Flyer May 2020

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Runway Markings poster with this issue

9

FLYING FARMER’S RV-8 PILGRIMAGE

05

CAPE TOWN OR BUST!

810020

SON BUYS AND RESTORES DAD’S STINSON RELIANT... 72 YEARS ON

772051

Stinson saga

TECNAM P2002 MKII

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Editorial

Subscriptions Telephone +44 (0)1225 481440 Email subscriptions@seager.aero Website www.subscriptions.flyer.co.uk

Ed Hicks

Editorial Telephone +44 (0)1225 481440 Email editor@seager.aero Website www.flyer.co.uk Seager Publishing, 9 Riverside Court, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3DZ

Restore and revive…

W

EDITOR Ed Hicks ed.hicks@seager.aero

hile I’ve always enjoyed the process of building aircraft from new kit parts, over the years I’ve also been involved in some minor aircraft restoration projects, from new panels to engine overhauls and some cosmetic refinishing. That’s the great thing about GA aircraft, they are typically built to last, so when they become tired, unless you have a rare type that’s one of a kind with no parts support, they often represent a worthy investment of time and money to restore to airworthiness.

Restorations can range from enormous projects, like the fabulous Stinson featured on the cover (turn to page 28 for more), to some that just require gentle and careful revival. Quite often there can be aircraft which have lapsed into unairworthiness through no fault of their own. They sit in the corners of hangars, or are tied-down on airfield aprons, waiting for someone to take some action. If you’ve spent any time lingering around your own particular home airfield, you’ve probably spotted at least one such ‘hangar queen’.

The aircraft that offer the most potential to would-be pilot restorers are those looked after by the Light Aircraft Association (LAA). I dropped its Engineering team an email to ask for some stats on dormant LAA aircraft. Out of 7,193 total aircraft on their fleet, 4,398 currently have an expired Permit. I’m told that ‘Permit expired’ total includes written off as well as withdrawn from use, so some of those may be well beyond salvage. However, a more in-depth check showed that the number of merely ‘Permit expired’ aircraft is currently 1,141. While we can be sure a large number of these will be active aeroplanes just on some kind of temporary ‘hold’, I’d bet that something like 10 per cent of that total could be a case of an owner needing some help – a perfect reason for starting a small group – or an aircraft that’s just down on its luck and needs a new owner and some TLC. If you think you might know of such an aircraft, why not find out if the owner would like some help? At the least you might find yourself some interesting shared flying, or perhaps the owner of a new project…

NEWS EDITOR Dave Calderwood dave.calderwood@seager.aero PRODUCTION EDITOR Lizi Brown lizi.brown@seager.aero ART EDITOR Ollie Alderton ollie.alderton@seager.aero CONTRIBUTORS Mark Hales, Ed Bellamy Giles Abrey, Matt Dearden, Peter Wolter, Nathaniel Barry, Yayeri van Baarsen FLIGHT SAFETY EDITOR Joe Fournier joe.fournier@seager.aero PUBLISHER & MANAGING DIRECTOR Ian Seager ics@seager.aero PRODUCTION MANAGER Nick Powell nick.powell@seager.aero SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Kirstie May kirstie.may@seager.aero ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Zoe Yeo zoe.yeo@seager.aero EXHIBITION MANAGERS Darran Ward darran.ward@seager.aero Paul Yates paul.yates@seager.aero MARKETING COORDINATOR Joanna Woronowicz joanna.woronowicz@seager.aero EXHIBITION & EVENTS MANAGER Aimee Janes aimee.janes@seager.aero ACCOUNTS MANAGER Stuart Dobson stuart.dobson@seager.aero FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Martine Teissier martine.teissier@seager.aero

ed.hicks@seager.aero

PRINTING William Gibbons & Sons West Midlands

Left While they require effort, restoration projects bring rewards

CIRCULATION Newstrade Distribution UK and Rest of the World by Seymour

More…

Keep up with FLYER via our website, on Facebook and via Twitter for the latest news, reviews, gossip, discussions, videos and good old flying fun

© Seager Publishing 2020

Mark Mitchell

At FLYER we aim to produce the best possible magazine for our readers. All correspondence is welcome and will be read, but we can’t guarantee a written reply. We welcome contributions from readers, and guidelines are available from us. We take great care to ensure what we publish is accurate, but cannot accept any responsibility for any misprints or mistakes. Our reviews examine what we believe to be a product’s most important points, but readers are advised to check a product suits their needs before purchasing. No part of this publication may be produced in any form without permission.

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May 2020 | FLYER | 3

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Contents May 2020

Features 20 I Get Paid for This…

Eric Komberec

Aerial firefighter Eric Komberec flies a heavily loaded tanker 150ft above the ground at 120kt

28 Restoration Stunning in scarlet

A 1934 Stinson SR-5E Reliant is a sentimental tribute to one family’s enduring love of aviation… Ken Scott finds out more

38 My First Solo Maksim Ferguson

Starting young? Maksim Ferguson travelled to Canada so he could solo at 14 years old…

40 Flight Test Tecnam P2002 Sierra MKII

Peter Wolter flies Tecnam’s latest revision of its popular low-wing trainer with a 600kg mtow

50 Accident Analysis Looking for water

Draining fuel samples in search of water in your aircraft’s fuel system is not a pre-flight task to be blasé about. Joe Fournier reports

Stinson SR-5E 28

56 Flying Adventure Charity challenge

Flying solo from London to Cape Town, Giles Abrey made 27 flights, clocked up 7,905nm – and raised £39,025 for three charities…

68 Top Gear Value for money…

Regulars 3 Editorial 6 News 18 Pilot Careers 23 Matt Dearden 25 Mark Hales

27 Ian Seager 52 Accident Reports 70 By Association 72 That Worst Day 82 QSY

SIX Free Landings!

John Slot

Joe Fournier modernises his Cessna 182 with Whelen Orion LED lights and some Stene Aviation fibreglass wingtips

20

40

56

74 SAVE £49

Six great airfields to visit!

n Balado n Blackbushe n Easter Airfield

n Kingsmuir n Netherthorpe n Yatesbury PLUS Win a print or digital Pooleys UK Flight Guide July 2016 | FLYER | 5

Take-off

Aviation news from around the world – for the latest visit www.flyer.co.uk

Grounded MoD Vigilant motorgliders to fly again with Aerobility Above Vigilant motor glider is based on Grob 109 and the first 10 will be refurbished by the German company Inset Rotax engines and Garmin avionics will be fitted to the upgraded aircraft, which will be called the Grob 109 Able

The issue of what to do with grounded RAF Vigilant motor gliders has been solved – they are to be reconditioned and sold to Aerobility, the charity which brings flying to people with disabilities and injured exmilitary.

The MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation has sold 63 decommissioned Vigilant T1 aircraft to Aerobility. The aircraft were grounded following airworthiness issues, mostly involving poor record keeping.

The first batch of 10 will be modified and refurbished by German company Grob Aircraft SE, the original manufacturer and holder of the Design Authority.

The remaining aircraft will be

engineered and recertified in the UK, where the charity has identified a qualified engineering partner in Southern Sailplanes, based in West Berkshire.

Modifications to the ex-RAF Vigilants will include new Rotax 912is engines, propellers and refurbished cockpits including Garmin glass cockpit avionics. They will be renamed the Grob 109 Able.

Aerobility hopes the first 109 Able will be ready to fly in summer 2021.

Aircraft which aren’t used for flights will be refurbished and sold to generate revenue for the charity, to pay for the ongoing costs of their operational fleet and help them branch out into other parts of the British Isles.

Blackbushe-based Aerobility will more than double its fleet with eight

Vigilants thanks to a grant from the Department for Transport (DfT).

They will be able to help about 2,600 people into the air every year compared to 1,000 currently.

Aerobility’s CEO Mike MillerSmith said, “Acquiring these aircraft will help us transform the lives of an even greater number of disabled people by giving them the unrivalled sense of freedom through the magic of flight.”

The sale will create four full-time engineering jobs, one project management role and one administration position at the charity.

They will also need a full-time coordinator and a part-time flying instructor, with all positions being filled by candidates with a disability where possible. www.g109able.org

How safe is flying?

Pilot survey

How safe is the flying that we private

The 2020 GA survey is online

pilots do? That was the question that

and pilots across Europe can

Tony Rapson, former head of the

take part before 5 April. The

CAA GA Unit, set out to answer last

GA Manufacturers Association

year in an independent report. The

is compiling the survey, aided

answer? Acceptable but could do

by IAOPA and EASA. Visit:

better. Full report here:

https://survey.sogosurvey.

tinyurl.com/RapsonReport

com/r/ioLfK3

6 | FLYER | May 2020

Take-off

Govt indicates UK is leaving EASA The recent government paper on negotiating the future relationship with the EU sent the strongest signal yet that the UK will not continue as an EASA Member State after the end of the transitional period, writes Ed Bellamy.

The paper covers areas in which the government intends to negotiate agreements with the EU such as trade, international co-operation and technical standards. Crucially it makes clear that the government will not accept arrangements in which the UK does not have control of its own laws or agree to any obligations for laws to be aligned with those of the EU. It is hard to see how this would be compatible with the UK remaining a member of EASA. In the period after the 2016 referendum, it appeared to be government policy to try and remain a participant EASA State, in the way that Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein currently are. Under this arrangement the UK would have retained technical participation in rulemaking activity and a seat on EASA’s management board, but without voting rights on actual legislation. However, the UK would have been obliged to implement EASA regulations into

UK law, which appears to be incompatible with the government’s negotiating position.

The specific paragraphs of the paper addressing aviation describe an intention to establish a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (CATA) covering traffic rights and a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) to facilitate the recognition of aviation safety standards and co-operation between the CAA and EASA. Proposing a BASA also suggests that EASA membership is not the government’s intention, since a BASA would not be necessary in that case.

The prospect of a BASA raises more questions though – while EASA currently has several BASAs with states such as the US, Canada and Brazil, they are generally limited to technical standards in airworthiness certification and do not cover areas such as pilot licensing.

It remains to be seen what the appetite for divergence will be. Being outside EASA would give the UK the opportunity to decide which elements of the system to retain European alignment on, but would leave the UK CAA unable to issue EASA licences and approvals.

For GA at least, leaving EASA would mean an end to the EASA/ non-EASA distinction and the possibility of wider access to initiatives currently limited to the nationally regulated sphere, albeit changes not meeting ICAO requirements would remain limited to domestic airspace.

CAA issues advice on medical selfdeclarations The CAA has issued this advice to pilots affected by the 8 April expiry of the current exemption that allows General Aviation (GA) pilots to selfdeclare their medical fitness: “Currently pilots with a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Light Aircraft Pilot’s Licence (LAPL) or Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) can self-declare their medical fitness to fly aircraft certificated by EASA, rather than having to gain a LAPL Medical Certificate, a Class 2 Medical with an Aero-Medical Examiner (AME) or a LAPL medical certificate with their NHS General Practitioner (subject to certain criteria).

“The exemption that allows this in the UK expires on Wednesday 8 April 2020. This can only be renewed if EASA extends its own derogation that permits National pilot licence holders to operate EASA-certified aircraft.

“The UK decided that as a National pilot licence holder could operate an EASA certified aircraft on a pilot medical selfdeclaration, a UK issued EASA pilot licence holder should be able to do the same.

“EASA has not yet published a decision on extending its derogation.

“The CAA is therefore advising pilots who are likely to be affected to consider booking and completing a LAPL or Class 2 Medical to enable them to continue flying legally.

“The UK cannot legally issue a further exemption at this time but, given the very short notice at which an EASA decision is expected, the CAA is working with the Department for Transport (DfT) to try to find an alternative approach.” tinyurl.com/CAAmedical

GoFly no-go

Swings and hangars

February’s final fly-off for Boeing’s

Mixed news for Peter Day’s

international $2m GoFly prize had

Hangar Homes. Planners at

to be called off because of windy

Newtownards turned down the

conditions. But one team did come

idea for residential hangar

away with an award, the Japanese

homes. At Enniskillen the

team teTra Aviation, won the

landowner will sell the land

$100,000 Pratt & Whitney Disruptor

subject to planning permission.

Award. www.goflyprize.com

www.hangarhomes.co.uk

May 2020 | FLYER | 7

Take-off

Happier times: Mike Roberts, left, and Nicholas Rogers, after setting a record visiting 16 countries in 24 hours in a light aircraft in 2019

Take Flight evicted from Wellesbourne Flying school Take Flight Aviation has lost its fight to stay at Wellesbourne Airfield and was evicted at the end of February. Take Flight founder Mike Roberts led the campaign to save the airfield.

Mr Roberts said in a note circulated to FLYER, “We are being evicted from Wellesbourne Airfield on 28 February 2020 with the loss of 20 full and part-time jobs, 15 aircraft and over 300 active members.

“The landowners have proffered various misleading explanations as to why they refuse to grant Take Flight a tenancy (despite the airfield manager Mr Littler confirming in the last few weeks that Take Flight Aviation was his best customer).

“Take Flight Aviation has been penalised and victimised and appears to be getting no effective help in remedying this.”

Take Flight also has a base at nearby London Oxford Airport.

The airfield owner, Littler Investments Ltd (LIL), wants to redevelop the airfield as a housing site but has come to an agreement with Stratford District Council for a mixed-use site, including retaining an operating airfield.

The Littlers have issued this statement: “As a result of the manner in which the court proceedings were conducted by Take Flight Aviation, LIL decided that they no longer wanted to have a business relationship with Take Flight Aviation, a position that was made clear to both SDC and Take Flight Aviation prior to entering into the Memorandum of Understanding dated 30 August 2019.

“Take Flight Aviation have had plenty of time to make arrangements to relocate their business and have already received from LIL the benefit of the statutory compensation they are entitled to at the end of their tenancy.

“LIL are in the process of contacting all the aircraft owners who were aligned with Take Flight to offer them parking licences.”

Govt opens £2m fund for airfields The government has announced a £2m fund to support local airfields. The money will be available to supply commercial expertise and help General Aviation businesses grow.

The Airfield Development Fund was announced in February by Aviation Minister, Paul Maynard (above). Its aim is to increase support for airfield owners, operators, local councils and associated businesses, helping them upskill, thrive and grow.

Applicants are encouraged to apply for advice from the £2m fund from Spring 2020 by demonstrating how it could help them protect or expand their business. This includes applying for help on proposed developments, protecting airfields, or expanding training facilities and commercial opportunities.

Paul Maynard said, “The UK Government recognises the enormous contribution smaller airfields make to the UK economy, and to the people they serve, where many aviation careers take first flight.

“We’re committed to protecting our airfields and easing the challenges that many businesses face. This support will help airfields prosper, creating and securing more jobs, while inspiring the next generation of aviation and engineering enthusiasts.” www.gov.uk/transport/aviation

APPG-GA back

See you, see me

The All-Party Parliamentary Group

Hi-vis jackets are required

on General Aviation (APPG-GA)

airside at Glos Airport. “We

has re-formed after a brief hiatus

are seeking to provide

for December’s General Election.

marginal safety gains,” said

APPG-GA chair, Mark Pritchard,

Ops Director James Head.

said, “Members are keen for the

Runway news: 09/27 is being

group to pick up where it left off

repaved, 04/22 resurfaced,

late last year.”

18/36 to close.

8 | FLYER | May 2020

Take-off

Leonardo snaps up Switzerland’s Kopter

Pure Flight winter tests all-electric ONIX Czech company Pure Flight has been winter testing its all-electric, two-seat aircraft ONIX in Scandinavia.

The aircraft was successfully flown from Sveg in central Sweden to Roros in neighbouring Norway, in what’s believed to be the first flight by an electric aircraft across the border.

“We made the first electric flight over the border in winter conditions,” said the company. “From Sveg in Sweden to Roros in Norway. Total distance 219km (118nm) and energy consumption 31kWh. Headwind from 20-40 km/h.

“At the second airport, a low-temperature charging test was conducted where about 15 per cent of the battery capacity was recharged. All systems worked correctly.

Efficiency of the battery was not affected by low temperature and efficiency of the propulsion system was increased by three per cent.”

A video of the flight is here: youtu.be/WgYUNq7h_DE The Pure Flight ONIX is a composite construction with a choice of wingspans – 11 or 15 metres. It has an electric-only propulsion system with a 60kW motor and a max endurance of 2.5 hours. Cruise speed is said to be 160-200km/h (86-108kt) and stall speed 65km/h (35kt). Max take off weight is 600kg – the current limit for light sport aircraft.

The aircraft’s first flight was in November 2018. In September 2019 it won the smartflyer e-challenge in Switzerland with a flight of 199km, landing with 27 per cent of power remaining.

As well as developing the aircraft Pure Flight is also producing its own battery chargers and charging systems. www.pure-flight.eu

Main Pure Flight’s ice queen, ONIX, testing in Sweden Inset ONIX won last September’s smartflyer challenge for electric aircraft

Giant aerospace company Leonardo has bought 100 per cent of new helicopter startup Kopter, adding a brand new single-engine turbine helicopter, the SH09, to the Italian company’s impressive existing line-up of AgustaWestland rotor craft.

Swiss company Kopter started in 2009 under the name Marenco SwissHelicopter, rebranding in 2018. Its sole product is the eight-seat 2.5 tonne class SH09, a clean sheet design using the latest technology, materials and safety features. The SH09 is currently powered by a Honeywell HTS900 turbine producing 1020shp but Kopter has also been looking at future hybridelectric propulsion. The cockpit has a Garmin G3000H flight-deck.

As recently as January, Kopter was conducting its certification flight test campaign for the SH09 in Sicily with its third prototype (P3). The helicopter has now reached more than 100 flights and is equipped with a modified main rotor head and the next generation of main rotor blades.

“The results of these flights confirm our aircraft evolution roadmap is meeting the expectations,” said Kopter CTO, Michele Riccobono.

Kopter is planning to certify the SH09 by the end of 2020. The company says the $3.5m helicopter has an order book stretching to 2025.

