LOOP February 2011

NEW ELECTRIC RACER NEW BRITISH DESIGN SPARKS INTEREST + FLYING SHOW Aircraft news + 2011 A year of inspiration + NICK'S TIPS The year ahead + FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE 64 £3.40

F R E S H A I R FO R F LY I N G

WHO NEEDS AVGAS? + S P E C I A L F E AT U R E +

As the search for 100UL goes on, we look at some of the great aircraft which already use the greener, cheaper and more widely available alternative – Jet-A1

2 RT PA

〉〉〉〉〉

COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TRAINING THESTART-UPJOURNAL WELCOME to part two in a series of LOOP special supplements looking at the pathway to becoming a professional airline pilot The series of three specials will look at every aspect you need to consider whether you are in education analysing your career options, or already a pilot looking to turn your passion into a profession.

They have been compiled by flight training expert Chris Gowers, an industry veteran who has helped guide thousands of new pilots to rich and fulfilling careers in one of the world’s most envied and sought-after jobs.

Part One: Making the Decision to Go Pro*

★ The key questions to ask before you embark on a career in aviation ★ Is it the right time to become a pilot? ★ A look at the industry and its outlook ★ Choosing the route to your new career: Integrated vs Modular training

Part Two: Becoming a Qualified Pro Pilot

★ Choosing your school(s) ★ The Course: Integrated training and what the courses entail ★ Doing it yourself: Modular training, and how to make it easier ★ MPL training explained ★ Making the grade: The tests that find the pilots of tomorrow PLUS: Expert insight and advice from training professionals

Part Three: Your New Career

★ Get that job: 10 ways to improve your chances ★ The job options open to you ★ The truth about being a pro pilot – from those that do it ★ Salary lists PLUS: Interview with the man who represents UK airline pilots We will also be producing a special digital LOOP+ magazine, and a LOOPTV special, so keep your eyes peeled.

INSIDE THE COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE: PART 2 8-Page pullout mini-mag

〉〉〉〉〉

ENGINE NEWS SPECIAL: CHINA BUYS CONTINENTAL

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CONTENTS 20

#64

FEBRUARY 2011

NEW ELECTRIC RACER NEW BRITISH DESIGN SPARKS INTEREST + FLYING SHOW Aircraft news + 2011 A year of inspiration + NICK'S TIPS The year ahead +

+WELCOME TO LOOP

FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE 64 ÂŁ3.40

F R E S H A I R FO R F LY I N G

WHO NEEDS AVGAS? + S P E C I A L F E AT U R E +

As the search for 100UL goes on, we look at some of the great aircraft which already use the greener, cheaper and more widely available alternative – Jet-A1

O〉〉〉〉

2

new there. Indeed, it’s never easy being a pilot – but we hazard a guess that’s why many of us enjoy it so much. ‘Easy’ is relative. Easy is never attempting to y in the ďŹ rst place, to consigning your soul to a life rooted to the ground, to lowering your gaze from sky to the horizon.

That sounds hardest of all, to us. Enjoy 2011, and your ying.

RT PA

SPECIAL FEATURE If Jet-A1 and diesel fuels are the future, what kind of aircraft are shining examples of its use?

AS the new ying season looms, as always there’s much on the plate of the pilot. The extended chill exacerbates the pain much of us are still feeling by the extended ďŹ nancial winter, while – as always – regulatory issues are ongoing: EASA still ponders wholly unpopular changes, and Ofcom is making enemies with its daft spectrum pricing plans.

But, as most will say: nothing

COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TRAINING THESTART-UPJOURNAL WELCOME to part two in a series of LOOP special supplements looking at the pathway to becoming a professional airline pilot !,) 7)6-)7 3* 8,6)) 74)'-%07 ;-00 033/ %8 ):)6= %74)'8 =39 2))( 83 '327-()6 ;,)8,)6 =39 %6) -2 )(9'%8-32 %2%0=7-2+ =396 '%6))6 348-327 36 %06)%(= % 4-038 033/-2+ 83 8962 =396 4%77-32 -283 % 463*)77-32 !,)= ,%:) &))2 '314-0)( &= C -+,8 86%-2-2+ )<4)68 %2 -2(9786= :)8)6%2 ;,3 ,%7 ,)04)( +9-() 8,397%2(7 3* 2); 4-0387 83 6-', %2( *90B 00-2+ '%6))67 -2 32) 3* 8,) ;360( 7 1378 )2:-)( %2( 739+,8 %*8)6 .3&7

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INSIDE THE COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE: PART 2 8-Page pullout mini-mag

Oă&#x20AC;&#x2030;ă&#x20AC;&#x2030;ă&#x20AC;&#x2030;ă&#x20AC;&#x2030;

ENGINE NEWS SPECIAL: CHINA BUYS CONTINENTAL

+ MONEY Aerobatics priced + DC+ANR Aftermarket headset mod + WINTER Protection +

+LOOP PEOPLE

DENNIS KENYON p11 Dennis always brings good cheer to LOOP, and this month he ponders the connection between some misheard carol songs and... err... a decapitated Alsatian!

+FLIGHTCLUB FREE TO JOIN, BUT PRICELESS ADVICE || CLUBS || FLIGHT TRAINING ||

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Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest

The industry is gearing up for the biggest GA show in Europe, AERO 2011 at Friedrichshafen. Will you be there? See p44

Y FIRST SOLO MY icopter hero Helicopter nk Robinson Frank ge 49 Page

ET RATED GET Tryy a gryocopter forr a change age 50 Page

PLANE CRAZY Globe trotting Norman Surplus Page 51

NICK HEARD

i to gett you TTop tips the year t through Page 46

GURUS Starting training: PPL or NPPL

flightCLUBFLIGHT SCHOOL P

Nick Heard

GURUS

Q&A

The year lies ahead and another season of ďŹ&#x201A;ying to enjoy... so absorb these tips to make life easier

NICK HEARD is a seasoned ďŹ&#x201A;ying instructor, current Boeing 747 captain and a former RAF Tornado pilot. In this special he warns of potential problems you can prepare for to sidestep

A

THESE are in no speciďŹ c order, but they have been bracketed into seasons, for a time when they become most relevant.

ALL YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED BY THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

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FLYING AFTER MAJOR departures at the same time. when on ďŹ nals.

ENGINEERING CHECKS â&#x2020;&#x201C; â&#x2020;&#x201C; I am always extremely careful FORCED LANDINGS CARB ICING ON THE to have a really good check Whilst airborne, be aware of GROUND of an aircraft after it has what the surface wind is and Some engines can be come out of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the shedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; after a keep an eye out for ďŹ major piece of maintenance, would be suitable elds that extremely prone to to land in, SPRING carburettor icing, which can especially if it has involved bearing in mind that ďŹ elds ADMIN develop as soon as the engine disconnecting ďŹ&#x201A;ying controls. change through the year as With winter behind you, is started. Check the RPM Go around it making sure crops are harvested. it's a good time to have a drop carefully during your all connections are secure, close look at any ongoing engine checks - a large drop wire-locked if appropriate, AUTUMN requirements to keep your in RPM followed by recovery and that the control surfaces WATER licence up-to-date. Check may be an indication of rapid MOVE THE RIGHT WAY! Water in its various forms the expiry date, due dates of ice formation. causes a lot of problems in ratings, and medical (which SUMMER aviation, none more so than might include ECG or audio WINTER SUMMER TEMPERATURES when it gets into fuel. If water CHECK PROVISIONS tests as the years roll on!).

In the height of summer donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t is present in a fuel sample If you are planning to go ďŹ&#x201A;ying â&#x2020;&#x201C; forget the considerable loss of taken from an aircraft, be CHECK FOR NESTS! in cold conditions, make sure performance your aircraft will careful - drain more until the the aircraft is completely free Beware of nature! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing suďŹ&#x20AC;er in high temperatures. sample is clear, or get some how quickly birds can build of ice, frost, and snow.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to delve into competent advice if in doubt. the runway condition. Check nests, and they can also Think the Operating Handbook to â&#x2020;&#x201C; install them in the most about survival in the event of check the ďŹ gures for both SURVIVAL unusual locations - including take-oďŹ&#x20AC; and a forced landing. landing, but When the evenings start such places as cosy engine â&#x2020;&#x201C; give yourself a margin on the drawing in, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth thinking SHORT FINALS intakes and wheel wells! result of those calculations. about what to wear (or, at Check your aircraft very Get in the habit on short â&#x2020;&#x201C; least, what to take with you) carefully if it has been left ďŹ nals of a last check of the ARRIVING AT AN AIRSHOW in the cabin with regard outside for a few days. undercarriage and ďŹ&#x201A;aps Park where you are asked to survival after a forced position to avoid and last â&#x2020;&#x201C; to and take care to put the landing. A forced landing BOUNCING LANDINGS minute embarrassment! aircraft â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;to bedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; carefully late in the day may result in The wrong reaction after â&#x2020;&#x201C; donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get caught up with the getting stuck in an isolated a bounce on landing is to CORRECT POSITION excitement of the event just ďŹ eld as darkness falls and the Whilst in the shove the nose down, which visual circuit, be yet! Make sure that mags are temperature drops. will promptly result in a punctilious about making RT oďŹ&#x20AC; and the battery oďŹ&#x20AC; too. â&#x2020;&#x201C; second heavy impact on calls in the correct position. â&#x2020;&#x201C; BIRDS the nosewheel and quite Your calls are vital not just to LEAVING AN AIRSHOW Coupled with late afternoons ATC but to other probable breakage. If you pilots who Again, treat all the aspects of in the autumn comes ďŹ nd yourself in the situation are in or joining the circuit. your eventual departure with increased bird activity. Keep of a ďŹ rm landing and bounce, as much care But be ďŹ&#x201A;exible - if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as possible. your landing light on to keep hold the attitude and apply make, say, a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;downwindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; call Taxi carefully, especially if yourself as bright as possible, in the right place full power to go around. due to busy there are lots of other aircraft and be ready to go around RT, call â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;late downwindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; when â&#x2020;&#x201C; around planning or making if you see a big ďŹ&#x201A;ock ahead you can get a word in.

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NICK HEARD DENNIS KENYON PHIL O'DONOGHUE DOROTHY POOLEY ALAN CASSIDY MBE Decades of flying Former World Heli FI and aeros Top instructor Current British experience in Freestyle Champ pilot Phil is our and examiner, National Advanced all conditions...

Dennis is our resident Brains for Dorothy shares Aerobatic including combat rotary expert testing gear her wisdom champion and respected author

+STAR QUESTION

WHAT DO I DO?

Q| I ďŹ&#x201A;y regularly but when in the vicinity of Luton or Stansted the oďŹ&#x192;cial advice is to squawk 0013 and monitor 129.95 or 120.625 respectively and get a LARS service from Fanborough North on 132.8. As my radio only receives one station at a time what do you suggest to avoid traďŹ&#x192;c conďŹ&#x201A;icts?

Incidentally, how does Luton or Stansted call one if only â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;monitoringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is being done and no 2-way communication established? - Jerome Mostyn (1953 PPL holder) A| For This question we decided to go directly to NATS for the answer and this is the reply: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe your original input has one word diďŹ&#x20AC;erent to oďŹ&#x192;cial advice which makes quite a diďŹ&#x20AC;erence.

SHALL I SWITCH?

Q| After many years of umming and ahhing I ďŹ nally decided to start training for my pilot's licence. I currently have around 10 hours to my name already, but I've decided that maybe I dont a need a PPL and that an NPPL will be enough for me.

I was wondering if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to change to aim for an NPPL at this stage of my training?

What would it incur?

What, if anything, would I have to do again? Is there anything I would need to know?

And are there any potential beneďŹ ts from having an NPPL instead of a full PPL? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; David Cook

NEED TO SPEAK YOUR MIND! THEN EMAIL YOUR OPINION TO LOOP

incoming@ loop.aero How to It should read, 'When ďŹ&#x201A;ying monitor in the vicinity of Luton or two or Stansted the oďŹ&#x192;cial advice more is to squawk 0013 and stations monitor 129.95 or 120.625 with a radio respectively OR get a LARS that only service from Farnborough receives North on 132.8.' one at a "From the perspective time? of Luton or Stansted, I believe if they wish to establish 2-way with an A| Changing to the NPPL at this stage is absolutely ďŹ ne.

You will be unlikely to have to repeat anything, and actually you have less to do! You will have a less onerous medical and it will cost less.

There is a shorter ďŹ&#x201A;ying syllabus to undertake for the NPPL so it should save you money as well. You will take the same written examinations, so if you want to progress to a PPL later you can always upgrade to a full medical and do the extra training to convert to a full PPL quite easily.

Your NPPL privileges will be fewer, as you will not be able to ďŹ&#x201A;y all types of aircraft and generally you are not able to use the NPPL in other countries of Europe, or ďŹ&#x201A;y at night or in IMC. - Dorothy Pooley

aircraft squawking the 0013, they will blind call 'Aircraft squawking 0013, overhead Ware VRP, are you on frequency?'. That would certainly be how Farnborough blind calls 7000 squawks near us that are 'in the way' as it were and with which it would beneďŹ t us to identify.â&#x20AC;?

- NATS +NOTAM

WELLESBOURNE MOUNTFORD

NEED TO SPEAK YOUR MIND! THEN EMAIL YOUR OPINION TO LOOP

incoming@ loop.aero

Night flight training is possible until 30 March, with the aerodrome open Wed and Fri until Sunset + 30 min until 20:00, Sat SS+30until 19:00, subject to weather.

SHERBURN-IN-ELMET

No mogas availble.

CARDIFF

24 Feb, morning, radar out of service. VFR inbound and outbound routes suspended.

BEMBRIDGE

Aerodrome closed to all traffic except resident aircraft, ATZ and CAA licence suspended.

PROPELLER ADVICE FROM PROPTECH OPTECH ECH

F

IRSTLY, a happy new year Q Any incident during to all LOOP readers from engine ngine operation in which all at Proptech â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we hope the he propeller impacts a you all had a good and enjoyable solid olid object that causes festive period, and are all looking a drop in revolutions forward to a great year of ďŹ&#x201A;ying! per er minute (RPM) and Unfortunately the weather is also so requires structural still not good for GA pilots and repair pair of the propeller. aircraft â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there are signs of some Incidents cidents that require improvement, but as we all know only ly paint touch-up are this can be very changeable. nott included). This If you are ďŹ&#x201A;ying at this time is not restricted to of year be aware the weather propeller opeller strikes conditions can induce possible against ainst the hazards, like soft ground, ground. ound. slippery runways and taxiways etc, and banked snow if there are more falls.

Should you be unlucky enough to suďŹ&#x20AC;er from a propeller strike due to any of the above, then I Q A sudden RPM speed drop recommend you contact your while le impacting water, tall engineer or propeller facility for grass, ss, or similar yielding further advice. medium, dium, where propeller Most propeller OEMs have blade de damage is not normally criteria that list the various incurred. urred. actions required following a propeller strike, whether it be Depending ending on the resulting a ďŹ xed- or variable-pitch, with inspection ection ďŹ ndings to the aluminium or composite blades. propeller, peller, the work required A foreign object strike can to return turn it to service can include a broad spectrum of rangee from a minor repair to damage, from a minor stone nick mandatory datory overhaul. to severe ground impact damage.

If you ou are not using your A conservative approach aircraft aft during the winter in evaluating the damage is months hs determine whether your required because there may be propeller eller is due for overhaul, it hidden damage that is not readily might t be worth doing it during apparent during an on-wing or this period, eriod, even if a bit early, on-engine, visual inspection. but bear ear in mind that propeller The deďŹ nition of a foreign shopss get busy around the object strike is: Easterr time and the start of the Q Any incident, whether or not ďŹ&#x201A;ying season. the engine is operating, that By doing oing this you avoid the requires repair to the propeller rush and nd will be ready to go other than minor dressing of ďŹ&#x201A;ying in the spring and this will the blades. save removals emovals in the summer.

Examples of foreign object Finally, ly, on a light hearted note, strike include situations where this website ebsite www.notplanejane. an aircraft is stationary and the com might ight be of interest to landing gear collapses causing LOOP readers. eaders. It's for a large one or more blades to be collection ion of mostly ďŹ ďŹ xed-pitch xed-pitch signiďŹ cantly damaged, or where vintage e propellers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing a hangar door (or other object) how many any there have been over strikes the propeller blade. the years! rs!

These cases should be handled as foreign object strikes Don't hesitate esitate to contact the because of potentially severe Engineering ering or Commercial side loading on the propeller teams at Proptech for any tech hub, blades and retention advice or quotations via www. bearings. proptechpropellers.com. hpropellers.com.

WHITE WALTHAM

Trial of new runway 11R/29L, 830x30m, until 20 March. Runway parallel to and 60m south of existing 11/29.

46 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero www.loop.aero FEBRUARY UARY 2011 LOOP 47

41-52 No chance of this club being snowbound d and fogged in! As always, ys, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crammed d full of advice, e, guidance, ideas, and the people that make ďŹ&#x201A;ying great

4 ENGINE NEWS SPECIAL Continental Engines bought by China, and other developments

14 GEAR: DC ANR HEADSET An aftermarket conversion to the pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stalwart but of kit

6 THE REBEL RACER The British electric aircraft project capturing the imagination

16 GEAR: WINTERPROOFING Time for some TLC for your aircraft as the cold bites

9 NEWS Evektorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EV-55 on hold, a luxury AT-3, and progress at HondaJet

18 GEAR: A YEAR OF IDEAS Start the year with a few suggestions to make it better

9 BOB DAVY The many ups and downs of winter ďŹ&#x201A;ying (but more ups!)

30 AEROS WITH ALAN Comparing the cost of aerobatics and going competitive

11 DENNIS KENYON The perils of misheard or misunderstood communications

66 INSTANT EXPERT The Vanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RV-7 comes under the microscope

12 INCOMING Your letters on the beneďŹ t of the IMC, Ofcom regulations and more

PLUS COMMERCIAL TRAINING Part two of our special series looking at going professional

ALAN CASSIDY p30 Back in the UK after a spell in the warmth of the Galapagos, aeros legend Alan studies the true costs of aerobatics, and the pros and cons of renting vs owning

NICK HEARD p46 Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mini-tips are some of your most requested items, so our training guru starts the year with a raft of the best to bear at the forefront of your mind.

FRONTEND

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

N E W S W I R E US PATENT ROW ONLINE flight planners face a litigious future after US firm FlightPrep won a years-long fight to patent the process.

