Update - TOSG & Personal

[Guest TOSGcentral]

This is a bit of a catch up and is split into two – Personal & TOSG. Personal first. My user name has changed from Tony Hayes to TOSGcentral. This is mainly because my earlier account corrupted in some way and Ian is helping out with that side.

 

Not a good year and I will not bore you with all the details. Major computer problems drove me off the forums and work pressure kept me off. Above all else Kay was badly injured and required reconstructive surgery. She is recovering and I am now getting a bit more time as I was having to work and do everything around the house as well.

 

I admit that I went through a lot of demotivation regarding RAAus. If it had not been for TOSG and the Thrusters I would have left RAAus entirely – I had already handed in all of my instructional qualifications. The (then) latest round of politics disgusted me absolutely and I wanted no part of what is likely to come.

 

But I am still around and this year I was given ownership of the single seat and two seat Thruster prototypes, a complete Glasshouse C that I will restore to museum standard in flying condition, I have an interest in a second Glasshouse C and also shares in a T300 from which I am able to do operating technique demonstration flying. So I am still involved heavily and am now back here.

 

I want no part of RAAus politics and believe the most productive thing that can be presently done is to build a solid core of support for the low end of the original ultralight movement and maintain as high a degree of cohesion as is possible with that sector. That is precisely what TOSG has always been for – but of course it influences the Thrusters only.

 

On the TOSG and Thruster front generally here is an update on events over the past eight months or so.

 

TOSG GENERALLY. Plodding on much as normal but with a fair sprinkling of new members. Main changes have been a steady rise of interest in re-builds and I have been steering this towards responsible ‘benchmarking’ of the aircraft, fully documented, to not only enhance their safety but also stabilize resale value for the owners – plus give buyers a better quality assurance than is normally available.

 

Membership costs have been kept static at $30 for four Bulletins per year. However anyone with a Thruster can contact me for information if they wish.

 

TOSG WEB SITE. My ISP went broke and I then found they had done a shonky on the domain name I had paid heavily for. Ian has kindly offered support and I will be talking with him about this. The web site will be considerably added to once I have it up and running again, plus probably re-organised a bit. There is a lot of material now to go on it. But note that it is an information source only – there is no forum there for example.

 

UK THRUSTER FACTORY. There was alarm and despondency in the UK camp over whispers that the UK factory would be sold or may even close. A good positive sale has eventuated and there are solid long term plans. I will be working with them to get channels in place for good quality supply of certified spares for the T300 types onwards. I will have to talk to RAAus Tech about that as well.

 

OZ THRUSTER FACTORY. To the best of my knowledge this is now totally defunct and not operating. I am given to believe that what was left of the factory stock etc was loaded into containers and has left Evans Head airfield. If anyone has any updates then please post here.

 

SPARE PARTS GENERALLY. This has been difficult because there are so many types! At present TOSG can offer support to all types in a staged progression. We can either supply the parts, tell you where to get the parts, or tell you how to get the parts made legally and responsibly. The UK connection will be vital to easing load in this area as I am still trying to retire into full time writing and do not want to be running any businesses. So bear with me please because although I will help you it is just help!

 

UK THRUSTER CLUB FORUM. The UK have a very active forum for Thrusters. You can find it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Thrusterclub/

 

Joining is easy and free and they have accumulated a lot of information resources. Their particular interest is that they have been operating J2200 engines in T600s for years now and are coming up with some very interesting and useful information that we do not see in Oz (that may have a broader readership outside this Thruster forum). Word of caution – the Brits operate on slightly different airworthiness parameters to us so check with RAAus Tech first, or TOSG before charging off and doing something. Having said that they have interesting mods – one of which takes the T300s up to 450kg legal!

 

INTERNATIONAL LINKS WITH UK. A main event this year has been closer relations between TOSG and the UK Thruster Club on information sharing. This has resulted in a joint quarterly Bulletin arrangement. The traditional ‘TOSG Bulletins’ are now no more after 41 issues and they are now titled ‘Thruster Support International’ – but have remained essentially the same format at about 22 pages and a similar number of photos or diagrams.

 

MODIFIED WING BRACKETS. I put this in some time ago because nobody else could or would. The four exchange brackets (individually serial numbered) cost $270 for a full set inclusive of postage. They also include release notes, a copy of the Engineering Order they are made under, fitting instructions and preliminary notes to tell you how to get it going. They are professionally made by an approved LAME welding business but for Gawd’s sake guys we are doing this as a break even service so you may not get return of post service!

 

Interestingly we have only so far supplied 10 sets! There are a lot out there and the RAAus order is still in force and will remain so. Note that the Order does not apply to the V600s which have similar but different brackets.

 

GLASS FIBRE PARTS. This has been a pain in the butt for years! Wally Rudin eventually financed it but the supply did not work out. I now have ownership of the moulds and a reliable professional supplier. Once again this is ‘by order’ and we do not have stock on the shelves, so you may have to wait a week or so.

 

We can supply: Full enhanced pods that will fit any two seater, lower cockpit rear bulkheads slotted for easy removal, full rear bulkheads that are pre cut out for straps and fuel level sighting, Front semi circular cockpit roof panel, main roof panel, and add-on streamline side flares for existing pods for drag reduction.

 

THE BILBY. The Bilby belongs to Rusty Jenkins who built it from a production T300 after hundreds of hours work. It is now TOSG’s developmental flagship. It is registered in Amateur Built so we can do much what we like to it – and are doing so.

 

Rusty is now very ill and that is slowing down the following points.

 

WING INCIDENCE MODIFICATION. The Bilby has already been modified for reduced wing incidence to tame the Thruster landing habits. This has been done by a rear spar mounting modification. But the intended modification is to the front spar mounting and there is now a full size model of this. At the moment I have to fly the Bilby over from Kilcoy to Watts Bridge for a week or so to do the test flying. With Rusty’s illness that is still pending.

 

When the mod comes out it should not be too expensive and will be under a CAR35 Engineering Order so will be totally kosher and you can fit it yourself at home.

 

FLAPPERON MODIFICATION. The Bilby also has flapperons. The linkage is proven but some test flying is required for accurate figures and particularly to provide a reflex flap setting for more economic cruise. That will also happen on an EO and again should not be too expensive.

 

AERODYNAMIC TRIM TAB MODIFICATION. The Bilby has fully controlled aerodynamic trim tabs on rudder and elevator that enable it to be trimmed hands off at any speed or power setting. These are simple and an EO will be produced concurrently with the above.

 

SOUTHDOWN ENGINEERING. Based at Clifton, SE Queensland, this is Daffyd Llewellyn’s CAR35 business that does ALL of TOSG’s engineering approval work. The front runner I mainly deal with is Daffyd’s son Bob who also happens to own the prototype production Thruster single seater.

 

WHERE TO NEXT? Plenty ahead that is for sure. As far as these forums go I will be checking this one out at least daily, probably several times a day. I will answer what I am able to.

 

To contact me directly my phone number is 07 5423 1963. My email (which I far prefer) is [email protected].

 

Aye

 

Tony