EPI’s engine

Homesafe for TBM

US engine specialists EPI have

Daher is equipping its latest TBM 940

revealed a new four-cylinder engine

with Garmin’s new Emergency Autoland

that’s a direct replacement for a

system, calling it ‘Homesafe’, which

Continental O-200. It’s said to be

works with the Garmin G3000

lighter (86kg), more powerful

flight-deck. Buyers of 2020 model year

(126hp) and less than half the price.

aircraft will also have a choice of

First customer is Vashon Aircraft for

upmarket leather cabin interiors and

its Ranger LSA.

automated icing protection.

10 | FLYER | May 2020

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Take-off Main While they handle plenty of GA types, ATS Aero are keen to help LAA Permit aircraft owners mainitain their own aircraft Inset The ATS team - including Woody the dog

Permit aircraft welcome for DIY at ATS Aero Working on your aircraft is one of the great delights of owning a Permit aircraft, but you need somewhere to work. Even better, somewhere where there are specialist tools and services available, and perhaps an engineer who can bail you out.

ATS Aero at Wycombe Air Park is keen to offer its assistance to LAA aircraft owners for repairs, mods, maintenance etc. Although ATS Aero core customers are certified GA fixed-wing and helicopters, they also maintain and hangar a number of LAA aircraft.

The staff include three LAA inspectors and there is a wealth of experience in-house maintaining and repairing everything from vintage and warbird aircraft, through air race and aerobatic mounts. Their experience extends to all types of structures from wood, steel tube and fabric, through aluminium to composites, as well as the standard GA machines. The hangar is heated and well-lit and there is a lounge, tea, coffee and of course Woody, the hangar dog.

ATS Aero can offer space in the hangar for aircraft and access to specialist tooling: sparkplug cleaner, compression tester, shop air, three phase electricity, an onsite CAA approved welder, sheet metal tools if needed etc. Plus, there’s also guidance to help work through an annual inspection or modifications. www.atsaero.co.uk

Garmin Pilot update Garmin has updated its Pilot navigation app with new features and IFR planning tools, such as approach and departure procedures. It can be tried free for 30 days after downloading the app. tinyurl.com/ GarminPilotapp

12 | FLYER | May 2020

Inbox Embarrassing mess It’s fair to say that the new Farnborough controlled airspace is gripping pilots’ minds at the moment, and the FLYER forum reflects this with three different threads where opinions and anecdotes are exchanged. Some were complaining that Farnborough’s controllers were acting as though the Class D was in place before 27 February, while others were just having a general rant.

Some, like SkyDemon’s Tim Dawson, are taking a positive attitude and looking to make the best of the situation. Tim posted a screenshot of what he expected SkyDemon’s moving map to look like, and commented, “It strikes me that this new airspace is an embarrassing mess and I can’t wait to stand at Friedrichshafen apologising for it to all the European pilots who can’t believe what they’re seeing.”

Another, Mike Hallam, reported that some LAA members were putting forward a proposal for a north-south GA corridor, similar to the Manchester low-level route. There are also early reports from pilots asking for a VFR clearance through the Class D – and it being granted with no fuss (which it should be of course). www.forums.flyer.co.uk

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SERA changes Because of an exemption to the European Standardised Rules of the Air (SERA) coming to an end, there will be a notable change to the minimum distance from cloud for VFR aircraft in Class D airspace.

Ed Bellamy reports

A

round the time you read this (assuming no further developments since writing this article in late February), there will be a significant change to the minimum distance from cloud VFR aircraft in Class D airspace must maintain. After 25 March (this year), VFR traffic in the UK must maintain the standard ICAO 1,000ft vertical and 1,500m horizontal separation from cloud when flying in Class D. The Class D ‘clear of cloud’ rule that hitherto applied by day when at below 3,000ft, in sight of the surface and flying at 140kt or less, no longer applies. This change ends a UK difference from the ICAO Rules of the Air which has been in place since 1994, with the origin of the outgoing rule going back years before that.

The change is due to an exemption to the European Standardised Rules of the Air (SERA), which comes to an end on 25 March. The implications could be significant. If a VFR aircraft wishes to cross a CTR when the cloud base is 2,000ft AGL, that effectively means the 1,000ft between you and the cloud is not usable, which may have implications for observing the low flying rules. If the cloud ceiling is 1,000ft for example, entry under VFR effectively cannot happen, unless you are able to climb above the cloud layer.

Now all is not lost – under the standard SERA and ICAO ruleset, the solution is to request a Special VFR clearance. SVFR is a provision that allows visual flight in a control zone (CTR) when below the applicable VFR minima.

Before getting into the detail of Special VFR, let’s review how we got to this point. In 1991 the ICAO airspace classifications of A-G came into force. In line with many other ICAO states the UK chose Class D as the default classification for control zones and areas around airports.

Under the ICAO ruleset, all airspace classes except A have minima for defining when VFR flight can take place, part of which are cloud separation requirements.

The logic is essentially that of ‘see and avoid’. In Class D airspace for example there is no requirement for ATC to apply formal separation between IFR and VFR traffic, just to provide traffic information. The idea is that VFR traffic should keep a set distance from cloud, so as not to suddenly come face to face with an IFR aircraft coming out of one.

However, in many of the ‘Special Rules’ zones that predated Class D control zones, there was no cloud separation requirement – the rule was often just ‘clear of cloud’, although it sometimes depended on the zone.

In 1994 the UK Rules of Air were amended to make provision for a ‘clear of cloud’ rule in Class D when VFR at or below 3,000ft and flying at 140kt or less. This was a difference from ICAO and in 2012 when SERA came in it looked like it would go.

After negotiation with the European Commission, it was agreed the UK rule could continue. Such exemptions can only continue without the support of the Commission for a certain amount of time and last year it was indicated to the UK that this difference had reached the end of the road. At the moment, Brexit does not have a bearing on the situation.

14 | FLYER | May 2020

“The exemption comes to an end on 25 March” So what about Special VFR? In theory it is another way of achieving the same thing as the outgoing rule.

The associated minima are clear of cloud and in sight of the surface, 1,500m inflight visibility and speed not more than 140kt IAS. Additionally, for ATC to issue a SVFR clearance to aircraft departing or arriving to an aerodrome in a CTR, the reported ground visibility must be at least 1,500m and cloud ceiling at least 600ft. There are no PPL specific restrictions on SVFR – forget everything from 1990s air law about Class A airspace and 10km visibility. It has nothing to do with the current rules.

Now the possible catch with SVFR is that of separation – ATC is required to provide separation between IFR and SVFR traffic, which under the existing separation criteria for most CTRs could prove quite restrictive. A lot will depend on how well ATC units and pilots can adapt to the new requirements.

Longer term, modifications to some airspace structures and classifications might be beneficial.

Either way pilots flying VFR and wishing to operate in Class D should expect an increase in the circumstances in which a SVFR clearance is necessary and familiarise themselves with the applicable requirements. Only time will tell what operational impact the changes will make A summary of Class D VFR and SVFR requirements is below.

Class D airspace

VFR

Special VFR

n 1,000ft vertically

n Clear of cloud and

from cloud

in sight of the surface

n 1,500m horizontally

n 1,500m in flight

from cloud

visibility (800m for helicopters)

n 5km flight visibility

n 140kt or less indicated airspeed Additional requirements for departing or arriving at aerodromes within a CTR

n Cloud ceiling

n 1,500m ground

1,500ft

n 5km ground

visibility (800m for helicopters)

visibility

n Cloud ceiling

For more information: www.caa.co.uk/sera

600ft

News Extra

New Farnborough airspace will transform flying across south-east A fiercely fought battle to challenge the CAA’s decision to award Farnborough Airport a huge Class D and Class E controlled airspace failed. Now that airspace has come into effect – and will have a massive impact. Dave Calderwood reports

A

huge block of new controlled airspace serving Farnborough Airport came into effect from 27 February 2020. The contentious airspace will impact pilots of all types of aircraft, VFR and IFR, flying in the congested and airspace heavy skies of south-east England.

It fits in between Heathrow, Gatwick and Solent Control Areas (CTAs) offering multiple opportunities for pilots to infringe. To help smooth the introduction of the airspace, the CAA has issued ‘a comprehensive guide to the Class D and Class E Farnborough controlled airspace’ through its Airspace & Safety website.

The new Farnborough controlled airspace consists of two Class D Control Zones (CTR) around the aerodrome, seven Class D Control Areas (CTAs) and two Class E Control Areas (CTAs).

Electronic conspicuity for the Class E airspace is to be introduced as a transponder mandatory zone (TMZ). A speed limit of 250kt IAS applies below FL100. These new linked structures adjoin the established London Terminal Manoeuvring Area (LTMA).

The British Gliding Association (BGA) has been a vociferous critic of the new airspace, taking the CAA’s decision to a judicial review. BGA chairman Pete Stratten tweeted on the 27th, “Well, there it is. A massive lump of new controlled airspace. Putting aside the travesty of the gift handed out by CAA, this is a symbol of the UK’s failed approach to managing lower airspace.

“CAS (controlled airspace) like this exports risk to the Class G airspace beyond the CTR/CTA borders.

Well worth noting the pinch point that will draw in traffic running around the zones past Lasham. Keep a good look out guys.”

Key points made by the CAA:

■ IFR, SVFR and VFR flights are permitted within

Class D airspace ■ An ATC clearance is needed to transit the Class D airspace and compliance with ATC instructions is mandatory 16 | FLYER | May 2020

■ Flights operating under VFR are given traffic

information and avoidance advice is available on request ■ Class E airspace is controlled airspace. Compared with Class G airspace, there is a greater likelihood of encountering faster and heavier aircraft types within Class E airspace ■ Pilots operating VFR do not need an ATC clearance to operate within Class E airspace. However, it is recommended that such pilots seek to obtain a Basic Service or a Traffic Service from Farnborough ATC when operating in either CTA-8 or CTA-9 ■ All aircraft within the TMZ must be equipped with Mode S transponders with Solent altitude reporting or, if unable to meet the transponder requirements, obtain an approval to enter TMZ airspace from the controlling Air Traffic Service Unit prior to entry.

An approval is not a clearance.

Class D transit

Pilots requesting to transit Class D airspace should call Farnborough Radar on 125.250MHz. Pilots wishing to transit Class E airspace (CTA 8 and CTA 9) under VFR in communication with ATC should call Farnborough LARS on 125.250MHz. Pilots wishing to transit under IFR should call Farnborough Radar on 133.440MHz.

Aerodromes affected

Blackbushe Airport lies to the north of CTR 1. Part of its ATZ lies within the Class D. Operational interactions with Farnborough Airport and local flying area procedures are specified in the AIP. “Don’t be put off,” said Airport Manager Chris Gazzard. “We have worked with Farnborough to minimise the impact.”

See also: www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/faqs-for-class-d Fairoaks Aerodrome IFR inbounds will route via a Farnborough standard arrival route (STAR). Outbound aircraft will be managed in accordance with information specified in the AIP. Fairoaks Airfield southerly departures need to be aware of possible ACAS events against Farnborough IFR arrivals in CTA 1.

Farnborough controlled airspace may additionally include IFR operations from RAF Odiham, Lasham, Dunsfold, Goodwood and Shoreham.

News Extra

Royal Flights

Above This is Farnborough Airport’s new controlled airspace.

It’s big, it’s fractured and has plenty of infringement possibilities Left This is the controlled airspace shown on SkyDemon. Can you spot where the rat runs are likely to develop?

When Royal Flights arrive or depart from Farnborough Airport, the Class E CTA 8 and/or CTA 9 pockets will be reclassified as Class D controlled airspace. This will be notified by Notam.

Visual Reference Points

The VRPs at Hook, Alton and Guildford all indicate the boundaries of Class D airspace – the three VRPs are close to, but outside, controlled airspace. Other VRPs are listed in the UK AIP EGLF AD2.22.

Don’t infringe

An aircraft that enters controlled airspace without a clearance is, to air traffic control, an unknown aircraft and a separation standard of either 3nm laterally or 3,000ft vertically must be achieved between that aircraft and IFR aircraft inbound to, or outbound from, Farnborough Airport.

Further information The CAA’s guide is here: https://airspacesafety. com/updates/ There is a detailed guide here as a pdf: https://airspacesafety.com/wp-content/ uploads/2020/02/Farnborough_CAS_A4_v5.pdf

Structure

Vertical Limits

Classification

CTR 1

SFC-3500 feet

Class D

CTR 2

SFC-2500 feet

Class D

CTA 1

2000-2500 feet

Class D

CTA 2

1500-5500 feet

Class D

CTA 3

2000-5500 feet

Class D

CTA 4

2500-3500 feet

Class D

CTA 5

2500-4500 feet

Class D

CTA 6

2500-5500 feet

Class D

CTA 7

3500-4500 feet

Class D

CTA 8

4500-5500 feet

Class E with TMZ

CTA 9

5500 feet-FL65

Class E with TMZ

Class A overlies CTA 9 at FL65 and above regardless of QNH

May 2020 | FLYER | 17

Pilot Careers www.pilotcareernews.com The definitive source for pilot training, career and industry news

In Brief Wings Alliance student, Paidamwoyo Marizani (below), has been awarded a scholarship to cover a large proportion of her flight training costs. It comes from tech entrepreneur Arlan Hamilton who said, “My mother and I aim to help catalyse under-represented, under-estimated scholars and students with a variety of interests and skills.”

Quadrant Pilot has started a new EASA-approved Airline Pilot Standard Multi Crew Co-operation (APS MCC) course on A320 or B737 NG full flight simulators at its training centre near Gatwick Airport.

Approved Training Organisation FTEJerez is now offering Airbus A320 type rating training either as part of an approved Multi-Pilot Licence course or as a standalone module. FTE also offers A320 type rating training on its new Airbus A320 MPS FTD 1.

Ryanair’s mentored pilot programme picks up pace Ryanair’s move to appoint selected approved training organisations to run Ryanair mentored pilots programmes is gaining momentum.

In February the Irish airline announced a partnership with Italian ATO Aviomar Flight Academy in Rome, joining existing programmes with Bartolini in Poland, Sky4U in Germany, Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) in Ireland and VA Airline Training in the UK. Both AFTA and VA recently announced 100 per cent success rate in getting their first batches of APS MCC trained pilots through the selection process and onto a Ryanair B737 type rating course.

“We are very pleased to announce that 100 per cent of our Ryanair mentored cadets were successful at their recent assessment day with Ryanair,” said Captain Mark J Casey, AFTA CEO and Head of Training.

The Aviomar mentored pilot programme actually kicked off in October 2019. Pilots on the programme will be using Ryanair procedures.

Over the course of the next four-to-five years, up to 400 new pilots from across Europe will be recruited and trained by Aviomar. Newly trained pilots who commence their ab initio training now will start their careers with Ryanair from early 2022.

Ryanair’s Director of

Operations, Neal McMahon said, “Ryanair is pleased to announce this training partnership with Aviomar Flight Academy, which has an impressive track record in training top-class pilots to the highest standards.

“This new training programme is Ryanair’s only mentored pilot programme in southern Europe, and this partnership highlights our commitment to supporting, developing and recruiting pilots for current and future positions.

“With hundreds of daily Ryanair flights into Italy, we expect students from across Europe to avail of Ryanair’s low fares and enrol in Aviomar Flight Academy’s Ryanair Mentored pilot training programme.”

More: careers.ryanair.com

Like father like daughter…

ACS Aviation at Perth Airport, Scotland is on track to record a 26 per cent increase in turnover thanks to a busy year that saw the business train more than 115 pilots. The company has recently invested in state-of-the-art flight simulators and twin-engine training aircraft.

British training organisation Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL) has gone in search of the sun for flight training and hours-building for its cadet pilots – and it’s found it with Florida-based US Aviation Training Solutions (USATS).

A new type of full flight simulator is now ready for training pilots with British company IAGO Flight Training at London Gatwick.

It’s an Airbus A320 FFS EASA level D Simulator developed and built by Dutch company Avion Group, who have named it the Phantom.

18 | FLYER | May 2020

Above Captain Gerry Duff and First Officer Aoife Duff, his daughter, both fly for Ireland’s national carrier Aer Lingus – and flew together for the first time recently. The Duffs were coincidentally rostered for a flight from Dublin to Seattle, operating an Airbus A330. Captain Gerry Duff recently celebrated his 30th year working with Aer Lingus, while daughter Aoife joined the airline through its cadet programme two years ago.

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Pilot Careers

I Get Paid for This…

Eric Komberec Aerial firefighter Eric Komberec flies a heavily loaded firebombing tanker 150ft above the ground at 120kt. Interview by Yayeri van Baarsen

How did you get into flying?

Growing up on an airport, I learned to fly at a young age. In high school I worked as a gas boy, driving the chase truck (the support vehicle for firefighting helicopters). This, and the film Always, sparked my interest in aerial firefighting.

Tell us about your job?

I’m an air tanker Captain for Neptune Aviation, flying the BAe 146 firebombing tanker. Based in Missoula, Montana, we mainly work for the US Fire Service and travel to where the fire is. You never know where you’re going to end up.

In the aeroplane we carry 3,000 gallons of fire Flying CV retardant which is dyed red so you see it in the Apart from his job flying fire timber. Dropping the retardant, we aim to build a support missions, Eric Komberec circle around the fire to stop it from spreading, also flew the DC-3 Miss using the natural landscape or hiking trails as Montana to Normandy for the 75th barriers. The tanker is stout, but manoeuvrable anniversary of D-Day. and has a speed brake in the tail, which comes in Started: 2014 Now flying: BAe 146 firebombing tanker handy for the steep terrain we operate in.

Favourite: DC-3. “For me, it just combines It’s a really rewarding job. Everyone in the everything. It handles very well, is loud, firefighting industry shares a common interest, noisy and has lots of history.” wanting to help others. It’s hard work, but we get a Hours at job start: Approx. 8,000 Hours now: Approx. 9,500 lot of time off. Like aeroplane pilots, we live out of suitcases, but unlike them we don’t have to deal with airport security or be in uniform. There’s a lot of sitting around and waiting, we usually only fly 250 to 300 hours a D-Day. Before we left, we’d put 14,000 hours of labour in to restoring year and sometimes go a month without flying. However, when you’re on a the aircraft, helped by the entire community, which already made it a mission it’s intense, 12-hour days aren’t uncommon. special undertaking. The flight itself holds so many memorable The flying is demanding. You’re doing 120kt in a heavily loaded moments for me. Crossing the Atlantic for the first time, making our aircraft 150ft above ground, in mountainous terrain with poor visibility, way through cloud layers when flying across the English Channel in smoke and strong winds. There are lots of variables, no fire or terrain is the early morning surrounded by Dakotas and P-51s in formation, and the same. Plus, there can be dozens of other firefighting aircraft in the air of course dropping troopers into France with thousands of people on and firefighters on the ground, so you have to be really precise as to where the ground watching and waving. you drop the retardant. Aerial firefighting sounds poetic and heroic, but it’s stressful and can be very frightening if you’re not careful.

