Lynton & David’s great adventure

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Lynton and DavidIn the middle of January 2015, Soar Aviation took delivery of yet another A22LS Foxbat – this one, used but with very low hours, was from White Gum Farm, near York in WA.

Having made this journey three times myself, albeit via different routes, I can relate very well to their story, particularly being bounced around in big thermals 9,500 feet over the goldfields of WA.

This aircraft, 24-7979 – fitted with the latest Dynon SkyView digital instrument technology – is now doing the hours as a trainer at Moorabbin.

Click here for the story of Lynton and David, who flew the aircraft from WA to Tyabb in just over 3 days.

For a Trial Instructional Flight (TIF) or further information about learning to fly, call Soar Aviation on 03 9587 5020

Women Pilots’ Relay of Flight

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Women Pilots cancer FlightHeather Haynes, owner of A22LS Foxbat 24-9100 (officially the 100th Foxbat delivered in Australia) is taking part in the ‘Women Pilots’ Relay of Flight’ to raise awareness and money to fight cancer. This is part of an official Cancer Council of Australia fundraising activity.

Starting on the day after the Avalon Airshow finishes – Monday 2 March 2015 – aircraft are departing Avalon with a relay baton to begin what is hoped will be a complete anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Australia. In the end, there will likely be several dozen different relay ‘legs’ flown, with the baton being passed from one pilot/co-pilot to the next, all along the way.

Heather’s flight, with her friend Nathalie, is due for Sunday 8 March, carrying the baton between Caboolture – her home base – and Bundaberg. She’s hoping to raise at least $1,500 for her leg of the flight.

Here’s a link to her Cancer Council page: Heather Haynes Cancer Council Flight. Here you can sponsor her flight. Please donate some money to help her reach and exceed her target.  Just click on the ‘Sponsor me’ button towards the top left side of her page and follow the prompts – you can enter your credit card details and the amount you want to donate.

Here’s a link to the Women Pilots’ Relay of Flight Facebook page which gives more information on the fundraising activity.

And finally, here’s a link to the Women Pilots’ Relay blog page, which will cover their progress.

Pilots! Improve your near vision?

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GlassesOffAt my age, although so far avoiding the need for corrective lenses for my vision, I suppose it’s only a matter of time before I’ll need to use glasses for reading – including map/iPad reading while navigating.

However, now comes (among several other studies) a piece of research commissioned by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in conjunction with the Israeli Aeromedical Unit (IAMU) which suggests than an iPhone/iPad App can improve your near vision… The results of the study, presented at a recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, showed that by using the mobile App pilots improved across multiple visual functions, including 35% improvement in visual acuity and 24% improvement in image processing speed. Further, more than 70% of the participants also reported substantial changes in their near-visual acuity and 60% reported improved reaction times.

So what’s the App? It’s called GlassesOff and it’s available for both Apple and Android devices through iTunes and other online sources.

The GlassesOff App apparently concentrates not on your eyes themselves but on the other part of your vision – the way the signals from your eyes are processed in your brain’s cortex. To begin to see(!) improvements, you need to do at least three 10-15 minute sessions a week, over a period of several months. After the initial period, ongoing ‘update sessions’ should only be needed a couple of times a month to maintain your improvements. Built in to the App is an initial sight evaluation and the length of time needed for improvements is based on regular evaluations of your eye-sight.

GlassesOff offers a 2-week free trial period that includes a free vision evaluation and 2-weeks worth of sessions. Only after you complete the first phase and (hopefully) experience the product’s benefits will you need to pay for a subscription in order to advance to the next phases.

In Australia, iTunes store costs start at A$12.99 for a month’s subscription and rise to A$74,99 for a 12 month subscription.

Now, I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to what appear to be ‘alternative’ therapies. I like to see/hear that there are proven benefits before investing my hard-earned $$. However, if the IAF/IAMU and other reputable bodies have recorded measurable improvements, I might just give it a go – even a year’s subscription to this App compares reasonably with the cost of a visit to the optician and a pair of bi-focals or other spectacles. Also bearing in mind that, as a pilot, you are required to carry a back-up pair of glasses as well as the originals.

I’ll aim to give a hands-on (eyes-on?) report in a few months time.

Flying in the Bush Hawk

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Bush Hawk & StephenLast Saturday I went for my first flight in Stephen’s Found Aircraft Bush Hawk – what a great experience!

You may recall from a previous post that this Bush Hawk arrived in Australia from Alaska in November last year. Since then, Stephen has been flying it to gain his RPL and get used to an aircraft that is very, very different from the Carbon Cubs he flies and sells in Australia.

