Airborne Strutted Wing

[alf jessup]

AlfI kept my original HGFA Rego when I sold my Streak 1 and bought a Streak 11B for the Edge-X (a couple of years ago). All I did was complete a change of registration details notification form (after phoning the office to confirm I could keep my rego).

 

I removed the numbers off the old wing though, as I was selling it - might be worth checking again as all you are doing is 'de-registering' your old wing?

 

Safe flying

 

Kev

Kev,

 

I spoke to the HGFA and they told me unless I destroy the old wing (which is still perfectly flyable) I cannot swap the rego. I can keep the original rego on the old trike wing forever, so blown if i know as I was on the phone for 15 minutes trying to convince them to let me swap it.

 

Alf.

 

 

[skeptic36]

Kev,I spoke to the HGFA and they told me unless I destroy the old wing (which is still perfectly flyable) I cannot swap the rego. I can keep the original rego on the old trike wing forever, so blown if i know as I was on the phone for 15 minutes trying to convince them to let me swap it.

 

Alf.

Hmmm. Maybe that is an effect of the change from the old microlight friendly HGFA and the new not so microlight friendly organization i_dunno

 

Regards Bill

 

 

[alf jessup]

Hmmm. Maybe that is an effect of the change from the old microlight friendly HGFA and the new not so microlight friendly organization i_dunnoRegards Bill

Bill,

 

I have heard rumors that the HGFA are quite possibly in the near future going to try to rid trikes from the organization, maybe I should register this new wing with the RAA, I gather someone out there maybe able to give me advice on how to do that, and some info on what is involved.

 

Cheers

 

Alf

 

 

[crusty]

Hgfa to raa

 

Just go onto the RAA web site and all the forms can be downloaded, the trike has to be inspected and the inspection regime can also be down loaded. You mentioned registering your new wing with RAA, the trike base will also have to be RAA. There has been moves to make the rego's and pilot certifications common across both organisations so that HGFA pilots can fly RAA registered trikes and vice versa but I don't know where that is up to.

 

I started out in HGFA then followed my then CFI over to RAA, then back to HGFA with the present CFI, it is only a paper trail to achieve.

 

Whatever organisation you end up in, neither is a perfectly comfortable fit for trikes, they both have there plus and minuses but keep in mind access to a CFI/Instructor for check flights etc, what is the best for you.

 

I am certainly no expert but the above is from my experience. By the way how strong is the rumour you have heard re trikes and the HGFA, I haven't heard anything?

 

WP

 

Happiness is........a limp windsock and clear skies!

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

If the HGFA are going to push powered trikes out to the RAA then it will be interesting to see what becomes of the Nanolight (<75kg) class. they do not have to carry rego or do anywhere near the training as two seat trikes. Hope it does not get changed like the original 95:10.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Kev]

Alf,

 

To my knowledge, the HGFA currently has no plans to get rid of their trike membership. In fact, they are actively trying to re-register previous members who have lapsed.

 

Secondly, although the rego letters are affixed to the wing, it is the aircraft that is registered - not the wing. The wing is an interchangeable part of the aircraft.

 

I have sent you a PM regarding your rego.

 

Safe Flying

 

Kev

 

 

[Tracktop]

If you have 2 wings don't you need to register them both - and they get different numbers????

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Somewhere in the past I'd gotten the impression that you could not register more than one wing with your trike under RAAus and that only HGFA would accommodate this.

 

Does anyone have more than one wing registered with their trike under RAAus?

 

Also, RAAus seemed rather adverse to swapping wings between your trikes even if all the trike/wing combinations are manufacturer approved.

 

 

[Kev]

If you have 2 wings don't you need to register them both - and they get different numbers????

This does appear to be the current thinking, but it seems wrong to me. I am looking into it.

 

Will post outcome here.

 

Safe Flying

 

Kev

 

 

[crusty]

Trike wings

 

:baldy:From my brief time in the RAA they could not/would not accept the concept of more than one wing for a aircraft, one of the minuses I mentioned in my previous thread unless, there has been a recent change. +1 for HGFA, -1 for RAA, but don't get excited as there are plus's and minus's both ways.

 

WP.

 

 

[alf jessup]

Well finally picked up the new SST wing on Wednesday 14th April from Porepunkah.

 

Enjoyed the 4 1/2 hr drive from West Sale to Porepunkah with the fine company of a mate and fellow trike pilot John Brent from LTV,

 

Left home at 5 am with a quick stop for a Maccas mcmuffin / coffee and a ciggie at Bairnsdale then onto Bruthen to drop the bettsometer of for Bill Pilgrim (skeptic36) then on our way to Hotham and a quick stop for another Dart (ciggie) then onto Porepunkah airport where Steve Ruffels was waiting.

 

Unpacked the base off the trailer and into the hanger for the mast change out which John and I completed in about 1 1/2 hrs with a few tips from Steve along the way.

 

Steve set up the wing with the help from John when needed (inbetween customers turning up to the hanger during the morning) as it comes short packed and a task i wasn't too keen on doing on my own.

