skippydiesel

Spot on ! Subject to duration, with that maneuverability, would make a very good mustering tool. Might be a little concerned about its reversing capacity - easily connect with a tree/shrub - situational awareness would be paramount. May be some sort of enhanced proximity sensing equipment, similar to automotive that would, inhibit backing inputs, to prevent contacting "stuff" behind aircraft. If duration an issue - could a petrol powered one be developed - as in petrol powered generator, supplying current to little pod motors?😈

Truly amazing!!!!😈

This article may be of intersted to the electronics members of the Forum 2802 Manual-s.pdf (rstengineering.com) AND XCOM Aerial Dummies Guide.doc (craggyaero.com)

My apologies to all - I dont step back from my observation regarding the drag effect of circular structures . However I thought I had better search for a "teardrop" tail beacon - couldn't find one!!!! Seems they only exist in my fevered imagination. Again my apologies for going down this imaginer track. For the future; This is a great opportunity for anyone with the skills/knowledge to design/ build/test/market a streamlined tail beacon😈

I am aware of the possibility of doing a 500 ft circuit, never have. I have never encountered a 1500 ft circuit - probably only in a controlled airspace. The reality is that 1000ft is , for all intents & purposes, the circuit altitude - faster aircraft don't fly higher they fly wider.

"These aircraft tail beacon lens are round due to the need in having 360deg coverage with its lighting optics." I think you will find that a modern teardrop shaped tail beacon will almost certainly deliver , if not perfect 360 light" very close to its - it's all in how the magnifying lenses are are located & shaped. "I don't feel the Beacon Lens would make that much drag. " I think you may be surprised, at just how much drag a circular X section, fitted at right angles to the air flow, can deliver. A lot of aircraft will have teardrop fairings fitted to round undercarriage legs, same for wing struts.

Disclaimer; No in-depth knowledge. I have always been under the impression that a round structure, induces a lot more drag than a tear drop shape. How is it that wing tip lights (LED's) can be a teardrop and a tail beacon must look like a coke can stuck on the fin, almost as if an afterthought (ugly and draggy)?😈

Warning! Tangent! It seems to me that barrel/round beacons, are a hangover from when the light had to rotate, to give a flashing effect. The shape of this "traditional" light must surely create significant drag. With modern electronics and LED's, we no longer need to rotate the light - we can now have a more streamlined lense - why is this not being done???😈

No worries Garfly - an important part of my addition to your comment was both the observing and observed aircraft being at circuit height. You have probably noticed that if you are a bit high, prior to joining, its that much more difficult to see the other aircraft in the circuit. Same goes for the aircraft you are trying to see/find - if they are not where you expect them to be (high/low) just adds to the difficulty. I am not sure that all pilots are aware of the importance of circuit discipline - not only should you make good calls but you should be where you are supposed/claiming to be.

"................just the term "downwind" can indicate a strip of air a mile long and half-a-mile wide." True ! but one ingredient, missing altitude. If you are at 1000 ft above terrain ie circuit height AND the other aircraft is at the same - spotting much easier.

While radio failure (including wrong frequency) can always happen , good communication, removes most of the concerns about airborne conflict. When approaching/in the pattern, if I hear a call but cant see the aircraft, I ask for more information. If there are a number of aircraft, I like to say where I will be in the line up ("No 3 to the Foxbat turning down wind"). I have never tried to see another aircraft behind me. My cockpit does not facilitate this view. I trust the following aircraft to have me in sight, because I have given/received communication to that effect.

Couldn't agree more BrendAn. The Forum had this debate, what 2-3 years ago? Some good solutions/designs were offered then. Back then a suitable 12V, vane pump and hoses could be had for about $80 (never had mine on a trolly/cart, so dont know the cost for this innovation). The thought of those good old boys, teetering on a stand, while pouring even a 10 L fuel drum, into their high wing, makes my stomach turn. PS: Still using my 10 year old Bunnings Aerospace plastic "jerry" cans. Cheapest I could find at the time - don't seem to be degrading in any way (fingers crossed)

Acrylic supposed to be far less reactive to fuel spills/splashes . Sonex use polycarbonate on the front windscreen, as its supposed to be more resistant to in flight damage/birds. The main canopy is acrylic. You might want to consider a similar strategy.

