SportPilot 86 October 2018

ISSUE 9 @OCTOBER 2018

MOVING SWIFTLY

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

CONTENTS

26 TABLE OF CONTENTS REGULARS 06 08 09 10 56 66

24

From the Chairman Calendar of Events From the CEO Letters to the Editor Classifieds Final Approach

COLUMNS 16 18 30 32 34 44 52 63

Flying Instruction Maintenance Spencer on Oshkosh Safety News from the Ops team Learning to Fly Fuel Pumps First Solos

FEATURES 20 26 40 46 50

Tangled Turns Legal Eagle Sydney Recreational Flying Club The Globe Swift Broken Hill

PROFILES

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22 24 3 / SPORT PILOT

Liam's Epic Adventure Three Generations of Jabiru SPORT PILOT | October 2018

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CONTACTS

AUSTRALIAN SPORT PILOT HEAD OFFICE PO Box 1265 Fyshwick ACT 2609 Australia Unit 3, 1 Pirie Street Fyshwick ACT 2609 International: +61 (2) 6280 4700 National: (02) 6280 4700 Fax: +61 (2) 6280 4775 Email: admin@raa.asn.au www.raa.asn.au ACN 070 931 645

CEO

Michael Linke ceo@raa.asn.au CORPORATE SERVICES EXECUTIVE Maxine Milera admin@raa.asn.au HEAD OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS Jill Bailey ops@raa.asn.au 0400 280 087 INNOVATION & IMPROVEMENT EXECUTIVE Lea Vesic Lea.vesic@raa.asn.au 0418 445 652 HEAD OF AIRWORTHINESS & MAINTENANCE Jared Smith Jared.smith@raa.asn.au 0418 125 393 AVIATION DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Neil Schaefer Neil.schaefer@raa.asn.au 0428 282 870 EDITOR Mark Smith editor@sportpilot.net.au

AIRCRAFT AND MAINTENANCE Enquires: tech@raa.asn.au PILOT AND MEMBERSHIP Enquires: members@raa.asn.au DIRECTORS Michael Monck (Chairman) 0419 244 794 Michael.Monck@raa.asn.au

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Tony King 0400 226 275 Tony.King@raa.asn.au

CONTRIBUTE

• Let us know about your event • Send in your story Email: editor@sportpilot.net.au Call: 0419 509 548 PO Box 60, Sebastapol 3351

Alan Middleton 0407 356 948 alan.middleton@raa.asn.au Trevor Bange 0429 378 370 Trevor.Bange@raa.asn.au

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Eugene Reid 0428 824 700 Eugine.Reid@raa.asn.au Rod Birrell 0422 446 622 Rod.Birrell@raa.asn.au

CONTACT RAA us TO SUBSCRIBE

Call: (02) 6280 4700 Web: www.raa.asn.au

Luke Bayly 0421 463 967 Luke.bayly@raa.asn.au

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CATEGORY

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While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the content of this magazine, no warrant is given or implied. The content is provided to you on condition that you undertake all responsibility for assessing the accuracy of the content and rely on it at your own risk. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of people named in this magazine. Recreational Aviation Australia Ltd and Stampils Publishing reserve the right to decline any article, letter or comment deemed unacceptable for whatever reason. No endorsement or responsibility is implied or accepted for any product advertised in this magazine. Advertisers and buyers are each responsible for ensuring products advertised and/or purchased via this magazine meet all appropriate Australian certification and registration requirements, especially those pertaining to CASA and RAAus. NOTE: All aircraft featured in the magazine are registered and legally permitted to fly. However, photographs of them may be altered without notice for editorial purposes. The Editor’s Choice column is designed to draw attention to potential safety issues through exaggeration and humour and is not meant to be historically accurate.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

5

COLUMN

FROM THE CHAIR: MICHAEL MONCK AIRVENTURE ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

A

irVenture is the premier event in Australia for aviators. We have great airshows happening elsewhere but for aviators wishing to mingle with other aviators it doesn’t get better than this. We ran it at Cessnock this year for the first time which meant we encountered some new challenges and reincarnated some old ones but nonetheless, the event was a success once again.

Industry stalwarts like QBE Insurance, OzRunways, and Aviation Trader have been there from the beginning and supported the event once again this year.

They were joined by Bill Owen Insurance and PSB Insurance to bring all of aviation together under one amazing event. It also goes without saying that the support offered by David Young and his team at Azimuth Partners makes the whole thing possible.

Almost 400 exhibitors, food vendors, volunteers and sponsors came together to put on an event which saw seven aircraft sold, that is a boost to our industry of more than $1 million. If supporting industry is what the event is meant to achieve then it is safe to say that it is succeeding.

Personally I spoke to dozens of people during the course of the event. It gave me, as the chairman, the opportunity to engage with members and understand their concerns, desires, criticisms and general feedback. In good news we found that the mood of the membership is generally positive and we are headed in a direction that they support. In better news, we heard what they want to understand more and how we can change things.

While our weight increase proposal is

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

progressing well with CASA we learned that members are particularly interested in gaining access to controlled airspace.

Their concerns about flying over water or tiger country to transit up and down the east coast continue to remind us that safety is important to all aviators, not just those who carry passengers. We have committed to continue pursuing this with CASA and will keep the members informed.

Part 149 was another topic of interest and I am pleased to say that CASA has finalised this regulation and RAAus is well on the path to being compliant with the new requirements. The new rules will open up future opportunities for RAAus so we can continue to grow and offer services to aviators to further enhance the value we offer to members.

I also attended some other seminars about building aircraft, flying aircraft and even buying a new aircraft. These seminars offer our members, as well as other pilots and maintainers, the chance to learn new skills, build new knowledge and enhance their safety.

One of the most popular talks of the weekend was done by Matt Hall. I am always interested to hear his presentation and learn something new every time I sit in to listen. During AirVenture Matt spoke a little about distractions and the importance of knowing what they are. He noted that when we fly we need to understand what is going to distract us from completing our flight and learn to recognise those things as a distraction instead of spending time dealing with it. This also applies to what we do as Australia’s largest self-ad-

ministered aviation body.

Matt Hall also talked at the dinner and told a packed room of more than 250 aviation enthusiasts that he is not the world’s best pilot despite many suggesting that he is. I agree with this sentiment not because he is not a talented and capable individual but because there are future generations of aviators that will do things that we could only imagine today.

So if I take those two messages and put them into the context of what we do as an organisation, a few things crystallise in my mind. Perhaps the most important is that RAAus continues to support aviation of all forms and that we continue to work with AirVenture, which in turn supports aviation.

Collectively we can build an event that furthers the cause and encourages that new generation of aviators to get involved. This is the core reason we are in this. As passionate aviators we love to see new people embrace our love of flying and that is the end goal, to get more people involved. If we lose focus on this and allow ourselves to have wandering thoughts then we have allowed ourselves to be distracted and that means we have failed our very own industry.

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EVENTS NEW SOUTH WALES ARMIDALE. SUNDAY 21ST OCTOBER. Armidale Aero club monthly morning tea and BBQ lunch. Why not saddle up for a nice excuse to go for a fly? Details: 0428242471 WAGGA. SUNDAY 4TH NOVEMBER. If you’re looking for a place to fly on a nice Sunday, Wagga Aero Club is hosting its monthly fly-in lunch. $15 buys you a nice feed.

Call John Smith on 0408 692929 for information.

Temora. Friday 12th to Saturday 13th October. Temora Aviation Museum Warbirds Downunder Airshow 2018 will encompass an evening airshow on Friday night and a full airshow program on Saturday. aviationmuseum.com.au PORT MACQUARIE. SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER. Hastings District Flying Club, Port Macquarie, will open its facilities to the general public. Club and member aircraft will be displayed as well as the history of the HDFC. Rod Davidson: 0419632477 Bankstown. Thursday 15th to Sat 17th November.

Aviatex 2018. Aviatex is an aviation trade exposition, industry forum and aviation careers showcase aimed at building future industry capability and skills pathways to support sector-wide growth.

It offers a platform for today’s aviation and aerospace industry to prepare for the needs and opportunities of tomorrow. www.aviatex.com.au/

QUEENSLAND TOOGOOLAWAH. SATURDAY 20TH SUNDAY 21ST OCTOBER.

The Skydive Ramblers Post Equinox Boogie held at Toogoolawah, near Brisbane, is Australia's largest international music and skydiving festival and is a visual smorgasbord of skydiving action and parachuting colour. The biennial skydiving event encompasses all disciplines of the sport and attracts more than 300 Australian and international skydivers, plus many spectators, to the drop zone. www.ramblers.com.au WARWICK. SATURDAY 3RD NOVEMBER. Warwick Aerodrome 60th Anniversary Celebration will be held at Warwick's Massie Aerodrome YWCK from 10am with morning tea followed by official unveiling of the memorial at 11am. Barbeque lunch to follow.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA JAMESTOWN. SUNDAY 21ST OCTOBER. Saturday Fly in and Airshow Sunday. Enjoy a full day of action jam packed with original and replica vintage aircraft, warbirds, jets, general Aviation Aircraft, new aircraft, formation and solo aerobatic displays, jet car and pyrotechnics, classic car displays and much more.

VICTORIA KYNETON. SATURDAY 6TH OCTOBER. The Kyneton gourmet hot dog brunch is on again.

Enjoy relaxed atmosphere and interesting aeroplanes that are a part of the culture of this lovely country airfield.

SHEPPARTON. SUNDAY 7TH OCTOBER. The Goulburn Valley Aero Club’s famous pancake breakfast is enticing you to head up and enjoy all you can eat pancakes for $10 and barista coffee for $5. Join the flock and fly on up. Call Lucy on 0435 885 212 for all the details.

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

COLUMN

FROM THE CEO: MICHAEL LINKE PARTNERSHIPS Wow! What a three days it was but if the truth be known what a six months it was organising AirVenture Australia 2018.

A

s you know, Recreational Aviation Australia was a major partner and major sponsor of this year’s event and over the past six months we’ve worked very hard with David Young and the team from AirVenture Australia and David’s company Azimuth Partners.

What a great relationship we’ve developed and a great partnership, and what a great product we’ve present to the aviation community.

AirVenture Australia had its beginnings four years ago at Narromine when the chairman of Recreational Aviation Australia Mr Michael Monck conceived the idea of a unified event. We believe in 2018 we have delivered a unified event and hopefully in 2019 and in the years beyond we can continue to grow the people, grow the organisations and the aviation community at large in a more collegiate way than ever before.

Over the three days of the event we had a significant number of seminars, a significant number of exhibitors on site and everybody who attended has provided significant positive feedback to me, to the RAAus team, to the RAAus board and everyone involved in the event.

On face value the event was a resounding and complete success for everyone who participated.

While at this stage we haven’t made decisions about next year’s event, location and timing, one thing is certain the AirVenture brand is now instilled in the aviation community as an event that is bringing

everyone together, that is unifying aviation in a new, exciting and dynamic way.

The unique combination that we developed over the three days, with two trade days focusing on seminars and education for members of sport aviation bodies and general aviation bodies collectively, coupled with a high impact airshow as the conclusion of the event, is a perfect mix where the aviation community can come together and the general public can mix as well toward the end of the show and learn about and see all things aviation related.

We need to thank a number of sponsors, and you can see the list of sponsors and people involved in AirVenture on this page.

Every one of them put in a combination of time, resources and good old hard cash –a much needed resource when putting on an event of this nature. The army of volunteers from the Hunter Recreational Flyers Club is to be thanked, as is local community and Cessnock Council for their support leading up to the event and throughout the event.

It’s now on to next year - thinking about plans, looking for sponsors, looking for partners and looking for people to get involved in this great event. As I said earlier, one thing is certain: AirVenture is a brand that is here to stay and RAAus is proud to be part of that brand, proud to continue to be associated with AirVenture and we will certainly be back in 2019 when the AirVenture team rolls in to town.

EVENT SPONSORS Recreational Aviation Australia Azimuth Partners Cessnock City Council Civil Aviation Safety Authority AIRSHOW SPONSOR

Bill Owen Insurance Brokers EXHIBITION HALL SPONSOR

OzRunways MEDIA SPONSOR

Aviation Trader INSURANCE SPONSORS

QBE Insurance PSB Group DISPLAY COORDINATOR

Forefront Aviation FUEL SPONSOR

Skyfuel LANYARD SPONSOR

Lockr Aero

Michael Linke

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

T

he story about the epic ferry flight by Andrew Mozden was great and showed just how far Gyrocopters have come. In the early seventies I built a gyro, along the lines of the Benson design, popular then in the United States. I obtained a set of plans from Benson as well as some of the parts like blades and linkages and sourced other materials here. The engine was a little Continental, though I’ll be blowed if I can remember where I got it from.

This was all under the radar

of the then DCA. I built it and proceeded to ‘teach’ myself to fly. Yes I know, damned stupid.

I ran a 300 acre farm so had plenty of room and had experience flying a Piper Tripacer so wasn’t a complete novice. I spent months hopping down the runway I’d made, finally graduating to a circuit.

An attempt at an auto rotation landing saw me bend my machine and it was put away in the back of the shed. I’m 87 now so my flying days are behind me but I do enjoy reading your magazine.

Mike Hughes thinks 760kg can’t come soon enough.

I

’ve been an RAAus pilot for eight years and really enjoy the freedom and affordability this sector offers me. I learned to fly in GA, on a C150, but over the years the cost of hiring old aeroplanes had put flying basically out of reach.

I was introduced to RAAus quite by accident when I was driving past an airfield in central NSW and called in. I couldn’t believe the aircraft they were flying and how affordable it seemed to be.

I’m keen to fly the 150 again. I can’t be bothered going through the CASA medical roundabout given I’m on the wrong side of 55.

I’d also love to fly the Airtourer again. I’m sure both aircraft would come in at under 760kg. RAAus is a community of like-minded people and I really enjoy being a part of it.

Have something to say?

We would love to hear from you.

Send your letters to: editor@sportpilot.net.au www.aahof.com.au

THE BOARD OF THE AUSTRALIAN AVIATION HALL OF FAME CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO THE

2 0 18 INDUCTION GALA DINNER ANNOUNCING & CELEBRATING INDUCTEES

2018 INDUCTEES

David Purvis liked the gyro trek story from the September edition.

Dr Rob Lee AO David Massy-Greene Ernst Krolke Sir Rod Eddington AO Mission Aviation Fellowship Australia WHEN

24 November 2018 5.15pm Plane Viewing 6.00pm Canapés 6.45pm Guests Seated

WHERE

Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Illawarra Regional Airport Cnr Boomerang & Airport Roads Albion Park Rail, NSW 2527

TICKETS

Book online www.trybooking.com/412220 By 17 November 2018 $150 per person. Table of ten $1,500 Bus service from Wollongong - $20 return / person

DRESS

Lounge Suit

To Honour the Past and Inspire the Future For further ticket and sponsorship information please contact Rachel Washington of MECCA Concepts Pty Ltd on 0412 996 711 or rachel@meccaconcepts.com.au

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

11

FEATURE

The beautiful Evolution VL-3 made its debut.

AIRVENTURE 2018 Recreational aviation put its best foot forward at Cessnock. Mark Smith was there.

T

he best and brightest in recreational aviation was on show at Cessnock as AirVenture 2018 descended on the Hunter Valley, with the crowd attending left in no doubt the sector is growing stronger as more people move to what sport aviation has to offer.

One of the new designs on display was the Evolution VL3, a Rotax-powered LSA that cruises at 160kts. Importer Erroll Van Rensburg from Global Aviation Products flew the aircraft down from the Gold Coast in three and a half hours, with a 30kt headwind. This sleek design, reminiscent of the original Lancair, will be the subject of a review in the November edition.

Another aircraft new to the Australian market is the TL-Sirius, a composite high wing training aeroplane that has already proved itself rugged enough to withstand the rigors of flying schools in Europe. The introduction of this aircraft marked the beginning of a partnership between John Callanan from TL-Ultralights Australia and Gerard Kitt from KG Aircraft sales, which

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

Dealers line up some amazing aircraft.

Airborne M4-S Trike and M24 Orion, imported

by Airborne Australia.

Derek Dyer at his fly in campsite.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

13

The Bristell taildragger gets a good looking over.

will see John handling sales in the southern states and Gerard looking after the northern states.

Aircraft weren’t the only form of sport aviation, with the Australian Parachute Federation (APF) a keen supporter of AirVenture.

Samantha Harper from the APF is the women in adventure sports coordinator and was manning the stand at AirVenture publicising skydiving as a great sport for women. “The APF has been involved with AirVenture for quite a while and it’s great it has grown into what we see here. It’s great that it’s pushing all types of sport aviation,” she says.

Samantha sees skydiving as just another way of flying.

