HEON

A 406 with or without GPS? Thats a question. In this occasion of mine I was able to land and actervate EPERB and speak to Canberra and confirm details. Think there is a good case for EPERB that can be/or is actervated prior to landing/crash with GPS location however it would have to be put against the additional cost and complexity of that system. One should remember that the 406 is more accurate than the 121(? or what ever the old one was). Think a 406 that can be manually actervated, or activates itself if subjected to a G loading at a level that the crew may not be capable of actervation would be ideal. Also beleave a method of communicating with the rescue authorities (sat phone/HF/or ?) is of great advantage if one is capable of doing so. In my case turned "total engine failure near Simpson Desert" with all its conertations to "alls OK we would like some help". This must be a terrific help to the rescue authorities.

Tried to add, but mucked it up, that AUSSAR were very good. They notified NOK and arranged the police to come. Seem to be at end of the paper chase; ESIR generated by Air Services via CASA and RAA, plus CASA and RAA Incident&Accident Reports. Cannot express strongly enough value of registered 406, plus the other requirements like water and shelter (I carry space blankets) layed down. Sat phone also very welcome. Also a large amount of luck on having suitable land under you. Most important however...when in doubt FIRSTLY FLY THE AIRCRAFT!!!

Terry, Was at 5500ft tracking from Dalhousie Springs to Warburton Groove (north Lake Eyre), 2.8hrs into flight to William Creek when it became very quiet (except for my wife's scream) as an electrical fault took out both fuel pumps on Rotax 914....no mechanical pump on 914's!. Radio notification to (I think) Melbourne with normal information plus sat phone number, who passed it to AUSSAR and asked me to activate EPIRB. Landed on a station track on Macumba flood plain without damage to persons or aircraft about 45nm NE of Oodnadatta on SW edge of Simpson Desert. Not long after landing got a very welcome phone call from Canberra confirming exact location and other nicities like personal and aircraft situation. When he called back he let us know that the police were on there way and I could turn off the EPIRB as it had been received. Being a Friday afternoon could not organise anything before Monday. As it turned out could not locate intermittent electrical fault thus aircraft was recovered to Adelaide and we left after five fun filled days viewing the sights of downtown Oodnadatta. The only comment rearly to be made of the expearance and the sights of Oodnadatta is that our booze bill was larger than the food bill!. Problem has been located in Adelaide and when fixed (and wings etc replaced) will return it to Qld and try and get my wife to fly again. I've said it's OK now to her that you KNOW you can land without an engine, but am having some resistance....don't know why!!! Did phone my instructor on return and passed on that he must have got something through to me when he was ripping his hair out trying to teach me a couple of years ago.

I registered my 406 for my aircraft,boat and 4x4. No problems. It works as I had to use it on 11 July!!!

Markendee, Why expend the effort? I feel each to his own but I personally would like to know before getting up there as I think I would have great problems doing an in flight oil add dispite being possible in some aircraft (CK Smith's "Southern Cross"comes to mind...but not an SOP even for them!) To lubercate prior to start? If rearly required in modern engines every car would have a crank handle. Now I have (whats left) more white hair than most and I have not seen a crank handle on any car for at least 50 years. As to useing the low mark, again each to his own, but being less adventerous than some I will personally just do as Rotax says and hope they have it right.

Read the above with interest as why or why not to turn over an engine prior to flight. With Rotax 914 (assume also 912) it is not possible to check the oil level without doing so. Rotax has a dry sump. The oil is not stored in the engine but in seperate tank which also has the dip stick. On every instalation I have seen including my own it is above the bottom of the engine. Gravity allows some oil from this tank to flow back into the engine when stopped. If you do not "burp"the engine thus pumping the oil back into the tank it will read low. If you add oil to top it up, when started the oil level could well be above the max which Rotax, and most engine makers, do not recommend. This is not applicable to Jab's as they are wet sumped like most cars which require the oil to be allowed to settle via gravity before an oil reading is taken. Regardless of other reasions to do or not to do, not "burping"a Rotax means you cannot know how much oil is in the engine! This has some potential for problems.

On 42hr engine (under 1 year old) Rotax paid for gear replacement but not removal of items to get at it like prop and in flight adjustment equipment, nor replacement, thus a bill! Feel this is quite wrong as they would not have to be removed if their gears were not (potentially) faulty. If your car is recalled the total cost of the replacement is met: why not Rotax?

Too many years ago to remember I used to ride BMW R75/5 motorcycle in ACT which was a real dog to start in winter. They had two Bing CV carbs just like Rotax's. It helped if they were spot on for balance. Also put camp stove under the sump to near boil oil prior to starting but not likely to be of use with a dry sump!:star:

Assume you don't have 15/50w oil in engine. Cold "summer weight" oil could prevent it spinning over fast enough.

My understanding of the LSA rules would make me look at importer and manufacturer since I beleave if support stops the aircraft has to be fostered by another manufacturer or it cannot be used. Can anyone state the correct rule on this?

Fairly recently visited a western Qld airfield which had been inclosed with a high mesh fence (ie.a lot of fence and thus $'s) with one gate not locked and the other not fitted although the word "gate"was written where it should have been. Since my visiting J160 was the only aircraft there I felt the expenditure of funds on both the security of the strip and my required ASIC card was good value for money to prevent the J160 being hijacked and crashed into ???......I DONT THINK SO.

Around $US110000 is around $A137500 (80c:$1) plus GST is $151250 plus freight etc is ?.Let's say an expensive LSA. Or will there be a "special"price to (attempt) to remove the compertition? Remember what happened to the Victa and other light aircraft in Aust in 60's and 70's

The new Speed 2000 is a LSA (600kgMTOW). For any one who saw the first they would only be able to say the production aircraft are shaped like it !.The first two are now completed and look great. One is a 912, the other a 914, based in Sydney and SE Qld. They are a massive step up the recreational aviation evolutional ladder for Lightwing and I feel they can hold their place with anything available in Australia at this time.