Ultralight News

Within the AUF, there was a lot of soul-searching. Some members supported George all the way, while others disagreed equally strongly. There was a large group who were as frustrated as George by the Do’s intransigence but could not agree with the proposal to cut the AUF’s ties to the DotA.

Several affiliated clubs petitioned for the AUF executive to stand down and for the immediate election of a new executive at a special general meeting. Before petitions from one-third of the membership were received, George Markey called for the normal elections to be held. The voting resulted in Rod Birrell as President-elect (Graham Kevin, the Queensland area representative, polled well in second place), with the remainder of the executive unchanged (Vice president: Garry Leach; Treasurer: Kelvin Hutchinson; Secretary: John McAuley).

Quite a lot has been achieved within the AUF under George’s leadership and for this he should be congratulated. It is unfortunate that his brinkmanship caused such strong internal dissension and that the final stages of his term of office should be marred by that.

Stalls and Spins

In our May issue, I mentioned Bill Dinsmore’s concern regarding spin training. This topic has created some controversy within the AUF from both instructors and pilots. There is a fairly widely held view that spin training is an unnecessary expense to the ultralight pilot. This view was expressed quite lucidly by Mike Latham in a letter published in the March issue of the AUF newsletter. The main thrust of Mike’s letter was that ultralight pilots should be taught more now to avoid a spin by being trained in stall recognition and prevention/recovery.

My experience has been that, with proper training and ample practice, one can recognise the onset of a stall (reduced wind sound and control response, etc. ) well before it becomes a problem. It seems that Bill Dinsmore’s experience probably relates more to the situation in soaring gliders, where the pilot is regularly flying in tight circles at low airspeeds, trying to optimise thermals. If any ultralight pilot has plans for soaring (which would require dispensation against the current 500-foot limit), then he should heed Bill’s warnings.

Another First for the Sirocco

During the weekend of May 3 to 4, this writer established a first, by flying across Bass Straight in his Sirocco. The route was from Port Welshpool Victoria to Cape Portland. Tasmania, with an overnight stop at Flinders Island on the journey south. The return trip was made non-stop to Port Welshpool, with another overnight stop at Tyabb, before finally reaching Riddell Creek, where the Sirocco. The total distance flown 57 knots and at a nude focal an average ground speed of (155nm 57 knots at an ahtude of 3 For3,000 0 to 3,500 feet. Approximately 40nm of the trip was over scattered stratus cloud, due to the need to have ample case of engine p problems.

In The flights were quite uneventful; the lack of turbulence over the sea was most enjoyable and the navigation was quite straightforward with the excellent visibility. Ideal weather was the main consideration in choosing which weekend to go as there had not been any equally suitable weekends for a for a long time. In fact, t the following weekend two seamen lost their lives in 6-metre waves.

The flight was conducted with appropriate dispensations from the DotA (who were very helpful). With a flight plan being submitted for each leg. I also enjoyed communication with an escort plane (flown by Robin Birchall, the SAAA Ultralight Division President) via CB radio. The escort plane, in turn, provided the appropriate Flight Service Unit with position and progress reports.

Round the World by Sirocco

My recent expedition to Tasmania and back, while requiring a lot of planning, pales into insignificance when compared with that of Patrice Franceschi, a French journalist specialising in foreign policy. He decided to fly around the world. Since it was not feasible to fly across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, he had lengthened the overland segments so that his ultralight flying distance roughly equals the circumference of the earth- about 40,000km Francesi departed from Paris in September 1984. His route took him through France, Spain, Morocco, Northwestern Africa, Mauretania, to Dakar, Senegal. From there, he shipped his Sirocco across the Atlantic to Brazil. From Brazil, he went through French Guiana, Surinam, Guyana, and Venezuela. Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and as far north as San Francisco in the USA. From California, he again shipped his plane, this time across the Pacific to Singapore.

In a later instalment, I hope to be able to report on his travels through Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

By the t time Patrice reached San Fransisco, he had flown 21,000km, which had taken 350 hours of flying time over 14 months. Apart from some fuel dumps dropped off in the Sahara Desert by friends, Patrice has made the whole trip without a ground crew. Getting fuel has been a problem at times. However, as Patrice said, it merely takes a little longer in the more remote areas.

