LOOP July 2011 by Loop Digital Media

IT LIVES! LOOP'S BEAUTIFUL FLIGHTTEST APP FOR THE IPAD + D-JET Back on track + TIMELY TALE The Bremont story + COVER UP Fabric gurus talk + JULY 2011 ISSUE 69 £3.40

F R E S H A I R FO R F LY I N G + THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE +

WINGTIP TO WINGTIP AT 400MPH Getting stick time with the world's best civilian jet display team

GREAT OAKLEY 'UNLICENSED' DIVIDEND AEROS ISSUES WILL EASA MAKE YOU PAY TO KEEP DOING AEROBATICS? CHASING £1M: THE NEXT GENERATION OF 'AVGAS KILLERS'

+ ELECTRIC New designs + HYBRID Fuel+Electric=Greener + BIOFUEL Grow your own +

Your Glass Cockpit, Your Way.

1000 PRO PFD

1000 MFD

European STCs are currently available for the most popular GA aircraft. Contact your Aspen Avionics dealer or visit www.aspenavionics.com/approvals for complete approval details.

E VOLU TION 2000 PACK AGE Versatile and flexible, the 1000 Pro PFD (Primary Flight Display) paired with the 1000 MFD (Multi-Function Flight Display) gives you the industry's best value in EFIS technology. The Pro PFD is a solid-state "six-pack" replacement for mechanical flight instruments featuring an electronic HSI with flight plan overlay. The 1000 MFD expands your glass panel with advanced features such as high resolution digital moving map, terrain and obstacle awareness, traffic, and more. This pair also delivers the unmatched safety and confidence of full PFD reversion mode. One push of the MFD's REV button converts the MFD display into an identical PFD backup right in your primary instrument scan. Available in one, two, or three displays configurations, the flexible Aspen Evolution system is designed and built to be easy to install, easy to use and easy to own.

See Evolution Flight Displays in aircraft just like yours at www.aspenavionics.com/ customergallery

EVOLUTION 1000 PRO PFD

EVOLUTION 1500 PACKAGE

EVOLUTION 2500 PACKAGE

www.aspenavionics.com

CONTENTS

#69 JULY 2011

WHAT’S the link between arguably man’s greatest technical achievement, the Space Shuttle, and the aircraft which will be carrying you on £100 bacon butty flights in 20 years? (Except they’ll be 10,000 Yuan by then). NASA. This issue looks at some of the contenders for a huge cash prize offered by NASA – £1m – for the best innovations in green flight, which has brought some utterly

fabulous thinking to bear on sustainable flying. And whether you are an eco-head or not, at the very least it means less reliance on Avgas, which at near the £2/l mark is no bad thing. What’s of note is that NASA rules mean every design has to have real world GA use. So the guys behing the Shuttle are behind us too; it’s nice to have friends in high places.

PHOTO David & Zan Blundell, www.lovethecamera.com

+WELCOME TO LOOP

IT LIVES! LOOP'S BEAUTIFUL FLIGHTTEST APP FOR THE IPAD + D-JET Back on track + TIMELY TALE The Bremont story + COVER UP Fabric gurus talk + JULY 2011 ISSUE 69 £3.40

F R E S H A I R FO R F LY I N G + THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE +

WINGTIP TO WINGTIP AT 400MPH Getting stick time with the world's best civilian jet display team

GREAT OAKLEY 'UNLICENSED' DIVIDEND AEROS ISSUES WILL EASA MAKE YOU PAY TO KEEP DOING AEROBATICS? CHASING £1M: THE NEXT GENERATION OF 'AVGAS KILLERS'

+ ELECTRIC New designs + HYBRID Fuel+Electric=Greener + BIOFUEL Grow your own +

+LOOP PEOPLE

FLIGHT TEST Flying with the world’s best-known civilian formation jet display, Brietling Jet Team +FLIGHTCLUB IMMUNE TO FLASH FLOODING! ADVICE || CLUBS || FLIGHT TRAINING ||

SAFETY || PLACES TO FLY || PEOPLE TO

CLUB T

MEET || THINGS TO DO

HANGARCHAT

LOOP discovers the treasures at Great Oakley. P36

GET RATED

Get out in the fresh air and try a flexwing. P44

flightCLUBFLIGH

T SCHOOL

My first solo yves rossi

seND us Your eVeNt News. Go to...

www.loop.aero

who Yves Rossi, former air aircraft Bravo as 202 force pilot, current swiss air pilot and world famous Jetman! date The hours when soloed summer of 1977 where 8 hours now 10,000 Geneva instructor Laurent Debouche

JETMAN’S FIrST TIME

Yves, airline pilot by day, Jetman on his days off!

He’s a rocketman!

PLANE CRAZY

Pilot, skydiver and base jumper. Meet Troy Hartman. P46

I was 18 when I first flew I had to do it right. I was solo. It was a swiss-built several occasions. The first very proud of myself when aircraft and we were flight I really remember I came back down. based at the grass strip is the seventh test flight. That was a very at Geneva airport. My That was when both memorable day, but instructor was a tough engines lit and I was able you know I don’t really guy; he was very strict and to fly level for the first remember the very first direct. He didn’t say, “You time and it was also the should try it like this”, “You test flight with my jet first time I was able to stay wings. when I first started could do better. It was in the air for more than nothing like that. He would I had about 15 different six minutes. That flight prototypes, and every first I say: “Do that, and do it learnt a lot, because with flight with a prototype correctly!” He was like an only two engines there is filled with tension and army instructor, but I liked wasn’t enough power for the ‘unknown’. It’s very it because I knew exactly the turns so it was never exciting, but surprisingly where I stood with him. a question of fuel but of not so memorable. My first instinct was fear, power and I descended On one of the early because it was nice at first, faster. after that moment flights, I jumped from I but you soon realise you had to open my parachute around 4000m without have to come back down to land safely, but that’s the engines lit. I was using to the ground. the flight I remember the two engines at the time. It was a good souvenir. most fondly. I glided down to 3000m Firstly I was very happy The next stage is to try and I started the engines, that I was going solo, but and fly vertical. There’s I but the first six times only was worried when I came enough power, we just one engine lit up so when onto the downwind leg need some more testing I landed it was very heavy of the circuit, and I knew over the coming months. and I almost crashed on www.jetman.com

ew solo in a ‘real’ Yves Rossi talks about the first time he fl power! See p43 own jet aircraft... and the time he soloed with his

+new PiLOt Kit

on the iPad –the Padpilot ProPilot claim that the course material, classroom training, monitoring system and delivery of the notes are all industry firsts, which not only aim to improve students’ experiences of ATPL, but also to make them better pilots. ProPilot has the belief that students shouldn’t just be Study your ATPL Ground School on the move

This month we visit historical Eastbourne. P38

NICK HEARD

Be safe – know your aircraft before you fly. P40

GURUS

Can a heli land anywhere in an emergency? P41

new atpl tr aining

An innovative way to learn

FOr all those aspiring airline pilots out there, ProPilot has just launched a new, revolutionary way to learn its ATPL ground school course

GRAND TOUR

taught to pass exams; they must be trained for their future careers. “Succeeding in those 14 exams is only the entry pass into a pilot’s airline career. More often, we’re hearing stories of pilots who haven’t been adequately prepared for their day-to-day role, because they weren’t properly monitored during training, or weren’t provided with the information that they needed in a relevant manner,” said ProPilot’s

Chief Ground Instructor, Jacqui Suren. The notes for the Padpilot are the first to be designed from the ground up to be NPA-25 compliant and are written by current airline pilots and experienced ATPL instructors. The course is split onto three easy to manage modules with the distance learning and classroom phase days leading to each module’s JAr exam. For ground training, the combination of easily

+inside tip

Flying to an airshow? 35 These tipswww.loop.ae will help avoid ro JULY 2011 LOOP upsetting your hosts, who already have full hands accessible manual content and interactive delivery platform enables students to understand and apply their knowledge, rather than just • Arriving learning to pass exams. Park where advised and The classroom phases are don’t get over-keen to held at Coventry Airport and get out of the cabin to are designed to minimise the see the displays during time students need to take shutdown; one common off work with rooms available pilot-in-a-rush error is at weekends. failure to turn the mags Cabair has chosen the and battery off properly Padpilot for its integrated – they’ll be the ones ATPL courses starting from with a flat battery when this month. Andy Cruise, everyone is leaving later Cabair Chief Executive said: • LeAving “We are delighted that the You’ve watched some Integrated students are inspiring flying – but to receive the benefits of don’t let it go to your this new learning system. head and inspire a This is the first in a series of little showing off of major enhancements we are your own. Believe us, adding. The iPad is proving some do it. Depart as to be a revolutionary learning carefully as in training tool. It is already established and be aware of the in many airlines as the added rush of other operational tool of choice for aircraft. and no ‘look the future, so we are doubly at me’ showmanshop... pleased in that respect.” takeoff just like normal. www.propilot.eu

airshow etiquette

www.loop.ae ro july 2011 LOOP 43

35-46 Good advice to keep you alive, events to put in your diary, ways to improve your flying, people that set the bar higher, and help for the quizzical

4 THE RUSH FOR GREEN The contenders for the biggest cash prize in GA line up

14 GEAR: BREMONT STORY How two brothers’ love of flying lead to a world famous firm

6 NEXT GEN... NOW Give your iPad a reason to live with our new FLIGHTTEST app

15 GEAR: TOP WATCHES Some of the best and coolest timepieces for pilots

7 TRAGEDY AT YUNEEC Famed designer Martin Wezel claimed in testing accident

16 GEAR: NEW STUFF Airbox’s sunlight beater, cool iPhone apps, and chocks

9 BOB DAVY The beauty of being a pilot is sometimes the stuff on the ground

18 TECH: THE BIG COVER UP Fabric re-covering is a very specialist art – so meet the artists

11 DENNIS KENYON Dennis takes time out to assess some perks of the job

30 AEROS WITH ALAN The looming spectre of EASA brings changes forth to aerobatics

12 INCOMING The wonders of fly-ins, resurgent Piper, oddball designs, and more

58 INSTANT EXPERT The Jabiru wonder from Down Under gets the IE once over

DENNIS KENYON p11 Our much-loved longstanding regular is back after a month off – as is Bob Davy, recovered from the lurgy and just as loved! – in time for a trip down memory lane.

BEN GRIFFITHS p20 Let’s be honest, if the phone rings and someone asks if you’d like to fly a jet with a gang of French fighter pilots, what would you say? Ben took 0.5s to say “Mais oui!”.

DAVE & ZAN BLUNDELL p20 Spare a thought for David and Zan... while Ben enjoyed the view and did some flying, they had to keep their focus on capturing the flight through a lens! Epic results.

FRONTEND

AV I A T I O N NEWS, VIEWS AND OPINION FROM HOME AND ABROAD

N E W S W I R E ZLIN FINANCE DEAL

CZECH firm Zlin has launched a car-like rent/lease scheme for, err… ‘buyers’ of its aircraft, with options to buy and upgrade.

The PC-Aero Elektra One is a major contender for a £1m prize

BATTLE FOR BIGGEST PRIZE YET IN GREEN FLIGHT INNOVATION INNOVATION MOTIVATION

£1m up for grabs as NASA backs eco-flying agenda

LECTRIC aircraft might be quiet in the sky, but there will be some serious noise made soon in the offices of whoever wins the biggest prize in civil aviation design, as a two-year long NASA-backed competition for eco-friendly flight nears final judging. The winner will get £1m. In 2009 the CAFE Green Flight Challenge threw down the gauntlet to innovators to push cleaner greener flying, and the contenders are making their final tweaks this month for judging in September. The challenge laid down by CAFE (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) Foundation is to fly 200 miles, in under two hours, burning the equivalent of 1 gallon or less of fuel per aircraft occupant – an incredible 200mpg per

passenger at over 100mph. As you’d expect electric flight features heavily, but so does diesel and hydrogen, with the top prize of $1.5m being supplemented by a $150,000 prize for the best performance from a plane using 99% biofuel. Should none of the entrants reach the minima, the best will get a $153,000 ‘Honorary Achievement’ consolation prize. (No reason for the seemingly random figure that we know of!) In order to promote real-world designs and applications, weirdo concept aircraft that would be irrelevant to real pilots and usage are banned, and entrants must adhere to some strict rules such as 6ft 200lb occupants sitting relatively normally, 20” width per occupant, able to take-off over a 50ft obstacle

04 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

within 2000ft from brake release, cruise at 4000ft, have a 30min reserve, and so on. They must also fit in a hangar no wider than 44ft – folding wings are OK – have a payload of 200lb per occupant, have dual controls (if more than one seat), fly normally with a

stall speed of under 52mph, and be under 78dBA on full power takeoff. All in all, it’s a punishing set of challenges, but ones which ensure the eventual winner is a real-world plane, not some flimsy oddball prize chaser featuring technology and construction real pilots

would never consider owning or be able to fly. And if it’s cloudy on the day and the aircraft is solarpowered…? Tough. About the only concession is postponement if crosswinds exceed 15kt. The competition is judged over a week of flying and testing in California.

L O O K S FA M I L I A R

Embry-Riddle go the FlightDesign way

motor running of li-polymer batteries and linked via belt – again more or less as the FlightDesign hybrid. NO-ONE is saying if there has been The electric booster can be any contact between the two, but the disengaged from the fuelled-engine at Embry-Riddle Eco-Eagle entry into the any stage, and it’s likely the Rotax will NASA CAFE challenge only be used for takeoff features a petrol-electric and climb, and then hybrid Rotax very similar turned off in favour of in theory and look to the the electric powerplant. one being developed by FlightDesign’s version LSA firm FlightDesign. always uses petrol It’s a 100hp 912 using power, and uses the biofuel, with the addition extra 40hp as a takeoff of a 40hp electric booster Rotax+electric = good idea and climb booster.

U.S. GPS FUSS

US flyers are up in arms over a planned nationwide wireless internet project with 40,000 transmitters that ‘block’ GPS.

SKYCATCHER MAKES IT CESSNA’S SkyCatcher 162 lightweight finally made it to Europe, appearing at the Cannes AirShow. UK dealers expect theirs soon.

THE CONTENDERS

AIRCRAFT PC-Aero Elektra One SEATS 1 POWER Electric, 28hp WINGSPAN 27.6ft DETAILS The PC-Aero Elektra is well-known to Aero Friedrichshafen visitors, being first shown last year and flown there this year. It boosts its green cred by coming with a solar-powered hangar which recharges its batteries for zero-emission flight.

AIRCRAFT Synergy SEATS 6 POWER Bio-diesel, 190hp WINGSPAN 32ft DETAILS The Synergy box-wing/sailplane uses many differing principles of aerodynamics to get extra speed and lift from aspects often regarded as problematic, including laminar flow, wake-immersed propeller, pressure thrust, and volumetric displacement.

AIRCRAFT Feuling GFC SEATS 1 POWER Electric, 22hp WINGSPAN 16.7ft DETAILS Likened to a 1970’s Burt Rutan design, the Quickie, the Feuling GFC features low- and high-wing planeforms, with a horizontal separation of several feet between the two wings, and no tailplane. Front view resembles a biplane, but move around to the side and the lower wing is almost at the nose, and the upper wing behind the cockpit.

AIRCRAFT Econo-Cruiser 3000 SEATS 2 tandem POWER Bio-fuel hybrid, 20hp WINGSPAN 48.3ft DETAILS A real ‘Wow!’ design, featuring a diesel-electric hybrid engine and built by a firm who makes some of the coolest raceplanes in the US, so they know a fair bit about getting speed and efficiency from airframes. They usually work on speed kings like Nemesis NXTs.

AIRCRAFT Goshawk SEATS 2 side-by-side POWER Electric, tba WINGSPAN 51ft DETAILS Very nice and resembling a Lancair crossed with a SportCruiser, there are several Goshawks in the works, including an Avgas model and an all-electric model; the firm is pushing ahead with production irrespective of the competition results.

AIRCRAFT Seraph SEATS 1 POWER Bio-diesel hybrid, 40hp WINGSPAN 15ft DETAILS Spectacular Seraph resembles a sci-fi spacecraft more than GA spamcan, and the project itself is meant as a testbed for a planned supersonic business jet! A $1.5m prize should come in quite handy then. Mouthwateringly exotic.

AIRCRAFT Green-Elis PXLD SEATS 2 side-by-side POWER Diesel, 40hp WINGSPAN 35.5ft DETAILS One of the most ‘normal’ looking entries, the French Green-Elis uses a detuned 800cc diesel engine out of a Smart car, and has a top speed of 136mph, cruising at around 100mph.

AIRCRAFT e-Genius SEATS 2 side-by-side POWER Electric, 80hp WINGSPAN 55.4ft DETAILS A joint GermanSlovenian design, the e-Genius claims to be able to fly 100km on the equivalent of only 0.6l of fuel – 392mpg. One of its backers is Airbus, casting a keen eye over new ideas and developments.

AIRCRAFT Wings of Salvacion SEATS 1 POWER Ethanol, 43hp WINGSPAN 16.7ft DETAILS Kept under wraps so no pictures... but its fuel will grow in fields! One of the smallest aircraft in the competition with a wingspan under 17ft.

