geoffreywh

Dear CFICARE.................The inclinometer ...on the bench...DOES SHOW BANK ANGLES...If you want to argue with me about it I will hook the dash up and show you...I am (still ) waiting for my 0-200 crank and crankcases to come back from "crankshaft rebuilders" (about 8 weeks now)...If I get it tomorrow (as promised + 4 weeks) Then I should be ready to view the instruments in the air by early next week... I'll keep you posted

I actually have these instruments on my (new) dash. Although not used yet, they are interesting to say the least. The inclinometer (on the bench) works exactly as an inclinometer. Belite assure me that it will function in the air as a slip/skid ball..... Lovely and bright, I got the square bezel but should have got the round one. You can paint them too...The turn indicator is wierd. Hold it still it shows wings level. (with LED's) If you tilt it it shows momentarily a turn then resets to wings level. BUT if you actually turn it as (say 45 degrees) in horizontal compass action, Then it shows that degree of turn until you resume original course...So it works as a turn indicator NOT a turn and bank....It DOES NOT show bank angles..the inclinometer does that..What I am going to see as I fly and turn remains to be seen! The faces are a paper-like material and require covering. I used microfilm. Weight is nothing, about the same as a 2 dollar coin, come with plugs for 9v batteries but I hard wired mine. I don't think that they are, or intended to be, a replacement for a artificial horizon instrument but may be better in that respect that a turn and bank indicator.....Come and look if you like...Geoff

looks just like a thruster and should be renamed "Uglyplane"

be a consultant! ---------------------------------------------------------- Project Management ---------------------------------------------------------- Once upon a time, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Canberra Rowing Club decided to engage in an annual boat race on Lake Burley Griffin. Both teams trained long and hard to reach their peak performance. On the big day, the Rowing Club won by a kilometer. The Authority team was rather discouraged by their loss, and morale sagged. Senior management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat must be found, and so a project team was set up to investigate the problem and take appropriate action. It was found that, while the Rowing Club had eight people rowing and one person steering, the Authority had one person rowing and eight steering. Senior management accordingly hired consultants to study the Authority's team structure. For half a million dollars the consultants advised that the team needed to be better coordinated so that more effort went into rowing. The new Authority team consisted of four steering managers, three senior steering managers and one rower. A performance appraisal system was set up to give the rower more incentive, and he was sent to courses run by the consultants so that he would feel empowered and enriched. The next year the Rowing Club won by two kilometers. The Authority sacked the rower for poor performance, sold off the oars and halted development of a new boat. The money they saved was used as performance bonuses for senior management

I went through the same exercise recently. If you remove the washers (and take out the valve) on two bolts and kneel on the rims you can get two nuts nuts on..... it is do-able, but difficult (I did it on 10 ply tyres!)...Good luck

I really love these real ultralights and would like to build one.....Here's my take on the subject...Although the afford-a-plane looks cute ,I much prefer the Airbike and the Legal eagle,,,have a look at them. I did a bit of searching and found that the "Airbike" (my Favourite) has become a victim of a law suit and maybe plans are not available. You can, however get a clone kit and various parts from "Jordan Lake Aero"...The "Legal Eagle" is a bit ugly, but very well tried and a great engine.....I also found the "Texas Parasol", it's been around for about 20 years. Similar construction to the A plane. But MUCH prettier (I think) plus plans (builders manual ) are on the net, free......Geoff

Yes , exactly. The only cure for "glazed bores" is to remove the cylinders and re-hone. Those "ball brush " type hones are ideal and work very well....Gives a nice coarse finish.( in metal finishing terms) .But the rings will have to be bedded in quite quickly. When I worked for Ducati we had a lot of trouble with glazed bores when they introduced "Niguasil (hard nickel) plated barrels. The only solution was to re-hone the barrels and then, While the customer was led away, Give the bikes (851's) the absolute berries around the track a couple of times then a quick oil change ( it comes out like silver paint!) and, hey presto! no more oil consumption...Same for a Jab engine (in my opinion!) Maybe warm the oil even to minimise ground running. Then a fast climb possibly in steps so as not to over heat the engine..and I think the rings would bed in very quickly....

As far as reading the correct heat range plugs You are very blinkered in your approach... Perhaps you might explain to all how You would judge that you have the right heat range, With lead discolouring the electrode and oil contamination masking the situation ...After 50 plus years in racing motorcycles you would think that I might have some clue how to go about reading a plug.. The course at Champion was in the 70's and was concering reading plugs in endurance racing....During the 72' Barcelona 24 hours...so "what are they teaching these days" is so much hot air.. The electrode condition tells heaps>..BUT is very quickly changed in colour by coasting with low throttle settings.Like in a circuit, or landing.For example if the idle was set VERY rich when you landed the plug might show a dark electrode..The colour of the electrode is a momentary "photo"...while the discolouration of the threaded portion will tell a longer term story....How much heat the plug is exposed to over a longer period.. It WILL NOT tell you much about the mixture ... it tells ONLY if the heat range is correct for that particular carburettor setting AND at Full throttle, so look at your plugs again and see if they are of the correct heat range.........

compressions look very good, I think that the bores are glazed and the oil ring has not bedded in. Looking at the rings should tell you...Simple fix...Just hone the barrels and run in bores...I thinks it needs to be done quite quickly, for example a climb to altitude at full throttle ...with one wary eye on temp. meters...Don't get it too hot!....

