lazerin Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Not many sportstar drivers on here? I'll hopefully be learning on a sportstar later this year.
ahlocks Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Yeah. Not much happens here.... Bit of a bugga actually. I know! What oil temps are other Sportstar drivers getting? Mine never seems to want to go into the green unless it's mid summer. Where are you at Laz? If you're nearby, I'm often looking for ballast err, company for local flights. Cheers! Steven B.
lazerin Posted July 14, 2008 Author Posted July 14, 2008 Hey Steven, I'm in Adelaide. Where abouts are you located? The sportstar that I went for a TIF in at Parafield also had low temps. The instructor said the oil temp was always low but they've never had a problem with it.
Towering Cu Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 G'day to you both, I have just finished my conversion from GA to RAAus and my aircraft of choice was also the wonderful Sportstar. Great little aeroplane and I think that all who fly them would be very happy. The low ish temperature was also mentioned to me and observed over the next 5 hours. Whether this is a Rotax 912 thing or a Sportstar installation thing, I can't tell you as I haven't flown enough of either to know. Maybe Ian with his previous CTSW's and even the Gazelle with its 80hp Rotax 912 might be able to comment on whether this is just standard for the engine. Regards, Mike
Towering Cu Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 Oh, I see I also have to change my avatar now too. Been checked out on the -400 for about 6 months now.
ahlocks Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 Activity! Hi Laz, located in Wagga. Probably a bit far away from you to shout you a ride. Went for a blat last Saturday and found another Sportstar being preflighted after a stop over. 'twas ding duck from this forum travelling back from down south to Camden with her new acquisition, G'day Ding! Peter Harlow mentioned that the oil temp reads low when he delivered it, but I've often wondered if it is a normal thing with the type or an idiosyncrasy with the budgie. I've been tempted to boil test the sender but haven't got around to it yet. Mike, what do you want to go flying around in those big 'orrible things for? You can't see anything out of 'em. Cheers!
Towering Cu Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 Mike, what to want to go flying around in those big 'orrible things for? You can't see anything out of 'em. Cheers! It pays the bills.
ahlocks Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 It pays the bills. , s'pose you've got to do something to fund the weekend's pleasures. ;) Soooo, how do you like the sportstar visibility and pottering around in among the bugs again? Cheers! Steven B.
lazerin Posted July 16, 2008 Author Posted July 16, 2008 Woah, the difference between a flying a 400 to a sportstar to me seems like the difference between driving a semi and riding a bike. Two radically different beasts. Fill us in on your thoughts, Mike!
Towering Cu Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 G'day Steven and lazerin. Yes, very different beasts as you suggest, whilst still fundamentally similar. Flying the -400 is very much more a systems management role, with manual input (flying!!) being fairly much limited to the departure and arrival phase. Sometimes, not even very much of that. For example, departure from London, due to noise abatement and noise monitoring in that location, our company procedure is engage an autopilot at 250' AGL to ensure accurate tracking of the Standard Instrument Departure (and stop us getting noise fines!) After a long sector from London to Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong and being tired with perhaps a bit of weather thrown in to the mix, it is sometimes more appropriate to do an Autoland with no direct control manipulation (other than gear and flaps and quite a bit of talking back and forth). Compare this to the lovely little Sportstar, and I guess any of the other RAAus aircraft that we all have a soft spot for, and I know which one I would rather spend my time in! I have loved doing my conversion and enjoying the freedom of flight once again that only a private/hired aircraft can give. I look forward to spending a bit more time in the Sportstar in future, as well as getting to know the Gazelles down at Caloundra, as well as some larger GA aircraft at Maroochydore. Can't believe I left it so long to enjoy all of this! Safe and enjoyable flying wishes to you all. Mike.
old man emu Posted July 21, 2008 Posted July 21, 2008 'twas ding duck from this forum travelling back from down south to Camden with her new acquisition, Ding Duck's Sportstar is in for an Annual Inspection at the moment at Camden. Nice plane, but a bit of hangar rash on the port wing leading edge. We are going to adjust the pitch on the prop to see if wshe can get 105 Kts out of it. Old man Emu
ahlocks Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Ding Duck's Sportstar is in for an Annual Inspection at the moment at Camden. Nice plane, but a bit of hangar rash on the port wing leading edge.We are going to adjust the pitch on the prop to see if wshe can get 105 Kts out of it. Old man Emu How'd you get on with the re pitch?
SilverWing Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 Oil temperature Like many 912s I think the oil is overcooled on the SportStar - although the Rotax book says 'over 50 degrees' is OK. Personally I like mine at 80 degrees plus. I notice the new factory SportStar SL comes with an oil thermostat as standard, which (a) speeds warm-up and (b) keeps the oil over 80 degrees (and under 120 on sunny days.
dingduck Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 Hi Steve & Co, we didn't get around to playing with the pitch before the chief shot through to Oshkosh for 2 weeks - waiting till he comes back. My oil temp is low too, only reaches the green in a long climb. There is an oil thermostat fitted, it gets to 50deg nice & quickly. From reading the books, the issue is having it hot enough long enough to burn off impurities - water etc. There is a suggestion that part of the oil cooler be covered during colder weather. Anyone tried this? Still thinking about the vertical card compass option & wishing I'd gone for a quick fly with you to see it in action. Dingduck
old man emu Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 We adjusted the dingduck's prop during the week. She hasn't come back to tell us if the adjustment has given her more speed. OME
ahlocks Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 G'day OME, Can't offer much help with the prop pitch. I only ever potter around at 85~95 knots @ 4900 to 5200rpm. It'll probably do the 103kts as per the book, but I'm mostly poking around locally at 2500ft doing 'jollies' with relatives and work mates and haven't tried to wring its neck yet. I probably should experiment a bit more... Took it up to 7000 for the first time today though. the view just keeps getting better and better! Cheers and G'day to Ding for me. Steven B.
old man emu Posted August 20, 2008 Posted August 20, 2008 dingduck did a Nav to Mudgee earlier this week. She said that she couldn't do a real good test because the air was pretty rough. She reckons she's getting about 100 Kts now. Still more test runs to be done. The AME who adjusted the prop pitch says it was the easiest prop he's had to do. Good design by the manufacturer. OME
Guest basscheffers Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 Hey Lazerin, started training yet? There was a bit of a stuff-up with SportStar 4467 - someone rolled a somewhat larger plane's wing into its tail and it needs parts... Should be up and running soon - I have swapped it for a C172 the last two weeks but the Sportstar is so much more fun! (not to mention I should have soloed by now but that of course isn't going to happen on the 172 unless I get a SPL. The hours still count though and it is good experience regardless.)
lazerin Posted August 23, 2008 Author Posted August 23, 2008 No, still haven't started, can't wait for December to roll around . Ouch, that doesn't good for the little sportstar! Haha, I can imagine the C172 is a bit docile compared to the sportstar. It's a shame that Forsyth only have one recreational aircraft. Do you know if they plan on getting any others? Do they have many sportstar students at the moment?
Guest basscheffers Posted August 23, 2008 Posted August 23, 2008 Looking at the tacho, it's gotten plenty of time in the past 2.5 years its been around so it doesn't look like they have any problem finding takers. They'd probably love to have another one. The issue is probably - as it is anywhere else - finding the instructors. The C172 is docile alright, but a very different beast altogether. Not as much fun to fly, but the weird thing is that it is still fun to fly because it is different. I am almost hoping the sporty isn't fixed yet tomorrow so I can do an hour of circuits in the C172 just to be able to land it properly unassisted. And then I'll happily go back to the Sportstar. :)
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