And your favourite airfield?

Our family airstrip at the range in Bearmouth, Montana. At only What training did you have?

800ft long it’s a Super Cub strip. It’s where I grew up, flying the Cub as There’s no course for being an aerial firefighter, which makes it really a kid, and it’s a really challenging airstrip. Not many people manage to hard to get into this industry. My extensive experience in helicopter land there. low-level flying helped with becoming a captain on the tanker, which usually takes five to eight years of on-the-job training. During that time Do you get to fly much outside of work? you develop your hands-on flying skills and learn firefighting techniques.

There’s a 5,000ft runway in my front yard, I own several aeroplanes and I’m currently a check pilot on the 146. my family likes flying as well, so yes, I do. Apart from that I’m President of Aerial firefighters need nerves of steel. Half of the job is dealing with the Museum of Mountain Flying and have my own business restoring boredom, while the other is working fast under lots of pressure. You need antique aircraft, my current project is a 1944 Stinson V77 Reliant. good flying abilities – we like agricultural pilots as they’re used to flying low to the ground. There are only 40 pilots in the US who hold an initial What’s the most valuable career advice you’ve had? attack card – qualified to fly to a fire by themselves and deal with it.

Get out of bed early in the morning and get something done! Some people get discouraged easily or try to find excuses for why they can’t deliver. It What’s been your favourite flight? doesn’t work like that. You might have to try 10 things to get to where you Flying the DC-3 Miss Montana to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of want to be, but in order to succeed, you should never give up.

20 | FLYER | May 2020

Main: Jeff Serpa

“When you’re on a mission it’s intense, 12-hour days aren’t uncommon”

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Column

On Approach

Matt Dearden

O

Infringement lessons

ne day last summer I departed Duxford in the Catalina heading north for a weekend airshow. As usual I’d planned the flight beforehand using SkyDemon and assumed that a westerly departure, based on the forecast winds, would take us west of Cambridge before continuing northwards.

This was the first hole in the cheese, as shortly before we departed, the runway changed to the easterly one, which I had not planned for. The second hole was getting my days confused. I had seen the notam for Cambridge about ATC being unavailable at weekends due to staff shortages. In my mind I had thought that it was a Saturday flight, so I had assumed Cambridge ATC would be unavailable. The third and final hole was not having SkyDemon running on my iPad for the flight that day, due to a problem mounting the device safely in the cockpit. Fine I thought, I can rely on local knowledge and the aircraft’s built-in old Garmin GNS530.

Departing on Duxford’s easterly runway, we turned north and then tracked around Cambridge’s ATZ in a north-east direction before heading north. I know it seems odd to say it, but had I remembered it was a Friday I would have spoken to Cambridge and what followed would have been avoided.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t quite given us enough space to keep clear of its ATZ and clipped the south-east corner before turning north.

The first I knew of the incident was some three weeks later when an anonymous email from the CAA was forwarded to me from the Catalina Ops department with the acronym MOR (mandatory occurrence report) in bold in the subject line. Initially I wasn’t too concerned as being a commercial pilot, I am used to reading about MORs and find them a useful learning tool. This time was a bit different, as within the email there weren’t any details of this MOR, just a short email asking the PIC of the flight mentioned within to go online using a link and fill in a form.

The form in question was on the CAA’s airspace safety website.

It asked for the usual sort of things you would include in an MOR such as the aircraft, weather, flight and pilot details. I duly filled it in, and again thought nothing more about it, assuming it was data collecting for the CAA’s infringement team.

One month later, an email from the CAA appeared. It read, ‘The Infringement Coordination Group has reviewed both the Mandatory Occurrence Report and your report and have reached the decision that you are to undertake the online infringement test’.

Hmmm, time to get familiar with CAP1404. If you’re not familiar with it, CAP1404 details what the CAA does after an infringement occurs. Simply put, if you infringe, what happens next will be decided by the CAA’s Infringement Coordination Group,

and that depends on a number of factors. The list of outcomes is as follows: a written warning letter, an online test, an infringement awareness course, remedial re-training or a court appearance.

Hoping to learn further from what had happened I asked to see a copy of the MOR and the radar trace of the flight. An email came back: ‘Unfortunately, under the auspices of the MOR scheme, I am not permitted to provide you with a copy of the report or radar traces, as those are the property of NATS’. However, there was a brief summary of the MOR from the duty controller on the day, which read as if I’d gone straight through the ATZ, which I knew I hadn’t.

Hands-up though, I’d done wrong. So it was head down, and find out more about the online test I’d been invited to sit. The test requires you to answer 20 multiple choice questions in 15 minutes.

There’s no option to go back between questions and you need to get 17 correct to pass. Helpfully there’s an online tutorial provided which takes an hour or so to go through and does point out some useful bits of information. The test, however, covered a much wider range of topics not mentioned in the tutorial, but comprised the sort of things that as a pilot you would be expected to know. Under the

Mark Mitchell

“Hands-up though, I’d done wrong. I opted to take my punishment and sit the online test”

20 | FLYER | March 2020

time pressure of 45 seconds per question, some however were the type that could easily catch you out. Thankfully I got 18 right, and a day later received confirmation that this matter was now closed.

However, it was noted on my licencing record and may be referred to if any further reports were received in the future.

After the event, in talking to other pilots about infringements, I was surprised to find quite a few who had had the same experience.

A couple of them are current big jet pilots who got caught out whilst pleasure flying in SEPs, plus a couple who are instructors, but all were doing above average amounts of GA flying in the south of the UK. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before you make a mistake and infringe…

As it would be for any pilot who flies for a living, I won’t deny the whole experience was a little stressful, and I can easily see how a private pilot who doesn’t fly very often could well be put off. It has led me to question whether the current process is the best way to deal with infringements?

Currently dividing his time between a Cub, a Catalina… oh, and a PC-12 matt.dearden@seager.aero May 2020 | FLYER | 23

Column

Full Throttle

Mark Hales

I

Roll it back in the hangar…

had hoped this month to be waxing about successful test flights in the Messenger and the Jodel, both of which were cleared to fly by the LAA some time ago, but so far have barely seen enough wind under the wings to prove they still generate lift. The weather certainly hasn’t helped, working in low light and freezing cold, not to mention the howling gales, which manage to find their way through every crack and crevice in the vintage North Coates hangar. And every year I ask myself if it was as bad this time last year, or is it just an age thing? Seasonal Aviation Disorder and all that. Some of it is coping with 60-year-old aeroplanes.

But today was the first nice day in a while, I was free, the runway was serviceable and the Jodel was ready at last, probably… Equally important, there were plenty of bodies to drag out the serviceable aircraft that had settled in front. Just needed to close up the cowls and get Steve to refit the radio he’d borrowed – just to satisfy himself that 8.33 was the problem, not his installation – and wash the screen and put in some fuel. So, why didn’t the cowls fit? Did when it flew in. And where were the Dzus fasteners anyway? And why didn’t the radio light up? And why was fuel hissing out of the overflow? And why wouldn’t the bloody thing start? Did last time… Time was ticking on. I needed to be back at my desk as I had a deadline to meet. I’d only got until lunchtime.

It’s everything you read about. Everything I know you shouldn’t do.

Especially the one about being stressed before a test flight. Time to spare, and all that. One of the onlookers to this particular pantomime asked, why I didn’t just buy something that already flies, like everybody else, those busy hauling their aeroplanes out to soak up a rare dose of calm air? It was almost a fair question, except that in the Jodel’s case, back in September, I thought I had.… Probably best to roll it back in the hangar.

Much of the work I’d been obliged to do relates to the Jodel’s Potez engine, but that wasn’t the real problem. The Potez 4E20 dates from the early 1960s and was made in small numbers – between 100 and 120 in total. Potez was a prolific manufacturer of all sizes of aircraft and engines both before and after the war, and like many things to do with General Aviation in France the 4E engine was a response to a government initiative intended to stimulate the market and provide a source of power which didn’t come from America.

The government’s brief was that it had to outperform an O-200 everywhere, but bolt straight to the same mount. The 105hp Potez – unsurprisingly perhaps – that emerged, looked broadly similar and became standard fit to many factory-built Emeraudes and Jodels. Sixty years later, they are still popular in the land of their origin, perhaps less so here. I’m a fan though, I’ve sat behind one for many hours in a D150A Jodel Mascaret, and since the DR1051, which I acquired last

year to replace that, is also fitted with a 4E20, I was fine with that too.

One of the reasons we still enjoy the fantastic reliability offered by the Continental O-200 and its ilk is that it has been in continuous production for decades. Most problems which service (and abusive owners) have uncovered will have been fixed on the line, probably in the early years. That obviously didn’t happen with the Potez, so given that 60 years on they still perform as designed, much depends on how we live with them.

The Potez 4E acquired a latter-day champion in the form of Frenchman Charles Ollivier, who developed a range of certified aftermarket modifications for the Potez, including spring-loaded seals for pushrod tubes and rocker drains (Continental evolved something similar), plus a starter which replaces the rear-mounted Renault item with a modern automotive one, a belt-driven alternator and so on.

Mark Mitchell

“An onlooker asked why didn’t I just buy something that already flies, like everybody else?”

22 | FLYER | February 2020

Unfortunately for me, there are several iterations of Ollivier mods, and when I came to shuffle parts, some matched and some didn’t. The electronic ignition which had replaced the original coils and points (the 4E was unusual in that it didn’t feature magnetos) was another interchange saga. The original question about buying something that already flies should perhaps be qualified by something ‘completely standard that flies’, for which parts can be found on the shelf.

On which general topic, I see that belligerent US engine expert EPI has been tasked by an anonymous client, rumoured to be serial entrepreneur John Torode (not that one), with design and production of an alternative to the O-200. If that’s the case, it will replace the O-200 which is to be standard equipment for his Vashon Ranger series of aircraft.

Dr Torode is, among other things, founder of Dynon Avionics, and we are told that EPI’s brief was to fit directly to an O-200 mount but outperform in all regimes and it couldn’t be made in Europe – it had to be built in America. Can’t help but see the irony in that. I do get it though – or some of it – especially the promise of a 50 per cent lower price tag (a new O-200 over here is close to an astonishing £50K).

I may have said it before though, but if there is a sponsor willing to fund a new engine that isn’t electric, wouldn’t it have been good if they asked for something really new rather than more of the same fitted with electronic injection and possibly, fuel injection…

Vintage aircraft and cars make Mark particularly happy mark.hales@seager.aero May 2020 | FLYER | 25

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Column

Squawks Ian Seager

Mark Mitchell

F

Rule 11, paragraph 6, clause (c)

or the last 26 years I’ve been doing some of this flying thing wrong, and if you fly in the UK I’m willing to bet that you have too. I know we should all know all of the rules all of the time. I know we should keep up with the endless changes. But if on top of the permatorrent of new regulations we have to deal with the seemingly random strict interpretation of old rules then we’ve probably overshot the point at which we should throw our hands in the air and explain that the ‘system’ is a steaming pile of malodorous poo. And one that needs more than a bit of tweaking for the benefit of all.

I’ve always dealt with Air Traffic Zones (ATZs) by talking to the people on the ground, be they full ATC, a FISO or Air/Ground operator. I’ve told them who I was, where I was and what I wanted to do. It’s worked perfectly, and everyone else I’ve heard on frequency has done pretty much the same thing. If there was a problem that needed fixing, then I’ve failed to spot it. Then a few pilots flying in, out or through Manchester City Airport (Barton to most of us), started grumbling about being sent on GASCo courses, or worse, getting their licences suspended by the CAA. The problem, at least officially, was their failure to strictly adhere to Rule 11 of the Rules of the Air, or more particularly Rule 11, paragraph 6, clause (c). To save you looking that up, it reads: ‘The commander of an aircraft flying within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome must… if the aircraft is fitted with means of communication by radio with the ground, communicate the aircraft’s position and height to the air traffic control unit, the flight information centre or the air/ground communications service unit at the aerodrome (as the case may be) on entering the aerodrome traffic zone and immediately prior to leaving it’. Now I wasn’t there at the time, and the pilots could have been total muppets for all I know, but it was rule 11 upon which the MOR focussed.

I’ll hold my hands up and admit that even though I have always been in communication with the ground, I have failed to comply with the bit about communicating position and height on entering the aerodrome traffic zone and immediately prior to leaving it. I’ve probably transgressed a few thousand times, and I can’t honestly remember hearing anyone else complying either. My immediate thought was that someone, somewhere had been a little too literal, with the result that the strict interpretation of Rule 11 required an MOR to be raised, which in turn meant the CAP1404 process – that’s the one that sets out the remedial actions to be taken as the result of an infringement – kicked in.

I asked the CAA to clarify the situation, fully expecting the reply to confirm the pragmatic way that Rule 11 is currently dealt with throughout the land, while perhaps adding in a bit of a fudge to smooth over the Barton situation. Blimey, did I get a shock…

Here’s how the CAA sees it, what it plans to do about changing the way almost all of us currently fly, but nothing about how it’s

going to deal with the additional risks that its new-found zeal will create. I first asked what had caused the change. The official reply was that :‘Nothing has changed… The CAA is consistent in its approach to airspace infringers and is not tightening up anything.’

I’m going to be very restrained and just call that disingenuous.

I then asked what a pilot should do if information about traffic had already been obtained by talking to the FISO, the FISO’s hypothetical request to report overhead had been confirmed, but on approaching the ATZ boundary the frequency was occupied. The CAA’s reply was that ‘you should remain clear’. With lots of traffic approaching a busy airfield on a nice day there’s going to be a lot of pilots randomly orbiting on the outskirts of some ATZs. I also asked what a pilot should do when leaving an ATZ if the frequency was busy? (The rule says the FISO needs to be notified immediately prior to leaving it). The CAA’s sensible and pragmatic reply was that ‘you should leave the ATZ and make the call as soon as practical’, which is great, even if it is an official but undocumented re-interpretation of Rule 11, chapter six, clause (c).

While researching this column I asked the CAA for some data

“There’s going to be a lot of pilots randomly orbiting the outskirts of some ATZs” relating to MORs, ATZs and the ensuing CAP1404 actions. That wasn’t forthcoming, so I sent in a Freedom of Information Request (FOI), but that resulted in only a small amount of information being released to me. I contacted Barton (no reply), plus I spoke to some of the pilots who had been the subject of a Rule 11 MOR. They all asked to remain anonymous through fear of upsetting people at the CAA, but all felt bemused by the experience.

It seems to me that it would be easier to re-draft parts of Rule 11 in a way that meant people on the ground and people in the air had good situational awareness, without being burdened by the strict location-based reporting requirement. Instead the CAA states, ‘We will undertake to introduce some new educational work to remind FI/FE of Rule 11 and will write to the Association of FISO to clarify both Rule 11 and the reporting requirements; we will also engage with the non-FISO ATZ aerodromes.’

I despair, but if CAA is serious about this then we’d better get used to orbiting outside of ATZs. I expect I’ll see you on a GASCo course sometime soon.

Publisher often found flying something new and interesting ics@seager.aero May 2020 | FLYER | 27

RESTORATION | Stinson SR-5E

Stunning in scarlet

This 1934 straight-wing Stinson SR-5E Reliant is more than a beguiling sentinel of the golden age. It’s also a sentimental tribute to one family’s longtime love of aviation…

WORDS K en Scott PHOTOGRAPHY Ed Hicks

28 | FLYER | May 2020

May 2020 | FLYER | 29

Stinson SR-5E

30 | FLYER | May 2020

I Opposite Golden light falls over every perfect detail Above Restoration began with the Stinson’s nine-cylinder Lycoming R680 Left Following in his father’s footsteps Harry Ballance Jr Below Rudder loses effectiveness as tail comes down on landing, and there’s no tailwheel steering

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

n 1934, Harry G. Ballance bought a new Stinson SR-5E and flew it home. In 2006, Harry G Ballance bought the very same SR-5E – and flew it home. The key, of course, is that both of the ‘Harry G Ballance’ are different men.

Harry G Ballance Senior was the original owner of NC14572. The current owner of the Stinson, now known as Miss Scarlet, is his son, Harry G Ballance Junior. And the 72 years in between tell a good story.

Harry Senior learned to fly in 1928 – the year after Lindbergh set off an aviation mania in the US – and by 1934 was already something of Stinson aficionado. His motion picture distribution business required him to travel extensively throughout south-eastern US and the distances almost prohibited travel by rail or car. After all, his territory was just slightly smaller than France, so flying became essential to the meet-and-greet style of his profession. He began using a Stinson SM cabin monoplane to cover the miles. He chose well.

The Stinson company had been founded in 1925, when movers and shakers in the Detroit business community decided to back a new venture, headed by one of America’s best known pilots, Edward A ‘Eddie’ Stinson and his business partner/promoter William Mara. The Stinson family was prominent in American aviation from almost the beginning.

Although Eddie eventually became the highest time pilot of his day, the family name became famous through the efforts of his sisters Katherine and Marjorie. These women, accomplished pilots before WWI, gave flying exhibitions all over the US and Canada, and ventured as far as Japan and China. They also taught hundreds of men, and a few women, to fly – but not their brother Eddie. They considered him to be too fond of drink and ‘loud living’, and although they valued his services as a ‘mechanician’, they didn’t want him anywhere near the cockpit of an aeroplane. He eventually found another instructor.

Stinson had had his fill of freezing in open cockpits, and had seen the toll they had taken on his sisters’ health. He proposed an enclosed cabin biplane, with comfortable seats, an electric starter and a heater. When the first ‘Detroiter’ was built, Stinson was able to demonstrate it to potential clients, even though it was winter in Detroit. After a couple of sales to wealthy individuals, the new company was off and running, becoming one of the best selling marques in the country.

