Wednesday 23 December 2015

161 November 2014

 RansMail #161 
November 2014
 
California Floatplane (Richard Arkell, France)
If you have thought about a holiday in California and would like to fit in some aviation without too much disruption to the visits to well-known destinations then I have a recommendation for you:- About an hour’s drive from the awe-inspiring scenery of the Yosemite National Park (a vital element of any Californian visit) you will find Gold Rush country. This is more gentle scenery in the rounded foothills of the Sierra Nevada with a clutch of small but interesting towns which sprang up with the discovery of gold. The landscape has many lakes and reservoirs, which brings us to the flying excursion. For those of you who have a float plane flying in your imagination then there is a great opportunity to give it a try. This is what I did and I had a great time.
One of those little Gold Rush towns is Angels Camp; probably less well-known than Colombia or Sonora but still an excellent halt on your tour, and with good facilities. Within two miles of Angels Camp is the little lake on a cattle ranch from which Jim McCloud operates his float plane. His day job involves him owning and operating a maintenance organisation at nearby Calaveras County Airfield. The floatplane operation is an offshoot of that business as Jim is first and foremost an out-and-out floatplane enthusiast.
It is no Charlie Brown’s, with just Jim and a single Piper Pacer floatplane that he bought from motor-racing legend Carroll Shelby and converted to floatplane use. The conversion included extending the wingspan and adding extra fins to improve yaw stability which is otherwise reduced by the float area in front of the C of G.
Being a one man band Jim will devise a bespoke schedule for you. It works out about £150 an hour but for me it was money well spent. As I had only a couple of mornings away from the family holiday to spare he was more than happy to organise a ‘floatplane sampler’. As it turned out, that sampler ran through the majority of the requirements for the floatplane rating and was huge fun. As I was happy to fly dual there was no need for any licence arrangements and I did not care that I did not have time to do a full rating, which takes six or seven hours. As it was, I came away with a feeling of satisfaction at having been expertly shown the essence of floatplane flying by someone who has a genuine passion for the pursuit.
My main impression of the flying was that it was exhilarating stuff flying in the scenery rather than over it. It was traditional flying demanding close attention to the real world passing sometimes alarmingly close by outside the cockpit while manoeuvring hard to achieve the desired approach and touch down points. To start with the lack of directional stability came as a bit of a shock but it got easier once my feet remembered what to do. Tight turns had to be stabilised by some out of turn aileron to keep in balance which was a technique I had not previously encountered but it worked well. Approaches were steeper than those generally used with land planes followed by a more prolonged hold off but rapid deceleration once splash down was made. I even got to do a couple of the feared glassy water landings where your point of reference shifts from the surface of the water to some predetermined point on the land adjacent to the chosen touch down point. The trick seemed to be to use quite a bit of power in the last stage of the approach to achieve a very low rate of descent while holding the slightly nose up attitude familiar to tail wheel pilots solely by reference to your selected the lakeside point. Patience was a virtue at this point as it was a question of holding the picture for what seemed an inordinately long time and hoping not to overshoot your reference.
Take offs required full up elevator until the nose rises at once then, a few seconds later, almost imperceptibly, through a second stage signalling it was time to release the elevator to a more neutral position to allow the floats to plane. The neat trick then was to wind in all the aileron to lift the opposite float allowing better acceleration and the rapid swapping of water for air while looking very cool!
 
