KI Trip part 2: Dorothy's Panel

[Coop]

For those of you who are interested in what Dorothy's antique instrument panel looks like, here it is:

 

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Just the basics- although even this has more than most. For example, oil temp and cylinder head temp guages are optional on Austers. Most don't have them. The big blanked hole on the left is where the DG used to live- but it's bearings had worn out so it just played ring-a-ring-a-rosie, and I removed it to save weight. Fixing it would probably cost a small fortune.

 

The big dial with the two needles in the centre (behind the throttle lever) is the turn and slip-skid indicator. I've actually flown Dorothy for about half an hour under the hood using this basic blind-flying instrument, and believe me, I have much greater respect now for those that did it for keeps back in the old days! It was hard work- and I was sweating within 15 minutes.

 

We have two fuel tanks, but only one fuel gauge- just visible behind the compass. It gives a rough idea of the amount of fuel in the front (main) tank (in imperial gallons) but we pay it scant attention- unless it is telling us bad news- and go by time only. The belly (auxilliary) tank has no gauge, we just run it for one hour and fifty-five minutes, or until the engine coughs- whichever occurs first.

 

The only other instrument is the Garmin89 GPS (just visible at left). There is only one lever- the throttle. There is no mixture control (Dorothy runs in full rich at all times) and no pitch control (fixed pitch wooden prop).

 

Although the placard says "Flight Manual Stowage Behind Pilot's Seat" that is a lie- there is no flight manual for this model. There is a certificate of airworthiness that gives the basic information you need such as empty weight, max gross weight, and a few other relevant bits of information. There is no "P-Chart", and no C of G chart (in its original configuration, to get it outside its C of G range you would have to overload it). I've created a C of G chart from the figures derived from a recent weighing, but little has changed- you have to do ridiculous things to Dorothy to get her outside the C of G range without actually overloading her.

 

So the flying is simple. Chuck the luggage in and swing the prop. If there is a loud noise coming from the front, then the engine must be running, if the wheels have stopped turning, then we have some altitude, and if it all goes quiet, we have run out of fuel...

 

Coop

 

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[winsor68]

That is a nice Auster...In Mackay we have a Tiger Moth and an Auster run by the same group...they offer joy rides in the Tiger...Personally I would rather go for a ride in the Auster...I remember when I was about 5 years old the gliding club my dad was in used an Auster for towing and I was never allowed to go up in it because it was in real rough condition...have always wanted to fly in one...One day I will I hope...

 

 

[Coop]

Thanks for your comments.

 

Show up at any Antique Aircraft Association of Australia (AAAA) fly-in and make your wishes known to the folks at the registration desk. It's quite likely that someone will be willing to make your dream come true. Lots of Austers attend the annual national rally, and of course plenty turn up at the annual Auster rally (next one's in Broken Hill in October).

 

Regards

 

Coop

 

 

[Guest OzChris]

The Auster is such a grand ol' Lady - there is a bright yellow one hangared here in YBLT, although never having spent any time in one, I love them, or at least the look and sound of them!

 

It looks as though you are sitting on 80kt in the picture - is that the cruise speed generally? What sort of fuel burn would you get at that speed?

 

Im surprised at the simplicity of the panel...but then I guess its all you need and quite adequate!

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Secretary of our Aero Club has a 1948 Auster VH-KSN. HAve been in it a few times. Even got some video of it - [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkHLDZKJgag&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Touch and Go in an Auster[/ame]

 

A great aircraft but scary when you do a ground loop and run off the runway :eek:

 

 

[VHKDK]

G'day Coop,

 

Thanks for the trip report and photos. Always good to see an Auster, on the ground or flying.

 

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This one looks the part, saw it at the Auster fly in at Wentworth in 2007.

 

Just joined the AAAA and had excellent access at Echuca, a shame we were blown away by the weather. I am gradually putting my Echuca photos (along with Boort and others) on the gallery.

 

VHKDK

 

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[Guest Glenn]

That is Coop's Dorothy

 

 

[VHKDK]

Thats 4. Whose plane is next?

 

 

[Coop]

The Auster is such a grand ol' Lady - there is a bright yellow one hangared here in YBLT, although never having spent any time in one, I love them, or at least the look and sound of them!It looks as though you are sitting on 80kt in the picture - is that the cruise speed generally? What sort of fuel burn would you get at that speed?

Im surprised at the simplicity of the panel...but then I guess its all you need and quite adequate!

The IAS is 80 kts. The actual cruise speed is closer to 90 kts (about 88 at last check at this altitude).

 

For some reason, never satisfactorily explained to me, many Auster models have significant "position errors" in their ASI setups, such that they under-read significantly at the higher end. Combine that with some differences due altitude (ie higher TAS at higher altitude for given IAS) and you get these significant errors. Fuel burn in my Auster is almost exactly 30 litres per hour- a very convenient figure for mental arithmetic!! For that, we get a 90 kt cruise, a 33kt stall speed (clean, 25kt with full flap) and enough payload that we can legally carry two crew, full fuel and about 20 kgs of luggage. That gives us about 4 hours of flying before the tanks are dry.

 

Coop

 

 

[Coop]

Secretary of our Aero Club has a 1948 Auster VH-KSN. HAve been in it a few times. Even got some video of it -

Haven't managed to perform that aerobatic yet... maybe I need more practice...

 

Coop

 

 

[Coop]

G'day Coop,Thanks for the trip report and photos. Always good to see an Auster, on the ground or flying.

 

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This one looks the part, saw it at the Auster fly in at Wentworth in 2007.

She looks a lot better than that now, with her newly painted wings...If you see her again, ask someone to point me out to you, and I'll give you a closer look... MUCH closer...

 

Just joined the AAAA and had excellent access at Echuca, a shame we were blown away by the weather. I am gradually putting my Echuca photos (along with Boort and others) on the gallery.

Love to see them. Didn't get much time to do many pics myself, and of course, Dorothy couldn't make it...:frown:

 

Coop