geoffreywh

Now that I have looked at the pictures I can easily see why the "Gull Wing" version is so popular. The differences are subtle but the overall effect is very nice. The single strut should be easier to manage, plus the gull wing bit doesn't look too complicated to fabricate either.

I had exactly the same problem 4 years ago, my solution was to put the Altronics in the shed and get David Clark's from the US. problem goes away...........

I just read that a certain radial engine manufacturer will be marketing a kit. A composite version very similar to a Stinson Reliant. 30ft wingspan, 20ft long. 47 inch wide cockpit!..110 or 160hp. .. Looks just fantastic. I don't know how far along the development is. news said 2013.. I await with baited breath.......Kitfox order is on hold for the moment....

D-Motor news. There is an update on the D-Motor website (at last) explaining their absence from the news lately. I really like the D-Motor for its simplicity and design. They have enlarged the 80hp motor (longer stroke) so it now puts out almost 100 at 3000rpm. The six (the reason for absence of progress) is now almost ready too having 135hp. They appear to have the flattest torque curve I've ever seen outside steam engines...I'm not ready to buy one yet....................but maybe not too far away...........Geoff

You are right in theory, The length of the valve is , of course important..........,. sorry if I got on my horse.

So here is the whole story. Updating the 3300 engine to hydraulic lifters after top end failure ( shattered/broken rings, sticking valves, worn guides, burnt valves, badly worn cylinders, galled rocker shafts ) I find that the (new) valve/ lifter combination has insufficient clearance with the lifters empty.( Everybody checks this right?) Seats VERY lightly cut....... A call to Rod and find this is not unusual. Solution is to shorten the valves (They DO NOT have hardened welded on tips, what nonsense is this?) The shortening is quite usual among engine builders There is a special jig on my Warren Brown valve grinder for this very purpose....The shortening does alter the valve/rocker relationship, BUT by such a small margin I think it would be difficult to measure. Plus other factors will probably stop the engine BEFORE any additional wear will make its presence felt...Like I said the rocker shafts were galled to hell and back in 240 hours. ( HOW does a bush get "splash" lubrication ? answer, it doesn't) .THat wear alone will alter the valve/rocker angle relationship!....Later I hear that there may now be shorter pushrods....I work on the engine with MORE than 50 years of documented aircooled (endurance/ speedway/ drag racing ), engine building experience so Dont tell grandad how to suck eggs....I believe that the engine components are from water cooled engines running in an air cooled environment ,s so many of the clearances are too tight . As an aside I only chose to change to hydraulic lifters to get the positive rocker feed.....Solid lifters are much more appropriate as any noticed change in the clearance will be identified before its too late.....PM me if you want to know how I got the 3300 to work reliably. Geoff P.S. I believe that the engine people at Jabiru are struggling with a whole swag of problems mainly due to overheating. They are curing the problems but it is taking a LONG time..When it's running properly it's a Great Engine.

This is, of course, an absolutely unnecessary WARNING. Shortening the valve by a millimeter and a half will change the rocker angle by tenths of a degree of angle. This will have no measurable effect on the life of the guide. The top end will wear out long before the "extra" wear on the guide takes effect. I.e. look at the wear on the rocker shafts, mine were ruined by 240 hours!. geoff

I found the same problem when rebuilding the top end of a 3300. Converting the engine from solid push rod to oil feed pushrod I had zero clearance on several valves. Solution? shorten the offending valves...easy....

I'm sitting here (Friday) ready to go, watching the trees bend and buckle under the almost gale force (head) winds...I think that Temora is out for me this year.......

I would say at a guess , an Ercoupe! sit two people comfortably and about as wide as a small car!

I was just reading in a Oshkosh report about the D motor being an actual running engine of somewhere about 45 kgs, (80 hp continuous) plus some additional bits like , oil tank and radiator ect (it's on you-tube) . There is a website that has just started called " D motor users forum" or similar. Further there are reports of a six. 120hp. Flathead, w/c, injected,Fadec. Made in Belgium. Also news of a Chinese made Radial 6 cyl 1.7ltr. 65 hp. www.chenindustrial.com How exciting. Geoff

Nasa think so too.........................Quote "NASA finds LiFePO4 batteries are safe and reliable enough for multi-year missions in extreme environments encountered by automated robotic lander"

I never heard of using white vinegar! I'll give it a go....I have always used neat washing up liquid wiped on with a dry cloth. That worked when I lived in Holland when your breath used to freeze on the inside of the windscreen. You could also try breathing out thru' your nose! Really!....