“It’s the best sport in the world. It’s the freedom of flying your body. To really taste flight I think you really need to leave the aeroplane.”

Jabiru was on display in force as they celebrate 30 years of aircraft and engine manufacture in Australia. Sue Wood, who runs the company with her father Rod, was on hand.

“It’s great to get together at an event like this, catch up with our old customers and see what they’ve been up to. We have

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

more than 1000 aircraft in Australia alone.”

Holding pride of place on their stand was a J-120 with a new engine, priced very competitively at $59,000.

“It would probably be the best bargain at this airshow. We’ve had a few people say they’d like to fly it home.”

Volunteers are a very important part of an event like AirVenture. Retired airline pilot Phil Yates drove up from his home at Mittagong.

“I think this is a great opportunity for people to come and experience aviation and see what’s on offer. This type of event couldn’t exist with only paid labour so I thought it’s important to put my hand up and help out.”

The headline act at the air show on Saturday was Matt Hall flying his Red Bull racer. The display was smooth and tight, pulling over 8g at times. His seminar earlier in the day was standing room only as he talked about his journey into the Red Bull Air Race and what he’s learned about his personal decision making process and how it applies to all aspects in life.

AirVenture was a success and we can only look forward to the event getting stronger.

Rod Stiff founder of Jabiru (centre), with some potential customers.

The team from RAAus and AirVenture at the event launch

hand r tries his A youngste glider. l al sm a with

The Savannah demonstrating a short landing.

The AirVenture site early on Saturday

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

15

COLUMN

FLYING INSTRUCTION AIMING POINT! David Eyre weighs in about a recent article involving landing techniques

A

recent article proposed that students practice floating along the runway and then initiate a ‘go-round’ There are several issues arising from this article.

It is pleasing to see that the author has been thinking about improving skills as a pilot and is interested in experimenting with new techniques. After all, you will never know unless you give it a go.

But!

Over the past 100 years most landing techniques have been tried and tested but many have never made it into good flying practice and certainly not into flight instructional texts. This is because they, for whatever reason, have not proved to be useful and are inherently dangerous.

And so it is with the technique proposed in the article. So, let’s look at it!

All aircraft used for flight training are tested for landing distance and landing characteristics.

The test pilot will set up a normal powered approach toward a targeted aiming point. The approach speed must not be below 1.3% of the stall speed. The flight test then calls that the pilot will gradually reduce the power until 50ft above the threshold, the throttle is closed and the pilot will then commence the round-out (the flare) and then hold-off (the float) until the aircraft touches down. The aim is to reduce the hold-off distance (the float) to a minimum.

Readers of my articles know that I stress the practical aspects of flying, but in this instance I ask them to reconsider the relationship between attitude and power to control performance.

Note: The test pilot will never ‘chop’ the power as the resultant decrease in lift and increase in drag will bring about a sudden loss of height causing the aircraft to strike the ground heavily with the pilot unable to arrest the sink.

These flight tests are to ensure that the

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

normal pilot with average techniques can safely handle landing the aircraft.

The approach speed is calculated so that the aircraft maintains a safe margin above the stalling speed. It will be such that when the throttle is closed there is still adequate control of pilot inputs to round-out, hold-off and land. The resultant landing distance is then calculated over many flights and then incorporated in the Flight Manual.

The reason that we aim to minimise the hold-off is so that the aircraft, now floating at the minimum controllable airspeed, is subject to the nuances of the air. It is very rare for the air not be disturbed and have some effect on the aircraft.

The longer that the aircraft is floating, the longer that sudden gusts will twist and turn, pitch up and down the aircraft and put the inexperienced pilot in a very precarious situation. This effect is even worse when the windsock can be seen bouncing around like a butterfly on the wing.

This control of the approach and landing sounds easy enough, but for the learning pilot it is a very complex technique and is why so much time is spent with circuit practice.

Well known 1940s author Wolfgang Langeweische in his book Stick and Rudder devotes 50 pages alone to writing about the approach and landing. He is not alone in stressing the importance of minimising the float and using very subtle inputs during this period.

And now to the problem of trying to float without touching down and then, initiating a go-round.

To force the aircraft to remain airborne, a certain amount of power will be required.

This added power will change the attitude of the aircraft so that judging the hold-off height is not realistic to the normal landing and thus of very little use to the student.

Because the aircraft will be at, or very close to, the minimum controllable airspeed, it will be subjected to the nuances of the air, plus the aerodynamics of the aircraft itself.

According to the article, if the aircraft starts to drift, rudder is required and wings are kept level. This technique will not solve the basic problems of drift. When rudder is applied, the aircraft will yaw-roll-sideslip-nose pitch down. To control just these effects, the pilot will be required to use very subtle inputs of rudder, ailerons and elevator and, guess what? The aircraft has now drifted across the runway which then requires more forceful inputs to correct this situation. Very soon the inexperienced pilot will find the situation beyond the ability to control and, bang!

And now the go-round.

The sudden application of power will cause the nose to pitch up and yaw and the pilot will have to be on the ball to counteract these effects. Full flap will only exaggerate the whole business and the inexperienced pilot will end up in a sorry mess to the left of the centreline even when there is no crosswind. The instructor, if there is one on board, will then have to teach the student how to raise the flaps without allowing the aircraft to pitch even more dangerously. The aircraft will now have to struggle to accelerate from the minimum controllable airspeed and to achieve a positive climb out.

All told a very dangerous situation with using this practice and all for very little instructional value. All this assumes that the instructor is competent to control any adverse outcomes.

The other aspect to consider is that students, and other pilots, will try to emulate the technique and come to strife.

To all instructors and readers, please, please, do not use techniques that are inherently dangerous and of very little instructional benefit to the budding pilots.

Please do not try to reinvent practices that have been in place for more than 100 years.

Think through the consequences of your instructional techniques and teach it right – first time.

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.

COLUMN

MAINTENANCE ZEN AND THE ART OF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE

by Luke Bayly Step 1 – Begin with peace of mind clearing out all negative thoughts and emotion Step 2 – Remove cowling What a way to start a maintenance manual on an aircraft wouldn’t you agree? Our fundamental experience with maintenance and technology is often purely objective and never quite as subjective as it should be since inside the workshop there is both aircraft and mechanic to be considered. Without the mechanic, the aircraft will not be repaired and without the aircraft, the mechanic is just a man. The instruction manual however (if you are lucky enough to have one) only considers the condition of the aircraft for instructive tasks.

But why is the state of mind such an important consideration for the mechanic before he starts his work? It was important enough to consider human factors with the “Clear Mind, Clear Prop” safety drive led by RAAus in 2017, so I would contest that it applies to the mechanics who fix our aircraft as well. There are always two parts to play in keeping an aeroplane in the sky with the first being the pilot behind the controls, and the second the aircraft being maintained in an airworthy condition.

If we approach aircraft maintenance while in a negative state of mind, we are likely to build these negative defects right in to the subject at hand. Trying to “attack” a job simply to get it completed while simultaneously performing complex analysis about whatever personal problem you are currently experiencing will almost always lead to a defect. This is why, as pilots, our last check before start up should always be the “clear mind” ensuring we minimise human factors leading to mistakes. It is a practice we should also adopt as mechanics.

You may have picked up the tongue-in-cheek from the title of this article as the source of this logic being the acclaimed book Zen

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and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance written by Robert M Persig back in the 1970s. The book itself is an extremely heavy set of philosophical essays interwoven through a lovely story about a man and his son riding a motorcycle through the American heartland. While it is well worth a read, the basic principle of ensuring you take care while completing even routine tasks is highly applicable to those of us who work with aircraft.

So why bring it all back to Zen you might wonder? Well I’m glad you rhetorically asked that question since a big part of maintenance is having something go wrong and becoming stuck. If you start out with a clear mind and then manage to shear the head off a screw or strip the thread from a hole, your emotional state of anger, frustration or embarrassment can cause you to make hasty decisions to fix the issue. In doing so, you may not have fully understood the best way to solve the problem and in doing so, may reach for the sledge hammer.

Zen teaches in its basic form that there is an ugly way to do things and a beautiful way to do things. By keeping your state of mind in check (and you may need to walk away from the task to clear your head first) you can sit and look at the problem before coming to an optimal solution. By clearing your mind of distracting thoughts of “how could I let this happen” or “what an idiot”, you make way for your brain to turn the problem solving gears slowly and methodically before providing an optimal solution. This can happen quickly or slowly but will not happen at all if you try and rush it.

So the next time you find yourself stuck on a problem and feel yourself getting worked up and cranky over a maintenance task, just stop, make a cup of tea and clear your mind before working out the solution. Certainly don’t light any incense and sit cross-legged chanting “omm” because if anyone catches you, they are sure to make fun of you for it. Trust me!

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

19

FEATURE

UNTIE THOSE TANGLED TURNS Rob knight teaches us how to keep our turns balanced.

A

recent email asked me for details on easily achieving balanced turns. The RA pilot emailer lived interstate, had qualified about eight years ago, and had logged around 500 hours. He owned his own aircraft and flew regularly.

After three or four emails each way, the thread ceased to grow and my last email requesting feedback is still unanswered. While there are a multitude of reasons why this might have been left hanging, the tone of the pilot’s reply emails left me believing he simply did not have the underpinning knowledge necessary to understand the basic concepts and vector diagrams I had provided.

I do believe he had failed to understand this basic exercise right from his student days and his instructors had failed to realise and remedy this deficiency.

From other past and current eavesdropped comments, I don’t think this is an isolated case and more care needs to be applied during training to ensure that trainee pilot understanding of the mechanics and issues of all the training exercises are meeting the necessary standards. And turning is a particularly simple exercise.

Newton’s laws tell us that an aeroplane needs a force to divert it from its current direction of travel. This force needs to be sideways because turns are sideways. The sketch below shows the disposition of the lift and weight forces that are relevant to this.

Lift gives us this sideways force In normal flight lift equals weight. However, in a level turn the lift must do better than that; the lift supports the aeroplane (balances its weight) and provides a turning force to pull it around the corner. In the sketch above, the green line represents the lift from the wings, the blue line the vertical component of that lift to support the weight, and the yellow line displays the horizontal component of lift that turns the aeroplane. In this state, where the

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

lift is inclined, the aeroplane is said to be banked.

The sole issue providing difficulties in achieving balanced turns is getting the aeroplane into this banked attitude, holding it, and then returning the aeroplane to wings level at the exit of the turn.

In other words – roll control – and the difficulties lie in the necessity of ailerons to achieve this roll.

Ailerons simply modify the airflows about the outer extents of a wing to modify the lift force provided by that section of the wing. They are small, movable surfaces connected to the stick or yoke and are connected in a manner that provides differential deflection i.e. when one goes up the other goes down. When deflected they cause a local increase in both the angle of attack and camber (to increase lift) or a decrease in both the angle of attack and camber (to decrease the lift). This imbalance in lift results in the aeroplane rolling about its centre of gravity in the direction in which the stick has been pressed.

However, an increase in lift will, inevitably, increase drag and the term aileron drag comes into play because the aileron use instigated it. On the other wing, where the aileron has been deflected upwards, the lift has diminished and this wing will suffer some reduction in drag.

Stop and look at where we are at. Assuming the stick has been pressed left to provide left roll, to enter a left bank, to begin a left turn. The left aileron goes up as the right aileron goes down. The lift and drag on the right (the rising wing) wing are both increased and, simultaneously, the lift and drag on the left wing are both decreased.

The aircraft is confused – the lift imbalance tells the aeroplane to roll left but the yaw imbalance screams yaw right - away from the turn. This is now a case of aileron drag causing adverse yaw -

yaw away from the direction of the intended turn.

Rocking an aeroplane’s stick sideways will rock the wings, and the adverse yaw generated by the ailerons can be seen pulling the nose towards the higher wing – away from the direction of intended turn. It is easy to see the horizon tilting and indicating bank but unless pilots are specifically looking for it, pilots will pay far more natural attention to the roll action than the yaw and they will fail to see what is directly there in front of their eyes.

this adverse yaw and stopping it with the rudder. As the sketch below depicts, as the aileron is applied and the aeroplane begins to roll left, the aeroplane’s nose, in front of the pilot’s eyes, yaws right and they don’t even notice it. Their heads snap left, into the turn and they fly around the turn slipping and tending to lose height. They snatch the stick back and the increasing angle of attack drags the descent to a halt and they stagger around with

Pilot selected reference point

Left stick, left but no coordinated left rudder, will see the nose yaw RIGHT

Let’s see this pictorially. In the sketch above (top), the aeroplane is flying straight towards a reference point with the wings level. The pilot wishes to enter a left turn which will require left stick to provide the roll to enter the banked attitude. The ailerons will deflect and create aileron drag which will cause adverse yaw.

If the pilot is practiced and aware, he/she will apply coordinated rudder sufficient to counter the adverse yaw and the aeroplane will be banked with the nose momentarily still pointing at the reference point, not having yawed. The balance ball will be in the centre where it should be. As the back pressure is applied to increase the angle of attack, the nose will rise slightly and begin to turn to the left.

The sketch above (bottom) shows the aeroplane banked, in balance, with stick and rudder applied, and the nose still pointing at the same point on the horizon. As the longer the aileron is held, the further the aeroplane will roll, we need to stop the bank increasing so the pilot will centralise the aileron and eliminate their effects in lift. This will also eliminate all aileron drag and adverse yaw, so with the centralised aileron so must occur centralised rudder. No aileron gives no aileron drag so no rudder is needed because there is no adverse yaw. But this is only the design. Too often little or no rudder is input with the aileron, and the turn entry is stuffed before the wings have even begun to roll.

Too many pilots have not developed the habit of watching for

the balance ball out to the right (in a left turn) until they guess the need to exit the turn has arrived. With right stick and insufficient right rudder, they level their wings, not noticing their nose is pointed in a different direction to the point they instigated the roll out. All because they weren’t paying attention to what was directly in front of them.

This all sounds pretty harsh and I must admit that most pilots aren’t as sloppy as I am portraying. However too many are and, as a pilot examiner, the greater majority of pilots that I have sat beside fail to watch for yaw as they enter or exit a turn. As an examiner, this failing was a contributing factor on many unsuccessful flight tests yet the solution is so simple that it beggars belief. The real culprit was very apparent in the instructors that I examined, either for initial issues or for renewals. They failed to do this simple exercise too; so how could they pass on a skill they didn’t have themselves?

In all circumstances, applying aileron will necessitate the application of the same side rudder to keep the aeroplane in balance.

The exceptions are when slip or skid is intended. In fact, the very term, “balanced turn” refers to using sufficient rudder to balance the adverse yaw. And it is there - right in front of you over the nose. Just watch for lateral movement of the nose as you apply aileron. Learn to stop it with your feet and you will be and feel a far better pilot.

It is also worthy of note that when in a banked turn, many aeroplanes require some out-of-turn aileron to prevent over banking caused by airspeed differences between the inner and outer wings.

When such aileron is applied, so must sufficient same-side rudder, because that aileron application will be creating adverse yaw.

Left stick requires left rudder to coordinate, and vice versa. Go out and try it yourself. Try rolling on a point of the horizon - it’s easier than you might think, and far more productive.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

21

FROM THE OPS TEAM

LIAM’S EPIC ‘SCIENCE EXCURSION’ Liam Morey is flying around Australia, not just to promote aviation.

Mark Smith caught up with him when he stopped in at Ballarat.

D

ifferent people have different reasons for completing notable aviation achievements. For some it’s like climbing a mountain; they do it because it simply has to be done, while for others it’s all about inspiring other people to take up the very thing they love themselves. Most aviation feats seem to fall into the latter category.

Make no mistake, Liam loves flying. But the message he’s carrying is broader than just encouraging kids to take to the skies.

“The whole reason behind the trip is to promote STEM to high school students - that’s science technology, engineering and maths - and I’m just out there trying to foster the passion for studying those subjects,” he says as we sit in the Ballarat Aero Club at the half-way point of the trip.

“There will be a deficit of around 140,000 jobs that fall under STEM just in Queensland over the next five years.”

But that noble cause doesn’t mean 16-year-old Liam is using the Bristell he’s flying as mere ‘transport’.

“I’ve always had a love of aviation from

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a very early age and I’d watch the aeroplanes flying over my house all the time.

But no one in my family has an aviation background so I’m a pioneer in that regard.

“When I was 13 I got a few part time jobs, in retail and hospitality, to save up to learn to fly. I did my RAAus pilot certificate with Sunshine Coast Aero Club, and last March I had my full certificate five weeks after doing my first solo. I was the youngest pilot in Australia at the time.”

While many young pilots would see such a trip as a stepping stone into an aviation career, Liam has other plans and at this stage doesn’t see commercial aviation as his career path, despite building his command hours from 55 to an expected 130 throughout the trip.

