Congrats RV4ker

[afskies scribe]

Congratulations to RV4ker (aka George Brink) on setting a new speed record over a set course Kimberley to Jhb in his RV-4 (341.1 km/h)
Well done RV4ker and the Meercat

[John Young]

RV4ker - come speak & reveal all.

.... and don't give us any

Nice one - congrats

Regards
John ZU-CIB

[ICEMAN]

Kimberley to Jhb in his RV-4 (341.1 km/h)

Bliksem, well done, thats uphill the whole way according to the map!

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Will be an article in Skribbles aviation rag. Posted on Avcom...

he he he...

Nothing too it. Was a test run to see how this record stuff works. Had to collect architect at KBY and deliver him to Jhb and back same day. Spories flights are few and far between and often fully booked. At last minute we managed to "settle" without professional tribunal via video conference and that left me in Kby with 2 options. Usual GOTO flight back to Jhb or have some fun. Seems like I will not be flying said Meercat in any air races anytime soon I thought I could let the handicap com in on the actual speed she can do so rather than just moer another hole in the sky, I pushed the meercat a bit and had some fun....

Contacted Chris and others at SAPFA beforehand to set it up. Dead simple. Couple forms to complete and then verification. Logger on board and it was a go. ATC were wonderful. Had to wait for a gap in the IF traffic to be allowed to climb to FL095. Kby tower staff were usual awesome accomodating selves and arranged everything after cuppa and tour of the tower. BFN app lady was great even allowing me to go to FL100 to get "onto the step" . Then set sail from intersection of the runways for RD as I was expecting delays at FAGM due to traffic.

Flight was toughest I have done in a while. It a bit like IF training under the hood for 2 hrs. Following GPS is not as easy as it seemed and trying to make sense of the map, sweating like hell (keep vents closed for extra couple meters per hr) was tough. GPS avg speed was around 175kts, but it included climb time to FL095 and orbit on downwind at FAGM. Had headwind for last 50 or so miles, but conditions were great. Was great fun and if I did not have appointments in Jhb I would have gone back just for the hell of it. Records are available both ways and out and back.

Will spill the beans on how (easy it is) to attempt one of these (especially since there are almost none in existence) if there is any interest. Been trying to set up a couple of these attempts but been under pressure. Latest one I was planning to do Jhb - Dbn, Dbn - PE/EL, PE/EL - Bfn over the RV flyinn weekend, but work got in the way again (Sorry Rudi) .

Maybe try do a couple more towards end of year, for no other reason than to increase exposure for GA and maybe have some fun. Why more hr builders don't do this I don't know?

At moment all record attempts are free (cost no money), but I think a fee should be charged if they become common place as it could drain SAPFA resources who have to pay FAI. Also need a FIA card, but if you fy PTAR you already have one.

HUGE Thanks to Chris Booysen and other SAPFA guys who assisted. If anyone is keen to have a go drop me a line. I am going to fill all the vacant ones by the end of next year, so you have been warned.

For the guys going down to the coast in Dec, why not give it a go? ZS-JAD set the Pta-Bfn-George records on flight down on holiday. Don't have to go balls to the wall, just do the paperwork and have some fun.

PS
The class speed and altitude SA records that are also "vacant"/ non existant. There are various categories. See http://www.sapfa.org.za/records_main.php I am thinking a fun fly inn type event somehwere close to big smoke during Dec (maybe with breakfast mooted elsewhere) and we have a go at setting these as a start
Speed over a straight 3 kilometre course at restricted altitude.
Speed over straight course with minimum length 15 kilometres and maximum length 25 kilometres
Time to climb to various heights (3000 and maybe 6000m)

Does not matter what you fly as there are numerous categories. The world records are HUGE, so I doubt any of these are in danger, but you never know. Bruce Bohannan (sp?) has made a career of this in high highly modified RV4. It has a IO540 with all sorts of little
turbo's and supershargers on it.. Current speed record in the meercat's class (C-1b) over a straight 3 km course at restricted altitude : 533.88 km/h and over a straight 15/25 km course : 487.08 km/h. Maybe if I install a IO720 and some extra wing spars....

Current SA records here.
http://www.sapfa.org.za/records/03_1.phpAs you can see most are vacant.

Zoo
Also available for microlights (3 axis) and trikes, but assume these will fall under MISASA? Apologies again for the scare... on Flyday

am posting from my fone so if spelllling mistakes please accept my apppppologies...

[Nick]

Absolutely great stuff George, I confess, when I grow up, I want an RV!

[Big-D]

Cool man congrats

[Barnstormer]

Whohooo!!!!

What a way to make a living! :D

Fly to where you work, and have some fun while doing it!

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Whohooo!!!!

What a way to make a living! :D

Fly to where you work, and have some fun while doing it!

That's the idea.... (Only took 7 years to get it all in place )

[DieselFan]

Welldone! Your avatar is now really appropriate

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Any interest in the ML records on the forum? The World records (unlike in the bliks) are not that big ad are beatable with the new breed, esp the 450 class trikes...

Here is the link to the current world records. (It goes without saying that any record attempt will 99% result in SA record as there are none.) i am happy to facilitate and go along as official observer. (There is some paperwork and you need to carry a logger or sorts)

http://records.fai.org/microlight/current.asp?id=RWL2

1 GT450 features so far. Sooze and you will loose.