Patrice travels for about 1 month at a time, with only the clothes and spares which can be carried in the Sirocco. These he carries in 3 bags- one attached inside each wing and the third in the cockpit between his legs. Major spares and clothing are in 2 large boxes, which he ships over each 3,000 to 4,000km stage Varys that he is not bored with the flying. There has been of country to fly over and people to meet it has continued to be interesting. However, the administrative delays, in gaining approval to fly through the various countries, have been very frustrating. In the worst case so far, he was delayed for 2 months while trying to convince the authorities to allow him to proceed. Part of the problem relates to the fact that some countries do not have an ultralight aircraft category and so have difficulty in fitting his operation into a convenient compartment in their regulations.

New Ano’s

The draft of ANO 101. 55 (the replacement for the airworthiness part of ANO 95. 25) has not been well received by the ultralight aircraft community (with the exception of those already committed to using ANO 95. 25). The new ANO deals with airworthiness requirements for aircraft for which the maximum all-up weight does not exceed 290kg for single place or 400kg for two places. These requirements seem to be effectively the same as in ANO 96. 25, but with a level of detail that could be expected under airworthiness rules such as FAR 23. One feature not appearing in 95. 25 is that 101. 55 is limited to single-engine/single-propeller aircraft. So far two place trikes (powered hang gliders) do not have a home, as 101. 55 is limited to 3 axis control (as is 96. 25).

Aeronautical engineers tell us that, from an engineering point of view, ANO 101. 55 has been sufficiently well developed and refined to provide a defined and workable standard. They also tell us that this certification process will not be cheap. (Dave Belton states that the approval process for his Gemini cost $160,000 under 95. 25).

It would appear that the DotA has two major areas of concern: manufactured ultralights and ultralights used for training. Neither of these factors apply in the case of ANO 101. 28 aircraft (amateur-built) and so a greatly simplified procedure applies to the majority of these aircraft in Australia.

The cost of aircraft certification will eventually be borne by that part of the ultralight aircraft community that approved aircraft. So far, one aircraft has been approved, so the community will pay an extra $160,000. With due respect to Dave Belton, not everyone will want to buy a Gemini. Perhaps they prefer a Lightwing, a Karatoo, a Mistral or a 2-place Stratos. So more aircraft types can be expected to gain type approval. The market size for two place trainers is very finite. The more types available, the fewer the number of each type sold and the higher the amount of approval cost to be paid by each buyer. Cost and market pressures and possibly some more bankrupted ultralight businesses will eventually establish an equilibrium. However, freedom of choice will ultimately sutter.

There are obvious gaps in the ANO’s. We need simple approval procedures for ‘one-off designs (such as in the experimental category in the USA) and for plan or kit built single place designs (eg. history of satisfactory operation, as for overseas designs under 101. 28). Finally, we need a recreational (ie. non-training) two-place ultralight. If all pilots would be willing to carry registration numbers on their aircraft, it should be feasible to have a hierarchy of airworthiness approval levels (recognisable by the registration code), which would have different operational capabilities. In effect, this would provide pilots with an incentive to go for higher levels of airworthiness.

The Lgt Stratos Takes Off

Earlier this year, Brian Grey (of Ansett and East-West Airlines fame). Through his company Howick Investments Pty Ltd, made a joint venture investment in Charles Ligeti’s company Ligeti Aeronautical Pty Ltd. Brian will also provide some management and marketing support.

Following this investment and the comprehensive operational testing of the prototype, Charles has made a number of small, but significant, design changes to the Stratos. These include increases in the length, width and height of the fuselage and a slightly more upright sitting position, all of which allow ample room for pilots of at least 183cm in height. Other changes include a reshaped rear end, to provide even better streamlining and a cleaner airflow to the ducted fan. The engine mounting position has also received attention, now allowing the fitting of the 4 Cylin der Konig in an optimal position. These rear-end changes are expected to give up to 40% more thrust. They will also allow the Stratos to float in a horizontal position if ever a pilot had to ditch his aircraft.

