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  1. leifarm

    Traveling with a twin engine 2 stroke airplane?

    The norwegian Mikroflyprodukt Twin Stratus had two Rotax 447 or 503 engines on the wings. Great takeoff and climb performance, but not very fast (just like their single engined variants). https://saltenmikro.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/lww3892.jpg
  2. leifarm

    Whats the consensus on the Xenos as a viable low performance motorglider?

    I would say the Sinus is a fantastic touring Aircraft. One toe on the rudder and nudge the stick once in a while and you can eat your lunch while enjoying the view at 110 kt. uses about 10l/h and cabin noise and vibration is low. Haven't tried the Lambada. I know one guy built the Sinus as a...
  3. leifarm

    Has anyone be thinking of designing a more modern, light weight powered sailplane ?

    I have a Pipistrel Sinus like the one that weathered in by you, but with the tailwheel in the proper place. It's got the soaring performance you want, but visibility when circling isn't great. Compared to the higher wing loading TMGs like the Super Dimona I think it`s much better in marginal...
  4. leifarm

    Crashes in the News - Thread

    Hitting lee side rotor from a hill or mountain in strong winds simultaneously loses you speed and altitude. It can sometimes feel like the air just disappeared and you are free falling.
  5. leifarm

    Noob question about fuel tanks

    The cap is, nevertheless, vented and as long as it's done the right way fuel is seldom sucked overboard.
  6. leifarm

    Contraelectric

    Retrofitting FES (folding propeller in the nose) is possible on pure sailplanes as long as the weight of non lifting parts is not exceeded. Many sailplanes have retractable engines for self launch or to avoid outlandings.
  7. leifarm

    Plumetting during Sustainer start

    I've landed a PIK 20E in heavy rain. Plummet is an accurate description of the glide path.
  8. leifarm

    Plumetting during Sustainer start

    Many sailplanes with sustainer engines (get me home type, hardly climbs) don't have starter motors and require a dive/plummet to quite a high airspeed to get started. An unsuccessful attempt could easily become quite dangerous quite fast if the pilot doesn't abandon any hope of getting the...
  9. leifarm

    Climb Out: Max RPM or Max Torque???

    Distance is better. Time spent flying is time well spent :)
  10. leifarm

    Diesel Engines and Long Range Homebuilts

    I don't understand.. In gliders flights can often exceed 8 hours. You bring along standard cheap plastic bags to relieve yourself in. Double bagging is recommended, as well as inflating the bag before use to ensure it will not leak. It might be a little awkward in a side by side airplane...
  11. leifarm

    ls3 for aircaft

    I thought the LS 3 was a sailplane from the seventies :)
  12. leifarm

    School me on point ignition - Rotax 503

    Ususally the Rotax two strokes have either single points ignition or dual CDI ignition. I believe however it is possible to retrofit single CDI ignition from the same engine family snowmobile to points ignition engines, for example 536 ignition in the 532. Factory spec is however single points...
  13. leifarm

    School me on point ignition - Rotax 503

    I believe it was 75 hours between adjustment on my Rotax 532.. It ran like clockwork, but I would consider changing to electronic ignition at rebuild time if access was difficult for adjustment. On the Beaver it looks like everything is out in the open, so staying with the woints is probably no...
  14. leifarm

    anyone have any experience with tail skids on hard surfaces

    Yes, but sailplanes are much easier to land than a short coupled powered plane without airbrakes. When you're down you just pull full airbrakes and you stay down while the long wings and fuselage means any incipient ground loop happens really slowly so you have plenty of time to react. That's...
  15. leifarm

    What happens in Europe if you just fly your LSA around the hood and land on pastures?

    Re: What happens in Europe if you just fly your LSA around the hood and land on pastu I operate my Super Koala out of my own field when the grass isn't too long, and i visit friends with fields as well. Nobody has questioned this, and I haven't got fined. Maybe I would get in trouble if I...
  16. leifarm

    Would You Be Interested in Building From Plans a DA20-like Airplane if...

    While I agree that the performance of the DA 20 is less than many other planes , if you want a docile plane with good crashworthiness you could certainly do a lot worse. I would think that a second hand one would be easier to find below the target cost than building a plane of similar...
  17. leifarm

    Aircraft trailers?

    He got too high in the tow and had to release. PIO on landing because he was stressed. The turbulence on takeoff was no worse than what is quite usual at ENOP where i tow or fly gliders almost every weekend
  18. leifarm

    Tailwheels and Cracks

    If I wheel land then I can see where I'm going. Three point landing I have to find a mountain or cloud to aim at. As a consequence I wheel land on tarmac but prefer three point on grass where my tiny tailwheel is actually an advantage due to digging into the surface and keeping me straight no...
  19. leifarm

    Limbach engines from China

    Well, if it is a certified motorglider with no STC for a different engine they might. However that's likely to be an older plane with limited value, so scrapping might be a better option.. At half the price they would be in the ball park, but if it's possible to have a Sauer instead (usually it...
  20. leifarm

    Fastest Light Sport Airplane?

    13 liters is not one gallon, it's 3.4 US gal or 2.9 UK gal. For a travelling plane I would look at one capable of the 120 knots With the 80 horse Rotax 912 as opposed to the 100 horse 912S. Its lower drag will give longer range for the same amount of fuel. Personally I really like the Pipistrel...
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