“I’m keen to get my RAAus instructor rating next year, possibly becoming the youngest instructor in the country but then moving towards a science or maths career with aviation as a hobby.

“I’m very keen to keep my working life separate from my flying life but use one to fund the other.”

Liam says he’s learned everyone who gets a chance to travel across Australia by private aircraft under VFR conditions is treated to the best view possible of such a beautiful country.

“Lots of the scenery has been simply fantastic, especially in Arnhem Land and around Cape York, as well as Shark Bay in Western Australia. It’s just been phenomenal. Also flying along the Great Australian Bight was stunning.

“Just getting the experience under my belt to see all these places is truly fantastic because I’ve never really had the opportunity to see much of Australia before so it’s great to be able to broaden my horizons.”

Normally the phrase VFR pilots need to keep in mind is “you need time to spare flying VFR.” Luckily Liam enjoyed good weather, allowing him to stay on schedule and complete the flight from the Sunshine Coast to Perth via Cape York and Darwin in six days of flying. “The weather has been very kind so far, especially when you take into account how unpredictable weather can be in the top end of Australia,” he says.

While Liam is doing the trip ‘unassisted’ he is quick to praise the aero clubs and the aviation community for their help during the trip.

“The aviation network has been so supportive while I have been travelling around. They have been really eager to help out which is a huge help on such an undertaking. Helping out with accommodation or fuelling the aircraft after long days flying has been such a bonus.”

One of the messages Liam is keen to get out is about how the RAAus training system has been such a big factor in his aviation journey.

“There is no way I could have learned to fly if the only route available was traditional GA, not just from a financial perspective but also from the flying community perspective. The syllabus for the pilot certificate is in nice bite-sized chunks which is easily able to be processed by younger minds. I found that really good.

They have a great framework for the instructors teaching the theory to get that through and it provides a really good foundation for the practical side.

“I also found my training set me in good stead in moving to my RPL. RAAus basic training sets a young student in great position to move into other pathways in GA. Recreational aviation is a very strong community.”

Liam has a simple message to anyone

thinking about learning to fly with RAAus. “It’s an amazing community of really committed people who are always willing to help a person get into aviation and then make sure you succeed. It’s a really good foundation network for people who want to move through the aviation industry as well as being a great, stimulating hobby if that’s what you want it to be.”

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

23

PILOT PROFILE PILOT PROFILE

THREE GENERATIONS SHOW JABIRU IS GOING STRONG LEARNING FROM THE BEST

A veteran ag pilot passing on theofart of aviation David Bonnici talksistostill three generations Jabiru pilots. to anyone keen to learn its ways.

Mark Smith caught up with him.

T

he demise of local car manufacturing has ended two of Australia’s most enduring inter-generational allegiances, creating a void for many Aussie drivers for whom brand loyalty was very much part of the joy of car ownership.

As the recurrent Cessna v Piper debate shows, aviation isn’t a stranger to such loyalties and there are a couple of Aussie aircraft makers that have attracted the kind of hereditary devotion that Holden and Ford enjoyed.

One of these is Jabiru, which like either car brand has its fair share of detractors.

But show up at almost any aero club in Australia and you’re bound to run in to at least one of its legion of devotees.

The Holden Commodore was entering its teenage years when the Rockhampton-based company received a type certificate for its first aircraft, the Jabiru LSA 55/2K, in 1991.

Now, 30 years after it was first formed, Jabiru has sold almost 2000 factory-built aircraft and kits to 16 countries and its

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

engines to 31. In that time it has attracted strong loyalties and we’re already seeing families with three generations of pilots who have learned to fly in, or continue to operate the humble ‘Jab’.

One of these is the Cook family, also from Rockhampton, whose youngest flying member. Joshua, 16, is still too young to drive a car but is a proud holder of a Recreational Pilot Certificate.

The fledgling airline pilot learned to fly in a Jab becoming the latest family member to acquire an affinity with aircraft after his father Jamie and grandad Graham.

The Cook’s association with Jabiru started with Jamie who, as it happens, has worked at Jabiru Australia since 1990.

Now project manager, he was his son’s age when he started there, helping to assemble the fibreglass aircraft which initially involved building one aircraft a time, test flying it, and starting all over again.

He reckons one of the reasons Jabirus are special is because they were revolutionary in terms of their composite

construction. “At the time the composite structure was unique and it wasn’t very known at the time even though gliders had been using it for 40 years or more. It took us four years to get CASA to certify the first aircraft because of the unknown and we had to do a lot of load testing and lot of adjustments.

“But in turn, as you can see now, a lot of the airline industry is using composite structure so it was probably well ahead of its time.”

Jamie, who flew gliders before powered aircraft, says he adapted quickly to flying that first Jabiru.

“The very first aircraft was a stick and rudder aeroplane like the gliders, so I did the transition very quickly into the Jabiru and found it very easy to fly.

“We’ve got quite a few different models now and the bigger the aircraft we’ve built the more stable they are, which is very much a comment you get back from demonstration flights. People look at the aircraft and say ‘gee, that looks small’, but

Photos: Mark Knott. News Mail.

Graham, Joshua and Jamie.

they get into it and that sensation certainly disappears.

“It’s got that bigger aeroplane feel to it," Jamie says. Jabiru has attracted strong brand loyalty, particularly among flying schools that help attract a new generation of devotees.

“It is a credit to flying schools that the students tend to buy what they learn in. But it obviously took a long time for schools to trust the design of the aircraft enough to send their students solo in it.”

As well as inspiring the next generation of pilots, the Jabiru has proven popular with older flyers looking to downsize to a smaller aircraft that’s more affordable to fly, own and maintain.

One of them is Jamie’s father Graham, a veteran private pilot who found the times between logbook entries increasing as the cost of flying aircraft like the Cessna 172 jumped during the 1990s.

So in 2001, shortly after retiring, he bought a Jabiru SP6 kit and started building it in his shed – a process made a little

easier when your son wrote the original assembly manual.

“That was a great asset for me,” says Graham. “He told me where all the bits and pieces would go and I’d merrily go on my way. Occasionally he’d give me a hand to fit parts on and so on.”

Graham also had some luck in acquiring some key components for less than he budgeted for, including a pre-owned but unused six-cylinder engine and a set of shorter wings from the first Jabiru prototype. The result is a unique experimental version of the SP6 that’s a “really swift little machine”.

He has since accumulated around 700 hours flying from Rocky to places like Broken Hill, Longreach, Atherton and Sydney.

Now 70, Graham generally flies about once a week, usually Wednesdays, for his regular 300-mile round trip down to Childers. “We go over there and there’s quite a large gathering of pilots, it’s a lovely atmosphere. We go and have coffee and everyone takes a little snack. We have a morning-tea session and fly home after lunch.”

Graham says he likes to promote Jabiru as much as he possibly can, but understands how some pilots are wary about them since CASA imposed restrictions on all aircraft with Jabiru engines in 2014, which were lifted in July 2016 after consultation with RAAus. “I think that was quite unfair that whole thing,” says Graham. “My aircraft has done about 700 hours with that engine and it’s still performing perfectly.

It’s just the fact that the maintenance is kept up to date on it.

“Likewise some of the local guys who’ve got Jabirus. There’s about seven or eight of them here and none of them have had any issues. In fact my best mate has just done 1500 hours in his four-cylinder. He’s methodical with his maintenance. His aeroplane is 23 years old and

it’s the original engine.”

Jamie has also done plenty of flying in his four-seat Jabiru, which he built and later converted to a twin-engine version after flying one in South Africa.

He flies a lot for the company, including deliveries, but his Jabiru twin – the only one flying in Australia – still gets a workout including fishing trips up the beach to Bustard Heads.

“I’ve also been to Sydney and Melbourne and taken the family to Dubbo Zoo. We go all over the place,” says Jamie.

All that flying has had an obvious impact on his son Joshua.

“Like myself with my father, he has been flying with me since he was six months old – old enough to sit in a car seat to go fly in the passenger seat. Now it’s just in his blood, he loves it.”

More than 15 years watching dad and grandad fly has certainly helped Joshua, who gained his RPC in the type with just 20 hours in his logbook.

He’s one of the thousands of pilots around the world who earned their wings in the diminutive Aussie aircraft, their achievements recorded with the obligatory post-solo photo featuring beaming smiles and fibreglass cowlings.

Many of them have gone on to fly considerably bigger and faster aircraft, and while no one knows the exact figure it’s a legacy the company is proud of.

“We’re trying to gather statistics and information from the people who started on a Jabiru and get that picture of them after their first solo,” says Jamie.

“We want their first-solo pic with the Jabiru next to another besides their Jumbo or F-18, or whatever aircraft it may be, with the caption, ‘Now look what I fly’.”

It looks like Jabiru Australia’s foyer is going to need a bigger wall.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

25

PILOT PROFILE FEATURE

LEARNING FROM THE BEST IS THIS LEGAL?

A veteran ag pilot is still passing on the art of aviation to anyone keen to learn its ways.

Mark Smith caught up with him.

Mark Smith meets the builder of an aeroplane who admits it’s so much fun to fly it should possibly be illegal!

M

oney’s a bit tight, but you want to fly. You have your pilot certificate and more than a few hours but the run-of-the-mill aeroplanes you can hire just don’t do it for you anymore. Sound familiar?

Grant Booth knew that feeling. He’d been involved in GA, flying with a company that did dogfighting joyrides, and knew the feeling of putting an Extra through its paces.

But a move to Temora airfield, and with it a more relaxed lifestyle, saw a change of circumstances that led to money being a bit tighter than it once was. He wanted an aeroplane, but his wife put a $10,000 limit on his dream.

That put nearly every interesting homebuilt aircraft out of reach. But then he remembered a set of plans he’d been given, that had been carefully stored away.

“I was working for Team Rocket USA and in 1999 I was given a set of plans for the Legal Eagle, and they were safely stored in a suitcase in the hangar. After

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

I came back to Australia I rang my mate, Mark, in Texas and asked him what had become of the drawings.

"He told me I’d brought them back to Australia. I asked my wife if she knew where they were and, being incredibly efficient, she said: 'they’re in one of the suitcases - I’ll go get them.’ I looked at them and realised I could build an aeroplane for said $10,000. I win!"

The design on those carefully-stashed papers is the Legal Eagle Double Eagle, named for its status as a two seater.

“It’s made of chrome molly and spruce and we estimate it took about 1600 hours over 18 months to construct,” Grant says.

“The drawings aren’t what you’d describe as ‘plans’. They are actually hand drawn on an A4 sheet, so there’s a lot of interpretation. Then we had the issues of shipping stuff to Australia because of the lengths of timber needed so we had to splice the wing spars and that’s how I

ended up with shorter wings.”

Grant had an unusual assistant through his building journey.

“My daughter, Britney, helped me build the Eagle. She started helping me with building aeroplanes when I started building a Harmon Rocket, when she was four. We’d get her in the Rocket and she’d help rivet. She knew how to buck rivets at a very young age. “She hasn’t learnt to fly yet because she was in year 11 and 12 while we were building this, so if she wasn’t inside studying she was out working on the plane. Then she moved to Wagga for uni, studying environmental science, just after we finished it, so learning to fly is on the back burner.”

The original Legal Eagle was designed

by Leonard Milholland as a single seat ultralight powered by a 30hp half VW engine. The Legal in the name refers to the fact it legally meets the US FAR 103 for ultralight aircraft. It was designed with

PHOTOS: MARK SMITH

MARK SMITH People waste money on cigarettes that PHOTOS: cost as much as I spend on an hour's fuel. Will aviation kill me?

It's highly unlikely if I follow the rules, meanwhile I'm happy and my aircraft is so much fun."

Britney works on the wing

small pilots in mind.

The next incarnation was the Eagle XL, another single seater but designed for larger pilots with a wider cockpit, bigger wing and longer fuselage to the tail to make up for the larger engine. Finally there is the Double Eagle, built as a two seater and powered by a minimum of a 60hp VW engine.

While Grant scratch-built his Double Eagle, welded fuselages are now available from the US along with plans and all the spruce required to build your own. He still thinks the most affordable option is to scratch build your own. “You could probably still build one for around $10,000 if you can do your own TIG welding. Paul Radford is building one in Queensland and he’s giving it a really good go, but his motor will probably cost him a bit more. Rod Penrose (http://rodpenroseracing.com. au) is going to build it for him and run it

More angles than the stealth fighter.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

27

on the dyno before he gets it.

“I did a bit of bartering to keep the costs down. I made the website for the metal supplier in exchange for the chrome molly so technically that didn’t cost me $2500. With the timber I do some work for a shipping agent so I was able to save some money there. We didn’t consider using Australian Hoop pine because we already had the cut list for Spruce so all I had to do was forward that to the US. Using Hoop pine means you have to go 20% bigger, which would have added weight.”

Grants says flying his Double Eagle can be challenging because he was forced to make the wing smaller due to issues with shipping sizes for the timber and the weight of the aeroplane rising due to some additions he made.

“This one is heavy. For a start we chose to put a Chevy starter on it because I didn’t want my daughter hand swinging a prop.

It’s a VW 2.8 litre. We tried to hand start it a couple of times and it bit us so it had to go turnkey. I also added some refinements to the cockpit to make it a bit more comfortable but that also added weight.

“You’re off the ground at just over

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

30kts. I hold it low until I get 50kts then climb away. One up on a nice day I get 800fpm, two up I climb out at 60kts. Cruise is 60-65kts, though I can run full power all day and it’ll do 65-70kts. It’s probably one of the fastest ones out there because we’ve done a lot of drag mitigation work, but we are dragging a house brick through the air.

An Eagle with full size wings probably has a better glide ratio but this one has glide ratio of 4:1. To put that in perspective the space shuttle had a glide ratio of 4.1:1.”

Though having said that Grant is still enthusiastic about the design and his version of it.

“If it’s built to the drawings it’s a safe, simple design. Mine has a few modifications that make it a bit quirky to fly though it’s still a nice plane even if it flies a bit differently to a commercially-built aeroplane.

It’s not very high powered; it’s got a lot of drag so your mindset has to be ready to get the nose down if you lose power. But that’s the story with a lot of LSAs.” There are more than 100 single-seat Legal Eagles flying in the US. Grant estimates there are about 12 Double Eagles flying, with some owners choosing to

modify their aircraft to Cabin Eagle.

He muses that living on an airpark like Temora has given his flying a whole new dimension.

“Living on an airport is great. You don’t have to worry about going flying early in the morning, waking people up. Everyone is aviation minded and if the weather is nice they are probably out flying as well.

“I fly three days a week on average here but I used to fly three or four days a week at Bankstown when we lived at Liverpool.

Obviously this is a lot cheaper so I don’t need as much income to go flying. I worked in construction in Sydney so with a move to a more relaxed lifestyle your income diminishes but I’ve got a very cheap aeroplane so I can go flying when I like. We do everything ourselves on it being in RAAus experimental class.”

As to the legality of his aeroplane?

“It’s so much fun it should be illegal, but I’m glad it’s not. I’m burning 18 litres an hour. People waste money on cigarettes that cost as much as I spend on an hour's fuel. Will aviation kill me? It's highly unlikely if I follow the rules, meanwhile I'm happy and my aircraft is so much fun."

Agent Rod Flockart.

Grant with his Double eagle

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

29

COLUMN

The Surefly Octocopter

OSHKOSH – WHERE GENERAL AVIATION’S CHANGES ARE RUNG Spencer Ferrier takes a different look at the evolution of the world's biggest aviation event

S

aying goodbye to Oshkosh this year was a special moment. I have been to this wonderful encyclopaedic air show many times in the last many years.

This time there was a taste in the air that made it different, and the light that shone on aviation in the US had a different colour – perhaps slightly pastel.

There is no doubt that for anyone with any interest in personal flying (other than in an aerial bus), this show is the pinnacle.

And it still is; but there is a change. I don’t know if there is a mastermind, but there was a sense of being a retail buyer in a supermarket, where you are unconsciously driven to buy and ordered about as in a commercial fun park. With that has gone the rawness, replaced by smooth organisation.

I’ve been to the Oshkosh show in many ways and styles. It is always great and was this time too. Twelve thousand aircraft, with people camping under the wing, makes for a great picnic. Aircraft all coming to land in different parts of

30

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

the same runway in a complex dance is absorbing to see. I have seen the prangs, and watched the ranks of Mustangs, Harvards and others crackle through the sky. General aviation innovation has been on show together with some of the great aircraft of our era. Standing in front of 10 Vari Ezes all bowing down in front of you with their noses in the grass, does make you feel king for a day! If you haven’t been to Wisconsin in the summer and you are an aviator, you really should do so.

You enter the show by negotiating the 21st century’s standard dance: queues, bag checks, arm bands and you might ask on a summer’s day, are they really needed?