Although the aircraft is physically big – at least to us mere LSA pilots – the first thing that you notice is how easy it is to get into (and out of). There’s a step on the main gear leg, two big forward opening front doors and no stick to contort yourself over.Bush Hawk panel The next thing that strikes you is how small the control yokes feel; can they really control such a monster? However, the yokes themselves are mounted on a Y-shape tube which would do justice to the Sydney Harbour Bridge…

Buckling in, there’s a 5-point harness (is this plane aerobatic? Surely not) with inertia-reel shoulder straps. The door closes with a satisfying clunk and if you want a really tight seal, you can optionally operate the corner latches to secure it. One interesting aspect of this aircraft is that there are also two rear doors to access the cavernous rear cargo/seating area, which although currently fitted with three rear passenger seats, still leaves a baggage area behind them which is bigger than many estate wagons!

Considering it’s a taildragger, the view over the long nose isn’t bad – although that will likely change when Stephen fits the big bush tyres, which will lift the front by several inches. The upright seating position is comfortable but feels a bit like a truck, something which is further prompted by the view along the ‘bonnet’ as Stephen fires up the 300 hp 6-cylinder engine. The starter spins the prop at a rapid pace – much faster than my old Interstate – and soon the engine has settled down to a subdued rumble. In spite of a plethora of dials and digital instruments, all the basic indicators are easy to recognise and monitor. Warming up such a beast takes a while at around 1,100 rpm, during which the fuel flow meter shows a steady 15 litres an hour. For someone used to a cruise fuel consumption of not much more than that, this takes a little while to absorb…

Once warmed up, we’re on the move. The suspension is surprisingly compliant, particularly considering we are at least 350 kgs under gross weight. All the lumps in the Tyabb grass are nicely soaked up as we taxi to runway 35 for departure. After an engine run-up and c/s prop check, we’re ready; a few final checks of the harnesses and doors and off we go. There’s a very strong shove in the back as the engine hits peak take-off rpm and in no time at all we’re flying. The fuel flow meter reads 85 litres an hour…

Inside, the noise is subdued – in part due to the excellent Bose ANR headsets. Outside, I know the aircraft is making quite a noise, a characteristic of a propeller running full speed at fine pitch. Climb out is not particularly steep but the forward speed contributes to a rate of climb well over 1,000 fpm.

After take-off we make a right turn and head out over the water for a clockwise circumnavigation of nearby French Island. Stephen trims out, leans off the engine a little and hands over to me. Now, the control yokes really do feel very small! Although the aircraft feels quite stable, it’s easy to turn, using a bit of rudder to keep the ball in the middle. Steeper turns need a little back pressure to maintain height but in all other senses the aircraft is just a big pussy cat and really nice to fly. At a cruise of around 115 knots, the fuel flow meter reads 49 litres an hour…

All too soon, we are round the island and Stephen takes over for the approach and landing. I am told this aircraft drops like a stone when you take off the power and add flap. If so, it doesn’t feel like it – Stephen’s many hours of practice have smoothed out all the lumpy bits. We turn on to final at around 70 knots, reducing just a little to 65 on short final. The landing felt great to me but Stephen’s a bit of a perfectionist and felt he arrived a bit to soon. But there was no bounce and the aircraft settled nicely on the grass. You can see the video I made of the approach by clicking the picture below.

[wpvideo AO2BgADm]

Overall, I enjoyed this short flight; the Bush Hawk seems easy to fly – at least on this no-wind, smooth-air day. It feels and sounds a bit like a big luxurious truck, with its long nose and 6-cylinder engine beat. The fuel burn took my breath away but if you want an aircraft like this, low fuel consumption is not too near the top of your priority list. However, the Bush Hawk will carry up to 5 people and their baggage, in relative comfort, into and out of bush strips. It has a relaxed cruise in the 115-125 knot range, so you can get to those far-away places reasonably quickly. Which is exactly what it was designed to do. It’s a shame that Found Aircraft could not make their business work – they certainly deserved a better destiny after designing and building this superb aircraft.

Bush flying in the High Sierra

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High SierraIt seems everyone loves the idea of bush flying – and the more remote and different, the better!

Well, click this link to an excellent short video (sent to me by a UK subscriber – thank you!) which covers a group trip in the Sierra Nevada. Keep watching – there’s a great landing towards the end, by the Maule in the photo above. Be sure to click the ‘HD’ (high definition) button and view in full screen!

And here’s a write up of the video by online blog ‘Flight Club’:

“High in the plateaus of the Sierra Nevada, internal combustion engines struggle for breath in the thin mountain air. Where the landing roll is short, but take-off distance is eternal. Follow a group of modern day trailblazers on a high-flying expedition to a giant sandbox for pilots.

