F10

That's a pretty serious aerobatics training school!

This seems a bit of a minefield.....What makes sense to me is running an engine on condition, with a 24-rego, with the restrictions of no training, student solos or hire of any kind. RA aircraft are compulsory placarded with "fly at your own risk" after all. However, I understand that you could submit a MARAP, to install a different engine in your 24-rego aircraft. Such as replacing an 80Hp Rotax with a 100Hp Rotax. Now to me, that is strange, as this is a definite significant change to the type certificate? In this case, I think the aircraft should be re- registered as experimental.

Seems like there was very little blind radio calls happening? Let alone radio calls between the two aircraft, ironing out any conflict issues. The Cessna cockpit was probably busy with intercom quacking, if it was a PFL on a CPL test. Seems if people don't hear other aircraft then they don't talk....I always make blind position calls in the vicinity of an airfield, even if the radio is quiet. Here at East and West Sale, RAAF traffic does occur on a weekend at times the RAAF pilots are pretty good with making inbound blind calls during CTAF ops. I have often spoken to them or made a position call to generate SA of my presence, when I'm close to East Sale. Interestingly enough the ERSA actually states on the West Sale FLT PROC to "broadcast intentions within 20 NM of West Sale" because of the circuit and instrument approaches overlap, between the two airfields. When it comes to blind radio calls...."less is definitely not more", in this case......I can't help feeling ADSB is a slight knee jerk....regular blind calls and direct comms with other traffic, is essential. Vis out of high wings is a problem. I have often been happy to have the clear lexan cockpit roof of my Gazelle, banked over, it affords a good view to clear during a turn.

Ok, this is my experience. In order to keep an eye on things, I understand RAAus wants you to apply for a MARAP, to fly an engine on condition. No problem with this. My problem with it....is they want you to re-new MARAP at every annual.....What with Rego fees, membership fees and now this.....yes.....anyone seen the new Royal Enfield Shotgun 650....? Looks like a great motorcycle!.....Running on condition should not be a drama, just means every annual, you need to check all engine temps and pressures are or have been normal, check the oil and oil filter element for metal and do an oil change. You need to do a compression check and if you can borescope the cylinders for a look see, it's a good thing, to have a look at the valve faces and barrel walls condition, because this may show potential problems earlier...a good LAME should be able to see signs of heat stress on the valve faces and there is a clever rope trick to grind valve seats without taking the heads off. If you've lost compression, too late, the damage has been done. A piston engine will always show signs of pending trouble I think, as long as you listen and look. Sudden failures are rare in my opinion. My Rotax is on condition. I do of course 50 Hr oil/filter changes and the compression test usinga compressor, 80 PSI and the double gauge tester, is showing values pretty much as good as a new engine. Running the engine for at least 5 minutes before a compression check is important. I think the 80Hp is the jewel in Rotax's crown, because they go for ever and I think that's because they are relatively unstressed. "Some say".....that they have opened them up well past 1500 Hrs and you can still see the cross hatch honing marks on the cylinder bores...old wives tale?

Seen on my last annual. Order spark plugs from Bert Floods here in Lillydale Vic, and they will kindly smear the ends with the exotic and rare paste for you! Will also send you the fancy Rotax branded double electrode plugs.....needless to say, a bit more $$$ then the NGK's!

It seems the chickens are coming home to roost....it's on Juan Browns website....not a good look for Aus GA.....The ATSB have donned their Deer Stalker hats and got their magnifying glasses out....... If it were me....public statement, that the enormity of the event, precipitated a huge breakdown in judgment....I will accept without comment, the penalty for my actions........To me, it's the only possible recovery action.

Innocent children may be on this forum! 😄

Then there's the crafty "established on a 3 mile final" call, despite other circuit traffic......I got this one when on late downwind for Latrobe...Final traffic is supposed to have right of way, 3 miles out is that in the circuit? Do I continue and turn base at my normal position? (I fly fairly tight circuits in the Gazelle, don't get me started on the 747 size circuit artists...), By rights I could.....But it's n ot that simple. Because the following questions popped into my head. How fast will he be on final? Will he catch me up? Will he see me below his nose in final?.....*So I chose the safer for me, option, and extended downwind till I had him sighted and turned final number 2 to him. As well as letting him know by callsign, that I had him sighted and was planning to go number 2 to him which he at least acknowledged. But to me he had pretty much barged into the circuit by joining on final. If there's other circuit traffic and actually, even when there's not, I almost always join overhead. It gives me time to have a good look at the wind/runway direction, and time to develop my SA of the circuit traffic.

