daveb

I'm looking at a turbo for a 0-360 derivative liquid cooled engine on my Long-EZ build. I'd love to get some input as to how this might be arranged under our cowls, exhaust setup and any issues that will arise. Has anyone done this successfully in a Long-EZ? I'd love to talk with them if they have. Dave Flying LE VH-JZE and building LE VH-XEZ www.alongwayroundtheworld.com

Bit of a long shot question. I'm looking to get my LE IFR certified, its currently NVFR and just needs a TSO'ed GPS (Garmin 430) and a CDI. A 2 1/2" (MD222-406) fits the panel, a 3 1/4" presents problems. The installers now tell me that the smaller size may not be legal for IFR according to local rules. Finding this written anywhere is nearly impossible so its easier for them to go with the larger one. I wonder if anyone might know the FAA rules and where I might find it so written? As we often follow your regs now that would be an argument I could start with.

Thanks Carl, excellent start. I'll work from here.

I've been asked for a short description of the Long-EZ to be read out to about 250 pilots while I do a couple of laps. If its a good script they might let me fly a bit longer... We have about 1000 movements a day at the local airfield (YMMB) so low flying down the strip is not usually encouraged. Maybe someone has an appropriate write up handy or could post a link? Many thanks

I tried Aytons before posting and no reply from him so far. I have a NACA currently sitting in front of me which is great in summer. It has a little door hinge that leaks badly (see pic). So I pulled it off and use a block of foam as suggested I think in the plans. The issue, apart from the cold air leaking is that the vent obsures the top of the A/H graduation marks from my sitting position (which is a bit higher than the photo suggests) and I really need it clear for practicing instrument work. Its seems such a minor problem to ask guys who build whole planes yet its a difficult one to work out a simple solution for. I was thinking one of those Ayton vents cut back a little with a bit of silicone to help the seal would be the ticket. No room for an eyeball. (maybe I can give you a look sometime Wayne at YMNG?)

Does anyone know where I might get one of these NACA air scoops or something similar? (There is a reference in the 1986 Cozy Newsletter which I've followed up but I'm not expecting any left overs) Many thanks

A new set of pants need a little work. The two halves require some pushing and shoving to get them togther as the lip on the rear halves don’t quite match the front halves. Once togther, there are significant gaps in the join which are nowhere near straight. One method might be to get the front half square, muscles them togther and fill in the gaps on the back half with flox (or micro) with a release agent on the front side. Once the cut-out for the wheel is made it would be easier to flex the two halves together, maybe? Another method might be to grind out the lip on the back halves get the two surfaces square and build in a new lip although how you’d lay it up on the inside I’m not sure. I’m new to this, any input would be appreciated.

Thanks Chris, I'll have to get a GIB with long fingers (that would be girl in the back)

Was going to buy a Digital 'Smart level' for checking my cruise angle in flight. Did this with Drew (Cozy1200) using the guts of his level. Drews gone back to the USA and took the tools we didn't buy off him, which was inconvenient. Levels are $229 for the two footers here. How about a digital angle level for $15? On special at 'Bunnings Aerospace' in Mentone, Melbourne. Seems to work well and ... comes with batteries Let me know if anyone wants me to pick one up for them.

