area slowly and move around to different areas regularly. This prevents the need to re-finish the same deviations in the filling material over and over again. Another is to use a piece of wood as a sanding block to ensure flat (and curved) surfaces evolve smooth 16 AIRSPORT

and even. I spent many months in rework before understanding these principles.

are 3 base coats, 2 Pearl coats and 3 clear coats.

Xirallic Pearl based paints are deemed best left to the professionals so I called Ian again who put me straight to work and highlighted that aviation primers behave quite differently to automotive primers in that they don’t ‘slump’. They hide light scratch imperfections better than automotive paints and aviation primers are designed to protect the aluminum substrate more effectively. Unfortunately for me, I was set on the Lexus Pearl top coat—the most expensive option. I also decided to stay with PPG for my top coat paints for consistency. The Pearl I chose is a threestage paint system. You have a base layer, a Pearl layer, then a clear layer. All up, there

Total amount of paint used on the aircraft: • 4 US Gallon (12 Ltrs) Kit of PPG Chromate Primer •

12 Ltrs TOY 085 EMINENT WHITE

•

8 Ltrs TOY 085 SONIC QUARTZ

•

20 Ltrs D8120 Clearcoat

• 10 Ltrs DELTRON STANDARD UHS HARDENER •

20 Ltrs DELTRON REDUCER SLOW

Total cost: approximately $8,000 + ancillary costs for sandpaper etc + costs for Ian’s time and expertise.

If you just want standard paint colors in a SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

O BY ’ S N E W C LOT H E S

Photos by Paul McVitty

single stage system, you can probably save around $3-4k on the paint costs and lots more on the painting process due to Pearl paint’s temperamental nature.

I couldn’t have satisfactorily painted this plane with those types of paints by myself. There were too many variables and preparation processes that I didn’t understand or have experience in. If you’re inexperienced in painting aircraft, I strongly recommend you first help out someone who knows what they are doing.

The most important process I learnt related to paint preparation ‘between’ paint layers.

After priming, and sometimes the base coats, you need to ‘de-nib’ the paint. This means to sand back with a fine sandpaper (800 grit) to remove any airborne paint particles that may have landed back on the surfaces.

• Fully blow the surface clean with an air compressor, paying particular attention to the rivets, making sure to clean dust from the grooves.

• Give the surface a good wipe down with a damp rag of paint thinner.

• Now that you think it is clean, go over it with a tack rag. A wax infused light cloth that will pick up any final remnants.

• Now you are ready for the next layer of paint.

I came to realise I didn’t want to apply graphics as the Pearl paint has a very attractive understated feel. The registration logos are vinyl, which is easy to apply and looks great. My non-standard font complies with regulatory requirements and I attained the outcome I was hoping for: A look of classic grace and elegance. Andrew Long AIRSPORT 17

SAAA MEMBERSHIP THINKING OF JOINING SAAA? BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS, MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND LEARN NEW SKILLS. The SAAA has something to offer everyone with an interest in sport aviation, whether you’re a builder, a pilot or just enjoy being around aircraft and fellow aviation enthusiasts.

If you’re thinking about building your own aircraft, then the SAAA is your starting point. We can provide advice and technical information. Our experienced Technical Counsellors can guide you through the challenges of your project and help you to build a competent safe aircraft.

JOIN AOPA TODAY Become a member and start receiving your free copies of Australian Pilot Magazine among other benifits.

Phone 02 9791 9099 email mail@aopa.com.au

www.aopa.com.au

Whatever your particular interest in aviation, the SAAA provides the opportunity to share the experience with fellow enthusiasts. Membership includes subscription to Airsport, published quarterly.

We encourage all members to join their local Chapter.

The local Chapters provide an active and enjoyable environment where members work together developing building techniques, work on their projects, get together for local events and participate in fly-ins.

SAAA Membership Rates Full membership

$199.50

Concessional membership*

$162.75

*Available to pensioners, member’s dependent family and approved Technical Counsellors Membership rates are adjusted July 1 annually in line with CPI

Membership Enquiries: Contact the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia Inc PO Box 108, Kallangur Qld. 4503 tel 07 3188 9368 / email enquiries@saaa.com www.saaa.com

Contributions to Airsport: Member’s contributions to Airsport are welcomed. Articles and high resolution photos can be sent via email or on disk to: email airsport@saaa.com

Airsport is provided for your education and enjoyment. No claim is made, no responsibility taken and no liability is assumed, expressed or implied for technical accuracy or safety of the material presented. The views in Airsport are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. No monetary payment is made for any contributions.

18 AIRSPORT

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

NEW ZEAL AND OR BUST!

Water Water everywhere but nary a thought to think.

Over the Tasman 1000 km from land.

Land fall! Mt. Cook and NZ eastern shore

Nine triplanes over Omaka

AIRSPORT 19

B U I L D E R’ S S TO RY

IMPORTING THE X-BEE PELICAN IT TOOK A WHILE, BUT IAN GOLDIE FINALLY FOUND THE AEROPLANE HE WAS LOOKING FOR. My quest started many years ago when at work a friend and I bought a set of plans to build a Cajectovic CA-65 all wood, folding wing and retractable main gear aircraft.

Building never got underway. Some years later I bought plans for a Zenair CH-701 all metal aircraft. The CH-701 was always to be installed on amphibious floats. Again the project never started.

Sometime later I re-defined what I wanted my project to be and it was for a four seat, high wing floating hull amphibian and a little bit unusual.

I bought a set of plans for a ‘Spencer Amphibious Aircar’ (nothing like a car) with the intention of building from scratch before I retired. Well that didn’t happen either as I retired almost 10 years ago – all of life’s excuses.

20 AIRSPORT

When visiting our son in Perth last May (2015), I intended to get in touch with ‘Top Fun Aviation’ flying school to secure some flight time in a 1942 Taylor craft L2-M (war bird). Having done 2.5 hours and 26 landings (we only stopped flying as it was almost last light), I was treated to the story of the process Jack went through to obtain the L2-M. He also pointed out the time frame to build an aircraft from scratch at my advancing years may be just too long.

Jack’s comments started me thinking about how to create the aircraft of my dreams in a shorter time frame. The only aircraft that fits what I want in a project is the Republic SeaBee. I started looking on the web, many interesting aircraft, but what do I actually want? A certified aircraft to restore or something different? What I wanted was an aircraft with a special Certificate of

Airworthiness Amateur Built Experimental.

After consulting the various Advisory Circulars and enquiries to CASA stating the extent of the proposed modifications, their response was very encouraging.

I found that three SeaBee’s came to Australia around the mid 1950’s. So I finally traced the one remaining SeaBee in Australia, which is in Victoria. After discussion with the current owner, I decided that this aircraft would not be suitable to achieve my goals, due to the amount of work I need to accomplish.

I found a project SeaBee online, made enquiries, posed some questions to the owner and was very happy with his response. I then told him I would buy his project when I visited him in North Florida USA. This on the proviso that the project is as advertised. Next was to organise freighting the project back to Australia.

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

B U I L D E R ’ S S TO RY

From three quotes I settled on C & H Freight.

My friend Greg and I flew into Dallas Fort Worth, and drove in shifts night and day through to Lake City, North Florida. After inspecting the project Bruce and I settled on a price. A secure email within my bank account organised an international telegraphic transfer to Bruce and Dianne.

Next was to call the USA freight partner of C & H Freight to organise delivery of a 40ft container.

Next day Greg and I set about dusting off all the numerous cartons of bits and pieces as well as the hull (fuselage), wings (3), several sets of tail feathers. We wanted to prevent any Australian Quarantine problems.

The container arrived on its own trailer, side loading of containers to place it on the ground is very rare in the US. Bruce had some very long wood planks and we made twin ramps to then winch the hull into the container. We then winched the Franklin 215hp engine into the container. Greg and I had visited Harbour Freight and bought a heap of ratchet tie downs and foam rubber matts to cut up for padding. Bruce’s friend, Ed arrived and together we loaded the many remaining aircraft parts and tied them down.

Once happy with our loading, I called to have the container picked up.

The container is due in Sydney at the end of March and I will have to go through the processes required by Australian Customs and Quarantine in order to unload it at the freight terminal. After considering how I bring a project home, either from Victoria or from the docks, a large flat top trailer would be the go! As it happened one large flat bed trailer presented itself as I drove past a scrap yard, so I made an offer to the owner and now own an 8m x 2.25m flat bed trailer. This unit has already been utilised by the local Aircraft Maintenance organisation to recover two aircraft back to Port Macquarie. Now I just need a large shed to commence work.

For any one contemplating sourcing a project or an operational aircraft from the US, the processes can vary. (a) A project may be disassembled, as mine was, and as long as there is no money owing on it, the process of notifying the FAA with a copy of the Bill of Sale and a short letter requesting the aircraft be removed from the FAA register as the aircraft is being exported to Australia. Other than cost of

your project, there is very little to spend, but if you don’t personally pack/supervise the loading, you may need to employ someone.

Best to accomplish the loading yourself. If you source a serviceable aircraft, there will be costs associated with inspection for an FAA Export Certificate, a Finance search, and dismantling and packing into a container

The FAA website has a lot of helpful information in this regard. Now the next chapter is to complete my dream project. I am following several leads for a location to create the X-Bee Pelican.

Ian Goldie Chapter 7 AIRSPORT 21

B U I L D E R’ S S TO RY

THREE DAVES + THE RV4 IT TOOK TEN YEARS AND THREE DAVES TO COMPLETE DAVID TAYLOR’S RV4, WHICH NOW LIVES AT ESPERANCE. It’s a big thing for an 11-year old to find himself upside down over the Harbour Bridge in a Tiger Moth, but it was just the ticket for young David Taylor who had ticked the ‘aero’ box instead of the ‘normal’ box before the flight.

the UK. He did see active duty in Korea and Vietnam however and though David was too young to know his uncle very well, it was his first and foremost flying influence and one that always caused him to look up when an aeroplane flew overhead.

