WAC Training Terni

I'm still on the Grand Tour of Italy, but have been in contact with Paul and Richard

via text and skype this morning.

Temperatures in Italy have been pretty warm, with 38-40C in Rome and the lowland

areas. Hopefully it will be cooler north at Foligno for the comp.   Weather has been

fantastic though, with very little cloud and light winds only.

The Team is flying regularly and yesterday had a practice in the  competition box at

Foligno.   Word is the box layout is OK from an orientation viewpoint.   The training

airfield,Terni, is a tight runway and the surrounds are very hilly with few good

horizons.   The rented Extra is running OK, but doesn't seem to have the performance

of Paul's 300S.  The 4 blade prop and small spades make it handle and accelerate

differently, but the boys are adapting and compensating. The US Team and the South

Africans are also at Terni, and Rich and Paul have been assisting in some of their

maintenance issues.   Generally a good bunch, with Rob Holland showing the way in

freestyle mode flying his MXS-RH.   The SA Team, sharing the MXS-RH, have strugggled

a little with the aft CG Rob has set up. Today's plan was another run in the Foligno

box, and general airwork.

The Russians have had some technical issues which grounded them, thus freeing up box

slots.   Rumour has it that the French were grounded after upsetting the locals at

their training field. Training will continue until Wednesday, with the opening

ceremony that night, competition starting the next day. Be sure to follow this blog,

as the primary means of communication, with key info being repeated on the AAC FB

page and AAC website.

Looking forward to it!

WAC 2011 Foligno, Italy

I ducked down to Tocumwal, the training site for our Team, last Tuesday. It is a great flying location with Lee Gordon-Brown's beaut hangar made available, a box marked on the airfield, and little traffic. The crossed runways, 09/27 and 18/36, might be taking it too far in the easy direction though!

Paul's Asset Insure Extra 300S hasn't missed a beat during training and was neat and shiny. Coincidentally, the 300S the boys are using in Italy is only one serial number different, so hopefully it will fly the same.
As it was the first day back after a few days off, Paul and Richard began by flying the Q. Certainly both looked sharp and the intensive training with critique and video assistance has paid dividends. After lunch at the local bakery it was Free time, with some further tweaks to the sequence being tried out.

An unfortunate occurrrence due to the regular training at Toc were a couple of noise complaints - considering most days were ony 4 flights of 15 minutes each or so, everyone was a little surprised! Most satisfying was that many other locals came out in strong support for us. In fact, one lady started a petition and walked the streets doorknocking for signatures! Thanks Tracy. We handed the petition to the Berrigan Shire Councillors the next day as part of our, or more correctly Paul's, address to them on the activities. We showed them a cockpit video and explained some of what we are about, and they expressed support provided there weren't any legal ramifications from the EPA.

Rain moved in on Tuesday night, and Wednesday was unflyable. After the obligatory several coffee's, council meeting and visit to the bakery, Paul departed for Melbourne to fly out on Friday. Rich and I held until 1430, and when there was no chance of me flying out for home he offerred to drive via my place to Sydney. Thanks a lot Rich.

So now we soon depart for the 26th WAC at Foligno, keen to experience this great sport at the highest level. It will be a great learning experience to see the best aerobatic pilots doing their thing!


Check out the boys on the WIN news WIN, and Paul pushing his way around an Unknown UNK .

Make this your homepage for the duration of the Championships, and follow the action.

The Plan

I’ve had a few enquiries about where the new (2011/12) Known sequences are for Graduate, Sportsman and Intermediate grades. I’ve talked this through with many people, so sort of assumed everyone knew of our plans. Obviously not, as I’ve been reminded, so this is as good a time as any to describe the new annual workcycle and other changes we are making to the Club, and why.

