The Lightwing Mystery

[Deskpilot]

Very nice write up Arthur. You obviously couldn't sleep last last:augie: I, on the other hand, had to go to bed early due to a power outage.

 

 

[Wayne T Mathews]

Very nice write up Arthur. You obviously couldn't sleep last last:augie: I, on the other hand, had to go to bed early due to a power outage.

Lookout Deskpilot! Statistics prove there'll always be a spike in baby births 9 months after a power outage....

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

India should be a blow out after that big power outage a couple of weeeks ago.

 

Good threads btw. i really like the lightwing. rag and tube stuff

 

 

[lark]

always liked the look of the light wing, only been in one once though.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Lookout Deskpilot! Statistics prove there'll always be a spike in baby births 9 months after a power outage....

Now that would set a new record as my wife and I are both 70 years young. Will keep on trying though, in my dreams perhaps.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Did a quick test-flight today in one of our Beavers. The pilots were talking fog/cloud right down to the deck, out at the reef !....and cancelled those flights accordingly. It was really hazy and not nice over the water when we flew.....has to be due to the influx of warm humid air after the unseasonal cold we've been having up this way....just not a clear day at all...............Maj...

 

 

[pylon500]

Did a quick test-flight today in one of our Beavers.

Did you mean;

 

Beaver, or Beaver?

 

Why are we talking about beavers?

 

This one belonged to a mate of mine in Hervey Bay

Hey Metalman2, I probably met you when we picked it up.

Must admit, it looked flashy when we got it.

 

Unfortunately the performance didn't match the looks, and once we had struggled back to Taree I went over the whole plane and must have removed about 55kg of excess junk.

 

I moved the seats back to their original position to suit six foot pilots, put a decent antennae on it, then did a weight and balance and removed 3kg of tail ballast.

 

With the prop re-pitched and the wheel spats and caravan roof vent (!?) removed, it now flies straight, cruises at 70kts @ 5500rpm, and will actually glide and flare when landing.

 

Still, with the shark teeth on front, we are thinking of calling it 'Angry Bird'.

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

No the Beaver on the floats. Just finished a partial rebuild on her complete with all new dash, leather seats and new interior upholstory. Test flight was great until we landed and spotted all the fresh new oil on the belly !...courtesy of a blown oil-cooler. The old circular oil coolers are getting real hard to find these days, and the old ones will blow cores occasionally.

 

Great article Arthur, and I reckon people who fly Lightwings fly them because they are a great flying aircraft, and as you say cover a lot of bases in one aircraft. Plus they are tough as !!.......................................................Maj...

 

 

[pylon500]

flight was great until we landed and spotted all the fresh new oil on the belly

I'd be surprised if it came back and there WASN'T oil underneath!

Didn't know you played with beavers?

 

I spent 17 years at Bankstown repairing and rebuilding them....

 

-AAM, -AQA, -AQU, -AAX, -IDO, -IMF, -NOO, -SWB, -SYS, and a few others no longer in the rego list...

 

 

Typical day at work (circa 2004)

 

 

And some others that wander in.

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Lovely photos Arthur, I'll check those regos we may have a couple in our fleet...............................................Ross...

 

 

[flyerme]

yay..Finally manage to fly out of FALCON HAWK airfrield monday 27th,flew with only 10km visibility,so the GPS had to be switched on .first leg heading 26 deg at 2500ft was magical,but under 2000ft at Echuca was rough as guts and 3 vh (2 cessna's and a piper) doing circuit/touch 'n'go wotk made it interesting,after a quick re-fuel of 14 ltrs(hr) I headed to COHUNA..ahahahahah dang will have to build a bump tolorence NOW...flying along at 2500ft at 60kntASI and ony 76kmh ground speed I was being beaten aeound left right and centre.I was sucked up in an up drought at 700fpm at 70knts NO power ,Nose down.. made a streight in approach at Cohuna with a strong gusty head wind of around 15kts made for an awesome short 50mtr greaser on 33,,decided to call it a day and tie her down antill next week and will move her again,,,HEY bright side? she is 3 hrs closer..lol I have really bought a nice plane and fel guilty for owning such a gem...