ENGINE SPECIAL

CONTINENTAL MOTORS SOLD TO CHINA FOR $186M

Sale of TCM piston engine division will help famous US engine firm expand into the Far East

T

HE TELEDYNECONTINENTAL aircraft engine business has been sold to China’s state-owned AVIC aircraft manufacturer as its expansion continues.

The Chinese conglomerate, which makes everything from helicopters to airliners, paid $186 million in cash for the piston engine business part of Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM). Continental Motors is based in Mobile, Alabama, at a former US Air Force Base where it employs 400 people. The Chinese have committed to keeping the business there.

TCM engines power countless aircraft in the GA fleet, and the boss says the deal is one which strengthens the firm. TCM chief Rhett Ross said of the buy-up: “I am excited about the opportunity to work with the AVIC International team. It will greatly strengthen Continental

Motors’ market access.

“In addition, increased investment will accelerate new products such as our TD-300 diesel engine, which is well-suited to growing regions given international fuel availability. The transaction will allow Continental Motors to continue to be a global leader in the general aviation piston engine industry.

“Today, Continental’s primary markets are the US and Europe.

China opens one of the world’s largest potential markets for general aviation aircraft, due to its growing population, large geographical area and expanding infrastructure.”

Compared to 230,000 general aviation aircraft in the US, China has only 900 small aircraft operating in the country, a number is expected to grow over the next decade, raising demand for FAA-certified

Continental's new TD-300 fitted to a Cessna 182 piston engines.

Continental Motors produced its first commercial aircraft engine in 1929, an 8.9-litre sevencylinder radial producing 170hp, and has been in production ever since.

The company’s current engines range from 100hp to 350hp, powering such aircraft as the Cirrus SR22 and Cessna Corvalis, but it has suffered along with other General Aviation companies in the worldwide

recession, recently cutting back to a four-day week.

Over the past couple of years, Continental has produced a new lightweight 100hp engine for the Cessna SkyCatcher, and a 315hp IO-540 which runs on 94-octane unleaded avgas.

The sale to AVIC is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, and is subject to clearance under US antitrust and foreign investment measures. www.genuinecontinental.aero

BRITISH DIESEL

Wilksch going for seconds BRITISH engine developer Wilksch is working on the second generation of its revolutionary aero-diesel piston engine.

Martin Long of Wilskch said: “Our new 2nd generation engine is undergoing durability testing. We hope it will range from 100hp to 140hp at the same weight and external shape and size of our current engine.

“The new engine gives

considerably lower smoke, specific fuel consumption and is much quieter. Performance is right where we want it – the first big hurdle.”

It is hoped to be fitted in a demo aircraft within the year. Wilksch is still selling its original WAM 100 and 120 engines (£14,200 and £15,000 respectively). There are around 20 aircraft flying with Wilksch engines and

04 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

around 40 have been delivered. For now, the engine can only be used in Permit aircraft as it has yet to go through the Type Certification process.

InDus has shown interest – it has already used WAMs in its Thorp T211 model – with the use of avtur fuel, rather than avgas, very appealing to InDus which has connections in China. www.wilksch.com

Wilksch diesel has been designed for aircraft from the start

GROB TURBINE

SEARCH LAW BID

GROB has a new two-seat version of its amazing G140TP trainer, the G120TP powered by a 380shp Rolls-Royce turbine.

VOLUNTEER group Air Search is pressing for a change in a law which bars members aiding police in missing persons cases.

DeltaHawk’s helicopter and Cirrus projects

Get a quick fact fix...

A NEW helicopter and a conversion for the Cirrus SR20 are among the projects involving US aero-diesel innovator DeltaHawk.

It has an inverted, liquid-cooled V4 turbo with direct drive, with three versions planned: 160hp, 180hp, and 200hp, with more powerful versions possible. The company is pursuing FAA Type Certification with the 180hp model, as well as offering engines to homebuilders.

In addition to its good economy it is relatively light at 327lb including ancillaries, which is what attracted Australia’s Delta Helicopters.

Delta’s heli is the D2 and its creator is Graeme Smith, formerly the Rotorway importer into Australia.

The plan is to offer the Delta D2 as a kit at first – like the Rotorway – then go for certification.

The Cirrus SR20 project is a joint-venture with LoPresti Speed Merchants to produce a Supplemental Type Certicate (STC) installation in the aircraft. www.deltahawkengines.com www.deltahelicopters.com.au

Cirrus eyeing new US diesel engine design A RECENT addition to a number of diesel engine projects in the works had an interesting visitor: Cirrus’s Chief of Engineering turned up at the official launch by Engineered Propulsion Systems based in Wisconsin.

EPS has secured nearly $1m to begin building its new diesel. Cirrus tech head Paul Johnston was attended the ceremony, as well as aeronautical design legend Dick Rutan, aboard as adviser.

EPS founders Michael Fuchs and Steven Weinzierl, hope to have a running example ready this summer.

After years finding backing, Weinzierl said it’s a relief to be starting the actual work of creating a new engine.

Johnston’s appearance prompted instant speculation Cirrus want to get involved, and he said: “It really gives hope that this will be the engine to power our airplanes into the next decade.”

www.loop.aero

5 MINUTE READ...

MORE DIESELS

US DIESEL

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO...

QUOTE OF THE MONTH “If they can play a game of rugby, I’m sure they can land an aeroplane…”

Dancing cricket star Darren Gough’s take on meteorology and icing, during the Heathrow shutdown (versus a rugby game which went ahead).

WHAT THEY SAID...

It’s important to note how quickly the aviation community has rallied their collective voice of concern for safety, fair play, and this misuse of the legal system. I’m proud to be among you and support this boycott.

Signatory to a US group calling for a boycott of FlightPrep (over the patent dispute brewing in the US) It is impossible for us, and for that matter, any business, to develop the proprietary technology to provide useful products and services, while at the same time giving it away and remain a viable business.

FlightPrep, saying they are doing what anyone would

THE CRAZY RATES

Cirrus looking for alternative fuels

£ versus € 2010 (£1 = ___) Jan €1.126 Feb €1.413 Mar €1.097 Apr €1.130 May €1.149 Jun €1.198 Jul €1.234 Aug €1.210 Sep €1.224 Oct €1.152 Nov €1.153 Dec €1.191 www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 05

FRONTEND

Rarely has something so green looked so good VOLTING AMBITION

ELECTRIC F1 PLANE COULD COST JUST A FEW POUNDS PER FLIGHT New British project to make electric flight exciting for more than just its price

I

MAGINE a new generation of racing and aerobatics planes that will prepare pilots for top-level competitive flight, but at a cost of only a few pounds per flight AND green enough to stave off the most argumentative ecologist.

This is the Rebel Electric Racer, from composites guru Roger Targett of Targett Aviation, which he hopes will lead to a new low-cost low-CO2 race series to boost interest in electric flight.

Roger took the Rebel from imagination to full-size mock-up in just weeks, and saw huge interest after an appearance at the NEC's Flying Show laste last year.

Since his Show appearance, he has received several serious offers of help and potential investment, from existing industry experts and those from outside aviation but passionate about green power and ec0-flight.

Airbus/EADS already have a strong connection with electric flight through ongoing research projects such as the recent French Cri-Cri, and are considering aiding Targett with laser scanning to take the existing mock-up to the CAD stage for development.

Targett created the dummy from his own imagination, first drawing an outline on the floor of his Nympsfield hangar.

Painted and marked with Red Bull star Steve Jones’ livery (Jones has kindly offered to be part of initial flight testing). Scanning the existing model into a PC with perfect accuracy would be a huge help.

Roger is working closely with the Light Aircraft Association, as Britain aims to position itself at the forefront of electric aviation, and says: “The interest since the show has been phenomenal, with lots of people ringing to offer help and advice.

06 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

REBEL SPECS WING SPAN: Symmetrical section 20ft (6.1m) one piece, interchangeable tips WING AREA: 51 sq-ft (4.74 sq m) LENGTH: 17ft (5.2m) CONSTRUCTION: UV resistant epoxy pre-preg carbon with honey cell sandwich, safety cell POWER: 60Kw brushless motor, two- or three-blade electric VP Propeller EMPTY WEIGHT: 195Kg (Inc batteries with 30 mins flight duration) MAX WEIGHT: 683lbs (310Kg) AIRFRAME LIMITS: +/- 6G CRUISE SPEED: 160mph (257km/h) VNE: 220mph (354km/h) SPECIAL FEATURES: Ballistic recovery system fitted as standard; megaphone sound system; helmet display system.

Aircraft comes out of the mould and has graphic kit applied – meaning no prep, filling, profiling or painting needed

“Aside from those within aviation who know about electric engines, there are many outside who would like to get involved.”

The Rebel has a 20ft wingspan (one-piece, with winglets) and is 17ft long, with Roger aiming for a 195kg empty weight and a 310kg MAUW, meaning 115kg of useful load - no need for heavy avgas in this racer! It will have a ballistic parachute and safety cell as standard, and as a 51% kit or factory-built.

Aeros factors of +/-6G are planned, and all Targett’s expertise in slippery sailplane and gliders is obvious in the speed numbers: cruise will be around 160mph, and the Vne around 220mph.

Yuneec’s 60Kw (81hp) electric motor (with controller and li-ion batteries) is under consideration, with other motors being looked at– some offering up to 400hp!

“Electric motors are not

heavy, and the beauty of batteries is that you can place them where you like to get the ideal CofG,” Roger explained. “There is such an increasing desire for greener energy in all forms of transport and racing, and also they are very quiet.”

But, Roger says it would also be possible to fit a megaphone system if you wish it to make a particular engine noise for a show such as a Spitfire.

“As a kit it would be around £25,000, and around £80,000 as a factory-built aircraft including a trailer with solar panels to assist recharging.”

Endurance would initially be around 30min, improving as battery tech advances.

Targett's goal is a race series to take place at regular air shows around the UK. The first flight is hoped to be within a year to 18 months, and investors are being sought. www.rebelelectricracer.com

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

EUROCOPTER X3 ON TRACK... AND FAST THE strange looking twin-prop, stubbywinged X3 prototype heli built by Eurocopter has hit its first speed milestone in tests.

Eurocopter’s X3 highspeed hybrid helicopter demonstrator, which first flew in September, has reached its Step 1 speed objective: attaining a true airspeed of 180kt in level flight at a reduced level of engine power.

In the flight testing performed thus far, the flight envelope has been opened with and without autopilot to validate the basic hybrid demonstrator aircraft’s stability and handling

characteristics. The X3 has reached an altitude of 12,500 feet and performed manoeuvres with left and right turns at bank angles of up to 60 degrees.

The X3 flights to date were performed by Eurocopter test pilot Hervé Jammayrac and flight test engineer Daniel Semioli at the French DGA test facility in Istres.

“The X3 has performed extremely well, demonstrating handling and flight qualities that are exactly in line with our ground-based simulator evaluations,” he said. www.eurocopter.com

Brian Hope's Flying Show stars SHERWOOD RANGER WITH grant money from the East of England Development Agency, it might not be long before we see an aerobatic version of The Light Aircraft Company’s gorgeous Sherwood Ranger kit biplane, the ‘XP’. The demo aircraft is being worked on now, and it is hoped it will be able to be certified in Germany later this year. Multiple engines are being looked at, including Rotax, Jabiru, and a BMW motorcycle engine, but most exciting is a new 65hp double-row radial design under development in the USA. www.g-tlac.com

SAVANNAH XLS THE well-known Savannah high-wing kit ultralight has a new stablemate, the roomier XLS. It features the same wing but a more rounded fuselage, and a longer and five-inch-wider cabin with a transparent roof, giving the cockpit a much airier feel. Engine is a Jabiru 2200, with enough power in reserve that the Savannah may graduate from the 450kg microlight class to the heavier SSEA. UK agents are Sandtoft Ultralights. The quick-build kit will be around £34,000 including engine. www.sandtoft-ultralights.co.uk

REALITY KID WANKEL power could be coming to the Kid SSDR. Work is underway to make the Aixro XF40 Wankel engine suitable for the Reality Kid, with a current output of 37hp @ 7000rpm.

The current engine choice is the 28hp Hirth F33 single, but the lightening the Aixro exhaust system will ensure it doesn’t take the Kid over the 115kg SSDR class weight limit. An alternative 33hp two-stroke design is also being evaluated. Reality expect approval to export the Kid to Germany soon. www.escapadeaircraft.com

PIONEER 400 MINOR tweaks to the gorgeous Pioneer 400 four-seater are all that remain before the first kits come into the UK via Pioneer Aviation (now at Shobdon). Wings will be lowered by a couple of inches, gull-wing door hinges tweaked to ease access, window pillars narrowed for improved visibility, and undercarriage revised from the test version flown in the UK last year by the Light Aircraft Association. After that, kits for one of the best looking aircraft around will be clear to buy at around €120,000. www.pioneeraviation.co.uk

X3 has already hit 180kt in tests, with more to come

TRAGEDY

HELICOPTER STARS PERISH IN CRASH TWO of the leading lights of the British helicopter community have died, after Team GB regulars Martin Rutty and Simon Lichtenstein were in a crash in France.

The pair were in a Robinson R22 which came down shortly after take-off from Sospel, near Nice, France, in the densely wooded Tourrettes-sur-Loup valley. The duo were well-known members

of the national squad in the World Helicopter Championships, having competed four times.

There is no official report as yet, but it is suggested there was a catastrophic mechanical failure. Although skies were clear at the time of the crash, there were strong gusty winds. The two were partners in the heli firm FlyQ, and had flown together for well over a decade.

Martin Rutty

Simon Lichtenstein

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 07

04 LOOP JANUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

FRONTEND

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

NEW AIRCRAFT #1

EV-55 ON HOLD EVEKTOR’S planned EV-55 Outback twin turboprop project has hit the buffers after the firm was forced to put its maiden flight on hold because of “admin problems”, it says.

The Czech firm is wellknown for its popular SEP LSA, and was positioning the Outback as a new entry into the busy utility turboprop twin market.

Evektor’s Petr Grebeniek said the first flight has been postponed for admin reasons – no word on what they are.

The aircraft is assembled and ready to fly, and Evektor say that the first flight should still take place soon.

He said: “From the

technical point of view, the aircraft is ready for its first flight. The aircraft assembling and installations of its systems have been completed. We are working intensively to get over these administrative obstacles.”

The PWC PT6 turbineequipped aircraft should carry up to 10 PAX, with a useful load of nearly 2000kg. www.evektor.cz

EV-55 Outback: flying soon

NEW AIRCRAFT #2

HONDAJET TESTING THE high-tech HondaJet has started official flight tests with the first flight of its FAA-conforming aircraft.

The event is a significant step in Honda’s aerospace program leading to delivery of aircraft in 2012, the firm says.

The first conforming jet lifted off from Honda Aircraft Company’s world

HQ at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, and remained aloft for 51 minutes, during which time the aircraft’s flight characteristics and performance were analysed and systems checks were conducted.

The second conforming jet has been completed. hondajet.honda.com

New paintscheme graces the first conforming HondaJet NEW AIRCRAFT #3

GARMIN FEATURES ON NEW LUXURY AERO AT-3 THE lovely Aero AT-3 has a new luxury variant, with the arrival of the highly-specced AT-3 R100 GLX. The AT-3 is increasing its profile as a training-approved VLA low-wing, and the R100 GLX features a certified Garmin glass cockpit and approval for Night VFR flights.

The Garmin kit includes dual G500 EFDs, a GNS430W

GPS and NAVCOM unit, a GMA340 audio panel, and a GTX328 Mode S. The design also features improvements, such as reduced yaw in high rpm/low airspeed flight, longer-life exhaust silencers, leather interior, and new sensors and warning lights. It’s around €125,000 ex-factory (+VAT). www.s2taero.com

BOB

Davy

LO O P ' s m a n w i t h a tt i t u d e a s w e l l a s a l t i t u d e THE weather and decided to stop brought out the if we didn’t have worst and the best 2/3rds of our flying in us in Blighty. by 1/3rd of We effortlessly speed For me it led to the runway length. pulled up into The first 100m contradictory emotions because a loop from or so produced a snow can enhance straight and spectacular white private flying cloud for spectators level, then (and also private but little forward driving – abandoned another, then speed apparent dispersals another... a for Lee and I in the make excellent free display cockpit. Then the skidpans) but make stick came back commercial flying many pulling the nosewheel out times more difficult. of the snow, and the Chang It wasn’t just the early began to gallop. By 300m starts and late finishes we had about 70kmh and in dark and cold, dealing gained the last 40kmh in the with snow, ice, CBs and next 200 and lifted clear. freezing fog, low-vis Lee delayed gear retraction take-offs and landings etc, for a few seconds to let any not to mention crowded snow blow away and cycled terminals and occasional the wheels up and down incensed passengers who to make sure they weren’t don’t understand why going to freeze up (ice makes an aeroplane can’t fly an excellent glue if you let when it’s covered in 6in of it). We cleared the circuit snow and Mediterranean and enjoyed the view of a ground handlers aren’t as winter wonderland. Without efficient in de-/anti-icing descending into the murky as their north European place called Schadenfreude, counterparts might be pilots delight in the cheap (or might not… LHR.) All thrill of flying over traffic magnified at Christmas, or jams. And the elation of February school hols etc. flying a dark green 200mph In consecutive flights 'Chang over static white we performed one motorways was hard to stifle. contaminated runway Cold dense air meant take-off, one low-vis takethe Huosai 10l radial was off, two low-vis landings producing every one of its (both successful, ie we 285hp and we effortlessly didn’t divert) one diversion pulled up into a loop from due to operational reasons straight and level, then and we were de-/ anti-iced another, then another, six times. We didn’t get doing a little free display any thanks but that’s OK, for the stranded motorists. it reminded us that it’s Transiting Berks in just for this we get paid – not a few minutes and up the warm, daylight, shirtChiltern ridge flying some sleeve summer flying. This more aeros for hundreds of Christmas weather though tobogganists lining the hills. couldn’t have been worse.

Back at Waltham, coming Then, I went for a flight to a halt in 300m and the in one of the Chang Chang in bed behind frozen Gang’s CJ6s. It was really hangar doors, then rallying interesting taxiing in about a Porsche and a Transit 4in of dry snow and then van back to the clubhouse trying out a take-off. We had (the Transit won...) for a hot well over 1000m of runway chocolate with some brandy to use (the Chang needs in it, Christmas couldn’t get about 400m of hard surface) any better.

ELSEWHERE...

