chrisag

I am one of the biggest advocates of "why change something for the want of change". I have become very cynical of many of the changes happening in our once magnificent organization. To the L1 debate, I had a bit of a look at the online package and not being a teenager anymore, dislike the online learning. I then noticed that you have 3 attempts to pass the test. I gritted my teeth and went straight into the test. 30 minutes later and a phone call interruption completed the assessment and passed. Not overly well but ticked the box. I can say I learnt nothing from the process and cannot access my wrong answers to learn anything. I urge anyone just to have a go at the test just to tick the box and then go and get on with what we have been doing for years. Its a terrible shame there can't be some constructive knowledge gained from this. Rant over.

Had the luck to fly the above aircraft when it was in Victoria. From memory it has about 250+ hrs on it. Was imported last year from Colorado. So we don't get too much thread drift,to learn to fly in a Highlander should not be too much of a problem, just may take a bit longer to master the ground handling, not that it is an issue. Probably easier than a Skyfox in ground handling....JC.

For those wanting a bit more info regarding the Just Highlander, I may be able to add a little. I've done about 70 hrs in one and love it. A real solid aircraft, fun to fly, heaps of room but not as fast as I was expecting, probably due to the under camber wing. A doclile tail drager and much better with the nose wheel removed. It seemed a bit nose heavy on the ground with the nose wheel. All that said, I still love the Skyfox more in some ways, lighter on the controls and perhaps a bit better coordinated. Horses for courses though. Have landed the Highlander in a 20 knt cross wind without any probs. The feet were busy but quite do able. I've also done about 60 hrs in a Kitfox 4. Now thats another story. All similar aircraft with the Kitfox about a good 10 knts faster and on only 80 hp. But not the room....All great tail draggers.....JC.

Yarram does have an AWIS as of recently. It will be published in ERSA shortly. Freq. 134.7 and phone no. 03 51825697. It was great to catch up with you at Yarram John.

I have been watching this thread from the start wondering the cause, anything to do with a skyfox gets my attention. It seems you did very well in the circumstances Dexter, but it would have been even better if you made it to the lucerne paddock, what a shame. I know there could be a few different reasons for the reduction in power but it brings back a few heart stopping moments that we have had with our 912 skyfox.It all started before we owned the aircraft, it was having the same problems as your aircraft with better outcomes. On the last time it happened before we bought the a/c, it ended up on its back. It was determined at the time that the wrong induction hose from the airbox to carby was sucking flat at high throttle settings. This was changed, the a/c repaired and we got the skyfox. The funny thing was it still had the symtoms and it was put down to carby ice. As time went on, if the engine was warmed past the point that was normal for take off...no probs.So we then started to look at the lifters. The engine was pulled out, new rings and lifters and no more problems for 900 hours. There is another 912 a/c here that would start when cold then run very rough.Once again ice was suspected. The owner changed the oil from GPS to VSX4 and no more trouble, we think also a crook lifter that has responded to a different oil. Dexter, its sounds if you did a great job to walk away and no doubt you are wondering about the cause. This is my little story that could very well have been like yours or worse. Something to think about. J.C.

Maj., Interesting that you say that # 2 plugs being a bit blacker than the rest. What I can't work out is that the leak down test was fine on this cylinder. # 1 cylinder is the one with the marginaly lower readings with good plug colour, but pulling the prop through you would think that the test figures would be lower. As I explained in a earlier post, # 2 has felt a bit flat for a long time, the engine runs well, and I only started looking further because of the extra oil burn. This is probably because of the oil being used.( shell aero sport) Thanks for the input, It's all interesting stuff.... J.C.

Thanks for the input Tomo. What has got me stumped is the fact that 1 pot seems noticably less than the other 3 but when tested produced good results. The motor does run well with no noticable reduction in power but when something happens gradually perhaps its hard to pick a drop in power. J.C.

Thanks for that info Dexter,I will try the higher pressure but I don't think it will make much difference. Yes, the pistons were TDC. Mate who assisted me has done this job hundreds (he tells me) of times but on much larger aero donks,the process is the same I believe. Bones.. I only found out today RE the oil. I spoke to Floods about increased oil useage and they said they had stopped using it for that reason. It was the oil use that got me into gear to do a proper compression test. J.C.

A few questions for the experts out there. Have noticed that one pot was a bit soft on a pull through. I have just purchsed a new leak down tester,the model specified by Floods, and tried it out today. This motor has 900hrs since new rings and a valve grind. When pressurising the cylinders we got a reading of 80/79 on 3 pots and on the other flat one 80/75. The minimum numbers are 80/60 as per Rotax. These figures seem too high but did the test per instructions.Have we done it correctly and the donk is perfect or have I stuffed up somewhere. The other problem was an increase in oil use. I think I have sorted this out after talking to Floods. I need to stop using Shell Aero Sport and go back to using VSX 4. Floods stopped using it for that reason. Would be very interested on other readings that people are finding on their 912. J.C.

He lives at Buffalo, not far from the strip. I'm pretty sure his number is listed. Should be easy enough to find. JC.

There's a good strip a few miles SE of Meeniyan. It is a private strip and permission required.Andrew Carmichael is the owner.There are 3 hangars and a number of interesting aircraft based there. It's grass roughly 1000 metres and from memory about 05/23. JC.

Hi all, I don't know where my post from last night has got to, but evidently Dexter managed to see it.Regarding putting the aircraft in the experimental class, I had a chat with Steve Bell on the phone the other day and his understanding of the regs is that it is not a problem and I assumed from the discussion that some Skyfox/Gazelle's had already gone that way. I am unable to find the RAA magazine with the article( I think March issue) to read again, but the way it was put it seems pretty straight foreward. This might generate a bit of interesting discussion. JC.

Hi all, As Gazelle wing life is being discussed,it is common knowledge that the life is 4000 hrs.In the maintenance logs for our Skyfox....it was VH when we bought it, it states that the wings have a life of 9000 hrs.I assume that Skyfox had to do the testing when it was certified, so where does the 4000 hrs come from. JC

I must have been just unlucky to encounter a grumpy wedgy but I must admit that the incident has made me wary of them while in the air. They are a very impressive bird and I spend a lot of time watching them. I started gliding in about 1973 in a k7 with winch...what fun. I flew on and off for 20 years flying all sorts then got the ultra light bug. As I think all glider pilots will agree, the skills learnt flying and hanging around gliding fields is a superb grounding for other sorts of aviation. I'm still having fun in a skyfox as well as my 2 sons with the odd visit to a gliding club to trade a few flights...good days.

I became very careful about flying near eagles early in my training in the early 70's....Following a wedgy in a thermal then lost site of him. Shortly after noticed him on a collision coarse with his big feet extended ready to tear me apart. He shot passed my right side under the wing of the K7. He then left the area after working out i was a bit big for him. I often think about this incident and think about what would have happened if he had hit the wing or tail...it may have been a messy end. Has anyone else had a close encounter with an aggressive eagle?

Alan. I just recieved my new Kannad 406 PLB yesterday.The registration forms came with the unit.There is a spot on the form to register the PLB for your boat and or the aircraft. It was all pretty simple. You can also register it on line as well. Jim.