Altitudes Arabia #30

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LEGEND

The Talented Mr. Cessna The flying farmer

His name adorns more business jets in the world than any other and has become synonymous with light aircraft in general. Clyde Vernon Cessna grew up on a simple farm in the Midwest America and his life ended on one. Between the two events however, was almost a quarter-century of dedication to flying machines. For it, the self-taught engineer and entrepreneur became a legend in his lifetime.

Starting out as a car salesman, C.V. Cessna was fascinated by technology but it wasn’t long before he was captivated

by Louis Bleriot’s crossing of the English Channel

The grey autumn day of 15 September 1969, was not the best of settings for a celebration. Low clouds made the test team wonder whether the whole thing would have to be called off. The plan was as follows: At 9:15 LOC, an aeroplane was to take off from the runway of Wichita Municipal Airport. It was a new design, fitted with jet engines and one of the most controversial and risky projects of Cessna Aircraft. Its success

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or failure would definitely affect the future of the company. Later, it would be named Citation after the legendary racing horse that won a million dollars. On the day of the flight it was still known as the Fanjet 500.

The plane did take off, a bit later than planned, but nevertheless. The first flight was successful. Dwayne Wallace, Chairman of the company and one of two sons of Mrs. Grace Opal Wallace,

born Cessna, was smiling triumphantly, looking up to the sky.

FLYING CIRCUS Clyde nearly lost his hat looking up and following the manoeuvres of the flying wonder and in 1911, an aircraft was a sight to see. Of course, as a salesman of automobiles, which themselves were quite new, and with a keen interest in technology, Clyde Cessna

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LEGEND had heard of the Wright brothers and their successes and about Louis Bleriot crossing the English Channel in his monoplane. But hearing is one thing...

A copy of that very monoplane was flying circles above the fascinated crowd. It was well worth the trip to Oklahoma City to see this.

“So how much do you guys make flying this thing?” The practical, sober mind of Cessna is already working out questions to ask the flying circus.

“Well, we get about ten thousand. But you know, there are lots of expenses to think about...”

In any case, Clyde was impressed by the numbers. It looked like good business was to be done here. Or, perhaps, he just caught the “aviation fever”. Leaving his wife and little son at home, he counted his savings and set off to New York, where, people said, Bleriot aircraft were built under license.

Clyde Vernon Cessna was thirty-one at the time, and knew a thing or two about all sorts of machines.

JACK OF ALL TRADES “Hey, how are you doing, Jim? Can you get your little one to have a look at my mower? He sure saved my business when the fanner broke down, I was already counting how much I’d lose.”

“Why not, as long as we agree on the price! He’s a smart one, isn’t he? Hey, Clyde, forget them studies, here’s some real work for you.”

The future founder of the legendary company was quite young when he demonstrated a talent for machinery. He was living on his parents’ farm in Rago, Kansas, and his skill became known in the neighbourhood.

Clyde Vernon Cessna didn’t have any special education. Moreover, he left school after fifth grade. Perhaps it was for the better: His lack of formal engineering education left him with no bounds to explore technology however he wanted.

Repairing farm machinery brought some money, and at the turn of the century the self-taught mechanic bought himself a farm and 40 acres of land in Kansas. This wasn’t enough to support himself and his wife though, so the future aviator moved to Oklahoma and

began repairing automobiles in a town named Enid. Soon he developed a talent in selling them. Cessna convinced clients with sheer common sense and practical arguments – his farming background helped. By the 1910s the young mechanic became a successful car dealer and would have gone on, had it not been for that flying circus.

NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED After speaking with the aviators, Clyde Cessna discussed the story with his brother Roy and decided that flying machines have a singularly remarkable future and such an opportunity is not to be missed. The car dealer did not linger.

Getting some money together, he went to New York to buy an aeroplane and get acquainted with its design.

Cessna worked for a few weeks on an assembly line and felt that his experience was sufficient. He bought an aircraft (a Bleriot XI) and returned home.

He had already booked a date for demonstration flights, but had to feature the plane on static display. He quickly assembled the airframe with his brother, but had problems with the engine. After finally mounting the right powerplant, they called the aircraft Silver Wings.

It’s worth mentioning that Clyde had never sat in a cockpit, taken lessons, or known how to fly. The aviator had more than enough self-confidence to make up for all this. He tried to take off and fly above the salt plains of Oklahoma in May 1911. Even after 12 crashes that resulted in repairs to the aircraft and personal injuries, Clyde did not lose a bit of determination. And finally, the attempts ended in success. He took off and flew several miles at an altitude of about 200 feet, and then turned around and landed the aircraft. Coincidence or not, but this happened on 17 December 1911, exactly eight years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight.