TYPE ‘Hitler Ryanair Rant’ into Google and you’ll come up with a great clip of the Downfall Hitler bunker scene modified such that Hitler’s generals have been unable to book a Lufthansa holiday flight and opted instead for Ryanair (it’s adult language!). There should an award for something like this so let’s make one: the 2010 LOOP Golden Google.

Brilliant.

Also look out for the Little Britain team’s TV special on the airlines. Like most comedy series I think LB went off the boil a bit towards the end (the latest Harry Enfield/ Paul Whitehouse show is another example...) but maybe Lucas & Walliams have recharged batteries.

Contrasting old and new, did you see The Trip, a spoof of the ‘three middle-aged men in a boat’, in an old car going round Britain getting drunk etc.

Starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as themselves it’s the bext mocumentary I’ve seen since the People Like Us series 10 years ago. Check it out on BBC iplayer.

The latest Matt Lucas thing might might just be an excuse for the only gay in the village to dess up as an air hostess but it’s worth a look all the same.

Happy 2011!

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 09

0131 447 7777

Jeppesen ChartView now available on the GPSMAP 695*

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ÆRA 500 ...... £499 Also available theÆRA 550 with extra features ..... £950

• Large memory holds 1000 waypoints • Airfield circuit patterns overlaid on map

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GPSMAP 196 ..................... £345 GPSMAP96 greyscale display £240 GPSMAP 495 ..................... £799 GPSMAP96C colour display £295 GPSMAP 496 ..................... £899

ATTENTION HOMEBUILDERS We can design and build a custom avionics stack/panel supplied with wiring harness See AVIONICS PANEL BUILDER on our web site www.gps.co.uk

G3X System Single Display .... £5,495 Dual Display ...... £6,995 • • • • • •

Single display to multi screen system building block design.

Solid state ADAHRS for attitude, heading, rate, vector and acceleration data.

Engine instrumentation, fuel and system data through GSU 73 for Lycoming, Continental, Rotax and Jabiru Engines.

SVX synthetic vision technology providing 3D virtual reality perspective.

Terrain database with colour coded alerts.

Reversionary mode with multiple display installs.

GPSMAP 695 ......... £1,499 Large screen portable moving map GPS. Now with optional Jeppesen ChartView.

IFR certified GPS GNS 430W .. £5,395 (GPS/NAV/COMM 8.33)

GNS 530W .. £7,395 (GPS/NAV/COMM 8.33)

The above units are supplied with basic wiring harness for LAA or Experimental aircraft

GI106A CDI .... £1,295 Panel mounted CDI for the 400/500 series • • • •

SL40 COMM ....................................... £1,145

GPS/NAV/VLOC annunciators VOR/LOC/GPS glideslope & flags integral OBS resolver backlit

MD200 CDI .... £1,295

SL 30 NAV/COMM ......................... £2,475

the SL30 nav/com • • • •

• 760 channels 118 to 136.975 MHz • Active and standby flip’flop frequencies • Transmit power 8 watts (carrier power) • 200 channel Nav with VOR and Glidescope receivers (SL30)

NAV/VLOC annunciators VOR/LOC needle integral OBS resolver backlit

G500 / G600 ...... Now Available GTX328 Mode S Transponder .. £1,640 The GTX328 is fully VFR/Class2 as well as IFR certified for aircraft operating under 15,000ft and under 175kt true airspeed

GTX330 Mode S TransponderPLEASE CALL IFR Class 1 for aircraft operating above 15,000ft and over 175kt true speed

GMA340 Audio Panel (TSO) ....... £875 Six place VOX Stereo intercom, up to 3 COM 2 NAV, 11-33 volt, marker beacon receiver

GMA240 Audio Panel ........................ £599 Four place VOX Stereo intercom, 2 COM, 2 NAV 2 Aux, 2 music, front panel music/phone jack 11-33 volt operation, Non TSO’d

ADD 20% VAT - UK & EU ONLY OPEN MON-FRI 9am-5.30pm – NEXT DAY UK MAINLAND DELIVERY FROM £6.50 If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, please return the goods in original condition within 28 days for replacement, exchange or a full no quibble refund.

All prices subject to change.

Please call for details

FAMILY RUN BUSINESS FOR OVER 20 YEARS

FRONTEND

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DENNIS

Kenyon

Fo r m e r w o r l d h e l i co p te r ch a m p i o n a n d i n s t r u ct o r AS I listened to some Christmas carols the subject for this month was decided: communications.

How so? Well, all my life I’ve been singing the line, “Dress the halls with balls of holly, tra lala, etc.”, until one day a friend pointed out the actual word was ‘bals’ of holly – still no sense. But TV subtitles reveal ‘boughs' of holly.’

So there we have it. For 50 years I’ve been mishearing the words of a well-known Christmas carol; thus I relate incidents and accidents due to some misunderstandings and poor communication.

We’ve all heard the story of two commercial pilots thundering down the runway for take-off. The Captain sees his co-pilot appears miserable, and says “Cheer up!”, at which the co-pilot raises the gear prematurely. Of course, ‘Gear up’ was what he was expecting and thought he heard.

Here are two personal moments of communications failure. The first was demo-ing an Enstrom 280C Shark to a potential purchaser who owned two Alsatians. Helicopters emit a variety of sounds of extreme frequencies, many beyond the human ear but which can excite canine friends. I was especially careful, briefing, "Please keep the dogs on the lead until I have landed.”

My careful brief was very wrong.

I touched down and disconnected the rotors for the standard twominute shut-down procedure when I was most alarmed to see the owner’s dog bound towards the

helicopter, barking and leaping up at the rotor blades.

Fortunately the slowing blades were still high enough to prevent the dog making contact, but almost immediately the animal moved round to the rear of the helicopter and snapped up at the spinning tail rotor blades with disastrous consequences. That accident was my fault, but can you tell me what my brief should have been?

Personal incident No.2 concerned another Enstrom. I’d been asked to display the latest 280 FX model at the 1999 Biggin Hill Air Fair.

The multi-blade Enstrom makes a good ‘freestyle’ machine but while displaying at the 1986 World Helicopter Championship event at Cranfield, I suffered a tail rotor (T/R) failure. During a maximum power climbing manoeuvre, the up-going T/R blade intercepted the left pedal control cable which in turn wrapped itself around the transmission resulting in gearbox seizure. The fix was simple. For display flying, a tightening of the turn buckle cable to the maximum permitted MM (maintenance manual) figure and the renewal of any oilsoftened rubber The dog moved to the rear and T/R blade flapping stops. snapped up at Display the spinning tail day was a rotor blades ...

Saturday with with disastrous no engineering staff on duty but consequences

as I carried out the standard preflight check, the company’s Chief Engineer happened to be present in the hangar. I asked, “Have the predisplay checks on the tail rotor been completed?” “Yes Dennis, all OK,” came the reply. That Biggin Hill event was my 980th public display and once again I snapped the cable and lost tail rotor control.

The post-incident investigation revealed a classic case of poor communication. The Chief Engineer said he thought I wanted the MM cable tension figures to be simply checked which he had done, but had not been asked to re-tension the cables or change the flapping stops. Again my fault for not explaining the display requirements in detail and assuming he knew them! That old chestnut ‘Don’t assume – check’ comes to mind. For Enstrom owners, I hasten to add the problem was resolved by the manufacturer by moving the control cable exit point further inboard – apparently now known as ‘the Kenyon hole’!

But communication misunderstandings can have significantly more serious consequences. On a foggy afternoon in March 1977 almost 600 lives were lost when Jacob van Zanten, the Captain of a much-delayed KLM Boeing 747, thought he had ATC clearance to take off from Tenerife’s Los Rodeos airport and promptly collided with a taxiing PanAm 747 as it joined the ‘foggedin’ active runway.

The KLM aircraft was given an

ATC ‘airways joining’ clearance.

Due to a ‘Heterodyne’ R/T interruption as both pilots made simultaneous transmissions, the KLM Captain Van Zanten took off before the PanAm aircraft could vacate the runway.

Only 50 passengers on the PanAm flight survived.

One of the accident causes was officially given as ‘the use of nonstandard’ radio calls when Van Zanten called, “We are now at takeoff” as he was actually barrelling down the runway to rotation speed.

Today’s pilots know we don’t talk about clearing runways any more.

We ‘vacate’ them to avoid misuse of the word ‘clear’.

A final story worth repeating concerns the helicopter pilot’s standard clearing turn prior to takeoff. I was carrying out a proficiency check on Barry Sheene. Barry, God bless him, was a highly safetyconscious and aware pilot, but as flying experience builds, safety discipline can suffer.

Barry completed a nice 90-degree look-out turn observing “Nothing coming. we’re off.” I decided it would be a good time to install a personal safety mantra and stopped the take-off transition. I believe the look-out turn should be conducted to see ‘what is coming.’ as I take the view that if you are expecting to see nothing that is what you will see! If you expect to see conflicting traffic and if it is there, you will see it!

As always, I wish you all a very good new year and many hours of fun and safe flying in 2011.

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 11

INCOMING

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

STAR LETTER

The UK life saver A non-IMCR friend asked me to sit in on a flight to the Scilly Isles, because of my IMC Rating. The flight saw a wall of cloud which I suggested being above, and soon we levelled at 5000ft in cloud – poised for the sun we hoped.

Then started a very gentle right turn and descent, both increasing. My pal was very quiet, then said, “I’ve lost it!’ and handed the aircraft over.

We had been two mins in IMC. Back on track and height using things taught during my IMCR course we climbed higher and eventually popped into blue skies.

The cloud ended at Land’s End but reappeared over the Isles and we set up for the shorter runway – the one which you can’t see both ends! Using the map, GPS and intuition we legally approached and landed before the uphill strip turns downhill (...cliffs at the end).

No wonder ATC offers a low approach and go-around to first time visitors.

Life was easier on return and as I was climbing out my friend said about his next goal is IMCR. It’s the best thing any pilot could do.

Paul Merry

cross w or d # 2 6 last month

Across 1 Data 3 Air Cover 9 Altaire 10 Minor 11 Royal 12 All Out 14 Macaws 16 Bikini 19 Alclad 21 O-Ring 24 Genet 25 Seattle 26 Heli Expo 27 Alps Down 1 Diagrams 2 Tatty 4 Iceman 5 Camel 6 Venturi 7 RVRS 8 Air Law 13 Winglets 15 Colonel 17 Isobar 18 Adds Up 20 Litre 22 Intel 23 EGNH Across 1 CA short high tone produced as a signal or warning (4) 3 A control surface combining the functions of a flap and an aileron (8) 9 2 on a 737, 3 on a 727, 4 on a 747 (7) 10 You spot VT-ALE on an aircraft... what country is it from? (5) 11 How Boeing got the inspiration to build the 787 perhaps? (5) 12 Engine invented in 1913 by René Lorin; uses forward motion to compress air not a compressor (6) 14 Breathe in (6) 16 Electricity generated by friction of aircraft moving through the air (6) 19 If spotted on the airframe it might indicate a previous heavy landing (6) 21 Nickname for a weight-shift microlight aircraft (5) 24 A strain in the structure of a substance, when layers are laterally shifted in relation to each other (5) 25 Short, winglike, on sides of seaplane fuselage to increase lateral stability (7) 26 Wing configuration with prominent bend in the wing somewhere along the span, generally near the root (4,4) 27 A rod type fitting threaded at both ends, to be used in tension (4) Down 1 Hot high-pressure gas from bypass section of a gas turbine, for de-icing

and heating (5,3) 2 McDonnell Douglas F15 (5) 4 They produce intense monochrome beams of coherent light (6) 5 Triangular optic device used to deviate a beam or invert images; used in some inertial navigation systems (5) 6 Disused Herts airfield opened in 1929 as a grass strip for Handley Page (7) 7 US agency focused on the state of the oceans and atmosphere (Acronym) (4) 8 Opaque or semi-transparent glossy and glassy substance applied to hard surfaces as a protective coating (6) 13 Checked for prohibited items (8) 15 Oxfordshire ex-RAF field, UK centre of atomic energy research and development from 40s to 90s (7) 17 Body art for a Fairford fan (6) 18 Annual stages divided by the equinoxes and solstices or atmospheric conditions (6) 20 Piper’s PA-28R (5) 22 A map within a map, either at a smaller scale to show relative location, or a larger scale to show detail (5) 23 ICAO code for Gagnef Airport, Sweden (4)

Knowing what to do flying through and above clouds is a life-saver...

Spectrum charging disaster WITH regards to the disastrous outcome of the OFCOM spectrum pricing consultation, as an airfield operator and one of the 150 A/G licence holders, I can state with a degree of authority that this is a wholly unacceptable result.

We currently pay £100 per annum for our A/G licence so a rise to £650, a 550% increase, is unjustifiable by any standards. No commercial organisation would be allowed by its customers to do this – and this is for a safety service.

We provide an A/G service at our airfield purely to increase safety to users. It is already somewhat of an insult to charge us at all, after all it not a benefit to the airfield – we provide it as a benefit to the users and it costs us. This is tantamount to levying a charge on the fire brigade every time they answer a call and attend an incident to save lives.

During the past nine years of operation at our airfield there have been at least a dozen situations where the use of the airfield’s A/G service has averted potentially fatal incidents.

The most recent of these incidents was just last weekend when a non-radio aircraft was making a

downwind approach into the path of another aircraft already on finals on the correct runway.

As a result of Ofcom’s decision we would not be able to renew our licence, we would not have been able to advise the radio equipped aircraft and people would probably have died.

Ofcom have put profit before safety, a situation that NO other organisation would have been allowed to do and I hope that all pilots out there realise that their lives (or loss of them) have been simply converted to a figure on a balance sheet as being ‘acceptable’.

I cannot even address the obscene suggestion by them that if I am not

YOUR PICTURES

It’s the sign making it funny! (I assume it is stunted). Alan

Good advice, well delivered... Stefan Harris, email

How to beat the queues! Jez

12 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

p012-013.incoming.indd 12

27/1/11 10:16:31

SPEAK OUT! BE HEARD! MAKE A POINT! EMAIL YOUR WORDS TO LOOP. DON'T BE MUTE. incoming@loop.aero willing to pay for the licence at that rate, and someone else is, that this is what the market value of it is. Pilots, passengers... your lives have an acceptable market value according to Ofcom.

Each year we hold a charity event fly-in weekend. This year we attracted 108 aircraft but without radio communication the event cannot be held as to purchase a licence would remove over 100% of the generated profit.

You may at this point consider that we should simply move to the allocated safetycom frequency of 135.475 MHz... think again.

Ofcom have vehemently insisted that this is for aircraft/aircraft use only and the use by a groundbased radio station would still require a £650 ground operator’s licence. After all, if that was the answer then all airfields would change over and the revenue would be nil for them.

Basically Ofcom’s decision means we have to operate an airfield where we have no provision for averting catastrophe and simply have to watch the crash.

If there are any lawyers out there capable of wording a document holding Ofcom financially responsible for future deaths if they make the provision of safety services unaffordable, I would be keen to hear from them.

Tim Jinks Stoke Golding Airfield SOAPBOX

I have to agree with your headline about Joe Thorne [Plane Crazy, Dec]: Possibly the best job ever! I am seriously re-assessing my job!

Mike Forrester

C O N T A C T l oo p

small w ings

THE HALF TON HERO THANKS for making me feel my age... is the PA-28 really 50 years-old?

I can still remember when it was the glitzy newcomer which made things like Cessna’s 140 look antiquated, what with its fuel-efficient engine and roomy cabin.

Time may have moved the goalposts a little, but I think it’s a testemant to how good they got the initial design that five decades later, it is still much the same aircraft (with newer bolt-ons) and able to do the job it was built for.

It has a real place in my heart.

JJ Toney

I’m all for aerobatics on TV. Will it mean the inevitable rise of piloting ‘bad boys’ and untamed egos though?

We don’t need that!

Sam Taylor

A very simple email: here’s wishing a great New Year to everyone at LOOP and to all pilots wherever they are!

Jules Spears

NEW ELECTRIC RACER NEW BRITISH DESIGN SPARKS INTEREST + FLYING SHOW Aircraft news + 2011 A year of inspiration + NICK'S TIPS The year ahead +

F R E S H A I R FO R F LY I N G

WHO NEEDS AVGAS? + S P E C I A L F E AT U R E +

As the search for 100UL goes on, we look at some of the great aircraft which already use the greener, cheaper and more widely available alternative – Jet-A1

INSIDE THE COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE: PART 2 E NG I N E N EWS S P E C I A L : C H I NA BU YS C O N T I N E N TA L

+ MONEY Aerobatics priced + DC+ANR Aftermarket headset mod + WINTER Protection +

ISSUE 64 ISSN 1749-7337

LOOP Publishing (UK) 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 Publishing (UK) 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 Chief Photographer David Spurdens E: david@ extremesportsphoto.com ADVERTISING Sales Manager Dave Impey T: 01223 497067 E: daveimpey@loop.aero Key Accounts Lotte Smit T: 01223 497060 E: lotte@loop.aero LOOPMart Aircraft Sales 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 FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 13

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FLIGHTGEAR

THE HOME O F AV I AT I O N PRODUCTS NEW K I T, D E A L S A N D REVIEWS...

I N

G E A R

PROTECT YOUR PLANE Page 16

+NEW ANR UPGRADE KIT

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: A top of the range ANR headset could nudge £1000, but there is an alternative...

O

BEFORE: Original nonANR speaker inside the DC's earcup

14 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

AFTER: Two speakers and mic inside the earcup to provide ANR

N THE face of it an ANR upgrade of an existing passive headset seems to offer a pretty compelling value proposition – all the benefits of ANR at a fraction of the cost of a top-end purpose-built ANR headset.

We’ve tested quite a few ANR sets where, frankly, the noise cancelling hasn’t been impressive. So does an ANR upgrade work well enough to make it worth considering instead?

This ANR upgrade kit from Texas-based Headsets Inc contains all the components needed for anyone comfy with cutting some wires and re-soldering connections, but we used a David Clark H10-13.4 upgraded by Richard Holder who has considerable experience fitting these kits.

The Headsets Inc upgrade replaces the original speakers in each earcup with a new module which includes two speakers, a microphone, and a circuit board, together with the addition of a battery box on the headset cable.

Richard did a very neat job of fitting the kit, including fitting the battery box in-line with the headset cable, an improvement over the standard kit fitment which requires a power lead to be clipped to the original cable, and a hole to be drilled in one of the earcups to allow the lead to be connected.

