Monday, 4 January 2016

RansMail #141  March 2013

Halifax painting. Artist Mick Cartwright, Dartmouth.
My Dad, a WWII pilot flew once or twice with me as an infant,  probably illegally strapped into the rear seat of a Tiger Moths  unable to see out except when flying at an angle), as a member of the Cambridge Private Flying Club.
Peter Noonan
I went down to Dorset and bought a 912 engined Reality Escapade. The permit will be done before I collect it.
Peter also sent this emergency link, essential 112 knowledge, even a locked cell-phone can bring rescuers.
Paul Coppin, Hampshire Microlight Flying Club on 16th Feb.
Club members, friends and visitors made the fly-in  at Colemore Common airstrip a great success.  We certainly had a good turnout on a reasonable day for the time of year.
Peter Jackson (100 hp GT450 Flex-wing) adds:

Indeed a good day,and after being cooped up by weather since November was great to get flying again. I was able to help by taking Mark Fletcher for a flight, he seemed thrilled, his only complaint was the cold air blowing up his jeans legs !
Jan Henslow Hapi Cygnet G-BXCA

"Managed to drag plane off my soggy strip by 3pm (which was like taking off with the brakes jamming on and off) but by time I arrived at Colemore all life had gone. Thought I had the wrong day so flew about (first time since early December) and landed back home which needed lots of power immediately after touchdown to keep the tail down."
Lucky men. The nearest I've got to flying was in Feb, ran the S6-116 Rotax 912 after refitting the bench charged battery and the Rans S4 mid week, the 447 cord start worked beautifully. Jackrell's strip boggy but residents have found a few useable slivers. I have chain harrowed the strip (last Tues.week, a rogue hot sunny day)) but the wettest section is still very soft and it dug in a bit. Rolling will be soon I hope. Did add to a web petition to try & save Spa airfield from closure. My Rans S6-116 has no epirb nor would I fit one, I suspect the Rans wouldn't float if ditched but sink far too rapidly even to get out of from the high wing, but a McMurdo 210 PLB with GPS has been bought ready for crossing the English Channel. mike.

Accident, Canada ( Lethbridge ) Modern technology keeps Pilot Safe. (from Tony Fowler).
Canopy discard - the pilot in his rocket-powered seat emerging - parachute opens and separated seat falls away. . All of this happened in about two seconds from canopy off to the fireball.
smoke from the canopy rocket motors. Left engine nozzle fully open, showing that #1 engine not developing power & the white seat-stabilising 'chute.

The pilot’s head is pinned to his chest from the severe “g” forces produced by the solid rocket motors in the seat, which burn for about 2/10ths of a second, enough time to propel him at least 60 feet clear of the beautiful FA-18 aircraft.  

The unoccupied ejection seat follows down. Impact & flame shoots out of the left engine

Rich Shankland USA - "Take nine Honda XR600 water-cooled motorcycle cylinder assemblies..............."
"This reminds me of my Dad, who used to build tractors using a Ford Model A engine. He would use three cylinders for power and the fourth was an air compressor.
Build a radial engine for an airboat ?  Russell Sutton says, "No problem." What a beast !  I just love Aussies.  The story doesn't say, but he sounds Australian and this video has a certain "Aussie flavor" about it. The video is long, but every second is an absolute gem.
http://thekneeslider.com/russell-suttons-honda-based-9-cylinder-radial-engine-is-running-strong/
Rich also sent me this WWII scene. Sporty motorbikes, two British Ariels & a Matchless . Plane looks like our wooden wonder Mosquito.

SportCruiser nose-leg problem & practical rectification, a dedicated & hard slog by graham@spriteaviation.co.uk I got a pretty encouraging response from the LAA so we are going to go ahead and make the prototype. At 4th March the spindle is made and fitted into the noseleg. The LAA asked us to make the taper more shallow and start the taper further up the leg which we did. The housing has been milled from a solid block of aluminium ready to bore the central hole for the bearings. When we finish we'll fit the assembly to my plane and taxi it around to make sure it works (friction etc). Then probably send the whole thing up to the LAA for inspection and then load test. We could have the mod ready for submission soon.
Navigation Planning -- the old fashioned way

Graham Hewitt (Western Australia)
I've really appreciated the RANS news letters you have been sending. Although I am into a different type  of flying many other club members are heavily involved. As I am having a problem in forwarding your Letter on would you consider sending it straight to   Grapevine@sabc.org.au    I know that they would really appreciate this.
I now have 30 hours in my Pietenpol it is going really well & can now take pax, so you had better come out to Oz again. I sent a copy and.......
Shirley Harding replied. I'm sure it will be of interest to many members. If you’d like to send any further posts to me, I’ll gladly put them on SABC Grapevine as it's a members-only list. Their news sheet arrived for me too, but too many Mb to add within Ransmail.

