JG3

Oops, Musgrave now fixed...... JG

On Google maps that looks like maybe 3-4 km into town?? JG

Got it, thanks. JG

Both done, thanks. JG

Oops, I thought Ingham was already on there, but it is now. Thanks JG A bit more than the 1 km walk, but the servo nearby could be handy. JG

Now marked on the map as a fly-in resort.

Well, I did send the link to Ian awhile ago, with that in mind, but never had a reply, so I placed it here..... As for updating it, I can do that if anyone has info. [email protected] JG

So many airfields are just too far from town for a comfortable walk. Here's a map of airfields that are within one kilometer of food and pub. JG

I would just point out that a dive is a really good safe way to lose altitude in a very draggy aircraft like an Xair. The drag goes up with the square of the speed, and that speed is quickly lost in the flare. Much better than getting too slow and stalling from height. Almost all fatal ultralight crashes are from stalling and impacting steep nose down. Much better is a controlled landing, even if it is faster than need be. I think he did that exactly right for the situation...... JG

I don't know, open to advice. They are to go on an aircraft of my own design. Using Drifter skins on a strut based frame. Trailing edge of the each wing is 4.24m. Drifter ailerons seem to work very well on Drifters, so could suit this aircraft as well?? JG

Looking for a pair of Drifter ailerons, with or without fabric. I'm in SE Qld but can travel northern NSW or inland. JG 0429 943 508

I have a Telex Stratus 30, and find the battery life to be surprisingly good. Like 30+ hrs on two AA cells. Also, even without the ANR active, the noise protection is far better than the David Clark that I had before. JG

the manometer is the best way to calibrate, or at least, check instruments but there is no harm in doing a speed reference check in flight with the GPS The manometer only calibrates the instrument. There are far more errors that come from the installation, mostly from the static source. What we really need is the real airspeed, not just the indicated. To get this is easy these days. Just pick a calm morning and do a four-way GPS run. No way a single run or even a back-track run is adequate, must do the 4-way. Hold a constant indicated airspeed, and fly N-W-S-E legs, each long enough to see both indicated and ground speed stabilized. Sum the four GPS readings and divide by four. If there's more than 10 kts difference between any legs then there's a wind up there. The averaging should compensate for this bias, and it does pretty well, but the less wind the better. JG

Could you please post a means to contact him. JG

First of all, a correction. Turns out that's not Phil's plane from Kilcoy, which Hans just flew to Airlie Beach last week. The one you're speaking of must be Gene's former aircraft, which left Kilcoy several years ago. And Hans says to say that it's definitely not his! Yes, 30 deg should be locked out. Zenith discontinued that setting many years ago, and now only offers 15 deg. It's not as if it's an imminent threat, but if pushed to just the right limit it can bite.... Savannah at 30 deg will also do the same if pushed to the limit. - To test that, at a respectable altitude, get into a really slow steep climb at full power with 30 deg flaps. - Initiate a roll to the left, simulating a common take-off scenario caused by full power engine torque at low airspeed. - Then throw the stick to the right to correct the roll (not the correct response, but a common reaction.) - Be ready for a snap roll to the LEFT, opposite the aileron input. What's happened is that, with the flaperon deployed already at 30 deg, then adding more deflection with the stick, the flaperon has stalled and lost the considerable lift it was giving..... It won't happen every time, and you may not even be able to get to happen, but it can, and is the most dramatic departure that I've ever found with these normally very docile and forgiving aircraft. It's worse with slats due to the much increased drag at that AofA.... I know of one incident in Canada with a 701 doing exactly this. He took off and hauled it back to practice a very short take-off and steep climb. Experienced a roll to the left, caused by the torque, and possibly enhanced by a gusty crosswind. Reacted by throwing the stick to the right, and then rolled sharply to the left and hit the ground and cartwheeled... Big damage..... I know of a couple of take-off crashes in Australia, with 30 deg flaps on Savannahs that I reckon also fit this scenario, but won't mention names..... Don't need flaps at all with these aircraft. Just have a look at Hans take-off with no slats and no flap in his 701 Who needs more STOL than that! Early on, Hans had a heavy landing that destroyed his landing gear, while using slats and 30 deg flaps (a common experience with 701's in that configuration). Since then he has 1000 hrs without slats and never uses flaps, and is forever showing off impressive STOL maneuvers. No safety issues with VGs instead of slats, just fly it like a regular aircraft, but with a softer and more progressive stall. Slats have a much narrower margin, and need more skill to retain airspeed for a comfortable touch-down. JG

Yes it would be heavy for winching out of the water, but is neutral in the water. It has the same effect as a wet suit for retaining heat, I've used such many times for diving when no wet suit handy. A wet suit, or even better a dry immersion suit, would be better. It'd be good if you could rent one just for the crossing..... JG

I've crossed Bass Strait three times. Always in company with other aircraft with good radios. If one goes down, the other can report to Melbourne Radio with coordinates and details, and probably hang around long enough to direct a rescuing chopper to the site. No way I'd go solo across the water! Of course with life jacket on, and lots of woolen clothing (long underwear and sweaters) underneath to act like a wet suit and conserve body heat. With a glide ratio of 8:1 from 8500ft it's always possible to ditch at an island. Probably too rough and craggy to land on but at least be right near a landmark to make it easier for SAR. Have all islands in the GPS as waypoints, and be aware of wind direction, so always know which way to glide for best results. JG

That was Phil's 701. He flew it a lot, every Sunday for some years, around and around in circuit, many hundreds of nice landings. He didn't use flaps, and it flew really well just like that. It was an early model that had the provision for 30 degree flaps, which Zenith later deleted. With 30* you can get a flaperon stall and wing drop with a sudden aileron application. The 30* doesn't give all that much more STOL anyhow, so he didn't use flaps at all, and still did excellent STOL performance. JG

Gday, Just a late reminder to anyone in SE Qld. Kilcoy Fly-In Brunch tomorrow. Weather looks perfect, for a change. See ya there! JG

Just a reminder to photocopy your pilot's and aircraft logbooks periodically. If you should lose them it's a real hassle..... JG

This on behalf of a friend who isn't on this forum, so I'm just hunting for him and can't speak for him. But doubt he would be interested due to probable cost. He really wants a minimum cost project that needs lots of work. How much they asking for that one?? JG

Gday, I know someone not on this forum who's wanting a damaged or derelict Savannah for a re-build project. He's capable of any work needed doing.... 0429 943 508