 

 

[Doug Evans]

great way to learn your aircraft and hone your skill enjoy !!

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Talking about Lightwing Mysteries, I was wondering where 25-0327 got to. After I married nearly 5 years ago, I discovered my husband had first flown this Lightwing in March 1990 when it belonged to the Gympie Aero Club, then I first flew it in Jan 2000 when it belonged to the Barcaldine Club. It was sold about 2004/05 and the Club folded. It went off to towards Rockhampton. I often wonder what came of it. Still training? Flying? I am still discovering places where our paths crossed (new hubby & me) even though we didn't know each other, lived 500 - 1,400km apart, he remembers seeing me at one Natfly, we have shared aircraft (albeit some years and distance apart), know the same people etc. Small world. The picture features Barcaldine's oldest student pilot at 69yrs. He went on to get his licence but died 2 years ago after a long illness.

 

Sue

 

 

 

[hihosland]

OOPS!!

 

sorry for the duplication

 

 

[hihosland]

25-155 Is still for sale

 

LIGHTWING GR 582

 

Rego 25-0155.

 

Re advertised;- owner now working overseas.

 

Factory built, always hangared.

 

Blue head oil-injected 582 ,

 

Large tires,

 

UHF & VHF radio.

 

Bolly prop.

 

Looks great & flys true.

 

Located Gippsland.

 

$26,000 ono

 

TTIS 1430

 

Engine/gearbox 320hrs total

 

Airframe 320 hours since complete re build including new skins, wiring etc.

 

Second owner since new nil accidents.

 

ph 0 418 738 838

 

 

[hihosland]

Image for above post

 

 

 

[Yenn]

25-032 Major I think that was owned by Noel Patrick, a good friend of mine, who flew Kittyhawks in the war and was a great sailor. Didn't it have corrosion problems when it got to townsville.

 

 

[Doug Evans]

Only a small bit on one of her tail plane all replaced with new ones now

 

Yes Noel own her 19th oct 1992 till 26th oct 1993

 

She's coming along nicely put new skins on over the next few weeks and a fresh coat of paint will follow soon hope. To be back in the air next two months !

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

The corrosion in 032s tail could be traced back to her being on floats early in her life, and probabily being operated on salt water. There is a photo in the Lightwing factory of her on floats in the water...............................................Maj...

 

 

[winsor68]

i cannot get my head around lightwings....they fly 'weird'..

CFI... just wondering... Have you done time in Drifters/Thrusters etc? Wondering what you mean... I have a theory...

 

 

[winsor68]

The Lightwing is more an ULTRALIGHT IMO... they aren't like Texans or even Savanahs... good thing too... But I am wondering if that makes them a different breed for people who come from GA?

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Cficare, can you be more specific ........fly weird ????.......and what by the way have you flown in the past as a comparison ?......................Maj...

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I will add that most lightwings like to be trimmed nose down with a little back-pressure on the stick. This drops both the nose for a better view, and the elevator which allows the stab/elevator to create a little lift for a better cruise. This is how they like to cruise, and also get their best cruise efficiency in this mode.........................................Maj...

 

 

[pylon500]

trimmed nose down with a little back-pressure on the stick?

Interesting....

I've found that most Lightwings prefer to be flown at their rearmost CofG, (I can hear all the experts getting ready..) which is still only at 22% on some of the earlier models.

 

The LSA models can run to 25% and will three point better, but then you have to really be ready with the rudder because of the main gear dynamics.

 

Rearward CofG's will help to reduce induced trim drag when cruising but can lead to pitch sensitivity in short coupled aircraft.

 

Fortunately the strong pitching moment of the flatbottom section on the lightwing is countered by the reasonable amount of Decalage between the wing and tail.

 

they fly 'weird'..

OK, so 'Please explain...?

Arthur.

 

 

[Keith Page]

Good Morning Flying Vizsla

 

I have 25-0327 and enjoying it, tis a very much an enjoyable little thing.

 

Still lives in central Queensland.

 

I will enclose a photo, so all can see catch up after all these years.

 

Regards,

 

Keith Page.