The annual programme is the first item to tackle. A Cohesive Competition Season is the aim, so the new competition season will run as follows:

Feb/Mar – Victorian Championships

April – NSW Championships

June – QLD Championships

Sep – SA Championships

Oct/Nov - Australian Championships

Why? Because people tend to think and plan in calendar years. Think New Year’s Resolutions etc. With a competition season that starts in Jan/Feb with the Vic Champs and finishes in Oct/Nov with the Nationals, our season is well defined annually and something members can commit to for each year.

Skills can be refined through the competition year with the objective of peaking for the Nationals. This applies to both pilots and ground staff. This altered season also ties in nicely with the international schedule. After our Nationals an Australian Team will have 8 months to train, organise a coach, sponsorship, find or ship aircraft etc. prior to the relevant World Championships.

Rules: The CIVA rules are amended at the end of the year. We (the AAC) also usually amend our rules at this time. So now we will have a series of State Championships to learn, apply, and bed-down any new changes before the Nationals. This will remove a lot of the pressure of getting judges up to speed with recent changes and having the Nationals bearing down on us. (Note: we are currently doing a major revision of the AAC Regulations for release in 2012, until then 2010 Regs will be used with Supplementary Rules as appropriate).

Sequences: CIVA issues the new ‘Q’ sequences at the same time as the amended rules, for Advanced and Unlimited. We can now do the same – Known sequences will come out with the amended AAC Rules, and we’ll fly the same sequences all through the calendar year. Also, to eliminate committee time spent on Known sequence discussions, and to negate accusations of bracket-creep (either up or down), we will rotate Knowns from a pool of past-flown sequences. (Note: We will continue to fly 2010 Knowns for the rest of this year).

Other Embellishments

Presentation Dinner: This will be held after the Nationals, as usual, and can now be a celebration of the whole competition year. The Australian Team can be announced, the location of the next Nationals, and of course the hardware handed out. A true occasion.

Yearbook/Magazine: To complement the year’s activities an annual yearbook-style magazine can be produced. Complete results for all the domestic competitions as well as Team results from overseas, along with articles and pictures, to serve as a historical document of the Club’s activities complementing the website. Publish it for release and sale at the Showcase - see below.

Public Showcase: Competition aerobatics lacks public exposure – fact. Many beers have been drunk while discussing this topic. I don’t think it can be changed, and don’t think it needs to. Maybe I’ll write my views on this later. For now though, let’s envisage a day where we showcase the Australian Aerobatic Team to the public, media and potential sponsors (when - Australia Day?). An Australian Team going to a World Championship hopefully has some pull and we can use it to fundraise and gain a little exposure that we can leverage into a little sponsorship.

Annual General Meeting: Traditionally has been held at Easter prior to the Nationals, and should be held within 3 months of the end of our financial year (Dec 31). I suggest it now be held along with the Showcase. Get the new Committee on deck early in the year so they have time to plan following events, particularly the Nationals.

Something to chew on.

Some Thoughts

Since taking the reins of the AAC the new Committee has decided on many things that will alter the way we do things. You may ask, 'what is their motivation?'

Our simple objective is to increase the participation rate in the Club, and grow the sport of aerobatics in this country. To this end we must keep trying to remove impediments to people joining the Club and being active. Along with attracting new members, we must make participating in Club activities a desirable thing for people to do. Only through increasing the membership and the participation rate of all members can we hope to address the recurring issue of lack of Judges and skilled ground staff at Club events. Chugging along as we have been doing won’t change things, no matter what we write in the rulebook. Same as ‘doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result’ story.

I am also fully aware that the Club runs on volunteer labour. You can’t demand things, and people only have so much spare time and energy they can contribute to the Club. Eventually everyone’s enthusiasm wanes and/or other activities in their life take priority. This is normal and nothing to be ashamed of – life happens whether you are ready or not.

Therefore, as a Club, we must utilise people effectively while they are enthused, and value their contribution. Simply, we must be efficient in how we employ people so that goals are achieved while the enthusiasm lasts. If people feel they have achieved something, then they are more likely to stay involved longer. If we burn people out and squander their enthusiasm without any gain, then they leave deflated and with no sense of accomplishment or reward. To be efficient we must simplify some things, shorten the process, spread the load, so that the objective is reached with VFR reserves still in the tank.