I agree in this case, fully with Dan Gryder when he says force the other aircraft to talk to you...I was joining overhead at Latrobe one fine day, and after each call I heard an aircraft call, which sounded like he was in line astern formation with me....despite trying to twist around I could not see him. He of course gave no indication that he had seen me. I then asked directly, "(Callsign)...Have you got me visual?" Even when not an issue, I will often address an aircraft directly, forcing a reply or at least a double Tx click. My pet peeve, is people who make position reports blindly, giving no indication they have noted the other traffic, even when a conflict could exist. My other PET HATE.....is people who machine gun their radio calls at 3000 words a second. Do people think they sound uber cool if they rapid fire transmissions?

Very interesting article on the Skyfox and Skyfox Gazelles! It seemed a great success, pity this kind of endeavor seems to always hit a financial rocky road....I currently own what was VH-IOP nor 24-3569, since April 2021. They were built very well, as I think can be attested to by the number still flying and passing condition reports and annual servicing's. As with the Spitfire/Merlin partnership, a large part of this success story is the bullet proof Rotax 912UL 80Hp engine. It just keeps going and going...! The aileron control with the full span "Junkers" configuration, give the aircraft light and precise control, especially at low speed. It is easy to fly and is viceless. Although, stall with power on, and she turns into a snappy Maltese Poodle! You can Certainly demonstrate a definite stall break and slight wing drop. The fully conventional controls and brakes, are another plus point, when it comes to training and going on to general aviation types. Most Gazelles seen today will have the three bladed Bolley carbon prop fitted, which has seen a notable improvement. A great little aircraft, which must surely be considered a classic type in Australia by now? In South Africa, KFA (Kit planes For Africa), sell kits and fully built aircraft based on this now famous Kitfox type design. The Eurofox, also of very similar basic design, has been another success story based on this series of aircraft.

That Vamp was "Goblin up the runway".

That was also not an aircraft type to have used for this...high landing speed and not short field although they get up to Vr pretty quickly due to engine power. Would have been safer for all concerned, if it was a STOL bush plane, in my opinion.

WHAT WAS THAT?? He smacked that tailplane hard as...pieces fly off....then took off?? Seemed not to even do a control check, although the rudder got some applications. Wonder what he would say if he crashed into the crowd? Or more likely what his family would say? That was pure Hollywood....but for real!

Yes this was a masterclass in energy management and it must have taken some doing not to involuntarily, ease back on the controls, as those buildings roofs got closer. I have a personal discomfort with aircraft that take off with no flap. Even if you just blip down 10 degrees or even slightly less. 10 deg or less means you have lowered your stall speed, you have increased the wing lift and wing angle of attack slightly, without an attitude change, which means increased form drag (larger frontal area) when raising the nose attitude. To me these can make all the difference in an engine failure after take off. To me, if you have them, use them. This wasn't an engine failure after take off, so keeping it clean was the right move.

Yes the price of sport aircraft have gone beyond any kind of recognition. Basically not far off what Cessnas and Pipers cost in their day. Won't even mention todays prices for Cessnas and Warriors. Sadly kit costs really aren't much of a saving. If a kit costs you 60K, you can easily double that, by the time you have paid for avionics and an engine. Not to mention build time. As far as Jabiru is concerned, if you look at the cost of a brand new fly away 230D, at just under $200 000, with a descent avionics pack, 120Kt TAS cruise, 5 hours safe endurance and it really is a package hard to beat for that price. The often affordable alternative, is the second hand market where if you look and are patient, good deals are to be had. you can pick up a very tidy 172, for around $70 000 $100 000.....Some very tidy 170/40's (taildraggers) and C150/2's for $40 000 to u$60 000. These will fall into the new RA Aus Class G weight limit. Pity the 172 falls just outside the new RA Aus weight limit, so that means you will need a PPL as minimum. RA Aus is great, in that maintenance costs are significantly reduced, if you get your L1. My aircraft partner and I picked up our Gazelle for a song. We showered it with TLC, got all the required servicing done, and ended up with a very tidy weekender, for $20 000. You would be surprised with a little work, an aircraft will clean up very nicely. So good deals are there, if you do a bit of digging. Another factor is hangarage and those other hidden costs. Hangarage is a must for most RA Aus lighties. They will fall apart, kept outside, so that is a factor. I have seen a Jab 230, which had been hiding in a hangar with a thick coat of dust, but was almost brand new. However, it would have required a major service and possibly an engine change, due very low use....I guess the owner wanted new aircraft money for it, I don't know. But it has now been parked outside, for over a year...slowly falling apart. It breaks your heart.