Remote backcountry bush flying might conjure images of tiny dirt strips carved into the dense forest of toothpick pines at the base of a snow capped Alaskan mountain. Or strapping on floats and taking a dip into an ancient glacier lake in the heart of the Canadian wilderness, but behold the pilot’s playground in the dry, arid heat of western Nevada. Just southeast of Lake Tahoe, acres upon acres of public property under the domain of the Bureau of Land Management offer various remote landing sites between 4,000 ft and 12,000 ft above sea level.

Now every year 60-70 airplanes gather in mid October to be led by local expert Kevin Quinn on a guided tour to find the last legal landing destinations in the little remaining untamed frontier. The “High Sierra” tour consists of huge roaring campfires at night and short daytime excursions. Even if you don’t have giant bushwheels there is a plethora of dry lake beds, smooth grassy meadows and finely packed sandy strips in entertain pilots of every make and model light aircraft.”

There’s even more information about the video and the people who made it  on the Backcountry Pilot Website (click here).

Maybe we should organise another trip to Lake Eyre??

Aerolite 103 with 4-stroke engine

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Aerolite 103

Aerolite 103 at Oshkosh 2014

Regular readers will know about my interest in cheap (or rather, ‘less expensive’ – nothing in aviation is cheap) single seat ultralight aircraft.

One of my favourites, the Aerolite 103 (Aerolite 120 in Europe) is now available with a 4-stroke Briggs & Stratton 22 hp engine. Although heavier and a bit less powerful than the 2-stroke alternatives, the B&S motor still gives the aircraft a climb rate around 600 fpm and a cruise speed in the same 60 mph range. And of course it does it more quietly, using less fuel and, dare I say it, more reliably.

These very light 1-seat ‘Part 103’ aircraft have been slow to catch on, even in the USA, where you can fly them legally without registration or even a pilot’s license. This, in spite of the low purchase and running costs and (optional) folding wing, which allows storage in a garage or in the corner of a hangar which can’t be used by conventional fixed-wing aircraft. However, Aerolite reports growing sales in USA – more than 40 in 2014 – and now there is a German type-certified version – the Aerolite 120 – it looks like sales are set to grow exponentially over the next few years.

Priced from under US$15,000 (factory built!) for a 2-stroke version and probably under US$16,000 for a 4-stroke version, the Aerolite represents a great starting point for impecunious aspiring young pilots.

Factory-built single seat aircraft which are accepted under FAA Part 103 still cannot be registered in Australia, you have to build from a kit to be legal. In spite of lobbying from several sources, CASA and RA-Aus have still not woken up to the potential of these low cost aircraft as entry points for the more expensive end of the market. I wonder when RA-Aus will stop moaning about declining membership numbers and do what they should be doing to open aviation at grass roots level and work with CASA to ‘de-regulate’ these single seat aircraft? USA has done it. UK has done it. The rest of Europe has, in its own way, done it. Australia is now well behind in this growing ultralight market – what a shame.

Fire fighting aircraft

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Fire fighting aircraftUnfortunately this time of year is bushfire season in Australia – particularly in the southern states, where humidity in the summer tends to be much lower than further north. Already there have been some devastating fires in South Australia and Victoria, fanned by hot and blustery winds. Australia is not the only country to suffer bushfires, which are also known as wildfires or forest fires in other parts of the world.

The use of aircraft to drop water and sometimes other retardants on fires is common, even essential, to help control big fires. However, typically the aircraft used are quite small, often ag-planes and helicopters otherwise used for crop spraying. The amount of water which can be delivered individually by these planes – while essential to fire control – is fairly limited. Also, strong wind conditions can ground many of these smaller aircraft.

Enter the leviathans of aerial fire-fighting.

Probably dimensionally the biggest of them all (the wingspan is greater even than a Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo’ jet) is the Canadian Martin Mars flying boat. Built in the 1940’s as a bomber, these aircraft have also been used for people and cargo transportation and have currently been adapted for use as water-bombers. They can carry almost 30,000 litres of water (around 6,000 gallons), which they can pick up in less than 30 seconds, skimming at 75 knots over a lake. This makes refilling and turnaround very fast. Here’s a link to a YouTube video about the Mars Water Bomber.

Truly the monster firefighting aircraft of them all must be the 747 Supertanker, which holds over 75,000 litres (20,000 gallons) of water. Flying at 500 knots, the 747 can get to fires very quickly and although it takes over half an hour to refill, it can hold near or over fire sites for many hours. It can drop part or all of its load, it can carry water or fire-retardant powder, and its overall speed and flexibility make it invaluable for fighting large fires.