The battery box is a sturdy component, but at 7.5cm x 6cm x 2.5cm it’s a tad on the bulky side. The unit features an ON/OFF switch, a decent securing clip, and an LED that pulses green when in normal operation, and red on low battery conditions.

The 9V PP3 battery provides about 25 hours of continuous operation. The unit we tested included the optional auto-shutoff

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MOVIE STAR?

POOLEYS GOES DIGITAL ON GPS

Page 16

Page 18

FOR THE BEST GEAR GO TO... www.loop.aero +HOW IT WORKS

ANR FOR LESS

Phil O’Donoghue looks at an ANR conversion kit for David Clarks provide a Bluetooth phone interface or music input.

But it will provide decent ANR at something of a bargain price.

Inline switch for on and off

Battery box is quite bulky

battery box, which saves the battery by powering off the unit when it has not been in use for five minutes.

When battery power runs out completely the headset will continue to operate but with passive noise reduction only. The battery is a very tight fit in its box, and while it is possible to change it in the air, we found it very fiddly to do and probably best avoided.

For our testing in the air we compared the upgraded David Clark back-to-back with a Bose X and an unmodified H10-13.4.

The first thing we noticed was that the passive noise reduction of the upgraded headset was worse than that of our unmodified H10-13.4. It’s not entirely clear why this occurs, but it seems that installation of the upgrade module housing allows an increase

in sound transmission through the earcups.

Although it should be said that when the Bose X runs out of battery power, its noise reduction gets significantly worse as well.

Switching on the ANR on the upgraded unit boosts the treble end of the audio and makes the R/T and intercom sound quite ‘tinny’. However, this does tend to improve the overall clarity of the audio.

We found the active noise reduction to be very good.

It’s not quite a match for the Bose, but it’s still impressive and certainly better than several purpose-built ANR headsets that we’ve tried.

Given the difference in cost of these two alternatives, that’s pretty remarkable.

An ANR upgrade from Headsets Inc won’t make an old headset any lighter or more comfortable, or

THE CONVERSION The Headsets Inc conversion involves removing the existing speakers in each earpiece and replacing them with a module containing two speakers, a microphone and a printed circuit board.

Power is supplied from a PP3 (9 volt) battery in a box, which can also have an auto shut-off function.

The installation is very clean and tidy and the auto shut off battery box has a warning light to show when it is switched on. The battery will normally last between 15-25 hours.

Richard’s standard installation embeds the battery box into the cable.

The alternatives use a custom (AMP) cable, which can connect either to the battery box, or to the cigar lighter through an adapter, or alternatively to a panelmounted socket.

The basic conversion kit for DIY installation costs around £124 with

David Clark headset looks much the same but is transformed (hat, model's own)

various options. The basic kit includes the “turn it off yourself” battery box with no warning light, and a separate power cable, which is clipped to the existing downlead and enters the earcup through a new hole.

Richard has never done a conversion like that, but offers the DIY kit that way.

He prefers to embed the battery box in the cable for a neater result.

There are two kits: a special one for the David Clark H10-13.4 headset (Kit A) and another, which fits most other DCs and clones.

Once the conversion has been made the headset will need to be fitted with gel earseals for the ANR to work to its full potential.

Richard is normally asked to do the conversion and offers the embedded battery box or the AMP cable. Prices start at £160.

Richard can convert most DC models except the H2010, (he can do the H10-20 though) as well as most DC clones like Avcomm, Aviall and Flightcom.

For more details or to contact him see his website: www.anrman.co.uk

So how does Active Noise Reduction (ANR) actually work?

It uses the principle of waves of opposite frequencies cancelling each oither out. A mic within the earcup reads the ambient noise (such as the engine, vibration and wind), and passes it through electronic circuitry. This generates an 'opposite' noise which is overlaid on the original ambient noise to mute it. In the Headsets Inc kit each module has two speakers and a microphone.

One speaker plays the normal radio/intercom sounds. The microphone picks up what can be heard within the earcup and the small circuit board on the back of the module subtracts the radio sounds and then reverses the sound cycles and sends it out through the second speaker.

As much as 90% of bass tones are muted, and many high tones.

Difficult to change batteries while flying; check pre-flight www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 15

FLIGHTGEAR +SHOP WINDOW PROTECTION

LOOKING AFTER YOUR BABY Amid the grit and grime of winter, treat your aircraft to some creature comforts POOLEY’S ONEDRYWASH Created to wash aircraft in the desert and apply a polish without water. Simply spray on, gently wipe in and allow to dry for a few seconds then wipe off with a second clean cloth. £14.99

www.pooleys.com

LPS 3 PREMIER RUST INHIBITOR Heavy duty spray stops corrosion and protects for two years.

LPS 3 provides anti-seize coating and leaves a waxy film that resists moisture. Safe to use on rubber, fabric, plastics and paints. £12.00

AMBERSIL BATTERY TERMINAL PROTECTOR Anti-corrosion treatment for terminals with added acid leak detector.

If battery acid comes into contact with the coating it changes colour. £5.99

www.ambersil.com

www.lpslabs.com

ACF-50 State of the art, anti-corrosion/ lubricant compound, designed for the aerospace Industry.

Penetrates through corrosion deposits and provides an atmospheric barrier. £13.99

AERO-SENSE TKS DE-ICING FLUID This can be used in ‘weeping-wing’ de-icing systems as well as ground de-icing aircraft. Each batch is checked for viscosity, freezing point, pH value and many other important parameters. £16.99

www.aero-sense.com

+NEW IN FLIGHT CAMERA

£14.99

www.acf-50.co.uk

AERO SENSE, NO-SCRATCH SCOURER It might not seem important but a scourer that gets flies off aircraft without ruining paintwork is worth its weight in gold (which, granted, being a sponge isn't much). £7.50

GMP SCREEN CLEANER There’s nothing worse than big greasy fingerprints all over the screen of your GPS or avionics screen.

This spray is designed to clean avionics LCD, TFT and glass screens.

HP-100 ACRYLIC RESTORAL KIT Scratch removal kit with materials to make your old windscreen look like new. It will remove surface defects of air stream erosion, scratching and crazing. It's also good for landing lights and dials.

www.aero-sense.com

$55.39 www.micro-surface.com

+NEW HEADSET

+NEW POWER

BECOME A FILM STAR BARGAIN HEADSET SPORTY’S has a new allin-one HD video system for filming flights.

The system records in HD (1080p at 30 fps or 720p at 60 fps) and comes with a headset interface to record all in-flight comms too.

Sporty’s has also released a new GPSenabled cockpit video system. It uses a built-in GPS receiver to log your exact location as it records video.

With the included software, you can playback video alongside speed, altitude and even position overlaid on a Google Earth map.

Both cameras have a rotating lens and laser alignment system so you can mount the camera at any angle, without

FROM AVIONICS FIRM

Video your flying! distorting the video.

The 135 degree lens can capture the entire cockpit, including pilots, instrument panel and the forward view.

The firm says it's the perfect addition for flight instructors and their students and makes postlesson debriefings much more useful and valuable by showing flights.

The Cockpit Video System is available for $399.00. and the Cockpit Video System with GPS is available for $499.00. www.sportys.com

16 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

SOUTH African avionics firm MGL has dipped its toe into the pool of headsets with its new 880 budget passive headset – just $125.

The 880 weighs 580g, not overly heavy, and MGL says it's comfortable and with no annoying pressure points on the headband.

The headset works in both stereo and mono operations and comes with silicone gel filled earcups, gold plated headphone and microphone plugs, metal swivel gooseneck and metal microphone boom fitted.

It has a

www.aero-sense.com

claimed passive noise reduction rating of 27db.

Other features include an adjustable open foam cushioned headband and a quick response noise cancelling filter amplified electret microphone with wind muff (in other words, it becomes active when it detects you speaking so save wind noise being generated).

With the price as low as it is, it seems this headset would be a great spare or for a student who wants a first headset but doesn’t want to spend big bucks to get it. We'll test one soon to try it out. www.mgl avionics. com

POWER CHANGE PLANE Power has launched a new FAA-/PMA-approved lightweight alternator for post-1996 Cessna 172s and 182s.

The AL24-FS60 alternator has been approved for installation on all 360 and 540 series Lycomings on 28 volt Cessnas with multigroove belt/pulley drive systems.

From $699. www.plane-power.com & adamsaviation.com

Alternator for Cessnas

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

TEST • THE BE

P'S

TEST • THE BE S

BEST

OF ST

ST • T OF TE HE BE ST LOO

T OF

CAMBRAI COVERS OF TE ST The ultimate treat for your beloved is a nice thick winter coat! Cambrai Covers use acrylic he fabrics that are very tough but also very soft. The covers will not damage the surface of your aircraft, be it made from metal, wood or composite. The covers are fleece-lined over the windscreen and windows.

T OF

TEST • THE BE S

FROM £430

www.cambraicovers.com

+NEW POOLEY'S ON AIRBOX

POOLEY’S GOES DIGITAL WITH AIRBOX AIRBOX Aerospace has n announced the integration of fully geo-referenced digital Pooley’s Flight Guides to its Clarity and Foresight GPS. Each unit now d comes programmed with the Pooley’s 2011 UK Flight Guide, which includes information for more than 370 airfields with over 320 landing charts loaded.

One of the big advantages is that the systems will be able to show additional information such as airfield layouts, noise abatement procedures and telephone numbers for PPR. Other new information on the software includes notified controlled airspace, airspace classification,

TC regulations and ATC procedures, ATC services and landing fees.

The digital Pooley’s Flight Guide 2011 is available now on all new 4.3inch handheld Clarity (£599) and 7in Foresight Visual Flight Information System (£1399) units.

If you have an Airbox already the software can be purchased separately as an add-on for Fastplan at a cost of £39.99. www.airboxaero.com

BE SURE TO CHECK ONLINE FOR ALL THE LATEST REVIEWS ON THE NEWEST FLIGHT GEAR www.loop.aero

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 17

FLIGHTGEAR +MAINTENANCE THE 2011 HIT LIST

10 THINGS TO DO IN 2011

If you’ve broken your New Year’s Resolutions already, here’s 10 things you can do this year – to make your flying better

W

ITH the year barely underway there’s probably a list as long as your arm that needs doing, so why not add a couple more that will not only please you but also make your aircraft look the business as well.

1 ENGINE OVERHAUL IF you have an engine overhaul on the horizon, start planning it now. Winter will have highlighted any issues as it’s the toughest time of the year for your aircraft’s engine. Short-term use is not good for engines and most flights at this time of year are shorter than in summer.

If the engine hasn’t been run for a reasonable period of time moisture condensation can increase within the engine and won’t have a chance to evaporate due to the lack of heat.

An engine overhaul will sort out problems such as low compression and high oil consumption as well as extend the life of the engine, which is good for plane and pocket.

2 TRAIN: GET AN IMC IMC training is for when the weather turns bad and teaches you to fly on instruments and conduct instrument approaches. Thousands of UK pilots swear by the IMC rating (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) and say it has got them out of trouble or even saved their life.

But time is of the essence.

Licensing moves under EASA control in April 2012 and after that the likelihood is that the IMC will be canned. EASA have guaranteed grandfather rights to anyone holding

the rating prior to the handover in 2012, so get your IMC rating now to keep it for life.

This will not only sharpen up your flying skills but is a potential lifesaver should you hit cloud.

The IMC training consists of 15 hours flying a ground exam and flight test.

Prices start at around £3000.

3 GET COMFORTABLE There’s nothing like a ropey interior and ratty carpets to give your perfectly healthy aircraft an air of age and disrepair. So, if the interior on your aircraft is a bit weathered treat it to a makeover.

Firms such as Coopers Aircraft make bespoke interiors for all types, and they use traditional techniques and craftsmanship to produce comfortable and stylish interiors so you can really show it off.

Coopers will collect your interior from your chosen destination and re-fit the interior when complete, or you can fly your aircraft to Coopers base at Sturgate airport near Gainsborough where there is a fully licensed engineering facility, so your aircraft can receive any maintenance work it needs whilst being refurbished. www.coopers-aircraft.co.uk 4 GET A FRIEND INTO FLYING: People always show an interest in our hobby – and if they don’t, we tell them anyway! Why not get more people involved?

It’s good for us all in more ways than one. Pilot rights groups such as AOPA UK become stronger with

8 Why leave your pride and joy in white? Go custom!

18 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

more members, and more people in the clubhouse and more people in the skies grows aviation in general.

If you know a budding pilot, Learn To Fly (www.learntofly.aero) offer gift vouchers from as little as £10, which is perfect for the nudge into flying that some may need. And for just £79 you could buy them a 30-minute trail lesson, perfect for that person that wants to become a pilot but doesn’t know it yet.

5 TRAIN: AEROBATICS The UK does not have an official, state-regulated Aerobatic Rating listed among the many qualifications issued by the CAA. AOPA however has an Aerobatic Syllabus, which has set the standard for civilian aerobatic schools in the UK. The Basic Syllabus is suitable for relatively low-powered aerobatic trainers, like the Cessna Aerobat, Robin 2160, Chipmunk, Bulldog and so on.

You will learn simple looping and rolling figures, stall turns and halfcuban eights, quarter clovers and the half-loop/half roll combination (the ‘Immelmann’).

During the course you will also experience upright spinning, learn emergency recoveries, and additional airmanship skills to aerobat safely and legally. The AOPA basic course is eight hours of flying and twill cost around £1800.

6 FLY ABROAD It’s all well and good going to your airfield and pottering around the skies, but why not go further afield?

Stretch your legs a little. One of the most popular destinations is Le Touquet – aka Paris-by-the-Sea. It has a cracking airfield and ishugely popular with British pilots.

7 TRAIN: NIGHT RATING The night rating offers a pilot greater flexibility, it’s a bit of a safety net if you have misjudged the time and get a bit caught out, you have got the reassurance that you’re legal to fly at night.

It takes out the extra level of stress that can be added on a flight home at any time of the year, through inevitable delays and diversions.

The standard course is five hours of flying, with a minimum of three hours of dual-instruction, a one-hour cross-country flight (usually under dual-instruction and navigation) and at least five solo take-offs and landings. There is also some ground school.

A lot of people don’t know that the Night Rating can be completed as part of the PPL – you don’t have to be a full PPL to embark upon the training. For your Night Rating you can expect to pay around £1100.

8 PIMP YOUR PLANE Once you’ve customised the inside of your aircraft, why not put it in for a respray for the full custom experience?

Unlike Henry Ford the CAA say you can have any colour you want as long as the reg is the correct size and a contrasting colour.

Technically, lighter aircraft with low MTOW might want to steer clear of reds and blacks as they have heavy pigment. Airtime Aviation Paint (01202 579999) will strip and

1 Every aircraft needs a major overhaul at some time... and if yours is due this year, start planning it now paint a PA-28 white with two stripes for £7200+VAT and it will take three weeks. It has painted nearly 80 of the Pipers!

9 FLY SOMETHING DIFFERENT: A TAILDRAGGER There are numerous clubs and schools across the UK that offer Tailwheel conversions and it provides one of the most enjoyable short training courses you can do, post PPL. The number of hours it takes to transition onto a tailwheel aircraft varies by type and the individual, but usually five hours as a minimum is a good guide. you can wind it into your PPL too, if your training.

The Piper Cub and Super Cub are the most common type in training, and at the other end of the spectrum the ubiquitous Pitts Special. Whatever type of taildragger you decide to fly, your flying will bring endless reward for years to come, of control, of the refinement of skill and putting craftsmanship into your flying.

10 FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS If you’re not a member of a pilots’ rights group, join. The big boys are AOPA UK, the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) and British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA). AOPA represents pilots’ interests to Government, the CAA, EASA, EU Commission, Eurocontrol and to National Air Traffic Services.

IAOPA Europe speaks for all European AOPAs. The LAA is aimed at the amateur-built and vintage aircraft enthusiasts. The association is owned by its members, providing airworthiness services under direct delegation from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. It represents the aviation interests of over 8000 pilot, amateur builder, vintage aircraft owner and enthusiast members.

And, the BMAA does similar things on behalf of the microlight community and its interests.

All three champion the cause of pilots and fight for our right as aviators to make sure GA has a bright future.

10 The associations are fighting for your right to fly

5 Aerobatic flying will take your piloting skills higher www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 19

COVERSTORY

‘I love the smell of AVTUR* in the morning’ (*OK, HE SAID ‘NAPALM’ IN APOCALYPSE NOW BUT YOU GET THE DRIFT) Is aviation chasing its tail in a search for a new unleaded avgas?

Dave Calderwood investigates the obvious alternative... avtur

A

VTUR: aviation gas turbine fuel, aka Jet-A, Jet-A1, or just kerosene.

It’s pretty strong-smelling stuff if you’re downwind, but with a higher flashpoint than avgas it’s much safer to handle. And, it’s the fuel for tomorrow, today.

It's burnt in turbine and aviation diesel engines from Centurion, Austro, SMA and others heading for certification such as the UK’s Wilksch and US DeltaHawk.

Thanks to use by big airliners, avtur is much more readily available than avgas, especially in more remote emerging markets such as China, India, Russia and the Middle East – vitally important for aircraft manufacturers battling to make sales in the few places where demand is rising.

So how does that affect us?

Though we have supplies of 100LL avgas now, its future is limited as we said back in August 2010 when we tested the new unleaded-friendly Cirrus SR22T. The point is 94UL avgas is only a partial answer – it will still be expensive and require a dedicated supply network.

The real solution is a fuel with an established global network, is cheaper to buy and store, safer and is there right now – avtur. Not only is it cheaper to make but in most of the world it’s taxed lower too.

Aero-diesels produced so far have been relatively economical too. The success of Thielert’s Centurion range is based on its fuel economy and operators of Diamond aircraft fitted with the Centurion swear by it, citing cheaper Direct Operating Costs even if maintenance costs can be higher (and even they are getting cheaper too).

So turbine or diesel? The problem with a piston diesel is vibration – powerful thumps that need absorbing and compensated for by an anti-vibration damper.

The problem with a turbine is high fuel consumption, though they run smoother and need far less frequent maintenance.

So far, turbines win for bigger aircraft where diesels won’t reach, and diesels for smaller aircraft, but small turbines are making in-roads.

20 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

Rolls-Royce leads with its Model 250 used in many types including the Extra EA500 and new Vulcanair A-Viator (to be certified this year), and new RR300 and RR500 turboshafts. The new Robinson R66 Turbine heli uses the RR300 – a compact unit with low maintenance requirements which would make it attractive to any aircraft manufacturer.