Part 2 Return YBAF – YMMB 12/5/09 6:38 hrs 816nm 123kts avg speed 22 Litres/hr The trip back was looking a little tighter. I cross four weather sectors and had a narrow time window until it closed in with some cold stuff near Melbourne. I now have a stainless steel guard on my prop so rain erosion is not a biggie anymore. Visibility is still an issue and storms, well, not interested at all in flying through them. I’d had a mild headache for a few days and used to take some over the counter stuff with codeine in it. This always stopped the thing getting worse and I hadn’t had anything serious for years with this technique. Well now we have drug testing for pilots and this stuff can get you grounded with a ‘please explain’ requirement as the markers for codeine test the same as the illegal things. My strategy of prevention was gone but maybe the problem had too. Although, last thing you need in the air is a bad headache and a need to throw up. Having studied everything, took off from Archerfield with all the correct calls, checked my VTC for the Class C step and climbed to just below that. I called a heading of 135 as nominated in the documents. It was looking ugly, headwind all the way and cloud was building fast for that first hour or so over the big stuff. Tower called me up and reminded me that its 1000’ only in the zone outbound. Missed that one. Its one line in the ERSA but somehow it was under my radar. Hmmm not too sharp. The wind was keeping me to about 110 knots ground speed and everything was taking longer. I figured I was just out of the 7,500 foot limit when it seemed I wasn’t. However no drama as I had a plan in the system for nominated cruise at 8,500 and received a clearance which I only needed for about 5 minutes. Again not too sharp and I could have asked for an airways into Class C coming out of Archerfield. Just a bit foggy eh? My head was hurting and I was feeling a little crook. From here all my attention was on safe flying and took her up to where I could clear the hills which sometimes meant a bit of valley flying as those clouds were coming down again. Rain was predicted for later in the day in Brisbane and as I moved on the area forecast was amended to include thunderstorms enroute – that was not in my plan! I worked out the expected times and it looked like I could get into the clear before them. Sure enough the big cumulus were building and soon I had decisions to make. Under or over? Still not feeling well I decided there was more oxygen lower, visibility looked poor but no showers yet and there were several airfields enroute for just in case situations. Feeling worst now. Quite sick and a matching headache, OK decision time. Now I’m at 4,500 feet for a cruise level and past all the big hills after a bit of a challenge getting through the last of them near Inverell. Toughen up! Yeah, plenty of people go on when necessary, athletes, adventurers, people who exercise… The question is how are my skills? Am I safe? Feeling poor made me a bit lazy, I missed a CTAF call and wasn’t happy about that. So I started testing. First up, very disciplined flying, meticulous attention to height and heading. Then fuel calculations and a series of time estimates for each waypoint. Then more arithmetic. I decided that if I couldn’t do all this while in flight, with accuracy, then its going to be get to the nearest airfield. I still had a good four hours to run. More drills and more careful flying, the extra effort got me up to scratch and cleared out the lazy thinking. I was in the flatlands of New South Wales and it was a great gliding day. Pity I was in a heavy powered plane. Given I had a headwind and was worried about fuel consumption it was time for some basic dolphin flying, a glider technique of slowing in the rising air and speeding up in the sink. It was a low cloud day and the flat bottomed cumulus were layed out on track and in nice ‘streets’. There was no option but to use the energy to try and pick up a little more ground speed for a little less fuel. Time moved on, I was swapping the fuel tanks every 30 minutes to the exact minute, making the CTAF radio calls to probably no one, but doing them anyway and staying on the right area frequencies in-between. No way I’ll ever have music in my plane, I just like to hear the engine purring. Hours dragged, the view and the huge desolate spaces impressive as always. My appreciation diminished as feeling less than average coated the joy of flying. The focus was to watch myself, the plan remained careful airmanship. By the time I hit Victoria the first low fuel warning light came on. The forecast said smoke but that seemed odd as we’ve had no fires since summer. Well it must have been back burning day, fires all over and visibility was poor. Getting near Euroa I heard ATC getting a paint of me and talking to a jump plane on climb to 14000 for a drop. I identified myself and got told there were going to be chutes. We established JZE, that would be me, at 6 nm North west of the drop zone. I ask Melbourne radar “At what range would I be clear?” Frankly I didn’t want to meet a parachute person. They are always in a hurry anyway. I could tell Melbourne radar had no idea what a safe range would be and said he’d put me in contact with the jump plane. I diverted around to the West and continued south, never did hear from the jumpers. Time to change frequencies and I called up radar to tell em I was going to a CTAF and he told me that radar services are terminated. Fair enough, I never saw a chute and that’s a good thing. Onward to Melbourne. I kept an eye on the low tank, loosening my straps, turning around and looking at the sight gauge. Nice to know exactly how much fuel is left, and watch the level go down. At about 12 litres I could see I’d have heaps in the other tank and swapped them for the final time of the trip. The valve has always been so stiff that I use both hands to ensure it doesn’t stick in the off position. That could ruin your day. Much less than an hour to go and I’m not feeling good. Very sick, head not great but very unwell in the gut. Mind was still sharp, decisions OK so I flew on. Reported inbound at Academy for Moorabbin 17 left and got told I could take 17 right with a long final and do a frequency change. I guess they are used to me now, sure is nice. Less traffic on that side and no need to cross the active runway or slow down for students. I made it in with a very smooth landing. That part of the flying has been OK for a while. Once the engine was shut down and she was parked, I could let myself feel really sick. Yep first time in 23 years of flying have I christened an airfield with ‘see food’ if you know the old joke. I was not well at all. Somehow I had to get my luggage out, pack the plane up and get home to bed where I could moan in peace. It really took something to get the aircraft covers on and I had to stop and try and be sick several times. I had little to give by then. Finally its all done, its dark and I’m in the car. I’ve made it. I turn the key, the starter motor comes to life and that’s pretty much it. No way was that car going to start. Perfect way to finish off the trip. Still feeling like death warmed up I had to laugh. OK maybe a taxi home? No wait a minute, what about road service, I called them up and was told a 20 minute wait. Well next thing I know I’ve either passed out or gone to sleep. Passed out is too dramatic so lets go with the sleep thing. Soon the car guy with his little yellow flasher is looking for me. We find each other, I give him the story. He jumps in and does his stuff, just tickles the ignition a few times and the motor comes to life. Seems when a fuel pump is old and you leave it for a week it might get stuck and need a jolt, smart fellows those roadside guys. I drive home very very carefully. Crawl up to my room, SMS a couple of people re safe arrival, already called off Search and Rescue (SAR), fall into bed fully clothed, moan in private for a couple of hours and recovered to a better place by the next day. Ahh another trip completed. Can’t wait to go flying again. Pics: Brisbane, a warm and friendly city Flying between the layers Crossing the Great Divide Just Getting through Those Lakes after the hills