 

Wing set up and checked and attached to the base by 1:30 pm saw Steve don his test pilot helmet and taxi up to the end of 36 and complete pre takeoff checks,( I had a few butterflies watching Steve attempt to defy gravity with my now substantial investment attached to my XT 912 base).

 

Take off checks completed saw Steve soon rolling down 36 and low and behold it lifted off into the sunny skies of Porepunkah, 20 minutes later saw Steve on final to 36 this time with trim wound on for landing and a beaming smile on his face saying it flies as straight as an arrow and hoots along.

 

A quick chat with him saw me strap in as he didnt want to come with me as he said I had far more hrs in a st3 wing than him and I would be right.

 

Taxi up to the start of 36 pre takeoff checks done trim wound on for take off, chute armed soon saw me leaving the ground at a considerable rate of knots instantly noting a different feel in the wing than the st3.

 

Climbing to about 2000 agl i conducted some mild turns both left and right at varying airspeeds noting a nice solid feel from the wing with what thermal activity that was happening, climbing and decending turns were next followed by a couple of stalls with me feeling copmfortable by now to tackle a few circuts.

 

Turned onto final where i normally do on the st3 only to find the new wing still like flying during a powered decent 3300 rpm, hmm quick chop of the power saw the wing still saying na don't wanna land were you normally do how about we glide a bit further.

 

hmm this baby is slick me says at 60kts ias hmm lets wind some more trim on for next one and turn final a bit further out which saw a indicated 55 kts and a lovely decent onto 36 followed by one more to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

 

Pulled up with a big smile on my face and discussed the handling differences with Steve (all positive ones) and sat back admiring the new wing still thinking something doesnt look right without a kingpost and top wires.

 

Coffees consumed and a few darts saw Steve say to me "well no point packing it up Alf you may aswell fly it home as it is perfect weather"

 

A few minutes to ponder the remark taking into consideration hmm what happens if I have an engine out and need to get this into a small opening with the limited time on the wing saw me phone East Sale RAAF base to find out what time they were deactivating that afternoon as i did not want to push landing near last light.

 

Assured by the corpral in the tower at ESL they would be deactivated by the time I reached Bairnsdale I planned my trip which I have done 8 times before, a quick call to Bairnsdale AWIS and ESL and saying my goodbyes and thanking John for offering to drive the Xtrail and trailer back home for me (mind you he did offer to fly back) my journey began departing 36 at 15:20 hrs and making a right turn tracking over Bright township making my way to 9500 ft passing 5nm nth of Mt Hotham while monotring Hotham CTAFR and putting out the appropriate calls.

 

The 14 miles of tiger passed fairly quickly between Hotham and dinner plain airport at a gs of 80 kts, Omeo was soon 10nm off to my left as I traversed down livingstone valley at 5500 ft, soon Swifts creek passed beneath me and Ensay also now with just this 10nm of tigerish country between me and the plains and valleys of the bairnsdale area, a few miles into the tiger i started my slow decent to 2500 ft knowing full well i would easily make the valleys and farmland if mr Rotax decided to play up, in no time i was calling my 10mile for Bairnsdale noting the further i turned west the slower my gs was getting as i ws starting to punch into a 30kt headwind at 2500 ft this side of the ranges, hm Bairnsdale was reporting 12kts at ground level b4 i departed, soon i was overhead Bdale joining xwind for 22 and soon enough i was on the ground 16:50 hrs and taxiing for the terminal noting the wind was now about 18kts on the ground.

 

Tucked in behind the trees a quick toilet stop, a mujch needed dart and phone call to AWIS @ESL saw me depart rwy 22 for the 31 nm journey to WSL at 17:10, copping a fair bit of turbulence on leaving I noted the much better handling of this wing compared to the old one as it felt very rigid in everything the wind was throwing at me at this lower level.

 

I decided to climb to 2500 ft where the air was smooth and strong and lent on the bar giving me 75+ kts ias and a gs of between 40 and 45 watching the sun get lower and lower on the horizon (last light was 18:11), soon enough ESL passed off to my left now only 9nm to run i decended down to 500ft where the air was still smooth and now only about 15kts, a quick flyover home and a 3 mile call to WSL saw me diverting to the dead side of the field to join a low level xwind for rwy 27, soon enough i was on final into a 10kt westerly and at 17:55 i was parked out infront of the hanger with old 001 base and now 049 sst wing sitting there in its splender.

 

Total moving time for the trip 2hrs 32 minutes including taxi times landing at Bdale ect

 

In the hanger she went covers on and a call to the lovely to come pick me up while poor John was still around ensay on his way back.

 

Trip was a good test for me and the new wing I have over 600hrs in streak wings and this wing has proved to me to be the best wing i have flown so far out of Airbornes range and so it should be.

 

9.7 hrs was completed with the SST wing in 6 days prior to me coming back out here at work for another 2 weeks, cant wait to get back home and fly it some more.

 

Hope you enjoy the yarn.

 

Alf

 

 

[skeptic36]

Hope you enjoy the yarn.

Alf

Sure did :thumb_up:

 

 

[flyingflea125]

so it will bolt straight onto my 503 edge x Alf....ahhh I can dream :)

 

Look forward to seeing some pics of 001 base with new SST wing attached...