“I couldn’t understand why the pilot strapped me in so tight,” says David “and when I complained that I could hardly breathe, he replied ‘good!’ When we were upside down though, I felt like I was gonna fall out the top.”

When David got his licence at Bankstown in the early 1990s, he hit the usual headwind – not enough money to go on and do a Commercial licence – and so pursued a career outside of aviation.

David’s great uncle flew Spitfires in WW2.

Unfortunately, the authorities learnt he was only 17, not 19 as he’d told them, and so was restricted to operational flights within 22 AIRSPORT

A timely article on the RV4 caught his attention and so while maintaining minimal currency, diverted his spare cash into the aeroplane project and saved up for the kit.

The ten-year build project started in 2005

and it was only a very demanding job that slowed progress, though David says the aeroplane was a great place to lose himself.

“My job, due to corporate pressure, is very stressful. So many times I’ve come home with a headache and instead of lying down I go and set a few rivets and feel 100% better. It’s definitely therapy. I’ve always really liked using my hands and building the RV demanded a lot more skill than I had previously. If I were to do it again though, I could do it in about three years. It was a huge learning curve.”

David had already done his tailwheel endorsement when he joined the SAAA in 2006 and credits Dave Tennant from NSW for a guiding hand with the building process.

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

T H R E E DAV E S + T H E RV 4

By Frank Deeth

David Taylor gives his RV4 the thumbs up

“I used to bother him quite a bit because I was worried about doing things properly. He said ‘you’re gonna have to get stuck into it and make a mistake otherwise you’ll never get anywhere.’ Dave was a guiding hand for the tail kit and beginning of the main wing spar, which is a very critical part. After that I had the confidence to go on alone.”

In the final few years of the build, David made a concerted effort to finish and spent every holiday working full-time on the RV enjoying watching the pieces come together and the dream taking shape.

The RV started life in the US as a kit, came to NSW where it began to see life, moved to another NSW home for three years, then went into storage in Kalgoorlie, WA and then three different locations around Esperance.

David had already done welding and panel beating courses and loved the challenge of upping his skills set to include fibreglass, sheetmetal, electrical and hydraulics. “It’s very rewarding and challenging and you just lose yourself in it,” he says. “The good thing about the Vans is that eventually it all comes together and you’re looking at a very complete large set of aircraft components that you can assemble. I did it all myself, except when I needed another set of hands for jobs like bucking rivets.”

The other really helpful person was Dave Walling, who has built nine RV aircraft. David reckons ten or fifteen minutes with Dave Walling provided enough momentum to keep him going for months.

Also on board was David’s 75-year old mother, who is good with her hands and an excellent quilter. She made the seat covers.

David’s mother has ‘been as interested as somebody who doesn’t fly can be’ and the seat covers are solid and durable.

David has a few hundred hours total time and 14 hours in his RV.

FIRST FLIGHT As another builder once said, ‘Nothing focuses the mind more than the first flight in something you built yourself.’ David procrastinated for the whole day and eventually decided to taxi up and down the strip to see how it performed, however as the Vans is just wanting to fly, it was not long before he was airborne and cursing himself. Despite the half dozen hours transition training, his first thought was ‘Sh*t David! You’re in the air now and you’re gonna have to put it back on the ground.’

Despite the nerve-wracking first flight, it was one of the best landings he’s done in the RV and it was only much later that it truly sunk in that he’d actually flown it.

“They fly incredibly slowly as well as fast and they are an exceptional design. The numbers prove exactly that, as there is now 9,500 flying worldwide and it’s a testament to their design. Of course there is a technical achievement in building an aeroplane, but once it’s flying, that then becomes an emotional attachment.”

AIRSPORT 23

T R AV E L F E AT U R E

GEOFF AND SUSAN’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE

Susan and Geoff return to Pirie in the Dragonfly

THE WINNER OF LAST ISSUE’S PHOTO COMPETITION AGREED TO PROVIDE A STORY FOR US AS THANKS FOR HIS PRIZE. THIS IS A LOVE STORY! Hey fellas, remember how it used to be?

You meet the girl of your dreams. You want to impress her. You have another interest in your life – what could be more natural than wanting to share that interest with the one you love? If you’re a flying person, you couldn’t go past taking her for a flight!

That’s how it was for me, back in 1987. I’d met the beautiful Susan and taken her for a glider flight. She was impressed, so let’s think of something else aeronautical. What could possibly go wrong?

Those who’ve been around a while will remember my Osprey. It was a two-seat side-by-side amphibious aircraft, which I built between 1979 and 1982. By 1987 I was pretty 24 AIRSPORT

at home in it and considered I was well able to look after Mr and Mrs L’s daughter, so suggested to Susan that we have a very cool adventure indeed: How about we just skip from Gawler up to Pirie for the day in the Osprey? Maybe we could do some interesting things on the way.

You must remember this was long before ready availability of LSA’s made such journeys easier to accomplish, so I thought this was just the best. What I had in mind related to something I’d read about years before – they used to have motorbike racing on the long beach that runs north from Port Broughton. In fact it runs up to a place you will find on the map coincidentally named Wood’s Point but has nothing to do with me, I assure you.

Anyway, the obvious conclusion was that if you could have racing on this beach it must have a very smooth hard surface – hard enough to land the Osprey on, or so I thought. So on a balmy Sunday in September off we went, the happy smiling couple complete with their packed picnic basket, skimming northward and looking forward to a very satisfying and unique day. Port Broughton came in sight, and there’s the beach - long and flat, just as advertised. A very careful reconnoitre using best precautionary landing technique – sure, it looks good. Down we went. The Osprey touched down and ran along nicely on its main wheels losing speed and everything was fine. Then just as we were down to a fast canter stagger, sag, sink – it all SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

G E O F F A N D S U S A N ’ S E XC E L L E N T A DV E N T U R E

came to a sudden stop. We were bogged.

An inspection revealed something I’ve never seen before or since. The beach consisted of a rock-hard crust about three inches thick, with powdery soft sand underneath. Once the speed decayed and the weight came on the aircraft’s wheels, through we went.

AS A GIRL SHE USED TO GO TO HER UNCLE’S FARM AND GET RABBITS BY CATCHING THEM AND THEN BASHING THEIR BRAINS OUT ON A NEARBY TREE.

This was embarrassing. The prospect of a romantic picnic was fast receding. I tried full power. I tried full power with my beloved pushing from outside – not something likely to improve my romantic prospects – but all to no avail. We decided it was time to look for help.

It’s surprising how far Wood’s Point is from anywhere and how little there is on the way.

Spinifex, sand and rabbits. Lots of rabbits.

“Rabbits” said Susan. “I remember a time with rabbits…..” and proceeded to tell me about how as a girl she used to go to her uncle’s farm and get rabbits by catching them and then bashing their brains out on a nearby tree. What have I taken on here, I wondered?

Anyway, after a walk of about eight kilometres we arrived at the first farmhouse and threw ourselves on their mercy. They were interested in our plight, to say the least – not every day an aeroplane is stranded on your nearest beach. Then I had a brainwave – not my first for the day!

How about we wait until the tide comes in, retract the wheels and fly it off the water?

When would the tide come in?

“Around next March,” was the reply.

Something to do with the moon. Anyway, scotch that idea.

Next, our valiant farmers said, “we’ll get out the four-wheel motorbikes.”

This was 1987 remember and I’d never seen such a thing. Now they are more common – like a moon buggy, huge balloon tyres with about two psi in them, able to traverse any surface, even the softest. So off we went on two of these things with about six people back to the Osprey.

We took out every bit of weight and resolved

????

Oops. When does the tide come in?

I would go solo. We tugged it onto harder sand, and off I went with full power and every capable body pushing. Faster – still draggy – faster – it’s feeling better – and up, up and away. Straight over to Port Pirie airport as the fuel was mostly back sinking into the sand at Wood’s Point.

When I arrived a huge crowd had gathered, lining the fence at the terminal.

“Shucks”, I thought, “You didn’t have to do this, it was nothing”.

Turned out it was nothing to do with me. They were waiting for the replica of Kingsford-Smith’s Southern Cross to arrive, which was a bit deflating.

In due course Susan arrived under the care of our helpful farmers. By this time it was far too late to go back to Gawler so we booked into a place to stay (this wasn’t in my original plan, I swear). We got a taxi to find some food and, given the day we’d had, asked the

taxi driver to take us to the best place in town. He checked with cabbie headquarters and back came the radio message straight away. “Take ‘em to the Chinese, you can sit down there.”

We had a very good time and flew home the next day, arriving late at our work places amid many smirks from those who knew we were going flying.

Well, nearly 25 years later I look back on the notorious Wood’s Point landing with great fondness. Despite the disaster, Susan and I were married the next year. And despite having some doubts about a town where the criterion for dining excellence is that you can sit down, we did the Pirie trip again this year in my Viking Dragonfly.

This time we stuck to airports and left Wood’s Point strictly alone!

Geoff Wood, Gawler Chapter 39, SA AIRSPORT 25

SAFETY

WHAT IF YOU HAD TO DITCH? A SUCCESSFUL PIPER CHIEFTAIN DITCHING IN THE CHOPPY WATERS OF DARWIN HARBOUR IN FEBRUARY 2009 SHOWS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A SAFE DELIBERATE EMERGENCY LANDING ON WATER. However, as an official said at the time, referring to the senior pilot of the Chieftain, he ‘deserved commendation as ditchings are a particularly hard task for any pilot, no matter how expert.’

Do you know the best glide speed, and how far your aircraft can glide per 1000 ft of altitude in still air? It’s in the pilot’s operating handbook or flight manual.

