Some additional facts/details about the Commonwealth Winjeel and real-world operation:
-Winjeel is Aboriginal for "young eagle".
-It was found that during the evaluations of the early Winjeel design, it didn't want to spin. For their training purposes, the RAAF needed an aircraft that would spin, so CAC had to make some design changes just to satisfy that requirement, leading to the production CA-25, first flying in February 1955.
-The aircraft is stressed for and capable of most aerobatics, with the exception of sustained inverted flight, snap rolls, and outside loops. Those who have flown both the AT-6 and the Winjeel say that when it comes to aerobatics, the Winjeel is every bit as good as the AT-6, and that the Winjeel is perhaps even better than the AT-6 in this regard, with better control response and aerobatic ability.
-As of 2009, approximately 25 Winjeels were privately owned and flown regularly (Anthony mentions that there are 30 currently on the Australian civil register).
-Although originally manufactured with three seats, a number of the examples flying today have been modified to include a fourth seat, for even better practicality (which you can't get with an AT-6).
-Cruises at 125 knots, tracks well on takeoff/landing due to reasonably wide undercarriage, and boasts great control harmony.
-A quirk of the aircraft's flight handling is that when side-slipping, the nose wants to drop as the wing is blanking out the elevator.
-With full emergency flaps deployed, if you enter a spin, it can become unrecoverable, but if you can get the flaps up, a recovery can be made.
-Takeoff is made at 33-in MP and 2,300 RPM. At 40-kts, the tail is brought up and some right rudder is required to keep the aircraft straight down the runway. It comes off the ground at 60-kts and climbs at 85-kts and 1,500 fpm. (Max power of 37-in MP can be attained on takeoff, but is not needed.)
-On approach, the first notch of flaps comes down at 100-kts, and 90-kts becomes the target once trimmed out. At around 85-90-kts, landing flaps are selected and the airspeed is kept at 75-80-kts over the threshold for a wheel landing - 65-70-kts over the threshold for a three-pointer. If you use the emergency flap setting, you really have to get the nose down because it will come out of the sky like a ton of bricks.
-Economy cruise for a cross-country flight can be established at 26-in MP and 1,800 RPM (burning just shy of 20 gph), which should get you about 120-kts. A higher cruise setting of 28-in MP and 2,000 RPM will get you about 135-kts.
-The aircraft stalls at around 53-kts, without much warning, but it will break straight-ahead as long as you're coordinated (any wing drop just depends on where the ball is at).
