hi everyone

[Guest daryl]

hi everyone daryl here, always had a very big interest in aviation. Started out in free flight models when i was 15 and then into radio control when i was 20. Been doing that for 20 years now so guess how old i am. Anyway a couple of months ago i was lucky, (or unlucky) to buy an Airborne trike off a good friend for an incredibly cheap price. (it was a going out of marriage sale !). It has a Robin EC 44 engine running a three bladed Brolga prop. The trike and wing (Arrow wing ) are in very good condition and i cant see too much work getting it flying. Hope to start training within a few months and i so much can't wait. Is anyone out there who can give me some advice on the equipment i have and maybe have or know someone who still has anything like this running that i can look because i have no reference material at all .

 

I live in Kurri Kurri . My trike is also an early model with the only number being 102 stamped on the engine mount. also need a new seat and an instrument pod

 

Catch up with everyone soon Daryl

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

wow an EC44 robyn this engine hasn't been used for a while. great engine extreme reliability. kurri kurri? where will you fly from.? i am based in Greta and looking for an off airport paddock to fly from. hope to see you flying soon.

 

regards Steve

 

 

[Guest daryl]

I know of one private strip south of Kurri that may just be a possability but i know the owner and i very much doubt he would throw his gates open to everyone. Other than that i will have to stick to maitland or cessnock airports for now. I plan on doing my training through airborne at rutherford so for the time being i will only be within 25 klm's of that airstrip. What aircraft do you fly steve? originally my trike had a Rotax but why it has a Robin in it now i have no idea.

 

Regards Daryl

 

 

[Student Pilot]

What gearbox does the Robin have? some had belt drive, some direct. The direct drive jobs didn't develop much thrust, the geared belt drive had good thrust, about 250lbs from memory. Should be able to put a Rotax gearbox on it if it's direct drive.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

hi daryl.

 

i fly a lazair i have seen that little strip at kurri surounded by trees. looking for somewhere a little more open i am trying to avoid airports as with a 35mph cruise i feel a little vunerable to faster aircraft.

 

i had a fair amount of experience with the robyn engines. i much preferred them to the early type rotax. they were pretty bullet proof. they ran well with the belt drive and have been fitted with rorax gearboxes cliff van pragg from wedderburn was a bit of a guru for belt drives for robyns.

 

later ozzie

 

 

[Guest daryl]

Yeah i know what you mean by closed in. There can be no engine failure straight after takeoff. Apparently a couple of guys build ultralights out there and tow themselves up and down the strip behind a land cruiser !!! so iv'e been told. the gearbox on my robin has a 2.5:1 ratio. its not a belt drive unit but it has no identifying marks or numbers on it at all so i dont know what brand it is. The engine has some reduntant electrical wiring taped up which i'm assuming is for a charging circuit so i intend to fit an electric fuel pump as i dont trust the vacuum unit. i got a manual for this engine of the net the other night which shows the charging circuit and also a starter motor but mine doesnt have any ring-gear on the flywheel . this is a photo of the gearbox if anyone can identify it

 

Regards Daryl

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

hi daryl

 

the gearbox looks like one of the first that was used i think on the very first rotax models we put on the single seat thrusters. a belive cliff put several on the 440 robyn. yes it does have a charging circuit you have to fit the rectifier std sort of thing. you should have a part number in the manual. the starter was a nippon denso type the ring gear just bolted to the stator hub. i think the agent is now in perth. you can try looking up a guy called brian fimmell from bundeena (syd) he built several then i think the duncans picked up the design and went from there. do you have a photo? steve

 

ozzie

 

[ATTACH]820[/ATTACH]

 

 

[Guest daryl]

Yeah good idea steve. Here's a photo of the trike.

 

It's in really good condition both structurally and mechanically, only needing some work on the electrics, a new seat and some gauges and also a couple of patches on some small tears on the wing. (one of them from me unfolding the wing the wrong way on the concrete argh ) I have no hesitation in flying this trike once i get my hours up. i wonder if anyone knows how the arrow wing behaves, like is it a fast wing or a slow wing etc. Also i dont like how the exhaust has been built. I'd like to remodel it to look more aesthetically pleasing while at the same time keeping the expansion chamber principles of two stroke exhausts. something to think about.

 

Regards Daryl

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

If the wing is any more than a few yrs old get a fabric strength test done.

 

The last trike i flew had a Villiers 175 with a four belt pully red drive from a air compresor. with a Steve Cohen wing. Flew it a few hrs then decided stick and rudder made more sense.(1978) Dropped into the hanger i'm sharing to do some work and noticed another trike rolled into a ball a few doors up. unarrestable sink rate,according to grape vine. a few scratches and stiches.

 

steve

 

 

[Guest daryl]

oh dear. Who would be the best to take the wing to for a strenght test and checkout of the wing ? I know how you feel about stick and rudder. I have always liked the minimax aircraft and down the track i will get something like that but for now my trike will have to be my wings.

 

Daryl

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

seeing as they are so close, give Airborne a ring i would think that they have the equipment. what brand of wing is it. if it is a Moyes wing, i work in sydney during the week and my flat is just down the road from them so i can ask a few questions for you. i really like trikes and they are great value. i just prefer to stay with the one set of controls jumping in and out of aircraft that work in oposite sense to each other is asking for trouble. it was how the first one was written off. (ga pilot).