Black cars with important people in suits swish past to unseen functions. These formalising changes have come in, one by one over the years. I suppose they are necessary, but …

There was a change this year, and it has occurred so indirectly that you would barely notice it unless you were really looking. Walking down the main mall, a 40 metre wide white concrete roadway

down to the US Air Force B1, you will pass the Williams, Textron, Piper, Diamond, Cirrus and Mooney stands that have their place in high-status chalets. But look closely – who own these companies?

Piper, Mooney and Cirrus have all changed hands and international ownership, quite a bit from Asia, now stand behind these famous American brands.

I noticed that although there are some changes, there isn’t all that much to the traditional aircraft. The Caravan is bigger and heavier; the Beechcraft aircraft are in the ‘Textron Camp’, looking much the same as they have over the years. The C182 and C172, but for the glass panels, look as they always have. Mooney has some clever enlargements to its passenger compartment with a little modification to its famous steel cage. Piper has a brace of Malibu derivatives, The change, however, is in the side streets. The innovation is everywhere, and it’s all from outside the US: Tecnam, with its remarkable Rotax-powered twin and C172-like P2010; Flight Design from Czech

Instructor Ian Downes with Ed.

Republic; Sting; Hungarian aircraft that go like mad, the South African light aircraft.

These are the places where innovation speaks. Mostly built on the Rotax, this remarkable brace of aircraft is the future – and leading them all into the future is Pipistrel with its all-electric powered two seater, already at work in Fresno in a learnto-fly operation.

The other change is the drone; its early examples of interest to EAA visitors must be the helicopter-like one and two passenger machines, And what about America? They have the electronics part of aviation by the throat. It is vital, vibrant, highly competitive and energetic. That’s where the US industry has put its weight. It is a small step from electronics to drones, and that’s where the super talk is happening. Even the night light show, billed as the first drone light show, displayed a double helix in the night sky – is the EAA at Oshkosh the DNA of aviation?. There are some pretty innovative aircraft gestating away. The Blackfly, with electric motors everywhere

and no wheels, certainly gets you started as does the Scimitar three-wheel aircraft and a snap together water aircraft (which must remind us of the unforgiving nature of flight). These innovations are the USA’s heart and soul of aviation, and soon Uber indeed will be over us all, as its helicopter-like air taxi service is rolled out under the hand of one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Look mum, no runway!

A few years ago, I had the great privilege to meet Tom Poberenzey, the founder of the EAA. He was at once wistful and proud. He is no longer with us, but he said: “In my lifetime, we have begun to fly and we have flown high, far and fast.

We have reached to the moon. Despite

that, we have not been able routinely to fly 50 feet above the ground. That is my wish and my purpose.” Well, we are just seeing a glimpse of his dream now; the electric self-elevator and semi-drone.

That change is coming and it may come with consequences that all of us who love to fly might find amazing. Aviation’s face will change.

As I left, I asked myself: “Who is buying these aircraft on display here?”

Maybe the ‘drone’ has silently answered: “It is me, automatic flight “. Italian author Giuseppe de Lampedusa said in his famous book, The Leopard – ‘If you want things to stay the same, things will have to change.’

Oshkosh is changing but it is the same SPORT PILOT | October 2018

31

COLUMN

SAFETY

THAT WAS CLOSE

Overt confidence combined with low hours = trouble. Name withheld.

I

’m not one of those pilots who dreamed of flying as a three-year-old watching model aeroplanes spinning over their bed. Flying didn’t enter my life until I went to university.

That’s university in the UK. The RAF kept an eye on young people with ability, and promoted university flying training. Put your hand up, submit to some discipline and suddenly you were in the front seat of a Chipmunk. The mate who put me onto this lark extolled the virtues of cheap beer and a uniform that helped attract nursing students at the local hospital.

So I played the game and, after a bit of school work that seemed easy, ended up in the front seat of a single engined trainer that was as old as I was. Sqn Ldr Meehan (retd) was the instructor. I pushed the throttle forwards and we took off. From that moment I was hooked. If you are reading this you are also a pilot, and you know what I mean.

I applied for a short service commission with the RAF but was rejected.

Not happy.

So I finished my degree as a teacher and looked at the wider world. At the time there were still opportunities for immigration so I threw my hat in the ring and applied to Canada, Australia and South Africa.

Australia bit and I sailed over as a ‘10 pound Pom’. I was given work as a teacher in a small school in country Victoria and quickly sought out the local aero club. A bit of paperwork, a few hours with an instructor and I was flying again.

Then I met Cheryl, who became my wife.

In the space of a few years I was married, had a son, then a daughter and there was no money to fly the club’s ‘new’ Cessna 150, despite it costing around $11 per hour.

Fast forward 20 years. The kids had gone off on their own, we had no mortgage and I was a vice principal earning a good wage. Flying re-entered the picture and I rejoined the aero club, though now the same C-150 was $50 per hour!

The kids had finished uni and left home so money became less of an issue. I had always dreamed of owning my own aeroplane, as most pilots do, so when a small inheritance came my way I decided it was time and bought a Luscombe that lived at my local airfield. It was a bit rough, but it

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was mine. It was in RAAus so I dutifully did the five hour conversion. I was very rusty on a tailwheel aeroplane but picked it back up fairly quickly.

My hours grew as I took the opportunity to fly across the countryside. I could feel myself getting to know my aeroplane, and I started feeling a confidence in my flying abilities I’d never known before. I had some weather problems on a couple of occasions but always seemed to find a way around them, boosting my feelings that I was becoming ‘experienced’. Having grown up in the UK, I had fallen into the habit of thinking Australian weather was incredibly benign, even after 26 years living here.

Cheryl occasionally came with me, but I could tell it just wasn’t her thing, so it was a rare pleasure when she agreed to fly to Merimbula for a weekend away, from our home base at central Victoria.

Flight planning was with pen, paper and maps. All of my flying to date had been north or west of home base, so flying across the ranges to the coast was going to be a new challenge. On the morning of the flight I got the weather over the phone and submitted the plan. The forecast mentioned a strong westerly airflow on the ranges, with the possibility of cloud, but it seemed doable. A strongish westerly meant a good tailwind.

The last thing I wanted to do was cancel the flight when it took so much effort to get my wife to come along. Plus I’d always managed to find a way through the weather I’d encountered. The fact that this flight was over big hills and not flat open ground didn’t occur to me.

We departed early in the afternoon. It was November so we had plenty of daylight, and the flight plan with the tailwind showed just over two hours enroute.

The weather on departure was fine and beaut. The thought of calling somewhere close to the ranges to see what the weather was doing before departure didn’t cross my mind.

Approaching Wangaratta I got my first view of the Alps. The tailwind was giving us a groundspeed of 120kts at 6500ft, the fastest I’d ever traveled in my little Luscombe. With the two of us on board, full fuel and some bags I estimated we were a

touch below our maximum takeoff weight, but given we were using fuel I thought we’d lighten up as we moved towards the hills. I could see some cloud but from the distance it looked broken. Onwards, and slowly, upwards!

As we approached the edge of the ranges, tracking towards Mt Beauty, I noticed the cloud was resting on the tops of the highest peaks, but there seemed to be ample space below the cloud base on the lower peaks. My wife seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the view and so I ploughed on. The westerly provided an updraft on the side of the first hill and we seemed to speed over the peak about 500 feet below. I had to push the nose down to stop climbing so we didn’t enter the cloud just above.

Then we hit the lee side, and the world seemed to drop out beneath us. In a flash we were in a 1000fpm decent, with seemingly nowhere to go. Full power seemed to have no effect as I pulled the nose up. The stall warning began blaring and I was forced to ease the back pressure I so desperately wanted to keep applying. It seemed inevitable that we’d hit the trees when we flew out of the worst of the down draught and managed to hold altitude just above the canopy.

As we flew towards the next ridge we were taken by the updraft and managed to clear the top, bringing us into the valley with Mt Beauty airfield. The down draft had got us again but I was able to head for the airfield and land, albeit badly with little crosswind finesse shown.

The whole incident had taken no more than 10 minutes. Cheryl was silent, as was I, though I doubt she understood exactly how close we had come to disaster.

We decided that was enough flying and stayed at Mt Beauty. It was calm and clear when we flew home a day later but I still tracked down the valley to the north until I got out of the ranges before heading home to Shepparton.

So what happened?

I talked to the instructor at the aero club who listened to the story with his head slightly tilted to one side, then proceeded to explain how I’d nearly killed myself and my wife.

I was focused so much on avoiding

cloud that I completely ignored the other dangers associated with flying over the ranges, being strong updraughts and downdraughts. The strong westerly that gave me a great tailwind over the flat also set me up for some major issues crossing the hills. Throw in a low powered aeroplane with a bit of load on board and I’d set myself up for a major problem. It’s why mountain flying is taught as a complete subject on its own.

Also, my eagerness to undertake the flight, despite the possibility of low cloud was also a factor that could have led to disaster. The cloud on the ranges prevented me from climbing high enough to be in a safe position to turn around when the downdraught hit us. Basically my desire to fly with my wife overcame any real objective assessment of the conditions and my ability to handle them.

The moral? If you have only ever flown on the flat be wary of your first foray around big hills. Look closely at the weather and think about the combined effect of wind and cloud. Finally, when approaching any ridge, always have a get-out-of-jail plan if it starts to go pear shaped.

MTOW 600Kg Empty Weight 300-305Kg Cruise 90 Kts Stall 26Kts Take Off/Land 45m Photo shows some options

Australian Agent: Peter Mob 0408 376 540 SPORT PILOT | October 2018

33

RAAUS

FROM THE OPS TEAM RADIO USE IN CLASS G AIRSPACE

I

t’s a busy day at the airfield, you’re climbing out to depart for your usual Saturday morning flight in the local area. As usual, the radio is alive with calls from pilots. Radio can be an extremely valuable tool to aid situational awareness but pilots need to be aware of the traps of transmission and the benefits of an effective listening watch (CAR 243).

Seeing is believing First and foremost, radio should never be seen as the only way to ensure effective situational awareness and “See and Avoid” practices. CAR166C, CAR 92 and AIP ENR 1.1 are the relevant legislative references and more explanation is provided in CAAP 166-01(1) April 2017.

Remember, there are no longer any mandatory broadcasts other than those needed for the immediate avoidance of collision or risk of collision. At many aerodromes where radio carriage is not required there can be aircraft including paragliders, powered parachutes and recreational aircraft that may be operating or transiting without radio. There is absolutely no substitute for effective lookout practices.

Look before you leap for the red button It’s so tempting to join the party and get into the conversation, after all the more we talk the safer we are, right? Not always! The radio can become cluttered with pilots calling every possible position resulting in overload. The most effective radio call is the one that provides the best information for “Alerted See and Avoid”.

The recommended calls in CAAP 166-01(1) as shown below are the best place to start. If you feel the need to make any more calls than these, stop for a second and ask yourself - will it make it easier for other pilots or just add to the clutter? Practice active listening and stretching your situational picture by focussing on other transmissions. This is a skill which requires discipline but will ultimately make you safer with the added benefit of reducing the unnecessary chat or extra information that just clogs up the airwaves.

If you’re going to be famous then practice your lines Standard VHF radio phrases have evolved over time to ensure we use common language, making it easier for all pilots. Do we really know the standard words, phrases and pronunciation as outlined in the AIP GEN 3.4? Remember often the only opportunity we have to evaluate a pilot is by hearing their calls, so this is your time to show the world how professional a recreational pilot you are.

Here are some of the more common words.

ACKNOWLEDGE Let me know that you have received and understood this message.

AFFIRM Yes. BREAK I hereby indicate the separation between portions of the message (to be used where there is no clear distinction between the text and other portions of the message).

BREAK BREAK I hereby indicate separation between messages transmitted to different aircraft in a very busy environment.

DISREGARD Ignore.

HOW DO YOU READ What is the readability of my transmission?

I SAY AGAIN I repeat for clarity or emphasis.

MAYDAY My aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and/or I require immediate assistance.

ROGER – Read and Understood. I have received all of your last transmission. This often overlooked or parodied word should be the first and most common response to a confirmation from another transmission. “COPY” or “COPY THAT” don’t rate a mention anywhere in the AIP or any other approved documents, and is best left to Smokey and the Bandit reruns!

Standard broadcast formats The key to making good radio broadcasts outside of controlled airspace can be broken down into four key prompts. Knowing the correct format makes it easier to construct that call. Think about the call like this: WHO do I want to tell?

WHO am I? WHERE am I in a 3 dimensional picture (don’t forget your height)

starting with the distance from a known point and direction or the leg of the circuit WHO am I telling again abbreviated (location name only)

The standard broadcast format for low and medium performance aircraft is: Location Traffic (e.g. ‘Parkes Traffic’).

Aircraft Type (e.g. ‘Drifter) Call sign (e.g. ‘Fourteen ninety nine - ICAO grouping method is pre-

ferred and easier to remember).

Position/Level/Intentions (e.g. ‘One-zero miles north inbound,

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

authorised to use it you might need to explain to someone why you did not make that recommended call, which is designed to help other pilots after all.

on descent through Four-thousand-two-hundred, estimating the circuit at three-six’) Location (e.g. Parkes).

The final word One of the key attributes for a pilot is humility. I know I have made many mistakes as have we all. Acting as judge, jury and executioner on everyone else’s calls or using the airwaves as a battle ground does little to impress your fellow listening audience.

Before you make that next call stop and think: “this is how I’m about to be assessed as a professional pilot”.

It may just change the way you approach the magic button, and last time we checked no one was ever judged for listening too much!

Finally the key in delivery is knowing all the numbers before pushing the button. Think, compose, practice then deliver that call slowly and clearly and politely, remembering to activate the button, wait a second then talk!

Silence is not always golden Operations receives constant questions from pilots and instructors on the use of radio and it is a hot topic at most airfields. Over time, local variations from standards become evident and many pilots have come to believe more is better. Of course no one is advocating saying nothing. If you have an approved radio and are

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35

PETER’S PEGASUS, THE BRUMBY Rob Knight flies an Australian LSA that’s making a big impact worldwide.

M

y first impression of the Brumby is its size. Eye opening, this is a big ultralight with a long 6.1 metres from spinner tip to tail. This is no diminutive toy but a full working machine.

Walking up to the door I realised that I hadn’t needed to duck my head to get under its high wing. Tall on its tricycle undercarriage, it requires you to reach up to open the door. The smell of new aeroplane and paint wafts out as your eyes wander across the well laid-out panel and controls.

Two solid-looking control yokes sit waiting for pilot’s hands, and the central push/pull throttle with a comfortably large knob is inviting.

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

A pair of glass screens provide the VFR instrumentation, set on the utilitarian grey instrument panel. Along with a couple of back-up analogue instruments, the screens are nicely spaced in a good, practical arrangement. A dark crash pad across the top of the instrument panel provides some glare protection to the panel from the hot sun this aircraft will encounter. Everything so far looks ideal for a solid, working aeroplane.

Behind the spinner sits a Rotax 912, a 21st century workhorse of light aircraft engines. Well tried and tested all over the world, this engine gives great service with good economy and relatively light weight.

And it is easy to operate and manage.

I climb up into the cockpit and sit in to the generously-sized comfortable seats.

The seat lock release comes easily to hand as you reach down, and I slid forward to find a comfortable position with the rudder pedals within good reach. The seat lock gave a solid click when released, and a quick check showed it had latched correctly. The harness is totally conventional with the standard emergency quick-release, and I tightened it across me as I sat back and looked around.

Inside there is no plastic to wear and crack. Everything is of good quality and seems well designed to make maintenance and upkeep on the cockpit quick and easy.

FEATURE

PHOTOS: MARK SMITH

Peter Gesler, the proud owner of 24-8552 climbed up and sat beside me. He was on the left, his usual position for flying, and as he adjusted his seat and arranged his harness he told me he had owned the aircraft for four years.

Peter owns a horse stud property near Warwick in south eastern Queensland, and a stock feed business in Laidley, and decided to buy the Brumby for his daily commute (weather permitting). The arrangement has worked well, with the aeroplane presenting no significant operational issues and proving perfectly reliable. He finds it very pleasant to fly, economical to operate and is delighted in his choice of aircraft.

We put on our headsets and Peter started the engine. Idling sweetly with good oil pressure indicating, Peter switched on the radio which gave us the intercom. Both sets “read 5” and we waited for the temperatures to rise before we taxied.

This is a very conventional aeroplane and the checks and drills reflect this. The take-off was uneventful and, after raising the nosewheel at 50 knots we flew off in about the same distance a Cessna 152 would need. Climb was normal, with an initial speed of 60 knots which provided 740 fpm on the VSI. At 1000 feet QNH and clear of the circuit, we accelerated to 75 knots in a cruise climb. I was impressed with the solid

feel of the aeroplane and the quietness in the cabin. Sure, we both wore headsets but the low noise level was something else.