If you are travelling with your family there is plenty for them to do while you are flying, even at the little lake where the Piper is based. There is a picnic table and places to sit and watch the wildlife, with ground squirrels running around, bald eagles nesting just the other side of the lake, egrets wading and swans paddling unconcerned by the proximity of the Pacer. My daughter even helped Jim rescue a bat which had somehow crashed into the water next to the plane and was stuck in the green algae which is the legacy of three years of drought. It was soon cleaned up and back into the air.
Our accommodation in Angels Camp was on a World Mart site which was excellent with every appliance and convenience a family in the middle of a touring holiday could wish for and very reasonably priced. The balcony had a massive gas barbecue on which we cooked the fantastic ‘flat iron’ stake Jim had recommended. Quite delicious.
Regrettably, the Pacer has only two seats so family rides were not possible but for that you might be better off with a joyride in a the big Beaver floatplane that flies tourists up and down San Francisco Bay area, which looked absolutely splendid.
As it was, I had a great time and think many fellow pilots would also enjoy a brief break during a California holiday. Jim was a charming, relaxed host as well as a very experience and a capable floatplane instructor. Have a look at his site http://www.foothillaviation.com/
 
New Readers.
Jonathan Hartland.  Despite our local instructor/examiner/inspector having a pathological hatred of the Rans S6 last time I mentioned them, I'm interested in finding out more about the Rans as I may be able to afford one as sole owner. I learned to fly at Leicester Airport, getting my licence at the end of last year. I'm currently in a Thruster syndicate (flying a T600n 582), building up some hours and may be looking to upgrade to something faster and/or less thirsty in future to increase my range.
John Quentin (France) An ex Hawker Hunter man has an Avid with Rotax 582 two stroke
with one, his first two stroke after a lifetime of mucking about with traditional aero engines anxious to avoid any known pitfalls. He has just set up his own strip in some interesting terrain next to his house on quite a slope, with a length of around 370m. A complete Hunter is in bits in his barn, which he
intends to assemble and park there.
 
Rans S20 demo by Randy Schlitter (Eric Savener, RansFlyer forum 16th Oct.)
"I attended the Rans fly-in last weekend and was able to get a demo flight in the new S-20 with Randy. Since I fly an S-10, he did a roll, loop, spin combination for me. Nice flying airplane. Light controls and very polished."
 
Ulrich Klausing  (Canada) Rans S4 & Cub sent news & photo's.
I am back driving the Propane Tanker, getting up at 2 am every day didn't work  for me anymore.The deal - 2 weeks work, one week off - and looks like it works. My first week off and 24th October turned out to be a real nice day. I got the Cub ready for an afternoon flight down the Takhini Valley towards Haines Junction. A friend has a little gold-mining project going on there near Mendenhall. That's the pictures at the end of the link without a plane in it. First I briefly landed at Horst's Strip at the Takhini Hotsprings Road, then followed his Champ down the Valley. Was quite a challenge to get close enough for good pictures.Today we have a low overcast here again, so we used yesterday alright. Have been flying the Rans S4 on a regular basis too, probably about 10 hours on her this year. We had a couple of snow dumps here already, but temperatures stayed quite warm so it always melted away very quickly.
 
The North Pole & back solo in a rented Cessna 172 (Pprune forum).
A young Belgian pilot's trip - whose thread in Pprune starts in 2011 with a 'dreamer' asking silly, impossible questions. Some writers shoot him down in flames, but others support him. No-one believed it would ever come to much. http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/441604-sep-north-pole.html
The forum then went quiet till .... his next entry  "I've done it in a fixed gear Cessna 172" 
Reading his blog http://flytheimpossible.com/adventures/north-pole-2011/preparations/ with photo's kept me enthralled all day - and carried out with his own funds, with an occasional email friend on the ground to help. Well worth reading, mike.
 
Henry Hallam (USA) VariEze.
Oil pressure problem resolved, I flew the EZ again yesterday to visit a rocket company at Mojave. Flight was fine except for substantial water ingress while in cloud and rain, which shorted out my radio. I'll have to work on the canopy seal...  I still want to make a transatlantic trip in it one day. Am going to try making a fibreglass aux. fuel tank as a starting point.
 
