Airvan
R.E the airflow issues, i never had a problem with the Gasper fan in the airvan, some of our older fleet where modified with a car fan setup as the original ones had a tendency to burn out after fresh pah-lots failed to turn them off in their after take off checks! The new two speed setup was quite effective for what it was designed for 
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Join Date: May 2005
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Airflow
GG,
Thanks mate, seems whatever AIRVAN we end up with,,,the ventilation will be investigated closely.
And yeah,,always good to go thru those checks thoroughly.
Cheers mate.
Thanks mate, seems whatever AIRVAN we end up with,,,the ventilation will be investigated closely.
And yeah,,always good to go thru those checks thoroughly.
Cheers mate.
Hey Gordstar,
I thoroughly enjoyed my hours in the Airvan. The auto-land system is amazing! I used to take an extra cushion along for comfort. Yes, the ventilation could use some work. It's nothing compared to the ram air of the 206! I've never done photo opps in one, and can't really remember it being that bad in turbulence. All in all a great, simple, well thought out aircraft. All the best.
Cheers,
Greaser.
I thoroughly enjoyed my hours in the Airvan. The auto-land system is amazing! I used to take an extra cushion along for comfort. Yes, the ventilation could use some work. It's nothing compared to the ram air of the 206! I've never done photo opps in one, and can't really remember it being that bad in turbulence. All in all a great, simple, well thought out aircraft. All the best.
Cheers,
Greaser.
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Hey Gordstar,
I've done quite a bit of time in various aircraft of similar size to the airvan, including a few hundred hours in the airvan itself. I fly a lot of survey, although not photographic and the airvan would be terrible to keep on an accurate line, as in accurate survey tolerances not accurate charter tolerances as it is quite a touchy little beast, most dont seem to fly straight, and as mentioned earlier, there is no rudder trim. Not really an issue for charter but to fly accurate lines as you know, its all about footwork and its no fun to get out of the saddle limping your way to the pub!! Doing photography you prob wont be too low, so ventilation wont be too much of a prob, but they really arent that stable by comparison to other types out there. Although quite a step up, the PAC750 Cresco or 750XL are both very stable, quite fast, efficient machines that can come with a hole in the floor straight from the factory. The very good GPS slaved autopilot would eb handy too. Gippsland should chuck the same autopilot in their planes!!
I've done quite a bit of time in various aircraft of similar size to the airvan, including a few hundred hours in the airvan itself. I fly a lot of survey, although not photographic and the airvan would be terrible to keep on an accurate line, as in accurate survey tolerances not accurate charter tolerances as it is quite a touchy little beast, most dont seem to fly straight, and as mentioned earlier, there is no rudder trim. Not really an issue for charter but to fly accurate lines as you know, its all about footwork and its no fun to get out of the saddle limping your way to the pub!! Doing photography you prob wont be too low, so ventilation wont be too much of a prob, but they really arent that stable by comparison to other types out there. Although quite a step up, the PAC750 Cresco or 750XL are both very stable, quite fast, efficient machines that can come with a hole in the floor straight from the factory. The very good GPS slaved autopilot would eb handy too. Gippsland should chuck the same autopilot in their planes!!
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Sloppy lines
Aileron, thanks mate,,,I have been coming to the same conclusion myself, but you have now voiced it about flight lines.
They have to be absolutely schmick with our companies operatioin, and I am just wondering what the back room boys and girls would think of imagery taken out of the van.
I have looked sideways at the Cresco, mmmmmmmmmmmm
Pity it looks so weird!!!!!!
Neways,,,keep the comments coming everyone, much appreciated.
Seasons greetings BTW.
They have to be absolutely schmick with our companies operatioin, and I am just wondering what the back room boys and girls would think of imagery taken out of the van.
I have looked sideways at the Cresco, mmmmmmmmmmmm
Pity it looks so weird!!!!!!
Neways,,,keep the comments coming everyone, much appreciated.
Seasons greetings BTW.
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The Cresco is an acquired taste, it grows on ya. They look better with the ag-model air intake under the bottom of the cowl rather than the chin scoop tho I must say.
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Long live the Cresco
Definately a beautiful machine the Cresco. Far preferable to the slow old square box that is the Airvan
Here's a good video of one here
YouTube - Two Men and a Plane
Here's a good video of one here
YouTube - Two Men and a Plane
Join Date: May 2007
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Cresco Beautiful????????
Heloooooo!!!