The main cause of death after ditching is drowning, usually hastened by hypothermia and/or exhaustion. In many cases, those who died did not wear lifejackets, or have them available. You must WEAR a suitable lifejacket while flying in a single-engine aircraft over water beyond gliding range from land. A proper lifejacket provides 16 kg of buoyancy which can be enough to keep an unconscious person afloat with the head above water. It is essential to use a durable lifejacket designed for constant wear (not an airline one). Many automatically inflated lifejackets, used by sailors, are activated 26 AIRSPORT

when a soluble tablet becomes wet. They are totally unsuitable for GA as they will inflate inside a water-filled cabin.The lifejacket should include a light; a whistle; a crotch strap; and in cold climates, a spray hood or plastic face mask which can be pulled over the face. It will reduce heat loss through the head as well as the amount of water flowing across the face; and should be high-vis with reflective tape. Store the lifejacket properly in a dry environment and service it regularly. Survival times in cold water will vary greatly depending on water temperature, individual build, metabolism, fitness and the amount of clothing worn.

The ideal solution is to get out of the water by using a life-raft. As with lifejackets, an aviation life-raft (NOT a marine life-raft), with a recognised approval, is the safest option and this must also be regularly serviced and properly stored when not in use. Know how to use all your survival equipment. Survival time in cold water

can be significantly increased by wearing suitable protective clothing, such as a survival suit. The more layers of clothes you wear, the longer you can survive. Wet wool retains 50 per cent of its insulating properties, whereas wet cotton retains only 10 per cent.

An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) must be of an approved type and registered with AMSA. A personal locator beacon (PLB), a portable radio transmitter, will assist to locate you. It should be able to float.

Those incorporating GPS automatically transmit position information, reducing search and rescue time.

Pilots should attempt to transmit an initial distress call on a conventional communications radio BEFORE ditching.

Before setting out on an overwater flight, allow and plan for the possibility of having to ditch. A survival course, where you will be taught the correct operation of SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

SAFETY

Adapted from Ditching, UK CAA Safety Sense leaflet 21c. See also CASA’s Ditching CAAP 253-(1)0, April 2003. lifejackets, getting into life-rafts etc can be helpful. Ensure adequate weather and fuel for the flight, plus any diversions. A four-person life-raft can weigh as much as 15 kg and is a significant extra load. Factor this in the total weight, and centre of gravity position. Review any recommended procedures in the aircraft flight manual or POH for both power-on and power-off ditching. As pilot-in-command, you MUST consider the survival equipment appropriate to the flight and fully brief the passengers on the emergency procedures.

SECURE the life raft in an accessible position.

If flying alone, place the life-raft on the front passenger seat and secure it with the harness. Check it will not interfere with the controls, lookout or exit. If you have a mobile phone, or hand-held GPS, put them in a sealed plastic bag to keep them dry. A waterproof torch, or better still a portable waterproof strobe could also be useful.

Once airborne over the sea, fly as high as is safe and legal. This will give better radio reception and more time between the onset of a problem and ditching. Before crossing the coast, carry out a particularly careful en-route flight check (FREDA – fuel; radio & navigation; engine & carb heat; direction & compass; and altitude).

DITCHING If you are flying a twin-engine aircraft and one engine stops, don the lifejackets and make a PAN call.

Immediately adjust for best glide speed and taking into account the wind direction, either aim towards the nearest coast, or towards shipping. Transmit the best and most accurate position fix that you can in a MAYDAY. ABOVE ALL, THROUGHOUT, FLY THE AIRCRAFT. The swell direction is more important than wind direction when planning a ditching. By the time you are down to 2000ft, the swell should be apparent and you should aim to touch down parallel to the line of the swell, if possible, landing along the crest.

If you can see spray and spume on the surface, then the surface wind is strong. In

this case it is probably better to plan to land into wind, rather than along the swell. Winds of 35 to 40 kts are generally associated with spray blowing like steam across waves and in these cases the waves could be three metres or more high. Aim for the crest again or, failing that, into the down slope.

The force of impact can be high, so ditch as slowly as possible while maintaining control.

Retractable gear aircraft should be ditched with the gear retracted (beware of automatic lowering systems). Consider unlatching the door(s). Hold the aircraft off the water so as to land tail down at the lowest possible forward speed, but do not stall into the water from a height of several feet. There will often be one or two minor touches, ‘skips’, before the main impact with the water. This main impact will usually result in considerable deceleration with the nose bobbing downwards and water rushing over the cowling and windshield. With a highwing aircraft, it may be necessary to wait until the cabin has filled with water before it is possible to open the doors. A determined push or kick on the windows may remove them. Consider leaving the master switch and the anti-collision beacon or strobes on.

They might be seen and provide a further sign of your position. Exit the aircraft calmly and as swiftly as possible. If it is afloat after the passengers are clear, provided you don’t put yourself in danger, deploy loose items that could float on the surface and help rescuers spot you, e.g. blankets, overnight bags, seat cushions.

THE LIFE-RAFT Before inflating the life-raft, it should be tied to someone holding firmly onto the aircraft, so that it doesn’t blow away. (It will float even before it is inflated.) Climb into the life-raft. If anyone is in the water and injured, or cannot climb aboard, position their back towards the entrance. Two people should then hold the person under the armpits (not by the arms) while any others balance the life-raft by sitting at the far end. Push the person initially down into the water, then give a good pull as the buoyancy from the lifejacket pushes the person back up again.

Warn them first!

PROTECTION IS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL The second element of survival is LOCATION, so switch on your PLB. Rig it as high as possible with the aerial vertical.

DO NOT leave it lying on the floor. A GPS position will assist rescuers. If close to shore, you could try texting on a mobile phone.

NO LIFE-RAFT? If you have to survive in the water with only a lifejacket, do NOT give up hope, the will to survive is the most powerful force to prolong life. Especially in southern waters, the sea is likely to be cold. Conserve essential body heat: The cold will cause you to lose the use of your hands very quickly, so perform any manual tasks straightaway while you can .Tie yourselves together if possible.

Ideally tie the PLB onto the lifejacket, keeping the aerial vertical. Do NOT swim in an attempt to keep warm. The heat generated due to more blood circulation in the arms, legs and skin will just be transferred to the cold water.Generally, don’t attempt to swim to the shore unless it’s less than one kilometre and you are a strong swimmer. Conserve heat. The most critical areas of the body for heat loss are the head, sides of the chest and the groin region. If the lifejacket has one, cover your head with the spray hood.

If there is a group of survivors, tie yourselves together and huddle with the sides of your chests and lower bodies pressed together.

If there are children, sandwich them in the middle of the group for extra protection.

A lone survivor should adopt the ‘HELP’ position (this is the heat escaping lessening posture). Hold the inner sides of your arms in contact with the side of the chest. Hold your thighs together and raise them slightly to protect the groin region.

And once you are being rescued, remember to let the rescuer take care of the actual rescue.

AIRSPORT 27

NEWS

LOBO OZ MUDGEE FLY-IN 2016 ON THE WEEKEND OF 19-20 FEBRUARY WE HELD OUR SECOND LOBO OZ FLY-IN AT THE HANGAR HOUSE, MUDGEE. IT WAS A SUPERB VENUE.

comes to engineering support and the like.

During this Mudgee fly-in, we held presentations on the following subjects: •

Engine management and how important it is to ensure the correct engine setup, mag timing and (SID 97-3).

•

Target EGT, Lean of Peak operations.

•

Wing Cuffs, and how they change the Lancair Legacy.

•

Drag reduction and the Lancair wing.

•

Accident prevention using ATSB/ NTSB Lancair specific data including an awareness of threat and error management and human factors.

•

Following this accident prevention presentation, we ran a Lancair Legacy Canopy presentation, which features what LOBO OZ has been able to do as a group when looking at specific gotchas.

•

We also touched on Lancair specific maintenance items; a bit like lessons already learnt and what to keep an eye on.

Our weekend LOBO OZ gathering at Mudgee – just missing 3 other Lancairs inside the hangar including ZYA), and 1 already departed.

Unfortunately, our SAAA NC was also holding a meeting over the same weekend at Bankstown, so they were unable to attend.

We had a total of 16 Lancairs from all over the country; 3 from WA, 1 from outback QLD, 2 others from QLD, 2 from SA, 1 from Tasmania, as well as aircraft from VIC and NSW; and Bill and Sue Harrelson, all the way from Virginia in the USA in their long-range Lancair 1V. We also had 4 other aircraft types fly-in for the meeting. There are more details and pictures being posted on our LOBO OZ site https://ozlobo.wordpress.com/ Here are two of Bill’s achievements: 1. A long proving flight of 8114 miles, which took a mere 38 hours 39 minutes non-stop.

2. After the proving flights were completed, Bill proceeded to fly this aircraft around the world over both poles.

28 AIRSPORT

A core group of four SAAA members and keen Lancair owners/builders started LOBO OZ in April 2014. I strongly believe that Type Clubs do save lives, and this is just one reason why LOBO OZ was formed; as part of the parent company, and for the very reasons which LOBO USA promotes: The Lancair Owners and Builders Organisation (LOBO) http://www. lancairowners.com/ promotes the safe use of Lancair Aircraft through education, training and fostering communication between members.

LOBO OZ gets fabulous support from LOBO USA, which is a large well-run organisation, with a wealth of knowledge with anything to do with Lancair aircraft.

Lancair International has been providing high performance kit aircraft for over 30 years, and we have examples of many of their superb aircraft here in Australia.

