Jason, Your assumption that there is some technical problem with Auto Tug itself that is preventing series production is way off line. Likewise do not have any fond hope that the Volvo conversion or any other will allow series production to occur in Australia either, with the existing legislation that we are saddled with. The simple fact is that if we are to operate such conversions in experimental which is the only viable way, then we have to accept the fact that series production of a successful prototype is just not possible. Dave Sharples or Mike Borgelt could fill in the details. Please do not loose sight of the fact that the Qld Autotug as it now flies is a highly successful and economical unit. I have had several tows behind it and have flown it. The descent rate with throttle closed has to be experienced to be believed. A close in down wind at a 1000 ft will require power to make the final turn ! With a little refinement this prototype could be brilliant !
It is not technical considerations that sees this development stalled, just the legislation. Regards Bob Ward ----- Original Message ----- From: Jason Armistead <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 6:39 PM Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] GFA AGM info (was re: glider wanted) > David > > My apologies if I've hit a sensitive nerve. I've got to say that the > Minutes really don't give too much detail (like just about every other > subject they mentioned I'm afraid). So, my summary of a summary produces > something less than the whole truth. > > Don't get me wrong. I'm definitely not against the autotug concept, however > after watching its progress from afar for many years, the words "finally > killed off" seemed to fit the dawning of the eventual reality that it is > not, for the present time, going to become the next big thing in Pawnee > engines. Hopefully at some time in the future we might see a variant of an > auto engine make it into Pawnees in large quantities. I read about a Volvo > engine (complete with Volvo factory engineering support) being used in a > Pawnee in Sweden some time ago - anyone got any recent news on this one ? > > Might autotug live long and prove all the bureaucrats and knockers wrong ! > > Regards > > Jason > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Dave & Glenys Sharples > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 5:45 PM > Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] GFA AGM info (was re: glider wanted) > > > Jason > You say the autotug was finally killed off. This is somewhat misleading, > the company is being wound up but the tug itself is running perfectly and > has been for some time. Just ask anyone who was at the recent QSA comps > where it towed every day without a single problem. > > Dave Sharples > > -------Original Message------- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Friday, November 09, 2001 12:40:47 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [aus-soaring] GFA AGM info (was re: glider wanted) > > Quoting Mike Borgelt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > > Do I detect a faint hint of ongoing unhappiness with the magazine and > > its "perpetrators"? > > Here comes the sigh from the list members again ... "oh no, more magazine > bashing !" > > I can understand the sentiment of Mike's comment though - I also seem to > recall > that a canopy (Arrow ?) from Benalla had likewise been sold some time ago > yet > still appears each month in the GFA Classifieds along with the > aforementioned > Hornet. > > A few of my pet peeves: > > There has been a recent series of articles to do with electrics and radio on > trikes. WHY, oh WHY can't the editor and sub-editors at least agree that > maybe > we we use radios and electrics too ? These articles have a GENERAL interest, > not just for the trike pilots, yet they (and even the writers to some > extent) > seem to like to stick their heads in the sand and pretend they're targeting > one > audience i.e. the one that concerns THEIR discipline. With some small > editorial changes they would be relevant to more disciplines (with > appropriate > icons at the page top) e.g. trikes with radios are like gliders (with radios > !) > and motor gliders (with both motor and radio) and maybe even paramotors (I > presume these have radios fitted ?) > > If the powers that be can't even amalgamate the magazine, then what hope did > they really have of amalgamating GFA with HGFA ? > > I am also finding the "advertorials" a bit tedious. I mean, we all know that > Bernhard Eckey is the ASH/ASW agent in Australia, but do we need to have > cover > photos, centerfolds and test flight reports each month ? Mike - maybe you > should write a B2000 article, complete with sexy centrefold shots of it and > then you wouldn't have to worry about paying for advertising ! LOL > > On the plus side, it was good to see an article on the Gloucester ridge > camp - > just a bunch of ordinary club members from the grass roots of the GFA > membership having a great time. There should be more of this. And also Cath > Conway's article on her son's experiences in a glider. That's got me head > down > writing an article about my experiences, and those of my 3rd generation > gliding > 5 year old son. Watch AG in the new year !!! > > > Don't forget these same people occasionally interface with the > > government and claim to represent you. > > > > Pity they haven't faced an election. > > > > Slightly related, has the GFA annual meeting been held? > > Yes > > > Did anything happen? > > For one, the Autotug finally got killed off. > > See the November AG/Skysailor (just arrived a few days ago), where a whole > double page was devoted to names and addresses (physical and e-mail) of > those > elected for the next year - in some ways it probably could have been covered > better on the web site (and I note that the ever efficient GFA webmaster > David > Head has done just that - THANKS DAVID !). With the exception of those with > e- > mail only accounts like Telstra Easymail, 99.9% of those with e-mail have > web > access too, and if you want their e-mail addresses, you are far more likely > to > look on the GFA web site than digging around for the Nov 2001 AG/SS. > > The AGM and ACM Minutes appear on the GFA web site, along with my > favourite "missing minute matters", for example > > WHO moved each item ? WHO seconded each item ? > > Where can "Joe Average" get a copy of all the reports which were submitted > and > accepted by the AGM and ACM ? > > Why aren't the reports and presentations always given to the webmaster for > inclusion as part of the GFA web site ? Surely in 2001, EVERYONE can submit > an > electronic version of their report. I for one would LOVE to see the > Development > Officer's presentation as development and growth of our Club is a key issue > that interests our Committee. > > Could we PLEASE (at Club and State level) encourage better Minute keeping at > these meetings and more transparency through readily available reports and > presentations on the GFA web site ? > > A member kept in the dark is a cynical member - give us a bit of > transparency, > and thus a chance to know about and participate in the process and we're > more > likely to give you our trust. > > > Does anyone care? > > I do - see above. I'd like to think that my $157.30 each year gets put to > more > use than just the magazine, and that I have some say in how that money is > used. > > Regards > > Jason Armistead > > -- > * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. > * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message > * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. > > > > > ____________________________________________________ > IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here > > > -- > * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. > * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message > * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information. > > -- * You are subscribed to the aus-soaring mailing list. * To Unsubscribe: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] * with "unsubscribe aus-soaring" in the body of the message * or with "help" in the body of the message for more information.
