I would like to thank everyone who has contributed suggestions to my enquiry. My
proposed solution is to use 2 Skydrive digital temperature gauges, as supplied
for their Rotax carburettor heat kit (good idea, William!), and to put the
sensor down by the flap tube (thank you, Klaus). The two readout units will be
mounted side by side in a small sub-panel that I have fabricated over Christmas
to go in my central overhead roof-lining, thereby giving me a mini airliner
feel to my environment while flying!
It so happens that I have 2 of those digital gauges here. You may wonder why -
and as it is so nearly the end of the year, and a little laughter may cheer us
all up, the story is as follows:
On 27 October 2002, UK experienced a severe gale, with consequences for me and
my Europa that are described in the forwarded e-mail below.
Two days later, the local "fairies" visited my hangar, with its doors lying on
the floor and open to all who cared to look in, and opened my steel tool
cupboard.
They removed all the tools (for my aircraft and a friend's Avid), and opened
the carb heat kit parcel which was in the cupboard awaiting fitting. From
that parcel they removed all the "consumables", but not the bits that mattered.
Skydrive supplied me with a full replacement kit, some of which will go back
for credit now that the kit fitting has been completed.
Because the gale damage had left the aircraft trapped inside (and because I was
away on the morning the theft was discovered), the only way that the robbery
was discovered was because the gang had taken all the loot across to the other
side of the airfield, where they had had a sort-out. They rejected my old tool
box, and some useless bits therein; they had taken a 20 litre can of engine
oil for the Avid, and they removed the drum tap, and the oil, from the can, and
left the empty can behind as well. They also left beside the rejected items
an envelope that had been in the toolbox, with my name and address on it - so
the early morning finder was immediately able to contact my son.
Such is the mentality of the local idiot fraternity. The police did come and
look
around a few days later, but......! The insurance assessor for the written
off aircraft came almost by return; my insurer's assessor - for the hangar
damage
and tool loss - is coming on 3 January.
I would like to attach a photo of the scene, with the written off motorglider
lying
outside the hangar, the hangar wide open with the doors on the floor, and
my poor (but lucky) Europa sitting forlornly in the back of the hangar. However,
I believe that the forum protocol does not permit attachments? John Cliff
will correct me if I am wrong.
I am sorry this is such a long-winded e-mail - but it is an amusing story, at
least
in retrospect!
Happy New Year to you all - again!
David
----- Original Message -----
From: David.Corbett
Subject: A lucky escape...
As you all know, there was a gale yesterday! The Met Office's Automatic Weather
Station on Shobdon Airfield recorded 72 mph (it may have been kts, I do not yet
know).
When I left my aircraft after a very enjoyable flight back from Booker last
Saturday
(19th), it was just inside my hangar doors. There is space for 3 aircraft
in my end of my hangar, but one of the three had been sold and flown away 2/3
weeks ago. I put my Europa at the front leaving an empty space behind it; the
third aircraft, an Avid, is also behind me - with a u/s engine at the moment.
At 0830 on Sunday, almost at the height of the gale, our fire officer inspected
the runway and "airside" areas, and all was in order. At about 0930, after
visiting
various road blocks on our patch, including one where some poor lady was
trapped in her car by one of our trees that had fallen across the main road,
I decided to look around the airfield. As I turned onto the perimeter track,
I wondered why some of the 4 sliding doors on my hangar (about 500yds away) were
open.
When I got there, I found that a motor glider, which lives on the grass area 50
yds from the hangar - very securely tied down - had been torn from its position,
pulling the tie-downs out of the ground, and been hurled, without touching
the ground at all, into the doors and gutter of my hangar. The motor glider was
smashed to pieces, 2 of the 4 doors had been knocked down - into the hangar
- and the third had been bent inwards, displaced, but remained in position.
The previous day - Saturday 26th - David Johnstone had decided to try to fix his
u/s engine. He had had to put my Europa to the back of the hangar to get his
Avid out.
How was that for the most incredible luck? Neither his aircraft, nor mine were
in any way damaged by the flying debris.
Thank you, David - that action will never be forgotten!
And the lady? She also had incredible luck. The roof of her car was squashed
down
level with the bonnet; the impact with her head broke the sunroof but, although
she is still in hospital with serious head injuries, she will recover.
Thank you, lady luck...!
David
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