I was surprised to see an article on a crashed Jabiru & warning of & blaming rudder jamming, as the UK LAA issued a Directive on this matter, whose Malcolm McBride referred me to http://www.jabiru.net.au/Service%20Bulletins/Airframe%20Files/JSB019-2.pdf
Chris Tansell their editor said it happened on the 14th November 2012. He now has been forwarded the LAA gen.
A wonderful photo compendium of 300 very early flying machines.
You'll be surprised to discover wasn't simply just the 1/2 dozen better known names - everyone was at it !

http://chezpeps.free.fr/0/pre-1914/03-101_150-copy_paste_Breguet-Pre-1914-Aircraft-Challenge.html
Roberto Grassi (Italy) Speaking about nicest things, work on my S7 rebuild proceeds, I have finished covering wings and am ready to start with fuse. I took the plane almost to kit status and started to rebuild from almost scratch, modifying and repairing things as issues were found. On the other hand, found a guy from my flying club that wanted a plane and sold him the S4...am really missing it...but I sold it to him with an accord that I could fly it from time to time... Hope to finish my S7 in good time. Will send you some photos of jobs done on it.

Richard Arkell (France).  Checked this 2013 French  1/2 mill chart found on the web. http://carte.f-aero.fr/
Sample screen captured.

It appears to be the same as the PFMS French map & very nice to be able to zoom for more detail and the info box with the co-ordinates at the cursor position is good too. There is a tutorial if you click on the ? The flight planner looks useful plus lots of features.
We have had a sprinkling of snow early this week too but it has not settled. Although we have had intermittent bouts of nice weather there has been plenty of rain in between so Chauvigny runway is still on the soft side although I risked a couple of flights which were fine in the air but still worrying on the ground. I put an 18mm spacer under the nose-wheel spring yesterday to pre load it. I have another to add if necessary. The prop clearance is not bad at around 12" so I should be fine but that Rallye trailing link suspension feels like it is moving much more than it actually is. I have decided it is partly a geometry problem. In order to get the oleo to be positioned neatly behind the leg it has a much shorter moment to the trailing link pivot than does the wheel which multiplies the compression force on the pressurised oleo and spring. Not much movement of the oleo/spring equals much more at the wheel. The oleo stroke is at least 100mm but here full suspension travel only uses ~25mm. I hope they did a better job with the Airbus but at least that does not have a prop.!
David Burridge, Rans S6.
The plastic glazing on the pilot side door of G-CBFX is getting past its sell by and I looking to replace it. Skycraft informed:These are no longer available, choices are:- 1. Replace with flat. 2. Modify up to latest spec doors with 2 piece and additional bar.
[The door Lexan on my own S6-116 appears to be flat, though some models I've seen have a noticeable concave inner curvature to give the occupants a fraction more elbow room. I'd not really noticed if even mine are slightly concave, the horizontal centre Ali bar isn't quite straight but I'm pretty sure its not pushing the Lexan outwards at the centre, but I could have a good look at the week-end. I feel they're really flat, single sheet per door with the centre bar curve lying downwards rather than pressing outwards, in which case you could still use them. Personally it's not a real problem being seemingly flat and though they rattle noisily, especially at start up  I've never investigated the cost or availability of the flashier version.
If you really need to replace the 'glazing' I'd imagine making a paper template and purchasing some equivalent Lexan sheet from a merchant would allow you to cut replacements, but check the type's qualities as Lexan is a family of products, petrol can get on them in error and scratches too, however its good quality is it's flexible and can be cut with strong scissors if not too thick.  Your photos show that the usual cracks emanating from the stresses at the pop rivets have not been stop drilled. There's time to do even now to delay or eliminate replacement. Take a small diameter drill, perhaps 1/64" and with a handy electric drill make a tiny hole right through at the very end or a drill diameter further away from the rivet to stop drill the holes. Do each and every crack, squint at them to ensure even incipient ones get treated. The hole reduces the crack forming stresses and they wont run any further. While you're at it study the more expensive screen on the front sharper bends at the forward edges. It may grieve you to drill holes thus but does work, I know, mike]

