LOST PROPERTY - MAKES YOU WONDER. . .

[facthunter]

Had you people known it would be this hard (Brexit) would the vote have been what it was? All you had to do was to tell Bruxxelles to go see a taxidermist occasionally. Funny, a country that has the most surveillance and red tape of just about anywhere..... Why do you lot put up with it?. Mind you, we are catching up fast. The last statement will be noted on my secret file. WE know where you live.. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Thanks Nev. That makes me feel a whole load better. A problem shared is a problem reduced, or so the saying goes. . . I won't comment on Polly stuff on this thread though ( ! )

 

**** BREAKING ****

 

Mystery Fuel cap found at our airfield, by one of the 'Ghosts' who magically cut the grass during weekdays when nobody is looking. . . . Looks very similar to the one pictured at the head of this thread.

 

I have been informed that the culprit who 'Mislaid' it, did not discover this error until his Second offsite stopover. He remedied the 'Problem' by jamming a piece of rag into the filler aperture. Apparently he was not asked if he had included a soft drink straw along with his 'rag bung' as a tank breather tube.

 

Sometimes it seems that fortune can, on occasion, also favour the stupid.

 

I heard today that a few months ago, another one of our pilots had lost his fuel cap, similar aircraft, but 2 seater. He put the aircraft away until he had obtained a replacement cap.

 

54 aircraft movements today, No crashes, Bingles, Fender benders or whoopsies to report. . . .quite unexciting really. . . CFI's Evektor Eurostar school aircraft had sooted up plugs, running Okayish, but not perfect and a bit 'Smokey' on full power. He said it was not an easy task to adjust the mixture on his R912/80HP, but had already got a pair of replacement carbs anyway. . .

 

 

[Kiwi]

Bulk email recieved from a local aviator. . . 'HAS ANYONE SEEN ONE OF THESE ?'.

If you ever need one of these fuel caps and don't want to wait for one from RANS, just go to the local Husqvarna mower shop, (standard RANS S6 fuel caps don't have vents in them)

 

 

[Phil Perry]

If you ever need one of these fuel caps and don't want to wait for one from RANS, just go to the local Husqvarna mower shop, (standard RANS S6 fuel caps don't have vents in them)

Thanks Kiwi. . . this forum is a veritable Alladin's cave full of useful tips ! . . .I don't operate a Rans, but I shall pass the info to the three groups who do. . . I'm sure that someone could fabricate a breather tube. . .

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Had a day off yesterday ( Sunday 16th July ) and from early this morning I've had several phone calls asking whose white high wing aircraft it was it was that ran off the end of Rwy 34L,. . ( we have Four 'White ones' on the site ) was it damaged, and who was the solo student who got lost on a navex. . . . ( as if my being there would have made a jot of difference ? ? )

 

Sigh. . . I miss all the exciting stuff. . . . .

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Just a little update, in case anyone is remotely interested. . .

 

The aircraft which over ran the Runway yesterday is a EUROFOX 912 . . .tricycle u/c version.( Really Nice looking aeroplane ) Matey's first jolly after being signed off as capable last weekend.

 

The aircraft landed too fast, and too long, and over ran the end of the strip by around 30 metres. Neither Matey nor Mrs. Matey were injured in any way, but the aircraft needs a replacement plastic nosewheel spat and a careful inspection of the noseleg structure / attachment. He stoppped ( Luckily ) short of the transverse deep ploughed section of the field by around 3 metres. ( I hope he went and bought a lottery ticket on the drive home. . . )

 

Nil wind situation, incident followed two previous abort / go around. Matey is a really nice bloke, although his PPL training was in a much slower type of machine at an airfield with a 700m runway. I'm sure he will get the hang of our tiny cabbage patch given more time and practice.

 

Lost trike student became disoriented by lowering cloudbase and outlanded in a paddock, some distance from habitation, and with no phone signal. Did the right thing in the circumstances. He was flying a rather 'Nippy' 912S 100 HP trike, so it is easy to become uncertain of position rather quickly in poor viz.

 

Instructor recovered his unamaged machine a couple of hours ago. . . .all's well etc. . .( SAR Yellow alert cancelled in time )

 

I shall suggest that he purchases and installs a radio setup, as he could have at least alerted another aircraft from the ground to relay a message in the absence of a mobile signal. . . .

 

Trike = £30K+ . . .radio + intercom / antenna = £300 or less with used stuff. . .? 'No Brainer' really ( IMHO )

 

 

[onetrack]

Phil, lost fuel caps are a pretty common event. It's simply cured by installing a short section of lightweight stainless chain between cap and tank internals.

