Newsletter 01 Australian Aircraft Kits Newsletter Date

Bu si ne s
s Na me

NEWSLETTER 01 Australian Aircraft Kits

Welcome to Australian Aircraft Kits first Newsletter

Hello and welcome to our first ments, practical tips for all
AAK Newsletter. We thank operators and maintainers,
you all for the support that Rotax engine & technical news
has taken us from 2003 with and related topics that may
our first Hornet STOL Aircraft, be of interest or relevant.
all the way to 2016 doing
The aim is to provide informa-
what we are doing best. We
tion, promote flight & safety
would like to use this medium
procedures, enhance produc-
to share AAK-aircraft & avia-
tive enjoyable airtime, help
tion related information, with
and support current & future
our long term clients , build-
builders and owners that
ers , operators and pilots ,
come from all corners of Aus-
maintainers as well as friends
tralia and around the world.
and business partners.
Having said this, we do have
Through this medium we will
Hornet STOL & Cub Aircraft
share information like: wel-
operating in England, Russia,
coming new Hornet owners,
New Zealand, Africa etc.. just
pilots & builders, new techni-
to mention a few. So we will
cal information, AAK news &
introduce our International
R&D, latest AAK develop-
Team on page 3.

Peter Clarke Hornet STOL MK1 , The Rocketeer

An unfinished Hornet STOL MK1 Kit was purchased by Peter
Clarke from Berridale Vic. in 2014. With a great effort by Peter
and the support of AAK it was completed in 2015 and going
through its test flight period at Taree NSW. The MK1 wing was
modified to fly with a new AAK leading edge section & extended
wings span, hence eliminating the original SLATS. A very brisk
and short T/O run of 35m and a climb rate of 2000ft/m @ 57ktn
at minimum aircraft weight makes this Hornet feel more like a
Rocket than a fixed wing aircraft. The ground stays behind liter-
ally. The research and development was worth while, the engine
has a nice feel to it with a well balanced linear torque / power
curve. Fitted with a 78 inch 3 XL blade Power Fin propeller to get
the power converted into Thrust. Continued page 2.
 NEWSLETTER 01 Australian Aircraft Kits

Baccus Marsh Gliding Club update. Hornet TUG www.beaufortgc.org.au/hblog

The Team around Jack Guru and AAK helping

Hart , the driving force along the way to
and coordinator of this achieve planned per-
Hornet TUG project, formance outcome
has finally achieved during the initial flight
phase 2 of the flight & towing trials. Sev-
test program under eral club pilots are
the VH- Experimental now Hornet TUG en-
category. Many hur- dorsed & conducting
dles where overcome tow operation with VH
in the technical de- -OHT.
partment as well as in The build team:
the Paper trail re- Gordon Pope,
quirements. With help Peter Buskens
Hornet TUG VH-OHT at Baccus Marsh Gliding Club in Victoria . & guidance given by Jack Hart & many more
Stephen Dines from volunteers...
Sydney, our CASA
To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote

Hornet STOL The Rocketeer

from the story here.

continued

Peters Hornet is other wise still in the original MK1 configuration with a
8 inch tail wheel and standard size Flaperons. The large propeller still has
lots of ground clearance with the original spring undercarriage mounted
and running on AERO CLASSIC SMOOTH TUNDRA 850-6 , 4 PLY only
tires. Stall speed is 32ktn, best climb @ MTOW (600kg) 1600ft/min at
55ktn. Cruise 75ktn, maneuvering speed 45-65ktn. Approach 45-50ktn.
The power plant is a Rotax 912 Turbo Engine 130hp built by AAK. The
Base engine is a 912S ( 80hp) with many AAK changes to it. An inte-
grated after cooler to keep the boost-air cooler and some extras here
and there make this Engine unit a rather appealing alternative for high
density altitude flying or just the pure Super Short take off - thrust. We
wish Peter lots of interesting flights and heaps of fun. Thanks Peter