New Readers this month
Fred Long, SABC, Western Australia.
LAA Engineering (Malcolm McBride)
John Murphy. I am converting to 3 axis, I am a flexwing pilot flying a Quik GT450 from Causey Park which is a small farm strip north of Morpeth in Northumberland. I started flying gliders in 1969 as a young Air Cadet and by 1980 I had progressed to hang-gliding. Now after 33 years of flexwing flying I feel the need to change and having spoken to several fixed wing pilots the Rans S6 is looking as a suitable aircraft to progress to. It has the short field abilities I need and prices are very reasonable for the Rotax 582 variant.
[AFORS has four Rans S6 for sale from 503, through 582 to 912 all Rotax for sale £7k5  - £19k.mike]
Nick Evison. I'm an Aussie and currently living in the UK. While I have the time over here I'm doing my licence in a weight shift flex-wing. I had my first lesson last week and loved it. I'm an aircraft maintenance engineer by trade and worked for Q"Qantas and a military contractor doing large helicopters.
[I started my PPL at Mascot, Sydney in 1969 when on three months assignment for my heavy engineering employers, so Australia is dear to me. My best friend was true Aussie Alan Mitchell in Perth who built a Turbi, flew it across to the eastern states some thrice to your National fly-in. He died only last year at nearly 95 and flew his 'plane till 90, mike.]
Steve Taft I have recently purchased Rans S6-116 G-BVOI as a project and would like to receive the RansMail.  Having recently retired from the RAF I have to re-build her from a complete fire wall back airframe, along with a new set of skins. I have a 912 engine mount and propeller to suit and a 1000hr 912S motor of 100 hp to put up front. Although there is an S6S fitted with a 912S this will be the first S6-116 with its 5 ft shorter 29 1/2 ft. wing in the UK, so should be fun to have a go. She will be based at Blackmoor Farm near RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. [G-INFO shows her & original 582 engine.]
Robert C Graham I would like to get your S-4 newsletter and any past newsletters you have.Geoff Hoult Cheltenham, Glos. I have a Rans S6 ESD with 2200 Jabiru power, G-MWUK can you send me news letter please.
IN-2013/025 14th Feb. National Permit To Fly: Withdrawal of Revalidation Surveys carried out by the CAA outside the U. K.
Because aircraft holding a National Permit To Fly are intended to be operated principally within United Kingdom airspace, other than in exceptional circumstances.
First International Ultralight (ULM) Festival – 31 May to 2 June VANNES 2013
The Brittany Ultralight Federation Committee, in conjunction with the Regional Committee of the Loire region, is organising the first ULM International Festival, to be held at the Vannes Golfe de Morbihan airport in southern Brittany.
Peter Greenrod re Rans S4 30th Birthday 'gathering' in GB ?
From G-INFO there are now only 13 registered in the UK and at best only 4 possible if Ed Wallington renews his Permit ?
Rotax Alert Bulletin ASB-912-062 / 914-044 R1
This covers the inspection of cylinder heads #2 and #3 for oil leakages into the intake port on some Rotax 912 and 914 Series aircraft engines.
Old RansMails are now on line courtesy Peter Greenrod. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4702449/Ransmails.pdf
Collected Rans S4 & S5 Tips      http://ranss4s5tips.blogspot.co.uk/
Rotax practical owner help    http://www.rotax-owner.com/rotax-forum/index
Rans Aircraft USA site   http://www.rans.com/aircraft/home.html
UK CAA Safety reports Dec., Jan & Feb.

Ulrich Klausing fits Skis to his Rans S4
Just a quick hello from the Yukon. We thought we get an early spring here this year, had temperatures throughout February at around 0 degrees Celsius, but now we are back to the normal average, at night it's going back to -30 but on a sunny day like today the daytime temperatures get back to at least -10, which is not bad. I managed to rig my Rans S4 for Ski flying , I had basically only to change the rotten bungees from the previous owner to good aircraft grade ones from the local Aircraft maintenance shop.I also fitted them with some more reliable shackles. Now I am waiting for a bit more moderate temperatures and than go try it out. I've also become a proud (and broke ! ) owner of a Super Cub now, it just went through a full annual .I bought it together with Jeremias, who is an AME, so we hope we can keep the maintenance cost a bit down that way.
P.S: the picture you had under my name in the last mail is not mine, although it looks somehow alike. I added some now with the skis. Uli. also kindly sent me a pdf of Ski Rigging instructions, they're suitable for any aircraft, but at 5 Mb too large to include with RansMail. [If you'd like it e-mailed separately, please drop me a message.mike.]

from Ron Atkinson:

ON JULY 20, 1969, AS COMMANDER OF THE APOLLO 11 LUNAR MODULE, NEIL ARMSTRONG'S FIRST WORDS WERE "THAT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND" HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE HE RE-ENTERED THE MODULE, HE REMARKED ENIGMATICALLY  "GOOD LUCK, MR. GORSKY."NASA THOUGHT IT REFERRED TO A SOVIET COSMONAUT, BUT NO GORSKY WAS IN THE RUSSIAN NOR AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAMS. FOLK USED TO ASK ARMSTRONG WHAT IT MEANT - HE JUST SMILED.

26 YEARS LATER HE FINALLY RESPONDED, BECAUSE MR. GORSKY HAD DIED & NEIL COULD NOW ANSWER.  IN 1938, AS A KID PLAYING BASEBALL IN THE BACKYARD. HIS FRIEND HIT THE BALL, WHICH LANDED UNDER HIS NEIGHBOUR'S, THE GORSKY’S, BEDROOM WINDOW. AS HE PICKED UP THE BALL, YOUNG ARMSTRONG HEARD MRS. GORSKY SHOUTING AT MR. GORSKY,
"SEX! YOU WANT SEX ! YOU'LL GET SEX WHEN THE KID NEXT DOOR WALKS ON THE MOON !"
Vince's Rans S4 at Dunkeswell, Devon.
Mike  
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