In 1927 the new SM (for Stinson Monoplane), also known as the ‘Detroiter’, replaced the biplane. Supported by a constant-chord, strut-braced high-wing. The cabin was easy to enter (hefty welded footsteps became a Stinson earmark).

Power was supplied by any of several radial engines: Curtiss, Warner, Wright, Pratt & Whitney… there was even one with a Packard diesel. The SM line proliferated through a wide range of versions and sizes but all of them retained the ‘straight’ wing.

May 2020 | FLYER 31

Stinson SR-5E

“Having taken his trusty Stinson SM to Detroit for service, Harry Ballance Sr left with a spanking new SR-5E Reliant” In 1929 Mr E L Cord entered the picture. After making his fortune selling glamorous and expensive motorcars, Cord decided to spend his way into the business of the future – aviation. One of his holdings was the Lycoming Motor Co. Lycoming produced high-quality, straight-8 engines for Cord cars and was just finishing the development of a nine-cylinder radial aircraft engine, which seemed ideal for the aircraft that Stinson was producing. The merger provided Stinson with the ability to keep prices down, which became essential just a few months later when the stock market spun in, and provided capital to improve the product.

The new model became the Reliant. Known as the SR series, by 1934 it had progressed to the SR-5, with an improved landing gear, a lovely bump cowl covering a 225-240hp Lycoming engine and a complete novelty, ‘speed arrestors’. Now known as flaps, they allowed Bill Mara, who flew many of the sales and demonstration flights, to land in a little over 200ft!

This is where Harry Ballance Sr enters the story. Having taken his trusty SM to Detroit for service, he left with a spanking new SR-5E Reliant.

“This all happened before I was born,” says Harry Jr “I’ve never been sure of the exact details. Stinson was well known for making it financially easy for buyers, and whether they offered my dad a deal that was too good to refuse, or he saw the aircraft and just had to have it, I don’t know. In any case, he came back in a new airplane and flew it until 1938, when he moved up to an SR-9 Gullwing.”

His father’s flying – and the fact that his mother Marthe became the second woman in Atlanta with a pilot’s licence – must have left a mark on Harry Jr. In 1963, age 24, he was promoted to First Lieutenant in the US Army and with the pay rise he bought his dream aircraft, a Stearman. (He still owns it and flies it regularly.)

After the army he went to work for Delta Air Lines, starting as a second officer on a DC-6. Thirty-five years later, he retired as Delta’s number 2 international captain.

Somewhere amid all that experience he started thinking about the Stinson that he’d never met.

“I had a good idea it was still around, because in about 1980 the owner had called my mother and asked about its history,” Harry remembers. “He was looking to sell, but at the time I had a young family and it was just beyond my financial reach. A couple of decades later, when the kids were graduating and I thought I had a secure retirement coming, I figured I could afford another airplane and started searching for NC14572.”

He found it in Baltimore. “I jumped a jet up there, and found the airplane in flyable shape. The owner was willing to sell, but he warned me that the engine was high time and 32 | FLYER | May 2020

there were things that needed fixing. We made the deal and I started home to Atlanta. It was getting dark as I crossed into Georgia. After 34,000 hours, I’ve made a few rules for myself, and one of them is I don’t fly single-engined airplanes at night. My boss had a hangar in Gainesville, Georgia, so I landed there and put the airplane in the corner. When I checked the oil tank I found it down over four GALLONS on the first leg. I made a trip around the pattern the next day, watching the fluttering oil pressure gauge. The airplane spent the next two-and-a-half years in Gainesville.”

Oklahoma overhaul

The 300hp Lycoming came off and went to Oklahoma for an overhaul. The lead time was a year. While it was off, the engine mount was sent out for restoration. Once the mount was gone, it was discovered that the firewall was soft aluminium – useless for stopping a fire – so a new one was fabricated from stainless steel.

“Once you have the firewall out, you’re more or less at the back of the instrument panel. That was showing its age, and the instruments themselves needed overhauling. I asked my friend Harold Spivey, who’s worked on my airplanes since I bought the Stearman, to build a new panel. He did his usual beautiful job, but you can imagine that wasn’t the end of it.”

While the aircraft rested in pieces in Gainesville, Ballance built a new hangar on the Peach State Airport some 40 miles south of Atlanta. The Stinson rode the back roads from Gainesville to Peach State on a couple of slightly-too-wide trailers and the real work of a total restoration began. Harry knew exactly who he wanted to work on a full-blown restoration and began getting his band together.

“Harold had been working on the airplane all along, but when we got really deep into it, it became a job for a crew. I asked Barry Hutton if he could help,” says Ballance.

According to Hutton, “Harry asked if I could make an aluminium landing gear fairing and I thought I could. That went all right, so I ended up working on the airplane more and more. After I was laid off at my day job, I worked on the Stinson full-time for three years. I can use an English wheel, which came in handy for the sheet metal parts.”

Leo Roberson was a friend from his Delta days. “His fabric workmanship is absolutely the best I’ve ever seen. I managed to entice him into doing the bulk of that, and a lot of other things that nobody never, ever sees, but are beautiful nonetheless.”

One of the interesting things about the men who did most of the restoration work is, when asked about what they did, they all talk about what the others did.

Leo Roberson on Harold Spivey: “Harold is so quiet he’d never brag about his own work, but he is the

Above and left Take a moment to soak in all the amazing details, like the control wheel assembly with centre throttle. The sumptuous leather upholstery is the result of five weeks non-stop work by interior trim specialist Ricky Crawford Right The SR series was known as the Reliant – 150 SR-5s were built Below right Every metal fairing part, like these gear leg fairings and spats, were remade during restoration Below Stinson built aircraft between 1920 and 1950 Below left 1930s night landings meant dropping flares for light…

May 2020 | FLYER | 33

Turbine Maule Grumman Widgeon M-7-420AC

Above The straight wing doesn’t create that much adverse yaw, but you do have to lead the turns with the rudder Left The original trim system of cables and pulleys that would often slip, was re-engineered by Harold Spivey to use a gearbox and driveshaft Below Spinning a new aluminium boot cowl required making a wooden plug to work the sheet metal over, as it was spun at several hundred rpm

consummate craftsman. The original trim system in the Stinson was miserable – a crank and endless cable arrangement wound around a pulley – when it reached the end of the available trim movement it started lowering the flaps. If the cable slipped or stretched even a little, you could be left without trim or flaps. Harold designed, drew, built, installed and got FAA approval for a gearbox and drive shaft that works perfectly. A beautiful piece of work.”

Barry Hutton on Leo Roberson: “I ended up painting the airplane, and doing that you get really familiar with the fabric work. Leo is a very meticulous guy and his Polyfiber work was perfect. I never had to fix a thing before the paint went on.”

Harry Ballance on Barry Hutton: “He is so good at metal forming we ended up calling him ‘The Magician’.

There’s no fibreglass on Miss Scarlet anywhere. Barry spends a lot of time thinking before he picks up tools, but then he makes beautiful parts that fit the first time. When he finished repairing a part, it would be better than new. We’d call it ‘Barryized’.”

Aluminium tubing

Lots of other people contributed as well. For instance, the wings use a lot of 5/16in square aluminium tubing, something that’s extinct today. The only way to get any is to order a full mill run, which is hugely expensive. But Stinson SR-7 restorer Bob Lindley had done just that for his project, and had enough left for the SR-5. A friend contributed a brand new set of Cessna 195 landing lights and they worked perfectly. The project got a huge boost when Robbie Grove took the time to design and build a custom set of brakes that allowed the use of Goodyear Blimp tyres – the closest modern approximation of the original Goodyear AirWheels.

“I spent a lot of hours on the airplane,” says Ballance, “but really, my role was to make it possible for some very talented people to do what they do. We installed a small sheet metal shield back by the rear roll-down window, signed by people who had worked on the airplane. There’s about 20 names on it. You can walk around the finished airplane, stick your head in the cabin and just FEEL the craftsmanship that went into it.”

Finally, the gleaming red-and-cream Stinson was ready to fly. The grass at Peach State was green and freshly mowed. Harry had re-familiarised himself with the taps and switches. He pushed the throttle home, the Lycoming spun the big silver propeller, and a couple of hundred yards later Harry eased Miss Scarlet into the air for the first time in 12.5 years.

“I knew immediately we’d gotten it right,” Harry says.

34 | FLYER | May 2020

Stinson SR-5E

TECH SPECS

Stinson SR-5E 1930s cabin monoplane class act Early straight-wing Reliants are much rarer than the later gull-wing variants…

“The airplane was almost perfectly in trim and the engine was strong. After some basic air work, I got the flaps down and got ready to land. I was very, very aware that the guys lined up in front of the hangar watching me had poured years of their best work into this airplane. I knew my wife Carol hadn’t protested at all when I went deep into our retirement savings to finance the project. I knew my father, and my mother too, had landed this airplane many times before I was ever born… The landing went well and I think we all breathed easier.”

Eighty years on…

As he became more familiar with the Reliant he began to appreciate the crew in Detroit eight decades earlier.

“It’s an honest airplane. I’d describe it as a cross between a DC-6 and a J-3 Cub, although that probably makes no sense to most people. It’s got a full-swivel tailwheel with no steering, and it is very blind forward when it’s on the ground, so you’ve got to pay attention taxying. On take-off, I use a bit of ‘oomph’ to get the tail up and let the rudder bite clean air. Once it’s up, you have good directional control and you can see where you’re going. It’s pretty comfortable. On the way home from Oshkosh our wives were in the back, and they commented on the comfort and the smooth ride. In the air, the visibility is decent and it feels solid. The straight wing doesn’t create that much adverse yaw, but you do have to lead the turns with the rudder. Like a lot of old airplanes, the reaction to control inputs is not immediate.”

Leo has also flown the aeroplane. “When I was flying for this photo shoot, I found that the airplane would do whatever I asked it to,” he says. “But there was always just a tiny lag. If you got impatient and tried something else you’d suddenly get two things you didn’t want. Patience and smoothness are the key.”

Harry adds, “The flaps – I think this airplane may have been the first production airplane in America with flaps – take some getting used to. Since the same hand crank in the cabin roof operates the trim and the flaps, I’ve learned to crank in full nose-up trim and push on that big control column to keep the nose from climbing. As the flaps come down, it comes back into trim and the column stays about neutral.

“I make wheel landings with just a touch of power and concentrate on keeping the landing roll straight, because I know the rudder will lose effectiveness when the tail comes down. With no tailwheel steering it’s important to have it going where you want it when the taiI comes down. I never like using brakes in a taildragger unless I have to, so I’m very gentle with them.”

Since that first flight, Miss Scarlet has transversed much of the same country it did 85 years ago. It’s made a trip to Oshkosh, within one state of its birthplace in Detroit. And every time those blimp tyres lift off the grass at Peach State, two Harry Ballances – and Marthe too – are smiling.

36 | FLYER | May 2020

Performance

Max speed (Vne) 190kt Cruise speed 105kt Stall speed 52kt Rate of climb 750ft/min Service ceiling 14,000ft Max range 300nm with reserve

Weights & loading Seats Four Max take-off 3,550lb Empty 2,250lb Payload 1,300lb Fuel capacity 72usg Oil capacity 4.75usg Baggage 65lb

Dimensions

Wingspan 41ft 1in) Wing area 256.5 sq ft Length 27ft 2in Height 8ft 5in

Spec

Airframe Welded steel fuselage, aluminium and wood wings, all covered with PolyFibre Engine Lycoming R-680-13 Max power 300hp Propeller Metal, constant-speed Hamilton Standard 2B-20 Avionics Carefully hidden!

Undercarriage Tailwheel

Manufacturer

Stinson Aircraft Corporation.

Wayne, Michigan, USA

Price

September 1934 – $5,775 Today… For sentimental reasons, this one is priceless. Other examples varying on condition can be found from $100,000 Total production – 150

Above The Stinson brand celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. A major gathering of all Stinson models is planned at EAA AirVenture in July

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My First Solo

Maksim Ferguson Why wait? Maksim Ferguson was so keen to go solo he travelled to Canada, where he could make his first solo when he was 14 years old Words by Yayeri van Baarsen Solo stats In 2019, Maksim Ferguson became the youngest person to fly solo in Europe.

Since then, he’s been adding to his skills.

When 15 April 2019 Where Burlington Executive Airport, Ontario, Canada Aircraft Piper PA-28 Hours at solo 50 Hours now 75

How did you get into aviation?

My dad is a pilot and he’s been taking me up since I was five years old. I was a serious kid and really into aviation. When I was eight I started having flying lessons. I couldn’t reach the pedals and had to sit on three cushions so I could look out the cockpit window.

when we discovered a gap in the clouds we practised loads of spins in little time, which I didn’t really like – I much preferred flying past Toronto’s CN tower! I also had to work my way through the entire Canadian groundschool syllabus. Every night I was revising for exams and eventually I got the exact pass mark.

How did your flight training go?

I started taking my training more seriously at the age of 10. Originally I learned in the Cessna 150 but I soon changed to a Piper PA-28 as its ergonomics suited me better. I still remember the first time the instructor let me land it – my dad sat in the back and it was quite a rough landing.

I trained at Air Navigation & Trading in Blackpool where my father had also done his PPL, so I knew the instructors. Some people probably dished out a few comments about my age, but everyone was really nice and I got to meet ex-RAF pilots, which was great. When I was 12, I was ready to fly solo. However, in the UK I’d have had to wait another four years.

Did you expect your solo?

No, I didn’t. We were getting close to the end of our stay and the weather still wasn’t good.

The morning of my solo, it was blowing 30kt down the runway and the instructor declared it an ‘awful day’. However, later he called and said to come quickly to the airport for a check ride. After a few circuits he asked if I wanted to solo. I was a bit reluctant as it was so windy, but I said yes. I didn’t really think about anything during the flight – I was concentrating so much.

So you went to Canada?

Yes, the only thing holding me back was my age. When I realised you could solo at 14 in Canada, my dad and I booked two weeks of flight training. The weather was really bad, with snow and thunderstorms. There were days of waiting in the hotel and on the few good days we crammed in eight hours of flying.

In Canada, spin training is compulsory, so

Apart from being Europe’s youngest solo flyer, you’re also the youngest pilot to complete the Cirrus aircraft transition training. Why did you decide to do this?

We have a Cirrus at Blackpool Airport that my dad flies a lot and I thought it’d be quite useful if I could fly it as well. I’ve only flown a Cirrus once or twice, so doing this course was a big step. I learned a lot about the aircraft, including things I didn’t even know existed. It was hard, as it’s a completely different type of flying compared to the PA-28, but I enjoy adding to my flying skills, whereas my father

“I was ready to fly solo at 12, but in the UK I’d have had to wait another four years” 38 | FLYER | May 2020

appreciates the fact that he can now relax in the aircraft.

What are your plans for the future?

We’ll probably go to Canada this year so I can fly solo some more. On my 16th birthday, I want to solo in the UK, in a Cirrus. Careerwise, I’m not sure yet, but I’d like to join the RAF and transfer aircraft around. Then perhaps go into commercial flying and become a Captain for British Airways and maybe afterwards do a bit of aerobatics. British Airways has already offered me a place on its pilot work experience programme, where I’ll get to talk to the pilots and hopefully fly in a simulator.

If you could have any aircraft in your ‘fantasy hangar’, what would it be?

A Pilatus PC-12. It has amazing performance and you can go anywhere with it. It’s like having your own private jet!

Who is your aviation role model?

My dad of course! And Mike Ling, the longest serving Red Arrows pilot who currently flies for the Blades. The aerobatics he does are more than impressive. I met him at an air show at Blackpool where he showed me inside the Extra. People in the aviation industry are so nice. RAF Air Cadets’ ambassador Carol Vorderman congratulated me in a tweet on recently receiving my civilian wings and the guys at Cirrus gave me a huge photo with autographs and messages from Dale Klapmeier and Mike Goulian.

What do you love most about flying?

This sounds pretty weird, but I really, really like clouds. That’s why I love it when you break through the gloomy sky and fly above them with the sun shining in your face and the clouds floating below like a layer of candyfloss.

A Superior Sierra

40 | FLYER | May 2020

FLIGHT TEST | Tecnam P2002 Sierra MKII

Having built more than 900 examples of its P2002 Sierra, in 2019 Tecnam Aircraft introduced the MkII – a new version with a maximum take-off weight of 600kg. Not yet available in the UK, it represents an exciting prospect if the UK take the EASA 600kg opt-out to regulate types up to 600kg TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Wolter

May 2020 | FLYER | 41

Tecnam P2002 Sierra MKII

Top Large sliding canopy offers good cockpit access Left Good quality hydraulic disc brakes are from Matco. Unlike previous Tecnam ULs, the brakes are no longer hand-operated, but are toe brakes on the rudder pedals Above x 2 Stall strips are fitted, as well as a stall warning. With a stall speed of 36kt, it remains far below the 44kt maximum of the UL category Right The fuselage has NACA inlets for directing cooling air into the large glazed cockpit on both sides

42 | FLYER | May 2020

P

atrizia Intelisano’s eyes light up as she reflects on Tecnam CEO Paolo Pascale’s thoughts of the low-wing sport plane the Italian manufacturer builds. “As Paolo always says, it simply flies the most beautiful of all.” Patrizia is the German importer of Tecnam aircraft from Capua, Italy, and has a close link to the manufacturer’s home country. Her father Piero moved from Liguria, Italy, to Germany in the late 1950s and built the family company, Intelisano Aviation, beginning with the import of Robin aircraft. Tecnam was added in 2006.

Standing in front of the P2002 Sierra MkII at Intelisano Aviation’s base at City Airport Mannheim, I take a moment to think that this is the latest in a number of versions of the P2002. There’s been a VLA, UL, plus a LSA version for the US, and don’t they all have a connection to the Tecnam P96, which is what always comes to mind when someone mentions a Tecnam low-wing aircraft? With Patrizia’s help, the type history becomes a little clearer.

The forefather of all Tecnam low-wing aircraft is the P96 Golf, which was launched in 1997 as an ultralight (UL) in Germany with a maximum take-off weight of 450kg. In 2002 the P2002 Sierra was created, also a UL, but was never sold in Germany.

The P2002 JF is the further development of the P2002 Sierra to a Very Light Aircraft class with initially 600kg, later 620kg, max take-off weight and options for a fixed or inflight adjustable propeller. There was also a P2002 JR with retractable undercarriage, although that aircraft is no longer built.

