VP’s ramblings

Time to write on this page has been rather in short supply, partly due to my new duties as a BGA inspector and the seemingly endless issues with the club Dimona. However, the mystery of the loss of compression and overheating as been solved, I hope. Using an old fashioned Gunson Colortune we established that the new L2000 engine in our H36 Dimona was running extremely weak on both carburettors. It was impossible to adjust the needles to achieve a correct mixture. It has turned out that the fixed jets in the body have been set wrong, presumably during reconditioning. Clearly the manufacturer’s statement that the engine has been bench run must be taken with a pinch of salt! After further advice (from David Shrimpton of the VGC) I made a go no-go drift and tapped the jets down up to 3.5mm in the bodies with a blunt hammer ! Now I can get a full mixture range with the needle adjustment. I have since heard that several rebuilt engines from the said manufacturer had been found to have carburettor and starting problems. One was traced to a total lack of needles!

For the last two years it has not been practicable to visit France and Europe, partly due to Coronavirus restrictions and partly due to the UK exit from EASA and the uncertain position of UK Fourniers on Permit to Fly. Although UK home builts and ‘vintage’ aircraft on Permit to Fl;y have been given unrestricted permission to fly in French airspace without prior approval, this does not appear to apply to factory built non-vintage aircraft such as Fourniers, Bolkow Juniors and a few others. There are about 50 aircraft so affected, of which about half are Fourniers. I must write to the DGAC to to establish the position of our PtF Fourniers, which are mostly still on EASA Form 20a Permits. There is a DGAC direftive which implies that aircraft on EASA Form 20a permits have automatic overflight rights. However, any changes requiring the issue of a new permit will result in a UK PtF being issued.  All clear as mud !

Meanwhile, since the René 100 was cancelled due to Covid and insufficient numbers to meet the minimum requirements at Chateau de Nitry, Team Skyhawks Revival has been practicing hard for René 101 !

Close up Number 8 !!

We hope to field the full ten this month……..

With thanks to Chris Wood, our official photographer, for these superb photos.

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