LOBO OZ also has direct access to the Lancair factory, which is most helpful when it

Our guest speaker this year was Bill Harrelson, who spoke to us about his amazing flight around the world over both poles in his purpose-built Lancair IV N6ZQ. If you own a Lancair, or know someone who does, I urge you to become a LOBO OZ member and help to support our knowledge base for building, maintaining and flying our aircraft safely. Join here: https://ozlobo. wordpress.com/join-lobo-oz/ We are happy to report that LOBO OZ is steadily growing, and while we are still in our infancy as a ‘Type Club’, we have a lot to offer the Lancair owner, builder, operator and enthusiasts.

Fred Morenro #06704 Chapter 13 SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

NEWS

ON WINGS OF WASTE

AN RV9 WILL FLY FROM CALIFORNIA TO ALASKA USING FUEL FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC Jeremy Rowsell will fly an RV-9 powered by a WAM 120 engine from San Francisco to Alaska, using a fuel partially derived from end-of-life recycled plastics. This will be a first and a proof-of-concept.

The RV9 offers the best compromise of safety, speed, endurance and ability to work well with the selected engine – the WAM 120 Diesel. The RV9 does not need heavy modification so if the fuel can work effectively, then it can become a viable option. The aircraft engine is certified to Jet A1 and consequently no modifications are required for this fuel as it is closely engineered to Jet A1 specification.

The fuel uses end-of-life recycled plastic.

95% of the end-of-life plastic material is usable for diesel fuel and the remaining 5%, known as ‘Char’, is a solid used to create

various floor coverings.

Using a process called pyrolysis, plastics are heated in an oxygen-free environment to prevent them from burning. The waste plastic is broken into component hydrocarbons to create the equivalent of a petroleum distillate.

As there is no burning of the plastics, but rather a melting process, there are no toxic emissions released into the environment.

The end product is high quality, low sulphur diesel/kerosene and creates 70% less emissions than a similar fuel. For the 1000 litres of plastic fuel required, approximately one tonne of waste plastic will be reused.

The Spanish plant will send the fuel to US and Canadian blenders. Our team will carry some spare in the aircraft for weather diversions and all legs take into account the need for fuel and diversions.

The new WAM engine concept allows the use of both diesel and jet fuels. It brings numerous benefits and weighs no more than traditional Avgas burning engines.

WAM engines are specifically designed to run on jet fuel and use new (to aircraft) diesel technology that avoids the technical compromises inherent in more conservative approaches. The result is an engine that exhibits excellent power-to-weight characteristics and is ideally suited to the requirements of a large range of light aircraft.

Most importantly to the WAM, engines are capable of running on bio diesels, and Wilksch Airmotive is currently working with partners to assess the impact of wider use of bio diesel in light aviation as well as plastic fuel. The team leaves on 1 August. onwingsofwaste.org AIRSPORT 29

SAFETY

DYNAMIC PROPELLER BALANCING AFTER RECENTLY COMPLETING A PROPELLER BALANCE FOR A HOMEBUILDER, THE RESULTS WERE VERY PLEASING. THIS ARTICLE ADDRESSES SOME PROPELLER BALANCING QUESTIONS AND FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAIL. Is there really some merit in trim balancing the propeller?

The obvious answer is ‘only if the propeller is unbalanced!’ A near-new, certified, direct drive engine and propeller is unlikely to benefit very much from trim balancing and it is unlikely that an improvement will be noticeable to the aircrew, even if it is trim balanced. Static prop balancing is in fact very accurate if carried out with the right equipment and all new certified props are of course statically balanced. The sources of vibration and noise in the cockpit are various – exhaust pulsations beating on the fuselage, acoustic pressure pulsations from the propeller at blade-pass frequency, and the firing rate torque reaction on the engine mounts. The effect of propeller unbalance if superimposed on all this could be likened more to a shake or shudder, rather than a ‘vibration’; it is often more noticeable at low rpm as the engine accelerates through engine mount resonance, which is typically around 1200 rpm. After trim balancing a significantly unbalanced prop, the pilot often remarks how much smoother the engine feels on start-up

and as the engine is run up through this speed.

On the plus side, for an existing aircraft, trim balancing the prop is the only maintenance action (other than keeping the engine in good condition) that can potentially give you a smoother aircraft, quickly (a typical prop balance will take 1 ½– 2 ½ hrs), and at relatively small cost.

The table below shows some examples of a few recent aircraft balances I have been involved with. The two RV-10’s are an interesting case – both were low airtime, and while the initial vibration levels were low, in both cases the owners commented favourably on the results.

These are an already smooth aircraft (6-cyl IO-540), but the prop balance made them even smoother. I also recorded the vibration spectrum in flight on the cabin seat rail of one of these aircraft just after the prop balance – see fig.1 – this shows why there is little point in achieving very low 1/rev values. We can see here that although the 1/rev vibration is now low, vibration at other frequencies now start to dominate. These are from the inevitable slight engine unevenness, engine firing rate, and prop aerodynamic effects.

Aircraft

Vib level before. IPS

Vib level after. IPS

Comments by aircrew from cockpit impres-sions in flight

PA-28

.23

.01

Very marked improvement

Glastar

.24

.04

Near new – no discernible effect

Thorp T-18

.61

.02

Very marked improvement

RV-6

.08

-

No balance carried out

RV-3

.08

-

No balance carried out

RV-10

.21

.02

Owner pleased with result

RV-10

.14

.06

Owner pleased with result

Sonex

.59

.08

Very marked improvement

Sonex

.25

.05

No obvious change

RV-8

.15

.06

No obvious difference felt

Waiex

.17

.06

-

30 AIRSPORT

(but no complaint!)

Is it likely that the result will be less wear on the engine, and less airframe degradation?

The benefits of propeller balance in terms of reducing engine wear are sometimes exaggerated. For example, a significantly unbalanced propeller generating a vibration level of 0.5 IPS (in/sec peak) will generate an out of balance radial force of around 60 lbf. However, with an IO-360 Lycoming for example, the peak firing load on the same bearings that react the propeller out of balance load, are around 9 tons. So the propeller loads are insignificant compared to the internal engine loads.

However, the vibration from significantly unbalanced props can exacerbate cracking of engine cooling baffles, exhaust systems etc and engine mounts if susceptible to cracking. A geared prop engine however is a good candidate for trim balancing at any time – the closely spaced rolling element bearings do not have the same load carrying capacity to react unbalanced propeller loads as the crankshaft plain bearings in a nongeared engine, and anything we can do to reduce loads on the reduction gearbox and components will be a good thing.

What does propeller vibration level in IPS mean?

Propeller vibration amplitude levels are usually referred to as IPS, which is a velocity, inches/second, usually the peak level. This is the peak velocity of the engine casing, as measured by the transducer, which occurs as it oscillates through the midpoint of the casing vibration. For propeller vibration measurement, all frequency components other than those at propeller rotational speed are ignored. In the world of prop balancing, 0.10 IPS is very low, 1.0 IPS is very high. While 1.0 in/sec doesn’t sound like much, at a prop speed of 2400 rpm, the casing is oscillating 40 times/second, but at a small amplitude of 8 SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

DY N A M I C P R O P E L L E R B A L A N C I N G

thousandths of an inch peak-peak.

How does Prop balancing work?

To fully describe the theory is outside the scope of this article however, the basis of all propeller trim balancing is unchanged from the influence coefficient procedure first published by E. L. Thearle in 1934, which is used in virtually all machinery trim balancing carried out today. Essentially, the process requires the use of a vibration sensor and the generation of a 1/rev tach pulse. The initial step is to obtain values of the baseline vibration amplitude and phase. The second step, in the absence of data on system sensitivity, is to attach a trial weight to the propeller hub. The engine is then run for a second time (at the same rpm), and the initial vibration is then subtracted vectorially from the value recorded from this second run, and the resulting value will be the contribution due only to the trial weight.

The mass and angular location of a balance weight to cancel the initial vibration is then computed by positioning the balance weight so that its influence is equal in magnitude, and 180 degrees out of phase with the initial vibration.

A typical setup of sensor and phototach is shown in fig 2; the output from these sensors is fed to a balancer-analyser. The engine speed used for balancing is not especially critical, we try to avoid engine mount resonances, and operate in the region 18002000 prop rpm. Higher rpm such as cruise settings are not necessary, and in fact are unhelpful due to the aircraft turbulence and bouncing at the higher rpm.

It could be said that this is a somewhat indirect way to balance a propeller. And that would be correct – trim balancing is not actually balancing the propeller. What we are really doing is to minimise the once/rev vibration signal at the vibration sensor, using the prop hub as a convenient place to attach a weight to generate 1/rev vibration. The tacit understanding of course is that any significant 1/rev vibration in this location will be caused by prop unbalance.

in complexity, of course, unless using permanently installed sensors and analysers, such as we have on some commercial aircraft.

Tests I carried out some time back with Sam Richards in his RV-6 at Temora indicated that the propeller balance could certainly be refined using in-flight data; the prop vibration level in-flight was reduced from 0.21 to 0.11 IPS. During these tests a comparison was also made using two sensors – one attached in the usual balance location on the front of the engine, and the other in the aircraft interior. The results of these measurements in Fig 3 vibration sensor and phototach on an IO-320 engine

show why we have engine vibration isolating mounts. The effect of the vibration isolation is to halve the 1/rev engine vibration and virtually eliminate the higher frequencies the train of ½ engine orders are characteristic of all aircraft piston engines.

By Brian Rebbechi Chapter 20

Fig. 1 RV-10 Cabin vibration – lower seat rail (vertical direction)

Would in-flight measurements provide better results?

Yes, but at the expense of significant increase AIRSPORT 31

SAFETY

GO BACK AND WARN THE OTHERS NOT LONG AFTER COMPLETING THE BUILD OF MY RV-12 I MADE A FLIGHT WITHIN MY TEST FLIGHT ZONE Not long after completing the build of my RV-12 I made a flight within my test flight zone. The pre-flight requires the ‘burping’ of the Rotax engine by removing the oil reservoir cap to better hear any sounds coming from within and then pulling the propeller through 15 or 20 times until the oil still in the crankcase is returned to the reservoir. This enables oil quantity checking via the separate dipstick found within the reservoir.