AIRCRAFT PhoEnix SEATS 2 side-by-side POWER Electric, 59hp WINGSPAN 47.3ft DETAILS Very cute motorglider developed from the same designer’s Rotax-powered Phoenix (with no capital ‘E’), with tweaks to improve aerodynamics such as retractable gear.

AIRCRAFT Eco-Eagle SEATS 2 side-by-side POWER Hybrid, 135hp WINGSPAN 75ft DETAILS Starting life as a Stemme S-10 motor glider, Embry-Riddle Uni’s Eco-Eagle features a Rotax 912 with a 40hp electric booster motor – similar to the hybrid being worked on by FlightDesign. What an amazing project for the students!

AIRCRAFT Taurus G4 SEATS 4 POWER Electric, 195hp WINGSPAN 69.1ft DETAILS Inspired by Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two, it features twin two-person cabins on either side of a single central electric motor nacelle. Pipistrel recently won a prestigious electric aircraft prize for another design.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO...

www.loop.aero

5 MINUTE READ... Get a quick fact fix... QUOTE OF THE MONTH “GPS is jammed by those towers… If we allow that system to be fielded and it does indeed jam GPS, think about the impact. We’re hopeful we can find a solution, but physics being physics, we don’t see a solution right now.” USAF General William Shelton, commenting on the interference observed by the roll-out of a proposed nationwide wireless broadband system on GPS signals.

Boss of US spy satellites; likes GPS

WHAT THEY SAID... “If it is [legal],what next? Will the EU introduce a requirement for a cycling licence, and catch millions of pedal-pushers, including Boris and Dave, in a money-making scam? Only time will tell.” Alan Cassidy, on plans to force experienced aerobatic pilots to ‘re-apply’ for a new EU-wide aerobatic rating. “We had a brilliantly prepared counterargument and reams of facts and figures, but didn’t have to mention any of it; the plan fell before we even had to speak.” Victorious Paul Fowler, on the refusal of planning permission for buildings on Enstone’s runway.

STAT ATTACK

The mother of all ADs, as the FAA issues a note for seat rail inspections on 36,000 Cessnas 36,000 Number of affected aircraft £50 Minimum cost to each owner £270 Cost of parts/labour that might be needed £2.2m Estimated ‘take’ for US MRO firms 17 Different Cessna models covered by AD* *Full list can be found at www.loop.aero

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 05

FRONTEND

FUN FOR FLYERS ON THE IPAD MEDiA MAttErS

New FLIGHTTEST and P1 apps now in the App Store

NVESTED in an iPad and want something fun for ﬂyers for it? Do a search for ‘FLIGHTTEST’, and you’ll be in luck. We’ve created an iPad version of our traditional ‘FLIGHTTEST’ annual, taking some of the very best of our flight tests and videos and putting them in their full glory on the media tablet. The issue has the full interactivity you’d expect on a quality app, and renders completely differently in vertical and horizontal modes for a 2-in-1 feel, using the best of the iPad’s technical features with pop-up detail panels, scrollable panels, multiple imagery, clickable links, and more.

With some 40 minutes of video and over 250 spectacular pictures, it has to be top of the tree for sheer value too: it's only £1.79. No wonder Apple made it No.1 in the lifestyle 'New & Noteworthy' section when it went live! To coincide with the retirement of the Space Shuttle, the main feature tackles the question every pilot would love to know the answer to: what is it like to fly the Shuttle? Our old mate Hoot Gibson knows better than most, having piloted the Shuttle five times, and he takes us through bringing the greatest aircraft ever built back to Earth. He almost makes it sound easy... We chose some of our

favourite and bestlooking tests to go mad with on the iPad: Cirrus’ unleaded SR22T, Cessna’s gorgeous Mustang jet, the superfast TBM850 turboprop – the fastest of its type in the world, a beautiful Piper Super Cub... landing on glaciers!, Robinson’s all-new R66 turbine helicopter, the lovely 50-year-old Piper PA-28, the jaw-dropping all-carbon XtremeAir Sbach342 aerobatic plane, and Piaggio’s futuristic Avanti II turboprop. There’s also a superb feature about going solo in a glider in a weekend, and of course the inside story on what it’s like to fly the Space Shuttle from one of NASA’s greatest

With more than 250 phot0graphs and 40 minutes of video footage, it's a must have!

Find out what it's like to fly the Space Shuttle

06 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

No wonder Apple made it No.1 in the App Store's lifestyle 'New & Noteworthy' section ever figures. (Did you know it takes the power of 16 nuclear power stations to launch the Shuttle?!) Special features include: •Mission control guide – see inside the control centre hub of NASA’s amazing Space Shuttle •How to land on a glacier •An Avanti executive aircraft... doing aerobatics! •Cockpit guide to the Space Shuttle •Tons of unseen pictures To get it is simple. Just

go to the iTunes App Store, and put ‘FLIGHTTEST’ into the search box. There is a free 1-test version so you to get a feel for it, or you can get the 10-test main edition direct for £1.79. Our business aviation title P1 is also in the App Store – for free! – bringing news and features of bizav to the device too. And, you guessed it, LOOP's there soon as well. Each edition brings new interactive and audio-visual elements and features to the best of what's in print; it's not just the same mag dropped on as PDFs. Oh, and if you're an 'Android head', you won't have long to wait either... itunes.apple.com

wezel tragedy strikes at yuneec THE world of light aircraft design and electric flight is reeling after one of its leading lights was tragically killed in China in a testing crash of a brand new design. German aeronautical engineer Martin Wezel died after a crash in a new four-seat electric Yuneec, the E1000, in China. Initial reports say there was a failure of the tail section just moments after takeoff of only its second flight. It is said to have failed at around 130ft which would have been too low for the onboard ballistic parachute to deploy effectively. The aircraft crashed steeply into a lake next to the airfield, and though Wezel was rescued quickly from the wreckage and extensive efforts made to save him, he died a

short time later in a local hospital. He was 47. Wezel was worldrenowned in light aircraft design and manufacturing circles. He had previously worked on and distributed the TL Sting and Sirius microlights. He was also part of the design team of the Viva and Apis 2 motorgliders – both being converted by Yuneec to electric power. He had been working with Yuneec on its E1000, a tandem motor design twice the size of its existing E430 two-seater. Tian Yu, Chairman of Yuneec, was distraught, and said: “Initial investigations show a structural failure of the tail section of the aircraft, caused by ground testing, occurring 10 seconds after take-off at around 40m. “The aircraft was

equipped with a ballistic parachute system which did not deploy sufficiently due to the low altitude. Authorities have started a full accident investigation. The results of which will be published when the

E A S A r u l es

d-jet saved!

The D-Jet now back on track

Wezel's wife Petra will continue their operation in Germany, Wezel Flugzeugtechnik, and told LOOP: “I will follow Martin's spirit, to always keep looking to the future.” www.apis2.com Martin Wezel, much respected and much admired

New Aircraft

JUST weeks after the whole project was thrown into doubt by the Canadian Government’s refusal of a bridging loan, Diamond’s D-Jet project is back on after a mystery investor stumped up the $35m needed to return it to full development. The aircraft was deep in the test phase with three prototypes built, and eyeing certification, when the downturn forced Diamond in Canada to lay off workers and slow

investigation is finished. “Martin was an extremely competent collaborator and most of all a very dear friend with a passion for flying was a constant inspiration to all. He is a great loss.”

development to a halt. In total $90m was needed to push it through to finalisation and production, but the firm has sourced the final $35m tranche from an unknown source – though many think the Dries family which own Diamond in Austria have come up with the cash personally. The firm said: “This investment will enable Diamond to recall furloughed engineering

and technical staff, resume flight test operations and proceed towards building the next test aircraft, subject to finalisation of closing arrangements. “Having recently completed several necessary piston development programs, Diamond’s Austrian operations will now also provide engineering and technical resources to support the completion of the D-JET programme.”

countdown to easa papers DO YOU have one of the older pre-JAR CAA pilot’s licences? Then you will have to apply for an EASA licence very soon. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has started contacting all UK pilots with details of the EU legislation that will usher in a new Europe-wide Flight Crew Licensing regime from April of next year. The move will see the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) become responsible for standardising pilot licensing across the EU. National authorities, such as the CAA, will still issue licences to pilots but in accordance with the new European rules. Most pilots, private and commercial, will be affected by the switchover and will have to obtain new EASA licences in order to enable them to continue to fly aircraft that have EASA airworthiness certificates. However, some pilots, such as those flying microlights, ex-military and kit built aircraft, will be able to continue to use

their existing licences. This is because EASA does not regulate these categories of aircraft. JAR licences automatically become EASA licences on April 8, 2012, but pilots will not receive a new physical licence until they submit their JAR licence for renewal. Holders of non-JAR national licences will have to apply for EASA licences within specified transitional periods – by 8th April 2014 for any flight for commercial purposes. The new EASA licences will be valid for the owner’s lifetime. Ray Elgy, Head of the CAA’s Licensing and Training Standards Department, said: “This will be the biggest licensing change in European aviation for over a decade. We are in the process of writing to all 55,000 licence holders in the UK to notify them that these changes are going to take place and where to find further information. “We urge all pilots to regularly look at the detailed information on our website.”

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 07

FRONTEND

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO... www.loop.aero

TRAGEDY

GOODYEAR CRASH GOODYEAR has grounded its sole remaining Europeanbased ‘blimp’ after a fatal crash involving its sister craft last month. The airship, the Spirit of Safety, is said to have missed its landing at Reichelsheim airfield in Germany, bouncing past its designated spot and crushing the engines, one of which caught fire. Pilot Michael Nerandzic, killed in the accident, has been hailed a hero after ordering three passengers onboard to jump out while still possible, which had the effect of drastically dropping the airship’s all-up weight and causing to it rapidly ascend as fire spread quickly.

Airships are ballasted neutral to their occupancy, and have to be steeply aimed downwards for landing as they don’t naturally want to descend. At their designated landing area, they are quickly tethered and weighted. An investigation is ongoing into the causes. The blimp was operated by UK firm Lightship Europe, and contracted to Goodyear.

Airship crashed after fire

RU NAWAY B OY

BAREFOOT CHEEK COLTON HARRIS-MOORE, the US teen who earned fame/infamy as the ‘Barefoot Bandit’ and is suspected of stealing several aircraft despite never having a lesson, is in court. And, unsurprisingly, it quickly became a circus. Harris-Moore, now 20, earned a huge online following for his exploits in evading the authorities

across the US and the Caribbean, and the court case in Seattle hit an early delay as the media rights to the story were being brokered, delaying pleas. Harris-Moore says he wants any money raised to go towards repaying victims. He is alleged to have taken a Cessna Corvalis and a Cirrus SR22, amongst other aircraft.

Leading authorities on a merry chase could be film gold SPIELBERG NEEDED

VIDEO STAR WANTED FOR LOOPTV CAN you produce great mini movies? Are you creative, confident, and with proven skills in Final Cut Pro (or similar editing software) and Adobe Photoshop? Can you handle a video camera, find your way around the Content Management System of a big website and troubleshoot problems? Do you like the idea of air-to-air filming?

We have a vacancy for a new media and video producer to join our team, primarily for our LOOPTV and also to hep work on our burgeoning iPad titles. There is a full job description on the LOOP website, but if you want a flavour of the work check out LOOPTV.aero, www.loop. aero, or email sam@loop. aero for more details.

BOB

Davy

LO O P ' s m a n w i t h a tt i tu d e a s w e l l a s a l t i t u d e I’VE been flying Shed on the west over some of the end is even better; best unspoilt stay over the road at countryside in the the Anchor Hotel. It got me UK, swathes of Fixed-wing pilots thinking about can land at Clacton, feudal farmland intertwined with a new book, of cab it to Point Clear single track lanes great places Bay, cross the bay in a couple of miles little ferry (a rib) to fly to and the inland of north and walk across the land, with nice island. It’ll take you Norfolk’s coast. I’ve overflown it places to see/ about three hours for years, and into but it’s worth it. stay/eat Langham (home Mersea (mainland of brilliantly eccentric de link a causeway which floods Havilland restorer Henry during spring tides) was Labouchere who flies and founded by Romans as a lands – with dog – for walks retirement spot for soldiers on the beach) with my son, garrisoned in Colchester, yet didn’t fully appreciate and has the world’s oldest how pretty and unspoilt it is. recorded ghost, a centurion I finally discovered it walking the high street. Set after a recent booking for your watch back 40 years… the Chang Gang, using 3: Fly to Branscombe in Northrepps international Devon, walk to the beach (yes, that is a joke) near heading south east then Cromer. The venue was a track east along the footpath. farm given by Chaucer to his We made it all the way to son in the 14th century and the Barrel o’ Beer pub in it looks mostly unchanged town, two hours-ish walk since – the odd telegraph depending whether you stay pole and Tarmac roads but on the beach or go up and that’s about it. Fantastic. down the cliffs on paths. It got me thinking about Some trips were a new book, working title recommends by other pilots, ‘Pilot’s P*ss Ups’ (maybe you but often it’s by accident, can think of better), of great e.g. diverting for weather, places to fly to and land, with such as into Sleap en route nice places to see/stay/eat. to Colonsay in the Western Examples? At Great Isles, where at the strip we Massingham near Cromer were treated to a private you’re at a WWII bomber Yak-11 airshow (what a base, walking the very friendly bunch!) and stayed footpaths crews would at a top local hotel on their have used, and able to drink recommendation (just at the The Dabbling Duck re-opened, with a legendary (formerly Rose & Crown) launch party). where they used to drink. Next day we flew to You can stay, and eat. It’s Colonsay then Mull, the fab and very atmospheric: jewel in the crown. The walk walking the path at dawn from aircraft to hotel will made the hair on the back of be the shortest in my book, my neck stand. 30s, but it’s by far the best Others? 1: Fly into destination. Everything Sandown, IoW, and walk there is just perfect except two miles to the Crab and the weather and, as Billy Lobster Hotel on the cliffs. Conolly said, there’s no such Unsurprisingly, the seafood thing as bad weather, just is absolutely brilliant. bad clothing. 2: Sadly, Mersea Island (If you can think of a good has no airstrip (it’s OK for title I’d appreciate an email choppers), as the Company and will pay a commission!)

elsewhere...

I’VE just bought my first new computer... I know, cobbler’s children run barefoot and all that, but when it comes to computers I’ve always got by with hand-medowns from friends and relatives, concerned at seeing the computing museum pieces I’ve used to write with. Until now that is. I’ve recently got myself an iPad 2, and I’m sure you know how brilliant they are. And here’s a top tip if you’re thinking of buying one of them: if you’re planning to use it to navigate with at all buy the 3G model as it’s got a standalone GPS – unlike the slightly cheaper ‘wi-fi only’ model. Assisted GPS doesn’t work in the air when the telephone signals from more than one mast seemingly confuse the system. Anwyay, I promise I won’t become an ‘App Bore’ but it is all rather compelling isn’t it. I can’t wait for the inevitability that you’ll have all the flight instruments of your aircraft on an iPad which you can just hang on the blank instrument panel with just a few strips of velcro. And redundancy? That’s easy. Get another iPad.