A 600kg version was developed for sale in the US in the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) class and was given the name Astore. European approval for that model was never sought Then in 2019 the P2002 Sierra MkII, and the P2002JF MkII IFR were announced. The latter is designed for IFR training, with a maximum take-off weight of 660kg. An approval for the JF to EASA CS-23 regs should be completed in the middle of 2020.

Round gauges or screens

The P2002 Sierra MkII, the current UL low-wing aircraft, received a DULV (German Ultralight Flight Association) type approval, with a maximum take-off weight of 600kg, in December 2019. Structurally, the all-metal UL aircraft in front of me on the Mannheim tarmac corresponds to the VLA version, of which 375 have been built. Externally, the MkII differs from the earlier Sierra and JF primarily by the revised cockpit. The canopy is taller providing better headroom and single piece glazing is used where there was previously side windows behind the seats. If you look closely, May 2020 | FLYER | 43

Tecnam P2002 Sierra MKII

“Laziness is not the order of the day with the Sierra, it needs to be flown precisely, just using small inputs of rudder and engine power” you’ll also see changes in the engine cowling where the air intakes have been redesigned.

Patrizia says that Tecnam has worked hard to reduce weight in the VLA airframe, which is around 400kg empty, to the new UL-permissible maximum value. This is around 385kg for Rotax 912-powered examples. Empty weight/fuel consumption? Yes, fuel consumption is relevant for empty weight. The calculation for a two-seater works out as follows: n Maximum 200kg for two people n Weight of fuel for one hour at max continuous power.

That’s about 15kg for a Rotax 912/912 S. With the Rotax 915 iS it’s probably a little bit more. n Subtracting that total of 215kg from the 600kg max take-off weight, leaves us with 385kg for the empty aircraft.

There was also room for the 10kg BRS rescue system, which is neither required by the VLA nor offered by the manufacturer. When fully equipped with options, the P2002 Sierra MkII is right at the empty weight limit.

The Sierra for this flight has the optional glass cockpit fit of two Garmin G3X Touch EFIS units. Alternatively, a simpler analogue version of the panel is available that provides flight and engine instruments (without artificial horizon or direction indicator). Both versions contain a Garmin audio panel, radio and transponder, as well as a Kannad ELT. The glass cockpit weighs 8kg more than the analogue panel package. The Garmin G3X package adds €11,007 to the basic price.

D-MHBM is the second customer aircraft to be delivered in Germany. Like the first P2002 Sierra MkII, it will be delivered to a pilot who completed their UL training in a Tecnam. It won’t be a coincidence. Pilots who train on Tecnam go on to trust the brand. For die-hard Tecnam pilots, probably the biggest change in operation with the new Sierra will be that there are toe-operated brakes instead of the centre console brake control of older models.

As in the VLA class, but increasingly also with ULs, the nosewheel is still steered.

Rainer Seeböck is flying with me. The Mannheimbased flight instructor trains pilots for LAPL and PPL on high-wing Tecnam P2008s and P2010s at his school. I wondered if he would recommend the P2002 Sierra MkII UL for the school environment? First we’ll fly, then I’ll ask.

From Mannheim we fly to Mosbach-Lohrbach, where the aircraft that we’ll use for photos is waiting. The air is wintry calm, with 5,300rpm set at 4,000ft we hum along at 100kt. I feather the pitch trim for cruise. Rainer has switched control of the stick-mounted trim buttons to my right-hand stick. Curious, I press the right and left buttons on the stick grip but nothing happens. Has the aileron trim been omitted from the UL? No, I find out the VLA version doesn’t have aileron trim either. The stick grips are standard parts that Tecnam also uses in its larger designs, and consequently there are some non-functional buttons.

Italian temperament

As I make my approach to Mosbach, I decide that I’m too high and opt to go-around. Now I’m trying to control speed and altitude better – 70kt on the downwind, flaps in position 1 (15°), then 60kt on final and full flaps (40°).

Laziness is not the order of the day with the Sierra, it needs to be flown precisely, just using small inputs of the rudder and engine power, while excess energy on approach can only be moderately reduced by slipping. However, the controls are never too sensitive – something that’s particularly evident at touchdown where the Sierra flares nicely.

44 | FLYER | May 2020

Opposite Robust nosewheel has rubber block suspension and is steered via the rudder pedals Top 1.11m wide cockpit is comfortable and well finished. Twin screen Garmin G3X Touch equipped panel provides a large array of flight and aircraft information. Throttle and flaps are operated on the centre console, trim with stick buttons Right Everything within reach – there is space for 20kg of luggage behind the adjustable seats. The emergency transmitter (yellow) is part of the basic equipment Above Tecnam has been building metal aircraft for many years, and its fit and finish is consistently good, while combining strength with lightness

May 2020 | FLYER | 45

Falcomposite Furio

Above Sliding canopy and large windsreen provides excellent visibility

After the photo flight we head back to Mannheim. The sliding canopy has three separate latches at the centre top and on the left and right, and I found the side that’s furthest from your seat takes a bit of effort when you’re reaching.

With three individual latches it pays to be conscientious.

Canopy closed and locked at all three points, is the last item on the checklist before take-off.

At the holding point I briefly press the rocker switch for the split flaps until they are extended to 15°, which is the take-off position according to the operating handbook. The trim is neutral. Both are indicated directly next to each other in the G3X by two arrows that move on parallel vertical scales.

In the cruise

In cruise, this latest low-wing Tecnam feels comfortable at 100kt to 105kt, with the Rotax 912ULS running at 5,200rpm to 5,350rpm. Sure, you can also run it at 100rpm to 150rpm more, but who does that? The marginal speed increase does not outweigh increased fuel consumption and noise.

A stall warning sounds at the lower end of the speed range. It’s unusual for ULs, being only mandatory in the class if the aircraft does not give clear aerodynamic warning about a pending stall. The P2002 Sierra MkII does provide some feel of buffet through the stick, but it’s not particularly pronounced, despite having stall strips, so the warning horn is a good idea. With the flaps retracted it sounds at 50kt, then at 40kt the nose of the aircraft drops.

When I use full flaps, the warning at 40kt, then about 4kt slower and the Sierra stops flying.

It takes just three seconds to roll from 45º left to 45º right – the MKII feels nicely agile. The sporty two-seater doesn’t need bootfuls of rudder for normal manoeuvres either, just two fingers on the stick, as you lead with a little rudder 46 | FLYER | May 2020

600kg high-wing At the same time as Tecnam revealed the low-wing Sierra MKII, the company also unveiled a new ultralight high-wing with 600kg max take-off weight. The P92 Echo MkII is the latest development of the popular P92, the first version of which was launched in March 1993. In the MkII, the wing of the P92 Eaglet, a special version for observation tasks, was combined with a new fuselage made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). At AERO 2019, according to Germany importer Patrizia Intelisano, six of the P92 Echo MkII were sold – before approval had been granted. That’s expected in Germany in late March to early April 2020, with deliveries by June.

Thanks to the CFRP fuselage, the high-wing aircraft is substantially lighter than the all-metal low-wing P2002 Sierra MkII. The price of the P92 Echo MkII is around €23,000 less than the P2002 Sierra MkII.

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Tecnam P2002 Sierra MKII

TECH SPECS

Tecnam P2002 Sierra MkII No nonsense two-seater updated to use 600kg weight limit to the full

pressure makes for very satisfying manoeuvring.

The cockpit comfort leaves nothing to be desired, as you would expect of a Tecnam that Paolo Pascale says is his favourite. At 1.11m across, it is not the widest in its class, but it is still bigger than the cabin of our photo plane, a Cessna 152.

“Would this make a good trainer for UL pilots?” I ask Rainer. “I can imagine, certainly,” is his response. He likes low-wing aircraft, and away from his flight school, he flies a Yak-52 as part of a syndicate. Back on the ground I ask Patrizia Intelisano the same question. She believes that the Sierra MkII is more attractive to private customers, as schools tend to prefer high-wing aircraft, and the P92 Echo MkII, Tecnam’s new 600kg high-wing aircraft, is lighter.

Convincing package

With its G3X equipment, the P2002 Sierra MkII is one of the heaviest 600kg ULs. The lineage of the VLA is undoubtedly important – bringing an ultralight from 472.5kg to 600kg mtow obviously makes it easier to stay well below the new empty weight limit. Nonetheless, 215kg for occupants and fuel is a significant advance compared to the meager payload of typical 472.5kg ultralights.

The P2002 Sierra MkII with instruments costs €146,668 gross, the version tested here with a glass cockpit comes to €157,675. For comparison: a Viper is available from €105,910, a Bristell from €120,000, a Eurostar SLW Sport from €136,909. All three are 600kg all-metal low-wing aircraft with fixed landing gear, Rotax 912 ULS and (at these prices) fixed-pitch propellers.

Is the Tecnam worth the money? It is neither the fastest UL nor the most spacious, nor extreme in any other way, but in its entirety it is a very attractive aircraft.

Performance, handling, comfort, equipment, design and the manufacturer’s reputation all combine to make a convincing package. With the MKII, Tecnam have crowned the UL career of their low-wing sport plane.

48 | FLYER | May 2020

Performance

Max cruise speed 122kt Stall speed (full flap) 40kt Take off roll 149m Take-off distance* 300m Landing roll 189m Landing distance* 335m Rate of climb 923ft/min Range 642nm Fuel burn 17 litres/hour Ceiling 14,000ft

Weights & loading

Empty weight from 377kg** Max weight 600kg Tank capacity 110 litres (two 55 litre wing tanks)

Dimensions

Wingspan 8.56m Wing area 11.50 sq m Length 6.74m Height 2.40m Cockpit width 1.11m Cockpit helght 0.95m

Spec

Airframe Aluminium Engine Rotax 912 ULS Maximum power 100hp Propeller Sensenich, 2-blade, fixed, wood, 1.73m

Manufacturer

Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam, Via Maiorise 81043, Capua, Italy www.tecnam.com

Price from €146 668***

*To clear 15m high obstacle **Standard equipment with analogue instruments, including BRS Rescue system, Garmin avionics and ELT ***Additional cost for optional glass cockpit with two Garmin G3X Touch

Top The Sierra is a solid harmony of design, sporty handling, and robust all-metal construction…

Left …though we’re not too sure about the grey-on-grey colour scheme

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Safety Accident Analysis

Looking for water

M

any of us can be a bit indifferent about checking for water in our fuel. A sample here, a sample there, peer into the fuel cup for a moment or two as if divining the future followed by a look over the shoulder to be sure no one else is looking, the sample magically disappears. But these accidents show that there may be a bit more to it.

Accident 1

A Cessna 172 lost engine power and was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The pilot sustained minor injuries.

According to the pilot, prior to the flight he performed a pre-flight inspection and sumped the fuel tanks several times.

He said that he only observed a small amount of water drain from the tanks. He performed an engine run-up and no anomalies were observed prior to take-off.

After take-off, while in cruise flight at an altitude of 1,200ft above the ground (AGL), the pilot observed a loss of engine power. He immediately changed course to return to the departure airport and applied carburettor heat to regain power.

The engine continued to run rough at a decreased power setting but the aeroplane maintained an altitude of 800ft.

As he planned for an emergency landing, the engine lost all power. He notified air traffic control that he was ‘going down’ and began an emergency descent. The aeroplane struck power lines and collided with the ground nose first.

The pilot exited the aeroplane and waited for the emergency services.

The Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA) inspector arrived on scene four hours after the accident and noted that the aeroplane was inverted in a car park.

During the examination of the aeroplane, he observed that the nose of the aeroplane was crushed aft, the engine was crushed against the firewall, and there was buckling throughout the fuselage. A mixture of water and fuel was observed dripping out of the right wing fuel cap. The inspector estimated about two gallons of water flowed from the fuel tanks. He contacted the fire chief on the scene and asked if water was sprayed on the aeroplane; the fire chief responded ‘no’ and went on to say that ‘the pilot was also looking at the water dripping from the tank’.

After the aeroplane was removed, it was discovered that the fuel caps had an extensive amount of rust on both fuel ports. The engine assembly did not reveal any anomalies within the drivetrain that would have precluded normal operation.

Examination of the carburettor revealed a significant amount of corrosion noted within it, there were several large flakes of corroded material at the bottom of the fuel bowl, and one flake was located within the mixture control housing.

Accident 2

The pilot of a Cessna 182G prepared the aircraft for parachuting operations for Skydive South East Melbourne at Tooradin Airfield, Victoria. The single-engine aircraft had been refuelled from the bowser at the airfield on the previous day. The pilot reported that, on the morning of the flight, he checked the quantity of fuel onboard by dipping the aircraft’s fuel tanks with a calibrated

“Examination of the carburettor fuel bowl revealed significant corrosion” 50 | FLYER | May 2020

dipstick. He also conducted a normal pre-flight inspection of the aircraft, which included doing a water drain check of each of the aircraft’s three fuel drains.

After conducting the pre-flight inspection, the pilot started the aircraft’s engine and taxied to the apron area. He allowed the engine to warm and carried out further operational checks. When complete, he repositioned the aircraft to pick up parachutists for the first sortie of the day. However, the flight was then delayed for about 90 minutes due to unsuitable weather. The passenger load consisted of a tandem master, a tandem passenger and two sport parachutists.

The pilot conducted the take-off towards the south-west. As the aircraft passed over the end of the runway, he raised the flaps and continued to climb.

The pilot reported that, at about 400ft above ground level, there was a sudden loss of power and aircraft climb performance, and he observed the propeller was windmilling without sound.

He later described the power loss as being similar to the mixture control being pulled back. A witness at Tooradin Airfield recalled that the power loss sounded like a sudden closing of the throttle and there was no rough running.

The pilot lowered the aircraft nose and identified a suitable area to make a forced landing which required a heading change of about 45º to the west.

He checked the engine controls and fuel selector were correctly configured and had not been disturbed by parachutists entering the aircraft. The pilot recalled that he conducted a flapless approach at about 70kt to the identified landing area. During the descent, he instructed the passengers to prepare for a forced landing. The aircraft touched down in a relatively flat, open paddock. It initially bounced on the unprepared surface before settling on the ground and passing through two boundary fences.

The pilot attempted to slow the aircraft and manoeuvre to avoid trees. As the aircraft passed through a gap in the trees, the left wing strut collided with a tree,

Mark Mitchell

Draining fuel samples during your pre-flight to search for water in your aircraft’s fuel tanks is imperative – and not an inspection that any pilot should be blasé about, as Joe Fournier reports

which resulted in the left wing folding over on top of the right wing and fuel leaking from it onto the fuselage. The aircraft further collided with a third fence, crossed a private road and collided with a fourth fence, which collapsed the nose landing gear.

The pilot ordered the passengers to evacuate. Both doors were displaced open during the accident sequence and an interior panel from the rear of the cabin had propelled forward onto the parachutists. The panel obstructed the emergency exit and was removed by the pilot. The sport parachutist located at the right rear position attempted to leave the aircraft but had not released his singlepoint restraint. After doing so, he was first to leave. The sport parachutist located at the right forward position also had not released his restraint prior to attempting exit. After doing this, he was next to exit.

The tandem passenger was assisted out of the aircraft, followed by the tandem master and the pilot. Video footage showed that, after the aircraft came to rest, it took about 20 seconds for the occupants to get out.

The pilot returned to the aircraft to confirm the master switch and magnetos were off. The passengers and pilot moved away from the aircraft and waited for the emergency services to arrive. The aircraft was substantially damaged and there were no injuries.

The Cessna 182G has two fuel tanks, one in each wing. Fuel from each tank is gravity-fed to the fuel selector valve.

Depending on the setting of the valve, fuel from the left tank, right tank or both tanks flows through a fuel strainer (also known as a ‘gascolator’), then the carburettor and the engine.

The Cessna 182G Owner’s Manual states that pilots should take off with the fuel selector in the ‘BOTH’ position. The pilot reported that the fuel selector was in the ‘BOTH’ position during the take-off.

Video footage taken during part of the accident flight confirmed that the fuel selector was in the ‘BOTH’ position, and the fuel tanks indicated that sufficient fuel was on board. A review of the video footage identified that the mixture was full rich and the carburettor heat was off during take-off. However, a review of the meteorological conditions and other information at the time of the occurrence indicated that the risk of carburettor icing was low.

Examination did not identify any problems with the aircraft’s fuel system or the engine itself. However, a significant amount of debris was recovered from the fuel strainer, the carburettor float bowl and directly below the carburettor nozzle

“The debris in the fuel strainer appeared to include a range of different foreign materials” and main jet assembly. The debris in the fuel strainer appeared to include a range of different foreign materials.

The ATSB examined the carburettor and the recovered material. Most of the recovered material had a white, chalky appearance and ranged in size up to 5mm. Inside the carburettor bowl, a significant amount of the material had accumulated at the drain area, and a ‘tide’ line was visible on the sides of the drain area. The inside surface of the bowl exhibited pitting corrosion where the material had dislodged.

A small amount of similar white chalky material was also observed on a ‘dip’ in the carburettor bowl, slightly above the drain. Other than the areas described, the internal surfaces of the bowl appeared to be relatively clean and in good condition, although some other foreign material was observed in the bowl.

The available evidence indicates that there was sufficient fuel onboard the aircraft for the flight, the risk of carburettor icing was low and there appeared to be no mechanical defects with the engine. The Cessna 182 fuel system was designed to provide gravityfed fuel, free from contamination, to the carburettor. There are multiple

components that remove contamination, such as filters and drain points. After the fuel has entered the carburettor bowl, there are no further defences in place prior to the fuel being atomised for combustion.

The carburettor fitted to VH-DGF contained aluminium oxide corrosion deposits. These were of sufficient size such that, when loosened, they probably blocked fuel flow within the carburettor, resulting in the aircraft engine suddenly losing power shortly after take-off. As the carburettor bowl is on the ‘downstream’ side of the defences to prevent contamination, there are maintenance and storage processes to ensure its serviceability. The corrosion was probably able to form in the carburettor bowl during periods of inactivity. However, it wasn’t possible to determine when the corrosion started and propagated.

Periodic inspections (every 100 hours or 12 months) play a vital role in ensuring the serviceability of an aircraft’s engine, and these inspections had a requirement to drain and flush the carburettor.