A ‘convenient spot’ had been found, within the limited accessible area of the engine bay, to place the cap securely during the oil level checking process. When all the oil is scavenged there is a distinct gurgling sound, often dubbed as a ‘burp’, heard emanating from the reservoir. After checking the dipstick for adequate oil the reservoir cap is then re-fitted, the access flap closed and the remaining pre-flight checks continued.

I’d done this many times before the day of this flight. At the critical moment following

the checking of the dipstick I was distracted by a passer-by. When returning to the pre-flight I saw the flap open, closed it and proceeded to my destination.

When the time came to repeat the oil level checking process before departure, the cap was not on the reservoir! An immediate sinking feeling. There was no way I was going to fly without it. I was in a tricky position as spare Rotax oil reservoir caps are not to be found everywhere at a moment’s notice.

Fortunately however, a closer examination revealed the cap was amazingly still in the ‘convenient spot’ although a little deeper in and yet able to be easily retrieved and returned, thankfully, to the reservoir.

Prior to the burping process, I now keep the cap in my hand until all is done and it can be returned to the reservoir. Lesson: There is no room for distractions disturbing the operation of an aircraft.

Submitted anonymously

ACCIDENTS + INCIDENTS Following several recent incidents locally, it is timely to remind members of their legal obligation to complete an incident report, either via our web site for SERA (SAAA Safety Management System) or through CASA/ATSB. Remember your aircraft may be homebuilt, but you still hold a CASA licence.

Written notifications are required to be submitted within 72 hours of an accident, serious incident or incident in accordance with section 19 of the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 and Regulation 2.6 of the Transport Safety Investigation Regulations 2003. The written notification should contain as much information about the accident, serious incident or incident as is within the knowledge of the person at the time of submitting the notification.

Please don’t view this requirement as a ‘tar + feathering exercise’. The submission provides valuable information to help prevent similar events occurring again and may just save someone’s life! It will also enable your account of events to be heard rather than a third person account being submitted that may not hold key or correct information.

We can still have fun, but we must also follow CASA’s guidelines, which are put in place to protect pilots and their aircraft and assist in learning from one another.

Grant Farrow Chapter 20 32 AIRSPORT

THE TANGLES While visiting a local gliding field I took a friend for a ride in my Sonex Tail dragger. I had to taxi a few hundred yards over grass to the threshold of the main paved runway. On the way my friend suggested I use the glider strip as it was closer. I changed my mind, reorganised my radio calls and lined up on the very narrow and much shorter bitumen strip. It was an adequate length with a huge expanse of flat grass at the upwind end so I applied full throttle and with 120 hp the acceleration was brisk, considering we were at MTOW. Because of zero forward visibility in a tail dragger I needed to apply a lot of forward stick as early as possible to see over the nose and keep our tiny wheels on the straight and narrow. Things happen very quickly and there are lots of minute adjustments required in quick succession. During these few seconds and now nearing lift off as I applied forward pressure my head was being pulled down towards the stick. The head set cord was wrapped tightly around the control stick and with my eyes being pulled down out of focus I was losing the picture and drifting left over the grass and the hidden ruts and potholes.

A few frantic tugs at the cord made it worse!

With panic beginning to mount I managed to straighten up in ground effect over the grass. As the speed increased it decreased the forward pressure required so I was then able to untangle the cord while climbing out.

This has never happened before in 200 hours of flying this aircraft and during construction I deliberately set up the head set jacks above and behind to try and eliminate the tangles.

LESSON: Be very thorough with pre-take off checks and make sure controls are free.

Include head set cord in checks. Be very careful when changing your mind on the run.

On the long wide main runway I would have had plenty of length to stop and sort things out. Further, the panic caused by drifting left on a wide runway is not as great.

Submitted anonymously SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

AIRSPORT 33

S A F E T Y F E AT U R E

CANOPY OPEN EVENTS IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT TYPE OF AEROPLANE YOU FLY NOR WHETHER THE CANOPY IS FORWARD OR SIDE HINGED, A CANOPY-OPEN EVENT CAN LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC OUTCOME. Below is an excellent SERA report from one of our members who experienced the loss of his canopy inflight along with his headset and cap. It is an honest account of what happened and a good read for us all.

2/INV/15

Loss of Canopy report

SERA REPORT • Amateur built (mini) Mustang aircraft • Manufactured in 1983, first registered in 2008 as VH-NSX • Crashed on landing at Port Lincoln (YPLC) after losing its canopy during flight • Investigation Number 2/INV/15 Synopsis During climb, the canopy opened and the pilot returned to Port Lincoln. During landing, the pilot experienced a high sink rate and lost control of the aircraft, subsequently colliding with terrain.

Factual Information Aircraft had just completed maintenance / upgrade / annual inspection and was ready to go.

The PIC sat in the aircraft and familiarised himself with all controls and switches etc.

When comfortable, PIC started the engine and did some slow taxi tests. After the PIC was happy everything checked out OK he taxied for take-off on runway 05. Initial power on and run was good. Once takeoff speed was reached he rotated and began the climb.

Everything was going normally until about 3000’ when the canopy unlatched and blew off. The PIC’s cap and headset also blew away at the same time, leaving him with no ability to make radio calls.

After a moment of surprise the PIC decided to return to YPLC. The disruption to the airflow over the tail surfaces made 34 AIRSPORT

controlling the aircraft difficult but the PIC was able to gain control of the aircraft and head back the airport.

The PIC entered a circuit for runway 05.

On short final the PIC reduced power to slow down and land. The controls became mushy and rate of descent increased. The PIC applied more power but did not gain enough control to stabilise the aircraft. The aircraft landed heavily about 50 metres from the threshold and slid.

The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The PIC walked away with only minor bruising from the harness.

Analysis It appears as though the canopy was not latched/locked securely prior to the test flight.

While this may have been the root cause of the accident other contributing factors were; 1. T he aircraft has severe performance limitations without the canopy in place.

2. The pilot had limited training in the management of such an inflight emergency resulting in a somewhat rushed return to land without full consideration of the aircraft’s handling characteristics at a safe height and location.

Conclusions Secure canopy locks are essential for such an aircraft that derives a large percentage of its lift from the canopy being in place. To achieve this, suggested options are :

that knowledge.

In such emergency situations, suggest before making an approach the pilot carry out basic handling checks to establish just how the aircraft will handle in the approach configuration. While it was not possible to make radio contact in this case any additional advice and support from other pilots/engineers should be considered.

Safety Recommendations Following recommendations are made: • a warning light be fitted that indicates when the canopy is not locked • t he use of checklists before take-off that include doors/canopies and hatches.

• t he PIC carry out emergency flight management training – (even if it is at a desk top or classroom level) The SAAA promote this accident as a learning experience for all members and the lessons learned form the basis of a series of safety forums delivered within the Chapter meeting environment.

So it doesn’t matter whether you fly a Mini Mustang, RV, Zenith or a Lancair, to name a few, we know there is a lot of lift being produced over the top of the canopy.

Besides being very noisy and distracting once the canopy comes open in-flight, it is the change to the aerodynamics of the aeroplane that we need to be aware of and most certainly think about.

In September 2013 we had a fatal accident in Australia as a result of the canopy not being latched on TKOF in a Lancair Legacy.

The Lancair Owners Builders Organisation of Australia (LOBO Oz) https://ozlobo. wordpress.com/ worked with the ATSB and LOBO USA to help come up with something to help prevent another canopy-open event.

• the use of checklists before take-off that includes doors and hatches.

The canopy latching system in the Lancair Legacy is very well designed and robust as reported by the ATSB. We do however, need to ensure our latching devices are correctly adjusted.

• the PIC had limited emergency flight management training – or did not apply

A risk analysis was conducted by one of our LOBO Oz members and it is sufficient to

• a warning light that indicates when the canopy is not locked and

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

CANOPY OPEN EVENTS

due to the movement in the canopy.

So if you find yourself in this situation: • at a safe height carry out a controllability check • reduce airspeed at about 5kts at a time when changing configuration to determine how to safely return for landing • return to the longest available runway • be very gentle on the controls.

There will be a lot of extra drag so the standard power setting numbers won’t work.

We have written a Canopy Open supplement and included it in the emergency section of our aircraft flight manual. Obviously you won’t have time to refer to it at the time so treat a canopyopen event as a recall item, know exactly what you are going to do and rule number one is always fly the aeroplane.

The flashing “CANOPY NOT SECURE” warning with audio as an option

say that the disciplined use of a pre-takeoff checklist by a well-trained pilot is insufficient to prevent a Canopy Open event.

When I built my Lancair Legacy I was already aware of some previous Canopy events in the USA and incorporated dual micro switches and a warning light. While this combination improves the odds against departing without locking the canopy, it was possible to miss the warning light in direct sun light.

As an additional safeguard one of our LOBO Oz members wrote a script file to incorporate a warning onto our EFIS screens, which makes it impossible to ignore.

Now that we are aware of possible outcomes after a canopy open event we need to carefully consider how we will fly the aeroplane after such an event to help ensure a successful outcome.

Here are some points you may wish to consider. LOBO did a significant amount of work on how the aeroplane should best be flown in a canopy open event.

Once a canopy is open in the Lancair, aerodynamic forces make it impossible to close, so don’t even attempt to. Concentrate on flying the aeroplane smoothly and stay nicely balanced. There is a lot of lift being produced over the top of that canopy.

It is very important to keep the ball centred, remain at, or extend the flaps 15 to 20 degrees to keep the AofA as low as possible.