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 09

( 0131 447 7777 WWW.GPS.CO.UK • FAX: 0131 452 9004 49-51 COLINTON ROAD • EDINBURGH EH10 5DH

AIRBOX

GARMIN

DYNON AVIONICS

NEW from Garmin for 2011 GTN 650 GPS/Com/Nav ... £6995 GTN 750 GPS/Com/Nav ... £9995 GNS 430W GPS/Com/Nav £5395 GNS 530W GPS/Com/Nav £7395

EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR DYNON AVIONICS

Supplied with harness for LAA aircraft

ÆRA Series Touch Screen GPS

ÆRA 500 .............. £499 ÆRA 550 .............. £699 GPSMAP 695 ... £1499 (7”screen with HSI and terrain)

GPSMAP 96 ...... £240 GPSMAP 96C ... £295 GPSMAP 196 .... £345 Air Gizmo from ...... £75

IC-A24E

TRANSCEIVERS Icom

IC-A6E* Sports pack ..... £208 IC-A6E* Pro pack .......... £308 IC-A24E* Sports pack ..... £275 IC-A24E* Pro pack .......... £375 IC-A210 ............ £750 IC-A110 ............ £625

GTX 328 Mode S transponder £1640 GTX 330 transponder .... Call SL 40 Comm ................. £1145 SL 30 Nav/Comm ........ £2475 GMA 340 Audio panel .. £875 GMA 240 Audio panel .. £599 GI106A CDI ................... £1395 G3X EFIS/EMS SYSTEM

SPECIAL SYSTEM PRICE 1 display .. POA SPECIAL SYSTEM PRICE 2 displays .. POA

NFLIGHT CAMERAS HD COCKPIT VIDEO CAMERA SYSTEM

Portable Traffic Alert System Zaon MRX £275

LIGHTSPEED

NEW ZULU ANR GA version .. £599 NEW ZULU ANR Helicopter ... £599 Zulu ANR GA coil cord ............ £499 Zulu ANR Lemo panel version £499 Sierra ANR GA version ........... £399 with blue tooth and music input

TRAFFIC ALERT

Nflightcam

Uniden UBC30XLT ............... £ 58 Icom IC-R6 .......................... £150 Icom IC-RX7 ....................... £169 Icom IC-RX20 ..................... £339

The revolution continues with NEW ZULU Improved comfort and noise attenuation blue tooth connectivity and aux music imput

Zaon XRX £799

BENDIX/KING

RCA22-7 vacuum horizon ....... £575 RCA22-11 vacuum horizon lit .. £658 RCA26EK electric horizon .... from £1585 RCA2600 digital electric horizon £1815 RCA11A-8 vacuum D.G. ........... £575 RCA11A-16 vacuum D.G. lit ..... £658 RCA15AK/BK electric D.G from £1585 RCA82A turn coordinator .......... £615 JP INSTRUMENTS (TSO approved) FS450 fuel flow ...................................... £449 EDM700-4C engine management ... £960 EDM700-4C with fuel flow ............... £1350 EDM700-6C engine management ... £1295 EDM700-6C with fuel flow ............... £1690 WINTER EASA approved ASI ............ £245 WINTER EASA approved ALT ........... £225

BECKER

AR4201 VHF Com .......... £950 NEWAR6201VHF Com 8.33 £1195 BXP6401 transponder £1495

EFIS-D6 ............... £1000 EFIS-D10A ........... £1375 EFIS-D100 ........... £1235 EMS-D120 ........... £1400 FlightDEK-D180 .. £1895 HS34 HSI module ... £410 SV-32 Auto Pilot servo £475

CUSTOM PANELS

TRIG TT21 Class 2 Mode S £1290 TRIG TT22 Class 1 Mode S £1595 TRIG TT31 Class 1 Mode S £1575

FUNKWERK

ATR500 transceiver ......... £807 ATR833 transceiver ....... £1070

MICHEL / TKM

MX11 replacement Com £695 MX170C Nav/Com ....... £1195 MX300 Nav/Com .......... £1295

MFI GPS-Bluetooth receiver GNS 5870 .......................... £ 65

AV80R ACE GPS 7”display .. £1195 SKYMAP III C European version £999 KMD 150 panel mount GPS £1895 Full range of NEW and OHC BK avionics available ... PLEASE CALL

HEADSETS

BOSE

ELT’s

BLUETOOTH GPS

Harry’s HM40 ................... £ 89 HM51child headset ........... £ 79 Peltor 8006 GA headset £150 Peltor Helicopter headset .. £175 David Clark H10-30 ......... £189 David Clark H10-13.4 ...... £215 David Clark H10-13H ....... £229 David Clark H10-60 ......... £249 Sennheiser HME95 ........... £135 Sennheiser HME100 ......... £169 Sennheiser HME110 ......... £199 Sennheiser HMEC250 ....... £325 Sennheiser HMEC26BK ..... £499 Sennheiser HMEC46BK ..... £425

MID-CONTINENT (TSO approved)

4300 Electric Horizon ................... £1995 LIFESAVER Electric Horizon with emergency battery backup .......... £2495 3300-10 Directional Gyro ......... £1995 MD200-306 3” Course Dev. Ind. £1195 MD222-406 2” Course Dev. Ind. £1295 1394T100-7Z Turn Coordinator £ 540 1234T100-7ATZ Turn and Slip ... £ 695 5934PM-3 Altimeter 20k Milibar £ 695 7000C.31 Vertical Speed Ind. ..... £ 395 MD25 Air Speed Ind. 2” .............. £ 850 MD90 Quartz Clock ..................... £ 165 MD90 Quartz Clock Lighted ........ £ 195 MD420 Battery Backup System £1295 MD835-1 True Blue power supply £2195 Cockpit Self-test Switch for MD835 £ 420

MICROAIR

M760 transceiver ............. £599

Home/Kit Builders

We can supply an avionics package to meet your specific requirements ready for immediate installation. All looms are custom made by our engineers. If required, the avionics can be built into our new radio rack mounting system. Please call for pricing and more information.

MICRO AVIONICS MM001B Helmet with VOX £345 MM001C Helmet w/VOX and ANR £406 MM001 Headset ............... £181 MM001A ANR Headset .... £242 MM006 Bluetooth phone adaptor £140 MM005 Radio Interface ...... £186

NEW Bose A20 Headset

AMERI-KING AK-451 ELT JTSO approved 406 MHz ELT ......... £599

A20 GA twin plug .............. £712 A20 GA twin plug w/bluetooth £787 A20 Helicopter w/bluetooth .. £787 A20 Lemo installed version ... £712 A20 Lemo w/bluetooth ......... £787 Installed wiring harness .... £ 37

KANNAD Integra AF ............ £499 Integra AF pack £582 Compact AF ......... £415 Compact AF pack £520

INTERCOMS HM2 place portable ............ £79 HM2 place for Icom w/PTT £99 HM4 place portable ............ £99 Sigtronics SPA400 ............. £169

PS Engineering

PM 501 panel mount 4 place £185 PM 1000 4 place prices from £225 PM 3000 stereo 4 place ......... £295 PMA 4000 Audio Panel ......... £525

SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT

INSTRUMENTS RC ALLEN (TSO approved)

SV-D700 7”display ........ £1635 SV-D1000 10”display ..... £2195 SV-ADAHRS-200 .......... £750 SV-EMS-220/A ............. £375 SV-XNPDR-262 Mode S £1125 SV-GPS-250 GPS receiver £125 All other Skyview parts in stock

TRIG

We stock a full range of Icom Accessories

Receivers

CLARITY

AWARE 5 Airspace Warning Device ............ £191 AWARE 5+ Airspace Warning Device ........... £274 CLARITY GPS with full search facility ............ £499 FORESIGHT 7” screen moving map GPS ....... £832

NFLIGHTCAM HD Camera ...... £235 NFLIGHTCAM HD GPS Camera £285 NFLIGHTCAM HD Helicopter ... £285 NFLIGHTCAM HD GPS Helicopter £335

* approved for ground use only.

AWARE 5

• CAA digital charts as standard • Moving Map GPS • Unique airspace alerting system • Ready to use straight from the box • Free airspace updates for life

Non TSO instruments for LSA Homebuilt or Experimental Aircraft GH030 vacuum horizon .............. £290 GH025 electric horizon 14volt ... £799 GD031 vacuum D.G. .................... £290 GD023 electric D.G. 14volt ........ £799 BZW-4B turn coordinator .......... £275 BC-3E altimeter ........................... £180 BC-2A vertical speed ind. ............ £99 VSI2FM-3 vertical speed ind. ..... £99 VSI2FM-2 vertical speed ind. .... £149 Magnetic Compass ......................... £85 Air Speed Indicators from .......... £85 MC022 vertical card compass .. £130 MCVC-2L-AM vertical card compass £140 PRECISION TSO vertical card compass £249

Survival Products 4-6 Person Rafts

406MHz Personal Locator Beacons

Weighs only

5.5

Kilos

The Lightest most compact raft in the World

Raft with canopy .......... £999 Raft with equipment ... £1150 HM Survivor Slim line lifejacket with whistle and light ....... £65 Survival Products FV-35F TSO approved life jacket ........ £49

FAMILY RUN ADD 20% VAT - UK & EU ONLY BUSINESS FOR OPEN MON-FRI 9am-5.30pm–BULK ORDERS AND TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, please return the goods in original condition within All prices subject to change. OVER 20 YEARS 28 days for replacement, exchange or a full no quibble refund.

Kannad XS-4

Kannad XS-ER

GME MT410G

Kannad XS-4 GPS PLB ......... £188 McMurdo FastFind Max-G PLB £269 Kannad XS-ER GPS PLB ......... £279 GME MT410G with GPS ......... £285

CAA/EASA APPROVED

RUN BY PILOTS FOR PILOTS

FRONTEND DENNIS

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO... www.loop.aero

Kenyon

For mer world he licopte r ch am pion a nd inst ru ctor READERS may well be battered against the hull surprised when I tell in 250kt airflow. them how much I look The Captain realised forward each month, even this and, while flying oneOne magical as a contributor, to the handed in a steep turn, morning when my village name is he somehow managed postman brings the latest missing... to pull Bates back into copy of LOOP. the cockpit, release the Living in a village of just please will lanyard, and order him someone let 329 he knows most of to leave a second time. us and recently, handing Once again you’ll need me fly their me LOOP’s sister title copy if you want classic Huey? atheback BLADES, he remarked: ending. The episode “I see you’ve made the became known as ‘The front again Dennis!” Apparently Bates Ejection’, ironic because he he visits all the local air shows and never actually ejected! enjoys my aviation stories. Last month, I spent a sad day on Making the cover is just one the decommissioned Ark Royal nicety of being a contributor. I which the MoD has for sale as I went through some of my more write. Wrapped in the thoughts of intriguing articles since the what might have been had I been inaugural LOOP in October 2005. a ‘Senior Service’ man, I stood on In June 2008 I wrote of the night the edge of the innovative ski ramp I found myself in a Mk7 Gloster Bill Bedford dreamed up in 1976 to Meteor holding at 20,000ft while give some initial oomph to Harrier ground crews desperately tried to take-offs. clear the runway. Yes, I’ve enjoyed and loved the A fellow pilot had forgotten to commissions. My weekend with lower his gear, and three of us Glenn Stracey and the Search & were at altitude – two Mk4s and Rescue guys flying a Sikorsky 61N my Mk7 – and since the Meteor down at Portland. Next, wonderful had a maximum endurance of insight into how the Air Support under an hour, we were all running Unit at Boreham supports the short of fuel. The problem became ground-based Police Units using critical as the cooling Katabatic Air Photography, Infra Red, air slipped down the adjacent and Number Plate Recognition Polden and Quantock hills into equipment for which I thank the Sedgemoor basin, producing Essex ASU’s Chief pilot, Captain a 500ft layer of fog that ‘socked in’ Rob Mitchell. And just in case you Weston Zoyland airfield. think being an aviation writer is all The Mk4s went to nearby ‘Utility Ops’ reporting and playing Merryfield but I didn’t have cops and robbers, how about flying sufficient fuel to divert, and as I set the luxurious Hermes Eurocopter up the RAF’s standard QGH max 135: custom design, smoked glass rate let-down and commenced partitions, cocktail cabinets, and the inbound turn at 12,000ft, both enough sound-proofing to make Derwent engines flamed out; I had you think you’ve gone deaf! run out of fuel. A dear colleague also offered I’m still here to write about it, so me a day with the East Anglia Air you need a back copy of LOOP if Ambulance at Norwich. Captain you want the full story! Gerry Hermer formed his Sterling In a later edition, I told the story Helicopters business in the 1980s of colleague Eric Bates who, as and the Air Ambulance division pilot under instruction, needed to uses the Bolkow 117C-1. On the manually bale out of a Canberra day, I flew with Sterling’s Chief B2 when the stabilator ‘ran away’ Pilot, Captain Luke Morgan, a in nose-up position. The Captain day of highs and lows where an managed to hold it in some sort of elderly gentleman who’d fallen control by lowering flaps, dropping through the roof of his greenhouse wheels and opening the ‘finger’ was losing blood from a severed air brakes and bomb doors. As artery, but was surely saved by the trainee exited via the hatch the ‘Golden Hour’ time factor his parachute lanyard snagged, of Sterling’s airlift to Norwich and – still attached to the aircraft hospital. Sadly an RTA ended – he found himself dangling and fatally when the helicopter’s time

factor wasn’t able to help until the Fire Brigade released the trapped driver from the wreck. What else? Just too many experiences to list here, but I have to mention the excitement of flying a new helicopter type. The advanced new design of Bruno Guimbal’s G2 training helicopter at Aix-en-Provence, flying over the mountain immortalised in paint by Cezanne. The pretty G2 design has ‘Plasma’ ignition, five-hour endurance, glass cockpit, composite construction with a fenestron Tail Rotor system and ‘no finite life’ Guimbal components. Then there was the unforgettable day with Jeremy Taylor where he allowed me almost continuous P1 handling of his beautiful civil Gazelle. As I said in my article, for an hour or so, I’d become a Royal Navy Shark display pilot. Other helicopters I enjoyed: the enigmatic Westland Wasp (she of the wobbly wheels fame), Eurocopter’s huge single-engine but seven-seat EC 130, and I mustn’t forget that other single I flew just last month, Agusta’s mighty ‘Koala.’ But one magical name is missing from the list. Please will someone let me fly their classic Bell Huey?! But what about the personalities of our business? How I enjoyed spending a day with a true icon of aviation. Wing Commander Ken Wallis is a more-than-sprightly 90-plus year old. He was a WW2 Wellington Bomber man and after the war, he designed and built a series of record-breaking gyroplanes. Ken still flies from his Norfolk home most days. In the ‘star’ department, I wrote about my meeting with the great Frank Sinatra, and I’ve lost count of the sportsmen and showbiz celebrities the Air Taxi pilot meets. The wonderful Barry Sheene, the rotary flyer Noel

Edmonds… the names go on. Mark Thatcher, a few of the Royals, the film star Richard Todd who I flew to Derwent Water to commemorate the Dambuster Raid, plus more than a few other stars of the film world. I shouldn’t say it, but best perhaps was the intriguing pair of Katie Price and her then-husband Peter Andre. The infamous Katie was a character alright and certainly had the handling ability to make a good pilot. Yes, the stories abound and in a forthcoming edition, I’ll be writing about a wonderful day earlier this month when the CO of IX Squadron at Royal Air Force Marham, invited me to spend the day with the Squadron pilots as they prepared for a combat tour in Afghanistan. Laser bomb sighting, Sidewinder missiles, Nuclear Bomb-proofed Flight Planning rooms, and a super collection of highly dedicated and immensely proud, hugely competent team of GR4 pilots. Squadron Leader James Wooton gave me an amazing 90 minutes in the GR4 Thales Simulator and with the Welsh Valleys rushing past me at 400kt just 100ft below, the high speed flight left my head spinning. It was still spinning as I drove home a few hours later. In the Squadron crew room I smiled wryly as we chatted and swapped aviation happenings with the young pilots. I was flying the Meteor Jet fighter before even their fathers were born. Now there’s a line if ever there was one!

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 11

INCOMING

LOOP’S VIRTUAL, CLUBHOUSE, FOR YO U R O P I N I O N, PICTURES, AND BRAINTEASERS

STAR LETTER

Don’t knock it ANTHONY FOSTER arguably makes a fair point saying there is no real showcase for new GA aircraft in the UK (LOOP, June), but that’s hardly a surprise given we have so little in the way of a manufacturing base in the UK. I actually would be quite surprised if we could get dozens, if not hundreds, of European manufacturers to come to a show in the UK when they have the big German AERO show in Friedrichshafen, more or less on their doorstep. What we do have, and do better than anyone in Europe I believe, is a huge choice of wildly different and varied events

you can actually fly-in to – the grassroots shows and events that make being a pilot in the UK such fun. I have been fortunate enough to live on the Continent for a number of years, and as good as the biggest fly-ins there are I think us Brits do it best of all. In recent weeks we have had things as varied as the Spamfield microlight event on the Isle of Wight, the Cotswold Airshow, and Duxford’s celebration of lady flyers through history. Manufacturing may be thin on the ground here, but the choice of things to see and do is rich! Luc Schaeffer UK pilots are spoilt for choice when it comes to cool events, like the Cotswold Airshow

SPOT THE PLANE 1 This firm’s planes always try to give you that little bit more... more than 199, in this case.

2 A modern great from one of GA’s giants which recently brought a classic name from air and road back to life.

3 If you feel the need for speed, this one sounds clearly fragile but goes like the clappers.

think you’ve got AN EAGLE EYE? Know your Van’s from your RANS? Get your magnifying glass out and your bobble hat on, and see if you can work out these obscurities. First correct entry from the hat wins a prize! Email ‘Spot the Plane’ to incoming@loop.aero last month’s MYSTERY AIRCRAFT 1 Piper Super Cub 2 MD500 helicopter 3 Britten-Norman Islander 12 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

I’m with Jim Going the full circle on this MR CRIPPS’ observations (previous ‘Incoming’) seem correct; it appears to me that the DA-42 was probably designed with state of the art aerodynamics but unfortunately it must have turned out to be a bit of a dog [to fly]. Each of the handling flaws needed to be fixed, ending up with all the add ons we see today, not a pretty aeroplane. It’s maybe on par visually with something like a “Fairy Barracuda”. But never mind... it’s efficient and works well enough. Jeff Cross

JAMES DAVIES expressed a fairly typical reaction to the picture of the unusual aircraft he sent in last month. I believe the particular aircraft is a Belarusian homemade experiment, but the concept of a ring (or ‘closed’) wing has been around since the first days of flying. The design is claimed by proponents to significantly

‘Ring wing’ gathers interest!

cut induced drag by dint of not having any wingtips. Aside from those benefits – which not everyone agrees exist – the shape allows a given length of wing to be lighter than a cantilever flat wing of equal length. Lockheed even looked at the possibility of a rather unusual airliner that looked more like a flying doughnut with a spike through the hole, it’s potential no doubt undermined by it being dubbed the ‘flying toilet seat’ in short order. Theory is one thing, but heaven only knows what they would feel like to fly, and what their flight and handling properties would be. Unorthodox would be my bet. Alan Graham

YOUR PICTURES

You’re looking the wrong way luv! GG

When tundra tyres Erm... a boat, or a plane, or a boat that used to be a plane? K Dawson aren’t enough... DF

SPEAK OUT! BE HEARD! MAKE A POINT! EMAIL YOUR WORDS TO LOOP. DON'T BE MUTE. incoming@loop.aero

Remember your roots!