Part 1 Outbound YMMB – YBAF 2/5/09 6:09 hrs 821nm 133kts avg speed 21 Litres/hr Finally a simple straightforward flight. I’d done this one in reverse once before so no drama. Probably nothing to write about. Got away early just after 9am. A bit of low cloud about but not at the airport so plenty of nice photo ops doing the VFR route around Melbourne. In fact I’d picked a really nice day, headed off on my trip way before I had to. In fact such a nice day I decided to leave a jumper behind and just wear a tee shirt. Not even close to smart, I had all my maps and had spent hours on the flight plan based on a 9,500’ economical cruise height. About an hour into the flight the air leaks in the cockpit were causing a wind chill factor that made a mockery of the outside temp of 0C. Felt like minus a lot to me. ‘Wish it was only zero’ were thoughts oozing out between the shivers. My canopy cover became a jumper and at least I’d remembered a pair of gloves. It was cold and beautiful up there hour after hour. I crept over a carpet of white cloud then into the clear for spectacular flying. Then it got interesting. I had a mountain range to cross with hills up around five thousand and cloud base probably around six. Sounds good, looked ugly. I had airspace considerations as my ceiling lowered and so did the options. No good climbing up for VFR on top, even with an airways clearance. I’m not legal to descend IFR if cloud is overcast at the destination, that’s just asking for it. I weaved my way through the valleys and made it to Brisbane, Archerfield, the GA airport, with a little fuel left in the tanks and the tower friendly and helpful. I was pretty pleased with my Melbourne to Brisy of 821 nautical non stop. The controller started asking about the Long-EZ and told me of someone who’d made a trip from Cairns to Melbourne without refuelling 20 years ago, about 1360nm. Not feeling quite as pleased now. That’s a definite one stop for me at the moment. I sense a challenge for the future and carefully packed it away for my to-do list. No idea how, its just on the list. Tower controllers who chat… that’s new too. Pics: Outbound VFR route – Sugarloaf reservoir Morning sun and cloud On Top Panel enroute Getting through 140nm out of Brisbane