Gary Weeks Accelerate to 120kts and at a safe altitude carry out a flight handling and control check in preparation for a successful return. We use 120kts as a minimum An unlatched canopy will move in response to aerodynamic forces and can obstruct the pilot’s forward view. Be very aware of pilot induced oscillations due to the elevator being shielded and the disturbed airflow over the tailplane as a result of the canopy being open.

Also, the pilot may have to use the attitude indicator for pitch control

AIRSPORT 35

NEWS

FIRST FLIGHT

EARTHX INC.

Phil Lamb, Rob Lawrie + Peter Krauss at the Warnervale SAAA Fly-in, 7 May. Phil and Pete were presented with signed model aircraft on the occasion of the completed builds of Phil's RV9 and Pete's Glastar.

Jetline Aviation Pty Ltd is pleased to announce that it has been appointed

by EarthX Inc. as Australasian stocking distributor for all range of EarthX Experimental Aircraft and motor sports batteries.

EarthX Inc. currently has 4 battery models designed specifically for the aircraft market; the ETX680C, ETX680, ETX900 and the ETX1200. EarthX lithium batteries can significantly decrease the weight of your aircraft (11+ pounds instantly) and increase your cranking amps all with one product! All of these aircraft models have a fully integrated battery management system (BMS) that is also redundant and have an LED battery fault light indicator that can be used in your EFIS system or a simple LED light on your panel. The BMS provides over discharge protection, over charge protection, short circuit protection, and excessive cranking protection (temperature sensing) in addition to integrated cell balancing technology.

As you have many options in which batteries to use, please don’t hesitate to contact us for specific battery recommendations.

Well, it has happened. I was nervous. Got into the RV9 at 4.55pm on Wednesday 10th February 2016 and taxied out to fly her for the first time. She flies - and beautifully!

The engine purred along beautifully on the 2 PMags (zippy tied up all the plugs etc).

The landing roll was long - she wanted to float. After landing, I inspected Petal. No oil.

Engine cowl cool on the bottom. The LAME (Christian) inspected her. All great! It’s done, or should I say, it’s the beginning.

Phil Lamb Chapter 1, Sydney

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

A warm welcome to our following new members >

36 AIRSPORT

NEW SOUTH WALES David Greig Bernard Hamilton Alexander Brad Smith Paul Rivers Rory Hatchett David Robson Ivan Young Christopher Heathcote Hans Bleuler Nathan Allen

VICTORIA Rodney Gamble Robert Sharples Ron Ligeti Adam Sleight Ian Donovan Barry McCrow SOUTH AUSTRALIA James Hubbard Peter Gibberd

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Philip Button Franc (Franciscus) Smit Timothy John Carmody Brendan Watts ACT Klaus Schwerdtfeger

QUEENSLAND Henry Kaye David Geers Dan Hawkins Peter Brial Todd Woodford Willsdown Pastoral Dean Anderson David Clarke

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

TAK I NG AVIATION BY S TORM

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AIRSPORT 37

B U I L D E R S ’ LO G

VH-VHF

VH-TJW BUILDER:

TERENCE WILSON #06945

BUILDER:

PETER SUMMERSBY #06728

LOCATED:

SA

LOCATED:

VIC

A/C TYPE:

VANS RV7

A/C TYPE: VANS RV7A

C of A issued 09/02/2016 by Darren Barnfield C of A phase 1 issued 26/01/2016 by Darren Barnfield

VH-MTT

VH-PLX BUILDER:

PHIL LAMB #07510

BUILDER:

GEOFFREY MERRITT #06649

LOCATED:

NSW

LOCATED:

VIC

A/C TYPE:

GLASSAIR SR-2R

A/C TYPE: VAN’S RV9

C of A issued 09/02/2016 by Darren Barnfield C of A phase 1 issued 02/02/16 by David Tennant

38 AIRSPORT

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

B U I L D E R S ’ LO G

VH-NYF

VH-ERQ

BUILDER:

NICOLAS ROLLOND #04360

BUILDERS: RODNEY LOCKE #08409

LOCATED:

WA

LOCATED:

A/C TYPE: VANS RV-7 C of A issued 09/02/2016 by Bill Keehner

WA

A/C TYPE: VANS RV-7 C of A issued 08/02/2016 by Bill Keehner

VH-TJM

VH-HOC BUILDER:

DAVID TAYLOR #06422

BUILDER:

IAN SMITH #07752

LOCATED:

WA

LOCATED:

QLD

A/C TYPE:

VANS RV-4

A/C TYPE: VANS RV6A

C of A issued 08/02/2016 by Bill Keehner C of A phase 1 issued 01/03/2016 by Peter Lewis

AIRSPORT 39

B U I L D E R S ’ LO G

VH-MND

VH-XSK BUILDER:

PETER PENDERGAST #06257

LOCATED:

VIC

BUILDER:

MICHAEL DE FEYTER #07307

A/C TYPE:

PP108

LOCATED:

NSW

A/C TYPE: SONEX C of A issued 11/03/2016 by Darren Barnfield The Serpentine crew

C of A issued 16/02/2016 by Martin Ongley

VH-AFF

VH-NCP BUILDER:

ANDREW MARTIN #06820

BUILDER:

BRUCE CHANDLER #08294

LOCATED:

WA

LOCATED:

WA

A/C TYPE:

ROTORWAY EXEC 162F

A/C TYPE: LIGHTWING SP4000

C of A issued 22/02/2016 by Colin Morrow C of A phase 1 issued 30/03/2016 by Bill Keehner

40 AIRSPORT AIRSPORT

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

B U I L D E R S ’ LO G

VH-KZF

VH-VMO BUILDER:

IAN EMMETT #07889

BUILDERS: ANTOINE CHANG-FANE

LOCATED:

TAS

#08313

LOCATED:

WA

A/C TYPE: CARBON CUB C of A issued 27/06/2016 by Darren Barnfield

A/C TYPE: KITFOX 4 C of A issued 15/04/2016 by Colin Morrow

How to submit to Builders’ Log

Email the following details to us at enquiries@saaa.com – with your photos!

> First and last name > SAAA membership number > Chapter number and location

VH-CAK

> Contact details (email, phone if you want others to be able to contact you)

> Details of the aircraft you are working on

(name, model, manufacturer, registration number, etc)

> Information about the building process - share your stories!

BUILDER:

GEOFF BARRATT #08107

LOCATED:

WA

A/C TYPE:

VAN’S RV7A

C of A issued 07/04/2016 by Bill Keehner

> Pictures in jpeg format (around 1 Mb in size is ideal but send whatever you have).

AIRSPORT 41

42 AIRSPORT

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE NEW SOUTH WALES

wing tip tanks, canopy. Fabric cover to be done. Some instr + prop avail. Overhaul + tested Lycoming D-320A2B eng fitted with log book. Some parts for 2nd engine.

Spare AN nuts + bolts. Stan (03)9460 4146 or Quin (0411)123-674

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

CORBY STARLET VH-CBS, replica of the prototype. Built by Barrie Bishton with input from John Corby. Includes some parts of the original. 45 BHP stark stamo engine, x-com VHF radio, no canopy or wheel pants. Empty weight 381 lbs. Total time engine and airframes 4 hrs. Ready to fly. A unique opportunity to acquire by tender an Australian designed and built aircraft. Highest tender not necessarily accepted. PH 02 6562 4502 or 0439 864 023

QUEENSLAND

ZENITH CH300 TRI-Z PROJECT Bargain Price only AUD$ 10,000 no GST Complete airframe, no engine, located Albany WA. Built 1984. TTIS 820 hrs. Custom exhaust and mufflers included. Just needs Lycoming O360-A3A, carby. 2+2 seater. Fuel capacity 280 litres. 115 kts cruise.

Airframe in good condition. Uneconomic to repair engine, which was removed for bulk strip. New fp wood prop from Thompson Aeronautics NZ included.

Contact Bob Hannington SAAA 01503 Mob 0409 090 493 Email: rhh@albanyis.com.au

FOR SALE 2005 JABIRU J400 Amateur-Built Experimental, TTIS 366 Hours, Fresh annual $65,000 ONO no GST martinongley@bigpond.com or 0429 904 865

2007 AWARD WINING RV7 with 640 hours for sale.

IO360 LYC with MT prop and Glass cockpit.No incidences. Many extras and all you need for touring.

Always hangared. Price Neg above $110K Call Rob 0419 889 809

system. Incl modified cowls (to assist air extraction) and engine bearer and match drilled nose gear leg to suit RV9A, Sensenich wood fp prop and spinner, MGL muli-channel CHT (& EGT) gauge. CHT sensors fitted to all heads, Air filter box. Asking AUD$ 8,000 for the lot but will sell items separately if required. GO ON! MAKE ME AN OFFER! Located Albany WA. Contact Bob Hannington #01503 Mob 0409 090 493 Email: rhh@albanyis.com.au

EUROPA XS MONOWHEEL BUILT FROM KIT NO 422 - First flight June 2005. Based at Jandakot and always hangared. 3300 Jabiru engine (6 cyl) with just over 220 hours. Airmaster 3-blade electric variable pitch prop fully adjustable fm cockpit, fully feathering. Basic 6 pack instr plus CHT, oil pressure, oil temp, EGT, Volt/Amp metre, navaids wing leveller/auto pilot on one axis, fuel flow, Hobbs metre, rev counter, fuel gauges, Microair radio and transponder, Vacuum pump and Vacuum gauge etc. Finished in white with trim. Cruises nicely at 130 Kts at 21 L/H. Joe 0438 013 860 j.digiorgio@iinet.net.au

RV7A VH-ZRW Built 2004 423 Hrs. Basic VFR plus Dynon D11, 2 Microair radios, Microair T/X, Electric T&B, Electronics Int. Volts/Amps, Electronics Int. fuel gauge, with capacitance sender, Prince Prop, Engine Jabiru eight cylinder 5100 180 HP. EIS engine monitor Current Annual (February) Located Toowoomba Qld.Priced for quick sale $80,000 Ph. Bob 0746332025 or email wendoure@westnet.com.au

TOOLS: Just about to finish building our RV14A. Won’t be needing our tools, benches and equipment soon. One build only - given full TLC. If you are thinking about building an aircraft soon (particularly an RV) we have a complete set of tools and accessories you will need for your build. More comprehensive than those packaged tool sets we bought and then had to add on and onto.

