Had my first flight in a LSA 55 today

[Thirsty]

I can't believe how jumpy and twitchy that thing was! It was quite warm and very bumpy today so maybe not the best time to have a go. The main thing that struck me about the little Jab was the lack of response from most of the controls. The only control I really felt comfortable with was the elevator - the rest seem pretty innefective.

 

I was moving the ailerons and and kicking the pedals and nothing seemed to happen! Very disconcerting! At one point on VERY short finals we hit a large air bump and we needed virtually full aileron input to correct it.

 

I know it's doable and I need to perservere but it was a little tough out there today. My instructor was very nice and reckons I'll get it in about 5 hours but it didn't feel like that to me!

 

I have a PPL but I haven't flown for about 18 years and the last time I flew was in a Robin 2160 aerobatic plane. That thing sat beautifully in the air. I can see it's gonna take a little time to adjust :)

 

 

[dazza 38]

Tecnams are balanced in all flight controls.I have flown Jab LSA 55, did my test in one, but along time ago your comments sound right to me.They are fun, and alot of A/c for the money.

 

 

[Ballpoint 246niner]

You're flying a 20 yr old Jab design- try a J120 or 160- much better

 

 

[winsor68]

Or better yet a.... (insert other than Jab model here)

 

Jabiru's are abundantly nice aircraft but I don't think the best example of what Ra-Aus trainers have to offer... In my short experience. Even the people who love them say that they are a good aircraft to learn in because of their difficult handling... and I didn't like the J170 one bit compared to the Texan because of this same reason. Just my opinion... I imagine the 55Jab would have had the bad habits (pretty much as you described) of the 170 but less wing area....You would be hard pressed to get more bang for your buck in an aeroplane so I guess that balances it. Lol

 

 

[boleropilot]

jumpy jab

 

hey if you think plastic parrots are jumpy, you should try a Drifter on a hot windy day...

 

i know what you mean tho, i did a lot of flying in light GA acft b4 i ever flew a Drifter, but considering when i did my Drifter TIF i was walking away from 100+ flights in paragliders, i didn't find the Drifter experience unsettling

 

honestly, you will always be bounced in an ultralight or LSA on a hot/windy day, even the lovely Tecnams etc can be "quite spirited" in such conditions - BUT....

 

on a beautiful clear morning/afternoon, when the conditions are just Perfect, you will experience flight like few mortals could even contemplate

 

you will OWN the sky, and the planet, and the stars, and you will go home and try with all your might to explain to your loved one/s what you just experienced, and they will, with grace, probably say something like "that's nice, darling"

 

sorry, gettin a bit silly aint I? but those of us who do this - we know what ima talkin about - don't we, fellas ??

 

BP

 

 

[Tomo]

but those of us who do this - we know what ima talkin about - don't we, fellas ??

Too right we do!

 

Oh can't wait - hopefully it isn't raining tomorrow and I'll get some flying in!

 

=====

 

On the subject of Jabiru, I find the J120, J230 (the models of which I have the most experience on) to be quite responsive. More so than a C172. Obviously that's a pretty wild comparison due to size difference etc...

 

You coming from an Aerobatic aircraft into something like that would have it's vast difference also.

 

From memory the LSA55's were pretty touchy with pitch control, not sure if that's correct or not, only been in one once.

 

Not sure if this will show it, but just me playing around with stalls and stuff in a J120

 

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Nice video's tomo..accept the cheesy sax whitney housten number in the jab vid..a bloke has standards you know....hehe...

 

ps..Didn't your instructor teach you to stay off the ailerons in the stall???

 

 

[Ballpoint 246niner]

Been a while since we had clear sky like that over here Tomo- bit of aileron input in that 1st one mate- nice footage!

 

 

[HEON]

Yes the Jab LSA could be called a bit twitchy! I started my training in one up to and past solo (school then purchased 160). Harder when "mature age"....Instructors most frequent comment seemed to be "stop peddling"...especially on final!

 

You can also get Instructors attention on take off if hand slips of flap leaver...very much a sinking feeling!

 

All I can say is you have to be a bit selective on control imput or otherwise you will chase it all over the sky.

 

It is a small world. That aircraft (25 1488) has just been purchased by a bloke at Warwick...I remember the sweat by just looking at it again.

 

 

[Thirsty]

Yeah nice videos!

 

I did my training in Cessnas - 152 and 172. Just did a few hours in the Robin. The Jab was weird - it's like I was pushing the rudder pedals but nothing was happening! I see the later models have a much larger rudder so I guess that would make a difference. The elevator was fine, no complaints. The ailerons didn't work very well though. I'm flying this type because it's the cheapest flying around and others can do it so I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually :) Just a huge difference coming from GA. I was thinking before I flew that I'd have no probs 'cause flying the GA stuff was so easy but I've now learnt that it's not the same and I will take a few hours to get the hang of it.