Who will be first? We like to think Cirrus, known to be analysing diesels and previously linked with Thielert, SMA and DeltaHawk, and notably present at the recent launch of a new US diesel project from Wisconsin’s Engineered Propulsion Systems. Cirrus also has a track record of breaking the mould.

So what current Jet-A1 aircraft fly the flag best for a new generation of fuel?

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

» www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 21

COVERSTORY

DIAMOND DA42 MINI-TEST

Highly efficient twin with aero-diesel engines

THEY say if an aircraft looks right, it probably is right, and with its curvy design, high aspect ratio wings, trendy winglets, even trendier anhedral at the tailplane tips, the DA42 is strikingly good looking.

And with features such as diesel engines running on cheap Jet-A1, a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, and FADEC, it has really up-to-date kit.

Despite being more familiar with the cockpit of a Boeing 747-400, I was very impressed!

Thanks to its diesel low-running costs the ’42 is a common sight at schools and it really catches your eye even on the other side of the airfield, and being closer reveals its smooth surfaces.

Getting into the front seats needs the front of the canopy pivoted upwards and forwards – easy – and

a useful feature of the canopy is that it can be held just open on the ground, for a cool draft when the engines are running.

The four leather seats are nonadjustable, but pedal adjustment made the cockpit perfect for my 6ft 4in, where I could sit and absorb the cockpit and its simplicity.

Two large G1000 screens display a wealth of information, with back-up conventional instruments.

The cockpit is remarkably uncluttered, particularly in the area of the throttles. Where one would expect to find six levers (throttles, mixture and RPM controls for two engines), there are only two (a power lever for each engine).

Welcome to the world of FADEC and diesels!

A control stick exists instead of a yoke, which some argue is

22 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

Diamond DA42 Twin Star is an efficient user of avtur, whether Thielert- or Austro-engined

The Diamond DA42 is a strikingly good looking aircraft with great features including FADEC and glass cockpit

incompatible for training airline pilots, but Airbus uses a sidestick so I think Diamond have done the right thing.

Power on, the PFD is a bit daunting when you first see it, but with a bit of time and training (needed for glass) you enjoy all the information on one screen.

Similarly the MFD’ s multi-scale map and additions like terrain and systems information (engine, fuel etc) will make you wonder how you coped before.

The Diamond really has the stuff of many airliners, such as the engine restart system.

Shutting down an engine in flight is accomplished by turning off the engine master switch: the engine quickly stops and autofeathers to minimise the drag. There is still plenty of performance to climb

MINI-TEST

DR400 vs DA40 Early-adopter Robin and Diamond diesels compared

with the remaining engine.

Restart: engine master to ‘on’ and the engine automatically carries out a windmill restart (ie no starter motor required) to return to idle running again.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 1700kg and empty weight of 1250kg, there are plenty of useful combinations of fuel (maximum 150kg, around 200l), passengers, and bags (75kg max) to go places.

Late in 2009, Diamond re-certified the DA42 with Austro 300 engine, the DA42NG. Like the Thielert it is a Mercedes-based turbodiesel, but with prop transmission changes.

A 1000-hour TBO matches the engine, and should rise to over 2000 hours.

– Nick Heard

THIS French and Austrian pair have both been around for years, extolling the virtues of diesel and both originally using Thielert’s 135hp 1.7l turbocharged unit. We flew them side-by-side in direct comparison to see how they matched up.

Diamond’s DA40 has essentially the same fuselage as the DA42 so shares its smooth curves, modern construction, winglets, and eye-catching look. Ours DA had a conventional IFR panel with twin Garmin GPS nav units.

Engine indications were on one dial featuring red/amber/green LEDs – very easy to use.

Starting the Thielert diesel is so easy: Engine Start Master ON, wait for the glow plug light to extinguish, turn the key… seconds later the engine is ticking over at idle. For engine checks, simply press and hold the Engine Control Unit (ECU) Test button, and watch and hear the engine test itself! The flaps have a take-off and landing position, so with the minimum of fuss, we are ready to go.

Even from a wet almost boggy airfield on full power the DA accelerated surprisingly well, climbing away at a steady 900ft/ min – with a notable sink as the flaps are raised; not too quick with that after take-off!

It’s happy to remain at 100% power and we snapped up to 120kt before powering back to 80% to maintain that speed. Fuel consumption (shown in large digits) stabilised at 5.7 gallons/hr – jet fuel, don’t forget.

The control and cockpit set-up make the DA40 very easy to set up in a very comfortable cruise. With the low noise levels of a diesel – the turbo draws lots of noise energy from the exhaust – you could really enjoy long trips in the DA40; up to five hours is possible.

Fuel is contained in both wings but feeds to the engine from the left tank only, so it is necessary to transfer fuel occasionally from the right to remain in fuel balance, but apart from monitoring the large digital engine display, there was little else to do but enjoy the ride!

The iconic Robin also uses the Thielert, and only a few extra bulges on the lower sides of the cowling give away its diesel engine.

Taxying is as simple as the Diamond, with the same short engine checks before take-off. With a near full fuel load and two of us on board, the Robin briskly accelerated down the runway and lifted off

Robin DR400 now available with two versions of the Thielert Centurion engine

With a near full fuel load and two of us on board, the Robin briskly accelerated down the runway easily. A little bit of sink was again apparent on raising the flaps to up, but the aircraft climbed away very comfortably at 100% power.

It’s just as pleasant to fly as the Diamond, both aircraft featuring control column rather than yoke.

And remarkably enough, the Robin cruised at the same 120kt with 80% power as the DA40 – the Robin was not fitted with a fuel flow gauge, but factory figures show fuel usage a tad higher to that of the Diamond.

The Robin is not as slippery as the DA40, so decelerating the aircraft was simple in a descent towards landing. With full flap selected there was a fair amount of drag so care must be taken to keep a reasonable amount of power up to avoid speed decay on short finals and a subsequent firm landing.

The Robin is now available with a choice of Thielert Centurion engines. Either the 135hp engine with recent upgrades, or the more powerful 155hp 2.0S engine which makes the Robin a genuine fourseater for adults as opposed to a 2+2.

Really, it’s hard to make any adverse comments about either of these aircraft. Both are roomy and comfortable touring types, fitted with the same Thielert diesel engine which provides excellent fuel economy.

– Nick Heard

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 23

COVERSTORY MINI-TEST

GROB G140TP German turboprop that's aerobatic and huge and LOOP flew it first

MINI-TEST

CESSNA CARAVAN Plenty of power on hand in Cessna's workhorse of the skies I HAVE flown a Caravan countless times in one of the most demanding roles for an aircraft: parachute plane guise. It has to be one of the most capable aircraft I have flown to date – a true pilot’s plane.

It has a big and friendly feel to it, everything is just where you want it, and there are two big fully-adjustable armchairs at the business end for the pilots.

The 675hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6/A-114A turbine is a user-friendly engine, with plenty of power at your disposal. Even with 14 punters on board the Caravan will happily climb at 1200-1300ft/ min up to FL130, and many times per day without complaint. In my experience the 208 will do a round trip to 10,000ft in about 15 mins and to 13,000ft in about 18 mins.

To handle, the 208 is pretty amazing. As with most Cessnas, it’s well balanced, and for its size the Caravan feels incredibly light and very responsive in all axes: you can really pole this aircraft around the sky, and it always puts a smile on my face!

The flap operating speeds are one very interesting aspect of the 208.

First stage flap can be extended at 175kt indicated, second stage at 150kt and landing flap is at 125kt.

Low speed handling is good and

Flying the Caravan is not rocket science and a competent 250hr pilot should master it quite quickly

Caravan is powered by the ubiquitous Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop it will fly perfectly happily at 80kt with second stage flap selected. In normal operations we descend at 150kt indicated with first stage flap selected. In a spiral descent you can achieve a constant 3500ft/min rate of descent!

Flying the Caravan is not rocket science and a competent 250hr pilot should be able to master the aircraft quite quickly. I have trained many parachute pilots on the 208 in the past and even the lower-houred have come on quite rapidly on type.

All the Cessna’s aforementioned pilot-friendly characteristics seem to breed confidence.

The only real downside I can see with the Caravan is its short field performance, and that is only in comparison. In itself it’s not bad but when compared with the Twin Otter, Islander, Skyvan and Turbo Beaver, it uses a bit more tarmac/ grass. But taking into account its reliability, load carrying ability and overall ease of operation, the Caravan excels.

– John O'Connell

24 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

WE flew Grob’s G140TP prototype and it really shows what a small powerful turbine can do in the right airframe.

It’s a four-seat, aerobatic, cabinclass turboprop single, which has the same performance as an early Spitfire – 230kt cruise, but considerably cheaper to run. So, is it a business single for playboys, a military trainer the General can use at weekends, or an airline trainer? Quite possibly all.

The cabin is absolutely massive for a small aircraft, in line with Grob’s philosophy to use the weight advantage of composites over metal to build-in ruggedness and room. Many are the largest in their class, and as for ruggedness… the 140 broke its test rigs during wing load tests, reaching 16G. The engine is the new RollsRoyce 250-B17F, with 450shp and low weight (hence the long nose, to get the C of G forward). Useful load is 1543lb – enough for full fuel and four pilots with flight bags.

Engine starting is simple: put the battery on, hit the starter, wait until you get 15% engine rotation and then move the red fuel condition lever from cut-off to ground idle.

The rest of the job is simply to monitor the EGT gauge for a hot start or hung start. A piston PPL would get the hang of it all very quickly. For taxiing, move the fuel lever to flight idle to increase the rpm to maximum for a more instantaneous throttle response.

The most important check is to make sure we have take-off flap set, as our runway isn’t particularly long. At MTOW it needs a take-off distance of 1870ft. Take-off is full power on the brakes, stick hard back. Brakes off, we shoot off like a rat out of an aqueduct.

Acceleration is pretty impressive and I don’t have to work hard at all

to keep straight, such is the huge prop wash energising the rudder.

Rotate is at 75kt, the VSI quickly nudging 2500ft/min.

As we climb through 1000ft, I pull the power back to the max continuous of 92% and lower the nose to accelerate to 150kt. I try a high-speed run, tipping in from 5000ft with 92% set, max continuous. We blast down a Bavarian valley as I watch the ASI settle at 220kt, truing out at 227kt, a shade under 230kt.

Time for some aeros: straight up from level into a 2000ft-diameter loop, zooming to around 2500ft before kicking in full right rudder, with a touch of opposite aileron to keep the wings vertical through the turn.

She doesn’t quite want to go round, so I close the throttle, just like you would do with a piston-power aerobat and she falls through the second half of the turn.

I keep the down line until we hit Vne and pull out at 6g and up again, this time for a reverse half-Cuban.

It is absolutely fantastic fun.

With that huge prop, when I pull back the throttle it is possible to go down and slow down at the same time. I have no trouble fitting in with light aircraft in the circuit, downwind at 120kt, base 100kt, and finals at 80kt with full flap.

We touch down at 75kt and with the prop on full reverse the deceleration is awesome, down to walking pace in only a few seconds, using no more runway than a 172.

So, could a PPL fly a G140TP? Absolutely. It’s a step up in power and lifting ability to, say, the Cirrus SR22 and Cessna 400, but they're not aerobatic. Its nearest comparison is the venerable Yak 18T. No, the Grob G140TP is unique, in a class all of its own.

– Bob Davy

Grob's huge cabin can take four people with flight bags (all on full fuel!)

COVERSTORY

MINI-TEST

SOCATA TBM850

Almost as fast as a light jet, the TBM850 turboprop is a fantastic performer

IS there a business case for a single-engine turboprop such as Daher-Socata’s TBM range? Its superb flying qualities and relatively low operating costs are such that it could be a business machine, if only EASA can be persuaded to change the rules for Single-Engine IMC ops. Until then, it’s reserved for the lucky owner-pilot, mostly.

Socata has taken a bold initiative in pitching the TBM 850 as the ‘Very Fast Turboprop’, a broadside at Very Light Jets such as the Cessna Mustang. Socata claims the 850 performs almost as well as the jets for considerably lower operating costs, and the latest are fitted with Garmin’s G100.

Figures show the TBM can climb to FL260 in 15 mins or 31,000ft in 20 mins, up there with the Mustang and Embraer Phenom 100 and important because higher altitudes burn less fuel. Max range is 1400nm with reserves, and it has a cruise

speed of 320 KTAS at FL260 – a touch slower than the jets but a more attainable Flight Level in Europe’s congested airspace. VLJs can’t go high enough to go above airliners yet may be denied the Flight Levels they ask for because they’re slower. Socata’s own figures shows that a 600nm trip at FL260 will take dead-on two hours, which a light jet may beat but not by much.

Two other performance figures embarrass the jets: the TBM can get in and out of some pretty short strips and even some mountain strips – 2100ft is all it needs; payload with full fuel is 849lb, 249lb more than a Mustang, and 269lb more than a Phenom 100. Suddenly, the TBM looks decidedly attractive.

When you consider factors such as insurance, pilot training and direct operating costs (DOC), the TBM 850 starts to walk away with it: Jetex put the TBM’s DOC at $559/ hr (US prices), which compares

26 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

Above: Getting the lowdown with the TBM850. It won't make waves with your budget

Daher-Socata claims the 850 performs almost as well as light jets for considerably lower operating costs

with the Mustang ($724/hr) and Phenom 100 at $886/hr.

Annual insurance is estimated at $30,000 and training $35,000.

The factory warranty is impressive too: airframe 7 years/3500hr; engine 5 years/2500hr; propeller 2 years/1000hr; paint and interior 2 years/1000hr; G1000 avionics 2 years; systems 2 years/1000hr.

The big difference between the TBM 850 and its predecessor, the 700C2, is the engine. The PT6A66D model used on the TBM 850 has a thermodynamic rating of 1825 horsepower, but is flat-rated to 850shp which gives a substantial safety margin – less than half the engine’s absolute max power.

The PWC unit’s single-crystal compressor turbine blades allow higher operating temperatures and, coupled with a revised first-stage compressor design too, helps gives the TBM 850 its enhanced highaltitude performance.

MINI-TEST

PILATUS PC-12 NG Latest variant has substantial and worthwhile updates

For takeoff, torque is pushed to 100% – there’s an automatic torque limiter and it’s limited to 700shp for takeoff and landing, plenty in an aircraft this size.

It took us just under six minutes from takeoff to FL100, and we continued up to FL150 to fly over the Pyrenees. The controls aren’t light but proved quite powerful, giving a decent roll rate and a lovely and rewarding balance between agility and stability.

The stall was very docile, very predictable and with no vices I could find. There’s a very pronounced airframe buffet 7-8kt before the stall and the stall warner is very loud.

Recovery is achieved just relaxing the back pressure.

Landing this turbine saw approach initially at 180kt, then not much to do: just set the power, gear and flaps, and it can go to 80kt lightly loaded.

All in all, a remarkable aeroplane.

– Phil O'Donoghue

I FIRST saw a PC-12 in the early ’90s and immediately thought it had huge potential, and it quickly found favour with heavy users like the Aussie Flying Doctor Service who have bought more than 20.

The NG ‘New Generation’ variant has more power, better electronics, and new avionics than earlier models and oozes efficiency. The newest PT6A-67P engine gives 15% more power, and each wing carries 761l litres of fuel.

Looking forward into the cockpit was quite a shock! I will try to explain how a newcomer to glass-world might see it. First of all, there is the jargon – AHRS, PFD, MFD, TAWS, ESIS, MAU, etc.

Second, there are several different ways to enter or retrieve data.

Put simply, the Honeywell Apex system collects all the information available from sensors, internal or external, and presents it in the manner the operator demands.

Start-up could not have been simpler, just press the button, wait until the Ng stabilises and select condition lever to ground idle.

The electronic checklist was selected on the MFD and checked off in turn, including setting the flaps to 15 degrees and carrying out quite a complicated check of the stick pusher. Taxiing was at minimum power.

Lining up I gently moved the power lever all the way to the stop – the engine torque limiter system prevents engine over-torque – and with the right rudder trim applied the aircraft tracked straight.

Acceleration was good and the noise level was pleasantly low, no doubt due to the engine being Cockpit of the PC-12 NG has latest way out front. At 80kt firm back Honeywell glass cockpit avionics pressure on the yoke produced a gentle rotation and we settled into a 120kt climb.

The audio warning was followed This is Vx and our initial rate of by the stick shaker, which climb was an impressive 2000fpm disguised any pre-stall buffet. This plus. With just one engine the is triggered by either of the AOA initial climb should be at max rate detectors and followed by a 60lb in order to gain maximum height stick-pusher if commanded by in case of engine failure. The both detectors. Recovery was no minimum recommended height for problem with ample power to climb a turn-back is 1200ft agl. away with 30 degree flap.

The PC-12Ng is just about the A few facts and figures are of engine, and in general handling course to be mentioned. The the controls were moderately PC-12’s maximum operating heavy but in harmony and turns altitude is 30,000ft and a typical of up to 60-degrees angle of cruising level would be FL280. bank were flown easily, the long At this level typical speed/fuel nose giving a good reference for figures would be 270kt TAS with pitch adjustments. Throughout a fuel burn of 350lb/hr, leading the speed range the aircraft is to impressive range figures: with responsive and control is precise. seven PAX, IFR fuel reserve and Final approach is around 85kt 100nm alternate the factory claims where handling was excellent – I a most impressive 1266nm range. am sure this is where the aileron The PC-12 NG is a very high and rudder coupling pays off, quality product honed into although it is not apparent. We probably the most efficient stalled in the landing configuration business aircraft available today. and it was perfectly controllable.

– Stan Hodgkins www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 27

28 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

COVERSTORY

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

MINI-TEST

PIAGGIO AVANTI II As fast as a jet, with a cavernous cabin but more economical fuel burn

AT THE top end of turbinepowered propeller aircraft is Piaggio’s beautiful P180 Avanti, after which the next step is jets.

First conceived 30 years ago – you’d never know to look at it – it decreed PAX should be ahead of the main spar, and its the three lifting surfaces mean the wing can be 34% smaller, slashing weight and drag.

The design and interior give a jet-like impression, with the tip of the forward wing visible from the cockpit while the main wingtip can only just be glimpsed to the rear.

The two PT6A-66B turboprops are mounted in titanium cradles atop the main wing in composite nacelles, each producing 850shp – derated from 1630shp. Fiveblade Hartzell contra-rotate and auto-feather.