Don’t forget the GST and freight costs to import tools +25% on to the purchase price. Replacement cost $9500 +. Selling $7000.00. Alan Carlisle 0403 323 973. alancarlisle@optusnet.com.au

75% SCALE REPLICA WITH COFA JABIRU 3300 with Rotec liquid cooled heads and Rotec TBI. Airmaster elect 3 bladed prop King avionics. TT55 hrs. Hangared Jandakot.

Many mods but to scale as per a real Mk8. $140,000 ono (no GST) Peter (0414) 945-129 yatespj@iinet.net.au

VICTORIA WANTED WESTERN AUSTRALIA PLANS FOR SLIDING CANOPY OPTION FOR ZENITH CH200 Phil Ashcroft 0433 621 821 or 08 9655 1219 Janeashcroft52@gmail.com

CAVALIER 102.5 Project. Approx 80% done. Woodwork complete incl major metal 4130 fits. u/carriage legs,

FOR SALE JABIRU 5100A EIGHT CYLINDER ENGINE SER NO 27 Fitted with Fine finned heads, external CAMIT alternator, Rotec electronic ignition, custom exhaust

TWO-SEATER EITHER VH OR RAA registered homebuilt, tandem or side-by-side.

Any location-will travel. Ph 0407 943 685 or 0404 075 246 after 9am WST AIRSPORT 43

C H A P T E R CO N TAC T S

ACT Chapter 26 Monaro President: John Morrissey Mob 0419 260 740 chapter26@saaa.com.au NEW SOUTH WALES Chapter 1 Sydney North President: Rob Lawrie Mob 0401 578 700 president@saaasydney.com Chapter 2 Camden President: Graham Johnston Mob 0417 985 200 chapter02@saaa.com.au Chapter 4 South Coast President: John DeBattista Tel 0415 849 560 Secretary: Michael De Feyter chapter04@saaa.com.au Chapter 5 Central Coast President: Dean Nesbitt Mob 0418 757 383 chapter05@saaa.com.au Chapter 6 Coffs Harbour President: Dr Paul Foster Tel 02 6569 9484 (ah) chapter06@saaa.com.au Chapter 7 Mid-North Coast President: Bill Coote Tel 0428 599 953 chapter07@saaa.com.au Chapter 11 North-West Sydney President: Ian Woodhead M 0404 830 634 chapter11@saaa.com.au Chapter 23 Frogs Hollow NSW President: Drew Done Tel 02 6495 9484 chapter23@saaa.com.au Chapter 37 Southern NSW President: Jarrod Clowes Mob 0428 811 884 chapter37@saaa.com.au Chapter 38 Western Plains President: Daniel Compton Mob 0409 944 619 chapter38@saaa.com.au

44 AIRSPORT

NORTHERN TERRITORY Chapter 35 Northern Australia President: Vern Taylor Mob 0418 898 899 Secretary: Christopher McKay Mob 0418 799 469 chapter35@saaa.com.au QUEENSLAND Chapter 15 Queensland President: Peter Karanges Tel 0407 459 933 chapter15@saaa.com.au Chapter 19 Gold Coast President: Robert Fraser Mob 0429 200 098 Secretary: Stanley Lewis Mob 0414 960 872 chapter19@saaa.com.au Chapter 22 Sunshine Coast President: Jamie Lee Mob 0401 770 230 Secretary: Chris Babaro Mob 07 3265 3204 jaimielee.qld@internode. on.net Chapter 34 Far North QLD President: John Martin Mob 0419 536 668 chapter34@saaa.com.au Chapter 36 Central QLD Contact: John Gordon Mob 0418 458 095 chapter36@saaa.com.au SOUTH AUSTRALIA Chapter 25 Port Lincoln SA President: Michael Hart Tel 08 8682 1977 chapter25@saaa.com.au

S A A A CO N TAC T S

Chapter 18 Melbourne President: David Zemel Mob 0412 778 120 chapter18@saaa.com.au Chapter 20 Kyneton District President: John Gleeson Mob 0428 561 475 chapter20@saaa.com.au Chapter 21 Moorabbin President: Stuart Trist Mob 0410 561 371 chapter21@saaa.com.au Chapter 27 Tyabb Victoria President: Darren Barnfield Tel 03 5979 1501 Mob 0408 351 309 chapter27@saaa.com.au WESTERN AUSTRALIA Chapter 10 South West WA President: Lloyd Henricksen Mob 0427 210 752 chapter10@saaa.com.au Chapter 13 Albany District President: Ian Coombe Mob 0428 957 829 Vice President: Ralph Burnett Sec/Treasurer: John Rich Tel 08 9842 1417 chapter13@saaa.com.au Chapter 16 Serpentine President: Bo Hannington Tel 08 9524 2000 Mob 0427 044 156 chapter16@saaa.com.au Chapter 24 Jandakot Secretary/Treasurer: Peter Mulhern Mob 0418 923 837 chapter24@saaa.com.au

Chapter 39 Adelaide President: Paul Holaj Secretary: Patrick Pulis Mob 0408 008 379 chapter39@saaa.com.au VICTORIA Chapter 14 Latrobe Valley President: David Knowles Mob 0428 826 007 chapter14@saaa.com.au

Acting National Technical Geoffrey Danes Mindarie Mob 0428 992 399 gdanes@iinet.net.au

MPC/Training Coordinators NSW AND SA Shane Park nswstatecoordinator@ saaa.com 0425 253 450 VICTORIA Brian Ham vicstatecoordinator@saaa. com.au 0417 464 866 QUEENSLAND Peter Leonard qldstatecoordinator@saaa. com.au 0417 758 272 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Fred Moreno wastatecoordinator@saaa. com.au 0488 336 905

AP Coordinator Geoffrey Danes Mindarie Mob 0428 992 399 gdanes@iinet.net.au

CASA Authorised Persons 27 Darren Barnfield Hastings VIC 0408 351 309 13 Robert Hannington Albany WA 0409 090 493 rhh@albanyis.com.au

For any changes to Chapter details, contacts or to notify of errors, please email enquiries@saaa.com

24 William Keehner Mt Pleasant WA 0417 972 090 wkeehner@bigpond.net.au 19 Peter Lewis Lake Eacham QLD 0439 714 617 skyworthy2@bigpond.com

19 Howard Mason Elanora QLD 0417 621 655 masonair@bigpond.net.au 24 Colin Morrow Como WA 08 9450 2130 colinmorrow@optusnet. com.au 05 David Tennant Warnervale NSW 0410 491 866 dltenno@hotmail.com 14 Brian Turner Boolarra South VIC 0429 172 740 btvair@gmail.net.au 37 Jim Williams Albury NSW 0408 480 445

TECHNICAL COUNSELLORS ACT 26 Kim Jones Monash Tel 02 6291 9377 kim_jones@hotmail. com.au 26 Lou Szabolics Hawker Mob 0411 850 383 szabolics@bigpond.com NEW SOUTH WALES Karl Ahamer Bowral Mob 0411 290 472 kahamer@bigpond.net.au 40 Malcolm Bennett Wagga Wagga Tel 02 6922 4917 Mob 0423 101 855 bennettbuilt@hotmail.com Barrie Bishton Kempsey Tel 02 6562 4502 Mob 0439 864 023 jill.sp@bigpond.com 4 Peter Bowman Figtree Mob 0429 130 340 pean.bow@bigpond.net.au

7 Bill Coote Toronto, NSW Mob 0428 599 953 bill@stickandrudder. com.au 11 Ian Goldie Port Macquarie Mob 0414 259 098 irgoldie112@gmail.com 1 Rick Harper Bohnock Mob 0416 041 007 rjwh56@gmail.com 5/8 Grant Piper Central Coast/Country NSW Ph 02 6377 4556 Mob 0438 890 242 grant.piper@skymesh. com.au 5 Robert Redman Floraville Mob 0418 570 768 rlredman@bigpond.com 11 Edward Seve Arcadia Mob 0402 829 966 eddie.seve@yahoo.com Peter Krauss Lane Cove Mob 0418 660 147 p_krauss@hotmail.com Andrew Sieczkowski Grafton Mob 0408 573 130 andyski@exemail.com.au 40 Tony Middleton Springvale Heights Tel 02 6922 4990 a.middo@bigpond.net.au 38 Ken Smithwall Lue Mob 0428 665 658 ksmithwell@hotmail.com NORTHERN TERRITORY 35 Bill Markey Acacia Hills Mob 0400 782 313 bdtsmarkey@bordernet. com.au

SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

S A A A CO N TAC T S

QUEENSLAND 15 Craig Aitken Archerfield Mob 0459 634 047 mcaitken1@bigpond.com 34 John Atkinson Cairns Mob 0427 534 806 long_lej@tpg.com.au 15 Robert Chopin Archerfield Mob 0434 664 148 robert.chopin@bigpond.com

34 John Martin Cairns Mob 0419 536 668 j-martin@bigpond.net.au Peter McDougall Haliday Bay Mob: 0408 345 507 qiepl@bigpond.com 15 Mike Roselt Applethorpe Mob 0417 706 827 fay.roselt@bigpond.com