There were only minor atmospheric disturbances – the evening was drawing in, and thermal activity had ceased. The aeroplane just sat there, fixed in space as the world passed slowly beneath and the altimeter ticked upwards. I needed a small amount of right rudder to counter slipstream but nothing of note. The controls had a nice harmony – none were heavy, all were medium light and responsive, perhaps even sharp. The Brumby-designed utilitarian yoke control felt good in my hand and I felt warm and comfortable.

Just north of Lake Clarendon, we levelled off at 3000 feet. Trimmed and level, at this height, at 5000 RPM, the ASI read 95 knots. This was rather good considering the size of the aeroplane. The aeroplane just sat there, riding what few lumps and bumps the atmosphere threw our way. Visibility was stock standard early Cessna 150.

Good to port and starboard - horizontal and down, and not so good in front where the nose obscured, or aft where we were blind as the aircraft has no rear view panel, and totally hopeless above because of the wing. Lookout must be proactive or you’ll run over somebody.

I set up a pitch oscillation and watched as the aeroplane quickly dampened it and regained steady flight with a height loss of about 40 feet and around 35 degrees heading change. I had a good look out - we were alone in the sky - and set about doing some steep and maximum rate turns.

The entry was quite conventional, the ailerons were crisp and light, and roll control was crisp. Balancing rudder was easily judged and just as easily applied, I didn’t add power to offset the rising drag in the turn and watched as the air speed decayed to a little over 60 knots where I felt a slight disturbance of airflow breaking away in the elevator area through the yoke. I rolled out and immediately entered a turn to port which was just as uneventful. The aeroplane felt as if it fitted right into my hand and was an extension of my arm.

Then I tried an emergency left turn. We were below our VA so I used a full application of aileron to enter. There was no problem and, with full power this time, the air speed fell to just over 70 knots as I reached the 180° reciprocal. I rolled briskly out and the ball stayed right between the lines - Phil Goard has designed excellent coordination characteristics into his aircraft.

Next on the list was a stall or three. The basic stall, sans power and flap, was typical of modern designs. Increasing stick presSPORT PILOT | October 2018

37

sure to hold the yoke back as the airspeed decayed and a soft sigh as it gave up and sagged away as the stall developed across the wing surface. With flap, the nose was a little higher at the point it sagged away but nothing extraordinary. Then, using flap and power, the stall break was very noticeably higher and the sharpness of the stall break was just a little more pronounced. In the sag away I could feel the tiniest of fingers of break-away airflow tapping on the skin.

Post stall, and holding the yoke right back, caused the aeroplane to settle with a VSI indicating about 800 fpm. I was keeping straight with rudder and encountered no tendency to roll off in a wing drop.

These are nice characteristics if you don’t like stalling but in the hands of a competent instructor still quite adequate to teach the basics.

Slow flight was easy to set up. With the first notch of flap set I slowed the aircraft down to 45 knots indicated. The engine temps came up a little but remained

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

comfortably in the green range. With a little added power she was quite happy to maintain height and just shoot the breeze although I did notice a frailty in the height holding ability with a tendency to sink away always there.

The glide was another non-event. With carb heat on and power off and 60 knots on the ASI she flew like any other aircraft.

The controls were obviously a little lighter and the roll rate had diminished a little but there was still plenty left for a rainy day. At circuit height we flew back to Forest Hill and joined downwind for 03.

There is no need to fly anything but a conventional circuit and with the carb heat returned to off we crossed the trees at 60 with full flap. A nice flare, the wheels gently brushed the runway and the weight settled onto the wheels. Before the nose wheel settled, I simulated an overshoot and went to full throttle. The airspeed rose quickly and in a few seconds the rumbling stopped as we took to the air again.

After a thorough check for itinerant aircraft (none found), I did this circuit in a simulated bad weather configuration – 4500 RPM, a notch of flap and 60 knots indicated and level off at 500 ft for a low-level circuit.

On base it was simple to add more flap, reduce power slightly and re-trim to have us crossing the trees again, but this time at 55 knots. The powerful elevator provided total flare and float control and we settled onto the grass. Again the landing was another non-event and we taxied back to the hangar.

I was impressed with this aeroplane.

While I like flying all aeroplanes, this one was especially nice to fly and felt as though it wanted me to be there with it. It wasn’t the fastest, nor could it fly the slowest, but it was just a nice, all-round good machine.

When I thought about it further, I did have one concern: I did feel a little disappointed that I didn’t have one just like it. It would be a pleasure to own and Peter is a very lucky man.

Owner Peter Gesler

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

39

FEATURE

SYDNEY RECREATIONAL FLYING CLUB – WHERE HISTORY CONTINUES TO BE WRITTEN

A club which started more than 30 years ago is showing how to run a successful recreational flying organisation.

A

little known airfield west of Sydney is home to one of the most progressive flying clubs in recreational aviation, one that was formed in the very early years of recreational flying.

The Oaks started life in 1942 as a RAAF satellite airfield for nearby Camden during WWII. At the time Camden was a major operational base, with the Oaks situated nearby as a potential dispersal site should Sydney come under direct enemy attack.

After the war a road was built through the

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

northern end of the north-south runway, so operations are now limited to the southern end of the airfield. It is regarded as Sydney’s fourth airport after Kingsford Smith, Bankstown and Camden.

In 1985 recreational flying was in its infancy. One of the founding members of the Australian Ultralight Federation, Bill Dinsmore, who held pilot certificate 001, held a meeting at Bankstown encouraging the formation of flying groups and clubs based on the growing ultralight move-

ment. At the time Greg Davies, the current CFI of what is now Sydney Recreational Flying Club, got together with a group of like-minded individuals at a suburban home and formed the Sydney Ultralight Flying Club.

“I was with the Microlight Aviators Federation of Australia (MAFA), a precursor to the AUF, and there was a group of us from Sydney who talked about forming our own club. At a meeting at one of the guy’s houses in 1985 the Sydney Ultralight Flying Club was formed. We then looked at what aircraft to buy. Only two aircraft were certified at the time; the Thruster and the Lightwing. We got our CFI at

PHOTOS: ??????

Landing on a river bank.

Sydney Recreational Flying Club and some young eagles.

the time, Karl Holden, to fly both and the Lightwing won hands down. We ordered one in 1986 and it was serial number 03 or 04, which was one of the first production Lightwings that Howard Hughes made.

“We all put in some money, put a down payment on the aircraft and got a guarantor to borrow the rest. Then to save us some more money four of us went to the factory at Ballina and helped finish the aircraft so we could get it cheaper for the club and start flying. Four of us went up there for two weeks and I stayed on for another two weeks,” Greg says.

The Oaks was chosen as the site to fly from and so the club was born.

The two Foxbats at The Oaks

In June, a new Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat arrived at the club. This achievement has come after more than 30 years of club members’ tireless volunteer work building the association.

Geoff Raebel has watched the growth of the club since he joined in 1991.

“By 1992 we realised a one aeroplane flying club relying on volunteer professional maintenance was severely limiting training and usage. It was about then that Ros Skinner’s 582 Lightwing came on the market after her Bass Strait-return crossing. So we borrowed some more money and bought it. We became a two aeroplane club!

“Back then membership was around 60 and it seems to stay pretty much at that level. People move on, others join but the number seems to stay the same,” he says.

Operating two tail draggers didn’t guarantee success and the club had some lean times.

“We plodded along teaching students to fly taildraggers for about 18 years. It was pretty hand-to-mouth paying mortgages, returning loans from members, insurance and dealing with the indemnity crisis when pilot certificate holders couldn’t carry passengers and our income dried up.”

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In 2008 that changed when long time CFI Greg Davies introduced a new aircraft.

“Greg brought in a Foxbat, which at the time was relatively new on the market.

In the air it had very similar handling characteristics to our Lightwings but offered a nosewheel. It was time for another whip around members for money, together with a bank loan. With insurance organised Greg along with Joe Newham, our other L2 maintainer, picked up 25-5356 and flew it straight to Natfly at Narromine.”

The introduction of a nose wheel aircraft saw things change at the club with the Foxbat proving incredibly popular.

“The book for the Foxbat was full so we sold our original Lightwing 25-0081 to a member. Sydney GA pilots started to come in and convert to RA in large numbers.”

The popularity of the Foxbat led to the club obtaining another, though not via the usual method of simply buying an airframe.

“In 2010 a student mentioned that his other club had a Foxbat as an insurance write off. We snapped it up. Arthur Armour, one of our instructors and an

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airframe specialist at Taree, was just the person to do the repairs at an economical price. We had to put a new crankshaft in the engine, which was not budgeted for but in late 2010 28-4422 came on line looking like new. We had two Foxbats and a Lightwing!”

At this time members really felt the club was surging forward with two nose wheel aircraft available, however it was felt important to retain tail wheel training and the skills involved as an important part of the training on offer. Watching the classifieds in Sport Pilot for a number of months led to a 100hp Lightwing, that had been in the care of a Level 2 from new, being added to the fleet with their other 582 powered Lightwing, 25-0158 being sold.

Through good management the club became debt free in 2017, which allowed the building of funds that has seen the new A22LS Foxbat, 23-9081 become part of the fleet.

Club president Joe Newham has been a member since 1998, completing all of his RAAus training with the club. He says their success lies in the spirit of volunteerism

that permeates through every aspect of operations.

“The club runs as a not for profit association which means all the instructors, the maintainers and people running the operations desk are all volunteers so we don’t get anything out of it financially. But we are supporting grass roots aviation and it seems to work.

“We get involved in Young Eagles, both at The Oaks and at Rylstone Airpark where we operate from time to time. We also have a satellite at Taree run by Arthur Armour with one of the Foxbats. Essentially it’s all about showing people flying is accessible and affordable.”

Joe became involved after many years racing motorbikes. After he left the sport he looked for a new challenge.

“I’d always been interested in aircraft but like many people but didn’t believe I could afford to fly. After I left motorcycles I decided to investigate learning to fly. I didn’t know anything about the difference between GA and RAAus flying until I stumbled across the Sydney Ultralight Flying Club and just felt at home there. So yeah I haven’t left,” Joe says.

COLUMN

DALTON ON SAFETY AIRMANSHIP- THINKING ABOUT FLYING POLITELY AND SAFELY.

Airmanship is a word with many interpretations. Mike Dalton weighs in with some examples.

A

irmanship is phrase we see tossed around a fair bit in the various publications and forums that abound our industry. It’s a broad phrase and it can have a variety of meanings depending on the context it is being used in. One online dictionary I looked to for a definition simply said "skill in flying an aircraft" while the all-knowing Wikipedia said "skill and knowledge applied to aerial navigation, similar to seamanship". While both are good, I don't think either address a very important trait that I consider fundamental for someone who demonstrates good airmanship.

My observations over the past 30 years in the flying game suggest that most pilots display "skill and knowledge". Let's face it, if they didn't then passing a flight review, rating renewal or obtaining a new endorsement or license would be unachievable.

Sure, there are a number who barely scrape by on ability or some even where, if their instructor were being honest, they would be pointed toward the golf course.

Overall however, we all operate with a fair level of skill and that's reflected in the very low fatality rate in the Australian aviation landscape.

So what's missing? Recently I've seen a few examples that suggest that there's a level of common sense missing as well as a lack of consideration for the consequences of your actions on others. Maybe that's an unfortunate fundamental of human nature these days but I would like to think that talking about it from time to time might make people sit back and reflect on how they operate and decide if they could do better.

Example 1 - Engine run ups. I know our instructors teach us to point the nose into wind to conduct this activity. I actually don't recall if my instructor ever explained why we do it but I do recall him encouraging me to check what's going to be behind me and to reposition if it's not clear. One example of poor airmanship in this regard at a recent airshow resulted in a line of parked aircraft being directly peppered with stones while another put taxiing aircraft at risk. The crews of both "offending" aircraft were very experienced and should

have known better and fortunately there was no damage that couldn't be rectified with a wash. But the example that was set for any upcoming pilot in attendance was poor to say the least and there was a clear disregard or lack of consideration for what or who was nearby.

Example 2 – Tying down. The picture is of an aircraft I saw parked a few months back. It's pretty obvious that the pilot has made no real attempt at securing the aircraft and in windy conditions (not uncommon at this airfield) this aircraft could easily have got loose and caused damage to other people’s property on the way to destroying itself. Again this sets a poor example to less experienced pilots who learn not just from their instructor but also from the example that you and I set for them. The lack of care displayed in this case may also have caused the owner some conflict with their insurer if the aircraft had got loose in the wind.

Example 3 – Looking out. I was at another fly in recently where around 170 aircraft were registered as attending, with an extremely diverse range of aircraft types. Operations were being conducted on the main north south runway with a light and variable westerly of less than 10 knots and ops on runway 35 was the established pattern. A group of Tiger Moths arrived overhead and joined the circuit for 35 with the exception of one who joined for 17. I’m not sure of that pilot’s logic but he made the call for that runway and the rest of the Tigers appeared to wait for him to

land. However a Grumman was also in the circuit for a landing on 35. Ok, I thought someone’s going around and will likely be annoyed but to my utter amazement (and frustration that I didn’t have a handy radio to alert them) both persisted and landed head to head on the bitumen! They landed short of each other so there was no collision but that’s not the point: surely at some point both must have checked to see that the runway was clear to land on. One of the last pre landing checks I do every time is – “runway clear, clear to land” - even at a controlled aerodrome, but that was clearly not done in this case or perhaps one or the other wasn’t prepared to yield and go around. Not having a radio I do not know if they were even communicating. In no way am I suggesting that the Tiger pilot was at fault as landing a vintage taildragger with even a light cross wind has its challenges, but clearly neither of them looked nor had the common sense to call going around.

It's pretty simple really: think before you act and consider what might happen and who you might be influencing or affecting. Think what's behind you and what surface you are on before doing a run up, and when parking your aircraft make sure it is securely tied down in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

When operating at busy, non-controlled aerodromes, keep your eyes outside as much as possible and ensure the runway is clear before you continue your landing. If it’s not, GO AROUND SPORT PILOT | October 2018

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COLUMN

LEARNING TO FLY THE WEATHER MYTH

David Bonnici talks about the next step in his flying education

T

he great man Billy Connolly once said, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes”. Substitute “clothes” for “perception” and those words could apply to recreational flying.

Many of us are fair weather flyers. We fly for fun not to rescue people or haul freight, but as I continue to build hours I actually look forward to the kind of the conditions that once kept my feet glued to terra firma.

That said, my bar was set pretty low.

When booking an aircraft I’d keep an eye on weather forecasts and choose a day and time most likely to have the least cloud and wind. Then, if the weather gods were kind, I’d fly as high as needed to avoid even mild turbulence.

My tight personal minimums were probably a result of trying to overcome air-sickness while training, meaning lowish cloud and anything more than a brisk breeze was often a deal breaker even though the weather was actually flyable - not because I was scared but because I didn’t think it would be much fun.

But on one cold and gusty Saturday I decided to throw caution to the wind, and a 1500ft cloud base, spurred on by another persistent pilot on his third touch and go.

I’d flown circuits in worse weather with an instructor and figured if I had to wait for perfect winter weather to my logbook would simply become a repository of dust rather than hours flown.

The plan was to do a couple of circuits to see how I felt, but on taking off I was surprised by the clear air and forward visibility at circuit height.

With the other aircraft back on the ground I radioed to no one in particular that I was leaving the circuit and decided to get down low and slow to follow the rivers to the south of the airfield.

I had an absolute ball.

Despite the wind gusts the air was remarkably calm so I stayed down around 800ft, which was high enough to keep the airfield vicinity in sight, but low enough to require some stick and rudder work to follow Leigh River’s bends.

Crisp blue skies are gorgeous to fly

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in, but the kind of weather that can ruin a picnic can actually be a joy to behold from 800 feet The sun’s rays broke through the cirrus creating a dappled patchwork of green, gold and grey, parts of which would disappear behind rain showers and the occasional rainbow providing a stunning reminder about why I’m so glad to have persisted with this flying caper.

I’m not about to become a storm chaser any time soon, but, while weather commands respect it’s important to dip your toe in the water and loosen those personal-minimum strings a little.

Maintaining height, avoiding clouds getting more of a feel for the Tecnam’s controls along the snaking rivers also helped build more confidence. Hell, I even hit some turbulence over a pine plantation and enjoyed the ride.

My hubris was tested overhead the airfield when I noticed the windsock was wavering in stiffness and direction, taunting me with 12-knot crosswind gusts.

As with flying through turbulence I realised the prospect of having to perform a crosswind landing is actually worse being faced with it.

I’m not sure if it was my training kicking in or just the realisation that no one else was going to land the bloody thing, but I recall feeling calm doing everything by the book.