In spite of the fuselage size increases and a 5% increase in the wing area, the whole aircraft will be 20kg lighter (ie: less than 80kg). This has been achieved by moulding the wings with only a sandwich of foam, instead of solid foam as in the prototype. The moulds also provide an almost final surface, thus saving weight through the use of less paint and filler. Furthermore, since most of this weight saving is behind the centre of gravity, it will not be necessary to add weight to the nose, as in the prototype. The larger fuselage will also provide more room for luggage. In April, Charles started an initial production run of 20 aircraft, the first of which will not be sold but will be used as a production prototype (to iron out any possible production line and component problems). When he moves to his new production premises he expects to be able to produce up to 40 aircraft per year. At time of writing, he had completed the blowing of a number of bubble canopies, was well underway with the wing moulds and had finished shaping the fuselage plug.

Charles is a meticulous engineer and is satisfied with only the best quality. Although the price of the Stratos is similar to that of the Falcon and Hiperlight, Charles is aiming to have an edge on their excellent quality; there is already a good margin on top-speed performance.

In the time since he started taking orders, Charles has been almost overwhelmed by the level of customer interest. This was very evident at Mangalore over Easter. Planning for a two-place Stratos is also well underway and we can expect to see one flying by mid-1987.

The Sapphire Returns

In our May issue, I reported that Scott Winton had put aside his ANO 95. 25 type approval project. The main problem was the DotA’s requirement that the consulting engineer performing the airworthiness appraisal must certify that the aircraft has no unsatisfactory features. In law, it would be necessary to show negligence on the part of the engineer it a fault did show up. However, in spite of the protection provided by professional liability insurance the DotA requirement is such an open-ended commitment that the engineers are, understandably, balking As pilots, we know that, while our aircraft are great recreational (and possibly workhorse) mac machines, they are not perfect. If they were, they would be too expensive to buy (on the basis that anything can be achieved it cost is no limitation). It seems to me that, if the ultralight aircraft community recognises this, then the DotA should also.

Anyway, with the added cash flow from his ANO 96. 10 model, Scott, with encouragement from Don Bowd, has resurrected his ANO 95. 25 type approval project. We hope to be able to report on his success in the near future.

The Mistral

In March, after 9 months of test-flying the prototype, Aviasud Engineer- ing commenced deliveries of the production version of the Mistral, their two-place biplane ultralight aircraft. At that stage, they had already received orders for 22 aircraft. In Europe, the Mistral is not limited to training. so it is available for recreational and aerial work uses. Some flying characteristics: It will recover from a spin without pilot intervention at low power and with the controls released in less than half a its roll rate is 50 degrees per second (due to its all flying lower mainplane); the stall speed is 32mph; the maximum speed in level flight is 98mph Improvements over the prototype are: Use of the Rotax 532 60hp eng ine; disc brakes; metal reinforced propeller, modifications to the wing incidence and forward sweep; an increase in the height of the landing gear and a 64 litre fibreglass fuel tank (which gives it a 700km range).

Air Recreation Vehicles

A number of organisations and interested parties (including AOPA and the EAA in the USA and the SAAA in Australia) have been trying to convince the Aviation Authorities to develop an ARV category of aircraft and pilot certificates. Although the limitations of the Australian . 55 series (400kg by weight and no 2-place recreation) are lower than those proposed by the EAA and SAAA, the pilot training requirements and operational limitations (apart from 500 feet) are not too dissimilar. Is this the Australian DotA’s answer to requests for an ARV category? FAA’S Recent reports from the USA indicate some dissatisfaction with the proposed regulations for a recreational pilot’s certificate. The FAA’s ideas and regulations for the aircraft category are also not matching the EAA’s expectations (which may have been too ambitious). The problems in both these areas may be related to asking for too ‘complex’ an aircraft (weight, engine, speed, etc. ). However, at least it is out in the open in the USA.