Almost half of all light piston aircraft flying in the USA by the 1960’s were built by Cessna

ROAD TO WICHITA “So what would you say to buying this beautiful aeroplane, Mr. Cessna?” Walter Beech, representative of E.M. Laird Co. from Wichita smiles broadly.

“Well, this is a biplane, and I don’t know why I need two wings when one was al-

By Alexey Korolev and Ivan Veretennikov

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LEGEND

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LEGEND

Cessna eventually turned his back on aviation after seeing his good friend perish at the controls of one of his planes and returned to the farm

ways enough for me.” The farmer-aviator reasons.

By that time he had been farming in Rago for several years, and this is where Beech found him. Before the USA entered WWI, Cessna was touring successfully around the Midwest, and when war came he felt it was right to offer his services and aircraft to the state. The military, however, was not interested. Then Cessna established a flight school and even taught four pilots. Civil aviation, however, was in the shadow. The experienced pilot and engineer had to come back to earth and return to his farm.

The visit of Walter Beech – himself a future aviation legend, by the way – was by no means futile. For one thing, Cessna ended up buying an aircraft from his company, although much later and of another model. It was the plane in which he took his nephews, Dwayne and Dwight Wallace, for their first flight. For another, the two businessmen felt they had lots in common. In 1925, they founded an aircraft production company in Wichita with a third enthusiast, Lloyd Stearman. It was named Travel Air Co. The company started to design and build its own biplanes. Clyde Cessna was said to personally employ a secretary to do the papers, a young graduate of a high-profile business school, Olive Ann Mellor. Yet another famous name in the

aviation industry. This lady, by then called Olive Ann Beech, would run Beechcraft corporation for a long time after the death of her husband, the very Walter Beech who visited Cessna to sell one of his airplanes and then became one of the three shareholders of Travel Air. ABORTED TAKEOFF Despite the successes, Cessna couldn’t forget his love for speed and monoplanes. He soon sold his share in Travel Air to a group of local entrepreneurs and started his own business, first in partnership with engineer Victor Roos, then entirely on his own. In 1927 Cessna Aircraft Company was born.

It’s small wonder that the first Cessna aeroplane was a cantilever-wing monoplane called Phantom. This was a project he had started in Travel Air. After this, nothing could stop him. Cessna Aircraft Co. planes took part in races and won prestigious prizes. Mr. Cessna and his company were on the threshold of a bright future...

Suddenly, the Great Depression struck.

Clyde and his son Eldon did not surrender in the face of economic turbulence and began to build gliders, sign contracts for fast racing aircraft, but the market was against them. Sales went down steeply and in 1931 the board of directors decided to cease operations

and lay off all staff, including Clyde Vernon Cessna himself.

Not everyone can take that with his head held high, but we know enough about the will and determination of the businesslike engineer. Aviation, however, delivered another blow: At the air races in Chicago, his close friend Roy Liggett flying a CR-2 crashed right before his eyes. His old friend died in a plane he built. This was too much for Cessna. He went back to where he started: To his farm. He did, however, first re-launch his company in 1934 and ensured his two nephews, Dwayne and Dwight Wallace, would run the company.

The successors to Cessna Aircraft Co. were a shrewd couple and took the company to new heights. By the 1960s almost half of all light piston aircraft in the USA was built by the company founded by the legendary “flying farmer”. In 1970 it entered the business jet market with its famous Citation line.

Clyde himself, however, never went back to aviation, living the remaining 20 years of his life on that very farm.

Cessna Aircraft, however, kept his vigorous energy and principles. It’s evident in the company’s jet aircraft, especially the flagship Citation X. A muscular, streamlined business jet that embodies the words of Mr. Cessna: “Speed is the ■ only reason for flying.”

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XP Interview Stephen Taylor BBJ-AA30_XP Interview Stephen Taylor BBJ-AA30 10/06/13 15:57 Page56

INTERVIEW

President, Boeing Business Jets

Captain Stephen Taylor

Mr. Taylor speaks to Altitudes about the state of various markets, the advantages of using a BBJ, and his flying experiences, while admitting that one airplane is just not enough.

By Ivan Veretennikov Photos Courtesy of the Boeing Company

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INTERVIEW

First, please tell us about the market.

How has business been?