I WAS most interested to see from your report of Piper’s good start to the year (LOOP, June) that its increased sales revenues are coming from its most expensive plane, the Meridian turboprop. It seems pretty clear to me that the company is betting its immediate growth and long-term future on its high-end offerings like the Meridian, and the even more expensive PiperJet being worked on now and due next year. I do wish Piper well in this, and hope they get the numbers they need to grow and thrive. But, I hope Piper doesn’t forget that its place in the pantheon of great manufacturers came largely because of its cheap and affordable aircraft that the average pilot could afford. It was a real shame that the PiperSport tie-up came to a halt, as jets and turboprops are no use to me, and a small, light and cheap-to-run machine is what the majority of us need and would love to see coming from Piper. Tony Brett

Piper fans want success SOAPBOX

I take it the Isle of Wight police have never been to Spamﬁeld... ? Which begs the further question, why complain in any case? Rodger Casey

CONTACT LOOP

SMALL WINGS

LOOK HERE

I’M really interested to see that the great George Lucas is making a film about the ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ AfricanAmerican squadron of the Second World War. I had the great fortune to meet two of their diminishing number at Oshkosh a few years ago, and felt humbled by the dual challenge they faced in achieving their goal of being pilots in ‘less enlightened’ times, and then of staying alive and doing their job just like any other fighter pilot. I hope the film lives up to the story! trev Lynott

Round of applause to Rob Davies, not just for guarding history, but his superb flying at shows too – I’ve seen and appreciated him often! Lewis Spinks

Some things make me slap my head and ask why I didn’t think to do it: Anthony Biddulph’s IMC/tour is one. Carl grayson

IT LIVES! LOOP'S BEAUTIFUL FLIGHTTEST APP FOR THE IPAD + D-JET Back on track + TIMELY TALE The Bremont story + COVER UP Fabric gurus talk + JULY 2011 ISSUE 69 £3.40

F R E S H A I R FO R F LY I N G + THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE +

WINGTIP TO WINGTIP AT 400MPH Getting stick time with the world's best civilian jet display team

GREAT OAKLEY 'UNLICENSED' DIVIDEND AEROS ISSUES WILL EASA MAKE YOU PAY TO KEEP DOING AEROBATICS? CHASING £1M: THE NEXT GENERATION OF 'AVGAS KILLERS'

+ ELECTRIC New designs + HYBRID Fuel+Electric=Greener + BIOFUEL Grow your own +

ISSUE 69 ISSN 1749-7337

LOOP Digital Media Ltd 9-11 The Mill Courtyard Copley Hill Business Park Cambridge CB22 3GN T: 01223 497060 F: 01223 830880 E: incoming@loop.aero W: www.loop.aero

LOOP is published by LOOP Digital Media Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written prior permission of the publisher.

EDITORIAL Editor Richard Fairbairn E: richard@loop.aero Staﬀ Reporter Dave Rawlings E: dave.rawlings@loop.aero New Media Editor Helen Rowlands-Beers E: helen@loop.aero Creative Director Bill Spurdens E: bill@loop.aero Art Director Dan Payne E: dan@loop.aero Production manager Kevin Hilton E: kevin@loop.aero Chief Photographer David Spurdens E: david@ extremesportsphoto.com ADVERTISING Sales Manager Dave Impey T: 01223 497067 E: daveimpey@loop.aero Sales Executive Chris Wilson T: 01223 497060 E: chrisw@loop.aero PUBLISHING Editorial Director Dave Calderwood E: dc@loop.aero Director Sam Spurdens E: sam@loop.aero Director Dave Foster E: dave@loop.aero CONTRIBUTORS Alan Cassidy, Bob Davy, Dennis Kenyon, Nick Heard, Stan Hodgkins, Phil O'Donoghue, Paul Bonhomme, Dorothy Pooley www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 13

FLIGHTGEAR TIME TO FLY

THE HOME OF AVIATION PRODUCTS NEW KIT, DEALS AND REVIEWS...

I N

G E A R

AIRBOX DEFIES THE SUN Page 16

+WATCHES WRIST MANAGEMENT

Bremont’s short but illustrious history as master watchmakers is inextricably linked with flying and aircraft. Dave Rawlings talks to co-founder Giles English, and looks at its latest work of art – a P51-based limited edition

MAIN: Bremont’s new P-51 watch uses metals from a very famous Mustang INSET: Back face presents a hypnotic view of the movement 14 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

REMONT Watches founders Nick and Giles English started the company less than a decade ago, but have quickly seen their classic and innovative designs earn serious cred in the rarefied circles of serious timepiece connoisseurs. But, they still put aircraft, flying, and honouring great pilots at the centre of their business – because it is in their blood. Their father was a former RAF and display pilot, and a talented aeronautical engineer, and Giles told LOOP: “Nick and myself grew up in dad’s workshop building things. We loved anything mechanical and would work on anything including watches and clocks, but our big love was aircraft. My father also enjoyed working on watches, but restored old aircraft and he passed on our passion.” Bremont started in 2002, in many ways borne out of a tragic accident. In 1995 Nick and father Euan were flying a Harvard T-6 which crashed, killing Euan and leaving Nick with 25 broken bones and his life in the balance. Giles explained: “That transformed our lives. After Nick recovered from his injures we both decided that we should start doing something we loved.” Years later. the pair were flying in France when they had to make a forced landing in a field owned by Monsieur Bremont, a former wartime pilot who shared their love of clocks and watches. This was the turning point. “Because we’ve always loved watches, and I studied as an engineer, we decided that’s what we should do. Building

and fixing watches was something we had done with our father, so we had experience and we had a lot of contacts in Switzerland.” Bremont’s newest watch is the limited-edition Mustang P-51. It’s a very similar to the company’s EP120 watch, which incorporated parts of a Spitfire. The gentleman that owned the EP120 Spitfire, also owned a Mustang, but he sold it. The new owner restored the aircraft and after the restoration had a spare part of the original tailplane. “He phoned us up and said that he loved what we did with the EP120 Watch and wondered if we’d love to do the same with the P-51,” said Giles. “We thought it would be great as the Mustang (Serial no. 44-12016) had served in the Pacific during the Second World War and had kills to its name, and the part he was offering us was original, so there was so much history to it.” The particular Mustang is known as ‘Fragile but Agile’, and original aluminium from the aircraft is integrated into both the dial and the movement of the timepiece. The watch face dial is inspired by the clocks found in the P-51. As with many of Bremont’s latest designs, the P-51 is assembled the company’s ‘atelier’ workshop in England rather than their workshop in Biel-Bienne in Switzerland, and houses a modified Swiss BE-54A automatic chronometer movement that also shows UTC time. The Mustang P-51 will be limited to only 251 pieces and retail at £7450, so don’t expect to see them on the wrist of every Tom and Dick. “We never want to

CHOCKS TO STOP YOUR BABY ROLLING Page 16

VINTAGE FABRICS HAVE IT COVERED Page 18

FOR THE BEST GEAR GO TO... www.loop.aero

FORTIS B-42 BIG DATE

produce too many watches of one style,” said Giles. “But in the case of this one we are limited to the amount of metal we have to play with. Incorporating original metal into a new watch is a complicated process. We’re not melting down the original parts, we’re cutting it out and getting it into shape, a long process but the end result is a fantastic watch, which we’re really proud of.” A HOMAGE TO PILOTS Bremont don’t just produce watches made from parts of aircraft, other aviation companies have asked them to produce watches that incorporate what they stand for. Giles told us: “We worked with Martin-Baker, the ejection seat builder, for a number of years. They wanted an aviation watch but weren’t interested in just sticking their logo on an existing watch. “They asked us to create a watch that would go through the same testing their ejection seats have to go through. So we sat down with them and worked out a vibration mechanism on the watch. It also has a full Faraday cage to protect it against magnetic forces in the cockpit.

“It was a brilliant project. The watch had to go through climatic vibration testing. Martin-Baker test their seats to make sure than can operate from -70˚ to +100˚. They test these temperatures whilst vibrating the chair. They also throw ‘salt fog’ at it to replicate the effect of being on an aircraft carrier. We also strapped watches to the wrists of the crash test dummies before they went on a live test.” Two versions were created: the MBII for general sale, and the rare MBI which is only available to pilots that have actually ejected from an aircraft in a Martin-Baker seat. “After the Martin-Baker watch a U2 spyplane squadron got in touch and said if we could get a watch certified to 100,000ft at -40˚ they would take it on as their squadron watch. We did, and the 9th Reconnaissance Wing in northern California have a Bremont as their watch. “After that quite a few squadrons from around the world have asked us to design watches – they want a bit of exclusivity, and want a mechanical watch not a quartz watch – exactly what we offer. www.bremont.com

Don’t worry...despite this they still won’t be late for drinks

FORTIS kit has quite literally been where no man has gone before, as the official watch supplier to the Russian space programme for over 15 years, given the nod after a two year test process. It’s also the supplier of numerous professional squadrons. The newest Fortis, the B-42 Big Date, is

available with either black-coated or brushed steel case fronted by a double coated sapphire crystal face. ‘42’ is the 42mm diameter. The rear face is also clear, so you can watch each tick, while the whole thing is waterproof to 200m/20 bar. It is limited to 500 pieces, each at £1455. www.fortis-watches.com

HAMILTON KHAKI UTC HAMILTON’S hits its 120th anniversary next year – they became known as the watches that timed the US railroads – and it first got involved with aviation in 1919. The Khaki UTC acknowledges its own history in being styled on its 1940s US Navy watches. The watch has a 42 mm stainless steel case, an anti-magnetic Swiss GMT movement and is water resistant to a pressure of up to 30 bar (300 m).

The UTC seems a perfect fit for airline crews with its 24 different time zones, set manually via a pusher at 2 o’clock, that use the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 3-letter airport codes as reference points. (We can’t say that we use Sydney that often!) Comes with a black face/black leather strap, or an elegant cream white/brown strap alternative, both at £925. www.hamiltonwatch.com

ORIS SWISS HUNTER TEAM PS IN 1994, Switzerland’s iconic Patrouille Suisse jet display team Hawker Hunters were withdrawn from the Swiss Air Force, to the dismay of many who lionised the iconic Cold War jet. Some banded together to found the ‘Save the Patrouille Suisse Hunter’ campaign, and in support Oris developed three

Oris Swiss Hunter Team PS Edition watches, and will help support the independent Swiss Hunter Team maintaining five former Patrouille Suisse Hunters. Good work Oris! It’s an understated and elegant design; leather strap model is £1130, and a steel strap £1200. www.oris.ch

BREITLING CHRONOMAT GMT BREITLING is one of the firms you instantly think of when marrying the words ‘aviation’ and ‘watch’, with huge presence in flying worldwide – such as the Breitling Jet Team we flew with this month. Its latest work features a new internal movement – pretty groundshaking in watch circles – and is a

whopper: 47mm wide and properly weighty on your wrist – you won’t miss forgetting to put it on. Another airline pilot’s dream with quick adjustment of multiple time zones and retained memory of ‘home time’. Not cheap either: £7440 for metal strap, £6480 for leather strap www.breitling.com

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 15

FLIGHTGEAR GEAR

TO SEE MORE GEAR GO TO... www.loop.aero

WHAT A BRIGHT IDEA! + N E W AIRBOX SUPERBRIGHT

No need to use makeshift hoods or covers in sun

AIRBOX, the Britishbased hand-held GPS manufacturer, has launched an uprated version of its 7in Foresight, which aims to solve the problem faced by many pilots in summer of sunlight into the cockpit making some GPS screens pretty much unreadable. The company's newest unit, the Foresight SuperBright, will feature a fully 'sunlight readable' screen able to be clearly seen in even the strongest direct sun. It got a good workout at the recent Cannes AirShow, where

Airbox's Tom Hedges said it showed off its ability brilliantly in dazzling rays. The new unit is the same size as the original Foresight 2.0 but has a new screen developed by the firm, a 1000+ nit (nit is a unit of measured luminance) bonded touchscreen, more than enough to overpower the dulling effect of sun on the screen.

+NEW IPHONE APP

WEIGHTY MATTERS ON YOUR IPHONE IF YOU’RE lucky enough to own a Cirrus, then the updated Cirrus Perform app is a handy one to have on an iPhone. It's a neat Weight and Balance calculator for the SR20 and SR22, taking into account the varying specs of each aircraft and their load and luggage capacities etc. A trip planning page helps work out remaining fuel levels during a trip, and a calculator will produce takeoff and landing distances based on standard POH weights, and compare it airport data in some territories, in metric or imperial. Weight can be input for left and right tanks, pilot and PAX, luggage, initial fuel levels with burn rates accounted for before and after journeys. Information can be

entered automatically by METAR or by hand. If flying in the US runway length and optimum runway configuration based on prevailing headwind is available. It also allows for multiple aircraft to be entered. It’s free to download. Search the App Store for 'Cirrus Performance'. www.boburschel.com

Weightwatchers for SRs

16 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

A laptop computer screen has a luminance of 150-to250 nit, so you get an idea of how bright it is. All SuperBrights ship with the latest CAA 1:500,000 VFR charts for the UK and France as standard, and can have a choice of additional charting added at the click of a button,

including London heli routes, Ordnance Survey charts, 1:250,000 scale charts and numerous foreign charts. The SuperBright RRPs for £1599. If you own an original Foresight 2.0, existing units can be

+ N E W AIRSPACE APP

A GREAT VALUE WAY TO AVOID AIRSPACE BUSTS POCKET FMS has just launched a new app for the iPhone and iPad which will help you avoid airspace infringements. At only £9.49 it’s claimed to be the cheapest way of protecting your licence on the market. FMS say the app, called AirspaceAVOID, knows your position, altitude, speed and heading, and knows where all the controlled, prohibited and restricted airspace is located in your vicinity. If you get within two minutes flying time of a restricted zone it will alert you by sight and sound, giving you the warning and opportunity to change track to avoid it and save a ticking off – or worse – by the CAA. AirspaceAVOID airspace data is fully maintained by the PocketFMS, which cover the USA, Europe, Canada, Australia and

New Zealand and keep the zones complete and fully up to date, with periodic updates available for download, which coincide with the AIP airspace amendment cycle. The app can also display a GPS-style route dring a flight, to aid staying clear of restricted zones. Search the App Store for 'AirSpaceAVOID'.

Stay away from a rollocking

hardware overhauled with the new brighter screen for £699 (including VAT). New units come with free PC flightplanning software. www.airboxaero.com + N E W CHOCKS

STAY PUT SPORTY'S is making new 5.4in-wide cast aluminium chocks which will fit almost any airplane, including those with low profile wheel pants like Cirrus and Cessna Corvalis. Fabricated from aluminium/magnesium alloy, each $23.95 set has a 10-year corrosionresistance warranty, concave tyre surface and hollowed base, and are connected by a 21in nylon rope. You can add lettering or registration for around £5, and bright yellow protective coating for £6. www.sportys.com

That's one wheel sorted

One heart Three legends

NAV I T I M E R

C H R ONOMAT

TR ANSOC EAN

With its Manufacture Caliber 01, Breitling has created the most reliable, accurate and top-performance of all selfwinding chronograph movements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; entirely produced in its own workshops and chronometercertified by the COSC. A perfectly logical accomplishment for a brand that has established itself as the absolute benchmark in the field of mechanical chronographs.