I extended my base to allow for drift back toward the runway, left the flaps at 15 degrees, maintained about 70 knots to compensate for the gusts, and crabbed accordingly without really thinking about it.

The actual landing wasn’t pretty but I put the aircraft away feeling really satisfied that I had taken an important step in really learning to fly the aircraft instead of just taking it up to enjoy the view – even though the vistas were stunning.

We’re so lucky in Australia that the winter months don’t mean having to put aircraft into hibernation. But going by the full hangars and empty skies I wonder how many other pilots realise this.

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

45

FEATURE

THE GLOBE SWIFT

Style, grace and old fashioned flair. Mark Smith meets an owner and his very special aeroplane.

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PHOTOS: MARK SMITH

T

John in his Swift near Temora

he older some aeroplanes get, the vaguer their history becomes. The Globe Swift is no exception.

But that has not deterred Caboolture-based pilot John Frederick who has had his eye on the sleek lines of the Swift for the past 40 years, and been flying his own example for about 18 months.

His attraction to the aircraft started as a young man when he saw pictures of the Swift in aviation magazines. He says there aren’t many side by side tail draggers around which adds to the appeal.

“She was beautifully built, almost overbuilt in some ways, in an old Mustang factory in Dallas and was the Globe Aircraft Company’s plan for survival after WWII,” John says.

“It was rushed into production in 1945/46. This one is number 1484, and of the nearly 2000 built, about half are still flying, with a very active owners club in the States who have the odd distinction of having taken over the certification.

They have the jigs and the tooling to make parts and carry the legal responsibility for that. When parts start running short they do manufacturing runs. They are trying to make the aeroplane last for as long as possible.”

Rumour has it that the original designer of the aircraft, R.S. "Pop" Johnson of Fort Worth, Texas, obtained a Culver Cadet on trial, measured it up, returned it SPORT PILOT | October 2018

47

John with his Swift.

to the manufacturer and then built his own.

While there is a touch of resemblance between the two aircraft, the story is at best apocryphal.

Pop Johnson did do the original design in 1940 and managed to convince entrepreneur John Kennedy, who owned Globe Aircraft Company, to take on production with Johnson as an employee. The US then got involved in WWII, Globe started making military aircraft under licence and the Swift was put on the backburner.

Jump forward to 1946 and Johnson had left Globe, apparently disillusioned with proposed changes to his design. K.H “Bud” Knox had worked the original Swift over and it was now advertised as “The all metal Swift.” Globe, like many aircraft manufacturers post war, hoped for a boom in private flying as thousands of trained pilots returned to civilian life.

After 408 Swift GC-1A’s had left the production line with the 85hp Continental engine, the design received an upgraded engine to 125hp and was designated the GC-1B. The much anticipated boom in flying

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after WWII never eventuated and Globe found itself building more aeroplanes than they had customers for, eventually forcing it into insolvency. The biggest creditor, Temco, bought the type certificate for what they were owed and continued production, hoping to recover their losses.

The type certificate for the Swift was obtained by Universal Aircraft Industries (later Univair) along with all production tooling. Spare parts continued to be built until 1979 when the Swift Museum Foundation purchased the Type Certificate, parts and tooling.

The Swift has stood the test of time well. Walking around John’s 1946 example reveals a design that looks modern in a retro manner, almost as if it was designed today to look vaguely like a 1940s aircraft.

This modern feel is helped by John’s restoration including a Dynon 10” D100 EFIS holding pride of place on the panel.

John is an airline pilot with Cathay but that hasn’t dented his love for stick and rudder flying, with a Chipmunk sharing the hangar with his Swift, which he explains has been a long term project.

“I bought it in the US about eight years ago and it took a long time to actually get it to Australia because the wing comes off just outboard of the undercarriage which means it doesn’t fit in a 40 foot container.

That took some time to work out.

“Then I had a setback with the restoration business I was using going broke, briefly. It went up to Glen Shaw at Dalby Air Maintenance and they’ve pretty much done all of it, and it was then painted at Douglas Aviation at Yarrawonga.

“It’s been flying for 18 months now and there were some teething troubles to sort out but now it’s really going well. Plus for a Swift, she’s really fast, getting 118kts. The engine in the original was the C125 but in keeping with a lot of restorations I have the C145 because that engine is available from lots and lots of old 172s.”

One of the other aspects of the rumours about old aeroplanes is the way they seemingly gain a reputation as being hard to fly the older they get. The Swift is no different with people at times offering the opinion the design has vicious stall characteristics or it’ll ground loop with the

least provocation. John says all of this is completely wrong.

“It actually handles very much like the Chipmunk,” he says as he prepares to fly back to his home base at Caboolture from Temora.

“The controls are very light, but like the Chippie they are very well harmonised.

It has a very gentle stall thanks to the leading edge slots on wing tip. I’m using pretty much the same speeds. They both climb out at 65kts, they both approach at 60kts, and they both climb at about 800 feet per minute. This is quicker by about 20kts but other than that they are quite similar to fly, though the Swift is a foot lower to the ground so on landing I have to almost feel my way down.

“If there is one issue about the flying characteristics it’s that there isn’t enough right rudder available if there is a crosswind from the left. There are pilots in the States who have put 200hp engines in Swifts and they are only half joking when they say they’d rather take off with a tailwind if it means the crosswind is from the right.”

SWIFTLY IN TO THE FUTURE With the weight increase for RAAus aircraft, which has been agreed to in principle by the regulator, aircraft like the Globe Swift would come into the scope for RAAus pilots.

At around 760kg AUW this classic aeroplane could easily become a favourite with recreational pilots looking for a touch of old fashioned class in their flying.

CEO Michael Linke, along with other members of the Board and management team, have been involved in working towards the higher weight limit.

“RAAus has been working closely with CASA to create a workable framework to allow the weight increase to happen.

As an organisation we are intent on opening up new flying and maintenance opportunities to our members,” he says.

“Obviously extra training would be required to handle aircraft such as the Swift if a pilot’s RAAus training has been limited to simple aircraft, but that wouldn’t be an issue given the training standards that now govern RAAus flying schools.”

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TRAVEL

BROKEN HILL: A DESERT TOWN THAT’S EASY TO FLY TO, ONE LEG AT A TIME Mark Smith ventures across the outback to sample a mining town worth a visit.

B

roken Hill is one of those desert towns that has an aura about it and a special place in the nation’s psyche. It is the BH from BHP, the world’s largest mining company that was born there in 1885. While mining operations have declined in the past 30 years, the city has reinvented itself as an arts and cultural precinct with park and garden displays and the renowned Living Desert Sculptures.

Australia has a love affair with its deserts, probably because we have so many of them. From the air the rich reds, occasional splashes of green and remote homesteads provide sightseeing material that make the hours sail by. At 100kts it’s four hours from Melbourne, a bit over two hours from Adelaide and four and a half hours from Sydney.

Charles Sturt named the city after a broken hill that was part of the barrier range containing massive deposits of lead, zinc and silver. Ironically, intensive mining has

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seen the broken hill levelled.

Old stone buildings hint at the prosperity the town has enjoyed. A casual stroll, map in hand, is a great start to a stay in this aptly named Silver City.

But you can start your sightseeing even before leaving the airport. The Royal Flying Doctors Service base has a visitor centre and offers tours through the base and hangar to learn more about this vital outback service.

A drive up the hill that towers over the town brings you to the Line of Lode miner’s memorial. Here you walk among the mining equipment on the way to the memorial itself, which pays tribute to more than 800 miners who lost their lives working the mines in the area. It’s also a place with great views over Broken Hill.

A visit to a mining town wouldn’t be complete without actually going in to a mine and seeing what workers endured in the early days of mining. The Daydream

Mine is an easy 20 minute drive on the road to Silverton and allows visitors to descend into a mine that ran in 1880s. Life was tough with miners working 12 hour days, six days a week.

Silverton is a half hour drive from Broken Hill and is immediately recognisable from its starring role in many films, television shows and commercials. Once a thriving mining town with a population of 3000, it is now a quirky desert town with fewer than 50 residents.

But the ragtag collection of old buildings combined with a number of unique art galleries and the characters of the town make it a must-do stop during a flying trip to Broken Hill. We fly because we love to be in the air. But, if we allow it, we get the chance to travel in a few days what would take many days with land bound transport.

Depending on your airspeed, Broken Hill isn't a super long flight from most east coast locations but it is a great flight.

Living desert sculpture park

Art Studio at Silverton

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

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COLUMN

TECHNICAL FUEL PUMPS- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Arthur Marcel relates how his personal experience taught him a lot about fuel pumps

I

f your motor stops and there aren’t any nasty noises or unusual rough running, and the propeller is still quietly turning, you probably have a fuel flow problem.

Time to switch on the auxiliary fuel pump.

Haven’t got one? Oh dear. I know exactly how you feel.

Auxiliary Fuel Pumps Three-and-a-half years ago, I wrote off (not economically repairable) a plane due to a fuel flow problem. Until recently I had believed a small loop in the fuel line above the level of the tank feed was the sole cause of the engine failure, but lately, after having fitted and tested a couple of auxiliary fuel pumps on another aircraft, I am of the opinion that there also had to be an issue with the fuel pump.

Rotax two-stroke motors are usually fitted with Mikuni diaphragm-type fuel pumps driven by crankcase pressure pulses.

Although the drive mechanism is different, electrically actuated diaphragm pumps such as the New Zealand made “Fuel Flow ECCO” use the same principle to pump fuel.

Basically, the fuel is drawn into the pump chamber by the retreating diaphragm through a one-way valve, and then forced out through another one-way valve as the diaphragm advances.

There are some differences of degree between the Mikuni pulse pump and the ECCO electrical one, with the Mikuni operating at a much higher oscillation rate (one beat per rpm) and with a shallower stroke. Also, I think the output of the Mikuni is under 3 psi. Mike Stratman (Californian Power Systems) says the maximum lift for a Mikuni is 39” (1 metre), however I think this is conservative. Quicksilver GT400 aircraft like the one I am currently working on have been flying since 1984 using Mikuni pumps to lift fuel 1250mm, apparently without problem.

The beauty of a diaphragm pump, be it electrical or pulse, is that it can be added to a fuel line in series or in parallel, because even if it is not working it does not interrupt the flow of fuel through it (and, in the case of a parallel installation, prevents back flow).

The first ECCO pump I bought was the

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4 psi model. I had read on the internet that Bing 54 carburettors require input fuel pressure between 20 kPa (2.9 psi) and 50 kPa (7.2 psi), but now believe this to be incorrect. Firstly, with regard to minimum pressure, there are only two forces acting on the float needle, these being the float itself and gravity. If the float is down due to insufficient fuel in the bowl, the gate is wide open for more fuel to flow in, so minimum pressure has to be zero. Secondly, I found that my 4 psi pump with a 250mm lift was sufficient to push the needle below its seat and flood the carburettor. Therefore, I estimate maximum input pressure for a Bing 54 to be about 3.5 psi.

The 4 psi pump was not suitable for another reason. I made the conceptual mistake of thinking a diaphragm pump could be added to the line at any point between the tank and the engine-driven pump and still deliver the same pressure. But this is not the case. Reciprocating pumps like these need to be thought of as two pumps in one.

The draw stroke is completely isolated from the pumping stroke by the valve system.

Both strokes are independently capable of delivering 4 psi from any point in the line.

I would have needed to fit this pump in the line at a much lower level than I did not to have it flood the carburettors.

Which brings me to another point and this is lift. It takes about 1 psi to lift fuel one metre. At Clifton (Darling Downs Sport Aircraft Association) there are a couple of Drifters that have 4 psi pumps (same brand) working perfectly because they are in the fuel line a metre or more below the carburettors, which means fuel pressure at those carburettors is only 3 psi. I have only a 250 mm lift from the preferred position for my pump, so I replaced the 4 psi model with a 3 psi one (again same brand) and the system worked okay.

I discovered too that these pumps will draw and pump air quite well, but not to the same degree as they pump fuel. Air will not load the pump sufficiently for the mechanism to actually stop oscillating. This is because air compresses and expands within the pumping chamber. Fuel can only be taken or pushed to about three-quarters the same height as when the pumping chamber

contains fuel. However, these pumps will prime a line as long as there is no resistance ahead, meaning as long as the carburettor bowls are not full. Also, the compressibility of air means that if a bubble of air does enter the pump, some fuel pressure (and possibly delivery rate) will be lost.

However, air in a Mikuni pulse pump may be an entirely different matter. I am of the opinion that, unlike the longer (and slower) stroke electrically-actuated diaphragm pump, the Mikuni pulse pump might not pump air at all. The compressibility of air within the pumping chamber might defeat the high rate of oscillating acceleration and short stroke of this type of pump such that the air’s inertia would not be overcome before the stroke reversed. An air bubble entering a Mikuni pulse pump could possibly stop fuel delivery completely.

The next question is how to confirm before flight that an auxiliary fuel pump is working. The aircraft’s voltmeter fluctuates slightly when the pump is switched on, but this only indicates electrical load, not necessarily that the thing is pumping. One could always fit a fuel pressure gauge. There are gauges that are hard-plumbed to the cockpit and those that transmit electrically.

The downside with the former is that no one wants fuel running to their instrument panel and the downside with the latter is that they are quite expensive. As well, both represent extra complexity. A simpler way to check the operation of an auxiliary fuel pump is to every now and then remove a carburettor bowl and physically observe fuel flow. Also, the pump actually makes an audible clicking sound when it is switched on and this clicking slows to a stop after a few seconds as the fuel system becomes pressurised prior to starting.

Air locks As I’ve already said, I once lost a plane due to a fuel flow problem. I believe this was the result of introduced air accumulating in a small loop in the fuel line above the level of the tank feed. I now think this situation could only have come about in the context of a failed fuel pump.

We are discussing air introduced into the system from the outside atmosphere. In

my case, the air entered the system when I changed the fuel filter. Air can also enter a fuel line loop when the tanks are run low and the aircraft is taxied over undulating ground sloshing fuel back and forth in the tanks.

I have heard quite a few anecdotes about air locks stopping motors. The opinion I often hear is that an air lock will stop fuel flow. Now, in a gravity fed fuel system, given the appropriate geometry, I have no doubt that air in the line can stop fuel flow. The point I want make here, though, is that in a pumped system, I don’t think it can at all.

To take this point to a logical extreme, would anyone expect an air lock to stop flow in their garden hose? Of course not, but then water in a garden hose is being propelled by about 100 psi of pressure.

Below what pressure could we expect an air lock to stop the flow of fuel? To answer this question, we need to reconsider the situation of gravity feed. What is it that stops the flow there? The answer is that the buoyancy of the air bubble stops the fuel from reaching the zenith of the loop and flowing over into the downhill side of the loop. How do we measure the buoyancy of the air bubble? The answer to that question is that the buoyancy of the bubble is equal to the weight of the vertical column of fuel that it would displace if it were to be pushed down the other side of the loop (here we are ignoring the actual weight of the air, which for our purposes is negligible). Fuel requires approximately 1 psi of pressure to lift it one vertical metre, so a one metre long bubble would take 1 psi of pressure to push it down the other side of the loop. It is very unlikely that a bubble in a fuel line would be one metre long, more likely less than 200mm, and this length of bubble would consume .2 psi of pressure from the pumping system. If the system is pumping at 3 psi, such a loss is not going to stop it.

At low power settings, an air bubble in a looped line is not going to be pushed further than the zenith of the loop. This is because once the fuel reaches the zenith it will flow through the air bubble and down the other side. So if fuel is able to pass through an air bubble with ease, what is it that causes the problem? The answer to this question is perhaps the air bubble itself.

I have tested 5/16” (8mm) transparent fuel line to gauge the speed of a 200 mm air bubble rising through a full fuel line and it went up that line at five metres per minute

(I measured 4.9). I expect that in an inclined line, the speed of the bubble would be proportionally less. Now, the flow dynamic for an aircraft having a tank higher than its motor is very different for one having a tank lower than its motor. For example, let’s look at the situation of a high (wing) tanked aircraft like a Jabiru. Let’s approximate a potential average bubble velocity of two metres per minute and assume the length of the fuel line to be about 3½ metres with a metre of that being the divided feeder lines from the wing tanks, and in one or both of these feeder lines we have inadvertently put a loop above the level of the tank outlet and it contains a 200 mm bubble of air about half a metre in from the tank.

At take-off power a Jabiru is using about 25 litres per hour, which means a fuel line velocity of about eight metres per minute. Because there are two feeder lines, the line velocity before the junction will be about four metres per minute. So at TO power, the air bubble is going to move down the line towards the carburettor at an average speed of two metres per minute before the junction, and at an average speed of six metres per minute after the junction. At lower demand, say taxying or run up, the bubble would stay at the top of the loop (even if the demand was there at run up, it wouldn't be there for long enough to get the air to the carburettor, and the air would go back up into the loop after the run up while the aircraft was taxying to the holding point).