You and Amy will be missed around here. We now have more of a Canard group here in Melbourne than before you guys were around and that’s some sort of achievement ~ very much down to your openness and generosity. Oh yeah, you can say you were at the first Canard Muster too. My fuel value is getting quite tight and I'm thinking Vegemite might be the answer? I can't believe people really eat it. Currently in Brisbane after another six hour hop with the Long tied up next to a Quickie at Archerfield (YBAF). Some excitement getting over the 5000 ' hills with low cloud. Guess that’s another story of Priority One.

Awake now. Wow thanks everyone for the input. I'll try and address some of the missing info. Drew has filled a few gaps. All I've built is a Rutan bookend so far and that was a challenge. Technical is not my happy place. I do have about 1800 hours in things that fly. This plane was built by a LAME and the second owner flew an F/18 Hornet for a day job. So it can’t be too bad even if she is a bit heavy, she has about 900 hours flying. W&B are within limits although I haven’t done measurements myself (or quite understand how from the owners manual). Stall is about 55 knots and one up. I go for just under 60 knots touch down with a 70 knot approach. She lands no problems with or without the landing brake. I just put the trim all the way back on downwind and fly the plane. Trim fully forward, the canard looks to be UP with the stick forward. At 2500 rpm I have enough trim, just. At 2600+ rpm I have to hold the stick with forward pressure to maintain S&L. At 2700 I get 150kts at 7000’DA. The vibration in the canard (I can see it) is when I push all the way forwards and just relaxing a tad stops it. It’s quite subtle but shouldn’t be there. The elevator has natural returning forces as Drew S. refers to. It flys OK, light or heavy. At MAUW I can get enough trim to fly hands off at 2650rpm with a bit more forward trim available. I guess this is a clue? The exact weight numbers are in the handbook in the plane which I’ll grab next trip.

I can not trim my aircraft. Full forward is insufficient at any more than economy cruise one up. I have to hold the stick forward in fast cruise. At full forward stick I get buffetting on the canard which is a concern. Backing off slightly prevents this. With a big GIB at around 1580lbs AUW it trims nicely. 1989 LE, Roncz canard, P51, 0-235, 932lbs BEW, battery in the front, old IFR steam gauges, PIC is 165lbs 1. Am I nose heavy? 2. Do I just need stronger/shorter trim springs? 3. What’s with the canard buffeting? 4. If I need so much trim am I producing excess drag? Any help always appreciated.

OK clarifications… the sim.. it moves and it sorta has a canard. Drew seems overly keen to cut off my pants too, bit of a worry. We aren’t so sure how to put the new ones on. The real reason for the cruise angle is for gear leg fairings, carefully ignored I notice. We are still researching despite generous help and the usual on-line look around. Suggestions and info for either gratefully received.

One week later...there are three wings on a wall - please explain? The aircraft cradle worked out well with the plane easily moveable although Bruce was a little camera shy after making the obligatory aircraft noises...

Bruce, alias Lifessamsara, has moved his project from storage to a real workplace. The usual suspects were enlisted, all done eleven hours later. Does that go in the builders log? Pics – 1. A little table and a jig or two (Bourne conspiracy if you ask me) 2. Fits nicely on a small trailer, just a touch wide 3. Outside the new home, strangely named ‘Docklands’ 4. A LE holder going into Bruce’s construction corner.

Nice shot Bruce, comparing my basic plans build LE to Wayne's super machine. Easy to see how much longer the nose is on WEZ. I did ask if he wanted to swap planes - Drew must have overheard, he's still laughing.

