New Jabiru Light Sport

[youngmic]

Jabiru owners,

 

We've all met one or more of them, they hang around airports smiling like they have just one the lottery and the penthouse girls are on the way with the cheque, you rarely see them working on their aircraft they usually don't need to, they rarely go wrong.

 

If you’re lucky you might catch someone building one, but you gotta be quick it's usually all over and painted in the time it takes a proper kit to clear customs.

 

Most of us at one time or another have been held up at the runway hold point with climbing CHT's while we wait for half a dozen or more Jabiru's to finish their formation arrival from some Trans Continental excursion of the Australian outback, all bearing the same silly grin.

 

They've even managed to foul the airways of foreign countries with there unnatural grins, Africa, Malta, India they're everywhere, they're like bloody airborne Model T Fords.

 

They rarely complain much about matters of aviation, as is the time honoured custom of aviators, all is good in their world it would seem. And you would be more likely to hear a lawn mower owner complain about the price of fuel than a Jabiru owner. In fact they even discuss ways of richening up their engines as their fuel usage just seems so unnaturally low they don't believe it themselves, 13.2 L/hr at 100kts indeed.

 

Well here is a new bit of Jabiru light sport, the photos below were taken a week ago on flight from Perth to Cowra, feel free to send it to as many Jab owners as you like. The aircraft is a 1970's design and the engine a 1930's design. The top R/H corner of the Garmin 100 (no not a 496) is displaying 217 kts GS and the Dynon is showing 16.5 L/hr this was at FL135

 

Maybe that'll quieten them down a bit for awhile

 

 

 

 

[Captain]

That's all well and good, youngmic ... but are you as happy as us J guys, what with most of your sharp bits all pointing the wrong way?

 

I note that your ASI is reading 116 knots. Are you sure that your GPS GS isn't showing kph? Just joking and thanks for the pics.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

50 knot tailwind or thereabouts perhaps?

 

That's believable, especially with the recent winds.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Haha.. so ya found a nice tailwind.. Doesn't shut me up none..

 

 

[youngmic]

Brentc,

 

Sorry no cigar, check the ASI and it was about -5c.

 

 

[ahlocks]

Hey Youngmic,

 

I'm trying to drum up some interest in a little hunting project over here. :devil: :big_grin:

 

..appears that recycled beer cans can't keep up with them plastic jabba varmints.

 

Reckon you could fit machine guns into your 'back to front Texan'?

 

 

[Geoff]

I feel I should comment hear, but I can't think of anything appropriate

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Nice tailwind: at FL135 and OAT of -5 with IAS of say 117 knots (assume IAS = CAS) then your TAS is ~150 knots. Therefore a tailwind of around 67 knots.

 

ISA OAT at that altitude should have been -12 in which case your TAS would have been a few knots faster.

 

The part about all this that concerns me is that I discerned a serious stylistic problem in those photos: Someone was wearing an Ugh Boot. As we all know the members of this forum are far too suave to wear Ugh Boots so this remains seriously anomalous. Was this someone elses a/c?

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Captain]

I feel I should comment

Don't worry Geoff.

 

Mick is almost one of "us" and has demonstrated a good understanding of why we are so content.

 

While Steve always gets like this when he hasn't had a good house fire to extinguish for a while. He has a lovely Sportstar but just can't stop looking lustily at our high-winged masterpieces.

 

Mick ......... what range do you have in your machine and where did you refuel & stop over on the way to/from Cowra?

 

Regards Geoff 2

 

PS ... Mike, I'd be willing to wear Uggies if that would qualify me to operate legally up at FL135 and to hook that sort of a tailwind. Perhaps ypou should undertake an official Ugh Boot Review.

 

 

[youngmic]

Ahlocks,

 

I'm here'in ya, I think you might be onto something there, whilst I strongly believe some form of culling program on Jab's is warranted I just feel there will be to much political backlash. But the concept with a twist might be winner, how about paint ball guns, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Getting onto the six of a Jab would be dead eze, what with there huge blind spot and the geriatric age group of Jab owners they'd never be able to twist there neck far enough to see behind themselves. That and most of em are one eyed anyway.

 

Pelorus,

 

Close but no cigar. But I like they way you think, TAS 150+ at FL135 on an aged 100hp donk, I dream of such things. As for the Uggies, useful time at altitude is limited by foot tempreture, eg. ISA @ 8500 (-2c) = 23 min. ISA @ FL135 (-12c) = 12 min.

 

Ps. I think your whiz wheel might be broken...

 

ISA OAT at that altitude should have been -12 in which case your TAS would have been a few knots faster.

Captian,

 

At 8500' 82L + FR @ 19L/hr = 4.3 hrs @ block speed 145 TAS = 626 anm.

 

Serpentine - Kalgoorlie - Forrest (usually O/N here going east in winter) - Pt. Pirie - Cowra. That particular trip went DCT Serpentine - Forrest and missed KG.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

What speed and fuel flow does this machine do at 1,500ft as an example?

 

 

[youngmic]

G'day Brent,

 

I assume you are refering to top speed, I have not done that at 1500' since 02 and at that time I recorded 165 kts, fuel flow was not fitted then but it would have been pretty close to 34L/hr @ 2800 RPM (red line 2750). Obviously running full rich for that run.

 

The book figures say i should do some 15kts better than that.

 

Mick

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Pelorus,

Ps. I think your whiz wheel might be broken...

Alas It is not my whizz wheel that's broken...simply my brain. It (my brain) should have said a few knots slower!

 

Intrigued to hear the real story here.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[ahlocks]

I've tried to resist but can't...

 

... Getting onto the six of a Jab would be dead eze,

Didn't you mean to say it would be ..... vari eze? :clown:

 

Door?... OK, I'll be on me way...