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

This having a go at people who stretch the safety limits is a problem. Most don't want to know and some get abusive. I recently had a few words to say abut running an airshow too close to last light, where pilots could just make it home, but with no safety margin. I was told run it late so pilots stay overnight and spend money. It is their call if they leave too late for safety.I am not sure what I will say if an accident (act of stupidity) happens, but it is not going to be complementary.

Returning from an airshow in the past I arrived home and about 20 mins before last light found a powered parachute de rigging in the middle of the strip. I had beaten him in but othere may not have been so lucky.

You might want to ask for those instructions in writing.

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

You might want to ask for those instructions in writing.

. My bad. Didn't read the your post properly.

[Phil Perry]

Phil, lost fuel caps are a pretty common event. It's simply cured by installing a short section of lightweight stainless chain between cap and tank internals.

It certainly is. . . my aircraft have always had this simple safety feature.

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

It certainly is. . . my aircraft have always had this simple safety feature.

Is it a safety feature, or a slack-flying-facilitation feature?

 

 

[onetrack]

We are all human, and we all forget. Not a single one of us can put a hand on their heart, and honestly say, "I have never forgotten a single important thing".

 

We all need simple, additional help devices, that prevent simple forgetfulness, from turning into a major disaster.

 

If a small piece of chain (or stainless braided wire) is all that's needed to prevent a disaster caused by simple forgetfulness, then it can definitely be classed as a safety feature.

 

The basic problem, I guess, is that not everyone is taught, or realises, just how a simple innoccous slip, such as a fuel cap being left off, can lead to a potential disaster.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Is it a safety feature, or a slack-flying-facilitation feature?

Sorry mate, I can't improve on Onetrack's comment in that regard . . .

 

Some 'safety' features can be regarded as a simple aide memoire to reinforce concentration and commonsense. . ., without going to a ridiculous degree such as 'Stop' signs at the top of a ladder etc. . .

 

Humans are seemingly prone by nature towards being easily distracted; sometimes leading to others saying afterwards things like "How on Earth did the silly bugger forget to do that ! ".

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

We are all human, and we all forget. Not a single one of us can put a hand on their heart, and honestly say, "I have never forgotten a single important thing".We all need simple, additional help devices, that prevent simple forgetfulness, from turning into a major disaster.

If a small piece of chain (or stainless braided wire) is all that's needed to prevent a disaster caused by simple forgetfulness, then it can definitely be classed as a safety feature.

 

The basic problem, I guess, is that not everyone is taught, or realises, just how a simple innoccous slip, such as a fuel cap being left off, can lead to a potential disaster.[/quote

 

I don't think that the chain will help you remember to put the fuel cap back on. An actual safety feature would be something that stopped fuel being lost in flight, like a sprung cap that covered the hole and was pushed out of the road by the spout of the fuel nozzle. Or, having a rack to put the cap on where it is in the pilot's line of sight. Or, having brightly coloured caps so a casual glance will tell that the cap is not where it should be.

 

A chain just decreases the cost of not putting the cap on because you don't lose the cap.

[onetrack]

A chain just decreases the cost of not putting the cap on because you don't lose the cap.

Agreed, up to a point.

However, a chained cap left off, will soon provide an audible alert, when the airflow starts it banging against the side of the tank!

 

About then, one would hope the average fuel-cap-losing pilot would start to $hit himself, with a, "WTF is that NOISE?? - and abort the flight, to identify it.

 

Then again, I guess there's always those types who continue merrily on their way, after reassuring themselves that the noise is quite normal and probably related to general IC noise.

 

 

[johnm]

Make a good new thread that ................. planes taking off with all sorts of things being dragged along for a ride -fuel caps included

 

 

[red750]

'Remove before flight' flags?

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Tow bars can be fun if they hit the prop.

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

Agreed, up to a point.However, a chained cap left off, will soon provide an audible alert, when the airflow starts it banging against the side of the tank!

About then, one would hope the average fuel-cap-losing pilot would start to $hit himself, with a, "WTF is that NOISE?? - and abort the flight, to identify it.

 

Then again, I guess there's always those types who continue merrily on their way, after reassuring themselves that the noise is quite normal and probably related to general IC noise.

The Score On This

 

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You 1

 

Me 0

 

 

[planesmaker]

A tail tie down stake missed in the predawn preflight, pilot said it took a bit of power to get it to taxi!