But compared to a jet, the pretake-off checks were quick, and it’s as easy to fly as any jet I know and easier than many.

On takeoff roll, with contrarotating props there was no need for rudder. Vr was around 100kt and

the aircraft popped straight off the ground, even quite heavy with a fuel state of 2250lb (max 2800lb) and six PAX and with a wing loading of 67lb/sq ft the Avanti needs 3300ft to clear 50ft. The controls were very positive and this unusual aircraft handled like any other.

The rate of climb was 2500fpm at 160kt and the upgraded engines provide undiminished power all the way up. On levelling we settled into the cruise at 97.5% torque and reduced prop rpm to 1800, which cut noise appreciably – the folks in the back commenting on how quiet the cabin was.

Established in the cruise with a moderate tailwind, I noted a groundspeed of well over 400kt with a 370kt TAS. With the autopilot engaged we had a fuel burn of about 600lb/hr and a comfortable cabin pressure altitude of 2000ft.

From the pilot’s point of view, this aircraft is entirely conventional, except that it will not stall. Reducing speed, quite heavy buffet was evident followed by a positive

No one can deny Piaggio's Avanti II P180 is a terrific looking aircraft –and it performs brilliantly too

The P180 is an aircraft with a wide array of attributes: cabin the size of a Falcon 50, jet speed, and turboprop fuel burn economy

pitch down as the forward surface stalled. We were a bit limited with passengers on board, but the main wing remained unstalled and aileron control was maintained throughout.

In asymmetric flight the Avanti is again conventional and singleengine climb performance is practically identical to the Beech 200. With contra-rotating propellers there is no critical engine. Returning to Genoa, we established on a visual final, selecting the gear down at 180kt, followed by mid-flap at 170kt.

In a nutshell, the P180 is an aircraft with a wide array of attributes. It has a cabin the size of a Dassault Falcon 50, and combines jet speeds with the more economical fuel burn of a turboprop.

However, it is not an aircraft for short field operation. All aircraft are compromises and you just cannot have it all ways. When compared to the Beech 200, the industry yardstick, it has a bigger cabin, is 100kt faster, goes further and uses less fuel. And it does it with passion!

– Stan Hodgkins

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 29

goodwood aviation exhibiton 30 june - 03 july 2011

the goodwood aviation exhibition at the festival of speed Unique opportunity to showcase your business to a receptive aviation audience

ANOTHER great offer from Goodwood: all Festival of Speed ticket buyers gain free access into the Goodwood Aviation Show.

A free shuttle service transfers Festival and Aviation Show visitors the short distance to and from the Aerodrome and Goodwood Park.

Visitors are able to visit the stands of manufacturers of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft – plus important aviation service suppliers – and see their latest products on display. They may also have the opportunity to climb aboard an evaluation flight, at the invitation of the manufacturers.

Exhibitors in 2010 included Pilatus, Patriot Aviation, Honeywell, Hawker Beechcraft, Nicholas McLaren Aviation, Conciair, Red Box, LOOP and Close Aviation Finance, the majority of whom have confirmed their place for 2011.

In 2010 Goodwood welcomed a recordbreaking 176,000 visitors over the Festival of Speed weekend, more attendees than the British Grand Prix or any other motoring event in Britain. Last year the Festival also saw a record number of aircraft and helicopters flying in, numbering 400 in total.

It is known that around a third of those attending the Festival of Speed either have a private pilot’s licence, hire charter aircraft or have a very strong interest in aviation, and the Goodwood Aviation Exhibition offers a superb opportunity for the aviation industry to gain real exposure to a huge high net worth audience.

Goodwood had a very positive response to the inaugural Aviation Exhibition from both exhibitors and visitors alike and is excited about this year’s second show!

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS Promoting your aviation business at the Goodwood Aviation Exhibition has never been easier, but please remember exhibition space is limited so we recommend that you contact us by midFebruary at the latest due to high demand.

We look forward to hearing from you and hope to welcome you to the Goodwood Aerodrome this year. n For more information please visit the website at www.goodwood.com/ aviationexhibition or contact Mike Husband, Aviation & Exhibition Commercial Manager on 01243 755081.

The date for the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed is: • Moving Motor Show: 30 June 2011 • Festival of Speed: 1-3 July 2011

“ We are very pleased with the results and have booked our place for next year’s show. Even though most people attended the Festival to see cars, it took little time for those who use executive aircraft to appreciate the aircraft’s potential to enhance their corporate and private travel.”

Bob Berry, Managing Director, Pilatus Centre UK

For general enquiries call 01243 755081 or email aviation.enquiries@goodwood.com p038.loop goodwood.indd 38

28/1/11 11:05:43

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COMMERCIAL FLIGHT TRAINING THESTART-UPJOURNAL WELCOME to part two in a series of LOOP special supplements looking at the pathway to becoming a professional airline pilot The series of three specials will look at every aspect you need to consider whether you are in education analysing your career options, or already a pilot looking to turn your passion into a profession.

They have been compiled by flight training expert Chris Gowers, an industry veteran who has helped guide thousands of new pilots to rich and fulfilling careers in one of the world’s most envied and sought-after jobs.

Part One: Making the Decision to Go Pro*

★ The key questions to ask before you embark on a career in aviation ★ Is it the right time to become a pilot? ★ A look at the industry and its outlook ★ Choosing the route to your new career: Integrated vs Modular training

Part Two: Becoming a Qualified Pro Pilot

★ Choosing your school(s) ★ The Course: Integrated training and what the courses entail ★ Doing it yourself: Modular training, and how to make it easier ★ MPL training explained ★ Making the grade: The tests that find the pilots of tomorrow PLUS: Expert insight and advice from training professionals

Part Three: Your New Career

★ Get that job: 10 ways to improve your chances ★ The job options open to you ★ The truth about being a pro pilot – from those that do it ★ Salary lists PLUS: Interview with the man who represents UK airline pilots We will also be producing a special digital LOOP+ magazine, and a LOOPTV special, so keep your eyes peeled. *If you missed issue one, contact our back-issues department

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MODULAR: THE STEP-BY-STEP ROUTE ++THE COURSES

Modular training is the best option for many, says Chris Gowers FIRST NOTES: THE LICENCE DIFFERENCES FIRSTLY, let’s eliminate a possible confusion.

Excluding the new MPL, there are two professional licences that can be obtained: the Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL) or the Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL).

An ATPL can only be issued once the holder of a CPL and Instrument Rating (IR) also holds a Multi-Crew Co-operation Course Certificate, and gained the necessary minimum flying hours and multi-crew experience.

Minimum age to hold an ATPL is 21 years; for a CPL holder it’s 18.

To command a commercial air transport multi-crew aircraft you must hold an ATPL. Regulations enable pilots embarking on a career in multi-crew flying to complete ATPL training requirements and be issued with a CPL until the ATPL hours/age experience requirements have been met: this is a ‘Frozen’ ATPL. For airline careers, it makes sense to complete the ATPL ground exams, which require greater and deeper study, but negates any need to take more exams later. From passing ground exams an applicant has 36 months to gain a CPL. Each phase of training towards an ATPL has minimum requirements to embark on or qualify for. The best way to be aware of all of these is to download the CAA document ‘LASORS’ from the CAA website (www. caa.co.uk/lasors) or buy from a pilot shop.

IN PART One, we looked at the three main training routes to embarking on a career in airlines from ‘ab initio’ (zero flying experience), to airline-qualified: the Modular, Integrated, and MPL (Multi-Crew Pilot Licence) routes.

Modular courses can be completed over years at the student’s pace and budget, whereas Integrated and MPL are fulltime. Let’s look at Modular.

ONE: GET A PPL The first step is to obtain a Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL).

You require a minimum of 45 flying hours during the course to pass (up to 5hr on an instruments training device), as well as passing seven exams and a flight skills test.

This is the aviation equivalent of getting your basic car licence: you have to be 17 to formally pass and you cannot be paid to fly as a PPL. But, you can train from younger – though only from age 14 will hours be counted towards the minimum 45 – and go solo from 16.

TWO: BUILD EXPERIENCE The next goal is a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL), which lets you fly for money and more complicated aircraft and airspace. But before getting

your CPL, you need at least 150 flying hours loggedt: welcome to ‘hours building’ – flying to accumulate experience and piloting hours.

Hours-building can be expensive, so it shop around.

Some schools offer packages, but consider leasing an aircraft in the UK, or abroad where fuel can be cheaper. I know pilots who went as far as Australia to rent aircraft and complete their hours-building phases in just a few weeks.

The CPL has is a minimum Pilot-in-Command (PIC) hours requirement so fly as much as possible while hours-building as PIC, all the while improving the basic skills you learnt for PPL as these will be retested at the CPL Skill Test: hours building should really improve your flying.

At some point between courses, the ATPL ground study and 14 exams must be completed and passed.

There are vast amounts of information to be absorbed and regurgitated for exams, and though you can study part-time (distance learning with combined ‘cramming’ sessions before exams) do consider a full-time course.

Unfortunately I have to say ground study is the less enjoyable part of ATPL training – but the knowledge absorbed will form the basis for your professional career.

Getting a standard PPL will be the first step in your career

2 LOOP TRAINING SPECIAL FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

THREE: GET A CPL Once the exams and hoursbuilding are done, it’s time to start the next module: the CPL Course. This develops skills learnt at PPL to levels required by a professional pilot.

It culminates in the CPL Skills Test, the first of the professional tests. This test must be flown on a ‘complex’ single- or twin-engine aircraft, i.e. having a variable-pitch propeller and retractable landing gear, such as the Piper Arrow, a popular trainer.

Compared to PPL training there is more instrument flying and the standard of flying, airmanship and captaincy has to be of professional standard. A CAAapproved examiner conducts the final CPL Skills Test.

Guidance notes for applicants taking the CPL are published by the CAA in Standards Document 03 available on the CAA website (http://tinyurl.com/29zzudy).

Once completed and all other requirements met (see LASORS), apply to the CAA for a Commercial Pilot’s Licence.

But a CPL is of little use without other ratings added to it, the most important being the Instrument Rating (IR) – an essential part of the training for Commercial Air Transport Pilots.

FOUR: GET THE RATINGS The IR course teaches all aspects of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in controlled airspace, including instrument approaches in poor weather – a commercial pilot’s bread and butter work.

The IR Skills Test must be flown on multi-engine aircraft, so the training will incorporate the training necessary to add a Multi-Engine Class rating to the licence.

The final flying test on the course, the IR Skills Test, simulates a public transport flight in bad weather and tests your single-pilot flying and organisational skills under IFR. CAA guidance for applicants

is published in Standards Document 01(A) (http:// tinyurl.com/2c6tnqp).

Once the IR test is passed add the rating to your CPL, or if they are completed within a year of each other, apply for both sets of paperwork at the same time saving £111.

(Note the one-year limit after passing the CPL Skills Test for submission of paperwork, so don’t take too long doing the IR if this is your plan.)

So far training has been geared towards single-pilot ops, but all large aircraft operate with two, so you need a Multi-Crew Co-operation Course Certificate, which trains you to work in a team.

To attend the MCC you need your CPL licence paperwork (plus IR).

The course is usually conducted either on a full simulator or a generic device, but with two crew, one acting as the pilot flying and the other non-flying and completing exercises to develop multi-crew skills.

There's no exam but the wise pilot will get as much from it as possible.

Once the MCC Course has been completed all the bricks are in place to start applying to the airlines.

2011 FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE

BOURNEMOUTH . WYCOMBE KISSIMMEE . MERRITT ISLAND ATPL full time ground school - from £2,950 ATPL distance learning ground school - from £895 50 hour building package - from £5,700 25 hour CPL - from £5,100 6 hour MECR - from £2,225 50 hour ME IR - from £11,500 Licence conversions Flight instructor courses Loyalty bonuses & discount schemes BOURNEMOUTH T +44 (0) 1202 581 122 eptabournemouth@cabair.com

MODULAR TRAINING: MAKE IT EASIER FLIGHT training is costly, with little airline sponsorship and no Government help – so wring the most from every second of training: prepare meticulously.

The ‘PPPPP’ maxim (Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance) holds as strong as ever: prep every detail of every flight. Your future airline employer wants to know not only your test results, but also how you performed in training. They don't want excuses or reasons for underperforming – it's usually traced back to a lack of preparation.

Remember instructors are there to help, not spoon-feed you, but pick their brains and if unsure of anything, ask.

Another essential is time. Schools give guidance on how long courses take, but the British weather can complicate things.

Make sure that when you start the professional courses that you have time set aside, and allowf or overrun: I recently flew with a CPL Skills Test candidate who had to wait three weeks to complete the test, and that is not uncommon.

The multi-axis simulators used for ATPL training are some of the most sophisticated in the world.

WYCOMBE T +44 (0) 1494 443 737 eptawycombe@cabair.com

TURN PAGE FOR MORE PILOT CAREER ADVICE

〉〉〉〉〉 www.loop.aero TRAINING SPECIAL FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 3

〉〉〉〉〉 +RECENT CHANGES

MPL: THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK Chris Gowers looks at the most recent addition to the pro pilot training options the Multi-Pilot Licence

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5 LOOP TRAINING SPECIAL FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

I HAVE to confess that when I heard about the plans for the MPL training course a few years ago, I was extremely sceptical about this new route into the profession.

After all, many reasoned, the current Modular and Integrated systems have been around for decades and they work well, so why change it?

This is not an uncommon attitude amongst pilots who are trained to work to a system and they become comfortable with what they know – and I admit I can be as guilty of that as the best of them!

But, the existing longestablished methods of training were/are geared towards producing a singlepilot aircraft operator. After this, the conversion from single-pilot flying to multipilot operations is covered only by 15 hours on the MCC Course – a course which is not assessed by an exam, but simply undertaken.

“But,” I hear the sceptics say, “the pilots still have to complete a type rating with an airline and they will consolidate their multicrew skills there.”

That is true and, yes, the current system has served us well, but wouldn’t it be better to train an airline pilot as a multi-crew pilot from the off ?

It is exactly this reasoning and question the MPL Course sought to address, the course being tailored for the flightdeck of a modern airliner.

TAILORED COURSES The MPL course is run for

students who have been selected by an airline, so there’s a role in mind already. Ground school and exams are exactly the same as the more traditional courses, but then the MPL Course structure changes.

It's divided into 4 phases: ★ Core phase ★ Basic phase ★ Intermediate phase ★ Advanced phase Core phase contains all or most flying, including upset training to recover large aircraft from extreme attitudes. After Core, remaining training takes place in a simulator.

Basic phase introduces multi-crew operations and builds on the flying skills introduced in Core.

The Intermediate phase then develops these skills in more job-oriented exercises simulating ops pilots will experience in airline jobs. Both Basic and Intermediate are carried out at the FTO using the students’ airlines Standard Operating Procedures.

Whilst students may not necessarily train in a simulator of the type of aircraft they will actually fly later they will be operating the sim as close as possible to their future aircraft type.

The final Advanced phase is the actual type-rating training, to qualify students for the specific aircraft they will fly for work. This training is carried out with the airline.

Having seen the very first MPL course in operation at FTE (Jerez) in Spain last year, I must confess I am a complete convert and believe it is the way forward in airline pilot training.

2011 FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE

TURN PAGE FOR MORE PILOT CAREER ADVICE

〉〉〉〉〉 Never forget on your ATPL couse that this is where you're ultimately aiming... your workplace will take you around the world.

MPL MYTH BUSTER MYTH: “The MPL is a quick way to a CPL.” Wrong. Training takes about the same time as a traditional Integrated ATPL course – though inclusive type-rating training cuts about 6-8 weeks overall of training times.

MYTH: “MPL Course is a cheap way to train CPLs.” No. In spite of being more heavily weighted to simulator work, the cost is similar to Integrated ATPL courses, around the £70-80,000 total.

MYTH: “An MPL holder cannot gain command of a multicrew aircraft.”

Wrong again. An MPL holder is limited to operating multi-crew only. Therefore an MPL holder can become a captain of a multi-crew aircraft, but is unable to operate an aircraft as the sole pilot.

INTEGRATED TRAINING

AN OVERSEAS ALTERNATIVE?

PARTING THOUGHTS

THE Modular route is cheaper (c.£55,000 vs c.£80,000), however the fastest but pricier route is via the well-established Integrated ATPL(Aeroplane) course.

Integrated rolls all the Modular elements into one, including the MCC, and the whole process can take as little as 14 months (versus at least two years for Modular, usually much more).

Integrated training is very similar to Modular but there are differences: each Integrated course starts with a period of full-time classroom work and study conducted by the school to attack the ground exams.

Most schedule all ground school and exams at the start of the course, but when I was with Flight Training Europe in Jerez we integrated ground study with flying, so it varies.

Integrated students don't get a PPL because at the course conclusion they have a CPL and IR. In the time Modular students would be hours-building, Integrated students will continue with dual instruction as well as solo flights.

For this reason Integrated is lower on final flight hours than Modular. An instructor/examiner is authorised to conduct the CPL Skills Test in-house but, as with Modular, the IR Skills Test is by a CAA examiner.

Perhaps the greatest advantages of Integrated is the 100% focus a student can give it with minimum outside distractions, and the close links Integrated schools have with airlines – enhancing the possibility of getting a job quickly.

ONE route to a professional licence has become popular due to cost savings: train in the US with a school authorised by the Federal Aviation Administration for an FAA Commercial Pilot’s Licence and Instrument Rating, then convert that licence to a UK-friendly ‘JAA’ licence (Joint Aviation Authorities – a European harmonisation of training standards).

The minimum training to convert an FAA CPL is “as required” and the UK school to which the FAA licence-holder goes will complete whatever is needed to prepare the candidate for the CPL Skills Test.

The minimum conversion requirement for IR is 15 hours training and the IR Skills Test, so on the face of it once a pilot holds an FAA CPL, converting it to JAA-approved licence should be relatively easy.

However, there is a downside. In my view the training philosophy in the USA differs from European schools’ to such an extent that I know FAA CPLholders that have struggled to convert to a JAA licence, as their basic flying skills were considerably weaker than one would expect.

In one case, the individual concerned took as much flying time to convert his IR as he would have done completing the full JAA IR course; one has to question whether it worked out any cheaper. Whilst this was an extreme case, I have yet to see a pilot holding a FAA licence convert the CPL or the IR to the JAA in anything close to the minimum training hours.

IT MIGHT seem a strange thing for me to say, but don’t expect to enjoy professional pilot training. Flying is enormously rewarding and satisfying, but under the pressure of training, with exams, it’s a lot more serious than flying locally on a nice day with friends.