However, the extent to which this action was conducted during the six inspections since the engine and carb were overhauled could not be determined.

Fournier’s analysis It’s understandable that for many pilots sumping the fuel is a perfunctory exercise. Modern fuel bowsers and fuel farms do an exceptional job of keeping water out of the fuel. If the aeroplane is kept in a hangar or has wellmaintained fuel caps, there is little opportunity for a serious amount of water to collect in the tanks. While condensation is a possibility, the amount of water that can condense out of the air in a tank is small compared to a leaky fuel cap. So we go flight after flight with little to show for our fuel sumping efforts. And when we do find it, we may not take it for the warning that it is.

There are both short- and long-term implications finding water in the fuel. In the short term, you should probably be more concerned with how much water there is and how you can be sure you got it all out. What may be a low point when the aircraft is sitting level may not work out to be when parked up on the tie-down. Cessna’s solution to this on its newer aeroplane was to install more than a dozen fuel drains to be sure the lowest point is sumped in any attitude.

Crossing between short- and long-term considerations is the question of just exactly how did that water find its way into the tank? The presence of any water is an indication of a problem somewhere along the line. Maybe it’s a bad fuel cap or tank seal or perhaps the fuel bowser isn’t up to standard. In any case, the question has to be answered, because in the long-term contamination risks doing damage to the aircraft’s fuel, which might be hard to detect, could be just as catastrophic as water in the fuel.

May 2020 | FLYER | 51

Safety Accident Reports

Engine abuse…

Joe Fournier summarises and comments on accident reports from around the world and looks at the Aquaspec AQ40 Lifejacket Light, which could save your life should you land on water

I’ll take it well done…

Beech A36 N191HL Tonopah, Nevada, USA Injuries: Minor

The private pilot reported that, after the aeroplane reached about 8,000ft mean sea level for the cross-country flight, he began to smell smoke and then heard a popping sound. The engine then began to lose power, and he initiated a return to the airport. During the descent, the engine lost all power, and the pilot manoeuvred the aeroplane to land on a highway. Due to obstructions, the pilot subsequently landed the aeroplane on the central reservation.

The aeroplane landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

Examination of the engine revealed signatures consistent with detonation, which led to the failure of the No. 4 piston, the crankcase becoming pressurised, oil being pumped overboard and the eventual oil starvation of the engine components.

A review of data from the engine data monitor (EDM) revealed that, during the flight that occurred earlier that day, the fuel flows and engine temperatures were appropriate. However, the EDM data for the accident flight revealed that the fuel flow was significantly lower during the take-off and en route climb portions of the flight, and that the cylinder head, turbine inlet and oil temperatures reached extremely high values.

The pilot stated that he could not specifically recall the steps he took to manage the fuel/air mixture during the flight. The low fuel flow recorded on the EDM along with the excessive temperatures suggests that the mixture was set lean. Additionally, following the

accident, the mixture control appeared to be leaned for cruise flight, rather than at full rich. However, the aircraft flight manual specified that the fuel mixture should be set to full rich during all operational phases from engine start through cruise climb.

Given the evidence, it is likely that the pilot improperly leaned the fuel/air mixture and that he did not adequately monitor critical engine parameters via the cockpit gauges, which led to the high engine temperatures going undetected and resulted in oil starvation and the subsequent catastrophic engine failure.

NTSB Probable cause The pilot’s failure to properly lean the fuel/air mixture and to monitor critical engine parameters during the en route climb to cruise level, which resulted in excessive engine heat and oil starvation and the subsequent catastrophic engine failure.

Comment Ever wonder just how much abuse it takes to make an engine fail catastrophically? This accident gives us a data point. With an electronic engine monitor in addition to the standard fit of engine gauges, it’s hard to imagine how this pilot missed the warnings.

I spy?

Skyranger Swift 912S G-SKSW High Cross Airstrip, Hertfordshire Injuries: None

The pilot returned to High Cross Airstrip from Clacton Airfield after a 30-minute flight in fine weather conditions. An uneventful approach to Runway 22 was flown, followed by a normal touchdown on the main landing gear. As the nose was lowered during the landing roll, the nose

“He began to smell smoke and then heard a popping sound, the engine then began to lose power” 52 | FLYER | May 2020

landing gear fork failed, causing the nose leg to dig into the surface of the grass runway. This caused the aircraft to decelerate suddenly and to pitch forward, coming to rest inverted. The pilot and passenger, who were wearing four-point harnesses, were uninjured and able to unfasten their harnesses and leave the aircraft without assistance.

The aircraft came to rest approximately 170m along Runway 22. The runway’s grass surface was firm, following a prolonged period of dry weather. Witness marks made by the aircraft on the runway were consistent with a progressive collapse of the nose landing gear fork during the landing roll. There was no evidence of the nose landing gear having struck an object, and there were no significant holes nor depressions in the runway surface.

A small quantity of fuel had leaked from the aircraft’s left wing fuel tank whilst the aircraft was inverted.

Analysis The metallurgical examination of the nose landing gear left fork determined that the fork had failed in overload, due to being subjected to loads in excess of its design strength. It also found that there were no material defects or progressive cracking present that may have contributed to the failure. The initial stage of the landing during the accident flight was uneventful, with a normal touchdown on the main landing gear. The nose landing gear collapsed during the landing roll without having been subject to an excessive impact. It is, therefore, considered likely that the nose landing gear left fork had been previously damaged, during a recent but undetermined landing or taxying event, that caused a crack to form, which eventually led to the failure of the fork during the landing roll.

AAIB conclusion The investigation established that the most likely cause of the failure of the nose landing gear leg was a crack emanating from damage that arose prior to the accident flight. The fixed nosewheel fairing would have constrained the pilot’s inspection of the damaged area during the pre-flight inspection.

Comment Spats, cowls and fairings all make our aeroplanes faster and more

Safety Accident Reports “ The pilot liked to land long, as his hangar was at the far end of the runway…”

efficient. But they also make a thorough pre-flight inspection more difficult – something to keep in mind when you are conducting a pre-flight on such an aircraft.

Fuel, air, spark Piper PA28 N2909U Sawyer, Michigan, USA Injuries: None

The pilot reported that, during pre-flight preparations, he filled the fuel tanks with 50 gallons of fuel and planned to switch between the fuel tanks one hour and then three hours into the flight. He stated that each fuel tank contained 24 gallons of usable fuel and that the estimated fuel burn was 10 gallons per hour. He departed with the fuel selector on the right fuel tank. One hour into the flight, he switched to the left fuel tank.

The pilot stated that, while descending to land at the destination airport, about 3 hours 10 minutes into the flight, he set the mixture to full rich and turned on the fuel pump, and the engine ‘immediately lost power’. He then began an emergency checklist, turned on the carburettor heat and cycled the fuel pump and throttle, but the engine did not respond. Subsequently, he conducted an off-airport landing on a road. Upon landing, the right wing impacted brush and weeds, and the aeroplane then veered right and came to rest in a ditch.

A Federal Aviation Administrator inspector reported that the fuel selector valve was set to the left fuel tank. The propeller and engine cowl sustained minimal damage, and no fuel was found in the engine fuel sump.

The left wing appeared undamaged and less than one quart of fuel was found in the tank. The right wing exhibited extensive aft crushing damage to the outboard leading edge, and the fuel line was crimped and broken by impact forces, and no fuel was found in the fuel tank.

Although no fuel was found in the right fuel tank, this was likely due to the break in the fuel line caused by impact forces. Given the fuel burn rate and the length of the flight, the right tank likely had sufficient fuel on board for flight, and the pilot’s failure to move the fuel selector to the right tank, as called for in the POH, likely led to fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of all engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power and an off-airport landing and impact with vegetation and a ditch.

Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s 54 | FLYER | May 2020

failure to follow the Emergency Power Loss During Flight checklist.

Comment In the face of any engine trouble, it comes down to fuel, air and spark. Let’s face it, an honest to goodness engine failure is relatively rare, but pilot mistakes aren’t. When the engine quits, your first thought should always be the item that you have the most responsibility for managing, and therefore the likelihood of messing up the fuel selector.

A long full stop, please Cessna 172 N4001F Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA Injuries: None

During the aeroplane’s first flight after an annual inspection, the commercial pilot practised touch-and-go landings and then flew the aeroplane for about 1.5 hours before returning to the airport.

The pilot stated that after the aeroplane touched down on the runway, it was travelling too fast to stop before the end of the runway, but not fast enough to abort the landing. Subsequently, the aeroplane

continued off the end of the runway, down an embankment and came to rest inverted about 150ft from the departure end of the runway. Post-accident examination of the brakes revealed no anomalies, and the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the aeroplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot stated that he lands further down the runway during full stop landings because his hangar is at the far end of the runway. Thus, it is likely that the pilot landed the aeroplane too far down the runway and it was travelling too fast to prevent it from overshooting the runway.

NTSB Probable cause The pilot’s decision to land when there was insufficient runway remaining in order to stop, which therefore resulted in a runway overrun.

Comment Landing long adds a number of subjective variables to a task that is already filled with subjective variables and decisions. Landing on speed and on target may make for a longer taxi, but it puts at least two variables in your control and gives you a firm metric to assess if you are failing to measure up.

Safety kit Aquaspec AQ40 life-jacket light £20 | www.aquaspec.com

If you do any flying over water, then a life vest should be part of your flying kit. And any proper lifevest should have a locator light.

If you end up in the water during poor visibility or darkness, then the little flashing light helps you find your way to the others in your group as well as

making it easier for a rescuer to see you in the water.

We recently spotted Aquaspec’s line of life-jacket lights, which are small, lightweight and inexpensive.

The maintenancefree design has a five-year shelf life and activated automatically when immersed in water.

Charity challenge…

FLYING ADVENTURE

Flying solo from London to Cape Town, Giles Abrey made 27 flights, crossed 14 countries, clocked up 7,905nm and more than 70 hours flying – not to mention raising £39,025 for a trio of charities 56 | FLYER | May 2020

N

early two hours into my flight and there was still no sign of land, as I crossed the Mediterranean Sea heading for the North African coastline. Cruising at just over 8,000ft, trying to see through the haze ahead of me, the horizon started to darken and I saw the image that I had been visualising for the last 12 years – the vast continent of Africa.

This image had first appeared in my head in 2007, inspired by books I had read about the pioneer aviators of the 1920s and 30s, including Victor Smith, Alex Henshaw and Mary Heath.

In 2007 I purchased a quickbuild Vans RV-8 along with a friend, Stephen Tortice. Although supposedly a quickbuild kit, we soon realised we did not have the skill set to complete it. Ultimately, a team of six of us completed the project, with our first test flight taking place on Christmas Eve 2011 in the capable hands of Stan Hodgkins, a former Lightning pilot and an experienced RV-8 pilot.

Detailed planning for the London to Cape Town trip then started, involving Irv Lee (Master Class), Sam Rutherford (Prepare2go) and Mike Gray (White Rose Aviation), Gina Long and the GeeWizz Team, together with Vernon Millard on the aircraft set up.

I had always intended to do this flight for charity, picking three charities to support what resonated with me: The Institute for Cancer Research, GeeWizz (a local charity) and Farm Africa.

My departure date was Saturday 3 November 2019, nearly 100 years on from the first London to Cape Town flight by Col Pierre van Ryneveld and Lt Col Christopher Joseph Quintin Brand, in a Vimy named the Silver Queen. The weather on the day was fair, and I had a great send off from family and friends, with nearly a dozen aircraft flying in to see me depart.

Although very tired, I was relieved to be on my way at last, after many months of planning and preparation. I waved farewell to everyone as I departed overhead and set course for Troyes in central France with two other RV-8s accompanying me to the coast before they banked off and turned back to base.

As I coasted out over the North Sea the enormousness of the adventure ahead started to dawn on me. I had just under 380 hours flying experience and the furthest I had ever flown solo was to France, so the trip certainly had the potential to be the adventure of a lifetime.

On reaching the French coast the sky looked very black inland and the forecast had been for heavy rain.

After the build up to departure and lack of sleep the night before, I decided to divert to Calais.

Lille Information informed me that the airfield was closed but it was OK for me to land and to blind call in French, which proved interesting as my GCSE French was a little rusty.

The forecast the following day was not great, with towering cumulus and strong gusting winds for the May 2020 | FLYER | 57

Flying Adventure

Previous page Sossusvlei Sand Dunes, Namibia Top Landing in Stellenbosch, South Africa Above The morning of departure: Kitty Abrey, Johanna Abrey, Giles Abrey, Joshua Abrey Left Pyramids of Giza (Cairo) Below Refuelling at Merowe, Sudan

afternoon. I took the opportunity to depart early ahead of the weather, climbing to just under 6,000ft and leaning the engine mixture back to give 25 litres per hour fuel consumption, which was sure to help if I needed to turn back at any point.

Halfway through the flight Seine Information called me on the radio and asked if I was transmitting the distress signal 121.5, as someone in the vicinity was, and I was asked if I could see any other aircraft. The visibility was not great and unfortunately I was unable to see anyone else. I do hope it was a false alarm…

The wind on arrival at Troyes was 17kt, gusting 25kt, straight across the runway. I knew there was a grass cross runway that would suit better. On arrival overhead ATC informed me that ‘the cross runway is a bit waterlogged’.

I asked if they could clarify if it was serviceable, and five minutes later they came back and told me that it was.

Finals Runway 23, and I was safely on the ground before the bad weather rocked in. After a rather testing 90-minute flight I was looking forward to blue skies appearing at some point.

The following day the weather was better, I flew down to Valence with the intention of staying there, but on arrival the guy on the pumps informed me that the weather was closing in later that afternoon. I was tired but soon came to the realisation that now may be my only window over the next few days to cross the Alps. As time was pushing on, I skipped lunch and opted to take the time to flight plan for my hop over the Alps.

As I departed, ATC asked me to confirm to what flight level I wished to climb. I requested FL090. I climbed and climbed, and for the first time felt the 180hp engine slightly underpowered. I set course with butterflies in my stomach, looking forward to arriving overhead at Cannes. Unfortunately, I had underestimated how high I needed to go and ended up at just over 12,000ft. I had no oxygen and knew I was on the limit. Just over an hour later I touched down in Cannes, which was a big relief!

I had a few delays in Cannes before making the largest water crossing of the trip at almost 400nm and I was lucky the weather was with me.

The following day was similar, with another large water crossing to Corfu (Greece). I remained there for a few days as heavy thunderstorms passed through before I picked a weather window to head south on another water crossing to Heraklion (Crete).

Milestone achieved…

The following day marked the last of my water crossings – a flight over the Mediterranean Sea to North Africa.

Coasting into North Africa was a milestone in my adventure. The Egyptians are very strict, so I made sure that I maintained the required minimum of FL080 right up to the point of descending into Mersa Matruh for a full stop landing.

What a feeling, after a three-and-a-half hour flight, to be on the ground in Africa. I couldn’t believe it! With the temperature at 30° it didn’t take long for me to remove 58 | FLYER | May 2020

my immersion suit and Nomex flight suit, to find that all my clothes were dripping wet – unsurprisingly.

Mersa Matruh is a military airfield in the middle of nowhere and I have to say I felt a little intimidated by the military presence as two F16s taxied in behind me.

What appeared to be a deserted apron was suddenly filled with people approaching the aircraft. These included the escort vehicle driver, my handler who was co-ordinating my arrival, the airport official requesting to see my fumigation certificate and empty cans, Customs wanting to check the luggage in the aircraft, then the fuel lorry turned up with a team of three – and then the fire truck arrived to have a look with another team of people.

All were very friendly, very efficient and interested in my trip.

Once fuelled and Customs cleared, I departed bound for 6th of October Airport on the outskirts of Cairo. I was delayed departing by 40 minutes due to a radio issue and waiting for further F16s to land, so it was fingers crossed that I would be in Cairo by sunset… I arrived at the 6th of October Airport in good time and was beginning to get used to flying in the somewhat murky conditions. There was a good crosswind on arrival, just to finish the day, which made for an interesting landing.

I was very relieved to be on the ground, it was a big day: 642nm and five-and-a-half hours flying.

Bound for Sudan

After a couple of days viewing the pyramids in Cairo it was time to move on. I departed 6th of October Airport and climbed to FL090. I could see the pyramids off my port wing and the green crops bordering the Nile. This was to be the longest leg of my trip so far, to Abu Simbel, more than 500nm. Although a long flight, the air was completely calm, no turbulence and amazing views of the desert and the Nile. I joined Abu Simbel circuit downwind for Runway 15. Refuelling was quick, as I still had two flights to go to get to my destination in Sudan.

I arrived in Dongola (Sudan), which seemed a very remote airfield, later than expected and still had to fly to Merowe before sunset. I noticed in the flight log which I signed that the last GA aircraft visited on 16 February 2017, so I was unsure if they were used to visitors.

Having said that, they were all very friendly and after a quick turnaround I was back in the air. My final flight of the day was cutting it fine and I arrived in Merowe 10 minutes before sunset and the runway lights were on.

This was to prove the biggest day of the trip at 826nm.

Avgas is unavailable in many parts of Sudan, so a 200-litre drum was bought in by truck from Port Sudan.

Among my kit I had a siphon hose, so we were able to gravity feed from the drum into the two 80 litre fuel tanks of G-GAST. Everyone was very helpful and wanted to be involved, with 11 of us at one point all helping with the process.

The morning after I arrived in Sudan I was asked to report back to Merowe Airport. After a meeting with five others I was told I had entered Sudan illegally. I was then asked to report to the passport office in Karima, the local

“I misjudged the height and ended up at over 12,000ft, with no oxygen. I knew I was on the limit” town. There was an issue with where I had initially landed and that I had no visa. I was transiting aircrew in the country for less than 72 hours so technically didn’t need one, but had not presented the relevant documentation.

The airport of entry was a registered entry/exit airport, but this didn’t seem to be common knowledge. Several meetings were conducted during the course of the day including a telephone conversation with a rather upset official. By the afternoon, with the help of an agent in Khartoum, things were resolved, my passport was returned and I could leave.