"Again, you rwelcome to your beliefs, but what evidence are you offering up to support your beliefs. " Observation, comparison and a long life - Non too scientific. I put this to you; How did society manage before the availability of diagnosis & treatment of kids who were perhaps a bit naughty/short attention span? Your answer may be badly, however I would suggest that the majority of "suffers" learned to manage their "symptoms" and went on to make their place in society. Regrettably a few ended up in asylums/jail. Asylums are now out of fashion, the habitants are on the street and the jails are now a flourishing industry in their own right such is our success with social/individual behaviour engineering. "......excessive screen time is not currrently thought to cause ADHD (but I have seen studies where it can exacerbate it" It's not the actual screen time - it's the substitution of play/imagination/exercise/face to face social interaction/etc with an electronic device (screen time). The devices themselves are completely neutral (much like a gun)- it's the over & miss use, thats the problem. From time to time, I used to pass through a large housing estate, not far from where I live. Not a child/youth to be seen on weekend/holidays. One day we had an area wide, day long, electricity failure - kids everywhere, playing talking to each other, no doubt getting up to mischief - doing what kids should do. I had no idea so many young people lived in that community, until the "blackout". Power back on - no kids. History is littered with medical trends/fashion. Most have some basis in fact/need/efficacy - for a few. In time, the enthusiasm dies down, a more rational/measured approach takes over and we move on to the next wonder drug/therapy.😈

Hi Jerry, You make a strong, well articulated case. I am certainly better informed BUT not completely convinced. I believe that much of the epidemic in ADHD, is self inflicted histeria, brought on my a combination of a generational (seismic) change in the way children/youth behave (glued to electronic devices) popularist inaccurate information (same devices) the media (same devices) and parental lack of responsibility & blame shifting ie do not take responsibility for their child's behaviour - lets dose him up, with the bonus of added teacher attention and acceptance of what would otherwise be unacceptable behaviour . Your analogy to HIV - AIDS is problematic, in that it is a viral infection complicated by a host of secondary infections. True ADHD sufferers are born with the problem - there are no lifestyle choices involved or unfortunate exposures. Dont get me wrong, I am sure there are genuine ADHD sufferers, who need/benefit from various therapies. As for pilots with ADHD - surely this would be a case by case ruling. I would expect that ADHD would, like most human conditions, have a spectrum from mild to severe. I have no idea at what point an aspiring pilot would be considered a danger to himself/the community.

As I say - each to their own. Professional pilots, who wear military/civilian uniforms, with their wings, etc displayed - all good. Goes with the territory. As a private/recreational pilot, I am proud of my flying achievements - don't need to display wings, any more than my truck & sundry other operators license - would look very odd indeed, on my everyday cloths and I would feel like a poser. You won't & don't need to agree with me but I bet there are many others with a similar opinion/feeling - it's a cultural thing.

Each to their own (forgive if I snigger)😈

Something like this;

Naaa! Still looking for the chests to pin the wings on😈 Sorry if I offend - not big on "look at me" ostentatious displays - next it will uniforms, rank epaulets, etc - What's wrong with a nice certificate, you can frame & hang on your wall at home? It may be a tad hard for some to reolise, most of us are just amature/recreational pilots not "Top Guns"

I rest my case😈

Nice!😈

Maaate: You don't know just how tough some kids upbringing was and yet somehow most survived even flourish. I have no desire to reinvent/impose the past but feel that the "pendulum" of how children should be raised, has swung from one unpleasant even nasty extreme, well past reason, to some hysterical, contonwool, entitled, chemical, digital, mayhem. Children no longer roam the bush, play in the street, walk to school, - they just play with their digital tools!😈

Wings are for military aviators , to be worn with their service uniform.😈

"People that were highly functional and have low interpersonal abilities were just regarded as different now they have something that needs examination and limitations." The following is speculation - I have no medical/psychiatric training. Given: ADHD is a relativly modern diagnosis - did not exist in my childhood/youth. If it did, you were considered a tad strange, bit of a personality, on a diffrent planet, etc but generally accepted as being part of the broad spectrum of human behavior. Sure there were "bad" kids who likly need a more empathetic approach than flogging but most of them seemed to "make their way" eventually. Seems to be on the rise - why? The accompanying rise in the use of medications that users are likly to become dependent on. May have a long term negative impact on the user. I agree with the observation that there is no such thing as a monochrom "normal" human being - we all exhibit a range of behaviours that I am sure can be plotted on a Bell Curve (BC) demonstrating that at some times/situations, we may stray from the central "normal" range of behaviour and a few unfortunates, permanently on the lower slopes, must "live" and manage their lives somehow. I accept that people who exhibit traits that are at the extremes of the BC may need some chemical assistance, to function in society and on what I hope is rare occasions, this may require lifelong usage. I speculate, that the apparent pandemic (if true) in ADHD (& other personality disorders) is as much a fashion statement, brought on by the media and parental anxiety, as anything else. I lived for much of my youth in Ireland and later England - eccentricity (difference in social interaction & presentation) was celebrated (to a point). It seems Australians are far less tolerant, seeming to seek a bland adherence to "the norm" . I suspect that most of those diagnosed with ADHD & similar, would eventually find their own way in life, without recourse to medications, special behavioural interventions, etc, just like everyone else.

Moneybox, All too often I have driven for 10 + hrs with only a fuel stop or two and I know better -it's stupid but that's what testosterone does for you. The problem is, by the time you start to feel fatigued/bit sleepy, your ability to handle an emergency, has already degraded to the point being lethal, if not for you then other road users. People think microsleeps are the problem - they are but a symptom of extreme exhaustion. In this situaton the driver has been increasingly unable to respond, in timely/appropriate manor, to a sudden problem for very many hours.