Laminated Mylar

In a recent press release, Rotec Engineering, manufacturers of the Rally and Panther range of ultralight aircraft, describe their use of Mylar. The base material is 3 ounce Dacron, to which is laminated a 1mm thick layer of Mylar. This results in a completely non-porous surface, which is very easy to clean. No surface coating of any kind is required. Dirt or grit will not adhere to the shiny surface, which can be wiped clean with soap and water. The material sample provided certainly is smooth and appears to be non-porous. Rotec claims that the material is stronger, non-stretching and more puncture resistant than ‘straight Dacron and that the fabric life should exceed 7 years. Rotec claim that it also improves the speed and performance of their Panther range. For a Panther, the Mylar laminated Dacron represents an additional cost of about US$500.

For more information, contact Rotec Rally Australia, PO Box 755, Broadbeach 4217. Phone (075) 57 3680.

Meanwhile, Rotec Engineering, the USA company, have been having some financial problems. Late in 1985, they filed for what we call a scheme of arrangement with creditors. If all goes well, Rotec Engineering will be able to restructure their debts and continue in business.

Ultralight Aircraft Auction

An auction of ultralight aircraft was held on Sunday 18th May at the Veenstra Aircraft factory in Nagambie, Vic. Many people brought their used aircraft to offer at the auction and these were added to some Veenstra aircraft. In all, at least 12 aircraft, plus various instruments and accessories were offered. Unfortunately, the weather was cold and wet, so only about 60 interested people were present. Two aircraft and some engines, instruments and accessories were sold. Generally, the bidding did not reach the reserve prices. Allow them a greater role in the operation of the ADF. To this extent, the Report envisages a programme of allowing Air Force Reserve pilots to fly such aircraft as the C-130s and 707s, something that must hold a lot of appeal to many young civilian aircrews in the commercial environment who want a little more excitement and variation in their day. Our personal view is that it is a tragedy that it has taken this long for someone in power to officially sanction such a logical policy that could ultimately go a long way to relieving existing and perceived RAAF aircrew shortages by the use of experienced civilian assets.

For the Navy, the Report suggests the construction of 8 light patrol frigates in the 2000-tonne class. These vessels would be fast, have good endurance and sea-keeping capabilities and be armed with SAM, SSM and a rapid-fire gun. They would also be equipped with a single light helicopter in the Seahawk class though not equipped to the same high standard as the Seahawks presently on order for our 6 FFGs. This class of helo would also ultimately be required to replace the existing Wessex utility force, a requirement for which 15 would be needed. Additionally to the RAN will continue with its Sea King mine countermeasures trials as reported in our January issue and will focus on a greatly enhanced MCM role for the navy.

Essentially the Report has achieved what it was appointed to do: define a precise objective from which an integrated defence force can then prepare to defend against low-level threats in the short term and greater threats in the longer term. While this may appear a simplistic requirement the effect upon existing and mooted defence programmes is considerable. In summary the following aviation-related recommendations have been made-

• F-111: To conduct a moderate level of avionics and support facility upgrade capability for this aircraft which will take it through till around 1995.

•F-18: To purchase an additional 25+ aircraft to replace the F-111s. These would be advanced two-seat strike versions of the existing Hornet which the USN hopes to deploy during the early nineties.

• 707: The 4 Boeing 707’s will be converted to probe and drogue tankers to support long-range F-18 operations.

• AEW: The requirement for dedicated AEW&C aircraft has slipped pending the feasibility of Jindalee as an operational system. AEW will however eventually be acquired by the RAAF.

• RAAF Helicopters: The Army will take control of the Iroquois and Black Hawk helos with an eventual purchase of up to 120 machines envisaged. Chinooks will remain with the RAAF.

• RAAF Fixed Wing Transports: The existing Caribou and C- 130E fleet to be replaced progressively with up to 20 advanced version C-130 Hercules aircraft.

RAN Helicopters: New helos to be acquired for the 8 light patrol frigates and 15 new helos for utility roles as a Wessex replacement. Both would not be required till the early nineties and would most probably be in the form of a simplified Seahawk. Sea Kings would continue in service till the mid-nineties in the MCM role. Sea Kings to be deployed aboard chartered merchant vessels if threat warning time allows in ASW role.

The long-awaited Dibb Report has now been tabled in Parliament, it is now history. Its value now will be in promoting an intense level of discussion within the defence community to the eventual aim of producing an authoritative defence White Paper for release later this year.