Be careful before commiting yourself to an EA82 it may be a bit too big physically for the Hummel....

I agree entirely. I saw a cowl on a subaru engines Spacewalker > Looks like the builder had taken a mold from the front of his Massey Ferguson Tractor!

They certainly do more than "take a secondhand engine and add a few bits and pieces!" I can see a CNC machined C/case and several castings plus LOTS of new parts fitted upon assembly. I notice 60 engines delivered as of late last year

Please dont reply to this post........................... it's 5 years old

If I were in the position of having to chose an engine and price was a factor (OK , price is always a factor, but I mean a LARGE factor) I would be very seriously looking at the Viking from Jan Eggenfeller. I cannot see better value for money anywhere else on the planet at the moment....

Nah......Continentals and Lycomings are head and barrel screwed together...Heads are alloy and barrels steel!

I would make sure that I got ANR headsets. They are very quiet. I have one Sennheiser and 1 David Clark. The DC is quieter but heavier...

The only thing (in my opinion) that could bite you is uniformed comment by people that have no business putting such ideas in good people's heads. I quote such an uninformed opinion ".but...in a failed engine scenario..they are a recipe for disaster...increased drag".................................... where in hell did the theory of "increased drag " in isolation come from?????? At a given A of A they (VG's) may increase lift by factor x4 while increasing drag at a factor x2 so, forgive me, but I would LOVE to have reduced ground speed to the tune of 5 or so knots in an engine out situation... MY lowest landing speed seen so far is in the low 30's as against 40+ pre VG installation..(notwithstanding the vagaries of slow speed ASI indication) ....That means about 50% less kinetic energy to disapate in the touchdown...That is NOT a recipe for disaster..It's a potential life saver. In the crash report it states that Mechanical work was performed in weeks prior to the crash. Why did the author jump on the VG's and ignore the "mechanical maintenance" That could have been anything, New elevator cables maybe, why are VG's at fault???? The report also states the the aircraft was seen in a FULL nose down attitude at slow speed! Looks awfully like a stall and spin incident to me.and VG's are not going to save you there.......For more look at the STOL SPEED website

Thanks MIchael, I have located him and will have a chat to him soon........................ I also have the "green light syndrome" around the Dandenongs, it's the TV transmission towers.... My radio is is fine now with no issues. I would recommend the noise filter (HM5 from radio spares) and the beads to everyone, I now have lovely clear reception.... Thanks again Michael

Just read this on the EAA website "Rotax Issues Mandatory Alert Service Bulletin. Crankshaft NDT test". It's only 200 or so, hope there's none here!

AAAAH Thanks Micheal. That is just about word for word what Microair told me. The complaining pilot was quite close to me, whereas the guy that found the reception 5 x 5 was at the other end of the circuit several kilometers away. I have noticed it myself. Stations hundreds of miles away are as clear as a bell. Toorradin has the same frequency with Echuca and there are times when Echuca is clearer than Tooradin. Can be confusing if you don't hear the "Echuca Traffic" bit of the transmission......Another odd thing I have noticed is that when I am in certain areas the green "receive" light comes on permanently and all I can hear is a hiss that cannot be squelched out. I have a feeling that it may be a TV transmission tower, could that be correct?.....

I have this radio problem, maybe....Last weekend I was doing circuits in my Jodel at Tyabb. Another aircraft in the circuit gave me a bit of a serve about garbled transmissions, "unreadable " he said. So, of course, I landed and had a look at all connections, nothing, all ok..... After a bit of reading on the 'net I fitted a power supply filter and some "beads" (all recommended by Microair)... Yesterday I tried it out, reception was as clear as a bell ".Vastly improved" I asked for radio check and got "Great, 5x5" from an Europa. Then in the circuit I got another "unreadable reception" message, Maybe from the same bloke?...So what is going on? I rang Microair and the very helpful guy said to check the antenna and co ax cable..I will replace them. I spoke to Melbourne Central on another matter a week ago and he never said a word about bad transmission. ..But .Do I have a problem or don't I ???.............Can I tell/ask the complainer to get His radio checked.? How can I tell if I am transmitting OK....