You have to meet minimum professional standards and your instructors will push to get the best possible performance from you. Few students find this a piece of cake.

Equally, there are a few who fail to make the grade, but for most mere mortals professional training is hard work with a little blue book entitled 'Joint Aviation Authorities Commercial Pilot Licence' as the deserved end reward.

If you enjoy the training as well, that’s a bonus.

www.loop.aero TRAINING SPECIAL FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 6

〉〉〉〉〉

2011 FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE

+SELECTION TIME

CHOOSING THE SCHOOL Do your research to find the Flight Training Organisation or school that suits you WHICH flight training school should you pick? A simple question, but difficult to answer as individual requirements differ. A good place to start is with CAA Standards Document 31 on the CAA website (http:// tinyurl.com/3ys6zfk), which lists all schools in the UK and overseas approved by the UK CAA to conduct professional pilot training courses.

So then what? » Visit schools to directly compare. Are teaching staff friendly and professional?

Students will usually give their honest view, as will ex-students – even better if you know them. » Be wary of anonymous web forum advice: negative

DETAILS MIN REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMENCING MODULAR CPL COURSE: ★ PPL(A) issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1 ★ Qualified to fly at night ★ 150hrs as a pilot ★ Pass theory knowledge exam for CPL(A) or ATPL(A) ★ Complete the 300nm 'cross country' flight CPL SKILLS TEST ★ Pre-planned navigation leg ★ Diversion nav leg to a destination given in the air ★ Normal, Flapless and Glide circuits, normally flown at an unknown airfield

feedback usually comes from those who did poorly – contented customers don’t tend to be vocal. » Investigate extra charges not listed. Are all the landing and navigation fees (for IFR flights) included? If you land at another airfield, landing fees there may be extra. » Take a good look at the aircraft inside and out. Do they look well maintained?

A shabby looking fleet may indicate deeper problems within a school. » Remember your goal of a job with an airline: some schools have good links to airlines, so establish if those links exist and ask how many and where graduates have been recently placed. » Is availability of examiners and aircraft good? It’s

★ Simulated Emergencies: Engine Failure/Practice forced landing, Rejected Take Off, Engine Failure After Take Off, Systems Failures ★ Instrument flying: Climbing, turning and descending on full panel instruments; Limited panel straight and level and turns; Limited panel unusual attitude recoveries ★ General Handling: Climbing, turning and descending, including steep gliding turns; Steep turns; Slow flight; Stalling Note: If the CPL Skills Test is aboard a multi-engine aircraft, the usual glide and PFL elements are

frustrating to reach test readiness then discover there are no examiners or serviceable aircraft. » How does the school expect payment? Paying as you go for Integrated is common. Be wary of parting with full course payment in advance as it’s not unheard of for schools to go bust, so check for bonds or insurance guarantees.

Note: A Flight Training Organisation (FTO) is an approved training provider for professional courses, as opposed to a Registered Facility which provides training to PPL level, but may include other ratings like the IMC or night flying. The EU abbreviation Approved Training Organisation (ATO) may also be encountered.

removed and substituted with asymmetric 'engine out' work.

IR SKILLS TEST ★ Take-off and Standard Instrument Departure ★ Join Controlled Airspace ★ Transit to an IFRequipped airfield for an IFR approach ★ Low approach and go-around at minima ★ IFR handling: Base to Final and Final Approach stalls; Limited panel climb, turn and descend; Limited panel unusual attitude recoveries ★ Recover to base airfield for hold on a VOR or NBD ★ Follow an IFR procedure

6 LOOP TRAINING SPECIAL FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

Try to visit potential schools to check out the atmosphere.

to go-around visually ★ Asymmetric circling approach or circuit to land Note: One of the IFR approaches must be flown as asymmetric.

THE CPL-QUALIFYING CROSS-COUNTRY This is similar to the PPL requirement: the overall flight must be of at least 300nm and be completed on the same day with intermediate full stop landings at two other airfields other than the departure airfield. A minimum five hours night flying training should also be completed during the Hours-Building module.

NEXT MONTH

Part Three: Your New Career

★ Get that job: 10 ways to improve your employment chances ★ Chief Pilots speak: those that recruit talk about what they are looking for ★ The other job options open to you ★ The truth about being a pro pilot – from those that do it ★ Salary lists – guidelines on what to expect

www.loop.ae ro FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 37

Pg-37-oxford and eft.indd 37

27/1/11 09:45:28

AEROSWITHALAN

It's the economy, stupid

Just what does it cost to compete in aerobatics? Alan Cassidy considers both renting and sharing an aircraft to work it out

Make your flying money really count and consider a season of aerobatics

p030-031.aeros with alanA4SUBBED.indd 38

28/1/11 11:02:52

A PLAN FOR A SEASON In the late ‘80s I was still in the RAF and I had managed to acquire a one-third share of a Pitts S1S based at Denham. I was in my third year of competition and had just moved up from Standard Class to Intermediate. Military commitments permitting, I made a plan to compete in about five events during the summer.

In previous years I had been able to rent a CAP-10 to fly from time to time. How much did it cost to run the Pitts compared to the fairly simple arrangement of renting? These are the things that tend to come up in family discussions about hobbies. It’s the economy, stupid.

Many readers out there must be in the same position now that I was in then. Thinking they might want to have a competition season, but rather uncertain about what is involved financially. So this article is really about how much you might expect to spend.

HOW MANY HOURS? A perfectly reasonable ambition for a moderately keen competition pilot could be to fly in five contests in the season, one a month, spaced out fairly evenly from April to August. You might think this implies a lot of flying, but let’s be practical. No competitor is able to maintain peak performance constantly. All athletes train to reach a peak for their main events, but with down time between to relieve the strain on their body.

Aerobatic training should be the same way.

Here is an example of a four-week training cycle that you could plan for each of the five monthly competitive events:

It is quite feasible to embark on a season of aerobatic competition flying for a lot less than £10,000 How the costs add up ITEM Interest lost on capital 1/3 Share of hangarage 1/3 share of insurance Fuel, oil Maintenance (50hr + annual) Engine fund Total

RATE £12,000 x 2.5% 12 x £250/3 £1800/3 30 x £50 x 1.75 x 1.05 (£1000 + £5000)/3 30 x £15

COST £300 £1000 £600 £2756 £2000 £450 £7106

What cost, say, five aerobatic events a year?

Week 1 Has no flying at all, enabling you to get over the last event and to chill out a bit.

Week 2 You need to get back into the aeroplane again and enjoy yourself.

Week 3 You should plan two 30-minute flights and concentrate on technique in some of the figures that you find more difficult to do well.

Week 4 Competition week. You need to be in the aeroplane almost every evening after work for a short flight that reproduces exactly what you might expect to do at the competition. Then you have to fly to, or at least share the transit to, the contest – 1.5 hours is a reasonable average.

Lastly, at the contest itself, you will have to fly up to three short flights in front of the judges.

This whole monthly cycle returns a rough total of five hours flying.

Do this five times a year and the annual total goes up to 25 hours. Add an early-season work-up in March of another five hours and the annual plan is for 30 hours flying. Does this seem a lot, or a little? The answer depends on what you currently do in a year.

WHAT WILL IT COST? If you don’t yet own your own aeroplane, then the costs are easy to work out. You are going to pay for 30 hours flying at perhaps £220/hr so that part of the bill will be £6600. By way of comparison, let’s now assume that you manage to buy a one-third share of a single seat Pitts for £12,000. You are now a proud owner, but you have responsibilities and you have lost the interest you might have received if you left the cash in the attic.

You will have to pay a share of the hangarage and insurance, for you fuel and oil, for maintenance that your group contracts out and for an engine fund to rebuild the motor after 1500 hours or so. My rough stab in the dark at adding all this up comes to more than rental, but you could save the difference with an ownermaintained Permit aeroplane and by ignoring the engine fund.

In practice, much depends on the availability of rental aircraft in your area or on finding a suitable shared aeroplane, but this is a fair outline. It is a pretty safe bet, however, that if you fly less than 30 hours a year it is probably cheaper to rent, while if you fly more it might well be cheaper overall to be an owner if you can find a reasonable group aeroplane within reach.

A word of warning here. If you are thinking of getting into a group and to use the aeroplane for competition flying, be sure to join forces with friends of a like mind, and beware of groups with any more than three shares. Adding members to a group beyond this limit results in ever-decreasing savings and ever more 'social complexity'. That is a euphemism, by the way.

There are also a few additional costs associated with becoming a full flying member of the BAeA (£100) and entry fees for each contest (£40 x 5).

Then there will be accommodation at contest sites, money to bribe the judges and so on. Expect to add another £750 to the annual budget.

CONCLUSIONS It is quite feasible to embark on a season of aerobatic competition flying for a lot less than £10,000. You will find your flying suddenly has significantly more meaning and purpose than the rather less disciplined style of making it up as you go along.

By the way, the cost to get your 10-year-old into a competitive race kart series for the summer will be double this, and by the time they are really competitive teenagers you can expect to shell out £50,000 a year for riding around on the fastest lawnmower ever invented.

There is no comparison, and no better form of birth control. It has to be aerobatics.

Be safe and enjoy your flying.

4-week training schedule, 5 hours flying 1 hr

1.5 hr

1 hr

3 Flights

Transit/Share

Three Contest Flights

R

ECENTLY I drove a go-kart for the first time in my life. It was a chilly day and I had to run with the visor open to avoid the helmet steaming up. That’s what you get for talking to yourself, I suppose. Makes your eyes water.

Another thing that makes your eyes water is the cost of everything. Especially as I’ve just had to zero-time the engine in my two-seat Pitts.

That’ll teach me for owning an aeroplane. I can’t think that a new engine for a go-kart would cost £20,000, but I might be wrong in that.

The owner of the kart does the same sort of thing in his world as I do in mine. You know: sell rides to innocent people, encourage newbies into the sport, that sort of thing. Of course, I am at least 50 years too late to be a newbie at karting, but there were some numbers thrown around about the cost of putting a teenager into the seat of a competitive kart and racing around in a championship season. The numbers were surprisingly big.

This got me thinking about the cost of aerobatics and what value you can get for your money during the year. As I’ve been a professional now for nearly 20 years, my view on the matter is informed, although I have absolutely no way of working out what my current costs are. I probably wouldn’t want to know, for example, how much I pay for a minute of training in the S1 or how much it costs to win a silver medal in Poland.

But I was once a normal, mortal amateur at the game and I thought it might be amusing to work out what the cost of a season of mild aerobatic competition would cost these days. It would make an interesting comparison with the sums some parents are prepared to pay to see their potential Lewis Hamiltons thrashing around a miniBrands in a glorified ride-on lawn mower.

1 hr 0.5 hr No Flying

1 Flight

2 Flights

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4 www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 39

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FR EE !

lo tria Fo go l r n t of t a o o W his ne -m W fant on W as th .LO tic FR O web EE P. si A te ER ,

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!

ADVICE || CLUBS || FLIGHT TRAINING || SAFETY || PLACES TO FLY || PEOPLE TO MEET || THINGS TO DO

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Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest The industry is gearing up for the biggest GA show in Europe, AERO 2011 at Friedrichshafen. Will you be there? See p44

MY FIRST SOLO Helicopter hero Frank Robinson Page 49

GET RATED Try a gryocopter for a change Page 50

PLANE CRAZY Globe trotting Norman Surplus Page 51

NICK HEARD Top tips to get you through the year Page 46

GURUS Starting training: PPL or NPPL Page 47

NEW PILOT Getting a PPL in just 20 days Page 49

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 41

flightCLUBHANGARCHAT + C LU B FO C U S E N S TO N E F LY I N G C LU B

The quintessential English flying club Paul Fowler talks about Enstone Airfield, where you’ll find an eclectic mix of pilots, locals and... chickens!

S

+THE VITALS

ICAO CODE EGTN LOCATION 4.5nm E of Chipping Norton. Lat/Long N5155.69 W00125.71 FACILITIES Fuel, hangarage, parking, licensed bar, newly refurb’d clubhouse, fresh eggs and honey, training for microlights and fixed-wing.

RUNWAYS 08/26 asphalt 1140m and 08/26 grass 800m RADIO

Enstone 129.875 LANDING FEES Singles £10, twins £20, microlights £5 EVENTS Several events throughout the year, inc Pilots in the Pub at the local boozer on first Thursdays of each month DETAILS Enstone Flying Club, Enstone Airfield, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 4NP. T: 01608 678204. enstoneflyingclub.co.uk

ET in stunning Oxfordshire countryside amid its quaint villages is Enstone Flying Club, run by owner Paul Fowler and renowned for its vibrant social scene.

EFC has been on the site for 25 years, with Paul running it for the last seven and growing the club to over 150 members and around 40 aircraft based at the site.

Enstone became an airfield in 1942, home to Wellington bombers, and Paul says, ”The clubhouse used to be where they put the fuses into the bombs – but we promise both bombs and fuses are long gone!”

After the war Esso bought the airfield to test different road surfaces on the runway, explaining the excellent strip condition Paul says. It is a cracking club for its social

42 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

aspects, and he explains, “Although we have a bar and Mrs Miggins Cake Emporium, we don’t have a restaurant – but there is a lovely pub just down the road, The Crown!

“On the first Thursday of every month we have ‘Pilots in the Pub’, an opportunity for pilots to come and meet up and for partners to get to know each other. It means when we do fly-outs to Le Touquet partners will come because they know everybody already.”

There was another reason for Pilots in the Pub: “It was initially also a hearts and minds operation, for the locals that don’t like aviation.

We’re a now a regular feature in the pub, sometimes up to 30 of us. We occasionally hear comments and people seem surprised that we’re normal, we’re just like them but we love flying.”

We’re a friendly bunch and get on really well with the locals

“It has worked well, mainly because we’re a friendly bunch and get on really well with the locals. One of the main opponents against us locally was overheard in the pub complaining about a surge in noise, and another local turned to him and said, ‘You can’t blame them... they’ve not been able to fly for three months because of the weather!’ It shows it’s working... they are listening.”

The airfield itself is stunning and very peaceful, with a classic Citroën fuel truck on site and the historic feel from the WW2 buildings.

Next to the cakes, crisps and chocolate honesty box, there is another one for eggs: chickens on site are known as ‘B Flight’ and ‘C Flight’, and their efforts are £1.50 for half a dozen! “We also have bees on site and produce our own honey,” added Paul.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS GO TO... www.loop.aero +LANDMARK CAROL COOPER

20,000 not out!

20,000 hours is a lot – well over two years of flying!

– and it takes a special dedication, especially flying in the UK with our weather the way it is.

So it's only proper and correct that we all send congratulations to Carol Cooper, who recently stepped over the 20,000 hours landmark... a lot of log books!

Carol is the very popular and friendly CFI at Andrewsfield, Essex. She is also a CAA examiner and in 2010 was nominated to become a Liveryman of

the Guild Of Air Pilots and Navigators, making Carol the youngest woman to receive this honour.

In her day-to-day work Carol is one busy lady and last year at Andrewsfield she helped 13 pilots gain their PPL, another 25 students fly solo, and help guide nine to gaining their Flight Instructor ratings... all alongside her CAA examining work.

So from all here at LOOP, well done Carol, keep up the good work and here’s to the next 20,000 hours! www.andrewsfield.com

GET YOUR CLUB NOTICED IN LOOP clubs@ loop.aero

Carol with Joe McBryan, star of Ice Pilots, at EAA Airventure 2010 Paul’s own commitment to keeping members happy is clear, such as when any wish to buy an aircraft. He says, “We make sure they are buying a decent aircraft. We have good inspectors that will tear the paperwork apart and look at what’s going to need changing. We present the details showing what will need to be changed in the next year, two years, five years and 10 years.”

A recent popular event was the club's Open Day, held in association with the microlight school and other school on the airfield. “We had around 400 people from the nearby villages come.

Everyone from a nearby industrial estate was involved – there’s a company that makes traffic cones, so they set up a cone maze.

“The Driving Experience guys came and you could

drive a Ferrari, Porsche or Aston Martin for £10, and the shooting range was open.

These are all things on or near the airfield and it was a really great day.”

Brightening the future yet more is Paul’s plan to build a squadron of Spitfires reps, to get more people involved in aviation. He says, “I know they’re not real Spits but it’s really snowballed. We’ve had more than 150 responses from people wanting to get involved. Military vehicle enthusiasts are interested in joining to display with us for a bit re-enacting, and we already have Spitfire owners, LAA inspectors, aircraft builders, BA pilots and ex-RAF pilots interested.

The Spitfire is just the hook, what it’s all about is getting more people into aviation as the ultimate goal!” www.spitfireclub.co.uk

Clockwise from main: Enstone's fleet; owner Paul Fowler; a 'misplaced' sign; the clubhouse and hangars; the clubhouse

SHOOTING STARS BEDFORDSHIRE SCHOOL OF FLYING PPL Penny Hannaford Joe Mwambur www.bedford shireschoolof flying.com ANDREWSFIELD First Solo Mark Huges Lars Schmid Kevin Thomas Marc Ogilvie PPL Stuart Parsons Sam Barker Bart Soboczynsi Peter Bailey IMC Richard Gormley Mick Taylor www.andrews field.com

+PHOTO ALBUM

A recent sad day in the world of British aviation occurred when the historic Harrier was withdrawn from service due to budget cuts. This formation of four Harriers performed a flypast over Imperial War Museum Duxford in what is likely to be one of the last appearances by the Harrier before it goes out of service. No date for the F35 replacement yet... http://duxford.iwm.org.uk

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 43

flightCLUBEVENTS

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Book AERO time off now

The biggest and best GA show in Europe is worth the journey WE ALL know by now that Friedrichshafen’s AERO 2011 Show will have everything you could possibly want to do with aviation under one roof. Well, nine roofs to be exact, spread out under the airport site’s huge hangars.

The mammoth event will feature everything from business jets to propeller aircraft, helicopters to electric planes, and pretty much else in between.

The helicopter presence takes a step upwards this year, with the first display at AERO by Eurocopter, showing alongside numerous other firms and operators. For metal spotters, the Robinson R66 is also expected to make an appearance too, the firm’s first turbine model and only recently certified.

Some 600 trade exhibitors from around the world are already booked, and once more a major theme will be the the E-Flight Expo highlighting the latest advances in electric aviation.