For your nearest stockist in Great Britain and Ireland telephone 020 7637 5167

WWW.BREI T LI NG.COM

flightgear

RESTORATION MEN +restoration fabric covering

Restoration is a specialist skill some say is dying out. An even rarer skill is specialist fabric re-covering and repainting, something Vintage Fabrics is world famous for

HERE are several crafts in the world that – if you want done properly – require an expert. Roof thatchers, blacksmiths, chimney sweeps can all be included in that list, but there’s also a rare art in the world of aviation that could be added, that of the specialist fabric worker and aircraft painter. Clive Denney is one such professional. His company Vintage Fabrics Ltd has become known as the place to go if your aircraft needs re-covering and repainting to revive the exterior. Clive, with wife Linda, has been restoring for more than 30 years, and youngest son Andrew now works alongside them. They were originally based at Audley End in the early 80s, and after much moving about they are back at their home on the edge of Saffron Walden, Essex, back where it all started

along with Pete Wood, who runs the very friendly and welcoming airfield and maintenance and overhaul side of the company. Clive has worked on over 130 types, ranging from some as rare as a DH9 (it can be found in Duxford’s Airspace Museum), Hawker Fury, Hurricanes, Lancaster and Boeing Stearmans; if it’s got fabric covering, chances are Clive and his team have worked on it. Over the years they have also re-covered and painted Cubs, Jodels, Robins, Austers, Pitts, Tiger Moths and modern day sports aircraft. “We do a lot of full restoration, because nine times out of 10, when an aircraft needs re-covering it needs a damn site more than just fabric,” said Clive. “We fabric smaller items such as a rudder or flying controls that need re-covering. The problem is that although the fabric

may look fine until you take it off, but you have no idea what condition the structure is underneath. So we inspect the structure, see if there’s anything wrong – which there is bound to be, especially on wooden aeroplanes. But until we strip it down we have no idea what we’ll find – and there’s no way of telling until you’ve stripped it down. Then we have to tell the customer what needs doing – we don’t just do that over the phone, we give the customer the option to come in to see what we’re going to change.” Vintage Fabrics and other

Until we strip it down we have no ides what we’ll find – and there’s no way of telling until you have stripped it down

similar firms seem to be busy because what they do, they do really well. “It’s a trade nobody seems to specialise in anymore,” said Clive. There are five full-time members of staff, plus two part-timers and if Clive needs to he calls in a couple of contractors, but VF is keen to keep up the reputation it has so only works with people that they know and has worked with before. Currently in the workshop VF has three Chipmunks that he and his team are working on. Once he’s completed them Clive is hoping he will never need to work on them again. “A fabric re-cover will normally last about 15 years, but it depends how the aircraft is looked after. If it’s left outside it won’t last long at all. But if it’s kept in a hangar, looked after and kept clean it’ll last 30 years.” Recently the team took in a couple of aircraft that still had the original fabric

on and these were aircraft from 1952. “It’s a lot like a thatched cottage: if you keep the wire on it, the birds don’t get in and it’ll last 10 years longer. If you don’t keep it in a good condition it’ll last half the time. It’s the same with fabric,” Clive added. FABRICS When it comes to working on the aircraft there is only a limited number of fabrics Clive and his team can use. There are the natural fibres such as Irish linen and English cotton or the manmade fibres such as Ceconite – a polyester/cotton hybrid. “The customer will always ask what fabric we would recommend, and if it’s a vintage aircraft, I would always suggest that they go with the original fabric. The reason being that not only does it keep the restoration authentic, but if you start changing the fabrics, it’s a mod and you have to apply Clive Denney (left) and Pete Wood, two friendly faces that you’ll meet at Audley End

18 LOOP juLY 2011 www.loop.aero

Follow us on twitter GO TO... twitter.com/looptelevision to the CAA,” said Clive. Being a traditionalist VF prefer the classic materials. “Ceconite is an American polyester/cotton shrunk by heat as opposed to being shrunk with dope. It’s not as satisfying to work with, but it does the job and it lasts. “The best material was American Grade-A cotton but you can’t get that any more. It was a beautiful fabric – lovely to cut, didn’t fray and was a lovely cream colour. It covered every American aircraft for more than 50 years, and then all of a sudden it was unavailable,” said Clive. It seems that the natural fabrics will die out eventually because restorers are the only people using them. “Ceconite is perfect for the homebuilder in their garage. There used to be more materials available, such as Razorback, an extremely thick dope-impregnated fibreglass, but it’s impossible to get hold of now. French restorers use a superb linen but it’s really hard to get as well. We have English cotton, which is almost exactly the same as American cotton, just lighter. “We will eventually come to a point where only Ceconite is available.

Because Irish linen is a different technique, you’ve got to know how to use it, know how to shrink it and it’s not aimed at the home build market. So I can see that in 15 years time Irish linen won’t be available – which is a shame,” said Clive. There is another option. Restorers can buy ‘precut bags’ which slide on the framework and then shrink, but according to Clive, they’re more trouble than they’re worth: “The Americans will have a bag kit for any aeroplane. The idea is to slide it on, seal the end and shrink it, but it can be so over-sized that you’re shrinking forever or it’s so tight you can’t even get it on in the first place.” “I love using Irish linen. The British have been covering aircraft in this since Pontius was a pilot! It’s the original unbleached linen every aircraft before and including the First World War was covered with.” The process for re-covering an aircraft is long and time-consuming because everything is done by hand and there are no shortcuts. The first step is to sew the Irish linen on by hand all the way round the frame of the piece you’re trying to cover.

“You’re sewing two sides together and making up a ‘bag’. Then once it’s sewn on, you shrink it with distilled water and that makes it tight like a drum skin. You cover it with water first because natural materials crease and if you shrink it with dope first, you’ll still see those creases in it. If you shrink it with water it pulls the creases out. “After the water has dried you can then add your first coat of dope. The first coat is the important one, because it’s the one that soaks in and encapsulates the fabric. But it makes the covering look awful, because it’ll go really slack and horrible. The second coat doesn’t make any difference really. “When you get to the fourth and fifth coat it starts to tighten. Then it’s time to put the tapes down it in order to rib-string the part of the aircraft,” Clive explained.

The process for re-covering an aircraft is a long and time-consuming process because everything is done by hand

“The rib-stringing is an important part of the structure, because if there’s a bird strike that tears the fabric it stops it from ballooning and spreading any further. Rib stitching is another way of securing the fabric to the structure. “Once it’s strung and the fabric is starting to get tighter, you add another layer of tape over the rib stitching and then keep adding layers of dope. It can take 10 to 15 coats, depending on the finish you want. You rub the fabric down with wet and dry between coats to get a smooth finish. “The final layer we add is the silver ultraviolet dope, which protects the fabric from sunlight. The ultraviolet dope has very fine pigments; so you can rub it down and make it feel like silk.” After that, then it’s ready for painting. Some of the problems the team encounter seem to come all year round. Heat isn’t a problem but humidity is. “In the winter we have to keep the dope shop quite warm and it’s usually about 75 degrees, with humidity control. Humidity causes problems such as ‘blooming’ in the dope, giving you streak

marks. There are anti-bloom thinners to combat this.” Vintage Fabrics also carry out full paint resprays, the next step after a re-covering. Clive takes extra care to make sure the two work in tandem, and says: “This is the icing on the cake for me, it’s what everybody looks at. A good fabric job can be ruined by a bad paint job and vice versa.” If it needs painting VF have a purpose-built booth on-site and love to do it whether it’s a homebuild, GA aircraft or – one of the firm’s many specialities – an exotic warbird. And when it comes to historical markings accuracy is paramount. All vintage original colours are held on file from British and US Federal Standard to the old Luftwaffe RLM schemes, and it is a point of pride that they can research other schemes to give them exact accuracy, and source specialist paints where a job demands something unusual. Clive says: “It’s very important to get the colours right. All in-house painting is carried out in a large spraybake unit which gives the painter full temperature and humidity control.” www.vintagefabrics.co.uk

Clockwise from main: The maintenance hangar; a Chipmunk wing ready for painting; a Hurricane wing cover, one of Clive’s first jobs; prepping the next project for re-covering www.loop.ae ro juLY 2011 LOOP 19

FLIGHTTEST

Close enough to reach out and touch Words Ben Griffiths Photos David & Zan Blundell, www.lovethecamera.com

Ben Griffiths got to live a pilot’s dream flying with the world famous Breitling Jet Team... so imagine his surprise when they let him take control!

22 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO... www.loop.aero

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 21

FLIGHTTEST

OW would a humble PPL with barely 140 hours total time cope with flying formation aerobatics with the world’s only full-time civilian jet team? Well, I’m lucky enough to be able to answer, having just taken to the air with the Breitling Jet Team in their squadron of seven jet trainers. Luxury Swiss watch firm Breitling has long helped promote aviation to the masses through varied activities, backing Nigel Lamb in the Red Bull Air Race series and Vic Norman’s AeroSuperbatics wing-walking team. Reno Air Race events also get Breitling involvement, as of course does Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy, aka Jetman for his feats flying a rigid wing equipped with four miniature jet engines. But today, it wasn’t about entertaining the masses, or a superstar going for a race win, or a superhero achieving something amazing... it was about me, and the chance to fly with the Jet Team. Not only was I afforded the amazing privilege of flying in the back seat, but I also grabbed the chance to take control of the L-39 Albatros trainer myself. And what’s more, I can report it wasn’t radically different from flying any other aerobatic type. The nerves began to kick in as we kitted up in the crew room of the Breitling Jet Team’s operating base at Dijon Airport, France. The black flying suits didn’t seem very practical in the searing heat and the hygienic hairnets worn inside the yellow bone-domes threatened to strip the occasion of any glamour. But it was during the pre-flight briefing when the enormity of what I was about to experience really hit home. A safety video included where to put your hands and feet during the aerobatic sequence, the importance of remaining clear of the controls

ABOVE: Ben’s quickly notched up experience in a wide variety of aircraft, but flying with a team of true pros was something special FAR RIGHT: Close... and it didn’t get much further apart than this for the rest of the flight!

A safety video included showing how to initiate the ejection seat sequence... lending the flight a little extra frisson

22 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

during critical parts of the flight. And also how to initiate the ejection sequence: the Breitling jets are all fitted with fully-functioning ejection seats, lending the flight a little extra frisson. This was reassuring as I’d just been told we would be performing formation aerobatics with –at times – just three metres separating the aircraft. With so much to take in I was glad a mini Hi-Def video camera was mounted in the cockpit pointing at me to capture my every grimace, grunt, and nervous tick for the entirety of the flight... The friendly ground crew pointed this out as they strapped me in and made sure I was comfortable. I was reminded how to communicate with my pilot Francois Ponsot, nicknamed “Ponpon”, and shown the convenient placement of the sick bag – just in case. As the engineer removed safety pins from the rocket motor which

would propel my seat and I clear of the aircraft in an emergency, his advice was to keep my eyes outside the cockpit at all times. This would help occupy the brain and minimise any airsickness. Nevertheless, as the canopy closed I began to sweat, partly through nervous tension and partly from the heat of the sun streaming through the bubble canopy. Glancing around the instruments and controls helped me to relax as everything began to feel more familiar. Although I’ve logged fewer than 140 hours of total flying time I’ve been fortunate to experience piloting aeroplanes outside the normal training fleet such as the Jet Provost, Harvard, Extra, Chipmunk and Bulldog. Besides the obvious similarities with the JP, the L-39 reminded me of the Bulldog thanks to its chunky military switches and grey instrument panel.

the JetS BREITLING Jets are the Czech-made Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, a type in operation for almost 40 years with more than 30 armed services including the former Soviet and East German Air Forces. Pairing an eﬃcient but powerful turbofan with a sleek, streamlined fuselage, the Albatros was built to deliver a strong but economical jet trainer for Warsaw Pact air forces. Easy to maintain, cheap to operate and reliable, the aircraft can operate from grass strips and semi-prepared airﬁelds. It’s renowned for excellent handling across the whole

flight envelope, and more than 2800 examples were delivered worldwide, totalling more than 4m flying hours. Around 300 are in civilian hands. One downside is less power than some Western counterparts like the BAE Systems Hawk, as used by the Red Arrows. “Of course, everybody dreams about more power and performance – in my car as well as in my aircraft,” Jacques Bothelin says. “The L-39 is a very good compromise for us. It is beautiful, easy to fly and to maintain, reliable and quite affordable to operate compared with other military jets.”

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 23

FLIGHTTEST JaC Q U e S B O t h e L I N : U Lt I m at e S h OW m a N THE disappointment of failing to get into the French Air Force clearly had a lasting effect on Jacques Bothelin, founder and leader of the Breitling Jet Team. The experience left him determined to make a life in aviation, his boyhood passion. And he has far exceeded the dreams of most young children. Bothelin was inspired to be a pilot by reading the books written by World War II combat pilots, including French ace Pierre Clostermann’s classic The Big Show. While Bothelin has no military background, he is one of the world’s most experienced aerobatics pilots and during his 30 years in the cockpit he’s clocked up more than 10,000 hours, displayed his skills at a staggering 2700 events and flown more than 145 different aircraft types. No wonder he is regarded with reverence in display circles. “I love all of them,” he says. “I am still as well excited to fly a humble Piper J3 as a Hawker Hunter or a Mirage.” He initially began flying airshows within a team to build up more flying hours, when the inspiration for his own display outfit came from the UK’s famous Rothmans team. But, because he had little money, Bothelin had to scratch around for aircraft from various European manufacturers and sponsors in order to build up his fledgling airshow business. Starting off displaying the Siai Marchetti SF-260, spectators and sponsors liked what they saw and soon the airshow bookings were flooding in. Bothelin was able to trade up to more advanced aircraft, later persuading Swiss manufacturer Pilatus to let him demonstrate its PC-7 machine.

Ever the businessman – sponsorship is the only way he can fund his flying – Bothelin recognised the need to keep changing and updating his act. “Of course I love to fly but it is about giving maximum benefit to the client,” he says when we meet up at Dijon airport. He reveals he’d been talking to Breitling about working together for 20 years without success. But when he mentioned he was thinking of setting up a jet team, the luxury watch brand agreed to sponsor his new-look act in 2003. “No is not never in sponsorship,” he says. “I do not know how good a pilot I am but I’m a good salesman.” Of course in a high-stakes operation such as the Breitling Jet Team it’s not always been turbulence-free skies for Bothelin. Four years ago he suffered a severe bird strike during a training flight, the bird exploding through the canopy and smashing into his face and chest. After considering ejecting he realised the engine was unaffected so he decided to try and land the aircraft. He pulled it off but still bears the scars on his face from the accident. “It was a good lesson; you must stay humble whatever your experience is. You can’t manage everything,” he says. Bothelin cites emotional stability as one of the main qualities required to be a good display pilot. His 2700 performances have taught him how to set up and execute a good display and to identify the potential traps. But he highlights quality and safety above all else. “A good and impressive display is always a compromise of those two words. The experience helps to balance the risks,” he says.

Showman extraordinaire: few know more about displays than Jacques 24 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

thE VIEW FroM hErE The spacious tandem seating was also reminiscent of the Harvard – but the view is much better than the World War II trainer. The cockpit was simple and basic, with a sensible number of dials, instruments and controls, even for my relatively inexperienced eye. When it was time to fire up the jet Ponpon talked me through the starting sequence: a small engine is started to spool up the fan in the main engine and get it to operating speed before the jet bursts into life. The muffled roar inside the cockpit disguised the tornado I knew to be emanating from our jet pipe.

With each jet in our seven-ship formation costing about £2500/ hr to operate, we were quickly underway. A flurry of radio calls, and the aircraft began taxying out, jerking forward and back as power and brakes were applied on the long route out to the active runway. Soon the lead group of three of us were lined up and ready to go. The formation looked very close even sitting on the ground but would draw even nearer once airborne. With a nod of Ponpon’s head the jets surged forward as one, thudding over the gaps in the concrete runway with increasing speed until that delightful moment

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO... www.loop.aero as the wheels left the Earth and the aircraft took to the wing. A double clump-clump pulsed through the aircraft as the undercarriage came up, and we accelerated away. Our three lead aircraft were first to climb, rapidly joined by the other four jets, and we were easily close enough to clearly see the smiles of our fellow flyers beneath the dark visors of their yellow helmets. And quickly the first of many huge grins spread across my face as I looked along our right wing to see our leader climbing away. The view was akin to being sat on his wingtip... I felt I could almost touch the jet and feel the air streaming

To our left was the photo ship and I had no idea whether to do my best to look cool or mess around. I settled for a wave and thumbs up BELOW: Millions of showgoers worldwide have marveled at the Jet Team from the ground, and they look even better from the air

over the wings, riding his slipsteam as we bobbed up and down in very close formation. Ponpon radioed “Look left” just as another jet slid into formation on our wing as the rear element of four aircraft joined us to complete the formation. To our left was the photo ship of the group, and I had no idea whether to do my best to look cool or mess around. I settled for a wave then a thumbs up and could see others enjoying the ride as much as me. Our five-minute transit flight to the team’s training area passed in a flash and we were straight into business, a series or wingovers and

formation changes leaving my eyes popping out on stalks. Several times during the flight I was exposed to wondrous sensations of power and freedom, drinking in the scenes around me with the view sometimes almost too much for the brain to comprehend. I was glad of the video camera. And I wasn’t prepared for ‘The G...’ I was looking over my left shoulder when we dived for our first loop. As we pulled up into the vertical my now-heavy head was pinned in place and the blood rushed down towards my feet, leaving me with tunnel vision and the effect known as greying out.