The idea of a spare is that it is independent of things that might go wrong in the plane. So perhaps it should be separate from all the installed systems? I take an ICOM A23 & pack it with the rubber duckie antenna separate, it fits nicely in a side pocket. I have used in when the installed radio failed and had good coverage after realizing I had to hold it up with my left hand to get the antenna clear of the surrounding metal bits. The other extra is a fitting that goes from headset to the radio for the speakers and mike. Using the handheld radio's PTT is easy and allows another redundancy. An extra might be to consider a fused output for radio power to backup the battery and maybe things that passengers might want to use? CD player/computer/toaster...

Yeap, Mittagong. This is the last shot I took from around there when I was having serious thoughts about options. It all seems to get boxed in, coastal. Same in Melbourne and Brisbane some days. I wish they had an IFR special rating for poking through clouds to get VFR on top and another for letting down at the airfield, they can keep the rest. Oh.. maybe thats regular IFR? Sure have to jump through some hoops to go flying when the gods of WX are grumpy.

PART 3 Brisbane – Melbourne Another eventful weekend on the ground and again I was looked after by kind people. Sunday was a trip out to refuel the plane, pump the tires and check for any of those little guys doing an after party in my fuselage. Seems they all made it home OK. The flight plan says 828 nautical. Will I make it without refuelling? We are talking bragging rights OK? Showers in Brisbane for the next few days yet clear just to the South West. Maybe a little headwind at the start, maybe a little moisture. All the urgency is over but its time to go and I set my sights on Tuesday morning. It was an ugly day. By the time I was ready to roll the plane was covered in water. I think that’s known as rain, not often seen in these times of drought down south. Well I was in Queensland, “Beautiful one day, perfect the next” is the tourist slogan. Yeah, right. Keep your rain dances, just let me lodge a flight plan and I’ll get our dams full. The weather man promises worsening weather for Brisbane and clear skies down to Melbourne if I can just get going. So I wait an hour and use the time to clean the bugs off the wings, water supplied and no one’s flying except the big twins. It seems to ease off into a drizzle and I can see blue patches in the sky. Time to launch, I can always wander back, prop between my legs if it gets nasty. I ask Archer ground for taxi guidance and get told to go to taxiway bravo from where I can proceed either right or left. None and I mean not any of the taxiways are marked with nice little signs and I sort of figure it out from ERSA and make my way down to one zero right. Airborne and I’m soon dodging showers and restricted airspace at 1000’. The tower calls me up to ask what cloud base is. I’m thinking, ‘It could be high or it could be low.’ but tell him 1500’ instead. No one likes a wise guy. The hills are getting higher and its decision time. I know I have four thousand five hundred coming up and bases look around the high threes at best by now. Poke through a blue hole, scud run the hills or land back? Still enjoying a headwind with my speed machine doing an embarrassing 105 knots over the ground, I throttle up for the climb through a hole. Having asked her the question, my long just ignored the extra throttle. Not happy! I was full to the gills with fuel at MAUW. Then again, without a hydrogen converter maybe a Lycoming doesn’t run on water? Time for a little carby heat. Everything looked OK, sounded Ok I was going up and made it through to eight and a half, it just seemed sluggish. Ahh that beautiful carpet of white tops stretched before me, the sun overhead and glimpses into the depths of a dark brooding world below. This was the place to be. I leaned out my girl until her donk was unhappy and just richened a tad. EGT’s didn’t rise much as they used to before the new Lightspeed ignition. I still have one mag for old times sake. The sound of an unhappy engine was a good enough indicator and the mixture was a long, long way back. I settled in and amused myself by trying to refold very large maps as I flew off the edges. This time instead of going coastal I went south for a while, turned right at Casino then over the great Dividing Range and finally ran out of cloud into the flat stuff after Narrabri. Even had a few minutes of tail wind here. If you can imagine a map of OZ. Start about half way down the east side then sort of head off towards the southern most point before you get to the water bit with a triangle on the bottom. You can tell my nav training was worth every cent. The headwind eased and I seemed to be getting about 140 over the ground with 125 indicated. It was going to be a long day, if you’ll pardon the pun. After a few hours I successfully used the in flight facilities only to have container spillage during a transfer while hitting a particularly strong thermal. That’s all the details I’m giving. Its sometimes better to travel alone. Australia is so vast, so full, so empty. We are the fortunate ones, we fliers. After five hours I’m having a really good look at the fuel burn. I’ve been running between 2500 and 2600 revs most of the time. Despite the slight headwind I’m going to easily make it home. Its been a long flight and I’m soon descending around Melbourne airspace via the VFR route. Sure enough, Radar calls up about some fool pilot about where I am at 2,800’ in the 2,500’ step. Oh, did I mention how my carefully certificated and just repaired altimeter was now over reading by 500 feet? Not a problem as I was using the GPS to ensure correct heights. Seems the transponder hadn’t healed itself either and was bragging about how high it thought it was. Radar was very nice when I explained I was in fact under the steps, confirmed by GPS and suspected the transponder was a liar. About this time I seemed to get my throttle back and had plenty of power again. I’m thinking sticky cable or tired pilot, you choose. Its been nearly six and a half hours. Reported inbound to Moorabbin at Academy. A Cessna was just ahead of me and the controllers were firing like machine guns. I got my call in and was placed behind the 172. He seems to be confused about where base leg was and went for a little fly looking for an airport. I pulled my girl back as far as she’d go. It feels like pushing a wheel barrow of wet cement after such a long cruise, below one hundred is not a dignified speed for a Rutan. On final and number two I request a go around, it’ll end in tears if I get much closer. Smart controller diverts me from runway left to right and lets me stay on frequency. Quality call. A smooth landing, I even remembered to put the wheel down although the other checks seemed strangely absent. I’m rolling into my spot on the grass with three hours of fuel still in the tanks, 828 miles down the road with a headwind. Yep, I’m bragging. For those who care, 1700 nm, 13.2 hours including taxi makes it 128.8 kts average or nearer 141 without. Best fuel economy was the last leg at 21 litres per hour (5.5 gallons) mostly at 8,500 feet. Pics: The three legs, climbing through a hole outbound from Brisbane, part of the Great divide and empty spaces just past it.