Well, obviously the economy is not quite what it used to be, but for us it has been pretty stable. Actually, last year we delivered eight 747-8 aircraft destined for VIP outfitting, more than 737-based BBJs! And our widebodies have been doing extremely well in the past years.

The Middle East is surely a big market for you. What is the trend there?

Yes, it’s a strong market, particularly for the big airplanes. For BBJs the Middle East accounts for about 25% of our business, but for the bigger liners, more like 75% of demand comes from that part of the world. Obviously, the market for the big airplanes, the 747, 767, 777 and 787, is a bit different – primarily head-of-state customers – while more than 50% of the BBJ customers worldwide are private individuals.

What can you say about Western Europe?

Traditionally, Europe in total has accounted for about 20% of the BBJ market – mostly private with a few corporations mixed in. We have not sold any of the Jumbos into this market, but we always have hope.

And the BRIC countries?

As with any of the other high-end OEM’s, China has been a very active market over the past few years, with Asia Pacific now accounting for more than 20% of the BBJ’s sold. We’ve had good success with charter operators in China and continue to see opportunities there. We’ve sold several BBJ’s in India and a couple in Brazil.

When business was hot back in ’07-’08, the Russian market was on fire. It took a significant downturn when the economy went soft. There’s still a steady but smaller demand in Russian and I believe that when the economy goes back up this will be one of the first markets to recover.

Could you tell our readers about the significant upcoming upgrade, the 737 MAX BBJ. What would they be like in terms of performance, and when do you expect to deliver the first BBJ MAX version?

The first 737 MAX BBJ will be the BBJ MAX 8 based on the 737-8 MAX and we’re anticipating green delivery in 2018. This airplane will be the same size as today’s BBJ2. The BBJ MAX 9 will follow about a year later and will have the same cabin size as the BBJ3. Both

airplanes will take advantage of the new Leap engine and the new Boeing Advanced Technology Winglet to give 1300—1500 km more range over today’s airplanes.

What are the advantages you point out to customers over competitor aircraft?

Our biggest advantage is that we created a unique dedicated airplane for this market. It has a higher gross weight takeoff capability than any standard 737.

Thanks to several structural changes it can carry additional fuel. It’s worth saying that when empty, the BBJ is lighter than the Airbus ACJ, but it has a higher maximum takeoff weight. Because of this, it has a higher payload capability which translates into more interior weight capability, more passengers, more fuel. Considering all the various factors that affect flight range, we give the owner a 900-1300 km advantage, which is really a lot.

You are and always have been an enthusiastic pilot. Have you ever flown an ACJ yourself?

No, I haven’t personally, but several of our pilots got their type ratings to better understand the way Airbus aircraft fly. When Boeing designed the 777, we

"For BBJs the Middle East accounts for about 25% of our business but for the bigger liners, more like 75% of demand comes from that part of the world."

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INTERVIEW

put a team to research fly-by-wire controls and flew all types of planes.

That’s how we ended up with traditional yokes and many other features of our philosophy for flight controls. We believe that airplanes should fly like airplanes and not like computers.

Whatever happens, you really want the pilots to understand what the plane is doing and what inputs the other pilot or the autoflight systems are giving. For example, if autothrottles are used, the actual handles need to move because the crew has to know where they are going. We believe it’s important that the controls are interconnected, back-driven and also have large displacement, so to go full nose up the pilots actually have to make a physical effort. At the end of the day, you can’t foresee all the unknowns that can happen and you want the pilot to have ultimate control over the system.

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Do you fly the Boeings then?

Oh yes, I’m type-rated on all of them and I try to make an excuse to fly one whenever I can. For instance, I was actually on the delivery flight of the first 747-8. That one will become a VIP plane.

With a ceiling height of up to 3.5 metres on a 747, almost anything is possible when it comes to interior design, including a putting green for one customer.

Speaking of the 747, that’s a lot of floor space. What were the most unusual requests you’ve heard of and were there any that you couldn’t fulfill?

That’s a good question. We’ve had so many floor plans out there that you think you’ve seen them all, but the designers keep coming up with something new. The only thing we haven’t solved that it keeps coming up is a bathtub.

Conceivably it’s possible to put one on the plane, but it’s always a question of how do you prevent it from spilling in turbulence. That’s the big challenge. Of the more creative and fun ideas, I’ve seen putting greens installed on our air-

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INTERVIEW craft. It’s worth mentioning that the 747 can have a very high ceiling, up to 3,5 metres in the centre of the plane. We don’t have one built yet, but we did a concept rendering that shows the incredible amount of space it’s possible to get on that airplane.