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 25

FLIGHTTEST

A sedate moment in a flight that nudged 5g... hold on to your lunch! HIGH TENSION I’d tensed my muscles when we dived down to build up speed for another loop, rushing towards the ground at over 400mph before pulling firmly back on the control column and zooming up, floating at the top of this huge circle in the sky before bracing for the strain as the g cascaded onto the shoulders and forced my backside down into the ejection seat. We pulled 4.5g during the flight. And this was the gentle version designed to show the media and guests what the aircraft can do without ruining their day. The full display has the pilots performing more aggressive manoeuvres, and therefore pulling more g – sometimes up to nine times the force of gravity. Rejoining the formation gave a

The full display has more aggressive manoeuvres, and pulls more g – sometimes up to nine times the force of gravity

26 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

breathtaking feeling of speed as the aircraft rushed up towards the leader, once a pinprick now a solid aircraft hurtling towards the windscreen as we rushed up behind. There was a pop as the air brakes were thrust from the underside of the fuselage to bring the jet rapidly to a halt alongside. In formation the team manage their energy and anticipate every manoeuvre, planning where they will be next. They are constantly jockeying the throttle and stick, making minute adjustments to maintain position using reference points on the leader’s aeroplane. After the smoothness of the seven-ship formation flying we broke up into a three to get more photos and Ponpon invited me to take control and attempt to keep us in position on the wing of our

formation flight leader. The L-39 was designed to turn low-hours Russian military flyers into front-line fighter pilots so it’s basic and easy to fly. But the old aviation adage applies in that it’s hard to fly well. My clumsy efforts had us weaving in and out of the formation – at a safe distance of course. The controls felt stiff compared to the Chipmunk I’d been flying most recently, but like the Extra did not require much movement – until it was time to try out an aileron roll. This most basic of aerobatic manoeuvres held no fear – after all, it’s only a rotation along the aircraft axis. Gingerly I moved the controls slightly to the left. “No, no! Faster!” shouted Ponpon, and I snapped the stick over until it banged against my leg and the

the team BASED in Dijon, France, the Breitling Jet Team performs at around 50 demonstrations each year at air shows, Formula 1 Grand Prix races and other major sporting events. This summer the team will be attending the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford. Describing their dazzling performances as a unique association of speed, precision and audacity, team founder and leader Jacques Bothelin says the deep grey L-39 Albatros aircraft are the perfect choice for team aerobatics with formation breaks, crossovers, and other well-practised original and spectacular manoeuvres. The team begins training for each display season in March, flying two or three 40-minute sorties a day, four days a week. The seven pilots must learn not just the routines, but also to handle the nervous tension generated by flying at around 3m separation from the other jets in the formation at speeds of almost 400kt and coping with accelerations of up to 8 or 9g. Each training flight is

meticulously prepared, briefed and video-recorded for the team to be debriefed immediately on landing. The team maintains this training programme until May when demonstrations begin with two to three shows a week. Routines are a blend of 11 separate aerobatic formation manoeuvres, and nine formation styles. During the actual 20 minute display routine, speeds range from 370kt at the dive into the loop to less than 60kt at the top of the figure. The pilots will fly down to a minimum altitude of 30m (100ft) for flyovers, and 100m or 330ft for aerobatics. The maximum display altitude is 5000ft. The team also has its own mechanics in charge of guaranteeing the availability of the aircraft and safety at airshows thanks to their meticulous maintenance regime. In total, a dozen people work fulltime to back up the performances of the Breitling Jet Team. Bothelin describes this as a blend of professionalism and passion.

The team Bothelin has carefully assembled ar all ex fighter jet pilots jet whipped over, Earth and sky swapping positions. Trying again, faster this time, and the wings flew round in what seemed like the blink of an eye. TREE HOPPING After some more aerial high jinks we rejoined our colleagues-in-flight in formation, and flew along spread further out than before. This gave us space for some low level action and our jet was soon being bumped around over the forests and fields of rural France. Flying like this close to the ground the ride is much rougher, like driving a jeep over rutted ground. Fighter pilots fly low to avoid being detected by enemy radar. We were doing it just for fun and the sensation of speed was superb once I’d got used to the buffeting.

Ponpon allowed me a further crack at the controls as we rejoined the other four jets before retaking control as we gathered into closer formation again. Once back in formation I again handed over to begin our approach to the airport and then it was speeding into the overhead we went, shooting along the runway at full chat before pulling up and round in the classic military run-and-break manoeuvre. It not only looks good from the ground but serves a useful purpose as the delayed turns of each jet positions them for a safe streamed landing and slows down the aircraft. After flying with the team for 40 minutes I was not in the least bit surprised as we made a perfect approach and one of the smoothest touchdowns I’ve ever experienced.

We shot along the runway at full chat before pulling up and round in the classic military run-andbreak manoeuvre

Ponpon kept the nose raised for some aerodynamic braking and then the nosewheel gently dropped to the ground leaving us coasting towards the team’s parking ramp. As the canopy opened the blast of fresh air reawakened my raw senses. I’d unstrapped and removed my helmet before the reality of what I’d just done hit home and I asked for a minute to just sit in the cockpit, listen to the gyro instruments winding down and allow my brain to catch up. The Breitling Jet Team are a bunch of pilots having the time of their lives while displaying the utmost professionalism and airmanship. Anyone who loves flying would find the experience of flying with them thrilling. And it may soon be possible to book the joyride of your life. www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 27

FLIGHTTEST

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO... www.loop.aero

There’s not much room to swing the proverbial cat, but the snug dimensions of the cockpit add to the sense of oneness with the aircraft during manoeuvres – though Ponpoin made it clear you need to be nigh-on aggressive with the controls to get the best from the L-39

DATA FILE aero vodochody L-39 ALBATROS POWER Engine 1 x Ivchenko AI-25-TL turbofan, rated to 3792lb thrust

Rugged gear as expected on a trainer

PERFORMANCE Max Speed 485 mph (trainer version, clean) Max Speed at Sea Level 435 mph Vne 565mph Takeoff roll 1770ft Landing roll 1800ft Rate of climb 4130fpm Ceiling 37,730ft (trainer, clean) Stall speed 98mph Range 528 miles with internal fuel tanks only, 995 miles with external fuel tanks

Exhaust is also smoke dispenser

OPERATOR Breitling Jet Team Apache Aviation 9, Rue de l’Aviation - 21121 Darois / France Tel: (33) 3 80 35 63 10 E: apache-avia@aol.com www.apache-aviation.com

DIMENSIONS Empty weight 7340lb MTOW 11,618lb Wingspan 31ft 0.5in Length 40ft 5in Height 15ft 5.5in Seats 2

All specifications and performance figures are supplied by the manufacturer. All performance figures are based on standard day, standard atmosphere, sea level, and at gross weight unless stated otherwise.

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 29

*Source: L-39 Enthusiasts

PHOTO www.airteamimages.com

Breitling has been long associated with the team... remember the blue era?

MANUFACTURER AERO Vodochody a.s. U Letiště 374 250 70 Odolena Voda Czech Republic Tel: +420 255 761 111 www.aero.cz

AEROSWITHALAN Changes to the regulatory framework mean two-seat tuition might soon be the easy part of aerobatic training!

30 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

Sponsored by

variations in handling between different types. This might include engine starting and operation, crosswind techniques, stall and spin recovery. Read the POH to make sure there is nothing odd about your type. PERFORMANCE There might even be significant variations between Weight and Balance from ostensibly very similar aircraft. FUEL QUANTITY With quantities measured in Imperial Gallons, US Gallons, and Litres, there is all sorts of scope for a major error – remember the 767 in Canada some years ago which force landed onto a disused airfield after running out of fuel? This was partly caused by confusion over fuel uplift units. The same thing can occur with oil. The time when it is most likely that confusion between different types will occur is when pressure on the pilot is on – perhaps during bad weather or when something has gone wrong. ‘Reversion to Previous Type’ is often quoted in the airline world when mistakes occur, when a pilot considers some incorrect technical or handling aspect. It can happen on GA aircraft as well.

•

An incorrectly locked seat • or rudder pedal can have lethal results

•

INTEGRA 406 GPS ELT Emergency Locator Transmitter

F lySafe

Revolutionary integral GPS, and internal 406MHz antenna. Easy install and portable. www.kannadaviation.com Email: sales@kannadaviation.com or call: +44 (0)23 9262 3900

385 flysafe Loop 52x148.indd 1

40 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

28/03/2011 09:24

Q&A

ALL YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED BY THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

+STAR QUESTION

MICROLIGHT FLYING Q| Can I fly a microlight on my PPL(A) with no other ratings, or do I need a special microlight rating? A| Your PPL(A) comes with a type rating for a singleengine piston aircraft and that’s what microlights are, so yes you can. It doesn’t work the other way though – a microlight licence does not qualify you to fly, say, a Cessna 152. You ought to consider some training if going from a ‘normal’ aircraft to a microlight. You don’t say if it’s a fixed-wing or flex-wing microlight but both will feel very different. The first thing you’ll notice is the lack of weight – the inertia of a microlight is low compared with a bigger, heavier plane. Close the

HELI HELP

Q| Can you clarify to me my legal position/rights if I am forced to make an emergency landing in a helicopter, say if I see terrible weather or have a technical issue. My current belief is, “'It's an emergency... I have the right to land.” A| Firstly, rotary pilots will of course be aware of the changes and more stringent VFR weather limits for helicopters. As the questioner suspects there is an absolute legal defence to making a precautionary landing virtually anywhere. That’s not to say you would not be asked to explain your actions or face a hostile reception if you set down on the pitch at Wembley on FA Cup Final day, or a Six Nations Rugby match at Twickenham. The ‘blanket’ defence the

YOUR GURUS...

NICK HEARD Decades of flying experience in all conditions... including combat

DENNIS KENYON Former World Heli Freestyle Champ Dennis is our rotary expert

Flight Design's very nice CTLS falls into the microlight category

throttle and you’ll slow down quickly. Flying a flex-wing is very different. To turn right, you push the ‘handlebar’ control to the left. To climb, you push the bar away from you. So the basic control is the ‘wrong’ way around. To be fair, this is something you get used to very quickly, but it’s a process best

ANO Rules of the Air clause which states, ‘Nothing in this rule shall prohibit an aircraft from flying in such a manner as is necessary for the purpose of saving life.’ However, as said I should add that a pilot taking advantage of this rule may be required to justify his actions to the CAA later if the circumstances and location raised a few eyebrows! A word of caution I usually add: always make an early decision to allow time to assess the proposed landing site. Don’t rush the exercise, and check the safety and suitability of the site and put into practice the exercise 26 you learned on your PPL (H) course. So the dictum is, in deteriorating weather land as soon as practicable, since as we always say it’s better to be down here wishing to be up there, than up there wishing... etc etc! - Dennis Kenyon

PHIL O'DONOGHUE FI and aeros pilot Phil is our resident Brains for testing gear

DOROTHY POOLEY Top instructor and examiner, Dorothy shares her wisdom

ALAN CASSIDY MBE Current British National Advanced Aerobatic champion and respected author

learnt with an instructor. Finally, the hours logged flying a microlight cannot be counted towards the hours required to keeping your PPL(A) valid. Those hours (12 in the second year of the two-year validation period) have to be logged in a ‘normal’ aircraft. - Nick Heard

+NOTAM

LONDON

CTR from 30 June: Change to procedures for helicopter landings and departures. See AIC Y 049/2011

AIR SHOW SEASON

Air show season is upon us with plenty of events allaround the country. The Red Arrows and other display teams will be attending many – check NOTAM throughly for airspace restrictions. These are just a few coming up:

OSILVERSTONE AND TURWESTON

8-10 July: British F1 Grand Prix. Airspace restrictions. See AIC M019/2011.

NEED TO SPEAK YOUR MIND! THEN EMAIL YOUR OPINION TO LOOP incoming@ loop.aero

RAF FAIRFIELD

13-18 July: International Air Tattoo. Major airspace restrictions. See AIC M045/2011

CHOLMONDELEY CASTLE

Cheshire 15-17 July: Pagent of Power Air Display. Restiricted Airspace. See AIC 050/2011

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 41

MAKE YOUR FLYING EASY! Let skybookGA™, the most integrated on-line pre-flight briefing service for the GApilot, take the pressure off planning your next flight OING flying this weekend? Will you be off to the south coast, working your way down through the busy air corridors of Luton, Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick plus a host of other active airfields? Before you go, you need to know the best route, with the best information at your disposal. So, who do you turn to? It has to be the experts. Turn to skybookGA, the most integrated briefing service available, which ensures the relevant information for your flight is available wherever you are, whenever you want, before you set off. INDUSTRY EXPERTISE The service was created by flight planning experts Bytron, behind commercial flight briefing services used by major airlines, NATS and airport authorities. skybookGA is a spin-off from this professional commercial programme. When Bytron was formed 1984, its objective was to provide electronic briefing systems that would dispense with the uncertainty of fax and paper trails that hindered reliable data provision. Their mission to abolish unwieldy processes brought great benefits to professional pilots – and now GA pilots too. skybookGA benefits from the lengthy development process that went into the professional service. Rightfully known as ‘the

one-stop shop for pre-flight briefing,’ skybookGA offers comprehensive planning aids which allow pilots to easily customise routes, visualise them, and view in both Google Earth and Virtual Earth. At the invitation of Thomas Cook Airlines, which uses Bytron’s eFlight Briefing package, Bytron is working with Rolls-Royce subsidiary DS&S to create its first fully-integrated and connected Electronic Flight Bag (eFB), allowing maintenance data and engine monitoring on a global scale. FANTASTIC FEATURES FOR GA The beauty of skybookGA is the breadth of service it offers, catering well for the shortest low-level flight, all the way to upper level cross-border journeys – always being easy to use. skybookGA features include Personal Location Point information, which allows you to create waypoints and store them for future use. Airfield Brief is another brilliant feature, which allows search of airfields by name or ICAO and IATA codes. The information includes full airfield and runway details, plus all NOTAM/METAR/TAFS/ LTAFS/SNOWTAM affecting that airfield. The Great Circle Route Briefing will route width and upper flight level, and create a route using the shortest course between the airfields. The brief calculates all FIR and airfields within the route’s width and upper limit with NOTAM and MET info.

SIGMET advises on potential weather hazards other than convective activity over a 3000 square mile area, generating data on icing, turbulence, dust and even volcanic ash. AIRMET’s regional weather forecasts cover regions within the UK and is updated regularly throughout the day. Two of skybookGA’s integrated features that pilots particularly praise are the Quick Weather Maps and Danger Area Briefs. Quick Weather Maps allow you to view prevailing weather conditions and trends at a glance. They provide information on windspeed and direction, temperature, dew points, cloud cover and pressure. Danger Area Briefs allow searches for international and domestic NOTAM affecting Danger Areas by FIR, area name or number during specific time periods. It includes easy-to-view charts of UK Danger Areas. International NOTAM contains information about the establishment, condition or change in any facility, service, procedure or hazard. The most recent development is the Pilot Log (Plog), based on departure, destination, flight level and flight corridor, and even fuel burn. Routing data can be exported to GPs devices too. It’s small wonder GA pilots cherish the comprehensive briefing data that skybookGA offers. They feel confident that every eventuality has been covered, before setting off to the airport.

NEW AND IMPROVED! skybook GA™ now has loads of new features, including: GPS ROUTE EXPORTER Easy to use, this feature enables you to convert and download the route plot created on skybookGA into 50 GPS file formats.

NOTAM F & G Has been added to all briefing packs: Plain language display of NOTAM upper and lower heights (F & G fields).

RAINFALL RADAR Met images are updated every 15 min. Shows the previous 3, 6, 9 and 24 hours and forecasts the next three hours’ expected rainfall.

RESTRICTED AREAS (TEMP) MAP This has now been updated so you can see multiple NOTAM that are centred on the same point.

SATELLITE IMAGES The display for satellite images has been updated to a carousel display to aid searching which now can be opened in a separate window.

METAR FEED This loads airfield METAR details onto Google Earth. Wind speed, direction and cloud cover are displayed. You can also seelive weather along your route.

For more details and all the latest updates visit www.skybookga.com SKYBOOK GA ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR PRODUCTS, IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS LET US KNOW AT SUPPORT@SKYBOOKGA.COM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIAL ONE-MONTH FREE TRIAL OFFER, OR TO SUBSCRIBE, GO TO WWW.LOOP.AERO, CLICK ON THE SKYBOOK TAB AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. YOU’LL WONDER HOW YOU EVER COPED WITHOUT IT! BLADES fresh air for helicopters March 2011

flightCLUBFLIGHT SCHOOL

SEND US YOUR EVENT NEWS. GO TO... www.loop.aero

My first solo Yves rossi who Yves Rossi, former air force pilot, current Swiss Air pilot and world famous Jetman! date The summer of 1977 where Geneva aircraft Bravo AS 202 hours when soloed 8 hours now 10,000 instructor Laurent Debouche

jetman’s first time

Yves, airline pilot by day, Jetman on his days off!

