Gribble

I knew this one would come up. I havent ruled a sierra out, its just that there isnt alot of information about them out there. Last time i was in Taree I didnt get around to visiting the shop due do a stupid family reunion (ie, her family). When I get to the serious decision time I'll hopefully get up there and get a good look at one.

So im thinking about scratch building a plane. Most likely the older ch601hd, or hds but Ill have to lie about its stall speed, and i dont particularly want to start doing that, so for the moment its the hd (or something similar to it). Instead of just asking YOU a series of questions I more or less want the experienced people out there to ask ME the questions regarding my decision. It might sound silly but the idea is to bring out any key points I might have overlooked regarding scratch building. For example; You might ask "What technical and metal work experiance to have?" To which I would reply "High school design and tech, a mig/oxy welders ticket, Mechanic by trade in cars, trucks and plant machinery, a half completed adv diploma in Mech engineering, plus many years buggerising around modifying cars, motorbikes and boats." You might ask "Why are you choosing a Zenith? What about a <insert product here>?" To which I would reply "Well, there are plenty of zeniths flying around, their website it easially the most comprehensive display of what they have to offer. Bar the wings ALLEDGEDLY falling off a particular model their reputation is very good. There are plenty of 3rd party websites dedicated to their product. Please send me the link to <insert product here>'s website so I can make a rational, practical and totaly non-emotional comparison" You might ask "Why do you want to build a plane?" To which I would reply "Because I enjoy a challenge and I enjoy torturing myself. Because I DONT enjoy sitting down and watching Dancing with the Stars night after night with my girlfreind when I could be in the shed. Because I enjoy throwing tantrums and spanners at the wall or other inanimate objects when things go wrong. Because I need something to keep me occupied. Because I like building stuff. Because I LIKE flying. Because It would simply be the most AWESOME thing ever!" You get the point. So, go nuts. Ill answer every question to the best of my ability and promise not to big note myself or start any arguments. Cheers in advance! :thumb_up:

Where did you get the copy? Im pretty good at modifying the .cfg file in flight-sim and Im sure i can sort that engine drama out. For it to do 200kts something is very wrong. Cheers.

Yep, like that, except the transition from crab to cross controls was done a little bit higher, and there wasnt silly Enya music playing in the background. Nice vid,

Its cool in the way that most people think 'flying car' as say a commodore with wings, however this version is a plane with a steering wheel. Still, I would like to see the reaction of the Roads Authorities when you took it for a blue slip inspection. "I think that propeller might be a pedestrian hazard."

This thread reminds me of a question I got asked during my BAK. What effect does a headwind, tailwind or crosswind have your rate of climb? I cant believe how simple the concept of travelling relative to the parcel of air is but people seem to get it confused all the time.

Hey all! This morning the bossman has given me the order to take holidays due to accrued leave by the end of the month (or at least have leave booked by the end of the month). So im enquiring about any RAA schools that will do full time training say over a week or two, at least to get the pilot cert anyway. Also it doesnt have to be IN Sydney, anywhere within a reasonable drive and accomodation is fine. So if I have to take holidays I might as well make it count. Oh and on another note, I still have a current Casa ASIC and C1 medical, I know the medical doesnt mean much but does the ASIC carry over to RAA or do I have to get an RAA ASIC? Much like Wharfies and Cruiser Crew have to get a seperate MSIC (marine security id card, same thing, different acronym)? Thanks,

Nice, guess ill be taking the trip to the oaks soon. If they are open fridays thats even better because i get a few off here and there. Not tomorrow though because its fishing day and the boat is getting a bit lonely sitting in the backyard.

Yeh, i thought that was going to be the case, I think the school at the oaks runs a foxbat, that would be fairly similar sort of thing?

Ive done the Short and Soft field operations before, I was more after the True STOL stuff that seperate the men from the boys and keep the sheep scared. Best summed up in the STOL ops part of the Training Guide on the RAA website; http://www.auf.asn.au/students/advanced.html#stol "True STOL light aircraft, like the Slepcev Storch or the Zenith CH701 STOL, are excellent work craft and great fun to fly. However, to exploit their STOL ability these aircraft often need to be flown at the 'back end' of the power curve; i.e. very high lift coefficient (and very high angle of attack), low velocity and high power to counter induced drag. Power is increased to fly slower, rather than decreased as in normal flight at the 'front end' of the power curve. STOL aircraft are provided with flap settings and high-lift devices that can provide a big increase in CLmax with a comparatively low increase in drag. They have a propeller that is efficient at low forward speed, a low design wing loading, and feature good stability and control at very low speeds. They can maintain steeper angles of climb and descent. Pilots have to be aware of those control characteristics particularly at slow speeds in turbulence. This is an area only for the trained STOL pilot, attuned to the operating environment and an individual aircraft's foibles. STOL capability may additionally be defined by the runway length needed to take-off and to land over a 15-metre high obstacle or the length of the ground roll. STOL techniques are not applicable to non-STOL aircraft. The photo below indicates a landing area that is definitely only for experienced STOL pilots — with a very good knowledge of the likely rotor and lee downflow conditions — with various wind velocities flying a tough, taildragger, STOL aircraft."