On my last night in Karima I took the 20 minute walk from the guest house over the sand dunes to watch the sun setting behind the Nubian pyramids, which are only 20-30 metres in height and were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms thousands of years ago. As I walked back over the dunes in the twilight, I noticed a couple of wild dogs running ahead of me, stopping, barking, then moving on a bit further. It was a great experience and it is a fascinating country.

Next stop was Khartoum, a huge city with the main airport located in the centre. It was a brief stop and I left Khartoum early the following day and headed for my last stop in Sudan, Ad Damazin. It is a remote airfield, but amazingly my barrel of avgas was there waiting in the long grass on the side of the runway. The local Sudanese people were some of the friendliest I had met since I started the trip. It was 36° when I landed and after fuelling, I was welcomed in for a local tea and ice-cold filtered water from the Nile before departing to Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia was one of the countries I most wanted to visit on my trip and it didn’t disappoint. The area where I entered was very mountainous, with some of the peaks more than 15,000ft and large rivers winding their way down the mountains to the flat valley floors below.

Addis was always going to be an interesting airport to arrive at. It’s very busy, perched at 7,625ft above sea level and surrounded by mountains. The weather forecast predicted thunderstorms when I left Khartoum that morning, so I needed to get a move on. Apart from a few weather patches, I was lucky and was able to make it to Addis in good time.

May 2020 | FLYER | 59

Flying Adventure

Above Abijatta-Shalla National Park, The Great Rift Valley, Ethiopia Right Arrival at Wilson, Nairobi Airport, Kenya Below left Crop production under pivot irrigation, NW of Khartoum, Sudan Below right Pickup ride to accommodation at Lokichogio, North Kenya

60 | FLYER | May 2020

Unfortunately, I didn’t make a great impression on arrival. I hadn’t appreciated the fact that I had gone through a time zone and my GPS was set to local time rather than Zulu so, although I was talking to ATC and they could see me on radar, I arrived sooner than expected. They cleared me to land Runway 07, which was all good until the engine stopped on touchdown. I rolled to a halt in the middle of the 3.7km runway with ATC requesting me to ‘expedite my taxi’. The engine was flooded and I sat there for five minutes trying to restart! There were two Ethiopian airliners at the hold waiting to depart and one in the air waiting to land. I realised I had probably ‘annoyed’ a few people, so I went to the tower to apologise. I had discussed when planning the trip about leaning on take-off when at altitude, but not when landing. You live and learn!

Amazing African views

One of my nominated charities for the trip was Farm Africa, so while in Ethiopia I took the opportunity to visit some of its projects in the Rift Valley. I had a very memorable few days visiting local communities looking at the new infrastructure Farm Africa had helped implement to benefit food production, living standards and overall sustainability for the future. Farm Africa is also working with the Abijatta-Shalla National Park, which has some of the most amazing views I have seen in Africa.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania had been experiencing large storms and heavy rains, characteristic of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which had created landslides and flooding in some areas, and delayed me leaving Addis. With high ground and storms this was always going to be a flight to pick my way through. As I made my way south the weather was OK, but not as good as the forecast had suggested. With so many hours to fly I had butterflies in my stomach brought on by the knowledge that at some point I could hit a wall of thunderstorms with high ground either side and insufficient fuel to turn back.

Three-and-a-half hours later I arrived in Lokichogio (North Kenya), one of the most remote locations I have ever been to, but by chance stumbled across a good friend Sam Rutherford (director and owner of Prepare2Go), who had helped mastermind this trip in terms of preparation, routing and the logistics of getting fuel to the remote landing locations. Sam happened to be helping ferry a new Tecnam aircraft from the factory in Italy to the Seychelles. We had spoken and I knew he was routing down through Africa, but really, what are the chances?!

The following morning, I headed for Nairobi Wilson Airport, reportedly one of the busiest airports in Africa.

As I got within range, I called on the radio to ask for joining instructions. They had helicopters coming in and aircraft arriving and departing from two different runways. What could possibly go wrong…?

I mentioned over the radio early on that I was not familiar with the airfield. I knew I had to look for a

“I had butterflies in my stomach brought on by the knowledge that at some point I could hit a wall of thunderstorms” monastery and a racecourse to report to, but couldn’t see them anywhere. I did, however, manage to spot what I thought was the airport in the distance. They cleared me left base and asked me to report finals 07 number two. As I tracked down finals I looked ahead to try and see the other aircraft. I spotted it and could see it was a Cessna Caravan and I was starting to catch it. I called the tower and explained there was insufficient separation between myself and the Cessna and asked if I should go-around?

The reply was ‘no, please continue’. I wasn’t sure if the controller had heard me correctly but then noticed the aircraft in front going-around. It was a great experience to land at such a busy airport.

I was fortunate enough to be able to park at the Aero Club of East Africa, which is at the far end of Nairobi Wilson Airport. Everyone made me feel welcome and couldn’t have done more to help me prepare for my next leg. The Aero Club is one of the oldest in the world, dating back to 1927. The history was amazing to see, displayed on the walls around the clubhouse. Having clocked up more than 40 hours, I thought it best while in Nairobi to remove the cowlings and have a good look at the engine. Apart from a broken exhaust bracket (which a helpful team at the airport helped mend) everything else was good.

Farm Africa

Delays in Nairobi meant I was able to catch up with friends who live there, Daniel and Lucy Haywood.

Daniel’s grandfather was involved with the start-up of Farm Africa and was also the first person to set up the flying doctors in Kenya.

Kenya had had its fair share of storms which caused a few delays, but so far I had been lucky not to encounter too many while flying. As I crossed the border into Tanzania, to my left was Kilimanjaro, and to my right the Ngorongoro Crater, unfortunately, due to low cloud I could see neither. I only had one stop in Tanzania and spent the night in Dodoma with an early start the next morning, as I had two flights ahead of me.

As I crossed the border into Zambia it wasn’t long May 2020 | FLYER | 61

Flying Adventure

Above Departing Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Left A friendly team at Merowe Airport, Sudan Below Arrival just before sunset, Merowe, Sudan

62 | FLYER | May 2020

before I was calling Kasama 20 miles inbound, who then told me to report left base Runway 31. It took me a while to find as I was expecting a tarmac runway, but in fact it was gravel. ATC then told me to land on the left runway, but I could only see one runway. On closer inspection there looked to be a very small strip to the left, what I had been looking at in the first instance was a new runway under construction… which would have made for an interesting landing.

Two guys from the Zambian military had just landed in a C-27J Spartan. It is amazing how they get such a large aircraft in and out of a gravel strip. It was going to be hard to get fuel to Kasama as it was quite remote, but Sam knew someone who had some spare avgas, just to give me enough to make it to Lusaka (Kenneth Kaunda International Airport), my next stop.

That evening I was sent a video and some photos of some work Sudbury Special School had been doing to thank me for supporting them. My funds to GeeWizz were to go to the school to help buy a Magic Sensory Carpet to assist with learning. Hearing from the school provided a real boost in helping me focus on getting to Cape Town and to know that the kind donations raised were going to good causes.

I departed Kasama just after lunch and hit several thunderstorms en route. I was able to go around them, but as time passed there were fewer and fewer gaps.

Pleased to see the airport, I arrived slightly later than planned due to my zig zag routing. Parking on the main apron was expensive as it was an international airport.

Luckily for me, a man and his daughter who were departing in a Cessna offered me a place in the GA area overnight. He had had an involvement in the 2016 air rally from Crete to Cape Town and was very interesting to talk to. I wish I could have stayed longer but needed to try and make Livingstone the following morning.

My arrival in Livingstone was a very memorable moment. As I came down finals, I looked across my starboard wing and could see the spray from Victoria

Flying Adventure

Falls filling the sky around me, with a British Airways aircraft following me in. I visited the Falls, which were spectacular, although water levels were lower than normal, which was not only impacting the wildlife but also the local people who relied on hydroelectricity for power supply to their homes. I did wonder if this is all part of global warming?

Routing to Maun in Botswana took me down the Zambezi River then overhead Kasane before picking up a direct track to Maun. An amazing flight, the visibility was unbelievable and there was nobody on the radio for over 1.5 hours.

It was very hard to spot the game, but I did see an elephant at a watering hole as I flew overhead Chobe National Park. As I landed the heavens opened and I experienced some of the heaviest storms of the trip so far.

The wind had picked up and I quickly tied the aircraft down, realising my flight into Namibia would not be happening that day.

Departing Maun, the following day I flew across the Okavango Delta towards the Namibian border. The ground was very flat and I could see what looked like the edge of the world in all directions.

The radio was quiet, apart from a few safari aircraft broadcasting their positions. After several hours the terrain started to change, and the orange sands of Namibia started to appear on the horizon. I arrived in

64 | FLYER | May 2020

Windhoek only to find out it had no fuel, so cleared customs then departed to the nearby airport of Eros where avgas was readily available.

The following day I made the flight that I had spent all those years visualising – flying over the Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namibia. This is one of the remotest parts of Namibia and I had no radio contact for more than two hours. It was along this coastline I saw probably the best wildlife moment of the trip – a flock of flamingos flying over the dunes tracking down the coastline just under my path, it was an unforgettable moment.

I landed at Lüderitz, which was literally within the dunes, my crosswind leg involving a climb to clear some of the high dunes.

Turbulence increase

Below Refuelling with the help of Nelson at Kasama, Zambia Bottom Namibian Coastline

I was there only a few hours for fuel and to clear customs, as my next flight was going to take me into South Africa.

As spectacular as the scenery was, and after such an amazing first flight of the day, the flight to Upington was particularly unpleasant. The winds seemed OK and I was up high above the ground, but as I got closer to the Fish River Canyon the turbulence started to increase. I had experienced some turbulence routing to Nairobi and some in Zambia, but not like this. I requested a higher flight level and kept climbing. In the end I was at FL095 and more than 5,000ft above ground. The airliners on the radio were reporting moderate to severe turbulence at FL380 in the Kimberley area, so there was not much hope for me. I still had 1.5 hours of flying left and the canyon meanders all the way to Upington. I pulled my harness as tight as I could, one hand on the stick and the other wedged against the side of the aircraft. I had several wing drops and it was the first time on the trip that I felt vulnerable in such a small aircraft.

Every 30 minutes I had to put the fuel pump on and change tanks, and to change the tanks you have to pull up a pin and rotate the selector through the off position until it reads on the other tank. As I was moving the selector there was a sudden drop and my hand slipped leaving the selector in the off position. As I panicked and grabbed to turn it, the pin had seated so I had to pull the pin up to reselect. It all happened over the course of one or two seconds but was not enjoyable. I was very relieved to arrive at Upington!

My final flight of the trip was Upington to Stellenbosch. After just under three hours flight time I crossed over the last mountain peak of the Hawequas Mountains at FL070 and descended into a picturesque valley, which looked very familiar – it was Franschhoek.

I now knew where I was and started quickly descending as Stellenbosch was only just around the corner.

Cleared for a low pass I accelerated towards the airfield and called mum, dad and a few friends who had been waiting patiently for the last few days for my arrival, before joining the circuit for a full stop landing.

With 7,905nm, 27 flights, 14 countries and just over 70 hours flying, I had made it to Cape Town!

I called my wife Jo and children Joshua and Kitty, to let

Flying Adventure

Above Flying over North Kenya Left Refuelling with syphon hose at Ad Damazin, Sudan Below left Lokichogio Bottom Lake Turkana (also known as Lake Rudolf), North Kenya

them know of my safe arrival and that I would be home soon. It had only been 38 days but had felt much longer since I had said goodbye at Illington Farm Strip (Norfolk, UK) on 3 November.

Because I had arrived a few days later than expected, the rest of that day was spent dismantling G-GAST, with a container due to arrive at 8am the following morning to ship the aircraft back to the UK. Thanks to the help of Nico Van Staden, my dad and a few others, we made the deadline and 24 hours after landing, G-GAST was in a container and heading down to the port in Cape Town. I spent some time with my mum and dad then jumped on a ‘big’ aeroplane back to the UK. A huge thanks goes to my family, friends and everyone who helped me make this adventure possible and to raise £39,025 for three great charities. For details on the trip or to donate please go to www.adventures4charity.com

Map 1 2 3 4 5

6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1 London 2 Calais 3 Troyes 4 Valence 5 Cannes 6 Salerno 7 Kerkira 8 Heraklion 9 Mersa Matruh 10 Cairo

66 | FLYER | May 2020

11 Abu Simbel 12 Dongola 13 Merowe 14 Khartoum 15 Ad Damazin 16 Addis Ababa 17 Lokichogio 18 Nairobi 19 Dodoma 20 Kasama

21 Lusaka 22 Livingstone 23 Maun 24 Windhoek 25 Eros 26 Lüderitz 27 Upington 28 Stellenbosch 29 Cape Town

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May 2020 | FLYER | 81 May 2020 | FLYER | 83

Top Gear

The latest aviation kit, impartially tested and evaluated

Whelen Orion LED lights HHHHH From $264 | Manufacturer www.flywat.com

I

n the frenzy of ‘might as well’ and ‘while you’re at it’ that comes with deciding to go with a respray of a middle-aged Cessna 182, among the countless upgrades and options on offer were new fibreglass wingtips and tailcone as well as some LED position and strobe lights. I can’t recall which item drove which (plausible deniability with the overspend of my budget and all) but the two upgrades complement each other nicely.

On a strictly financial basis, it’s hard to make a compelling argument for the removal of a functioning and perfectly compliant incandescent nav light and strobe assembly.

But if you fly your aeroplane frequently at night, at some stage, a burned-out nav light bulb will put a damper on your plans. The LED lights are rated to last tens of thousands of hours and are noticeably brighter than their predecessors. That, coupled with the fact that it helped complete an ever-so slightly more modern aesthetic to the resprayed aircraft, clinched the decision.

For my 182, the OR650 series wingtip was called for, taking care of the anti-collision strobe and forward (red and green) position (nav) lights and requiring a separate aft-facing white position light on the tailcone.

Whelen also has models designed for enclosed wingtip applications (such as the later model Beech Bonanza) and for wingtip lights

68 | FLYER | May 2020

Main The Orion 650 nav and strobe light fits tidily in the wingtip Above The Cessna beacon is replaced with a bright LED Right An LED aft position light rounds out the tailcones for an all-LED aeroplane

which have the aft-facing position light incorporated as one assembly (like the Cirrus SR20 and SR22s). I could have opted for the OR500 tail nav light and strobe to round out the installation, but it would have required running another wire for the strobe light to the tailcone. Ultimately, time and budget considerations saw the installation of Whelen’s nav light only LED tail light assembly.

Installation is straightforward, the old nav light is removed, strobe power supplies in each wing are removed, and then nav light power, strobe light power and ground wire are connected. A fourth ‘sync’ wire can be connected between any of the Orion series lights on the aircraft so that they all flash in unison, but on my installation, it was judged to be a bit too much of a hassle. Perhaps in the future, we may revisit this decision, but in any case, the unsynchronised strobes aren’t noticeable from the cockpit. A small weight reduction of about a kilo was realised, which is better than nothing I suppose, but not transformative.

Rounding out the LED light complement is Whelen’s 71055 LED Beacon. At the time of this installation, the newer Orion 360 Beacon was not STC approved. For paperwork simplicity, the decision was made to go with the older model which had STC approval. In the months since, the smaller and brighter Orion 360 beacon has received STC

approval, so that may now be a better choice.

Removing the Cessna beacon along with the flasher box and breathtakingly large power resistor shaved another kilo from the empty weight of the aircraft.

Whelen’s Orion line has broad FAA and EASA TSO/ETSO coverage and most of the models are eligible for installation under Whelen’s FAA and EASA STCs. Those not covered directly by the STCs might find that installation is considered a minor alteration by your engineer.

Power consumption is a little over one amp for the whole set, including the strobes, which is a fraction of the old lights. This, coupled with the long life of the LED lights, has me leaving the nav and beacon lights on permanently, as an external visual reminder of a master switch being forgotten and left on.

Being LED the strobe lights function differently than traditional strobes. Instead of a very intense but nearly instantaneous flash of a xenon tube, the LED uses a bright flash that lasts about half a second. I’m not sure which is technically brighter, but the LED strobe seems to stand out well both day and night.

Overall, I’m pleased with the upgrade. For a modest sum, I now have bright, efficient and reliable position and strobe lights that should last far into the future. They add a modern look to a 40 some-odd-year-old airframe, and it lost a little weight to boot.

Stene Aviation fibreglass From $375 | Manufacturer www.steneaviation.com

A

s part of the respray, it was decided that the decadesold plastic wingtips and tailcone were due for replacement. Over the years, numerous repairs with various degrees of technical competence and success have been applied. The result was a visibly patched wingtip with many smaller stop drilled cracks. Each inspection that required removal of the part was an exercise in fingercrossing and breath-holding, hoping this wasn’t the moment when all the small cracks would decide to join forces and finish the part off.

On the paint shop’s recommendation and given previous positive experiences with the company on elevator tips, I decided to go ahead with new fibreglass wingtips and tailcone from Stene Aviation. Although a bit more expensive than competing plastic parts, the fibreglass part should be more repairable if the hangar rash fairy makes an appearance (again!). I expect it will be immune from all those age-related cracks that plagued my old plastic parts.

Stene Aviation is a small company which manufactures in batches, and from time to time some parts go out of stock. As it happened, my shipment was held up for several weeks while a new batch of parts was made to complete my order. However, once the order showed up the quality was excellent. Installation and fitment was described as a bit fiddly, but it seems that goes with the territory for any new part that is installed on a 40-year-old airframe which was largely hand built.

The wingtips were ordered with the optional LED mounting well which recesses the LED assembly slightly and gives the installation a more finished look. However, a mounting well for traditional position lights is standard.

The tailcone fitment was a bit more straightforward than the wingtips. Having removed both the old plastic part and the newer one during the annual inspection, the newer fibreglass one is a much more sturdy part, which I expect will stand the test of time.

The finished product was worth the wait, and to be frank, respraying the aircraft reusing the old plastic would have been a waste of money. Even if not going for a full respray, at some point instead of patching, repairing, stop drilling, or just ignoring your old cracked plastic, consider a replacement with a fibreglass part that will last for years to come.

Joe Fournier

Available as an eBook

A View from the Hover My Life in Aviation

by John Farley www.tinyurl.com/FLYERJohnFarley

T

he first digital version of British aviation icon John Farley’s acclaimed autobiography is now available for download from Amazon for the Kindle, and from Apple’s iBooks store, in an enhanced version featuring exclusive introductory videos and vintage footage.