Everything we do I test against that objective - enthuse people, increase participation, remove impediments, simplify, progress.

So, the secret is out. World domination didn't make the final list (maybe next year....)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

The Giles G-200 was going well last year. No squawks, all sorted, going really well. I flew the NSW Champs at Temora and immediately afterward went to Tamworth and got my Unlimited LLP with the CASA-man. Full steam ahead for a solid summer of training with a view of maybe moving up to Unlimited in 2011.

But, the A$ was so strong - what could I buy? I HAD to take advantage of it. So I ordered a Sky-Dynamics sump, cold air intake and 4-1 exhaust. I didn't NEED any of this, the 'plane had more performance than I could currently use, my only concern on occasion was oil pressure drops. Regardless, off went the money and in due course it all arrived. Merry Xmas to me..
In between harvest and New Year I fitted it all up, changing some cable runs and oil cooler hoses etc, all with the goal of less weight and less complexity. I was really happy with the finished job - neat, sanitary, light and simple! There was only one problem - it ran like crap. Rough, some cylinders lean, some rich. At WOT it felt like two cylinders dropped out altogether. Horrible it was, really bad. And it was hotter. Oil temps had always been marginal, now they were over redline after a sequence on a warm day.

I tried to sort the problems, but nothing really helped. I suspect oil temps were up due to the loss of cooling from the fuel/air mixture going through the sump, and maybe a hot cylinder or two.
The cold-air intake with no plenum, no heat from the oil and sharp bends to the intake tubes just would not play nicely with the Ellison TBI I'd used with success up to then.
So what do I do now? Put it back to original? I'd trashed my old inverted oil lines to make the new ones. I'd spent the money....and the exchange rate is so good, right? So.........
I investigated fuel injection options and ordered an Airflow-Performance FM-150. Delivery will be six weeks....what! So much for Summer training.

Eventually it arrived, after only three weeks, and I started installation. Not as straghtforward as you would like. Due to the previous mixture conniptions, I'd bought and installed a 4-channell EGT gauge. I also had to change the low-pressure electric boost pump (Facet - simple cheap type) for a high-pressure one (Weldon - heavy, dear). Luckily I had the old one that was in the airframe when I bought it. The engine driven fuel pump also needed changing for a high-pressure type. More $$ and a bastard to change with the engine on.
And, surprisingly (or maybe not, it is an aircraft after all...) the servo orientation was limited by the Sky-Dynamics intake support struts, making the throttle and mixture cable runs more difficult, and putting the fuel supply and outlet ports in less-than-optimum positions. I thought being in neighbouring US States and this being a 'typical' acro combination, it would fit up sensibly.
Solution - simple, drive to Sydney (400km one way) and purchase special hose fittings to do what I needed.

Finally it is all on, and ground runs are complete. Seems to run OK. Not as tidy an install as the Ellison, and substantially heavier. I haven't weighed it yet, but it won't be sub-900lb as it was before. And the CG will be further forward.
So for my $X,0000 I got a heavier, less balanced aircraft! Maybe, hopefully, I gained a few HP and guaranteed oil pressure in all attitudes.

Somehow, I think my $$ would have been better spent on avgas. So, next time - if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Postscript: So far two test flights and some gentle aeros. The A-P FI is doing as it should, only the idle needs adjusting up a little. EGT's mid 1200's at WOT leaning to mid-1400's before power goes down (my probes are 6-7" from exhaust flange). 25-30F max. EGT spread most of the time. The trim has changed, as expected. Time to boogie!

MX Aircraft

Well, it has been an interesting week or so at the MX Aircraft factory, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina USA. The company builds two aircraft, the two-seat MX-2 and the single-seat MXS. The race aircraft, called an MXS-R, is essentially a cosmetic development of the MXS.