+ n e w p i lo t K IT

I was 18 when I first flew solo. It was a Swiss-built aircraft and we were based at the grass strip at Geneva Airport. My instructor was a tough guy; he was very strict and direct. He didn’t say, “You should try it like this”, “You could do better. It was nothing like that. He would say: “Do that, and do it correctly!” He was like an army instructor, but I liked it because I knew exactly where I stood with him. My first instinct was fear, because it was nice at first, but you soon realise you have to come back down to the ground. It was a good souvenir. Firstly I was very happy that I was going solo, but I was worried when I came onto the downwind leg of the circuit, and I knew

I had to do it right. I was very proud of myself when I came back down. That was a very memorable day, but you know I don’t really remember the very first test flight with my jet wings. When I first started I had about 15 different prototypes, and every first flight with a prototype is filled with tension and the ‘unknown’. It’s very exciting, but surprisingly not so memorable. On one of the early flights, I jumped from around 4000m without the engines lit. I was using two engines at the time. I glided down to 3000m and I started the engines, but the first six times only one engine lit up so when I landed it was very heavy and I almost crashed on

new atpl training

+inside tip

An innovative way to learn For all those aspiring airline pilots out there, ProPilot has just launched a new, revolutionary way to learn its ATPL ground school course on the iPad –the Padpilot ProPilot claim that the course material, classroom training, monitoring system and delivery of the notes are all industry firsts, which not only aim to improve students’ experiences of ATPL, but also to make them better pilots. ProPilot has the belief that students shouldn’t just be Study your ATPL Ground School on the move

Chief Ground Instructor, Jacqui Suren. The notes for the Padpilot are the first to be designed from the ground up to be NPA-25 compliant and are written by current airline pilots and experienced ATPL instructors. The course is split onto three easy to manage modules with the distance learning and classroom phase days leading to each module’s JAR exam. For ground training, the combination of easily

several occasions. The first flight I really remember is the seventh test flight. That was when both engines lit and I was able to fly level for the first time and it was also the first time I was able to stay in the air for more than six minutes. That flight I learnt a lot, because with only two engines there wasn’t enough power for the turns so it was never a question of fuel but of power and I descended faster. After that moment I had to open my parachute to land safely, but that’s the flight I remember the most fondly. The next stage is to try and fly vertical. There’s enough power, we just need some more testing over the coming months. www.jetman.com

accessible manual content and interactive delivery platform enables students to understand and apply their knowledge, rather than just learning to pass exams. The classroom phases are held at Coventry Airport and are designed to minimise the time students need to take off work with rooms available at weekends. Cabair has chosen the Padpilot for its integrated ATPL courses starting from this month. Andy Cruise, Cabair Chief Executive said: “We are delighted that the Integrated students are to receive the benefits of this new learning system. This is the first in a series of major enhancements we are adding. The iPad is proving to be a revolutionary learning tool. It is already established in many airlines as the operational tool of choice for the future, so we are doubly pleased in that respect.” www.propilot.eu

Flying to an airshow? These tips will help avoid upsetting your hosts, who already have full hands

airshow etiquette

• Arriving Park where advised and don’t get over-keen to get out of the cabin to see the displays during shutdown; one common pilot-in-a-rush error is failure to turn the mags and battery off properly – they’ll be the ones with a flat battery when everyone is leaving later • Leaving You’ve watched some inspiring flying – but don’t let it go to your head and inspire a little showing off of your own. Believe us, some do it. Depart as carefully as in training and be aware of the added rush of other aircraft. And no ‘look at me’ showmanshop... takeoff just like normal.

www.loop.ae ro july 2011 LOOP 43

flightCLUBGET RATED RATINGS WATCH

Guide prices to what it costs to get extra ratings. Ring each club or school for full details. Some offer aircraft choice, or may have additional fees (eg landing fees) so ask about any extra costs. EXODUS AIRSPORTS 01727 865328 + Flex wing trial lesson: £74 (for 30 mins) £125 (1 hour ) + Full Course: £3100 (Includes 25hrs tuition, 5 exams, GFT and 10hrs ground schooling. Any extra time required can be paid for pro-rata). www.exodus airsports.co.uk TRY A FLEXWING

...and now for something completely different Exposed to the elements and different controls... it’s half the reason flexwing flyers love them. But, they can teach you a lot too THERE’S nothing quite like flying for the sensation of freedom, but what about an open cockpit? Surely that must be the ultimate experience and give one a true feeling of ‘flying’. So LOOP spoke to Rob Grimwood, the current world champion flexwing pilot, to talk about how flying a flexwing can not only improve your everyday skills, but may well in fact make you want to swap to a weightshifter permanently. “I teach in flexwing and fixed-wing microlights, and also fly a light aircraft, and in my personal opinion, on a beautiful summer’s evening you can’t beat flying in a flexwing. There’s nothing better than having the wind in your face with a totally unrestricted

44 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

panoramic view that you can only get from a flexwing. “A flexwing is one of the most versatile aircraft available. You can take it apart in about 30 minutes, put the wings in the car and have the trike on a trailer behind you. It can come on holiday with you and the family – there’s not much else you can do that with. “Another beauty is that you can buy one for as little as £1500. It won’t be the newest aircraft, but it’ll get you in the sky. It can be stored at home, so has no hangarage cost – saving even more money. “In terms of training a fixed-wing pilot to fly flexwing, it depends on the individual. Legally a JAR or UK PPL holder can fly a microlight without

any training – but they will crash! Effectively it’s a conversion course until they can handle the aircraft. I have taught people in five hours, but it can take up to 15 hours flying. “Flexwing flying will also help with the day-to-day flying of a fixed-wing. With an open cockpit and a lighter aircraft it will certainly improve your weather forecasting. And it will undoubtedly improve your skills. To a certain extend you can fly a light aircraft by numbers, if you arrive at this height, at this speed and gently pull the yoke back, you’ll land without taking the wheels off. In a microlight because it’s lighter and more susceptible to the elements you have to fly it a little bit more.” www.exodusairsports.co.uk

ULTIMATE HIGH COTSWOLRD 01285 771200 + AOPA BASIC Aeros Certificate (8 hours of flying): £1840 + AOPA Standard Aerobatic Certificate (6 hours): £1380 + Advanced PPL Training (customised): hourly rates £235 + Basic Spin Package (1 sortie): £270 + Basic Formation Course: £1225 + IMC £1175 + SEP Renewal: £205 per hour, plus instructor fee www.ultimatehigh. co.uk FLYING TIME SHOREHAM 01273 455177 + PPL all inclusive £7605 + Night Qualification £1095 + IMC Rating £2690 + MEP £3065

+ CPL £7960 + Zero to frozen ATPL £45,450 + Multi Engine Instrument Rating £12,205 + ATPL Ground School www.flyingtime. co.uk MULTIFLIGHT LEEDS/BRADFORD 0113 2387135 + Night Rating: £705 + IMC: £2115 + FI Rating: £7260 + IR 55 hours: £14,906 www.multiflight. com CLACTON AERO CLUB 01255 424761 + Tail wheel conversion (residential, inc B&B) £710 + Three week PPL course (residential, inc B&B): £5940 + Two week NPPL Course (residential, inc B&B): £3904 + Two week Conversion To PPL Course (residential, inc B&B): £4270 + IMC (residential, inc B&B) from: £1980 www.clacton aeroclub.co.uk A school with a rating or course? Mail dave. rawlings@loop.aero with the details

The Ultimate aviation APP for your iPAD from the publishers of LOOP, P1 and BLADES.

10 amazing aircraft including classics, turboprops, turbines, the world's most advanced aerobatics plane, and the Space Shuttle! 19 video features including interviews, in-cockpit footage – and an aerobatic business aircraft! Over 260 pictures including zoomable cockpit views and mutli-image tours of aircraft interiors and avionics systems Special features including a guide to landing on a mountain glacier, a Space Shuttle cockpit guide, and the UK's biggest gliding club Learn what it's like to pilot the Space Shuttle and discover some of the staggering facts about Man's greatest machine

To g e t t h e A P P v i s i t t h e A p p l e A p p s t o re a n d s e a rc h f o r F L I G H T T E S T.

w w w . l o o p . a e r o

flightCLUBPLANE CRAZY

SEND US YOUR EVENT NEWS. GO TO... www.loop.aero

PLANE CRAZY TROY HARTMAN

‘If I’m in the air, I’m happy!’

Troy Hartman is a man who loves the sky, be it sky surfing, base jumping or flying his RV-4

HERE’S very few things Troy hasn’t done when it comes to being in the air. He joined the US Air Force straight from school and now parachutes, base jumps, sky surfs and works as a stuntman. On quieter days flies his Van’s RV-4 or works on his jetwings. Q| So Troy, where did your love of flying come from? A| My dad had a Piper Saratoga when I was growing up, which was a really nice aircraft, and we would fly everywhere. I think I was very fortunate to grow up in that situation, as I know a lot of kids don’t get the chance I did. And if wasn’t for growing up around aeroplanes I would never have done all the things I’ve done.

Q| Why an RV-4? A| I bought it in 1998, it’s the only aircraft I’ve ever owned and it’s just been awesome! I don’t think I’ll ever buy a different aeroplane. I’m going to keep it until I quit flying. I’ve never come across another aircraft where I’ve thought to myself ‘I want one of these.’ If I was going to buy another aircraft – it would be the one I already own. Q| With all your other interests, do you just love being in the sky? A| I have a very high comfort level up there and I like to think I have a strong grasp of the fundamentals of flight and aerodynamics, it feels a natural environment for me. I try to do every sport possible, I paraglide, skydive and try to get my hands on anything that flies.

46 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

Q| So how did it progress? A| Well, I wanted to test both of these things and it occurred to me that I could build a jet pack out of them and head back to Mammoth (Troy’s home town and a ski resort) I’d been skiing my whole life and thought

direction I’ve been told to go. People have said to me: “If you’re not turning your engines on, how can you be deemed an aircraft? And if you’re in the middle of nowhere and decide to turn the engines on, who’s going to know?” There are rules and there are parts that need to be authorised, but it’s such an unknown that people turn away because people don’t really know how to classify it. But with Yves flying over the Grand Canyon recently, and needing approval, I think it’s going to make it a lot easier for me to get approval.

it would be a great way to complete both tests, and it worked out really well. Q| So what’s the next? A| I now have a lot of interest in the jet pack and a few people calling asking what else can be done with it! So I’ve focused my efforts on other things that can be done with the jet wings, some are flying related, some are ground sport related. Now we have to test the jet wing in Arizona for its gliding properties. But it’s coming up to the really hot months so we can’t do anything until October, so I’m focusing on making it more user friendly. Q| Is it easy getting permission to test it? A| I know Yves tested his without asking, then asked for forgiveness. That’s the PHOTOS Daniel Harold Sturt

MAIN: Troy BASE jumping in Los Angeles, USA INSET: You might recognise him from countless ads and movies...

Q| What made you want to build a jet wings? A| I’ve been working on them for about two and a half years now. It’s an off-shoot of Yves Rossi’s design, but we have our own little twist. We got to the point where the wing was pretty much done, but we need to start working on the propulsion system. A couple of issues Yves ran into – which he still does – is getting the engines started at altitude and I’d also not run the engines close to my body, which is another major issue.

Q| Have you always been interested in air sports? A| No, When I was growing up I was only interested in becoming a pilot. Then in my time flying I got to know some skydivers, they said I would love it, but I said no, I had no desire to try but they kept pressuring me. I eventually jumped and loved it. Q| So on a perfect day will you go flying, base jumping or sky diving? A| Oh that’s tough. Right now I go out doing a lot of paragliding and I’m also interested in BASE jumping, parachuting off ground structures, but it’s illegal in the US so my wife and I plan a two week trip to Switzerland every year to go base jumping. It’s tough decision, I I just love to be in the air! www.troyhartman.com

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero

THE BEST PLACE TO BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT.

Why use www.loopmart.aero ? Great value for money... FREE online advert Reach more people... 26,122 people plus 1000's online Making your advert couldn't be easier... Simple 4-step process Make the most of your advert... Upload video and pictures 4 EASY STEPS TO PLACE YOUR ADVERT STEP 1

www.loopmart.aero

STEP 2

Create your advert

STEP 3

Upload videos and or pictures

STEP 4

Now Select a printed advert in LOOP

Then sit back and wait for the enquiries to fly in!

Need more help? Please feel free to contact Chris on 01223 497060 or email sales@loop.aero

ADVERT OPTIONS IN PRINT AND ONLINE CESSNA 182 SKYLANE

Gold » 2 column x 8cm advert in LOOP » Advert on www.loopmart.aero » 1 issue: £195 +VAT » 2 Issues: £295 +VAT

1979, 230hp factory new Continental, 110hrs, new propeller, 10 hours, Annual 4 hours ago, long range tanks. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. 1979, 230hp factory new Continental, 110hrs, new propeller, 10 hours, Annual 4 hours ago, long range tanks. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. Ojhdkjdh jdh jkdh kjdh kjdh kjdh kjdh jkdh Contact: 01789 234543, or email at dot.cotton@bla.net

Bronze » 1 column x 4cm advert in LOOP » Advert on www.loopmart.aero » 1 issue: £50 +VAT » 2 Issues: £80 +VAT

Silver

CESSNA 182 SKYLANE 1979, 230hp factory new Continental, 110hrs, new propeller, 10 hours, Annual 4 hours ago, long range tanks. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. 1979, 230hp factory new Continental, 110hrs, new propeller, 10 hours, Annual 4 hours ago, long range tanks. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. Contact: 01789 234543, or email dot.cotton@bla.net

» 2 column x 4cm advert in LOOP » Advert on www.loopmart.aero » 1 issue: £95 +VAT » 2 Issues: £175 +VAT CESSNA 182 SKYLANE

1979, 230hp factory new Continental, 110hrs, new propeller, 10 hours, Annual 4 hours ago, long range tanks. Hangared. New tyres, battery, carpets. IFR ready. Contact: 01789 234543

Print options

Whatever package you opt for your advert will be viewed by thousands of potential buyers - it makes good sense to get as much exposure as possible. Choose an option from the right and decide which best suits your needs.

LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT? You can receive email ALERTS when the aircraft you're looking for is advertised in LOOP Register at www.loopmart.aero www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 47

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero

Aviat Husky A1B 180

2007, tt airframe 45 hours, 50 hour check just completed, Garmin GPS/COM GNS 430, Black Leather Seats, Lycoming 0-360-A1P 180 hp, Hartzell prop, ÂŁ110,000 ONO. For further information email: huskyforsale@gmail.com.

48 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero cessna 120 1946

1977 CESSNA A150M

This is a great example of the Cessna 120. 1946 2000 TT 550 on engine. Flys lovely. For more info please come and see for your self or phone me on 07768 963 734 or richard.flanagan@ gamstonflighttraining.co.uk

AEROBAT TEXAS TAILDRAGGER, N REG, HOLTON STOL KIT FOR SHORT FIELD, 105KTS CRUZ 28LTS/HR ONLY 2172 A/F HRS, ENG, 140HP LYCOMING,0290,D2-B,ONLY 436 HRS TSMOH, SENSENICH METAL PROP , WELL EQUIPPED NARCO/KING PANEL, VERY GOOD CONDITION £26500.00, ONO CONTACT 0044 (0)1363 83049 ( EVENINGS /WKNDS ) MOB 0044 (0)7972 281226

pitts special mint condition

Air squadron trohpy winner 2006, total time 90 hrs airframe and engine, feartures, crossover exhaust, bendix fuel injection, lightweight alternator and starter, lightened ring gear, hooker harness, microair radio, lowrance airmap 2000 gps, this aircraft is in mint condition and is fully serviced ready to go. 07790949349

Anderson Kingfisher Amphibian,

G-BUTE, Lycoming O-235, TT 90 hours. Range 320 miles, max speed 120mph. Currently out of permit on the island of Bute hence £9,500. Contact 07836 589898 or sa300. duster@virgin.net

CESSNA 320D SKYNIGHT

A RARE CHANCE TO OWN PROBABLY CESSNA BEST TWIN A TRUE 6 SEATER WHICH CLIMBS AT 500FT/ MIN ON ONE ENGINE AT GROSS / SEA LEVEL AIRFRAME HOURS 4560 ENGINE HOURS 1006 PROP HOURS 148 SIGMA TECH 3 AXIS AUTO PILOT COUPLED TO HSI, NAV & GPS Contact - Joe Irwin 01582 881213 or 07860 405439

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 49

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060

1970 Piper Cherokee 180.

Reluctant sale. Excellent all round condition 9/8 inside & out. Engine 380. AF 7680. King radios, Mode C. GPS 3C. New Annual. Guide price £26,000. Tel: 01953 681 007. Email: LaurieNDT@aol.com

ROCKWELL COMMANDER 112TC 1976

SPORTCRUISER

AN EXCELLENT ECONOMICAL 4 SEAT TOURING AIRCRAFT AIRFRAME 2750 TT, ENGINE 710 TSO, 3 BLADED PROPELLER 5 TSN, STANDARD AVIONICS PLUS GTC 327 TRANSPONDER, STORMSCOPE, REMOTE COMPASS, KN 64DME, SKYMAP II GPS, HSI, RMI, Contact Joe Irwin 01582 881213 or 07860 405439

Built 2009. TTAF&E 235 hours. Rotax 912s. Woodcomp propeller. 96kt cruise using 17 litres Mogas per hour. 7 hours duration. Filser Radio, Mode S Transponder, TruTrak Artificial Horizon, Garmin 296 GPS. Permit April 2012. Always hangared. £55,000 Tony 07715477043 gsczr@btinternet.com

50 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero

1993 Ag - 5B BrunmAn tiger

TTAF 3413. TTE 1014. New ARC just completed. ARC expires July 2012. Aircraft bare metal resprayed, corrosion proofed and interior refurbished 2007. IFR avionics including King 165/ 155 Nav Comm, ADF, DME, Mode S Transponder, HSI with slaved Gyro. Airframe, engine and upholstery immaculate condition. Based at Blackbushe for viewing. £49,000 Tel Ian : 07941 578182 e mail: ianjamesward@tiscali.co.uk.

