lee-wave

In the UK the annual permit to fly check flight needs to be carried out at near to mauw as possible. My strip being marginal at 290 mtrs I first found a 'victim' who weighed around 70kg to be the ballast and then did a solo takeoff at 450 - 70kg = 380kg. I then calculated the extra takeoff length at 450kg using a 10kg/10mtr ratio and then carried out the second fully loaded 'check flight'. The 2 flights were only a half hour apart as you can see from the suns position so ambient conditions were near to identical with about 5 knots of right hand x wind, 23C and 1013 HPa. Lift off for both flights was 53 knots and the speed allowed to increase to 68 knots for the climb out. Flaps were at the first detent. I estimated 2-3 litres fuel burned for the 380 kg flight so the second flight was around 447kg. Unfortunately a cow just about blocked the exact lift off point for the 447kg takeoff but you can see how much flatter the heavier take off was using the tree as a reference point (the sun was also lower in the sky). After the test flight I paced the extra takeoff length and it was roughly 90 mtrs ± 5mtrs....a lot further then calculated....something I thought about later over a beer.

I don't really like posting on crashes but this one happened right on the farm where my Jab is parked. Pilot suffered life changing injuries. We had to move it quite quickly as the cows had chewed on the fabric. Most of the elevator covering was stripped of by the cows. This was the second crash in 2 weeks of microlight category type aircraft in my area. The other being a Rans S6 that spun in after EFATO. On that occasion the pilot perished in the post crash fire. The Minimax wreck is currently sitting in a trailer on the farm. With deregulated aircraft like the Minimax the authorities did not want to know anything about it.... You can spot my aircraft at harp.mixer.upon on what3words. The useable strip is just on 300mtrs. I have taken off at mauw but it's not a pleasant experience if the temperature is above 32C and no wind.

How many of us remember log tables and slide rules at school and uni...?

Check out the App what3words. Very useful if you have a cell or data signal and GPS and are lost or injured somewhere and cannot pinpoint your position. Saved a women's life in Scotland some years back and recently a friend of mine fell of his bike and badly gashed his left leg. Unable to move he sent the 3 words pinpointing his location....I was able to get to him within the half hour. Also very useful for taxi pick ups in the cities...it even works in the air with only a GPS signal.

Just adding to J-As comments.....that many pilots, including retired air force and airline pilots, who might otherwise not meet the class 2 medical requirements, simply downgrade to NPPL which only requires a biennial online medical self declaration. There are other restrictions for NPPL such as VFR day only, no more then 3 passengers,etc...but to all intents and purposes an NPPL allows a GA pilot to do everything a PPL can.... currently NPPLs can fly to France and Spain...not sure what is going to happen in the future.

Check flight was at Damyns Hall...home strip is mentioned in the photograph....you might find it difficult to fly with someone willing to sit nest to you for the check flight....as far as I know only the school at Damyns meet the requirements for dual instructional flights and BFR renewals. On a different subject I have switched my insurance to a sort of pay as you go cover...basically you pay what is the minimum legal requirement of 3rd party liability and, if you wish for full hull cover, book and pay for each days actual flying... not sure if I am allowed to mention companies in this forum but you can check it out online....

Only a guess.... but it sounds like a C of G related problem...

Hope everyone is well......In the UK we are now allowed to fly solo and with family members. Managed to revalidate my NPPL in a Pipistrel Alpha trainer. Requirements were... all surfaces, control stick, door handles etc, to be wiped pre and post flight, masks and gloves worn and, to fulfil the DVLA requirements for driving instructors, a clear plastic screen was fitted between the instructor and pilot. The layout worked quite well except for me I felt a little uncomfortable flying left hand and operating the center throttle and flaps with my right hand...apart from over controlling a little the renewal was ok. In the UK the NPPL has 3 categories, SSEA, Microlight (<450kg or 472.5 with a BRS fitted) or SLMG. The BFR renewal only covers the category the pilot is seeking to renew. Renewing in a microlight does not mean you can jump in and fly a group A Piper Cub (SSEA). It is strange that I am allowed to fly my Jab ULD microlight but not the Jab SK an identical aircraft that does not meet the microlight stall requirements. Anyway the real point of this post is to announce that I flew my Jab solo for the first time in nearly 9 month last Tues evening and it was fantastic...blanked off the oil cooler intake to get the oil temp as high as possible in the green and flew around the strip for 40 minutes staying in gliding distance to the strip...hope there is more to come....ps can anyone identify the single engine aircraft partly hidden behind the Alphas left wing..?

Legally no until you renew your medical. Practically though, who is checking? It's true no one is checking....until there is an incident or accident of some kind and then the insurance company will look for any excuse not to make the payout.....

While this news is correct people here in the UK , myself included , are still reluctant to fly. The main concern being upsetting locals who would not be aware of this CAA dispensation. I know of someone who had a flyover by the Surrey Police helicopter just for taxying up and down on his private strip...some over zealous local reported to the police of an aircraft accident / incident to which the police are obliged to investigate....even under normal flying operations I am extremely cautious in noise abatement and low flying over the villages...to invite even one complaint under these lock down times will not do GA any favours...

Remember that well IBob...did the hypoxia session twice at Hobsonville back in the 70s...I remember at 25K tunnel vision and virtual blackout.....'Hobby' was an RNZAF base on the N shore of Auckland open to gliding and some private flying. I served as instructor for several cadet squadrons for in the 80s and 90s. At Omamara and over the Kaimai ranges I managed to achieve several diamond height gain flights reaching a shade under 30K on one occasion...also reached over 20k at Aboyne in Scotland. Long distance wave flights in the S island of NZ are normally flown at lower altitudes due to the cold and the danger of losing your oxygen supply...some gliders had visual O2 blinkers on the dash as a positive visual indication of the correct flow rate.

Can the creator of this group please kick off the discussion with a posting regarding his thoughts and experience on Jabiru Engines...also tell us who you are and what and where you fly....

Sadly Flybe has gone...Norwegian are precarious. This Spanish beer thingy virus is going to cripple many more airlines and take them to edge of the cliff. Some airlines are flying virtually empty aircraft to retain their airport slots...this is such a ridiculous situation...similar to when fishermen threw fish away when they had exceeded their quota...

I was taught if the engine quits in flight (when checking out in a PA28 Ardmore 1975) ...no hesitation... switch tanks and fuel pump on. Then do your force landing drills, best glide speed, landing area etc...then attempt engine start. Are not these things being taught nowadays?

Hello from the UK. New to the site... Sad to see the fires raging. Operate a Jab ULD in Surrey UK on a private strip shared with an Easy Raider also Jab powered. Getting to learn about Jab motors cooling etc. and find this site very informative. Lived for some years in Melbourne and flew gliders at Bacchus Marsh and Benalla. Then moved to NZ where I did most of my flying hauling gliders up in PA18, 25. PL12 and Agwagons. Will post about an issue on the Jab solid lifter which I think is fixed....also looking for a bigfoot noseleg to fit on my ULD ad posted Thanks an hope it rains soon on the fires lee-wave