TAA Cessna 180's in PNG
Robertson Stol kit
Aussie02, I have an original 1971 brochure and some of the later F models, nearly all of the Ag Carryall series.
Anyone have any thoughts on the Robertson STOL kit for 185's. Good thing ?
X'wind handling limitations I expect. Many aircraft have them on in PNG, Aussie or NZ say ?
Anyone have any thoughts on the Robertson STOL kit for 185's. Good thing ?
X'wind handling limitations I expect. Many aircraft have them on in PNG, Aussie or NZ say ?
Last edited by Skywagon1915; 5th Apr 2012 at 05:01.
Grandpa Aerotart
I don't think I ever saw a C185 in PNG that had a Robertson STOL kit. Jim Bloom's C185 SEQ may have had a Horton STOL kit...or it might have been MJL.
Don't see much point myself. The can do pretty cool things stock.
Don't see much point myself. The can do pretty cool things stock.
Robertson STOL Kit
So the T/O and APP benefits would not have been attractive ? Was the kit available back then ... I expect it was. Would it not have made it better for some of those strips you worked off, ignoring the X'wind penalty with the reduced aileron travel etc ? Interesting.
Moderator
At least one of the Talair 206s had a Robertson STOL kit. I think that C206 came from the Catholic Mission at Wewak?
Grandpa Aerotart
Not saying it wouldn't have been useful to PNG ops, although you never miss what you don't got, just can't see the point of Robertson STOL on an Oz based machine - unless you are playing on gravel bars like they do in the US.
I did a few hours in a Robertson STOL, ex Summer Institute of Linguistics, TU206G for Karamui Spice, who were based in Goroka and had cardamum plantations in Karamui. Their pilot had gone south (with a broken leg) to join QF and they had just sold their old ex TAL C206, so I did the leg work with SIL, and flew the aircraft, P2-SIA, for a few days while our C185 was having an annual, then route endorsed the new guy when he arrived on our commercial ops, which were in the same area, as well as doing their work. First thing I ever flew that was turbocharged...LOVED that...didn't really notice the STOL kit much except the electric flap dump switch on the control column was useful...which wouldn't be part of the C185 kit anyway.
I would say its one of those things thats probably ok if you bought an aircraft with it already but can't see the value/return on installing it. It was pretty obvious SIL were never financially constrained in any way, shape or form.
The Horton STOL kit, which I am more sure now was on Jim Bloom's ex TAL C185A, probably did as much but with no moving parts/complication. In fact I am sure that is exactly how Jim explained it to me one day.
Of course SEQ, like AWM and CGG, had the early A model wing which the leading edge cuff (and fence) of the Horton STOL kit made a big difference to. The later model wing on MFU has a bit of a 'cuff' already - so maybe the Horton kit wouldn't be as big of an improvement?
I did a few hours in a Robertson STOL, ex Summer Institute of Linguistics, TU206G for Karamui Spice, who were based in Goroka and had cardamum plantations in Karamui. Their pilot had gone south (with a broken leg) to join QF and they had just sold their old ex TAL C206, so I did the leg work with SIL, and flew the aircraft, P2-SIA, for a few days while our C185 was having an annual, then route endorsed the new guy when he arrived on our commercial ops, which were in the same area, as well as doing their work. First thing I ever flew that was turbocharged...LOVED that...didn't really notice the STOL kit much except the electric flap dump switch on the control column was useful...which wouldn't be part of the C185 kit anyway.
I would say its one of those things thats probably ok if you bought an aircraft with it already but can't see the value/return on installing it. It was pretty obvious SIL were never financially constrained in any way, shape or form.
The Horton STOL kit, which I am more sure now was on Jim Bloom's ex TAL C185A, probably did as much but with no moving parts/complication. In fact I am sure that is exactly how Jim explained it to me one day.
Of course SEQ, like AWM and CGG, had the early A model wing which the leading edge cuff (and fence) of the Horton STOL kit made a big difference to. The later model wing on MFU has a bit of a 'cuff' already - so maybe the Horton kit wouldn't be as big of an improvement?
Last edited by Chimbu chuckles; 5th Apr 2012 at 15:52.
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A bit of thread drift:
Would not the increased wingspan through adding tip tanks beat the STOL kits?