PART 2 Sydney - Brisbane After the weekend I moved nearer the centre of Sydney with a wonderful friend and everything smelt good. Over four million people yet the measure of any town is how many sushi bars are within walking distance. When you quickly make double digits it has to be worth visiting. The synoptic from Monday on was dancing strange rhythms. Tuesday had light rain on-route for most of the way. If I want my prop ground down I’ll have it done professionally thank-you. Wednesday and Thursday look good until you hit the big wet at the end. Getting there has my attention. Thursday looks like a plan. Saturday is too late. Friday a last chance. IFR training, a TSO’ed GPS a better VOR and a metal leading edge look attractive every trip. Can’t see a lot of change from twenty five grand to play this game. Add pocket and brain strain together and out pops a VFR pilot every time. Thursday with possible thunderstorms in Brisbane was a go. It rained all night there on Wednesday so I’m thinking an early window before it builds up and goes bang again. After all no daylight saving over into Queensland so I get a weather free hour in the Twilight Zone. Wheels up early from Bankstown, a glimpse of the harbour bridge in the distance and I’m soon asking for an airways around Williamtown military base. I get to call clearance delivery ‘Willy’ without really knowing them personally. The word is maintain 500’ over water tracking coastal. I love low flying so do what I’m told. Willy complained that I was at 800’ I told him I had 450 feet on my GPS. After all I’d just had a very expensive biennial instrument fix and checkup. Seems its like taking a tom cat to a vet, everything works when you get there, nothing is the same when you get home and you pay for the privilege. I guess he was interested in where I was as a fast black airforce F-something then went straight over the top, I might have even called out F something as I thought of the bill from the instrument shop. More beautiful coast line, more restricted areas, I get near Coffs Harbour class C and do a big go around at eight and a half instead of barrelling through. It was getting a bit warm down there anyway. Perfect flying day, even a little tailwind. As usual getting near Archerfield, Brisbane’s GA airport and a few clouds to come down under. Maybe that’s where Aussieland got its nickname?, The obligatory firing range to avoid, the published inbound point and I land neatly on 28 left being number one and cleared within a minute or so. The tower didn’t need a wave, after all I just called them ‘Archer’ so I must be a mate. They kindly guided me to a tie down area where 500,000 bull ants were having a meeting. It must have been something serious as they were running around waving their antenna nearly as fast as the sweat dripped down my back. Being allergic to their handshake I tied my girl down without the usual two cents worth and headed off to both add and remove liquid having not used the in flight facilities on this leg. Pics: A view of the weather from a city building, just outbound, Willy flyby and inbound to Brisbane

