Tell us about your last flight

[facthunter]

Thats what high's do but you can also get low cloud and fogs.  Nev

[pmccarthy]

Was nice and smooth, but a cloud/fog band rolled in from the south and put an end to the fun.

[facthunter]

MSL pressure still sitting at 1040 in Victoria's south.   Nev

[BrendAn]

Brilliant winter's day at west sale.

Qnh 1041

[Red]

Today I flew to Popham about a 240nm round trip nothing really to write home about except at about 45 minutes into the flight and despite really quite bumpy and thermic conditions managed to maintain control of my aircraft whilst having a jimmy riddle into the fabric conditioner bottle I keep for such emergencies and didnt spill a drop

I have to admit the exercise gave me an enormous sense of accomplishment...and of course relief

[Mike Gearon]

I had a similar emergency in USA over New Mexico in the motor glider while ferrying it to Arizona. No prep for such an event and I took the aircraft docs out of large plastic pocket with letter type opening top. That top V then formed quite a good funnel entry. No drops spilled and managed to exit the contents out slide vent in passenger door/ window also using the V. 
 

[facthunter]

Plenty of opportunity to get your own back doing that.    Nev

[PapaFox]

Finally got the chance to take little Misses 5 and 3 for flights again. One of those days when 3 runways were being used, made all the more fun by a total failure of the SkyEcho to turn on... not what you'd expect after only managing to use it in the air for 10hrs total since new (and I don't mean from a single charge either)

[facthunter]

You get your adrenalin charge for free when it fails.   Nev

[Mike Gearon]

41 minutes ago, PapaFox said:

Finally got the chance to take little Misses 5 and 3 for flights again. One of those days when 3 runways were being used, made all the more fun by a total failure of the SkyEcho to turn on... not what you'd expect after only managing to use it in the air for 10hrs total since new (and I don't mean from a single charge either)

I have an ongoing battle with the sky echo. It refuses to turn off with 3 red lights. Doesn’t matter how many long or slow pushes you do. It isn’t related to usb power coming in. Random and annoying. Seeing this makes me think there are bugs in the thing. It’s nice when it works!

[PapaFox]

This one only shows blue light when receiving power. Doesn't turn off after an overnight charge. Apart from that light, nothing else shows any sign of life

[Mike Gearon]

I’ll PM you for discussion. I’ve just emailed Luke the Oz representative about this.

[Mike Gearon]

French island is getting wet. 
 

 

[RFguy]

SKyecho devices are built super cheap ! It's quite obvious that there is a real cost drive in production by looking at the insides with a microscope. absolutely lowest cost production.... do not be surprised when they stop.

[Mike Gearon]

18 minutes ago, RFguy said:

SKyecho devices are built super cheap ! It's quite obvious that there is a real cost drive in production by looking at the insides with a microscope. absolutely lowest cost production.... do not be surprised when they stop.

Can you build us something better?  This is quite ridiculous that something we use to assist safe flying can be cut price manufactured. What’s your rough estimate of their savings to put our lives at risk?

[RFguy]

It is consumer grade, My guess is the BoM and MFR cost together  is less than A$150.  I've already fixed a bad solder joint in mine.  Although mine has been dropped from a meter onto a wooden floor (not good for it) . that's the other problem with portable electronics, they get dropped and they're not built to survive that sort of thing .... So, there are good reasons to have fixed equipment.   I wouldnt do a portable version for same reason- critical devices getting mishandled.  My cost structures dont lend themselves to this sort of thing, my capable volumes are too low, there is only me, there's a limit to what I can do. Australia is hard. insufficient labour, relatively high labour costs, and no tax incentives from being outside the big cities,  and the need to be in cities to get services and facilities you need for sophisticated manufacturing (unless you have it all inhouse) .... Part of me is half giving up on mfr in australia.  I need scale, and I dont have deep enough pockets to get scale.

 

 

Edited July 16 by RFguy

[Mike Gearon]

7 hours ago, RFguy said:

It is consumer grade, My guess is the BoM and MFR cost together  is less than A$150.  I've already fixed a bad solder joint in mine.  Although mine has been dropped from a meter onto a wooden floor (not good for it) . that's the other problem with portable electronics, they get dropped and they're not built to survive that sort of thing .... So, there are good reasons to have fixed equipment.   I wouldnt do a portable version for same reason- critical devices getting mishandled.  My cost structures dont lend themselves to this sort of thing, my capable volumes are too low, there is only me, there's a limit to what I can do. Australia is hard. insufficient labour, relatively high labour costs, and no tax incentives from being outside the big cities,  and the need to be in cities to get services and facilities you need for sophisticated manufacturing (unless you have it all inhouse) .... Part of me is half giving up on mfr in australia.  I need scale, and I dont have deep enough pockets to get scale.

 

 

These devices aren’t good at turning on as Papafix mentioned. I think a work around was effective today. Didn’t turn on. Pulled power source for a few seconds and plugged back in and it worked. That was twice today this allowed it to turn on.

 

Let me know when you want to come to Taiwan for manufacturing of electronics. I have a guy and he won’t send it to China as some will. It’ll be done in Taiwan.

[RFguy]

Hi Mike, thanks fore the offer,  but my parts and stuff has to to stay in australia, I am a strong supporter of making stuff in australia, and wont entertain other possiblilities. So much so , EMily (partner) isnt 'allowed' to buy Italian pasta at the supermarket. over my dead body. 

 

I am not completely dormant though, just having a few frustrating moments..

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17 by RFguy

[skippydiesel]

Great flight - The Oaks to Cowra yesterday.

 

A little choppy /turbulent on the way there at 4500 ft but tolerable.

 

Cowra extraordinarily busy with training, Ag & helicopter movements. 

 

Despite highlighting right circuit for runway 15 on my ERSA printout, I managed to do a left - apologies to all.

 

Return flight via Lithgow & Warragamba was spectacular - smooth as silk at 9500 ft for a ground speed 168 knots (indicated 124 Kn)

 

My thanks to Stuart for a friendly welcome & chat.

[Flightrite]

Nothing like a 20+ knot T/W👍
hwy Skippy let us all known when you plan to land at any drome, give us a heads up so we know where to look for you in the circuit😉😂

[skippydiesel]

2 minutes ago, Flightrite said:

Nothing like a 20+ knot T/W👍
hwy Skippy let us all known when you plan to land at any drome, give us a heads up so we know where to look for you in the circuit😉😂

Yeah! - I felt pretty stupid. Will do better next time😈

 

More like 30-40 knots

[Flightrite]

124 KIAS @ 9500’ is and 145 TAS, GS 168 = approx 23 kts T/W👍 

[Thruster88]

Loaded up the trusty Thruster last weekend and headed out over the hills to a Thruster muster at a beautiful grass strip. Also a nice selection of other tw aircraft. 

[RFguy]

2nd day in a row of heavy rains. Recency is king so had to fly (7 day cycle) .  Including 55mm that day, and 30mm in the previous 2 hours! The airport looked like an inland sea.

Finally, late afternoon with cup of tea in hand at the clubhouse, several hours of waiting.... at 1715  the rain stops & I can see the mountains (so I can see to at least 750'AGL)  and to the NW where the weather is coming from, blue sky.

A few kg of water in the H-stab, glad I tipped that out , might have been a CofG surprise. plane is outside with large body canopy + wrap around engine  cover over it at the moment,

Just a 0.7 in the Piper , but  most enjoyable. Flying after heavy rains  in the summer,  no bumps ...is delightful...... and those interesting low lying cloud clumps. 

Flew 15nm NW  up to Thruster's farm  to look at his half-cut wheat crop with the header parked.... where it was brilliant wall to wall blue sky . 

flight was 750-1100 ft AGL at a nice and sedate 100 knots at 25 lph , just poking around , looking at the puddles and places to land. relaxing .

Bit of carb heat required at times in the 17degC misty skies.
Not a single other aircraft heard. No one around...so conducted NDB approach (in visual). 
Blue sky edge of weather visible in top right hand corner of photo.

 

Edited November 30 by RFguy

[Flightrite]

I could not leave my planes outside, I don’t even let them get wet! 
the WX has been shiteful of late, done a few App’s to the minima and only just got in!