The MX2 came first, derived from the Giles G-202, in the early noughties. Then the MXS came along by eliminating the front seat and shortening the fuselage. The power plant used in both models is the parallel-valve IO-540 Lycoming. MXS-R differences that can be seen are a revised cowling with circular inlets. Some also have shortened ailerons by 15-20 inches inboard to decrease roll sensitivity, drag, and improve the lift capability of the wing. Many individual smaller mods can be incorporated at the request of the customer, and as only 10 MXS's have been built thus far, they all tend to be a little different in detail. Once the aircraft is accepted by the customer they typically undergo further non-structural modification and tuning for racing. The aircraft are registered in the Experimental-Exhibition/Air Racing category, and all have been kept on the US N-registry thus far.

The structure is predominantly carbon/epoxy pre-preg vacuum bagged and oven cured. Wet-layup has been almost eliminated, as has e-glass panels, particularly on the race planes. Moulded sections are bonded together with structural adhesive and hard points incorporated for the bolted connections. The design's ultimate load is 24g, and apparently 15g has been experienced in flight! MXS-R VNE=250KTS, VA=180KTS. Continued refinement during construction has resulted in significant weight savings, resulting in MXS-R weights below the RBAR minimum, so teams now have to add ballast.

Obviously the performance of the aircraft is outstanding, but teams are mute when discussing the ultimate figures! S&L speeds in excess of 220KIAS are now common, as are extremely short take-offs. Stall speed is mid-fifties, and 25"MAP/2500rpm yielded ~200KIAS @ 3000ft in Alex McLean's old MXS-R without wheel pants and definitely not in race trim. Controls were powerful while not being unduly sensitive. Roll rate was adequate. The wing was outstanding being very forgiving with no sign of tip-stall despite provocation during rolling circles. Positive snaps were fast and the break rapid at normal speeds. More time would be needed to fully investigate, and exploit, the capabilities of this aircraft.

MX Factory Visit

Well, here I am in North Carolina. While not completely aerobatic related, some comments on the trip over.

I left Sydney at 1525 on a United 747-400 and flew direct to LAX. 13hrs, FL310-FL350. Then switched to an A321 for the LAX-Charlotte leg of 4.5 hours. In the process I crossed an ocean and a continent. The last time I came this way was by C-130E Hercules in 1990. Terry Barker was the Captain and I was a young co-pilot, and the trip was a little different!

The E-model Herc cruised at a stately 280KTAS between the high teens to mid twenties, its 3700shp Allison T56-A7 engines sipping 4000lb of fuel per hour. With 62920lb of fuel, we could go a fair way. But like all aircraft, with an empty weight of near 80,000lb and a peacetime gross of 155,000lb, when loaded with fuel the payload was limited. I flew with fuel fuel and negligible payload just once, Richmond to Cocos Island, 14.something hours (we had a headwind). It's another story, but we were flogging into headwinds down at FL140 when a Gulfstream IV called up going the other way at FL450 with a huge tailwind. Ouch.

Back to the trip East though. First leg was Richmond to Pago pago, American Samoa 7.8hrs. Stay overnight. Then Pago to Hickam Field (aka Honolulu International Airport) 8.4hrs. Rest day in Hawaiii (as you do!). Then Hickam-Travis (just NE of San Francisco) 8.2hrs. Rest day. Then from Hickam across the US to Nova Scotia in Canada (CYZX - the name escapes me, Grrenwood? A P-3/Aurora had a disaster there once). Trip time 8.0hrs. I remember the approach there because it was my leg, we arrived at night and the weather was atrocious. Unfamiliar field, instrument approach, and hills about had my full attention. Rest day, load up, and return. Total flight time 24hrs, compared to 17.5 by Jumbo. Not bad I guess, but I must say doing it by Herc was more of an adventure and a tad more leisurely!