Looks like a lot of oil on most of the plugs..I would guess either the rings are not bedded in yet ( #'s 1 and 3 ) or the bores are glazed from pussy footing around?...LONG ago I did a course at Champion reading plugs . The rule of thumb for getting the heat range correct was:- The first four threads should be discoloured after a reasonably short time.( I can't remember how long) This has always proved to be correct... From the threads on your plugs ( in the foto) they look to be running too cool.

better described as a forward loop?

The plug looks exactly like a BMW motorcycle one. They are an internal hex key. Bloody useless! The thing that ALWAYS released them was :- before any loosening attempt is made, give the plug a good sharp blow with a hammer. This will work, if the hex is damaged then, as others have posted, a series of hits with a chisel around the edge will do it. BUT hit the plug first......Geoff

that appears to be an American AZUS wheel....

Yes, you are right about the ASI and the Altimeter, very limited usefulness. I have, however, ordered the "inclinometer" (which is actually a slip/skid indicator) and the Turn indicator. I'll let the forum know how they turn out.....Geoff

I was reading a thread this morning about a glass cockpit, apparently someone has been to Oshkosh and seen the latest wizardry and loved it... The bit that amused me was that it was "only" $4000 approx. and "only" weighed 2.5 kilos!!!! I believe that that is the wrong direction to be going in (that sentence looks wrong somehow?) I like better the attitude of the guy that runs the Belite website, have a look at what he is doing...... Just because your aeroplane can weigh 600kgs doesn't mean that it should....Geoff

my wife is a nurse and she bought home a beaut vomit bag with plastic mouthpiece, I know they work as I got poisoned by the local Indian takeaway recently, never missed a drop!.....

accuracy seems fine, I used an 8% fudge factor (adjustable and built in) It will also plug into your gps (I didn't do that) I am a bit wary of the "fuel remaining" function and use it only as advisory......The fuel flow function is great for setting the throttle, I cruise on information from the meter rather than the airspeed..... Since having the fuel flow meter I have also fitted the Tacho from the same company, My mechanical tacho leaked oil into the cockpit! plus I like electronics anyway ! The orange lit background comes on if it gets a bit dark! Very pretty!...Geoff

what a good idea (not) , and only $532!!!!! overpriced somewhat don't you think..I'd LOVE to support local suppliers, but not when they're taking the P+ss

If the Fuel Mizer is no longer available might I suggest the "Flight Data Systems " fuel flow meter... I've used one for a couple of years, works fine, I especially like the alloy transducer so heat is not such an issue.....Geoff

Just drove past Lilydale airfield and saw what looked like a Whole Bunch of hangars being built.Anybody got any details to report? ..Matching the Whole Bunch of Hangars being built at Tyabb....I dont know what space is already spoken for though...Geoff

update mk 11 I just received a package from Jabiru containing 6 prop bolts of the correct length! No reply no explanation and, more important NO MONEY, Anybody want them? 20 bucks plus postage will get them to your door! Geoff

an update...Yes it seems that the loose prop was the source of vibration. I cannot be certain until I fly in the 230 again. I have written to the factory and sent some of the bolts back to them asking for an explanation (and reimbursment for the bolts!). I will also send a letter to the RAA for their "incidents and accidents page". I have noticed while working on Jabiru's several instances of poor quality control or just poor design ......i.e. There is a flexi tube that connects the aircleaner box to the carb. The between the flexi tube and the carb. there is a short fibreglass tube.This fibreglass tube (about 3 mm wall) is held onto the carb by a hose clamp. The trouble starts when you tighten the hose clamp. You will find that the fibreglass tube may pull off the carb quite easily due to the fact that the hose clamp cannot tighten down onto the carb mouth. The f/glass tube does not allow any shrinkage. Solution? slot the tube or use "monster power" hose clamps and tighten with a socket. Otherwise your fuel mixture will go really wrong (weakened, lots) It's such a shame as they (Jabiru's) could be so good. But as often quoted "The devil lies in the details".......Geoff

I had just 100 hourly'd a J230, Factory built 100 hours old. I flew with the owner and commented on the amount of vibration . I came back to the airfield the next day and checked the prop. All was within specs. Strange, I thought, although torqued up the prop bolts didn't feel right. ( they (Jab) use bolts and nuts with a stack of cup washers to retain tension). You have to hold the bolt with a spanner whilst tightening with the torque wrench. Holding the spanner I could feel more torque than I should have. I know it sounds unlikely but after 50 years working on motorcycles you get a "feel" for unusual things......So rightly or wrongly I turned up the torque, still the same feel. Bad. Now what?.. Feeling that I may have stretched the bolts I went and got new ones (An4-46a...180km drive!) plus new nuts. Removing the original bolts I was HORRIFIED to see that the nuts were torqued up against the end of the threaded part of the bolts!!!! PLUS the bolts removed were 1/4 inch longer than the parts listed ones. PLUS they had washers under the bolts and nuts (not specified on the parts list). So some bright spark at the factory had used wrong bolts, used washers to take up the slack, got it COMPLETELY wrong and sent the aircraft out with a prop held on at bugger all inch pounds. I thought that there was a lot of thread showing on original bolts. They did their best to set me up for a liability suit when the prop came off! .........

absolutely

don't forget the restaurant next door that give a "pilots discount" recently reopened with (I think) new owners.