PART 1 Melbourne - Sydney This time I thought I had it nailed. Do all the preparations you like, cover every angle and somehow life sneaks into your weak areas for an exposé. Had to be there early Saturday morning and Wednesday looked like the best day from Sunday. By Monday the synoptic had a dose of duff duff rhythms and Tuesday became the narrow window. The rest of the week was getting ugly. Must be global warming. Early morning drizzle for takeoff and late low cloud for landing, easy in-between. I’d just better get away on time or else. Got an auto-feeder for my fish tanks, mail diverted, business games arranged for the net so how in the world did I get a panicked SMS? Yeap guess who was trying to sneak off one day early? There was a pack of documents for signing in an overnight bag waiting for me somewhere. No docs at home, I’d had the mail diverted! Well it was still too early to launch anyway with a few scattered morning showers. Get the plane refuelled and ready, drive home to check the mail. Opps it was diverted dummy. Down to my PO Box and autograph time. Do it, post it. Back to the airfield. Big breath. Just under three hours to Sydney from Moorabbin. Bankstown airfield is meant to be Australia’s busiest or something, nothing to worry about. Except all those live firing ranges nearby. I’m thinking conspiracy here. Why put munitions in the air where planes are meant to be right next to cities? You know the old saying, why are there more planes in the sea than submarines in the air? Just after midday I was rotating off 17 Left. Climbed steadily to 500’ turned to the north and took up track straight into a rain shower. Its always the dilemma, slow down to save the prop or keep the butterfly open to prevent icing. Go fast wins and around the VFR corridor for the Kilmore Gap. Aptly named as it’s a gap in the hills outbound with overhead class C. Clear of the suburbs and the sky responds as promised, I pick 5500’ and begin a strange tour of my gliding days twenty years earlier. Past Mangalore when I once landed when the day ran out of lift, on to Euroa where I learnt to fly 3 minute flights off a winch. Get hooked in Summer, train in Winter. Not smart. On to Benalla where I had a hangar for my glass bird and soon it’s The Rock. Finally a properly named town, it has a big rock that you can see from a long way off. We used it as a turning point for 300km out and returns from Tocumwal, in those days an international gliding destination. I fly on north of Canberra airspace. Our national capital build between Melbourne and Sydney, that’s one way to settle an argument. It seemed to have a citadel of mountains designed for keeping things out which might explain why common sense never made it in. Heading into the north east now and the clouds begin to force me down long before the airspace does. Pretty soon I’m at 1500’ indicated over a sea of tree tops and little hills. I like the view but just not feeling happy. Thirty DME and I look at the hills ahead and can no longer see space under them, just grey. I look behind and around, it’s a classic pincer movement. Get yourself boxed in ahead and what happens if it goes grey for a retreat? Getting serious. I have Wedderburn airstrip just ahead, that’s one out. I call up Sydney radar and ask for the weather just to the north, he seemed to want to know where I was going. Fair enough. Gave him an ident too as he asked nicely. Not a lot of mind power available for conversation here. He calls up nearby Camden and asks about cloud base. They have two and a half so that’s another out. I press on and ask for flight following into Bankstown if available. He gives me my very own code to squawk and I’m identified. Then losses me right away, I’ve snuck under the radar. Well flight following is really good, you get to chat with someone who doesn’t know where you are. He finds me again and is very patient talking to half a brain. I’d really studied the approach to avoid the restricted areas, stay west of the railway line and all that. Now I’m too busy for train spotting. Between ATC and my friend Mr Garmin we didn’t get shot down. I find 2RN inbound reporting, thank Sydney and call up the tower at 1000’ as ERSA told me. The notams had 11R/29L