Back in the mid-2000s, the DC-10 was the biggest of the aerial tankers, holding around 42,000 litres (11,000 gallons). This load of water or retardant was dropped using a computer-controlled system so that all or only quite small amounts could be dropped in a pre-programmed pattern. Interestingly, while the 747 and Mars aircraft carry their water inside the fuselage, the DC-10 has an external tank, bolted underneath the fuselage.

A bit further down the size scale is the amphibious Bombardier 415, a twin turbo prop aircraft which can carry 6,000 litres (about 1,500 gallons). The great strength of the Bombardier is its fast turnaround time – 12 seconds of skimming the lake to fill the tank – which enables it to deliver over 100,000 litres an hour. With a big wing and huge flaps, the aircraft is also extremely manoeuvrable which enables it to deliver retardant with pinpoint accuracy.

Last (for this post) but by no means least, is the famous (at least in Australia) ‘Elvis’ – the American-built Erickson S-64 Air-Crane helicopter. Elvis can carry around 9,500 litres  (2,500 gallons), which is a huge amount for any helicopter. However, Elvis is BIG, over 21 metres (70 feet) long and almost 10 metres (30 feet) tall. Elvis refills by hovering over a water supply or lake, making for fast turnarounds. However, the running costs of such a big helicopter are far greater than a fleet of smaller fixed wing aircraft, so Elvis is usually called on for fire fighting in urban-fringe areas, where fixed wing planes are difficult to operate.

Other aircraft operating on fire fighting duty in Australia this summer include: the C-130Q Hercules Air Tanker, an Avro RJ-85 Air Tanker and a Gulfstream Aero Commander AC690. You can find more information about these on the Australian Fire Aviation website.

Lets hope all these aircraft are not called into action very often this summer.

Reflection-free aerial photos

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Photo adapterWhen taking photos from an aeroplane, if you want pin-sharp pictures suitable for magazines or blowing up to poster size or bigger, you have no choice but to shoot through an open window or door.

However, in many aircraft opening a door or window in flight is not permitted for safety reasons. You either have to remove the door before flight (very cold and draughty, specially in winter and/or at altitude) or live with the minor distortions of shooting through the perspex windows. Let’s face it, most photos we take from planes do not need to be ultra-sharp and capable of massive blow-ups, so shooting through the door transparency is probably not a major issue.

The doors on the Foxbat can be removed before (but not opened during) flight, so as a result, most people end up taking photos through the perspex which, in the main, is relatively distortion free. However, the real problem is not distortion but reflection – the doors on the Foxbat are convex and in bright weather are excellent reflectors of anything in the cabin. Light coloured shirts are a particular problem and bright yellow portable EPIRBs, light coloured caps and jeans have all been known to appear. It is these reflections which have rendered many of my potentially best photos unusable. Even flat windows can produce big, unwanted reflections.

Enter Mike Rudd and his Bunnings Aerospace plumbing grommet – technically a ‘dektite’ – for stopping photo reflections in Foxbat (or any other aeroplane) doors/windows. See picture above.

DektiteThe dektite comes in a range of shapes and designs but in essence is a bit like a big rubber conical sucker, with different diameter steps. The one in the picture on the left has a minimum diameter of about 25mm (roughly an inch to our imperial measure friends). Mike’s lens is 77mm in diameter, so he cut the rubber cone at that size and removed the square flaps. The cone is held on the lens with a (very hi-tech) plastic cable tie/zip tie.

When taking photos through the window, you just push the sucker up against the perspex and bingo! all reflections are eliminated. Being rubber, the cone is flexible, so you can move the camera around a fair bit to point in different directions without risking the reflections re-appearing.

Hastings from Westernport BayClick on this hi-res photo Mike took through the middle of a convex perspex door while using the dektite attached to his camera. The file is quite big – around 7Mb – so allow time for the download. The picture is a good example, contrasting the sky and dark colours of the bay, which could easily be swamped by reflections. The photo can be enlarged on screen, so you can see there are no reflections at all and any distortions due to the curved perspex are not intrusive.

Dektites come in a very wide variety of materials, shapes and sizes and, of course prices – which range from about $15 up to several hundred dollars or more for specialist applications and large sizes. They are available (as they say) from all good quality hardware and plumbing stores.

Unfortunately the dektites FAQ page I found offered no advice on uses with a camera, so you’re on your own. Happy reflection-free photos!

A different point of view

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A different point of viewGordon Marshall of Sky Sports Flying School at White Gum Farm near York, Western Australia, sent me this link to a short Foxbat video on YouTube. As you’ll see, it is taken from a different point of view. Pilot is Andrew Cotterell – now on his second Foxbat – carrying out low level runway inspections at White Gum Farm.

This aircraft has flown several hundred hours – nice to see such a clean bottom!