 

I'm looking at ti this way - if I can fly this wild little thing then when I transition into something a bit more modern I'll probably have no issues at all!

 

 

[HEON]

Thirsty I think you are correct...after a LSA most are better/less demanding...a bit like the feeling you get when you stop hitting the wall with your head!....although some do like that feeling!

 

I think it is the hardest aircraft I have ever flown (nose wheel), although I may be unfair as it was my first.

 

 

[boleropilot]

oh yeah

 

hey thirsty

 

that last comment was spot on

 

you go and fly when the conditions are not too flash (as long as you are competent) and when things go a little scary on ya further down the track, you got that experience behind ya and it means you handle the 'not too scary' stuff with ease

 

cheers, loved the vids btw (had no idea the Drifter tailfeathers moved around that much)

 

BP

 

 

[Tomo]

Nice video's tomo..accept the cheesy sax whitney housten number in the jab vid..a bloke has standards you know....hehe...ps..Didn't your instructor teach you to stay off the ailerons in the stall???

Sorry about the music Motz.... I play Sax, so I don't really mind it...

 

Yes no aileron input 'whilst' stalled. To which you will find in the video, it isn't really a good video showing stalls, 'cause as soon as it unstalled I banked it around in a descending turn - hence aileron input as you can see. And they aren't dropped wings, I'm doing that. Was just playing around, and being at 5000ft, I made the sweeping descending turns once unstalled to get down.

 

bit of aileron input in that 1st one mate- nice footage!

As above, and thanks

 

 

[Tomo]

cheers, loved the vids btw (had no idea the Drifter tailfeathers moved around that much)

Yeah interesting isn't it, me neither till I rigged up the video - the camera is rubber mounted to protected the lens from high frequency vibration from the motor. So it could dramatize the wobble, but they do wiggle quite a bit at low speeds.

 

 

[boleropilot]

nasty surprise during training

 

my CFI during training showed me what happens if you stall a Drifter in a badly co-ordinated (too much or not enough rudder) in a climbing turn

 

the acft flipped inverted in a flash and dived toward the ground nose first !!!

 

took 700 feet to recover - his words were "now where would you be if that happened at 500 feet in the circuit, David?"

 

the answer of course is 200 feet under the ground :black_eye:

 

BP

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Well done mate, just push those pedals a bit harder. You'll soon get used to it. Who did you fly with?

 

 

[Thirsty]

Hey Doug. I flew with Michael - very cool and knows what he's about. The whole experience was just a huge shock as I figured it can't be too different from GA but it really is. Anyway, I'll perservere and see how it goes. I might try and pick a calmer/cooler day next time. Going up there early next week to talk to James about doing some L2 stuff so I can get my L2's as well. Saw the Lightwing sitting there looking a bit sad so might see if I can get that back flying.

 

 

[sfGnome]

A couple of weeks ago I had my first flight for about 3 months (work and travel had conspired against me) in the 160 that I learned in - it was a hot day and the combination of cross wind and thermals meant that my "couple of circuits refresher with an instructor" turned into an hour of circuits, an invitation to come back and spend a bit more time together and a severely dented dented self esteem. Move forward about a week and I got an hour in a LSA 55 on a beautiful, cool, still morning and it just flew like it was on rails.

 

I'll agree from past experience that the LSA is a bit twitchy, but doesn't the day make a difference?? :)

 

 

[Powerin]

you will go home and try with all your might to explain to your loved one/s what you just experienced, and they will, with grace, probably say something like "that's nice, darling"

I know exactly what you mean!

 

 

[sfGnome]

Hey Gnome, how did you like the J160 with the Rotax?

Don,

Go back and read the bit about dented self esteem! At the moment I think it's the devils invention, but I know that it will be great when I

 

a) have a nicer day, and

 

b) aren't kicking myself around the paddock for flying so badly.

 

 

[Thirsty]

Had my second flight in the LSA55 today. Went much better as the weather wasn't quite so bumpy. Got in about 5 circuits and I was pretty much flying the whole circuit and was partially in control of landings at the end :). Feeling a lot more confident now.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Good onya thirsty...

 

 

[johndl]

Yep the LSA 55 is quite twitchy. The 120 is much more stable, especially in windy conditions. If you can fly (and land) the 55, you can fly anything. lol

 

 

[Thirsty]

I'm going again on Monday so we'll see if it sticks! I'm already getting good at pushing the rudder - and as those of you that have flown Cessna's know I've never had to do that before :)

 

 

[Guest Kevin the Penniless]

I learnt to fly in Tomahawks, Warriors and Tobagos in the eighties, then upgraded to Jabiru J160 and J170 a few years ago. Never looked back. Those LSA 55 Jabs seem to have no rudder at all so it does not surprise me that they are somewhat unresponsive. I used to think they were like the Tardis (Dr. Who's phone box) because I saw one at Port Pirie (An LSA 55) and two huge guys climbed out of it. Very weird sight at the time.