 

i found myself almost making mistakes. so i stoped flying it. but when i fly them as a pure hangglider i have no trouble at all.

 

i think you will find your trike is going to have some got up and go with the set up it has. won't need much space to take off from.

 

later steve

 

 

[Guest daryl]

Not sure what brand the wing is . The only marking on it is the word ARROW under the port wing. I'll give airborne a ring next week. I might be in a better position to fly the trike as the only 3 axis experience i've had is radio control. i've just finished putting the nosewheel back on having replaced the front wheel bearings and repainting the nosewheel fork.

 

Daryl

 

 

[Guest daryl]

Well i contacted airborne and they told me the wing would be past its use-by date now and they don't work on them now anyway. Don't know what to do about it now. Has anyone got a spare wing? Might go and buy a 3 axis anyway. Let you know how i get on.

 

Daryl

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

try some of the hanggliding forums. i am sure someone will help put that wing in the air. i suppose airbourne is very busy with all the overseas orders they are doing now and don't have the time to work on old stuff try brian fimmell from bundeena or sailmaker Kevin Mitchell from balgowla area on sydneys northen beaches. he may be able to help. he has a lot of expertise making sails for a lot of gliders/ultralights over the years.

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest daryl]

Does anybody know of anyone still flying a trike similar to mine? Or of anybody still using robin engines?. I would like to have a look at thier setups to compare with mine.

 

Daryl

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Hi daryl,

 

Theres a mob in Newcastle near the Kuta factory that I recall seeing a sign that they did work on sails and kite surfaces on hang gliders etc. It was in a little complex with a mob that made trikes, can't remember who it was tho sorry.

 

 

[Dieselten]

That factory referred to is Wingtech and they make the wing-skins for Airborne and some other makers as well. They should be in the Newcastle phonebook.

 

The problem with really old trikes is they are orphans. Parts are hard to find, sails no longer made (or fail the fabric-test, which is a pull force of 1320gms using a tester called a "Bettsometer" for HGFA-registered trikes) , battens no longer made, no-one willing to stick their neck out and make parts etc. If you go mainstream and buy Airborne, then you have factory support, parts backup, technical advice etc. A different world, but comes at a different price, and the trike market is very price-sensitive.

 

Buy something else and you are in the hands of the importer/distributor...or in limbo if the manufacturer has gone out of business or ceased making that model and has run the stock of spares down to zero.

 

Trikes are terrific little aircraft, but you need to think carefully before you commit to buying one...the ongoing costs of maintenance, availability of parts and support are every bit as important as how much it will cost initially. Ultimately they dictate whether you can continue to fly the trike you have bought, or not.

 

 

[crusty]

G'day Daryl, I am a triker and live virtually next door to you at Mulbring and fly out of Maitland. There is a training school for trikes at Maitland, talk to them also.

 

 

[Air Creation]

Trike # 102

 

Hi Darryl... found your post and thought you need some advice.

 

Yes.. Airborne did build this trike/wing configuration and it is by number trike number 102. A very early machine that I have flown and was involved with in its construction. The boys at Airborne possibly have told you it is past its used by date and that would be totally correct.

 

The Arrow wing was a great machine built by Moyes delta gliders and modified by us at Airborne to fit the Osprey Robin trike. Never seen a rotax gearbox fitted to a Robin engine though..always belt drive reduction in those days.

 

Anyway... should yu need any better clarification of what to do with this piece of the past and Airborne are too busy..just drop me an email for a chat. But really..it could be very detrimental to your health and anybody who loves you if you should fly this machine... you only get one chance to have fun..don't risk anything just to taste the freedom.!

 

Chris:yin_yan:

 

 

[XC-Buzzard]

G'Day Daryl, Don't let anyone tell you ur old EDGE is past it, if it's been well looked aftr and in good Nick, A lot of parts are still Interchangeable with the Edge X and later models, from the Factory, you will be surprised at the similarities.dont give up... A bettsometer can be borrowed from HGFA a bond will be returned to you when sent back.....Used to test the fabric strenght in stipulated positions on ur Wing.... I still get plenty of use out of my MOYES Arrow II Wing......always hangered.. its brilliant,, and I have the Wing and Batton Configue Plans...An Instructor,(He also was with Airborne back in the early days) Sold it to me, and check flighted it after doing the batton Profiles per plans..Same as Edge Profile. I've been flying with it for 8 years... I run a 532 rotax. I Have a couple of mates that are using the ROBIN motor , belt reduction though. We Are in the Process of changing one to a 503 Rotax and "C" gear box,and 3 blade Ivo Prop..... it's going great guns now ... Same wing.. Just test the fabric and the cables and joints at regular intervals Daryl.. If u have an experienced pilot or a lame handy even better... Hope this helps a little... regards LANCE...

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Another option for you Darryl, though your budget might grumble if its too tight.

 

If you Google around enough like I have recently you can find some trike manufacturers who make complete single seater trikes and you should have no problem purchasing a complete new wing from them.

 

The Ozzie Dollar FX rate will help you at the moment too.

 

Aircreation make a single seater, as do another mob in the USA whose trikes are made in India from European & USA materials & designs - search "Magic Trikes USA".

 

You should find that under 95.10 which applies to single seaters you are allowed to mix and match in this way.

 

Cheers,

 

Glen