Tickets are only €14 and if you book flights now a return trip will cost around £200. Of course, you can always fly yourself, though PPR is necessary. www.aero-expo.com

Kilkenny is well regarded for its cultural life, craft and design workshops, theatre, comedy, public gardens and museums.

Eurocopter will be at AERO 2011, its first appearance at the show

EVENTS PLACES TO GO IN FEBRUARY 2011

+ 3 February GASCO/ CAA Safety Evening, Staffordshire Aero Club, Penkridge Event focusing on safety issues for private pilots, with subject typically including flight planning, infringements, look out and good airmanship.

Highly recommended.

01889 882871 www.gasco.org.uk +5 February, LAA Homebuilder Courses - Propellers, Turweston Aerodrome, Northants Care and maintenance of ground adjustable and in-flight adjustable propellers. Includes correct setting of ground adjustable pitch angles.

Kilkenny

£90. 01280 846 786 www. Aircraft Club Valentine lightaircraftassociation. Rally, Old Sarum Airfield co.uk 13 February, Vintage Aircraft Club Valentine + 6 February, Lincoln Aero Rally, Old Sarum Airfield Club Breakfast Patrol PPR 01722 322525 Fly-in, Lincoln Aero Club www.vintageaircraftclub.

Arrive in the overhead org.uk without being detected by the patrolling club +17 February, GASCO/ aircraft and receive a CAA Safety Evening, Plymouth Airport Event free breakfast. starts at focusing on safety 09:30 until 12:00. www. issues for private pilots, lincolnaeroclub.co.uk with subjects typically including flight planning, + 6 February, Vintage Sunday Fly-in Old Sarum infringements, look out Airfield Free landings and good airmanship. for Pre 1955 aircraft. PPR Highly recommended! essential. 01722-322525 01752 773335 www.oldsarumairfield. www.gasco.org.uk co.uk +19 February, LAA + 13 February, Vintage Homebuilder Courses

+6 February Lincoln Aero Club Breakfast Patrol Fly-in Arrive without being detected and get a free breakfast! www.lincolnaeroclub.co.uk 44 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

- Aircraft Electrics, Turweston Aerodrome This course for restorers and homebuilders provides an excellent introduction to Permit aircraft electrics and is suitable for beginners and non-aviation electrical experts who want to know more about aircraft electrical systems. The course includes: planning your installation; why we need batteries, battery performance and the options available; switches and contactors – how to choose them and how they work; all about aircraft wires including sizes, crimping, soldering and routing; circuit breakers and fuses; the basics of how alternators work; how all the elements of a basic VFR electrical system fit together; basic fault finding. £85.

01280 846 786 www. lightaircraftassociation. co.uk +19 February, LAA Homebuilder Courses - Jabiru engine maintenance, Southery Airstrip, Norfolk

Learn this popular homebuilders’ choice inside out, with known issues, hints and tips, and 50hr servicing and maintenance details outlined. £95.

01280 846 786 www. lightaircraftassociation. co.uk +19 February, Model Show, FAA Museum, Yeovilton Over 2000 visitors are expected to attend along with over 120 traders and clubs who will be exhibiting everything from model aircraft, boats, figures, tanks and dioramas. The February Model Show is the largest event of its kind in the South West and a must for all model enthusiasts. Ticket prices start at £12. www.fleetairarm.com +22 February, GASCO/ CAA Safety Evening, Touchdown Inn, Wellesbourne See February 17 listing for Plymouth. 01789 842007 www.gasco.org.uk + 23 February GASCO/ CAA Safety Evening, Coventry Aero Club See February 22 listing above. 02476 301428

SEE THIS Kilkenny Castle The building work of Kilkenny Castle began in 1195. There are ornamental gardens on the city side of the castle, and extensive land and gardens to the front. Part of the National Art Gallery is also on display in the castle. www.kilkennycastle.ie

EVERYTHING ELSE Plan your stay...

DRINK HERE: TYNAN’S BRIDGE HOUSE BAR Famous in Ireland as one of the best pubs in Ireland, with friendly bar staff and live music it really is worth a visit. The craic is “If you’re in Kilkenny you’ve got to stop by!”

Tel: 353 56 772 1291

DO THIS: SMITHWICK'S BREWERY Celebrating 300 years of brewing in Kilkenny the Smithwick's Brewery currently offers tours around its impressive facility. The tours will take visitors through the working brewery and include a visit to the remarkable 12th century St Francis Abbey which is on the brewery site. www.smithwicks.ie

STAY HERE: KILKENNY RIVER COURT HOTEL This four-star riverside hotel is set in the South East and offers prime shopping and dining experiences throughout the city's winding and cobbled street ways, all within ten minutes. Room prices start at £80 per night, but package deals are available. www.rivercourthotel.com

EAT HERE: CAMPAGNE An extremely popular restaurant with tourists and locals (always a good sign) that serves French food to a very high standard. Campagne uses local fresh produce and has already gained positive reviews from food critics and restaurant guides. www.campagne.ie

THE STRIP CONOR AIRPARK (EIKK) CONTACT: Kilkenny flying and Gliding Club, Conor Airpark.

PPR Essential, call airport manager Peter Tawse, +353(0)87 1255241 RUNWAYS: 09/27, 946m x 23m, Grass www.kilkennyflying-glidingclub.com

Cleaning chemicals De-icing & anti-icing products Cleaning chemicals #&-(*6. t XXX BFSP TFOTF DPN

TKS fluid According AL-5 DTD406B And alcohol-free TKS

tel +32 (0)51 26 80 00 JOGP!BFSP TFOTF DPN

Ice-5 fuel Anti-icing additive

Granular & liquid SVOXBZ EFJDFST

Aircraft cleaner GMP screen cleaner Windshield cleaner Insect remover

ASTM1431B certified Boeing certification D6-17487

DiEGME according ASTM-D4171-03

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www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 45

flightCLUBFLIGHT SCHOOL P

GURUS

Nick Heard

The year lies ahead and another season of flying to enjoy... so absorb these tips to make life easier

NICK HEARD is a seasoned flying instructor, current Boeing 747 captain and a former RAF Tornado pilot. In this special he warns of potential problems you can prepare for to sidestep

A

THESE are in no specific order, but they have been bracketed into seasons, for a time when they become most relevant.

SPRING ADMIN With winter behind you, it's a good time to have a close look at any ongoing requirements to keep your licence up-to-date. Check the expiry date, due dates of ratings, and medical (which might include ECG or audio tests as the years roll on!).

↓

CHECK FOR NESTS! Beware of nature! It’s amazing how quickly birds can build nests, and they can also install them in the most unusual locations - including such places as cosy engine intakes and wheel wells!

Check your aircraft very carefully if it has been left outside for a few days.

↓

BOUNCING LANDINGS The wrong reaction after a bounce on landing is to shove the nose down, which will promptly result in a second heavy impact on the nosewheel and quite probable breakage. If you find yourself in the situation of a firm landing and bounce, hold the attitude and apply full power to go around.

↓

FOR YOU The smallest and lightest PLB available

FLYING AFTER MAJOR ENGINEERING CHECKS I am always extremely careful to have a really good check of an aircraft after it has come out of ‘the shed’ after a major piece of maintenance, especially if it has involved disconnecting flying controls.

Go around it making sure all connections are secure, wire-locked if appropriate, and that the control surfaces MOVE THE RIGHT WAY! SUMMER SUMMER TEMPERATURES In the height of summer don’t forget the considerable loss of performance your aircraft will suffer in high temperatures.

Don’t be afraid to delve into the Operating Handbook to check the figures for both take-off and landing, but give yourself a margin on the result of those calculations.

↓

ARRIVING AT AN AIRSHOW Park where you are asked to and take care to put the aircraft ‘to bed’ carefully don’t get caught up with the excitement of the event just yet! Make sure that mags are off and the battery off too.

↓

LEAVING AN AIRSHOW Again, treat all the aspects of your eventual departure with as much care as possible.

Taxi carefully, especially if there are lots of other aircraft around planning or making

departures at the same time.

when on finals.

↓

↓

FORCED LANDINGS Whilst airborne, be aware of what the surface wind is and keep an eye out for fields that would be suitable to land in, bearing in mind that fields change through the year as crops are harvested.

AUTUMN WATER Water in its various forms causes a lot of problems in aviation, none more so than when it gets into fuel. If water is present in a fuel sample taken from an aircraft, be careful - drain more until the sample is clear, or get some competent advice if in doubt.

↓

SURVIVAL When the evenings start drawing in, it’s worth thinking about what to wear (or, at least, what to take with you) in the cabin with regard to survival after a forced landing. A forced landing late in the day may result in getting stuck in an isolated field as darkness falls and the temperature drops.

↓

BIRDS Coupled with late afternoons in the autumn comes increased bird activity. Keep your landing light on to keep yourself as bright as possible, and be ready to go around if you see a big flock ahead

High Performance 406MHz PLBs and ELTs selected by the world’s most famous aircraft builders and airlines.

Email contact.aviation@kannad.com or call +33 2 97 02 49 49

46 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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CARB ICING ON THE GROUND Some engines can be extremely prone to carburettor icing, which can develop as soon as the engine is started. Check the RPM drop carefully during your engine checks - a large drop in RPM followed by recovery may be an indication of rapid ice formation.

WINTER CHECK PROVISIONS If you are planning to go flying in cold conditions, make sure the aircraft is completely free of ice, frost, and snow. Check the runway condition. Think about survival in the event of a forced landing.

↓

SHORT FINALS Get in the habit on short finals of a last check of the undercarriage and flaps position to avoid and last minute embarrassment!

↓

CORRECT POSITION Whilst in the visual circuit, be punctilious about making RT calls in the correct position.

Your calls are vital not just to ATC but to other pilots who are in or joining the circuit.

But be flexible - if you can’t make, say, a ‘downwind’ call in the right place due to busy RT, call ‘late downwind’ when you can get a word in.

AND YOUR PLANE Easy installation ELT, perfect for retrofit

Q&A

ALL YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED BY THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS +STAR QUESTION

WHAT DO I DO? Q| I fly regularly but when in the vicinity of Luton or Stansted the official advice is to squawk 0013 and monitor 129.95 or 120.625 respectively and get a LARS service from Fanborough North on 132.8. As my radio only receives one station at a time what do you suggest to avoid traffic conflicts?

Incidentally, how does Luton or Stansted call one if only ‘monitoring’ is being done and no 2-way communication established? - Jerome Mostyn (1953 PPL holder) A| For This question we decided to go directly to NATS for the answer and this is the reply: “I believe your original input has one word different to official advice which makes quite a difference.

SHALL I SWITCH? Q| After many years of umming and ahhing I finally decided to start training for my pilot's licence. I currently have around 10 hours to my name already, but I've decided that maybe I dont a need a PPL and that an NPPL will be enough for me.

I was wondering if it’s possible to change to aim for an NPPL at this stage of my training?

What would it incur?

What, if anything, would I have to do again? Is there anything I would need to know?

And are there any potential benefits from having an NPPL instead of a full PPL? – David Cook

CLEAR PROP

YOUR GURUS...

PROPELLER ADVICE FROM PROPTECH OPTECH

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

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

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

NEED TO SPEAK YOUR MIND! THEN EMAIL YOUR OPINION TO LOOP incoming@ loop.aero How to monitor two or more stations with a radio that only receives one at a time?

It should read, 'When flying in the vicinity of Luton or Stansted the official advice is to squawk 0013 and monitor 129.95 or 120.625 respectively OR get a LARS service from Farnborough North on 132.8.'

"From the perspective of Luton or Stansted, I believe if they wish to establish 2-way with an

A| Changing to the NPPL at this stage is absolutely fine.

You will be unlikely to have to repeat anything, and actually you have less to do! You will have a less onerous medical and it will cost less.

There is a shorter flying syllabus to undertake for the NPPL so it should save you money as well. You will take the same written examinations, so if you want to progress to a PPL later you can always upgrade to a full medical and do the extra training to convert to a full PPL quite easily.

Your NPPL privileges will be fewer, as you will not be able to fly all types of aircraft and generally you are not able to use the NPPL in other countries of Europe, or fly at night or in IMC. - Dorothy Pooley

aircraft squawking the 0013, they will blind call 'Aircraft squawking 0013, overhead Ware VRP, are you on frequency?'. That would certainly be how Farnborough blind calls 7000 squawks near us that are 'in the way' as it were and with which it would benefit us to identify.”

- NATS

+NOTAM

WELLESBOURNE MOUNTFORD

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

Night flight training is possible until 30 March, with the aerodrome open Wed and Fri until Sunset + 30 min until 20:00, Sat SS+30until 19:00, subject to weather.

SHERBURN-IN-ELMET No mogas availble.

CARDIFF 24 Feb, morning, radar out of service. VFR inbound and outbound routes suspended.

BEMBRIDGE Aerodrome closed to all traffic except resident aircraft, ATZ and CAA licence suspended.

F

IRSTLY, a happy new year to all LOOP readers from all at Proptech – we hope you all had a good and enjoyable festive period, and are all looking forward to a great year of flying!

Unfortunately the weather is still not good for GA pilots and aircraft – there are signs of some improvement, but as we all know this can be very changeable.

If you are flying at this time of year be aware the weather conditions can induce possible hazards, like soft ground, slippery runways and taxiways etc, and banked snow if there are more falls.

Should you be unlucky enough to suffer from a propeller strike due to any of the above, then I recommend you contact your engineer or propeller facility for further advice.

Most propeller OEMs have criteria that list the various actions required following a propeller strike, whether it be a fixed- or variable-pitch, with aluminium or composite blades.

A foreign object strike can include a broad spectrum of damage, from a minor stone nick to severe ground impact damage.

A conservative approach in evaluating the damage is required because there may be hidden damage that is not readily apparent during an on-wing or on-engine, visual inspection.

The definition of a foreign object strike is: ■ Any incident, whether or not the engine is operating, that requires repair to the propeller other than minor dressing of the blades.

Examples of foreign object strike include situations where an aircraft is stationary and the landing gear collapses causing one or more blades to be significantly damaged, or where a hangar door (or other object) strikes the propeller blade.

These cases should be handled as foreign object strikes because of potentially severe side loading on the propeller hub, blades and retention bearings.

■ Any incident during engine operation in which the propeller impacts a solid object that causes a drop in revolutions per minute (RPM) and also requires structural repair of the propeller.

Incidents that require only paint touch-up are not included). This is not restricted to propeller strikes against the ground.

■ A sudden RPM speed drop while impacting water, tall grass, or similar yielding medium, where propeller blade damage is not normally incurred.

Depending on the resulting inspection findings to the propeller, the work required to return it to service can range from a minor repair to mandatory overhaul.

If you are not using your aircraft during the winter months determine whether your propeller is due for overhaul, it might be worth doing it during this period, even if a bit early, but bear in mind that propeller shops get busy around the Easter time and the start of the flying season.

By doing this you avoid the rush and will be ready to go flying in the spring and this will save removals in the summer.

Finally, on a light hearted note, this website www.notplanejane. com might be of interest to LOOP readers. It's for a large collection of mostly fixed-pitch vintage propellers – it’s amazing how many there have been over the years!

Don't hesitate to contact the Engineering or Commercial teams at Proptech for any tech advice or quotations via www. proptechpropellers.com.

WHITE WALTHAM Trial of new runway 11R/29L, 830x30m, until 20 March. Runway parallel to and 60m south of existing 11/29.

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 47

WE’VE CREATED SOMEWHERE SPECIAL FOR YOU TO LAND... WWW.LOOPTV.AERO LOOPTV is the best place to land for your aviation films, video, product tests, interviews and show reports. Upload your own videos online and whilst you’re there comment or rate on someone else’s!

WHILST YOU’RE THERE LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS... JUST REGISTER, LOGIN AND COMMENT! 48 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 51

flightCLUBFLIGHT SCHOOL

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

MY FIRST SOLO FRANK ROBINSON WHO Frank Robinson, founder of Robinson Helicopters and designer of the R22, R44, and R66 DATE Winter, 1965 WHERE Santa Monica, California, USA AIRCRAFT Hughes 269A helicopter HOURS WHEN SOLOED 15 HOURS NOW 3400+ INSTRUCTOR C. J. Chop

Frank (right!) just past his teens, and already an aircraft owner

MR HELICOPTER WHEN I started to formally train in helicopters I’d already spent years working on and designing them so had already flown them quite a bit, not solo.

I first worked on helicopters at Cessna as a Flight Test Engineer on the CH-1 in the 50s, a long time before I had a helicopter licence.

Working with and designing helicopters, I did a lot of flights in the CH-1, but didn’t solo. I also worked on Cessna fixed-wing designs like the prototype 152.

Later I was hired by Bob McCulloch to work on an autogyro project and he eventually said he would pay to get me commercial and instructor ratings – he was a good old boy!

Anyone who flies

helicopters knows they are a challenge, but because I’d spent years designing them, calculating everything they would do and be like, I was able to pretty much fly it in my head and visualise everything that would happen before I ever flew one myself. It was like a simulator in my head.

Back then we had two solos – one where you hovered, and one where you flew away. After dual instruction in the 269 I wasn’t nervous at all when I went solo – I was young and foolish!

The time at Cessna influenced me when I came to designing my own machines, especially the R22. The Cessna CH-1 was not as welcoming to fly as it could and should

have been – it was very sophisticated, set a lot of records and made the first helicopter IFR flight.

They tried to sell it to the army, but it wasn’t a success. The kind they should have started with was what the R22 was – easier to fly, and a personal helicopter that was simple to own, maintain and operate.

The R22’s first flight was in 1975 at Torrance. I was the pilot and it was a really proud day for me. I had calculated everything, and it all worked exactly as planned and predicted.

Very satisfying.

Like most engineers I had no idea how successful the R22 would become, as I was just interested in getting that design into production!

+NEW PILOT THOMAS JACKMAN

Getting a PPL in under three weeks THOMAS Jackman works as an engineer out to sea four months on two months off, meaning time on dry land is at a premium. So when it came to getting his PPL the clock was against him.

“When I was on leave back in October I contacted Flintshire Flying School enquiring if it was possible to complete a JAR PPL in

November. They said if the weather played ball, that it was possible in theory.”

Luckily the weather played its part, which left the hard part to Tom: study like crazy.

“I spent most of last year studying hard for my Chief Engineer exams so the brain knew what it had to do.

“Fortunately my technical and maritime background

helped me pick everything up quite quickly. Naval Architecture has similar principles to aerodynamics and various definitions are the same – replace lift with buoyancy and it all made sense to me. