Skyranger - owners and builders impressions

[facthunter]

Carbon in the ring grooves will kill them. It doesn't hurt to remove the exhaust and check the rings can be carefully pushed down. Don't run too hot and use a good oil. There's plenty of really good 2 stroke oils around these days. Thats a big help. . There's Nothing fancy about a 582. There would have to be other motors as suitable. Good power for weight but a bit thirsty. Nev

[skippydiesel]

Nothing wrong with a SkyRanger or the host of other similar looking performing aircraft BUT why not look at something that will give you most of the STAL you are after, plus a decent cruise speed. ATEC Faeta  ( I preferer the T tail variant) will give you a 27 knot stall and 34 knot high speed cruise on Rotax 100 hp. Very capable undercarriage will accommodate most paddock conditions (not wombat/rabbit holes).

 

I flew ATEC's first aircraft, the Zephyr/ Rotax 912ULS,  for 10+ years and about 800hrs - take off on grass uphill with max fuel in under 100 m, land reliably in about 150m, climb out 1500 ft/min- the Faeta is a lot more capable.

 

I fairly sure that you can purchase the Faeta as avery advanced kit, with your choice of Rotax engine (or find a preloved one) and avionics, to keep the price down.

[Blueadventures]

As of 2022 there have been 1350 Skyranger series aircraft produced, and 350 Nynja’s bring total production to over 1800 which is a testimony to their build and performance plus very robust, easily repaired if ever required and terrific support by factory for everything you may need.  How many Atec's are there in Australia and world wide; they are nice looking however not my choice of aircraft.   

[Hopey]

2 hours ago, Thruster88 said:

I have flown behind rotax 2 stokes for 40 years with zero issues. Keep it jetted correctly and enjoy

Great advise Thruster88, thank you.

[Hopey]

3 hours ago, Blueadventures said:

Do you fly out of where the gliding club is?

No, Rangiora

[skippydiesel]

1 hour ago, Blueadventures said:

As of 2022 there have been 1350 Skyranger series aircraft produced, and 350 Nynja’s bring total production to over 1800 which is a testimony to their build and performance plus very robust, easily repaired if ever required and terrific support by factory for everything you may need.  How many Atec's are there in Australia and world wide; they are nice looking however not my choice of aircraft.   

All true and I can't explain why the ATEC aircraft have not sold much better.

They are by any standard an outstanding aircraft. Beautiful handling. Great control in X winds. Very low maintenance/running cost due to composite airframe/Rotax engine, Quiet in/out and ergonomic seats & instrument/control lay out.

All I can put it down to is fear of change.

Pilots learn in a type and tend to stick with that.

Cost doesn't seem to be a factor, as a basic Faeta is not so much diffrent to a Foxbat, that it will run rings round. 

If a pilot learns in a high wing he/she will likely favour that configuaraton when it comes to purchase. What they don't realise is that, with the exception of the Pipistrel Virus SW, most high wings seem only able to perform within a narrow operating range. This is fine around the training area but will cost time/fuel (operating cost) if you want to go see Australia.

With the bias comes a lot of urban myth, that further entrenches the bias.

Every ATEC pilot in Australia loves them but this doesn't seem to translate into sales.

[Blueadventures]

1 minute ago, skippydiesel said:

All true and I can't explain why the ATEC aircraft have not sold much better.

They are by any standard an outstanding aircraft. Beautiful handling. Great control in X winds. Very low maintenance/running cost due to composite airframe/Rotax engine, Quiet in/out and ergonomic seats & instrument/control lay out.

All I can put it down to is fear of change.

Pilots learn in a type and tend to stick with that.

Cost doesn't seem to be a factor, as a basic Faeta is not so much diffrent to a Foxbat, that it will run rings round. 

If a pilot learns in a high wing he/she will likely favour that configuaraton when it comes to purchase. What they don't realise is that, with the exception of the Pipistrel Virus SW, most high wings seem only able to perform within a narrow operating range. This is fine around the training area but will cost time/fuel (operating cost) if you want to go see Australia.

With the bias comes a lot of urban myth, that further entrenches the bias.

Every ATEC pilot in Australia loves them but this doesn't seem to translate into sales.

How many in Oz and worldwide?

[Garfly]

Hopey, if you haven't come across it yet, you might find this (UK) Wing Nuts YT channel interesting:

 

 

 

 

[skippydiesel]

12 hours ago, Blueadventures said:

How many in Oz and worldwide?

For Australia I think the total is in the mid teens. NZ (part of Oz😈) has a few as well.

There are a few in N America and many in Europe - possibly several hundred. Used extensively for training, glider tow, personal transport/receraton.

Edited April 7 by skippydiesel

[turboplanner]

4 minutes ago, skippydiesel said:

For Australia I think the total is in the mid teens. NZ (part of Oz😈) has a few as well.

There are a few in N America and many in Europe - possibly several hundred. Used extensively for training, glider tow, personal transport/receraton.

Probably just needs a little more advertising and stories.

[Hopey]

Thanks for all the replies and advice / experiences. Only thing I would like to change is fuel burn up around 17 to 18 LPH now I have a few hours under my belt. A bit short on range with 50 liters but overall a great wee machine that keeps a Cherokee / Cessna / piper cub pilot honest with the rudders.

[Garfly]

Hey Hopey, good to hear you're happy with your aircraft. Could you send us some pictures?

[Blueadventures]

40 minutes ago, Hopey said:

Thanks for all the replies and advice / experiences. Only thing I would like to change is fuel burn up around 17 to 18 LPH now I have a few hours under my belt. A bit short on range with 50 liters but overall a great wee machine that keeps a Cherokee / Cessna / piper cub pilot honest with the rudders.

An easy increase is the 90 litre alloy fuel tank behind the seats to replace the 2 by 30 litre plastic tank setup.  A guy in Brisbane makes them.  Easy to fit as just disconnect the two flap vertical pushrods and the tank slides in from the cabin side.

[Red]

Blue, that must really take the CG close to the rear limit, Can you still have a Luggage Hammock with that tank?

[Garfly]

Many Aussie Rangers have the 90L tank installed behind the seat without CG problems. Some with a BRS installed as well.

Without the BRS the hammock can still sit on top - albeit with a somewhat smaller capacity.

But others, like Blueadventures' Nynja carry the same amount, or more, in specially designed (by Greg Robertson) wing tanks.

The 60L tanks were usually seen as inadequate for the distances commonly encountered flying in Oz.

Flylight, in the UK,  have done their own mods on the GR wing tanks and, I believe, Mr. Dewhurst has them in his own Nynja now.

 

 

[Blueadventures]

1 hour ago, Red said:

Blue, that must really take the CG close to the rear limit, Can you still have a Luggage Hammock with that tank?

A w&b will give that information.  You should be able to do sum of alloy tank and fittings, minus the plastic tanks and fittings and considering the cargo hammock mass allowable should allow more than 60 litres in the tank.  Therefore zero in hammock.  If flying solo can place cargo on vacant seat?  When I get time I'll adjust a V Max w&b I have a copy of and that will give a indication.  Swifts over here have the 90 litre tank fitted as original build.

Edited August 11 by Blueadventures

[Red]

Hello Blue, its more the extra 20 or so kilos of fuel I was thinking of rather than the tank weight , it must be ok if care taken obviously but I know for sure it would take my particular Nynja outside limits unless I adjusted something, maybe put the battery forward of irewall in my case.

Yea a few are fitting wing tanks but they of course don't shift the weight so far back.

[Blueadventures]

8 hours ago, Red said:

Hello Blue, its more the extra 20 or so kilos of fuel I was thinking of rather than the tank weight , it must be ok if care taken obviously but I know for sure it would take my particular Nynja outside limits unless I adjusted something, maybe put the battery forward of irewall in my case.

Yea a few are fitting wing tanks but they of course don't shift the weight so far back.

PM your email and I'll send over a Nynja w&b with the 90 litre fitted and its cg calcs for your info.   My Nynja has always had wing tanks as fitted when I built it.

[Hopey]

Thanks Blueadventures

[email protected] 

Keen to see this tank modification for the sky ranger

[Hopey]

Also a contact who builds them in Brisbane or elsewhere.