Squarevan may not be most svelte aircraft in the sky but Whaoaaa Creco/Flitcher/XL be waaaaaaayy not good lookin mate.
have did many an hour in PAC products, and did my little bit to reduce the fleet, and I am amazed that anyone says it is gooder than Airvan, I suppose you gonna tell me that even the seats are better!
Who you work for? PAC??
HD
Heloooooo!!!
Squarevan may not be most svelte aircraft in the sky but Whaoaaa Creco/Flitcher/XL be waaaaaaayy not good lookin mate.
have did many an hour in PAC products, and did my little bit to reduce the fleet, and I am amazed that anyone says it is gooder than Airvan, I suppose you gonna tell me that even the seats are better!
Who you work for? PAC??
HD
stability
So could we be a little more specific about the stability issue
static or dynamic?
lateral?
directional?
longitudinal stick fixed?
longitudinal stick free?
incidence stability?
static or dynamic?
lateral?
directional?
longitudinal stick fixed?
longitudinal stick free?
incidence stability?
IMO there are no stability issues what-so-ever......
You just feel every bump with such a large wing, going so slowly with large control surfaces making it easy to over control for the average aileron jockey!
I would still rather be in one than a 206/207 and at last count had around the 400 hour mark in them
I would also love to see one fitted with a cantilever wing, strutless, retractable and more comfortable seats. There are many 210's in the world due for replacement
You just feel every bump with such a large wing, going so slowly with large control surfaces making it easy to over control for the average aileron jockey!
I would still rather be in one than a 206/207 and at last count had around the 400 hour mark in them
I would also love to see one fitted with a cantilever wing, strutless, retractable and more comfortable seats. There are many 210's in the world due for replacement
Though if you have a look at the wing loadings - the airvan's of about 19 lb/sq foot is not all that different to the C206 21 to 23 depending on mauw. I agree that at light weights the comparison is different, but so are the stall speeds - you can't have everything
have did many an hour in PAC products, and did my little bit to reduce the fleet, and I am amazed that anyone says it is gooder than Airvan, I suppose you gonna tell me that even the seats are better!
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I found the ailerons to be nicely balanced in the PAC 750XL......... but it definitely required attention in the seats........ Just like the Airvan.
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Wiz of Auz - ailerons in Flitchers used to be absolutely atrocious, but then the 950's got the end plates and they were improved to be merely abysmal, that's why the stick was about 4 foot long and FU24 pilots had one arm bigger than the other like a crab. the stabilator provided light pitching loads but the rudder pedals might well have been just painted on the back of the firewall for all the use they were.
fast forward to the 21st century....750XL rudder that works, ailerons that are acceptable, but a forward regardless stick force per G gradient that is almost vertical, never mind using the rudder to balance a steep turn, you have both feet on the dash while you pull with both hands. I am looking forward to PAC's next effort with control harmony. I must say that i really appreciated that long stroke oleo gear that would soak up the roughest bumps on crappy strips and give a sweet ride.
As far as seats, i flew fletchers with seats ranging from the old style bench seats to stackable plastic chairs, adapted cessna seats and finally the GA seats in the 750, none of them perfect. If the loader driver was a good bloke you could let him sit in with you, unlike the Pawnee and AgWagon where they had to get in the hopper in the good old days. I am sure that ANY seat would have been considered comfy by those luckless and expendable chaps that the top dressing enterprise essentially depended on. I some time wonder if Dean's bruises ever healed after i had tó 'discipline' him on the way out to the job one morning, at least he didn't fall out the top or bottom of the hopper.
Drifting from the original question a little I suspect.
HD
HD
fast forward to the 21st century....750XL rudder that works, ailerons that are acceptable, but a forward regardless stick force per G gradient that is almost vertical, never mind using the rudder to balance a steep turn, you have both feet on the dash while you pull with both hands. I am looking forward to PAC's next effort with control harmony. I must say that i really appreciated that long stroke oleo gear that would soak up the roughest bumps on crappy strips and give a sweet ride.
As far as seats, i flew fletchers with seats ranging from the old style bench seats to stackable plastic chairs, adapted cessna seats and finally the GA seats in the 750, none of them perfect. If the loader driver was a good bloke you could let him sit in with you, unlike the Pawnee and AgWagon where they had to get in the hopper in the good old days. I am sure that ANY seat would have been considered comfy by those luckless and expendable chaps that the top dressing enterprise essentially depended on. I some time wonder if Dean's bruises ever healed after i had tó 'discipline' him on the way out to the job one morning, at least he didn't fall out the top or bottom of the hopper.
Drifting from the original question a little I suspect.
HD
HD