At TO power, the air bubble will have to travel half a metre at two metres per minute (time = 15 seconds), and 2½ metres at six metres per minute (time = 25 seconds). So, 40 seconds after brake release, a bubble of air would be pumped into a carburettor operating on full demand.

Next question is what would that do? A Bing carburettor bowl is good for about 20 seconds at TO power. But remember that as the bubble is moving down the line into the carby, fuel is running downhill past it.

When the bubble arrives at the carburettor a mixture of fuel and air would be pumped in through the needle seat orifice. It would be a little like what happens when you open the tap after having turned the house water mains back on. The fuel entering the carburettor would be to some degree aerated and it would spit into the fuel already in the bowl, so that fuel might get a little aerated as well. This could then result in a severe

power fluctuation. And remember also that before the air bubble even gets to the carburettor, it has to get through the fuel pump.

So this is a possible explanation of how a so called air ‘lock’ in a pumped fuel system can interrupt your day. The main thing to remember is to avoid them all together by having as little rise and fall in your fuel line as possible. However, there is a kind of fuel flow interruption potentially worse than that caused by air bubbles - vapour locks.

Vapour locks Vapour locks and fuel line cavitation are basically the same phenomenon. They occur when fuel reaches vapour pressure, either by being heated or having its pressure reduced by the drawing effect of the fuel pump (or both). This kind of cavitation is not the same as what happens with propellers (particularly boat propellers) when small pockets of vacuum are formed.

I used to be of the opinion that vapour locks were not an issue with recreational aircraft, even those using mogas (mogas being significantly more volatile than avgas), because our aircraft, unlike like modern cars, do not normally have pressure bypass lines that take excess fuel back to the tank.

However, after further experimentation with my spare ECCO fuel pump and translucent plastic fuel tank, I have changed my mind. I now think leaving an aircraft out in the sun on a mid-summer’s day can possibly heat fuel to a point where a one metre lift, that is a 1 psi pressure decrease, can vaporise it in the line.

Furthermore, while a bubble of introduced air has a finite length and can possibly be pumped through the system, there is no end to a vapour bubble. It just keeps coming until either the temperature drops or the pressure increases. The pressure will of course increase downstream of the pump, but that fact is of little consolation if you can’t get the fuel to the pump in the first place.

Consequent to this realisation, I am re-thinking my fuel system once again. I now believe auxiliary fuel pumps need to be fitted into the system as close to the fuel tank as possible. I say this in full knowledge that there are aircraft designs like the GT400 that have been lifting fuel over a metre with just a Mikuni pulse pump for many years without apparent problem.

This article has been written to stimulate thought and discussion.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

53

Now available in Australia in kit build or factory build

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Australian LightWing SP2000-S Aircraft $50,000 . Offers Welcome

www.lightwing.com.au . fly@lightwing.com.au . (02) 6686 8658 54

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

AVIATION CLASSIFIEDS

5023 22 AIRARK RD. HOLBROOK AIRPARK.

Residential vacant Block. 22 Airpark Road Holbrook NSW 2644.

EMAIL: donwoodward@outlook.com WWW: holbrook.simdif.com PRICE: $69000 CONTACT: Don Woodward 0417 696 461

5039 RANS COYOTE II S6ES

5139 DAKOTA HAWK

0 Airframe Hours, N/A Engine Hours, Dakota Hawk All controls complete. A/C is fitted with Matco wheels and brakes. A/C is fully covered and painted. Will take a Rotax or Jab 100hp. Fully folding wings.

PRICE: $18500 CONTACT: Brian Howard 0401 060 613

5326 JABIRU J230C (24-5013)

575.6 Airframe Hours, 575.6 Engine Hours, J230C Factory built 2007. Excellent condition. All AD’s up-to-date. Glass cockpit: Dynon D100 EFIS, AvMap EKP IV, GPS, Sentient AirNav GPS touch screen. Lots of extras. Hangered at Warwick (Qld). Phone (after-hours) 0438 663 371.

PRICE: $69000 ONO CONTACT: Gwenith Tyburczy 0421 322 618

5334 JABIRU J200 19-5073

5140 PARADISE P-1

280 Airframe Hours, 270 Engine Hours, S-6ES Coyote II. Registered till June 2017. Rotax 582 UL engine 260hrs. New BRS recovery chute installed December 2015. Large roomy cockpit with sliding seats. Folding wings for easy storage/trailering. All VFR instruments. Search Youtube for “Tuflux RANS Coyote”.

PRICE: $22000 CONTACT: Gordon Bailey 0409 348 293

286 Airframe Hours, 286 Engine Hours, P-1 PARADISE P-1 PRICE: $85000 CONTACT: John Darby 0402 210 913

5164 JABIRU UL6

5057 RV-3

286 Airframe Hours, 626 Engine Hours, RV-3A RV performance with Lycoming reliability. Lycoming O-320-A2B 150HP,150-160kt TAS cruise @32lph.

New prop, instruments & paint. A/C can be registered VH if aerobatics required, and can be delivered anywhere in Australia for cost.

PRICE: $55000 CONTACT: Peter Gilbert 0428 719 639

5088 FLIGHT DESIGN CTLS

540 Airframe Hours, 150 Engine Hours, UL6 Jabiru UL6 (6 cyl, 3300, Camit engine, 3yo), Good Condition Extended wings. Frame: 540 hrs. approx; Engine: 270 hrs approx.

Upgraded brakes, larger wheels. Climbs exceptionally well. Take-off and landing within 400m possible. Fuel: 14 l/hr @ 100Kn. PRICE: $32000 CONTACT: Johannes Luthy 0402 443 635

5309 SHARE IN AEROPRAKT A32 VIXXEN AT CABOOLTURE QLD

664 Airframe Hours, 260 Engine Hours, J200 Build 2003, Owner purchased 2010, Airframe TTIS 644 Hrs, nil accidents, repainted at Factory 2013, GA analogue instruments, vacuum pump, A/H, D/G, Electric T&B, voltmeter, keyed ignition, Microair radio, dual headsets and 2 x GPS’s, 140 lit fuel PRICE: $50000 CONTACT: Jeff Nott 0418 843 954

5335 TYRO MK 2

60 Airframe Hours, 40 Engine Hours, Tyro MK 2 Tyro MK 2 fully refurbished 4 years ago with stits polyfibre. VW 1600 twin port aero engine (40 hours) with new Ark Tech propeller. Holds 50L of fuel, with a burn of 7-10L/hour in cruise. Call Les 0438 017 256. Located in South East Tasmania.

PRICE: $7500 CONTACT: Les Skinner 0438 017 256

5397 BUCCANEER2 ULTRALIGHT FOR SALE

732 Airframe Hours, 732 Engine Hours, CTLS 732 airframe and engine hours. 130L fuel giving over 6 hours endurance at 110-115 TAS. Empty weight of 329kg giving useful load of 271kg.Always hangared and L2 maintained. No accident history.

Immaculate condition inside and out.

PRICE: $115000 CONTACT: William Davison 0419 632 477

56

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

400 Airframe Hours, 400 Engine Hours, A32 Vixxen A share is available in The Davewood Syndicate Vixxen based at Caboolture. Long running syndicate dedicated to providing a low hour high (currently 150) standard machine at reasonable rates of $85 per hour wet and $100 per month fixed.

PRICE: $10000 CONTACT: Ian McDonell (07) 3886 5828

342 Airframe Hours, 342 Engine Hours, 1996 Updated electric actuators and Tundra wheels and tyres. Brand new icon A210. Needs some work on the tail-wheel for water landings. Condition report included. Registered until September 2018 Email: bluepeace24@yahoo.com.au PRICE: $29000 CONTACT: Ivan Lizarralde 0409 660 716

5422 JABIRU 230D $69,500

545 Airframe Hours, 545 Engine Hours, J230D J230D. Excellent Condition, true 120kt cruise,Nil Accidents, Autopilot, plus many more, All AD,s current, 545H Airframe and Engine, Factory built, Customised Leather Seats, great for touring, Located GCSFS Jacobswell Qld. PRICE: $69500 CONTACT: Colin Worthy 0403 669 564

5458 HANGARS HOLBROOK AIRFIELD

Hangars at Holbrook Airpark. Freehold Title blocks (18m X 18m) or new Hangar and blocks available.

Serviced by sealed taxiways.

PRICE: Available from: $25000 CONTACT: John Ferguson 0413 990 400

5462 AIRBORNE MICROLIGHT

5428 CESSNA SKYCATCHER 162

5502 2014 WEDGETAIL AIRCRAFT COUGAR (FORMALLY MORGAN AEROWORKS)

62 Airframe Hours, 62hrs Engine Hours, Cougar.

This aircraft is one of very few kit built aircraft of it’s class antwhere in Australia. It is equipped with everything that you could imagine: Honda Viking Engine 110Hp (Uses between 18-20LPH of 98 Fuel) 110L Fuel Capacity with 8 hrs Endurance.

PRICE: $82000 CONTACT: Frankie Bailey 0468 713 545

5506 SAPHIRE

98 Airframe Hours, 98 Engine Hours, 162. CESSNA SKYCATCHER 162 2011 TT 98 hrs. Australian delivery. One owner. Dual screens PFD and EGT, all options. Currently registered GA but can be registered RA. 10/10.

EMAIL: alank454@hotmail.com PRICE: $95700 ONO CONTACT: Alan Kirwan 0439 805 540

5435 AIRCRAFT 24-5195

401.8 Airframe Hours, 401.8 120 since Overhaul Engine Hours, J230D. Dec 07 Jabiru J230D. Only 400 TTIS. Excellent Condition. Always Hangared.

Will sell with fresh Annual.

PRICE: $65000 CONTACT: James Rodgers 0457 054 123

20 Airframe Hours, 20 Engine Hours, Classic Microlight for sale. New engine, just run in 20 hours old. Upgraded wing from original wizard wing to Streak 1. Many extras. Includes travel fuel panieres, helmets, radio. Log books available. Excellent condition.

PRICE: $15000 CONTACT: Martin Braatz 0417 896 342

5468 TECNAM BRAVO WITH LEASE ON HANGAR/OFFICE

5436 AIRCRAFT 24-8373

850 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, KP-5. 2013 Skyleader KP5. 850 TTIS. Empty 304kgs MTOW 580kgs. Fuel 64Lt Total Both.

Cruise 105kt Stall full flaps 35kt. Electric Fowler Flaps and trim. Very easy to fly.

PRICE: $70000 CONTACT: James Rodgers 0457 054 123

1210 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, Bravo Tecnam Bravo with low hours,(maintained by LAME and L2). We also have a 3 x 3 x3 lease on a hangar with Office area and accommodation all renovated.

Additional we are also selling our family home.

PRICE: Offers over $219000 CONTACT: Wayne Dillon 0438 551 198

755 Airframe Hours, 30 Engine Hours, Saphire.

Number 5 Build.First Reg 1985.KFM powered.Still full flying order and condition.Low hours air frame and current engine.Delight to Fly.Sale is age related.

Three spare KFM motors and components included.

Engine tool dismantle and rebuild Kit. PRICE: $7000 CONTACT: Hayden Macaulay 0439 093 289

5523 RAND X-AIR

216 Airframe Hours, 216 Engine Hours, X-air Australian. Rand X-Air Rotax 618 216hrs Good condition full instrumentation ballistic parachute 3blade brolga prop.

PRICE: $12000 CONTACT: David Kille 0402 401 566

5528 AIRBORNE XT-912, TRIKE/ MICROLIGHT ARROW S WING LSA

5491 AIRCRAFT FOR SALE

5454 WANTED - WIZARD 3 HANG GLIDER WING FOR TRIKE

CONTACT: Glenn Stallard 0434 558 038

140 Airframe Hours, 140 Engine Hours, Vm1. Esqual Vm1 PRICE: $65000 CONTACT: Walter Hudson 0428 469 416

550 Airframe Hours, 550 Engine Hours, XT-912.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

57

AVIATION CLASSIFIEDS

AIRBORNE XT-912 TRIKE ARROW S WING LSA PRICE: $29000 CONTACT: Bob Thiemann(07) 5481 2025 / 0418 776 116

5564 DRIFTER WB 503 19-3763

5590 WANTED - RA-AUS CHIEF FLYING INSTRUCTOR

5530 FOR SALE - ZENAIR ZODIAC CH601HD

469 Airframe Hours, 344 SMOH Engine Hours, Mk 1 “Lightweight Drifter”, good performer, dual control, 224 Airframe Hours, 224 Engine Hours, Zenith ch601 Zenair Zodiac ch601hd Aircraft, 19-4128, completed 2004. Aeropower 80 hp motor. Tricycle undercarriage. TTIS, low at 224 hours. Safe, reliable, easy to fly. Suit low hours pilot. White with grey and cherry trim. Hydraulic brakes. Always hangared.

PRICE: $29990 CONTACT: Brian 0439 702 649

5536 FOR SALE - JABIRU J230.

Join the team at the Sunshine Coast’s fastest

Rotax 503 DCDI with B reduction box, ground

growing flight training facility. We have an

adjustable Ivo “quick adjust” prop, Microair radio,

exciting opportunity for an experienced CFI, or Snr.

headsets, fresh annual, always hangered, well

Instructor.

maintained and regularly flown, spares, freezer

EMAIL: colin@sunshinecoastaeroclub.com.au.

suits.

CONTACT: Colin Appleton 0414 430 647

PRICE: $13500 CONTACT: Michael Bruce Holloway 0402 935 017

5597 JABIRU J230C

5569 ZENAIR 750

605.9 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, J230C

PRICE: reduced by $10000. 350 Airframe Hours, 350 Engine Hours, J230. Kit built, approx 350 trouble-free hrs. 3 stage electric flaps, Xcom radio, Narco transponder, Garmin 295 GPS, vertical card compass, Whelan beacon and wingtip strobes, Trutrak ADI, alternate flashing landing lights, cabin heater, carby preheater for cold starts, CHT monitored on all cylinders.

Also comes with a 12 volt refueling pump on trolley.

PRICE: $50000 NEG CONTACT: Graham Barrington 0400 144 282

0 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, 750

Jabiru J230C. 2008. 605.9 Airframe & engine hrs.

ZenAir750 130hrs Rotax914Turbo widebody

Engine overhauled at 403 hrs. Wooden Jabiru pro-

bubledoors tundra tyres 10â€Dynon Skyview

peller. Garmin GPS 296. Microair Txpdr. Hangared at

100ltr fuel Amazing short field take off.

Rockhampton. Deceased Estate.

PRICE: $95000

PRICE: $51000 +GST

CONTACT: Nat Jaques 0417 073 046

CONTACT: Lyn Finney 0428 788 910

5580 JABIRU J200 + 1/2 HANGER AT HECK FIELD

5614 JABIRU FOR SALE

5546 JODEL D-18 ( 2-SEATER) 530 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, SPUL 136 Airframe Hours, 136 Engine Hours, D-18. GENUINELY SELLING FOR HEALTH REASON. Built 2005.

TT 136hrs. SUBARU EA-81 ENGINE. Gearbox (not belt-drive). Warpdrive 3-blade prop. Instruments all VGC, Microair Radio, GPS, Emergency Beacon.

Wing conversion project.

PRICE: $16500 Morris Beattie 0409 540 180

5554 JABIRU 230 D

465 Airframe Hours, 465 Engine Hours, 230 D. Jabiru 230 D 2009 24 7202. All engine up dates done. Reason for sale no longer flying 465hrs PRICE: $70000 ONO CONTACT: Rowan Murphy 0428 388 244

58

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

480 Airframe Hours, 480 Engine Hours, J200

Jabiru ul long wings and winglets. Longrange fuel

480 hours, 6Cyd, 3.3Ltr, 120 HP, Solid valve lifter,

tanks (120lts) 2200 motor. T end done 100 hours

head done at 450hrs, Temperature gauges, GPS,

ago. Cht and egt fitted. 92 knot cruize. Big main

Transponder, Auto Pilot, Disc Brakes, Fuel Filter, Radio, comes with ½ hanger at Heck Field QLD. $50,000-plane, $40,000 - 1/2 Hanger.

PRICE: $90000 CONTACT: Bruce Smallacombe 0410 524 040

wheels. Very tidy aircraft.

PRICE: $23800 CONTACT: David Snell 0414 496 696

5615 POWERD PARACHUTE

5588 PACIFIC IBIS

900 Airframe Hours, 900 Engine Hours, GS700

60 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, Home built.

magic. Pacific Ibis GS 700 for sale

Converted airborn edge rotax 582. Fully certified.