Jabiru Engines, Australia are required by the CASA Authority to answer for too many failures.
The Jabiru forum ( jabiruengines@yahoogroups.com <jabiruengines@yahoogroups.com ) & others in the UK & USA have just erupted full of statements, many express the view it's well past time Jabiru came good & dealt with their too many engine problems, instead of saying nada !  40 reported engine failures this year apparently and CASA are looking to go single seat operation only with no solo student pilots !
Jabiru - so far - are apparently not accepting much blame - which attitude isn't making their customers too joyful.
Tommy Thompson Country Coyote S4 serial # 296 N910RK (Private Pilot & Repairman E-LSA North Carolina, wrote mid October).
I have my S4 flying now, here's my first flight in the "Country Coyote" the day before my 60th birthday and I was so happy to finally get to fly it too.
The grass strip is named "AREA 52" after the four lane interstate highway ( I-52 ) located a mile to the north-east on the other side of Pilot Mountain State Park. It is 60 feet wide and 800 foot long. There are no trees on either end or on the sides. It slopes downhill, away from the mountain approximately 70 feet. So I always take off downhill to the south-west and land uphill to the north-east regardless of the wind direction. Taking off downhill is great. The plane accelerates quickly to reduce takeoff roll distance and at the end of the runway you automatically gain 75 feet of altitude in addition to the climb rate! The advantage of landing uphill is there is less ground effect and no need for using the brakes.

My 40' X 40' insulated hangar frame was built using mostly used steel from local salvage yards. The main 10 inch  beams are 1/4 inch thick. It is all welded ( no bolts ) and took me 4 1/2 years to build at a total cost of only $6,000 dollars. The door is raised using an ATV 4 wheeler winch.
I got the S4 in late November 2013. But a knee surgery had prevented me from being able to assemble it. Since it was delivered from out of state with the wings off, I decided to just store it in my hangar, take the battery out for the winter and just start a slow process of a detailed inspection.
After looking through the parts and build manuals, I was surprised to find out that an optional right wing tank kit was available. I contacted the Rans factory in Kansas and ordered the complete kit. It was actually an easy install. I marked where the wing tensioner brackets were positioned at the front & rear spars then unbolted them which in turn began releasing the sail tension. Next I removed the flap and first two bottom & top ribs. Then I slipped back the sail & installed the new diagonal tank support tube and tank per the factory instructions. So now I have a plastic factory 9 gallon tank in each wing. I feel much better about having the same weight on each side of the fuselage as opposed to the 9 gallons on the left side only. I can drain both tanks with a sump feature where my lines join together. I added a second safety valve right before tube exits the bottom of the fuselage. This was just in case the factory one should fail and my fuel would then not gravity feed and pour rapidly outside.
Each tank has its own filter before they join together to the single line behind the seat . And I also have another one before the engine. I am definitely ready for cross country now ! After the tanks were fitted with new fuel lines, I enlisted the help of two friends to help me attach the wings and struts. Then I hooked up the flaps and ailerons. CAUTION: You must be very careful installing the aileron push rods because the left wing one hooks to the opposite side on the bell crank behind the seat! Make sure that you check that the stick and aileron positions are correct. Note that the left stick movement makes the left aileron go up and the right one goes down.
The "Country Coyote" sports some fairly cool options. First off is the hydraulic brakes. They are operated with a single lever on the control stick. Secondly are the 24 inch tundra tires which are inflated at only 5 lbs. each tire pressure. I have the "medium" grade IVO ground adjustable prop with nickel leading edges and simply love it. It's the model between ultralight and magnum which is good for up to 100 hp engines. I redesigned the rudder pedals to extend another two inches wider and put a 90 degree end tube on them to ensure my feet would not slip off in the event of a bumpy takeoff or landing. This plane has a 30 hour since new airframe and Rotax 503 with dual Bing 54 carbs producing 52 hp. The flaps are three position ( 10 - 20 & 30 degrees ). The digital engine instrument system is from DRT avionics which displays a digital RPM tach, altimeter, dual EGT & CHT,
outside air temp, flight timer and hour meter. The airspeed is a traditional steam gauge dial. It has a "G" meter and I have also added a digital relative humidity and clock unit. Last week I installed a BRS 750 emergency chute behind the battery compartment & a Lowrance Airmap 500 aviation GPS. The plane is fast and handles very well. I redesigned the tail-wheel assembly angles and spring tension before I ever flew it. It taxi's like a dream. I find it best to apply a little power and get it straight at first, full forward on the stick with a little more power to get the tail up. Back on the stick to near neutral and when all is right apply full power and stay on that rudder. It is a very easy plane to takeoff "IF" you take you time, get it straight and get that tail up as quickly as possible. Otherwise, like most tail-draggers, watch out for the wiggle and turn off centerline !
Rans produced the single place Coyotes for twenty three years,from 1983 to 2006. This one gained it's airworthiness certificate in 2008 and first flew in 2009 & has all the whistles and bells and one of the few here in the USA that is currently registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, has an airworthiness certificate and N number. The original empty weight on this plane was 392 lbs. with the 503. The bigger wheels, tires, prop and extra tank upgrades added about 33 pounds & made it 425 lbs.  Then I added the BRS chute with mounting rails ( 25 lbs. it can be moved to compensate for pilots of all weights) & the final empty weight is 450 lbs. It will take off with a 200 pound pilot and 10 gallons of fuel in no wind, 70 degree tempts and 1100 feet above sea level in 150 to 200 feet easily. It carries 18 gallons or 111.6 lbs. of fuel. The max gross weight is 762 lbs. The prop is pitched for 6300 rpm's static on the ground. I have the range calculated for 4 hours maximum at a 70 mph cruise and 280 mile range in calm air. In flight adjustable trim is on the right side elevator.
I am sure this is a later model kit as all the airworthiness directives were complied with.
If anyone has any S4 questions they can email me and I'll be happy to discuss the airplane and any questions they may have. soar8hours@yahoo.com
[This example of a Rans single seat a/c must be at the opposite end in spec. and age to the one Fred Felch has & recently told us about.  FWIW. My U.K. based 1990 S4 with 447 engine weighed 324 lb. empty, our LAA/CAA allowed 587 gross. So with about 33 quarts petroil 50:1 two stroke mix and me, at full legal weight she flew well in light airs, if a bit twitchy in lumpy winds.mike].
 
