Flying Schools Order SportStars

Many thanks to Royal Victorian Aero Club (RVAC), Air Warrnambool and two other Flying Schools for combined SportStar orders of 6 aircraft. This brings to 15 the number of SportStars already or soon to be online for flying training and rental. For flying from Moorabbin through RVAC, please contact RVAC on 03 9580 0088 and for Air Warnambool, please contact them on 03 5565 9139.

Koger Sunshields available in Australia

SilverWing Aviation has been appointed Australian distributor for Koger Sunshields - sliding lightweight sunshades for use in bubble canopy aircraft. Originally designed by Ralph Koger in the USA for his RV-6 these high quality sun shades are now available for a range of aircraft including RVs, as well as both the SportStar and Eurostar. The amount of cover can be adjusted by sliding and locking a small handle at the front of the shade - when not in use, the shade can be locked back, leaving the canopy completely clear. Weighing only a few grams/ounces, the shades can be retro-fitted in a matter of minutes, using either the special double sided adhesive mount or, as in the SportStar, attached by means of a narrow metal rail on the centre glazing bar. Please call if you are interested in one of these superbly crafted Sunshields.

SportStars approved for glider towing

Views of the SportStar tail, showing the glider hook, replacing the standard tail cone and bump stop.

You can now order and use a SportStar for glider towing. Maximum weight of glider is 700 kgs (meaning a Duo Discus or similar). Climb rate at maximum weight is around 500-600 fpm with a fuel burn around 18 litres per hour. One of the benefits of the Rotax liquid cooled engine and the high Vne of the SportStar (146 knots) means the tug pilot can descend very quickly from altitude, ready for the next tow.

There are already more than a dozen SportStars/Eurostars in glider towing operations in Germany, where the aircraft has been accepted for almost 2 years. In Australia you can register your glider tug SportStar as either RAAus recreational or VH-Light Sport depending on your requirements

Carburettor heat for A22 Foxbat

Following a recent visit to the Aeroprakt factory, we can report on the development of a carby heat box for the A22 Foxbat (see pictures). The box has been developed with input from Rotax and, apart from its primary purpose of preventing/curing carby ice, the box draws cold air from outside the cowling, giving a measured 5% power boost over the standard installation (as if you needed more power in the Foxbat!). There is a small ram-air effect from the scoop on top of the upper engine cowling which helps with the power, but most of the improvement comes from the cooler air intake.

We flew in a Foxbat fitted with the carby heat box, back to back with a standard Foxbat. Temperature was high 20's and we were about 1,500 feet above sea level. Having flown many hundered hours in the Foxbat, we can report a noticeable increase in acceleration and climbout. Also, the aircraft we flew cruised easily at 90-95 knots (if my conversion from 165-175 kmh is correct) at 5,100 rpm.

The carby heat box can be ordered as an option on new Foxbats or supplied as a retro-fit kit. Please contact us for prices - we are waiting for the factory confirmation just now.

Pictures show external scoop and carby heat box replacing the original cone filters.

Aeroprakt A24 and A36 - stop press!

This is the Aeroprakt A24 amphibian (known as the 'Viking' in USA and Canada). The A24 is a 2-3 seat aircraft, powered by the Rotax 912ULS (100hp) engine. Maximum weight is 750kgs, putting it firmly in the VH-Experimental category. Stall speed is high 30's in knots; normal cruise speed around 85 knots. The A24 is available primarily as a kit, although the USA agent is considering LSA certification with the third seat removed. However, empty weight is around 400 kgs in this configuration, leaving only 200kgs for people and fuel. In its kit form, Aeroprakt have sold over a dozen of these aircraft in the last year or so and Larry Woods, the Canadian distributor, reckons the A24 is a hugely under-rated aircraft, calling the best little amphibian hes seen!

And now for something with real WOW! factor. The Aeroprakt A36 is a tandem 2-seat twin Rotax 100hp high-wing tail dragger. Empty weight is 450 kgs, maximum take-off 750 kgs. Stall at 36 kts and cruise at 125-130 kts with a total fuel burn around 30-35 litres per hour. Standard fuel capacity is 120 litres with optional extra tanks available.

We went for a couple of flights in this awesome aircraft - if you think the A22 Foxbat leaps into the air, you should fly one of these things! Two-up, it was always clear of the ground before a one-up A22 Foxbat and climbing a good deal better. View from the front seat was panoramic and even in the back your view is still excellent because of the raised seat level. One of the flights was a demonstrated single engine take-off and climb out - not as exhillarating as with 2 engines running but still pretty impressive.

Fuselage is a combination of composite and metal construction, the flying surfaces are all-metal, no fabric anywhere. Control is by the increasingly fashionable side-sticks. Most of the examples flying are used in pipeline and other surveillance work - one is currently being fitted out with a 360 degree remote controlled camera system underneath the fuselage.

The A36 is available as a kit and can be built in Australia and flown as a VH-Experimental - of course, you'll need twin and tail dragger ratings!