This thrilling, career-spanning autobiography of one of the world’s most respected test pilots, notably on the Harrier, is full of insider knowledge, real-life flying stories and hard-won technical advice, plus exclusive introductory videos and vintage footage galore.

This book features his incredibly valuable thoughts about and explanations of a range of traditionally tricky subjects, from aerodynamics to the Private Pilot’s Licence syllabus.

Whether you’re just fascinated by an amazing, 50-year period in British aviation history, want to know exactly how to fly a Harrier, or are busy earning your PPL, this is a must-read!

n Available for Kindle from Amazon www.tinyurl.com/farleyamazon n For Apple devices via iTunes www.tinyurl.com/farleyitunes n A printed Second Editon from Amazon www.tinyurl.com/farleyamazonprint

May 2020 | FLYER | 69

By Association Looking after General Aviation The UK’s flying associations at work

AOPA Flying to Europe after Brexit As the flying season begins, if you’re flying to Europe, UK pilots should not assume that they have the same freedom of movement that they once had, following our departure from the European Union.

As we are no longer European citizens, we cease to benefit from the freedom of movement without having to comply with border and Customs controls. While you must complete a General Aviation Report form for outbound and inbound flights, you can’t assume you can just depart from any aerodrome in continental Europe. When returning to the UK you must go via a Customs designated airport, even when

flying between European States. As a non EU Member State the current status of the Schengen treaty, even though the UK never signed it, is uncertain in its application to British travellers. Consequently, making sure you have the correct information before you depart is extremely important if you do not wish to end up on the wrong side of the law, where you will have to deal with the legal system of that State.

While you may arrive into France through a port of entry this does not mean that you can assume you can fly to other parts of Europe without complying with the necessary Customs

and Immigration procedures for that State. You must also make sure that you carry the correct documentation, e.g. evidence VAT has been paid on your aircraft, as this relates to the free circulation of that aircraft in Europe. Having the letter ‘G’ on your aircraft may no longer be proof enough. We are still waiting for official government advice on these subjects but it’s better to be prepared. Martin Robinson

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association www.aopa.co.uk

BMAA All change… or not?

I’ve been involved with the BMAA board of directors (the ‘Council’) for a number of years and lately I was encouraged to look at the Association’s development during that time.

It’s at this point I get out my trumpet and I make no apologies for it. Today’s BMAA is a specialised organisation working in a niche of aviation, yet we have secured a number of ‘wins’ in recent years as we have gained the trust of our regulator to administer tasks they normally reserve for themselves. BMAA now issues permits to fly from our office without

reference to CAA, saving time and cost for our members. The same goes for NPPL licences.

We’re also virtually paper-free with up-to-date systems, high levels of service and a magazine that routinely scores well in member surveys.

OK, but is there a point to this ‘trumpet sounding’? Well, you may know we are discussing merging with the LAA (with talks ongoing) and the relative success of our organisation is indeed a factor. Change is often a scary concept, forced upon us through necessity, but both LAA and also my Association are doing well.

Therefore our focus during talks is: if, and how, a new, larger body would better benefit our members? We already collaborate on many issues and visits to each others’ HQ are frequent. A merger would mean change, so we have to be sure it is worth the disruption. Talks will conclude soon and I am looking forward to finding out the results. Rob Hughes

British Microlight Aircraft Association www.bmaa.org

LAA When the law is an…

The news that a number of national licensing and medical exemptions expire on Wednesday 8 April 2020, along with a national derogation from SERA (Standard European Rules of the Air) below 3,000ft AMSL, isn’t good for many private pilots.

In the latter case, the requirement to meet EASA regulation to maintain 1,000ft clear of cloud in lower level Class D and E airspace, will impact flight safety (surely the reason for EASA existence?) in highland regions and could preclude access to the Manchester Low Level Corridor when the cloud base is below 2,300ft. We highlighted this in a consultation last April.

However, the CAA is unable to gain an

extension to the current derogation from EASA regulations and the same applies to the exemptions that currently allow pilots holding NPPLs or UK PPLs, or flying with a selfdeclaration of their medical fitness, to fly EASA-certificated aircraft in the UK. Thankfully, pilots flying non-EASA certificated aircraft, such as LAA Permit types, are not affected.

There is a further ‘gotcha’ too, in that pilots using a UK PPL or NPPL will no longer be able to fly EASA types.

It creates the bizarre situation where a pilot legitimately owning or flying an ICAO-registered aircraft, with a valid ICAO licence, will be rendered ‘illegal’ overnight.

It is mad, faceless bureaucracy at its worst.

I feel some sympathy for the CAA, as EASA simply has not responded to its numerous requests to extend the exemptions, even temporarily. Worse still, I fear that this is now getting tied up with the Brexit negotiations as, if the CAA during this transition period unilaterally ‘opt-out’, they could face fines of several million euros.

In the meantime, we continue to work with the CAA and DfT, to push for some common sense. Steve Slater

Light Aircraft Association www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk

Aviation associations Got something to say? You’re welcome to contribute to this page, email editor@seager.aero 70 | FLYER | May 2020

LONDON 18 April 2020 Sofitel London Heathrow Terminal 5, Heathrow Airport

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That Worst Day

The low winter sun …

When Pilot X finds himself with a bit of extra time on his hands he goes for a leisurely bimble, where things go from delight to disaster…

Words Nathaniel Barry

T

he months of wind, rain and storms coupled with short winter days had kept X from flying much at all this winter. But it wasn’t a complete loss. The weather didn’t stop two of the club members washing, waxing and generally tidying up the club’s Piper Arrow. It had also had almost a month at the engineering shop for an extended annual.

X had a hectic week of work planned with overseas clients coming for a plant visit, and then they were all due to head to the industry’s biggest tradeshow in Germany.

A flurry of emails in the matter of an hour and X’s week went from very busy to wholly cancelled. Out of fears stemming from a brewing global pandemic, the trade show was called off.

But as X looked out the windows at a clear blue sky and nil winds, he knew exactly how he was going to spend his unexpected ‘free’ evening.

After a long lunch, X swung back by the office and tried to do just a bit more ‘work’. By mid-afternoon, X reckoned that he had done his part for the day and quietly ducked out of the office. A short detour home to pick up his flying kit and after less than an hour, X was unlocking the club’s hangar. Rolled out into the late afternoon sunshine, X admired the clean aeroplane. It hadn’t been this clean since it left Vero Beach 40 years ago, he thought.

X checked the weather for the surrounding area and decided to set off on an extended bimble. Perhaps he’d even pop over to the airport where his club had the aeroplane’s annuals done and see if he couldn’t score a free tea and biscuit from the engineer – and following last year’s £5,000 annual – X figured it wouldn’t be too much of an imposition.

After all those months without flying, the afternoon worked out just as X imagined. It was a beautiful flight over to call on the

engineer. Then a chat about how well the Arrow was flying and all the details about the latest motorbike the engineer had bought.

The sun was starting to get low in the sky, so X decided that he better start to head home.

Once flying and on his way back he reckoned it wasn’t so late that he couldn’t take a long way home, so he just buzzed about here and there having a grand time. Soon enough, it really was time to be heading back, the sun was quite low to the horizon, and turning towards home X reached down and flicked the nav lights on.

He joined overhead even though the circuit

idea, but now X was as uncertain about his situation as he had been before the fly-by.

The daylight would be fading in earnest soon, and without lights at the airfield, X felt the pressure to get down. While on the downwind, X remembered that there was an emergency gear extension procedure. There was a checklist for it, but it was tucked away in his kit that was belted in on the back seat, which was out of reach. He mostly could remember the steps, so he ran through them as best he could, but the gear lights were still stubbornly dark. As X was doing this, he

“In a moment he went from having one of the best flights of his life to being the most scared he had ever been in an aircraft”

72 | FLYER | May 2020

was empty and as was his custom he flicked the gear lever down, pulled on a stage of flap and reduced power. On base leg, X looked at the gear light to do his ‘red, blue, green’ check and the three unlit gear lights hit X like a punch in the stomach. In a moment he went from having one of the best flights of his life to being the most scared he had ever been in an aircraft.

He called the tower and asked them to look at his gear as he did a fly-by. A somewhat rushed base to final turn and a wobbly fly-by brought the response that the gear appeared to be down, but that they couldn’t say if it was locked. X didn’t know what to do with that information, the fly-by had sounded like a good

remembered that once he had read a story about a steep turn helping lock a gear down, so while still on the downwind, X racked the aeroplane into a steep turn, but to no avail.

He’d have to land and hope the gear would hold. As X turned base, it was with a realisation that the aeroplane was much tighter to the runway than he expected to be. As X continued the turn onto final he heard a beeping noise that confirmed his worst nightmare, the gear warning was sounding.

The operator reported seeing the aeroplane on a tight base leg with its gear down when it banked steeply to the left and descended nose-low into the ground.

1 What was the trouble with X’s gear?

2 How else could he have checked if the gear was down?

3 What was the noise that X heard?

Mark Mitchell

Questions

Free Landings In association with

Here’s a great chance to visit a new airfield – for free! Simply hand in a voucher on arrival and enjoy a new destination. The vouchers are valid during May 2020, although not at an aircraft’s home field.

No jets. Please contact the airfield before setting off To use the Landing Fees from FLYER for iOS and Android, simply email a screenshot of these pages to freelandings@seager.aero. You’ll then be sent a PDF with your name on, to print and show at the airfields

Free Landing

Valid May 2020

BLACKBUSHE

Free Landing

BALADO

Valid May 2020

Balado

Blackbushe

SAVE

£49

01577 865880 | www.flyscotland.scot Balado Airfield near Kinross is set over 70 acres of land and contains three grass runways, hangarage, control tower viewing platform and lounge/catering accommodation for visiting pilots and voucher flight customers. Primarily a microlight site, the airfield has fixed-wing and three-axis microlight aircraft based there. New facility construction is taking place so PPR essential. Free wi-fi. Fuel by arrangement.

Nearby attractions Hill walks and cycle rides around the Lomond and Ochil Hills. Loch Leven.

PPR 07795 578072 Radio 135.475

01252 471300 | EGLK | www.blackbusheairport.co.uk Don’t be put off by the new CAS. We have worked hard with Farnborough to minimise the impact on using Blackbushe. Check out our FAQs at www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/ faqs-for-class-dm The friendly cafe is open seven days a week. Microlights welcome. PPR is mandatory via the website, where you can also find details of local procedures. No non-radio light aircraft. You’re sure of a warm welcome.

Nearby attractions Legoland, Ascot, Windsor and Newbury race courses and Wentworth golf club.

PPR www.blackbushe airport.co.uk/ppr Radio 122.305 UL

A

M

Radio Accepts non-radio light aircraft, but PPR

74 | FLYER | May 2020

PPR Prior permission is required

Refreshments Including restaurants and cafes etc

Microlights are welcome

A

UL

UL

Fuel Aviation fuel available A avgas, UL UL91, M mogas

While you’re there When you visit these six airfields, why not show your support by enjoying a meal in the cafe or filling up with fuel?

It’s good to support GA in the UK.

Free Landings

Nearby attractions St Andrews, with its golf course, university and Scotland’s Secret Bunker, plus picturesque fishing villages.

PPR 01333 310619 Radio 126.500

01909 475233 | EGNF | www.sheffieldaeroclub.net Netherthorpe, the home of the Sheffield Aero Club, is believed to be the shortest licensed grass runway in the country. The club supplies training in the Cessna C150, C152 and C172 plus a Mainair Flash 2 Alpha flexwing microlight.

The office is run by very friendly staff. There’s a licensed on-site restaurant, open from Tuesday to Sunday. Strictly PPR by telephone. Please note that the upper limit of the Netherthorpe ATZ lies within the Doncaster CTA.

Nearby attractions Clumber Park, the Welbeck Estate, Rother Valley Country Park and Lindrick golf course.

PPR 01909 475233 Radio 123.275

A

Free Landing

Yatesbury

07836 554554 | www.wiltsmicrolights.com Yatesbury Airfield is home to the Wiltshire Microlight Centre, a BMAA-registered school run by qualified professional instructors who ensure flight training is safe, progressive and fun.

Training takes place above the stunning North Wessex Downs and Vale of Pewsey. Visiting pilots should approach from the south, circuits at 600ft. Visit the website for pilot information.

Blind calls on Safetycom 135.475 MHz. Please call PPR before setting off. Microlights only.

Nearby attractions The countryside around the strip is truly spectacular.

PPR 07836 554554 / 01249 811000

A

Win! A print or digital Pooleys UK Flight Guide QUESTION: What is the distance between Netherthorpe and Yatesbury in nautical miles?

To enter, post your answer, name, address and email details to Pooleys May Competition, FLYER, 9 Riverside Court, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3DZ, or send an email to competitions@seager.aero The closing date is 24 April 2020.

The winner’s name and address will be passed to Pooleys, then deleted from Seager’s database. Pooleys will send the winner their prize and, in order to do so, also offer to supply them with further information about the company’s products and services.

Valid May 2020

Free Landing

Netherthorpe

Valid May 2020

Kingsmuir (Sorbie) Airfield welcomes singles, light twins and microlights with PPR to its unobstructed, unlicensed, 620m grass runway.

Visitors can enjoy tea/coffee in the clubhouse (weekends only). Contact Leuchars Approach for LARS as Kingsmuir is close to the SE boundary of its MATZ. There’s no parachuting activity at Kingsmuir but visiting pilots should be aware that models occasionally fly from the R06 threshold. Overnight parking available.

1 Balado 2 Blackbushe 3 Easter Airfield 4 Kingsmuir 5 Netherthorpe 6 Yatesbury

Valid May 2020

01333 310619 | https://kingsmuirairfield.com

KINGSMUIR

Free Landing

Kingsmuir

NETHERTHORPE

Nearby attractions Anta pottery shop, cafe and HMS Owl are just a short walk away.

PPR 07967 715304 Radio 135.480

YATESBURY

Easter Airfield is well known among the GA community as being one of the friendliest and most picturesque airfields in Scotland. This reputation makes for a popular destination, which is only 12 miles north of Inverness Airport.

Ideally situated as a base for touring the Highlands, with unique accommodation in the old control tower of HMS Owl available next door. Tea and coffee available.

3 1 4

5

6 2

The winner for March 2020 is: Phillip Smith, Great Cambourne, Cambridge.

May 2020 | FLYER | 75

Valid May 2020

07967 715304 | www.easterairfield.co.uk

EASTER AIRFIELD

Free Landing

Easter Airfield

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QSY

For the funny, the weird, the wonderful and the just plane strange…

Morane-Saulnier

Shinji’s one-eyed dream comes true

Replica 1913 French fighter gets ready to fly

A

bunch of French aviation enthusiasts are preparing to fly a replica of the first successful fighter aircraft, the Morane-Saulnier Type L. The original aircraft first flew in 1913 and, some say, started the WWI arms race among aircraft manufacturers. It fired a single machine gun through the prop and used wing warping rather than ailerons for banking.

The Association Héritage Avions Morane-Saulnier has been working at Tarbes-Lourdes Airport, with the help of TBM manufacturer Daher, also based at the airfield. They’re making final preparations for the Type L’s first flight, according to

Main The ‘parasol wing’ Type L replica in its new hangar at Laloubre airfield, almost ready for its maiden flight Inset The team making final tweaks. Radial engine is a seven-cylinder Verner

Philippe de Segovia, secretary of the team (who’s also a director of TBM and a long-time friend of FLYER).

It’s actually the second Type L replica the team has built. The first (RO1) was completed in 2017 and crated to Oshkosh, USA for that year’s EAA AirVenture, and was presented to the on-site EAA museum afterwards – before it flew.

The team is improving RO2 with various changes.

Philippe explains, “The aircraft has a Verner radial

engine, seven cylinders praised by many replica builders as more ‘aviator’ than the Rotec radial we put in the first one.

The R02 is also lighter than R01, we have saved some 20 to 30 pounds.

“It is now at TarbesLaloubere Airfield getting ready for her maiden flight which should occur within the next few weeks.

“The aeroplane will be flown by our chief test pilot Stephane Jacques, who was involved in the design process. The decision to move her to the airfield was motivated by the need for a grass runway well oriented to the west winds, as the wing warping controls limit crosswind operations.”

Heroes & Villains HERO Daniel Moore has set a Guinness World Record for landing at 92 airports – the most ever recorded in a 24-hour period. A pilot for 33 years, Moore flew with three GoPro cameras to capture every landing, and the feat is viewable on YouTube: https://youtu. be/77lR5QuMH20

HEROES OR VILLAINS? Photographer Vadim Makhorov and pilot Andrey Melnikov landed on frozen Lake Baikal in Russia despite the ice surface being visibly cracked. While the stunt produced fantastic

photos, including a drone image from overhead, they ignored advice from local officials warning of thin ice this year.

VILLAIN Three seaplanes were damaged when a thief tried to escape after stealing a floatplane belonging to Seair, one of Vancouver’s floatplane flight companies. The Seair aircraft hit two of Harbour Air’s seaplanes parked nearby, causing significant damage.

Shinji Maeda is a pilot with an ambition, to fly around the world. However – slight problem – Shinji can see out of just one eye.

Shinji lost the sight in his right eye in a car crash as a teenager, near his family farm at Hokkaido, Japan.

Japanese aviation regs say you need two good eyes, so Shinji moved to the US where he went to university and joined an aerospace company, all the time still nurturing his earthrounder ambition. Under US regs, you simply need to demonstrate you can see to a set standard.

Many years on and he has his PPL and an aircraft, a 1963 Beech Bonanza P35. Shinji is setting off on 1 May 2020 to fulfill his dream. www.aerozypangu.com

That Worst Day answers (from p72)

1 What was the trouble with X’s gear? Nothing! Turning on the NAV lights automatically dimmed the gear indicator lights by design.

2 How else could he have checked if the gear was down? Trigger the gear warning by reducing power, and then extend the gear checking if the warning stops.

3 What was the noise that X heard? The stall warner.

Send your QSY submissions to QSY, 9 Riverside Court, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3DZ or to qsy@seager.aero 82 | FLYER | May 2020