What about the A380 though? That’s a double-decker.

As far as I’m aware it’s impossible to do that with the double deck arrangement of the A380. And another thing I can say is that we’ve delivered plenty of VIP 747 aircraft with all sorts of floor plans and features, while at the moment Airbus have not progressed with the only VIP A380 that they announced back in 2007. In the jumbo segment we’re the only manufacturer out there actually making VIP planes.

I heard some fantastic stories about anti-missile systems on the 747, to the point that it can fire its own missiles.

Is there anything you can tell me about them that’s not classified?

Well, I am aware of anti-missile systems that activate countermeasures: chaff,

flare, laser. I don’t know about any that actually launch missiles.

Boeing pilot has done a roll in one of our airliners in more than 40 years.

When will you deliver the first 787 VIP? Hopefully we will have a green aircraft delivery in December of this year, and quite a few coming down the line for 2014.

What about yourself. Do you do any aerobatics?

Well, I used to. Years ago my father and I built a Christen Eagle 2-seat acrobatic airplane with several friends. Since then, we sold our share in that plane, but I still occasionally do some acrobatics and I still fly a variety of little airplanes. Some friends and I have a Piper Super Cub now.

And back to flying: I saw a video of the historical barrel roll performed on the 707 during my visit to Boeing’s Future of Flight. You’re a test pilot, so you would know: can any of your current aircraft do that?

The barrel roll of the Dash 80 over the Seafair Hydroplane races was one of the most famous moments in Boeing history. Done properly, a barrel roll is a “1g” maneuver that doesn’t stress the airplane and Tex Johnston (the pilot) was certainly able to do it right since he had experience flying acrobatic maneuvers in another large Boeing swept wing airplane, the B-47 bomber, which flew an acrobatic maneuver for weapons delivery in that era. A modern Boeing airplane could still theoretically do a barrel roll; however, I can tell you that no

And a traditional question: if you could buy any flying machine, what would it be and why? It can be anything, and it doesn’t have to be just one either.

I’m glad that you’ll allow me the flexibility to have more than one because I probably couldn’t satisfy all my needs with just one machine. For plain old fun it’s impossible to beat a Piper Cub, but if I’m trying to go anywhere on business, I have to say it would be the 787. It’s such an incredible combination of efficiency, technology, capability, plus the low cabin altitude, big windows, very quiet – it ■ really is an aircraft to dream about.

Capt. Taylor claims the 747 has many advantages over the A380 when it comes to interiors including height.

"At the moment Airbus has only progressed with one A380 VIP that they announced back in 2007."

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VNE

By Ivan Veretennikov

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VNE

In the Falcon 2000S Up Above

No matter how beautiful its presentation materials, the only way to really feel and understand an aircraft is to fly it. The Falcon 2000S looked very good on paper, and what we saw at static displays also impressed us. So it was time to fly – back seat, as it’s designed to be flown – and see what it’s like.

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Compared to the 2000LXS, flight range on the 2000S drops from 7400km to 6200km but that's still good enough to take six passengers from Dubai to London, Moscow or Singapore

Cabin layout is limited to just one, 10-seat configuration which can be tailored in one of three colour choices

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The weather in Bordeaux was perfect and spirits were high, as Dassault was celebrating 50 years of its first business jet, the Mystère 20 (which later became Falcon 20). The factory tours and presentations gave us a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. We saw where the finnesse and technological superiority of Falcon jets comes from: augmented reality, advanced design techniques, and assembly robots were all quite a surprise. It’s unusual to see the lot at business jet production facilities. On the other hand, this is the company that builds the military Rafale and nEUROn, and one would expect it to be ahead of the game.

The Falcon 2000S we took to Paris Le Bourget was the first serial aircraft to be delivered to a customer. So this was the real plane, and one we could scrutinise and judge both on ground and in flight.

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VNE From the outside, the Falcon 2000S is just like any other modern Dassault twin: 7 cockpit windows, impeccable aerodynamic shape, sleek wing with blended winglets, two Pratt & Whitney PW308C engines, and a cruciform tail. The savvy aviation enthusiast would notice the inboard slats on the wing that give this Falcon superior runway performance. This was the big difference, alongside the winglets and updated engines, that boosted the specs of the 2000S over the previous 2000 models. The new wing devices turned out so effective that the Falcon 2000LX was soon updated in a similar way, becoming the 2000LXS (well, in fact it will only replace the former at the end of this year) and cutting over 300 metres off the required runway length for takeoff.