closed so that leaves 11C and 11R. I get a clearance for a direct approach onto 11C. This had me foxed. How do I go direct when I’m at right angles to the airfield? Anyway happy days I can see runways. Now the tower wants to know if I can see him. Is he going to wave at me? I can’t see any tower, just really nice big runways. OK, he really wants me to see the tower, I want to do a base leg. He decides I should now overfly the field and land on 11L. Power on to 1500’. While on an overfly crosswind I get the landing instructions, I ask if I can descend, he’s happy, I’m happy, no throttle required and I get to do some gliding again. I’m soon calling Bankstown ground for taxi guidance to the tie down area. “Straight ahead” and “How long will you be visiting us?” I hear from a cultured English voice. “One week” I say, “How delightful” he replies and says “Make sure you lock the plane and take the key with you, we have a lot of curious students.” I feel welcomed, it’s a huge airfield. Once parked I look around for the tower, which is really quite small. From 1000’ it would look like any nearby building. No wonder he wanted a bit of attention. Not a lot of people which was strange, not much traffic either. It must be the weather. I spot a fuel truck and top up the tanks with enough for the next leg. Get it while you can. Grabbed my gear and then started walking, and walking and walking. Hey, no exits! I remember that ‘Delightful’ is something a spider might say to a fly. I find the terminal building and its all locked up. Eventually wander into a hanger big enough for a blimp, a hangar with nothing in it except a guy who agreed to let me out. Seems there is some security person who takes care of incoming itinerates that I’d missed. Guess I was still under the radar. Ended up at a flight school, called a taxi. All I got was a robot voice that knew where the call was coming from and kindly booked me a cab. I am pretty sure it wasn’t Steven Hawkins. Wow, automation. An hour later I called back and was uncooperative until I got a human and a promise. It was a good hour. All the local instructors were chatting about the dumb things their students do and having a good laugh. I would have joined in but some of those things were strangely familiar. My cab driver was a highly educated man and we learned a lot about each other while my final seven miles turned into a $65 chat at 10% of the earlier ground speed. A therapist might have been cheaper. What can you say about the motel? One of us smelt of urine and one of us was below expectations. We sorted it out and it turned into a fine place for a few days. This part of Sydney kept reminding me of a visit in the seventies when I a teenager. Same old feel, same architecture, water pipes in shop windows, incense wafting in the air. I had things to do and one eye on the weather map for next week coastal outbound to Brisbane. Pics: Leaving Melbourne, the Rock, a distant national capital and inbound to Sydney

Good one Bruce. JZE will attend where ever it ends up. As you'd expect, there will be a back seat available from YMMB.

Just an update with a 'gotchya'. Did another run on Saturday, fast cruise and 26lts/hr over 150 minutes including taxi so almost pre new ignition numbers. No faster really in the cruise either. The Lightspeed has some nice yellow tygon tube that is for taking MP to the plasma box. In a normal world you'd look at a bit of soft pipe and a hot engine and go for something heat resistant instead. The directions for the ignition say take a line off the engine and that most have a port near the carby which isn't a smoking hot area. My engine didn't have such a port, the installer sacrificed one of my four primer ports and used that. Turns out they get hot, but with 'one way thinking', if its supplied for MP it must be OK, right? ..and thats where it went. Had the cowls off today to try and get the idle better and found the melted hose pictured below. We replaced it with something robust, got the carby sorted out and went flying. Looks like an extra 4 knots IAS at 2,650, still +50rpm static and slightly smoother running. Looking forward to another trip next week... I sure hope its also a little smoother than the last ones.