The AAK FLAMINGO R&D

Over the last 2.5 years AAK has been continuing R&D work into the
slow speed flying of Fixed Wing Aircraft. A initial concept aircraft
called the Flamingo was developed as base airframe for flight testing
with many changes made to the airfoil sections, size, profiles & con-
trol surfaces, thrust lines and propellers in order to fly safely at a
speed of 20ktn. A stall speed of 17ktn & general ops. at 25 ktn to
45ktn. A ROTAX 912S was chosen as power plant with a very open
installation for max. cooling. Like all AAK designs, pilot safety is at
the core of the design with the steel centre frame, full metal airframe
& responsive controls. Various propeller combinations including 6
blade WARP drive where tested. The development is ongoing hand in
Page 2 hand with tow & test pilot Steve MC Arthur and Ole from AAK.
 Newsletter 01 Australian Aircraft Kits

The International AAK Team continued page 1

We have appointed a Distributer and Service provider for AAK aircraft

and products in Brazil. Mr. Estevam Azevedo from Tech-Center A&C
looking after South Americas.

We have Bush & Mountain pilot Mr. Murray Trowbridge in Christchurch

looking after New Zealand & the Hornet fleet that is increasingly grow-
ing.

In Russia we have our friend Mr. Vladimir Artikulny from AVIAUNIT

looking after the Hornet fleet.

We are in negotiations with interested parties in the United Kingdom ,

Canada, Africa and the USA.

Tandem HORNET reaches 2000 hours

Sam Brown from Hughenden in Northern Queen-
sland has been operating light aircraft for a long
time on his Stations. Having started in a Lightwing
and followed by thousands of hours in a Slepcev
Storch he was looking for the perfect Aircraft to
move into next. Now only a few years later, his
Tandem HORNET specifically designed for his re-
quirements by AAK, reaches 2000 hours & still go-
ing strong on a 914 Turbo. Sam can not empha-
size enough the cost savings involved by operating
a HORNET as a airborne utility platform in the
Bush environment all day every day.

HORNET STOL built by Darren Nugent from

Western Australia
The keen hunting and fishing Guru from Port
Hedland WA, Darren has recently completed
build of the MK2 Hornet STOL powered by a 914
Rotax Turbo engine. The magnificent Hornet is
finished in custom colors and is currently going
through the required test flight syllabus and fine
tuning by AAK. Darren is currently getting en-
dorsements on type and on completion the lov-
ingly named Dessert Queen will be making its
long journey home to Australias west coast. We
wish a save journey!!

Page 3
 The AAK TECH corner
On many occasions I get asked the same question:
What happens when using AVGAS in the Rotax
912 / 914 series engine?
The Avgas currently available, as we all know, has
Lead in it and when used it will leave Lead deposits
behind. The Rotax recommended 25hourly oil
changes will make sure that these deposits will not
cause any harm to the engine or gearbox. As per
schedule, the gearbox will need more frequent re-
moval and strip down to remove the Lead residue
from the Slipper- clutch (if engine/gearbox is fitted
with such). The Oil tank should be inspected as per
Rotax schedule and the Oil /Lead deposits removed
from the bottom of the tank. The pictures on left:
show a engine gearbox slipper clutch assembly & oil
tank full of sticky grey Lead sludge. This engine
has been running on Avgas only, & only 100 hourly
oil changes were made using a non compliant oil.
This resulted in major Lead deposits throughout the
entire engine. The Lead in the Slipper clutch will
make it stick when it is intended to slip. Hence
causing damage to Starter clutch, Gearbox & Dog-
hub, Bearings, not to mention a prop strike sce-
nario. All just to save a few dollars on oil. But pay-
ing heavy for related repairs later with an engine
not running right !!!
So if you use less than 25% Avgas during your 50
hourly cycle there is no need to worry.
If it is more : then do the right thing !!
Next time we will take a closer look at the current
MOGAS and the in-flight issues it can cause!!!!
- Fly save, cheers Ole H. AAK

Last word,
We hope we are heading in the right direction with this Newsletter, bringing together the
Hornet -Flyer, - builder community to share information, discuss issues, problem solving,
technical updates, flying techniques etc. Please feel free to ask question or mention things
that need discussing or made known to other pilots. Contribute an article worth sharing!!
Please, lets make it saver for all of us.
Hurray & cheers Ole and AAK team.
Australian Aircraft Kits, Hangar 13, Airport Drive
Taree NSW 2430, Ph 02 65 538100,
www.aircraftkits.com.au