Yeah that's Ben's Kitfox. He did a masterful job in building that. If you get a chance, go have a look, if you want to see how an aircraft kit should be built, or can be built! Outstanding work.

Yeah, running on condition is just that, I think. To my mind perfectly acceptable with the restriction on training etc. Most motors can bed in very nicely if not abused and should last as long as they show no problems. There are a few reasons I think the 80Hp 912's are pretty hardy. One, the liquid cooling trends to keep engine temperatures therefore expansion rates, far more stable than air cooled. If you handle them right, keep a bit of power on in descent and so on, no shock cooling occurs. They are well made and the 80 Hp is fairly low stressed. The oilways are well thought out and it is well lubricated. I am happy with compression tests but this coming annual I am keen to organize a borescope check to have a look see. Certainly would do that at first sign of trouble. Also, piston engines will rarely fail and stop dead. You will normally get some sort of warning. Vibration changes, slight misfire or new noise. Temperature or pressure changes, from what you normally see, noticed in the cruise. Keep a look out for any change in behavior. I guess one problem may be forcing yourself to accept something is not right! Because you know it will lead to $$$$$!!

I assumed you saw me because I was landing on RWY 23. I was landing it West Sale, on the secondary grass runways, runway 23. My aircraft is also dark blue in colour. There was a Beech Musketeer parked on the apron idling, facing towards the runway threshold, I assumed that was you?

Yes I wonder about that? You seem to get all these cylinder head mods, power flow exhaust systems and bored out barrels for more power... But the bottom end, crankshaft and journal bearings or conrod big ends are never mentioned? Are they able to handle the higher power output? I feel engine life/reliability may be shortened.

That describes the Gazelle for me. The ailerons are light and powerful even at low speed, thanks to their "Junkers" trailing edge design. The elevator is now better, thanks to some gap seal tapes. It handles very sweetly which is what makes it easy to fly.

Lots! 2500. But still returning great leak-down numbers and regular oil changes/oil filter checks, show no glitter! The Rotax 80 Hp 912 ULP engines are the jewel in the Rotax crown, if you as me. They are pretty unstressed and I have heard when opened up after 5000 Hrs, you can still see the honing on the bores. As I said, I have heard this. Anyone with more info, happy to hear it.

The biggest criteria by far (I'm married....I know!) is COST - COST - COST! (both purchase and running cost). End of discussion. I love pootering around Gippslands on a Saturday, in my trusty little Gazelle. Would I prefer a Sport Cruiser of a Carbon Cub? Hell yes! But hey, getting into the air, was the priority!

Don't worry, old cadaver Joey will still get lost between the inner and outer cabin doors.

Yeah, I think I would have blipped a bit of flap down towards the end, but I say that with a lot of reservation....... as at that stage I would have been/he, was fully into "fly the aircraft, everything else is secondary"! I am a believer in: Flaps, up to 15 Deg flap, large lift increase for a very small drag penalty - over 15 degrees, lift increases, but drag now starts increasing exponentially.

Not sure why Lycomings are coming up in a Rotax 914 chat? My Rotax 912 ULP is running on condition. These are things I have found out/experienced with leak-downs. Firstly, it is a pretty good check, but it is not as bullet proof as some think. If you have any doubts, a borescope look tells you a lot! It will show valve condition, signs of valve heat stress, will show. and valve seating health, very often the cause of low compression. A borescope will also show health of cylinder walls. It is a pretty reliable check and will tell you of pending problems, whereas a leak-down is a snapshot health check. I have head a good borescope, one that can look in all directions are around $300. A good investment? I think so. Having said that, one thing I found was getting the engine up to a reasonable temperature is important. I recently replaced my Bolley prop, during my last annual. The old one had been on the aircraft for 10 odd years and was showing signs of corrosion. In for a penny, in for a pound, replacing the hub and blades, cost only slightly more than keeping the old blades. After running the engine for a while, to check static RPM and vibration levels, we carried out a compression check. The engine returned figures of 77/80, 78/80, which a new engine would. Doing a leak-down with a hot engine makes a difference, although taking out hot spark plugs is good juggling practice! As I recall my leak-down minimum is 65/70. Certainly anything under 65 is a worry, but it could be just a badly seating valve. A borescope will tell you that before you do anything expensive. There are crafty tricks out there, to also grind and re-seat valves, without removing the cylinder head!