Moneybox

I might have to have a little rail running forward with a weight adjusted to suit the occasion. I've got some of this lying around somewhere.

HaHa, yes a typo. Grams if you like or 0.74kg. As stated the datum is the leading edge of the wing. I've entered ARM measurements from that point rearward. The positioning of the wheels is only relevant when calculating the CG of the empty plane. I don't think it has anything to do with my loading of Crew, Fuel and Baggage.

The Datum is the leading edge of the wing. The fuel tank arm is 920mm and the baggage is 1270mm (in line with the wing trailing edge) and is just big enough for that pair of electric scooters that we're going to need to make it from the airport into town 🤣 The fuel tank is wedged in between the seats and the luggage space.

Yes I understand that but if I remove the fuel it's still well within the % MAC. That file is interactive so you can easily see the effect when altering various weights.

I'm grounded for now so I've been doing a bit of study but I got stuck on Weight and Balance because I find some of the references quite confusing. Anyway to get it clear in my mind I entered the data into Excel because at least I understand what I'm looking at. Weight and Balance 24-4149.xlsx Can one of you smart cookies, of which there a few, please confirm that my calculations look correct. My plane has an empty weight of 309.8kg at 233.21mm aft of Datum. I have one 65L tank and the crew weight 119kg. It looks like there's room to expand on the fuel or luggage if I get the balance right?

91 740 is for IMC. Single-engine aeroplane – VFR flights by day – engine not to be shut down (91.735) You may only shut down an engine during a day VFR flight if the flight is for pilot training and you hold a flight instructor rating, an examiner rating, or other authorisation. Only flight crew members may be carried, and the aeroplane must remain within gliding distance of a safe forced landing area. CASA EX67/24 (30) allows observers on flight test and proficiency check flights who are not flight crew members subject to the conditions set out in Appendix D. For training purposes an engine shutdown should be simulated. An engine should not actually be shut down in-flight for other than a type specific training requirement such as an in-flight air start. Nothing prevents you from shutting down an engine in an emergency.

I intend to upgrade my transponder to ADSB in/out along with a few other things but I want to see this plane registered first.

The application I did for a Class 2 asked for my medical history. My trainer said I should have just ticked No,No,No, right down the list an it would have gone straight through but imagine what would happen if you made an insurance claim and they found you'd had an undeclared medical episode years before.

For jobs like this we'd just supply a CAD drawing of the entire dash and the engraver would cut the holes as well.

I guess the days of engraving have gone. We used to use an engraver in Balcatta WA. The machine just followed whatever image/text we supplied but worked like a milling machine and mechanically cut it out. For jobs like this they used a triplex plastic where they cut through the top layer exposing the text colour layer underneath. No paint or anything else.

There must have been a connection there somewhere? Perhaps in the process of going for a medical, some will go nuts and others choose to bolt.

That sounds like their speed of travel.

Anything you alter could upset your structural warranty and even a potential insurance payout.

I didn't build it Nev and I'm not allowed to modify it. This is a Type Certified aircraft.

They are relying on the sheet steel to give it the diagonal bracing and that might work with enough tek screws fastening it.

Unfortunately common sense is not a requirement to get a job these days. They can train just about anybody to do a simple task where the rules and specifications are within reach of a computer key. If what you need is not clearly written it either doesn't exist or is unobtainable. A few weeks back I called a company that claim to be the biggest fastener supplier in Australia. I was ordering a variety of regular sized nuts and bolts, it was a struggle but we were getting there. That was until I ordered 20 x 1/2" UNC stainless steel nuts. The young lady said "We don't have 1/2", will 1" do?" After giving her my address she said "Are you local?" I said yes I Cue I am so she charged me $9.95 freight. After a few days I called to see how my order was going. The guy said "We can't get it to Cue for $9.95, I'll have to charge another $20." I said no problem and gave him my CC details. A week later I called back and got the same girl, I asked how my order was going. She asked who she could send it with, I said Star Track or Toll would be best. I called back in a few days and she asked "What's the number for Star Track?" I said 132345, I think she wanted my account number but they'd already taken money for freight so I gave her the phone number. My bolts and nuts ordered on 2nd January turned up yesterday all correct. Imagine the trouble you'd have employing somebody if the job required mechanical aptitude, technical skills or just common sense.

Tying down? Slip of the tongue.... what is going on here?

I think it might be advisable to test the rate of climb of an Evektor Sportstar while still on the ground 😏

Nothing tubular means they are relying on the sheets of iron to give it torsional strength. Perhaps the one with the caravan had lots of roof fastenings but not enough in the walls or very light sheeting. The box type structure has to be rigid enough and the frame is just keeping the box in shape.

Yes the sea containers are the most sturdy but we don't buy much from Geraldton because there's no regular freight service. Most things come from Perth.

Looks like you made the trusses. I can do all that work but there are only so many jobs I can get through and I seem to work at half the pace I did twenty years ago. I have a couple of forklifts too but they are on solid tyres and not suitable for off-road. I could get away with a jib on the loader for this sort of thing. We'll see, after I do some groundwork.

I don't know who owns it. It's surely on crown land as there's very little freehold land in Western Australia outside the town boundaries. When I told the owner of the current hanger that I was considering putting something up out there he said that it has to be a CASA approved structure because they don't want anything loose floating about the airstrip in bad weather. The shire operate it.

Skippy, I just took a look at the airbox setup. I think the heavy hose from the carburettors helps give them support. Without that they only have the reasonably loose fitting sleeve back to the manifold. My engine mounting frame has a small tube running across from the rear mounts. It's a bit hard to see in my lousy photo but there's a strap up to the rubber mount supporting the rear of the airbox and in turn the rear of the carburettors.

Here I think I can get away with anything but at YCUE the structure has to meet regulations because CASA have their bit to say about it. The one hanger at the airport is made up of two shipping containers heavily weighed down with concrete blocks, a solid steel roof spanning between and a chain between for aircraft anchorages. The ends are open which means it gives no protection from the wind or what it's carrying. I'll look into the farm shed but it'd need some modifications on the entry but it would work out cheaper than the containers considering freight and crane hire.

Mmm... That wasn't in the budget either. Building anything up here is difficult and expensive. Materials are expensive and contractors are almost impossible to get. I can buy a kit but it still has to erected.