Fred Felch sent old Rans S4 data, including for an early Rotax 277, 28 h.p. engine.

Adrian Whitmarsh - ex Jackrell's Farm England, Trike G-HTML is safely in her new quarters in the sun at Vera, Almeria district, Spain.
After a successful road trip across France and Spain, Vera is about 1h drive north of Almeria in the very south-east of Spain and just a couple of miles inland from the Costa Calida coast. It’s a small, private airfield owned by Marion & Gunter Muller, who built the tarmac runway, taxiways and immaculate hangar – which even has an attached apartment, that visiting pilots may rent, alongside its club house bar. They run a very professional airfield with excellent security and they own an Icarus C42. The airfield flight logs are regularly submitted to the Spanish aviation authority and, for me, Marion had processed my Spanish permit too. There are another 5 aircraft based there, including a couple of Technams and an Air Creation flexwing. The local topography ranges from coastal plains stretching inland, where there is extensive agriculture (orange, lemon & olive groves, salad crops) to mountains up to about 2000ft. The area can be pretty barren since rainfall has been rare over the last year, especially. Agriculture relies on irrigation so there are many reservoirs visible from the air. The nearest controlled airspace is around Almeria airport to the south and Murcia’s San Javier airport to the north. 
I decided to trailer G-HTML to tie in with my daughter’s wedding near Bordeaux. On the way Susie and I took a break in La with the trike hangared at Graham Slater’s airfield south of Poitier. My pal Paul arrived by EasyJet & we continued to Spain with a stop at a reasonably-priced hotel at Tudela, between Pamplona and Zaragoza so arrived in Vera Tuesday afternoon, 7th October. Next day we re-assembled the 'plane ready to explore the area. With blue skies and 25-28 deg. afternoons & light winds we had 3  consecutive days in just shorts and fleeces getting familiar with the area and options for out landings. At this time of year many fields have been ploughed for new crops. A lot of overhead power lines plus local distribution poles need care. The motorways would be a good potential option since traffic is usually very light & some beaches would be useable where a para trike gives joy-rides. On subsequent flights we explored along the coast, some ten miles north, south and inland about 10 miles or so. I look forward to longer trips and visiting other airfields.
 