There is a 185 at Armidale with tip tanks, speedbrakes and TOTALLY flush riveted!!
Would not the increased wingspan through adding tip tanks beat the STOL kits?
There is a 185 at Armidale with tip tanks, speedbrakes and TOTALLY flush riveted!!
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Captain Clap was flyin' her that day Tinny.
I liked the parcel bench at the dashboard. You could put ya wallet and keys, camera, maps, etc there in front of you within easy reach.
I liked the parcel bench at the dashboard. You could put ya wallet and keys, camera, maps, etc there in front of you within easy reach.
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C185 Stol kit
Got a mate with a C180K fitted with Robertson stol kit. It works, at the expense of 300 hr. life on the aileron cables. Not sure if it was incorrect fitting at the last change, but its a prick of a job to change 'em. Flint tanks if ya wanna get going quick. My old '56 180 only needs 300m full to the gunnels to get away standard, so why buggerize around with an already good performing machine. Got sucked in by the droopy tip craze, might be 20m better off the ground, not a whit of difference otherwise. They built a good flyer right from the get-go, not much you can improve on the old tarts really. IMHO
Cheers, OA
Cheers, OA
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There well could have been more than one. A couple of my friends came back from leave taking pennecillin.
I have lost his name in my memory... always got it associated with another bad bugger who rode surfboards on the Sunny Coast in the mid sixties. They were the sorta bloke I'd like to have been regarded like... game... independent.
I have lost his name in my memory... always got it associated with another bad bugger who rode surfboards on the Sunny Coast in the mid sixties. They were the sorta bloke I'd like to have been regarded like... game... independent.
The Porter is certainly not as nice as the 180/185, that's a given. But it sure was a awesome plane. The Dash 20 PT6 had an expensive hot section. Later on in the ag scene, they put -20 engines in the Piper Brave. The power to weight ratio went through the roof !
This photo is MFW (A185E-01991) at Mendi in mid 70's. It was a 1972 model and one of the last 155 E's built in 72/73, with the first of the F series starting at msn 2091.
This photo is MFW (A185E-01991) at Mendi in mid 70's. It was a 1972 model and one of the last 155 E's built in 72/73, with the first of the F series starting at msn 2091.
Last edited by Skywagon1915; 8th Apr 2012 at 21:50.
Silly Old Git
Just as a fer-instance the Porter could depart Mendi 17 pctured above, TURN RIGHT and climb out through the quarry. I know of several that have done it 
(Thinks)....anyone know Gary Bull?
(Thinks)....anyone know Gary Bull?
Last edited by tinpis; 9th Apr 2012 at 00:30.
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Porters... sorta thread drift. In 1963, I was out at Mt Isa when the army flew the first one we'd seen in. We had a look while they refuelled then he taxiied out and asked for take off clearence while sitting on the end of the piano keys, facing the wrong way. The tower came back with the estimated take off distance of a hundred feet or what ever, and the pilot said, "Acceptable ...request take off clearence"
Tower came back with something like, "at your own risk ... clear for take off".
The lad gunned her on the brakes and let them go, and was off the ground between the other end of the piano keys and the runway end.
It was the old runway and there wasn't a particularly strong south easter blowing at the time.
It certainly gave us a heap of respect for the ugly bugger.
There were three original piston ones parked on Sentani in about 1972 awaiting some engineer to certify them. We had a licenced engineer who could who came to Vanimo with us to service the threes on the overnight returns to our side of the border, as we did a heap of charters over the other side for the Indos.
Arthur was ordered to never go across the border with us as he'd be nabbed and kept to certify them.
They looked more like an aeroplane than the praying mantis the turbine makes them look like
Tower came back with something like, "at your own risk ... clear for take off".
The lad gunned her on the brakes and let them go, and was off the ground between the other end of the piano keys and the runway end.
It was the old runway and there wasn't a particularly strong south easter blowing at the time.
It certainly gave us a heap of respect for the ugly bugger.
There were three original piston ones parked on Sentani in about 1972 awaiting some engineer to certify them. We had a licenced engineer who could who came to Vanimo with us to service the threes on the overnight returns to our side of the border, as we did a heap of charters over the other side for the Indos.
Arthur was ordered to never go across the border with us as he'd be nabbed and kept to certify them.
They looked more like an aeroplane than the praying mantis the turbine makes them look like