Mick

We will be there, plan on making the long trek from Bundy!!!!

Got 280 hours on my current 912ULS, had been running it on Mobil ULP 95 until the servo I go past to get to the field changed to BP, now use their ULP 98. Of course when travelling I can usually only get 100LL at airports so that's what goes in it. I run my Mogas through a serious filter before it goes in the aircraft, it does not seem to matter where you buy Mogas it nearly always has alot of crap in it. Started out using Castrol GPS oil then changed to Shell VSX4. Oil & filter get changed every 50 hours.

Hi Sue, Regarding the model gear, I would suggest an e-mail to the secretaries of model clubs in the area to make them aware should any of this gear turn up for sale. Here is a link to contacts for Qld model clubs - Bottom Border I would suggest the 2 Bundaberg clubs, Burnett, Hervey Bay, Fraser Coast and Maryborough at least, maybe Tin Can Bay, Gympie and Gladstone as well. Hope these B@R$t@RDS get caught!!! Mick

Just found this............. Joy flight aborted | Townsville Bulletin News Note the description as a recreational aircraft in the second paragraph.... "The pilot had just taken off from the Hamilton Island airport in his Cirrus SR22 recreational aircraft when he experienced difficulties and tried to turn back."

Anyone know the aircraft rego or where is was based?

The thing that will keep LSA alive is that many of the aircraft out there that are designed and built for LSA do not have a type certificate. To go standard Recreational the aircraft must have a type certificate, or are only type certified up the common European Ultralight limit of 450kg. Overseas manufactures will not see the Aussie market as being big enough to justify the cost of doing a type certificate to 600kg when they can sell to the LSA market without one.

Tomo, I think the right choice of word here is Classy Mick

I did a week of work experience RAAF in Canberra in 1988. Spent each day with a different section, aircraft maintenance, base security, photography section and a day with the fire fighters. Still remember blasting some dumy fires with the truck mounted water cannon:kboom:

Hi Mazda, Last year when I went on the Saturday I got there reasonably early and aircraft arrived in a steady stream through the morning. Then in the later part of the afternoon it got a bit busy with quite a few day trippers leaving. I would expect that Sunday morning could also be a bit busy with more day trippers arriving and no doubt the re will be plenty leaving not much after lunch. Mick

Sorry I am a bit late coming across this thread but I may be able to offer some useful info. I cannot lay my hands on a copy of the flight manual from our Sportstar ( sold 24-4010 over a year ago ), but I am sure it listed the max X-wind for that aircraft as 18 knots. Our Sportstar was the original version with the small fuselage fuel tank, one of the first 4 or 5 to come to Australia. I have no doubt the manuals have been re-written for the newer versions and to suit the all determining American LSA regulations. Now here's the twist...... I am sure that while doing some major homework on both the Aussie and American LSA regulations that somewhere buried in the fine print of the USA version was mention that demostrated X-wind ratings should be given with the aircraft in full-flap configuration . In reality not many of us would use full flap in any sort of strong X-wind, especially in an aircraft with as much flap as the Sportstar ( 50 degrees of split flap and a flap with a huge surface area ). My Skylark which has even bigger flaps relative to wing area and a full flap deflection of 40 degrees, giving a similar effect to the flaps on the Sportstar, has a max X-wind at 90 degrees to runway rating of only 11kts.:ah_oh: When I queried this with the manufacturer they confirmed that the figure given was for full-flap configuration, a cover-your-butt worse case senario. I have comfortably landed the Skylark in up to 23-25 kts X-wind while only using 10 or 21 degrees of flap. When you get to the end of a long X-country flight of say 3.5 hours covering 420nm conditions on arrival are not always going to be what was forcast ( or even hoped for! ). If you are arriving at a field with ony one strip Murphy's law says that it will be a X-wind. At this point what can an insurance company expect you to do? Run out of fuel trying to get somewhere else or take on the X-wind if as PIC you are confident of acheiving the landing safely? Personally I practice X-wind landings at a field with more than one strip so if it reaches a point where I am not confident, I can just switch to the into wind strip and land safely. By doing this I have developed a good idea of the limitations of both myself and of the aircraft I am flying. Hope this helps, Cheers Mick

Maj, Yep GPS was the Castrol that I was not very happy with, then the blend was changed and Rotax removed it from their approved list. That was when I switched to the Shell VSX. I used the GPS because of easy availability, ie local Supercheap Auto. Prior to the Castrol I was using Motul 5100 which I was very happy with but then that spec also changed and was removed from the Rotax list. Mick

Intersting discussion guys, I have just put another lot of Shell VSX 4 15w/50 in my Rotax, I have been happy with it so far. Also had to get my service done by the weekend for the trip to Watts Bridge so no time to order the AeroShell Sport Plus 4. From the comments here I don't think I will be in any hurry to change. Cheers Mick

When I previously used a Castrol oil which was at that time on the list approved by Rotax, my 912 ULS consumed some oil ( hopefully this terminology will avoid the wrath of basscheffers' humor:jump:). Since switching to Shell VSX 4 it now goes through to the 50 hourly change without needing topping up. Go figure?!?! Mick

The Queensland Vintage Aircraft Group are hosting their annual "Festival of Flight" at Watts Bridge this weekend August 29 & 30. For more info go to http://www.qvag.org.au/ then click on "Festival of Flight" Anyone else planning on going? I went last year for the day on Saturday, a good turn out of interesting aircraft. I am flying the Skylark down for the day on Sunday, plan to arrive 7.30-8.00am. Cheers Mick

Shell has had the AeroShell Sport Plus 4 oil specifically for the Rotax 912/914 series out for some time now. Anyone out there using it? What are your thoughts on it, where are you buying it and what are you paying? Thanks Mick

Hate to dissapoint you Chucky but our ( wife & I ) copies turned up today and both match your description. :kboom: Maybe it is a special edition for us Bundy locals?????

Yes, but it makes for a most civillised "beach" landing!!!!!!

The Caboolture Boomerang has now flown.:thumb_up: It flew here to Bundy for the airshow yesterday. Shame it did not display airborne during the show.

Skylark with some Heavy company.......... My wife got a ride in this Trojan that day, in formation with Anthony Freer's Trojan with me in it.:thumb_up::big_grin:

This one suits the Subaru........ Autoflight Reduction Gearboxes According to their site they have an agent in Bundy Qld. Hope this helps. Mick

My Brother-in-law flying his Savage Cub at Boonah Qld a couple of weeks ago.........

I guess I'll make the effort and wheel the Skylark out of the hangar........ and I am there!!!!!!!!!!

The SAAA fly-in at Cowra has struggled to cater to it's own members for the last 2 years, I would not suggest adding to their numbers. thumb_down

Bushman, I got the 3M clear prop tape from XXXXXXX.com.au , from memory it is not easy to find on their website but give them a ring if you need to. I seem to remember paying about $50.00 for enough to do my 3 blade prop numerous times. Recommend that you use the wet method of application, otherwise it is impossible not to get bubbles and fingerprints under it. ( Don't ask me how I know this:angry: ) Cheers Mick

James, I enjoy the look on a firmly strapped in passengers face when AFTER starting up, I then fasten my harness and tell them " Well since it did'nt burst into flames I guess it is safe to strap in now!!!":confused:;) The reality of this is that when I am strapped in as tightly as I like to be, I find it awkard to reach the starter button in the Skylark. Now before I flamed with comments of "what if I have to do an in-flight restart", please note I said it is awkward not impossible and I am sure with the adrelaline burst I would have taken if this happens I am sure I would reach that button easily. Cheers Mick