Hey all, Im looking to get into the RAA side of things after a long hiatus from flight training in the GA world. Specifically what I would like to do is get trained up in STOL operations as a few years down the track im looking at getting some large property outside sydney for bikes, 4wding, camping shooting etc etc and having a small strip with a little hanger sounds like a very nice addition. Anyway, so in the meantime, what schools around the sydney area operate the Savannah, CH70* etc etc STOL type craft to get lots of experience in (and the pilot and xc certs of course)? Thanks in advance! -Gribble-

Hmm, didnt think about ebay, good work. :) Although, I would rather get an entire pacage together rather than in dribs and drabs, ive been doing that with cars for almost the last 15 years and im over that. I did think about the handheald with headset idea, especially if your just going to be flying around the same area as I highly doubt any cross country trips would be done in it.

The tools wont be an issue. The workshop/mancave would be sufficient, but lets face it there is no such thing as big enough when it comes to a workshop. And I understand it wont be a new rotax, or even a low hour one. I cant find much info on prices just by googling, might have to make some phone calls, anyone know a good reseller apart from Bert Flood? Then there is the avionics, radio and other jazz. Ill keep doing some research to see what the components alone would cost. Fun and games.....

In todays money, can something like this be built for circa 10k? It would make an awesome first time project for me.

Yeh, except they were going to de-register my ute next friday, and no ute means no income which means no Orbx. So, its coming, soon.

I just downloaded the OZx, Sp1 and sp2 updates as well as the holgermesh onto my FSX. I wish I had done it sooner! With my Phenom 4 core, 2gb video and 8gb ram setup it runs like silk! (yeh im bragging.....) Also downloaded the CH701, Sav and the Foxbat, nice little planes those ones although the ch701 needed some fine tuning to make the flaps work properly. If I had a copy of FSDS id try to make a morgan sierra or something else just for fun too. Its payday, so I have to choose between paying a $170 fine to the SDRO or bying the complete Orbx Au pack....... hmmmmm.

Oh and another one; You study Sydneys Departure and arrival procedures before your holiday to Rockhampton and can recite, verbatim, every single stage of flight including which navaids and intersections you just turned over to your extremely uninterested girlfreind.

My first few crosswind landing were well below average as well, its a good thing c150's have good landing gear! It took me about 3-4hrs of just doing x-winds to get it nailed. You will get it with enough practice and when you get it right you will wonder what all the fuss was about. I was taught to crab in all the way down to 50'agl, dip the windward wing and opp rudder in one smooth motion, power off and flare and just keep adding more rudder and wing and flare until it touched down. Rudder for steering, aileron for centreline alignment and just gently keep pulling back on the elevator until it settled and if it all goes wrong, full grunt and flaps up. It eventually becomes second nature. When its smooth wind its pretty easy, add some turbulence and variable wind direction and it starts getting fun in a masochistic kind of way.

.....you look at the first 3 letters of the numberplate of the car in front of you and repeat them in your mind phonetically. (Im guilty of this one)

Hmm, if I had completed my hsc and didnt have a mortage I would consider something like that. I wonder what the commbank would think about using brick and motor equity to further my career? Can only ask I suppose.

One question I have is, had it given way mid flight what would the resulting situation be? Elevator flutter due to an oscillating trim tab? Would the tab have been sucked into the low pressure side of the elevator causing a sudden up/down movement? Would it have been something easially controlable via the stick? Definately a good thing you didnt have to find out the hard way of course.

Ok, so all the STOL manufactures are plugging their planes as the ultimate "Getaway" vehicle that can land in the most remote sites of the country, or even just land next to what seems a deserted lake in the middle of woop woop and crack out the trout gear, potentially they could be correct..... Anyway, where in Australia do such sites exist (as long as people are willing to share of course) that you can just land and set up camp? Or have a fish? Second of all, whats the legality of landing onto these areas? I can understand Private Property, but lets say I wanted to land at wyangla dam, chill for a night and wet a rod? Or the Turon? Or any land for that matter that has a good enough strip to land on? Do places like this exist here? Any private places that are flogging the idea of land and camp? Ive heard of a few wineries around the place with land and stay accomodation but its hardly "off the beaten track"

Great News! This certainly puts the sierra at the top of the list of planes ill look at building/buying once the mightly PPL is done. Aussie made and 110-130kt cruise sounds great! And I also think it looks sexy, in that man to machine kind of way.... you know. Now, just need to find and extra $200 a week to burn, stupid mortgage...... Congrats again,

There are pro's and cons of each, as long as you learn both thouroughly and their adv-disadvantages then whats the problem? I think concentrating on the actual landing part is more important than weather you stop or t&g. Horses for courses, the landing roll to a stop part is pretty simple, unless your really mechanically challenged. Once thats done move onto t&g to maximise landings per hour. Once you have that sorted then onto x-winds and short fields and power-off and flapless etc etc. Walk before run. Anyway, thats my 2c. I hope it contributes. :big_grin:

Uhuh.... Best read the manual then. Thanks.