We are in lockdown... for good reason.
We want to see restrictions lifted as soon as possible- so please adhere to the advice, or restrictions will be enforced for a much longer period.

When this is over, there will be plenty of days for flying.

Decided against installation of this system..... as it interferes with the 2 stroke cycle on the Top 80...

Smoke Systems

High performance two stroke engines scavenge the exhaust stream in order to increase power output.  If smoke producing fluids are injected into the exhaust stream before the muffler i.e. right at the cylinder they will be drawn back into the cylinder and burned along with the ordinary fuel/oil/air mixture.  This may cause the engine to overheat.  That is, if you believe that mixing the smoke fluid with the oil/gas mixture and then running it through the engine would not be a problem, then it may be OK.  Consider, however, that adding additional oil, essentially, is what can cause overheating.

If you install a smoke system, the fluids should be injected AFTER the tuned scavenging chamber, not before.  A properly installed smoke system in the Top 80, for example, requires the injector to be placed just before the muffler rather than adjacent to the cylinder (the scavenging system).

Anyone tried a smoke system on a Top 80 Miniplane?
Tempted to have a go... may only use it a few times, but looks really cool!
 

GD

Dare I kick some life into this thread again....   

Anyone know who this was?
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/flybe-belfast-jet-within-second-of-catastrophic-crash-with-paraglider-over-carrick-37859057.html

3 hours ago, Patrick1 said:

Put another way, rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools..?

Good post which probably sums up how a lot of us feel.

Indeed--  a quote from Douglas Bader himself..   Classic!!!

Nice one!

Makes you wonder through-  if a PPG pilot can fly within 50ft of the US president, towing a banner.... what other things could they be capable of?  My mind dreads to think of the possibilities.... I dare say others are too...
Stricter regulation is not the answer, but more severe penalties are going to be a deterrent.   Greenpeace have let themselves down  big time for this, not that I had much respect for them anyway in the first place.

I always said i'd make a good comedian,  your not laughing now.   

Did you hear about the guy who drank 8 cokes?  


He puked 7 up!

Just checking opinion on a matter-  reassembling my Top 80, replaced the 4 main studs to secure the piston cylinder and the head. Should I use 'Red' Locktite, or the 'Blue stuff.
Normally i'd use the blue for this type of thing, but due to the excessive heat and vibration, I think the red would be better.

GD

1 hour ago, admin (Simon W) said:

Good old fizzy coke will help. Just leave it to soak and wipe it off

SW

 

De-coking with coke.......!!!!!   

Finally got round to inspecting the cylinder of my Miniplane Top 80,  just a little coking on the head, and I'd like to take it off.  

Got most of it off with a petrol soaked rag, and light scraping with a plastic strip,  but any better ways of doing it?

I'm soaking it in petrol overnight to try and loosen it a bit further.

GD

On 11/5/2017 at 21:04, cas_whitmore said:

Not a bad idea Gordon ' saves  all the faff of forgetting something ' also Gordon is your miniplane alloy ' or a titanium version. 

Cas .

Alloy version.....

When it comes to transporting paramotors - this is the 'thread of all threads'
(it ain't dead yet Simon

72Sqn Wessex, 230Sqn Pumas, AAC Gazelles/Lynx, etc, and the occasional Chinook...  constantly in the skies as I was growing up, always wanted to fly after seeing them!!!!

When you've taken off, and landed 50 meters behind your takeoff point- without changing direction....... you remember not to try it again.   

I draw the line at 10mph including gusts.....   Technically I can fly in higher winds  (done it before), but there is no pleasure in doing this.  I'd rather save it for a nicer day, for lower winds- where I can fly at will in any direction.   

Just to compliment the 'rak', I've been working on another little project.

All the kit is together now in one piece.....  on a trolley that I can wheel out to the car, and load up.  Basically if it's on the trolley, it's going with me- no more need for the checklists.  The trolley can also be used to move all the gear to the takeoff point- this time of year I always need to leave the car at the gate to avoid getting bogged in, or upsetting the landowners.

After I return from flying, the rig just rolls into it's space in the garage.....   really handy.   A place for everything on the trolley- flying suit, helmet, windsock, cameras, wing, ground stake, sock pole, and up to 20 litres of fuel.....
 

All gear on trolley- rolls out to car for loading

Wind sock pole and groundstake attached to sides via spring clips

All gear on trolley, motor covered for storage in garage/hangar

Motor unit restrained using fixed stops

Fuel and box restrained using fixed stops...

Update on the Bak-rak system.   My previous system was pretty good, but did not like the weight, it was a 'little over engineered' so decided to make a 'minimal' version.  Made the base and rear spine together in one weldment, then added a 16mm ply base bolted down onto the spine.   A lot lighter, and just as effective as the previous one.-- All images at -Flickr page

Would you let a friend perform brain surgery on you?

This tank/seat idea was also incorporated on the Adventure trike...    

Nice idea.....

It's probably the most addictive thing known to man.....  Sounds bad- but you could be doing much worse things with your money and time...

 (Golf)

Just thought i'd share this pic I took on Wedneday morning at 'silly o'clock'.   

Might look very manacing/dangerous.....   but I've deliberately cropped the image to make it so.

There was a  distinct line of mist along a river, and i was safely flying over clear sky, and 'zoomed' to get the head of the turbine just poking through.

GD