15 Terry Grace Kenmore Mob 0488 141 415 terry.grace@bigpond.com

Lance Sandford Dundowran Mob 0425 715 781 lsandford@westnet.com.au

15 John Gross Mt Cotton Tel 07 3206 6151 johnandjude@bigpond.com

15 Paul Smith Ferny Hills Mob 0419 641 853 pk.smith@bigpond.net.au

36 Daryl Grove Aitkenvale Tel 07 4775 1604 grovedj@bigpond.net.au

19 Gary Spicer Gold Coast Mob 0402-822-907 dreamtime950@optusnet. com.au

21 Martin Hone Gatton Airpark Mob 0419 368 696 aerobiz1@gmail.com 22 Mike Horneman Caboolture Mob 0417 931 872 rv6mjh@bigpond.net.au 9 Brian Hunter Helensvale Mob 0416 069 151 salbh@qld.chariot.net.au 34 Tony Ilyes Tully Heads Mob 0408 797 228 ilyesent@bigpond.com 34 Darren Jones Edmonton Mob 0432 575 824 cbar@aol.com.au 15 Peter Karanges Sunnybank Hills Mob 0407 453 933 designt@bigpond.net.au 22 Steven Kennedy Sunshine Coast Tel 07 4528 3145 M 0411 035 583 kennedy5ss@hotmail.com

Robert Veale Bokarina Tel 07 5493 5221 raveale@optusnet.com.au 34 Laurie Wincen Atherton Mob 0408 725 050 laureq19@gmail.com

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 39 Bruce Deslandes Whyalla Mob 0414 263 180 b.des@bigpond.com 39 Paul Holaj Nairne Mob 0408 008 379 pn-holaj@bigpond.com 39 Walter Ogilvie Kingston Mob 0427 689 031 wogilvie@live.com.au

TASMANIA John Jones 0411 406 861 jonesey@powerup.com.au

VICTORIA Peter Austin Oak Park Tel 03 9306 1090 peterg_austin@hotmail. com 37 James Ball Stawell Mob 0428 743 450 jtball@iinet.au 21 Robert Barrow Strathdale Tel 0405 129 797 bobbarrow@bigpond.com 21 John Cartledge

Sandringham Mob 0419 883123 urecomps@bigpond.net.au 20 Frank Deeth Heathmont Mob 0408 559 866 tr.9@westnet.com.au 20 Len Dyson Newport Tel 03 9391 2193 p51mustang@optushome. com.au 20 Norm Edmunds Kyneton Mob 0407 098 242 idgara.aviation@bigpond. com 21 Brian Ham Templestowe Mob 0417 464 866 brian.ham@bigpond.com 20 Peter Pendergast Ocean Grove Mob 0418 129 222 ppen@live.com.au Peter Schafer Tolmie Mob 0425 837 055 schaferpj@gmail.com Rod Shearer Huntly Tel 03 5448 8669 Mob 0419 717 212 bacm@iinet.net.au 21 Arthur Stubbs Port Fairy Mob 0419 357 648 arthurstubbs60@gmail.com

21 Robert Taylor Ferny Creek Mob 0428 324 731 rwtaylor@bigpond.com

16 Shirley Harding Mundijong Mob 0459 555 025 rv6vhasf@gmail.com

21 Bruce Towns Braeside Mob 0408 326 260 brucetowns@bigpond.com

13 Brian Holman Albany Mob 0429 844 419 bmholman@australiaonline.net.au

21 Stuart Trist Mordialloc Mob 0410 561 371 stuart.trist2@gmail.com Brian Turner Boolarra South Mob 0429 172 740 btvair@gmail.com

WESTERN AUSTRALIA 24 Paul Blackney Leeming Mob 0417 091 763 pblackny@bigpond.net.au 24 Peter Cash Riverton Mob 0447 560 928 bee@bee-engineering.com 24 Geoffrey Danes Mindarie Mob 0428 992 399 gdanes@iinet.net.au 10 Terry Doe Eaton Mob 0437 256 229 terrdoe@gmail.com 24. Lindsay Danes Success Tel 08 9414 1122 lindsayd@primus.com.au 24 Mike Fletcher Bunbury Mob 0408 090 438 mike.sue.fletcher@gmail. com 24. Andy George Kalgoorlie Mob 0418 920 404 andy.george@rapallo. com.au 16 Bo Hannington Baldivis Tel 08 9524 2000 Bo@elbo.com.au

24 William Keehner Mount Pleasant Mob 0417 972 090 wkeehner@bigpond.net.au 24 Colin Morrow Como Mob 0412 069 490 colinmorrow@optusnet. com.au 13 Fred Moreno Denmark Tel 08 9848 1431 frederickmoreno@bigpond.com 24 Peter Nelson Baldivis Mob 0418 949 943 peternelson666@gmail. com 13 Noel Stoney Redmond Mob 0447 453 242 nrstoney@bigpond.com 24 Tony White Guildford Mob 0419 421 632 twhite@westnet.com.au

FLIGHT ADVISORS & TEST PILOT Keith Engelsman Grenfell NSW Tel 02 6343 3292 Mob 0409 076 277 xtp@activ8.net.au

SAAA PILOT ADVISORS Ralph Burnett Albany WA Tel 08 9842 8963 Mob 0427 200 673 burnett@comswest.net.au Aub Coote Grovedale VIC Tel 03 5241 1605 Jon Johanson Goolwa SA Mob 0419 554 656 info@flymore.com.au Gordon Johanson Baldivis WA Mob 0419 043 161 gordon-jane@telstra.com Peter McDougall (Helicopters) Haliday Bay QLD Mob 0408 345 507 qiepl@bigpond.com Robert (Bob) Redman Floraville NSW Tel 02 4947 0768 Mob 0418 570 768 rlredman@bigpond.com Andy Ski (Andrew Sieczkowski) Grafton Area NSW Tel 02 6642 1104 Mob 0408 573 130 andyski@exemail.com.au Gary Spicer Hope Island QLD Tel 07 5514 2196 Mob 0402 822 907 dreamtime950@optusnet. com.au

For any changes to Contact details, contacts or to notify of errors, please email enquiries@saaa.com

AIRSPORT 45

S H O RT F I N A L

A BOLT FROM THE FNQ clouds to see all obstacles to the coast, backlit by the rising sun.

Our eventual route was coastal OCTA to Charters Towers - Clermont – Emerald – Roma – Moree – Narromine - Wagga Wagga - Kyneton. With a big low pressure system moving into Western Qld we had to run a bit further east than desired. That threw the fuel orders in chaos.

Over the years, I’d looked at building or buying a Skybolt. Somehow, it never fitted in with my other projects or their funding.

I remember in the mid-80s when VH-JOL came onto the scene, it was one of the first Skybolts built in Australia.

Thirty years later, JOL came onto the market and together with a couple of mates I was in a position to acquire the project. I say ‘project’ because no homebuilt aircraft is ever really finished and the current owner is always going to tweak it and fuss with it for their own enjoyment.

A 30-year old home-built biplane isn’t something you get into lightly and so it had to be at the right price and with a fair amount of research into its background.

I spoke with the LAME who had been maintaining ‘Snoopy’ for the last few years as well as Brian Ham, who flew her in her early years with the owner/ builder, the late John Liddell. I also spoke with a few people who had watched her being built and could vouch for the construction -unofficially of course! The other advantage is I knew the aircraft was built under the old 101.28 system of homebuilt aircraft construction. This was a great advantage when the original builder wasn’t around to discuss the construction.

The difficult bit came when we wanted 46 AIRSPORT

to bring the aircraft home from Atherton, Qld. I needed to align my roster, the weather and a copilot but as the dry season drifted into the wet, the window of opportunity started closing.

New Year’s Eve we flew to Cairns. I reckon I hadn’t been to Atherton for at least 25 years and all I remembered was high terrain and lots of hills and mountains between the tablelands and the coast.

The plan was to escape down to Charters Towers via Innisfail and the coast to just north of Townsville before skirting around the back of the Townsville zone. This was perhaps the trickiest part of the journey, made a little more difficult because the intercom wasn’t working and our confidence in the radio wasn’t much better.

We worked out a system of hand signals and written messages to overcome the intercom, but the lack of confidence in the radio meant we were obliged to keep our operations out of CTA and possibly even CTAF-R. Luckily we had a pretty flexible plan, were conservative with fuel and our schedule.

The weather allowed us a short acceptance flight but it wasn’t clear enough towards the coast to attempt an early departure.

We got away just after 0700 the next morning with a big enough break in the

With that in mind, I advise everybody to note that Clermont’s call out fee was about $250! We only stopped there because it was early in the flight so the full nature of our fuel burn and endurance wasn’t known and we were being conservative.

The remainder of the flight was pretty straight forward after Charters Towers, the main problem being the impact on my buttocks after every two-hour sector in the tight cockpit!

Now we plan to do what it was designed for; use it as a fun two-seat machine capable of all the aerobatics I want to perform and can also take Lynn on the odd $50 hamburger run or intra-state fly-in.

But first we aim to make the small improvements we identified on the delivery flight. Second is to bring the spec of the aircraft up to date, which will include CSU and a quick-change full canopy so we have the option over the winter months to hide from the cold! Last plan is to eventually re-bag it and update the colours. I love the scheme and really want to keep the design to pay homage to John Liddell’s creation, but the colours will be changed.

So here’s to the next phase in the life of ‘Snoopy’ the Skybolt. Feel free to join us on Facebook on the page called Snoopy Trio.

Frank Deeth SAAA – THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT

Available models for Sport Aircraft ETX680 ETX680c ETX900 ETX1200

13.2V, 1 hr/1C rate=12.4ah 13.2V, 1 hr/1C rate=12.4ah 13.2V, 1 hr/1C rate=16ah 13.2V, 1 hr/1C rate=24.8ah

1.86Kg 1.86Kg 2.2Kg 3.5 Kg

Now STOCK in Australia Call (02) 6100 6666 Roger or email sales@earthXmotorSports.com.au or visit www.earthxmotorsports.com.au and order online