Walking inside, we first turned left to see the cockpit. Even if the reader is not at all thrilled by the opportunity to control a flying machine and prefers the back seat (which is, in all honesty, the way business jets are meant to be flown, although there are enough pilot-owners around the world), it is worth seeing. A clean, light, and ergonomic two-seat cockpit with four 14.1” LCD screens and various enhancements, such as the optional synthetic vision system and head-up displays, comes to life and offers pilots all flight information in a concise and graphic way. The particular aircraft we flew had a HUD, and looking through it in flight we could see the world sort of the way interceptor pilots see it: Green, with some lines, numbers, and gauges, which all make sense to the people in control and allow them to obtain all flight data without looking down at the screens. This is especially useful when flying and landing in difficult weather conditions.

Which was not, luckily, something we had to experience firsthand. The weather was beautiful throughout the one-hour journey, and the sun shining through the windows brightened up the passenger cabin.

There are only two sacrifices that a customer makes to save about $5 million when buying a Falcon 2000S over a 2000LXS. One is flight range, which drops from 7400 to 6200 km. And that’s still enough to take 6 passengers from Dubai to London, Moscow, or Singapore. The other is cabin flexibility, which is better than Ford’s famous “any colour so long as it’s black”, but limited to just one 10-seat configuration and three colour schemes: Alpine, Sedona, and Havana.

The particular aircraft we were flying was outfitted in the Havana style, with brown seats and woods, beige carpet, light walls, upholstery, and ceiling. Although the author prefers the contrasting black & white Alpine option, it has to be said that BMW Group DesignWorksUSA, whom Dassault invited to collaborate on the interior, did a great job on all three.

This is why the 10-seat layout isn’t really a sacrifice at all. Unless the owner chooses to fly with all seats taken, which was the case of our flight, there is plenty of space to move around

"With ambient lighting, the right atmosphere can be created at the push of a switch – or rather, a touch on the trendy control screens"

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VNE There's a large forward galley which has enough equipment for hot and cold beverages, proper coffee and space for tableware

With a cross-section of 3.51 by 2.13 metres, and a cabin length of 24.18 metres, the BBJ can be configured into just about anything.

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VNE in the 7.98 x 2.34 x 1.88 metre cabin. The seats are easy to operate, with no real effort required on the levers and buttons. The stow-away tables are large and sturdy, of top-quality materials and finish. And these will come to good use. We didn’t get to experience the full capacities of the large forward galley during our short flight, making do with excellent French snacks and champagne, but there’s enough equipment there for hot and cold food and beverages, proper coffee, and space for appropriate tableware to ensure a perfect setting. With ambient lighting the right atmosphere can be created at the push of a switch – or, rather, a touch on the trendy control screens.

Most important, however, is the flight itself. Traffic was scarce and the controller apparently cleared us for a steep climb, because of all the performance takeoffs the author has partaken of (including a recent rocket ride in direct competitor Gulfstream G280), this one beat them all. We were climbing at a pitch of 20 degrees (which may not seem much on paper, but makes the cockpit look very high up above from the rear right seat) and were doing so extremely quickly. The pilots mentioned that if not for regulations, it could even do 35 degrees, but then they’d have to take us straight to the dry cleaner’s with all the champagne spills.

With a price of $27m, it's a strong competitor in the super mid-size class to take on the Bombardier Challenger 300 and Gulfstream G280

If not for the regulations, it could take off and climb at a pitch of 35 degrees, yet even at 20 degrees it still passed 12,500m from zero in 19 minutes

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The HUD provides information comprising a myriad of numbers, lines and gauges clearly in a green format which allows the pilot to obtain all flight data without looking down at the screens

Within moments (it takes the 2000S just 19 minutes go direct from zero to 12500 m) we were flying level at an altitude of around 9000 m, enjoying the sunshine, views, and snacks.

Having just flown in the Falcon 7X the day before, we could notice that the cabin was a bit louder than that of the much more expensive flagship, but lived up to Dassault’s promise of an improvement over the previous aircraft of the 2000 series.

As far as the rest is concerned, with a price tag of just below $27 million this is a very strong competitor in the super-midsize class. It is almost everything that a Falcon 2000LXS will offer, and a superb new all-rounder to compete with the Bombardier Challenger 300 and Gulfstream G280, offering a larger cabin, better airport flexibility, and cutting-edge features.

And it flies just like a Dassault Falcon should. Magnifique! â–

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HELICOPTER

Eurocopter EC130 T2 Where form meets function “What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, says the American proverb. Helicopter owners and pilots around the world are lucky that Eurocopter chose to ignore it.