PRICE: $60000

PRICE: $10800

CONTACT: Craig Hardy 0409 581 278

CONTACT: David Snell 0414 496 696

SP-AeroAus-HPH.qxp 6/09/2018 10:42 am Page 1

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Search for Aeroprakt A32

Cruise 115+ knots Stall 27 knots Carry 210+ kgs after full fuel Average under 20 litres an hour Believe it!

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

59

AVIATION CLASSIFIEDS

5617 AIRBOURNE EDGE TRIKE

EFIS – Flight Instruments, engine monitoring, fuel quantity and management, nav and GPS. Microair VHF. “Quiet Kit” Muffler and Propeller Factory Fitted. 65 Litre Fuel Capacity (Approx 3.5 hours plus 45 minutes reserve). Three Wheel.

PRICE: $48000 CONTACT: Glenn Wilson

5629 ZENITH ZODIAC 601XL-B

300 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, Edge.

Airbourne edge trike 582 rotax blue motor. streack 1b wing.

PRICE: $4950 CONTACT: David Snell 0414 496 696

5618 KITFOX IV CLASSIC

130 hours Airframe Hours, 130 hours Engine Hours, 601 XL-B Zenith Zodiac 601 XL-B, TTIS 130 hours, fitted with Jabiru 3300, solid lifter, 3 blade prop ground adjustable, Dynon EFIS- EMF. Award winning aircraft, 9.5 out of 10 inside and out.

PRICE: $58000 CONTACT: Gordon Burgess 0428 261 402

5630 COBRAM COBRA 360 Airframe Hours, 80hrs Engine Hours, Kitfox iv Classic. Kitfox iv Classic.

No time to fly. Airframe 360hrs. Subaru EA81 100hp, Autoflight gearbox 80hrs since rebuild. 3 Blade Bolly Optima. Grove Aluminium undercarriage. 100ltrs fuel. Garmin GPS aera500.

PRICE: $28000 CONTACT: Peter 0467 091 714

5620 2004 AIRBORNE EDGE X CLASSIC TUNDRA

653 Airframe Hours, 118 Engine Hours, Cobra Single seater, very nice to fly. Very light and responsive controls. Cruises at 75-85kts burning 11-12 litres per hour. Fuel capacity 48 litres. Engine is points ignition, and requires hand starting.

PRICE: $7500 CONTACT: Tony Meggs (02) 6689 1009

5636 PIONEER 300

317.2 Airframe Hours, 43.9 Engine Hours, Pioneer 300. Pioneer 300 six cylinder Jabiru powered, new engine and propeller 43.8 hours, airframe 317.2 hours, retractable 125 knots, condition 9 out of 10, comes with fresh 100 hourly.

PRICE: $85000 CONTACT: Mark Preston 0448 387 828

5642 ARION LIGHTNING 3.3FI

744 Airframe Hours, 657 Engine Hours, Lightning Owner builder, FI 3.3 Jab eng powered by Haltec F10X computer. Eng never pulled down. Cruise 140kts @ 2800, 19 lts per hr. Thompson prop 61x60.

Lowrance 2000C GPS slaved to Dynon 180.ASI. Always hangared at Goolwa.

PRICE: $69990 ONO CONTACT: Steve Biele 0407 218 203

5645 JABIRU SP470 - 19-3897

5631 SAVANNAH VG

292 Airframe Hours, 292 Engine Hours, Edge X In excellent condition. Comes with full set of pumpkin head covers, fuel gauge, microair 760 radio, garmin 196 gps, 2 x helmets and headsets, intake silencer, and after muffler. Streak 2 wing, Rego until Jan 2019.

PRICE: $10500 CONTACT: David Mudie (02) 6947 1707 / 0414 643 368

250 Airframe Hours, 250 Engine Hours, VG Savannah VG 19-7575, 250hrs Engine/Airframe.

Rotax 912ULS, Warp Drive Nickel prop. XCOM Radio. 4 Tanks 144ltr with fuel flow meter. Electric Trim, Garmin 695, carpeted cockpit - very quiet. Nil accidents, full service history, excellent condition, k.

PRICE: $57800 CONTACT: Rodney Kinnish 0411 378 998

5625 TANARG 912 ES MICROLIGHT (TRIKE)

5634 CESSNA 150

377.1 Airframe Hours, 377.1 Engine Hours, Tanarg 912 ES Tanarg 912 ES with Bionix 13 Wing. TT Engine, Base and Wing 377.1. Rotax 912 ULS 100 hp Engine.

Airplast 3 Blade Propeller. Stratomaster Enigma

60

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

8728 Airframe Hours, 900 Engine Hours, C150 Cessna150M - 1975 model. Total time 8728hrs.

Engine 900hrsTSO. SIDS and cable replacement completed in 2016. ADs up to date, fresh annual completed. Icom VHF, Mode C transponder. White/ burgundy paint 7/10. Grey Interior 6/10.

PRICE: $39000 CONTACT: Sheldon Jones 0427 102 540

291.9 Airframe Hours, 85.4 Engine Hours, SP470 2002 model SP470, TTIS 291hrs, solid lifter engine 291hrs, 85.4hrs since top overhaul at Jabiru with all current upgrades incl. fine finned heads, valve relief pistons, double valve springs etc. Complete CHT/ EGT monitoring, MGL VHF & fuel flow meter. Full logbook & history available. Long list upgrades/ replacements following period of storage.

PRICE: $24500 CONTACT: Sebastian Pollock 0427 703 702

5651 FLY SYNTHESIS TEXAN 550 CLUB

2081.7 Airframe Hours, 735.7 Engine Hours, Texan 550 Club 2009 model. Caloundra. Cruise 105kts. Rotax 912 ULS engine 1269 hours TBO or 12 years. Airframe: complete new re-spray & gel coat (cost $12,500).

New intercom. DUC prop. AvMap avionics. Always hangared. Regularly maintained.

PRICE: $79500 CONTACT: Martin Costigan 0402 821 959

5652 PROPERTY FOR SALE IN GATTON AIRPARK

5664 PARTS

CONTACT: Andrew Brandon EMAIL: ab747858@yahoo.com

5672 JABIRU 170C 24-5398

2,100 Sq.mtr Block. 320 Sq.mtr. 4 Bed/3Bath Brick Home 16m x 12m Hangar w direct access onto 800m runway, Town Water + 3 Rainwater Tanks 30 mins to Toowoomba, 45 mins Brisbane by Road.

Un-interrupted scenic rural views across the valley to Toowoomba PRICE: $595000 CONTACT: Beven C.T. Dryden 0409 771 004

5653 RANS S6ES

Rotax 582 parts Vertical radiator; muffler connection pipe; elbow; cessna gascolator, $600 the lot or seperate all new never used.

PRICE: $600 CONTACT: John Scott

5665 TECNAM BRAVO P 2004 - YEAR 2005 624 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, Rans S6ES Coyote II 624TT Powered by Jabiru 2200 Fantastic Aircraft to fly, plenty of room for two large people. Two GPS units one Portable and one in dash, ballistic chute, full deluxe interior, Dual controls inc toe brakes, 2 noise reduction headsets.

PRICE: $38000 CONTACT: Peter Tapp 0403 116 690

5658 KR2

780 Airframe Hours, 720 Engine Hours, p 2004 bravo tecnam bravo p 2004 - year 2005. aircraft is ex demonstrator. have owned aircraft since 2006. airswitch and tacho meter. hangared and maintained.

Spats currently removed.

PRICE: $96500 CONTACT: John Middlemiss 0401 653 666

370 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, J170C For sale Due to present health issues Jabiru 170C 24-5398, aircraft hangared at Wynyard Approx 370 hours on both engine and airframe. In top condition. Maintained by John McBryde who is happy for calls 0427 757 922.

PRICE: $59500 CONTACT: John Heidenreich 0419 324 250

5673 SAVANNAH 720 Airframe Hours, 720 Engine Hours, Savannah classic Rotax 912ULS (never had avgas). 720 hrs airframe and engine. Always hangared.

5 yr rubber done. Removable wing pods and belly pod (fits steel jerry can). Avionics upgraded. STOL enhanced. Long rang tanks 8 hrs endurance. TAS 80-85kts.

PRICE: $42200 CONTACT: Cooper

5677 RAND KR-2RG 19-8765

5668 AIRCRAFT 24-8267

0 Airframe Hours, 0 Engine Hours, KR2 KR2 Complete Kit has sold but Diehl gear from US still available. Can set up as taildragger or Tricycle.

All up $2000.

PRICE: $2000 CONTACT: Guy Dutertre 0423 744 905

5661 JABARU J230D 2008

439.1 (as of 14/8/2018) Airframe Hours, 439.1 (14/8/2018) Engine Hours, J170D Sadly this little aircraft is being put up for sale.

Meticulously cared for TT 439 hrs. Standard instrument cluster, Dynon D2, cold start kit, 135 litre wet wings average fuel burn 15 lph $72,000 neg, all inquiries are welcome.

PRICE: $72000 NEG CONTACT: Owen Bray 0457 283 919

207 Airframe Hours, 207 Engine Hours, Rand KR-2 RG Airframe and engine hours 207. Aeropower VW engine with duel ignition 70HP. Empty WT 287kg Max T/O WT 500kg. Cruise speed at 120 kts 12 ltrs/hr. Stall speed 36kts. Fuel cap.

56ltrs. A delightful aircraft to fly.

PRICE: $25000 CONTACT: Allen Buzza 0412 772 480

5680 CFM SHADOW STREAK

5671 AIRCRAFT 24-7060

602.7 Airframe Hours, 602.7 Engine Hours, J230D $70k + GST Neg. Excellent condition (airframe, interior and exterior), Always hangared, Dynan EFIS D100, Microair transponder/radio, autopilot, 602.7hrs & 100hrs composite prop, 115kts cruise, 5hrs endurance, 22l/hr. Great x country flying.

PRICE: $70000 CONTACT: 0410 410 185

188.6 Airframe Hours, 188.6 Engine Hours, J170C Low hour J170. Owner currently living in the UK so would like to offer this Jab for sale.

PRICE: $50000

1600 Airframe Hours, 133 Engine Hours, Shadow Streak Shadow Streak. 1600 Total Airframe Hours. 133 HR blue head 582 electric start 3rd Engine. 133 HR bolly 3 blade prop. Nil accidents ALL Ads performed.

Rego till aug 19. VHF Radio and intercom. CHT EGT VSI Digi ALT Digi Compass. Dual Control. Still being flown.

PRICE: $12500 CONTACT: Nicholas Turner 0422 033 161 SPORT PILOT | October 2018

61

AVIATION CLASSIFIEDS

5682 SUPER ACRO SPORT 1

5688 SONEX/ONEX AIRCRAFT FOR SALE

280 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, Sonex/onex A complete Sonex and a 75% Onex airframe completed, tools, spares, work benches, hardware, NE Victoria PRICE: $38500 ONO CONTACT: Ron Olson 0413 471 475

5689 JABIRU LSA 55/3J 36 Airframe Hours, nil Engine Hours, Super Acro Sport 1 Very strong and stable aircraft, Lycoming 0320 completely stripped and re assembled, re bored cylinders 10 thou with new pistons fitted. Grove gun drilled landing gear gives a wide stance with excellent landing and ground handeling. Sliding canopy fitted and can be removed for open cockpit flying. Climb rate of 1800 fpm and.

PRICE: $38000 CONTACT: Brian John Fitch 0488 748 460

2174 Airframe Hours, 470 Engine Hours, LSA55/3J Easy and fun to fly. Good condition always looked after, solid, factory built aircraft. Cruises at 95-100kts, 12-13L/hr fuel burn, 65L tank. Always hangered. Upgraded from LSA55/2j in 2003 Full covers provided All AD's up to date.

PRICE: $26000 CONTACT: Anthony Elms 0403 777 852

5686 BOLLY 66” OPTIMA SERIES PROPELLER

5690 WYREEMA AIRFIELD HANGAR SPACE

AVIATION INSURANCE EXPERIENCED AVIATION INSURANCE SPECIALISTS

Stewart Smith, Gladys Smith, and Grant Cerni would like to assist with your Fixed Wing, Helicopter, Hangarkeepers, and Public Liability needs. Grant can also quote you on all other types of business & personal insurance. Our team is friendly & helpful to deal with, and we obtain for you multiple competitive quotes from all suitable insurers.

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Phone: 03 9816 3264 Email: aviation@insureplanes.com.au Web: www.insureplanes.com.au Stewart Smith 0433 278 700 Gladys Smith 0425 759 322 Grant Cerni 0427 779 649

AVIATION FINANCE

Australian Commercial Credit Pty Ltd in Hangar space for light aircraft, airfield is situated at Wyreema approximately 15 minutes south of Toowoomba City. The price from $198.00 incl gst per calendar month. Water, electricity, toilet facilities, avgas available.

PRICE: $198 p/m CONTACT: Daniel King 0409 465 812

For sale Bolly 66” Optima series propeller, basically new, done less then 5hrs work. Comes with all the hardware and spinner. including an extra alloy spacer which cost me $250 to be made. $1450 for the lot. Save hundreds on new price!

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AUSTRALIAN SPORT PILOT ISSUE 8 @SEPTE

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FEATURE

FIRST SOLOS Jack Ferguson

from Cessnock did his first solo at the ripe old age of 15 with Recreational Aviation Newcastle. He’s a resourceful lad, paying for his training by keeping every aeroplane he can get his hands on clean and tidy.

Ilka Schacht went solo in a Storch aircraft at Batchelor NT on July 28 2018.

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FEATURE

FIRST SOLOS Peter Harper, general manager of the Temora Aviation Museum went solo on July 2, flying with the Temora Aeroplane Company.

Toby Heys

Completed his first solo on the mighty Foxbat with Merit Aviation in Moruya, NSW, on July 28.

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

Taj Massey is another student to solo with Topfun in WA. He made the achievement on his 15th birthday.

Matthew Schofield

is a student of Topfun Aviation and completed his first solo flight on June 23 2018 at Bindoon Airfield in Western Australia.

Ash Baker went solo at YBHL with Topfun Aviation.

Joshua Drake's first Solo flight. went solo on August 5 in a Eurofox 3K. His school is Flightscope Aviation under the care of Rod Flockart.

SPORT PILOT | October 2018

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COLUMN

FINAL APPROACH A GATHERING OF PASSION From the editor Mark Smith

T

here is a certain magic that is created when people, who share an interest that generates incredible passion, get together. It’s seen in extreme at sporting events, but aviators tend be a bit quieter when it comes to showing their colours.

AirVenture was one such occasion where pilots came together to look, compare and possibly even to dream about their first or next aeroplane.

It’s easy to strike up a conversation with someone who shares a love of aviation. I started in the camping area where Derek Dyer had set up his tent next to his homebuilt own-design called a ‘Golden Age Biplane.’

“I needed a name to register it, and I built it to look like an old biplane like a Waco from that era,” he says.

He’d flown up from south western Victoria, a journey of 6.5 hours, with his camping gear stowed in the front seat.

“I like looking at other people’s planes, I like the people I meet and it’s usually an interesting show. I usually camp at these shows because I’m never sure I’m going to get there because of the weather. Having my gear means I can camp anywhere.”

Then there’s Jack Ferguson. You’ll find his picture in the first solo section. He’s 15 and paying for his flying by keeping every aeroplane at Cessnock as clean as possible, like so many young pilots over the ages.

His enthusiasm for everything aviation is incredibly refreshing in an age where so many kids lack the direction and discipline to do anything at full throttle for any length of time.

“I love being here among so many other pilots, hearing their experiences and learning from them. Plus there’s so many great things relating to aviation technology to see,” he says.

At the other end of the spectrum is Perry McNeil, a Qantas 747 captain and member of RAAus and the SAAA. He was also very positive about AirVenture.

“This is where all sectors of aviation

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SPORT PILOT | October 2018

Jack Ferguson

Perry McNeil

can get together, exchange information and enjoy a great social atmosphere,” he says. “I think when people move the politics aside and they concentrate on recreational aviation and the esprit de corps of it all that’s when they have fun. The rest is just meaningless.”

That’s the thing with recreational aviation - it’s a broad church united by the desire to get airborne, often as simply as possible. The frustrating thing is that the disunity we see between various organisations is one of the things holding our efforts back. I’ve learned that the loudest voices are rarely right and what should bind us is stronger than the issues that are

thrown up to divide us.

But enough of that. I’m still enjoying the afterglow of a celebration of a pastime I love. The enthusiasts that made a decision to boycott the event are the ones who missed out, with everybody I spoke to enthusiastic about the concept of a celebration of our section of the wider aviation community.

That’s what leads me to say I really hope this event grows, with other recreational groups coming on board and helping to make AirVenture a true reflection of our great passion.

Clear Prop.

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