Remembrance Sunday 9th Nov., Stow Maries WWI airfield Essex.
After a failed attempt to motor cycle up & down the wet & soft strip at Jackrell's Farm, a 1/2 mile walk instead determined a take off path avoiding the cloying mud,. The Rans S6-116 landed at Stow Maries whose drainage was excellent, just in time. The day's weather was clear and smooth, it couldn't have been better for large number at the fly-in & short outdoors memorial service - with a flight of Tiger Moths dropping 30, 000 poppies.
I collected some off the field as I walked back to the 'plane and am sending three to my son, his wife & my 11 year old grandson in America, to remind them of their roots and their trip  to the U.K in July when they visited the Poppies display at the Tower of London.
Landing carefully back home on a good bit of runway finished off a grand visit, remembering how our freedom was paid for.
 
Stow Maries manager, Russell Savoury wrote : ... Thanks to all of you who came to our Remembrance Day commemorations yesterday.  It really made the event  magical  for all of us at Stow and the 1000 strong crowd who turned out for this historic day in our calendar. It was the largest collection of historical aircraft which we have ever had here, some magnificent ones & included a Leopard Moth, Hornet Moths, Tiger Moths, an Auster, Stampes, a Tipsy, a Cub,  a Luscombe or two, and of course the Tiger Club. BBC TV "Look East" captured the event for the news  I thank your generosity to our British Legion collections, see our next "Flambards Flyer".
 
Clive Innocent (BMAA 'Annual' Test Pilot for Reality Escapade a/c).
After seeing the forecasts from different places, I decided I would try to do Brian's check flight on G-ESCC Sunday 16th Nov. It was supposed to be a good day with occasional showers popping up along the coast, but inland would be O.K. That's how it looked when I left Worthing to drive up to Jackrells Farm & well inland. By the time I strapped the Escapade on and took off, I found I could hardly reach 1,000 ft. I flew down the A24 towards the coast where it looked brighter, ahead over the Downs was a big hole through which I could see much higher cloud levels where we achieved just over 2,000 ft and do all the airwork required. South of the Downs conditions were quite good, but returning to Jackrells, I had to reduce height to 900 ft North of the Downs. It had deteriorated very fast, why ?......It was a developed heavy rain shower, which to retain vis. pushed me down to about 500 ft. Brian's plane got a good wash ! Visibility was poor, but eventually Jackrells was on the nose about half a mile ahead in better conditions. Even so the round-out more by sense than sight to touch down a little short on a very soggy part of the strip than where I really wanted.  ( Dammit ! ) A little skip after initial touchdown and  I taxied back to let Brian wash all the mud off the aeroplane. A very nice smooth flight in interesting conditions. What fun this flying lark is !
 
Calais (from Pat O-Walker).
The airport manager has reported he has hired an English speaking FISO and that the airport manager himself and another colleague are undergoing training to provide AFIS in EN/FR from March 2015. Also that the airport restaurant will have a new owner from November and that there is also a good restaurant in Marck, a 5' walk from the airport. Customs continues to be available. 
 The UK CAA has removed the 'overflight restriction' from the 'Permit Operating Limitations' of factory-built, type-approved gyroplanes. http://www.caa.co.uk/ORS4No1054
General Aviation Report - Occurrences processed by Safety Data in October 2014.
 
Old RansMails are now on line courtesy Peter Greenrod. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4702449/Ransmails.pdf
 
 
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