Two companies from Las Vegas once contacted Eurocopter. They were managing fleets of AS350 helicopters that carried tourists and travellers to the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon and other sights in the area. Although the passengers seemed happy enough, the utility helicopter had room for improvement in terms of comfort and, especially, the views it offered. That’s what the Americans were after, and after a while they

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came out with the EC130 – the tour guide’s dream. Its wide cabin with huge windows – the envy of even the dragonfly-like Robinsons – fit two rows of seats in a 3+4 configuration. The back row was set a bit higher than the front one, and this flying amphitheatre proved an absolute delight to camera-flicking tourists from around the world.

The machine was not stranded by its excursion capabilities, however. Over

420 were delivered in various configurations, for missions that can benefit from great visibility, high efficiency, improved safety thanks to the Fenestron, especially when landing in crowded areas or in tight urban spots. This meant, above all, recon, pipeline integrity, police, SAR, EMS operations.

It’s hard to blame the reader for being most interested in the private and business uses of such a helicopter, though.

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HELICOPTER After all, this is the very publication that delivers such information. What’s more, the natural question would be: “what’s so good about the new EC130 T2 that the previous model was lacking?”

To answer it, we visited the Eurocopter facilities in Marignane, not far from the port city of Marseille, and went on a test flight of the new machine. Prior to actually flying in the new EC130 T2 with Eurocopter test-pilot Olivier Gensse, we had a chance to tour the plant and, most importantly, get a first-hand account of what has actually changed. We won’t go into the myriad tables and diagrams to state a point. Let’s just say that substantial improvements over the previous model concern performance, efficiency, operating and maintenance costs. Comfort and safety have also been tweaked.

The new engine is the centrepiece. The Turbomeca Arriel 2D is more powerful and economical, with full authority digital engine control. The pilot only needs to flick one switch – and the engine is then handled by computer, from start to stop. This means less crew fatigue and safer operations. The maintenance intervals have grown substantially longer too. This translates into more flying and less engineering – or, in short, lower ownership costs.

There are several advances in cabin comfort. The new active vibration control system really makes a diffe-

rence – we experienced that by switching it on and off in flight. Finally, there’s a proper air conditioner with 3 separate zones and intuitive controls (something that cars have had forever and helicopters that cost over 2 million euro were for some reason lacking), as well as a new demisting system that clears the windows – and there is a lot of window area in this machine – in just one minute as opposed to the ten that would be typically required.

The boxes that used to be under the back row of seats are gone (good riddance!) Now even one person with just a simple spanner and no real training can take out the seats and have a spacious, flat-floor cabin to transport something bulky. With a useful load capacity of almost 1100 kg this this would be more than a typical washing machine! What’s more, the EC130 T2 can lift up to 1.5 tons on a sling – enough pull for some supercars (not that we’d advise you to take one on a helicopter ride). Add sliding doors on both sides (only port side was available before) and it becomes the perfect machine for medevac, search and rescue, and other operations. And may come in handy for heliskiing.

Speaking of mountains. The new powerful engine of the EC130 T2 helps it climb faster and fly higher, retaining good performance at high altitudes.

Our test flight proved it.

We flew vertically up after taking position on the runway (regulations above all – this was the Marseille airport), gained speed and leveled off at about 300 metres above ground. Despite heavy winds, we ploughed straight ahead thanks mainly to four rotor blades and a cleverly-designed rotor head. Reaching a medium-sized, but impressivelooking mountain with a cliff face, we went around and up, noting a church standing high in the hills. We crossed the face – it was a steep drop – but first went quite high up. After that came a rollercoaster-style drop, a few sharp turns, then flying backwards and sideways. The EC130 T2 does it easily – something we didn’t expect of a “tourist helicopter”. It’s just as capable of giving its passengers a thrill ride as holding a sightseeing group steady so nobody spills their soda.

So, coming back to that question: The EC130 T2 is in many ways just as good as the predecessor. It offers the great views, sufficient cabin space, low operating costs, and the pleasant look. But it has better performance, more power, and some advanced features. And it’s an absolute joy to fly, whether in a straight line or the theme park way. And the best part about it? Unlike the things that stay in Vegas, it most certainly won’t. And this will surely make quite a ■ few future owners very happy.

The hallmarks that make Eurocopter the choice for scenic tour operators. Ample forward viewing and six-seat capacity.

By Ivan Veretennikov