Microlighters

Fellow Trikers I fly an Aquilla 582,Prop got smashed so am in the Market for a new one....

Please throw me some bones on what's worked really well out there?

Much obliged...

demon wrote:I swear by the Warp Drive, especially if fitted with a stainless steel leading edge protector by Piet de Necker.
Have had a hadida strike, wire strikes, a heavy glove strike, and 800 hours of useage on a quite stoney runway, and still going strong

Did the Hadida hit you from behind?

PS
Seriously
If you hit a biggish bird like that in trike can it incapacitate the pilot? I been in aerie that hit a ginnea (sp?) fowl and it was not a nice experience, but at 170kts niether winscreen or fowl had much chance. Luckily there was no one in co pilot seat and it missed everyone in back...

The new Warps come with leading edge protection already embedded in the leading edge.

I too enjoy the warp.

Have a warp drive on a 503, and once it's spinning, it's awesome. very strong blade, (beach-sand, grass, twigs etc). I do find it a l;ittle heavy, and takes a second or two to get up to revs, but as long as you are aware of this, and maybe land on little power, that way you will get power on demand in the case of needing a go-around.

A dove flew into my wifes leg, while we were cruising at 160km/h (sorry 120km/h for the legal types) on the bike. It was not nice. I have also had 3 bees down the front of my t-shirt while cruising through town. Next Day papers reported an 'Insane biker tries to beat himself to death while negotiating traffic along the M5 in Cape Town' :D

One of the lurkers to this site (he who has yet to show his face - I think his pseudenom will be CLU-less "Come on PL join, it is good for you" :D )from Morning Star also hit a guinea fowl on take off at Wintervogel. Fortunately it bounced off the strut in front of the pilot and went through the prop. (3-blade composite Warp with leading edge protection) :D . He had his instructor with him and they did a precausionary landing. Apart from a few feather marks and the odd blood spot there was no damage to the prop. The guinea fowl literally lost it's head

demon wrote:jcvb:

Did the Hadida hit you from behind?

now now jcvb, just cos you fly around at 170 knots don't mean you have to be nasty
Actually a flock/swarm/bunch (a whole lot of the fu&*&ers) took off right in front of me while I was low level at Hartees Dam. If one had hit me, even at 65 mph, would not have been good for my health

Demon
Could not resist -($$)

PS
Anyone ever been hit a largish bird in trike? (body shot, not prop) Me thinks the full face helmut makes sense

Still using a powerfin for the last 320 hours, balancing by Oom Pieter, and going very strong

Its a 3 blade Warp drive with stainless leading edges 4 me everytime, outlasts anything else out there ...

The best props I ever owened were the RED Arplast with the hollow blades
fantastic performanance and balance but they are a litle fragile when it comes to stones etc

Warp Drive best for stones and SA conditions. Arplast best performance.

one of the lurkers to this site from Morning Star also hit a guinea fowl on take off at Wintervogel. Fortunately it bounced off the strut in front of the pilot and went through the prop. (3-blade composite Warp with leading edge protection) Very Happy . He had his instructor with him and they did a precausionary landing. Apart from a few feather marks and the odd blood spot there was no damage to the prop. The guinea fowl literally lost it's head Shocked

I do not think this was a case of a prop strike. I am sure that there would be nothing left of a guineafowl hit by a prop going at say 2400/min - the trike is moving forward at let's say 40mph, the bird contacts it at let's say 40mph, the bird is 20m in length, the prop will strike it a couple of times as it traverses the prop's plane, I've got the calculations somewhere. Nope, the bird will be carpaccio, not just headless. I think the bird probably got decapitated by the bottom rear cable. Not that it matters to the bird.

You could be right, this is hearsay, but directly from the horses mouth. Ask Trygve or CLU-less, they are the guilty parties

- the trike is moving forward at let's say 40mph, the bird contacts it at let's say 40mph, the bird is 20m in length, the prop will ....

Seriously big birds in Cape Town at 20m in length?

Imagine running into at 20m sized bird flying at 40mph. Scary!! Im glad I live in Guateng where we only get regular two legged birds. Wonderful examples like the "Double Breasted Pushover" or the "Red Breasted Tit".

Sorry ladies. Could not resist.

Whaa.. anybody mention breasts around here....
... tis all in the I of the B(cup)holder ... tee hee snigger