ROBIN AIRCRAFT

Distributor since 1995 Now being manufactured by Finch Aircraft in the same factory as before at Dijon, the full range of new Robins is now available:

USED AIRCRAFT £50,000

1988 R 3000/120 2+2 metal T-tail ,new ARC 1988 400/180 REGENT Ext & int above average 1988 400/100 CADET 2 seat economical tourer , new ARC 1979 R 2160 Aerobatic 2 seat , recent zero-hour 1969 DR 315 2+2 tourer , lovely condition , recent zero hour 2001 R 2160 refurbished and zero hour engine

£18,000 £49,500 £23,000 £38,500 £19,500 £62,000

NEW AIRCRAFT UK distributors for new Robin and New ALPHA aircraft Check our website for more info MISTRAL AVIATION LTD Contact: John Kistner Tel: +44(0)1730 812008 Fax: +44(0)1730 816237 or Steve Bailey for the ECOFLYER - Tel: +44 (0) 7973 691727 Email: sales@mistralaviation.co.uk www.mistralaviation.co.uk reims cessnA F172-l g-Azzv (1972),

tB20 sHAre At sHerBurn neAr leeds

cessnA 177B Fg 1971

Annual to April 2012, Lycoming 0320-E2D Engine SMOH 1586 hrs / TTAF 9536 hrs, Last MOH July 2003, ARC April 2011, TTAF: 9536, S/N: 0883, Location: Rochester, EGTO, Full leather interior and rebuilt from the inside out over the last five years this lovely Cessna 172N is banner-towing certified and is fitted with NARCO avionics, ADF/DME/VOR. Mode C. Airbox Aware GPS and Lowrance Airmap 200C GPS. ARC valid to April 2012. Price: £ 29.500 (inc VAT). Simon - 07836 530446

155kt cruise. Fly fast in luxury. £125 per month + £125 per tacho hour wet, 1/5 share £13,750. See full details : www.benz.demon.co.uk contact Lez Appleyard: 07971 987 626

3450TT 1540Eng 110prop paint & interior 8/10 PMA 7000S audio panel 430 2nd com r-nav ADF 330 mode S EDM 700 Two altimiters bose plugs fresh annual. Based at Thurrock Essex. Contact Rob on 07860 648795 e:robturrell@hotmail.com

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 51

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero Piper PA-46-350P Jetprop

N4173N, 2000, For Sale in Switzerland, Airframe TT: 1040, Lycoming TIO-540AE2A, 1030 hours, Garmin Avionics, Hartzell HC-I3YR-1E three blades, constant speed. Pratt + Whitney, PT6A-35, zero hours $ 1,040,000. Stefano Scossa – 0041 912103128 aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

Cessna C-150D

Immaculate condition, Airframe 2680 hours, Engine 1745 hours. Full UK IFR, R-Nav, 2 Alts, 2 Comms, ADF, Intercom, Mode C Transponder, VOR & GS. Well looked after. Probably the cleanest C150 around. EASA ARC Annual till May 2012. £11,500 ONO. First to view will buy. Based Lymm Dam Airstrip (Cheshire) Firas - 07958-449552

EUROPA CLASSIC FOR SALE

De Havilland DH60 Moth Major 1934

450hrs Total, all MODS and AD’s up to date. Selling with new permit to fly. £29,950. David Hunter 01666 503330, 07939157426

King of the moths, but with only one emperor owner, RARA avisand exceptional history. £70,000 contact Croyden Parry. Tel - 0207 6229115. 1969 Piper PA23-250D Aztec

Pitts s2a

Exceptional cherished example refurbished and maintained regardless of cost. Well known competition performer with proven track record. Large Bubble Canopy, Hooker Harnesses, Fitted Cover. Always Hanagared. Engine (New 2004) TT 381:45, Prop (New Type Hub) 199:50, Airframe TT 1778:00, Fresh ARC MAy 2011, £60,000 (Including VAT) Neil Bigrigg 01636 525318

Airframe 7359 hours total time, Both engines 949 hours total since factory overhaul Aug 1994, Both propellers 2 hours since overhaul APRIL 2011 , Full ARC Review expires 20TH APRIL 2012, New battery 2011, De Ice boots no holes or patches, Cambri cover, King KMA 24 Audio, Trimble TNL 2000 GPS, Narco COM810, Garmin GNS 430 NAV/COM/GPS, Garmin GTX330 XPONDER, King KT76 XPONDER, Narco NS800 AREA NAV, King KR87 ADF, BFG 3M Stormscope, Six seat upholstered in grey cloth, Log books and history back to new, Good paint, resprayed Dec 1999 by Coulton, Same owner since 1988 Paul on 01328 878809 for more details.

YAK-55 The best value of any aerobatic aircraft. Only 383 TTSN. M14P engine - only 29 hours SOH; new 2-blade V-530 prop. Many extras. Exceptional and well maintained aircraft on UK register. Only Euro 49,000 (today £43,000) including European VAT.

Richard Goode Aerobatics

Tel: +44(0)1544 340120 Fax: +44(0)1544 340129 Email: richard.goode@russianaeros.com

52 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero Piper PA28-161 Warrior II

Total Time Airframe 11,200hrs, Engine 150 Hrs SMOH in October 2009, Annual due 22/10/11, Avionics: KMA 20, Narco 12D (new)+Nav with ILS, King KX175B Nav/Com with LOC, King KR85 ADF, King KN64 DME King KT76A Transponder, Sigtronics 4 place intercome. Price: £25,000 +VAT. Contact Paul Mobile: 07768 906358

PA28-180 Cherokee.

Bought for £25k 3 years ago. Spent £25k on upgrades. • Fresh annual • New paint work • Includes Garmin 430

CAP 10B FOR SALE

2 seat aerobatic, C of A to Oct 2011, 2,300 hrs airframe, only 100 hrs engine, Superb condition £55,000 Tel Colin 07799 773164

Aeromere Falco Series 3 F8L

Europa Classic Mono

1959, S/N:208, This factory built Italian classic has only completed 1600 hours a/f and 1600 hours on the Lycoming 0-320 150hp engine since new. Lovingly maintained and cared for this aircraft has a brand new propellor and is equipped with King Nav/ Com/ILS/ADF/Transponder.New annual and CofA until 2013. EUR 65,000 no VAT Peter - 01780 740973

Quarter share in Europa Classic Mono. Based at Bidford on Avon, includes box trailer, one man rigging system, can be rigged in 10 minuets. 912 Rotax, VP Prop, Full 6 packinstruments, 2 x radios, xponder , garmin gps, Skymap III. £7000 for share, £70/month covers all costs. Just put your own fuel in and go flying. Contact Jim 01386 446870, 07947 897666 jim. naylor@talktalk.net

PA32 Cherokee six-260

TTE 1499 TTAF 3789 Excellent condition inside and out. Easy maintanance. Currently based in Sheffield. Selling for £19,995 Enquiries call John 07718768761 or email: marsland50@hotmail.com Piper PA-32 6XT

T7-NWS, 2004, Airframe 1020 hrs, TT: 1020 hours since new, Propeller Hartzell 3 bladed, TT: 1020 hrs, TSOH: 0 hrs, Beautiful Interior 10/10, Fresh annual, new cylinders. $42,000 VAT free. Stefano Scossa - +41-91-2103128. aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch YAK 52

For sale with long range fuel (5.5hrs) making the a/c a continental traveling machine with an oxygen system for over the Alps trips, TXP, always maintained by YAK UK Ltd.+44 (0)1767 651156

G-EDYO, 1966 PA32 - 260 based at Compton Abbas and Alderney, Airframe 2810, 3 hours, Engine (Lycoming 0-540-EUB5), 710.1 hours propeller, (2 blade Hartzel Scimiter blade type) 310.5 Hours, New paint (bare metal repaint) 2002, New ARC 17 March 2011. £39,500 + VAT. Al Paton 07781 431406, 07774 625791, 01481 823639 al.paton@hotmail.com

Piper PA-46-350T Matrix

N-reg, 2008, Nice, privately owned aircraft. Airframe, Engine, Propeller Total Time: 300 hrs. Interior Tan leather, 9/10. Exterior, 9/10. No damage history. $41,000 Stefano Scossa +41-91-2103128. aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch piper pa-28r-201t turbo arrow III

HB-PMS, 1978, TT:3500 hrs, TCM TSIO-360-FB TT: 600, Prop Hartz BHC-C2AF-1BF TT 3400, In good condition. No damage history. €43,800. Stefano Scossa 00 41-91-2103128. aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 53

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060 Share in Piper PA28R-200

¼ to ½ share in 1974 Goodwood based Arrow II. Total hours 1470, 3 blade prop, new annual, always hangared, £90ph wet. Contact: alankentppl@rocketmail.com 01403 255550 & 07889 122710

54 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

AA5 Grumman Traveler

Gamston- EGNE Small group Only 6 member shares . Online booking website, LAA Group Rules 1/6 share £5350, £70 pcm + £95 p/h wet. http://www.gbcpn.co.uk/

Call Joe 07976 802107 emailjoe@gbcpn.co.uk

BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero GBAMS Robin DR400 – 160

Two 1/6th Shares for Sale. Hangared at Headcorn, 2x ILS/VOR/Mode S equipped, excellently maintenance at Headcorn with all ADs complied with. Good availability, lovely to fly, great tourer, friendly group online booking Share reduced to £4,000 for quick sale . Monthly £134 with full group Visit www.triquetra.co.uk/bams or call John 07786 566477

FOR SALE - 1/6th share in this superb motor glider The glider is hangared at the York gliding club to the east of York. The engine was replaced relatively recently. She is in excellent condition, very well maintained and flies beautifully. Engine: 498 hours since zero hours replacement. Propeller: 238 hours since zero hours refurbishment. Airframe: 2380 hours since manufacture. Flying costs: £40,00 pcm and £40.00 per Tacho hour. Engine off = Free, Availability is excellent! 1/6th share - open to offers. Contact David on 07917 613220 or david@skipwithstation.com

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 L OOP 55

Insurance

Avionics

Clubs and Schools

Please mention LOOP when responding to advertisements

Interiors

Pilot Shops

Please mention LOOP when responding to advertisements

Clubs and Schools Microlight Services

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060 56 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

Pilot Shops

Groundschool

The NEW ATPL THEORY COURSE from CABAIR MODULAR Complete new Ground Training System with high quality manuals from - with optional iPAD2!

Property 5-BED PERIOD FARMHOUSE FOR SALE 5-bed period farmhouse for sale with 750-yard landing strip & 4/5 plane hangar, set in 28 acres in quiet location just 4 miles north of Norwich, Norfolk. 3 barns, 8-car garage, paddocks, 9 stables, plus 3-bed cottage (currently £7k p.a. income). Guide £975,000. Photos/details: 01603 893328 / 07802 360592.

Please mention LOOP when responding to advertisements

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060

Maintenance & Propeller Overhaul

FULL TIME RESIDENTIAL COURSE ONLY £2,950 inclusive* EXCELLENT FIRST TIME PASS RATES AT BOURNEMOUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HIGH QUALITY MANUALS FROM PROPILOT INCLUDED IN COURSE OPTIONAL iPAD2 SYSTEM AVAILABLE OPTIONS at additional cost: iPAD2 + SOFTWARE £600 inclusive

SOFTWARE ONLY £200 inclusive

*Price does NOT include accommodation

Tel +44 (0) 1202 58 11 22 Email bournemouthmodular@cabair.com www.cabairmodular.com

Aircraft Covers

www.loop.ae ro JULY 2011 LOOP 57

INSTANTEXPERT EXPERT +PRE-OWNED AIRCRAFT

JABIRU

Australian designed and manufactured two- and four-seaters, the Jabiru is available as a kit to build or factory-made and ready to fly + J A B I R U FA C T S

+ In production since 1991 + Powered by Jabiru’s own engines – either an 85hp 4-cyl or 130hp 6-cyl + Microlight and Group A models + All types on a Permit, either BMAA or LAA + 162 of all types on UK register

MAZINGLY economical on fuel – that’s the Jabiru range of two- and four-seaters. Of course, there’s much more to them than that but in these days of high fuel prices, it’s a real boon. One reason Jabiru aircraft are so parsimonious on fuel is the slim profile of the cabin which is a cosy fit for big chaps, though the four-seaters are more spacious. Jabiru makes almost every part of the +HISTORY

+ 1988 Jabiru founded + 1993 Own 60hp engine launched followed two years later by 80hp 2200 + 1997 First Jabiru in UK, the SK, a kitplane + 1998 Microlight version, UL430 + 1999 SP replaces SK + 2000 UL450 (microlight) and SPL450 (Grp A) launched + full height rudder upgrade + 2003 J400 4-seater, powered by 3300 flat-6 + 2006 Longer wing & fuselage UL-D and Calypso launched + 2003 J430 long wing 4-seater launched + 2007 J160 2-seater Group A launched

Jabiru Calypso factory-built microlight tested by LOOP in March 2006

aircraft itself including engines, so it has not had to compromise its design ideals. Later models have full height fin and rudder, which helps the handling but they are generally very easy to fly with no vices. Inside the cabin, the finish is a bit rough in places, but the exterior is blemish-free. Being on a Permit to Fly means it’s relatively easy to upgrade and personalise the aircraft, and also lowers the cost of ownership.

+CHECKS

Engines Over the years, many changes to Jabiru’s own engines. Early ones had aluminium con rods which can bend when overheated. Many revisions to cylinder heads. Latest engines have hydraulic tappets which have had issues Airframe Composite airframe usually trouble-free but inspect for cracks and damage repairs Control surfaces Some incidents of jammed controls and cables becoming unclamped have led to mandatory checks

! !

Cosy interior of the Jabiru two-seat Calypso 58 LOOP JULY 2011 www.loop.aero

+OWNING

Vic Leggott built the first Jabiru SK in the UK and set up the Jabiru Owners Club website to help other home builders. “The SK kit was lacking detailed build instructions,” says Vic, “but nowadays they have very comprehensive instructions and many colour photos. “In 2000 I built a Jabiru SK to have better short field capability, then converted it to an SPL to mantain my Group A licence. “Running costs are low. A service consists of checking head bolts, tappets, plus, changing oil and filter, and a general inspection every 25 hours. “It is an excellent allrounder with an economic cruise speed of 95kt at 14 litres/hour fuel burn. The 4-seater does 110kt and 22 litres/hr. “The undercarriage is robust if treated correctly – but land it like a wheelbarrow, expect to take it home in one!” www.jabiru.flyer.co.uk

+FOR SALE

2000 Jabiru SK

New Permit, engineer built, 80hp 2200A engine, TT500, excellent condition. £20,000 in LOOP MART

2002 Jabiru UL450

TT347, new Permit, Skymap GPS, elec A/H, carb ice eliminator, full height rudder. £22,000. On www.loopmart.aero

+PROS AND CONS

PROS

+ Economical, reasonably fast tourer + Good service and support + Permit to Fly airworthiness certificate + Composite airframe needs little maintenance + Good value for money

+THE DATA

JABIRU J160 Never exceed speed 140kt Cruise speed 100kt @ 75% Climb rate 500ft/min Stall speed 48kt (full flap) G limits +3.8/-2.0 Takeoff roll 210 metres Landing roll 238 metres Engine Jabiru 2200B 4-cyl 4-stroke, producing 80hp Prop 2-blade fixed-pitch Fuel burn 13 l/hr @ 75% Max range 1030nm Wingspan 8.120m Height 2.3m Max weight 540kg Empty weight 300kg Fuel capacity 135l Seats 2 Kit price AUS$49,900 +VAT Manufacturer Jabiru Aircraft, Australia www.jabiru.net.au +LOOP SCORE

Running costs Performance Comfort Reliability Handling TOTAL SCORE

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 20/25

+OR THIS...

Europa Class £26,500 www.loopmart.aero

CONS

+ Small cabin + Small controls, especially foot pedals + Limited luggage space

Evektor EV-97 1/10th share £4500 www.afors.com

TWO GREAT WAYS TO KEEP YOUR ENGINE UP TO SPEED. Do you have a new engine core that’s never been rebuilt or overhauled?

Do you have an original Lycoming factory engine that last left the factory as a new, rebuilt or overhauled engine?

SAVE UP TO

5,000 1,900 5000

ON A REBUILT ENGINE. ENGINE*.

*A new engine core is defined as a Lycoming factory new engine that has never been overhauled or rebuilt (otherwise known in the industry as a “first-run core”).

ON A NEW, REBUILT OR OVERHAULED ENGINE**.

**An original factory engine is defined as an engine that last left the Lycoming factory as a New, Rebuilt or Overhauled Engine.

For complete details, visit Lycoming.com or call 800-258-3279 to find an authorized Lycoming Distributor near you, or stop by the big red tents at Oshkosh (Booths 277-282).

Certain restrictions apply. These offers require the return of a new engine core or an “Original Factory Engine.” Offer subject to end or change at any time. All offers quoted in USD. See your distributor or visit Lycoming.com for more details. Discount program cannot be combined with the Fleet Rebate Program. © 2011 Avco Corporation. All rights reserved.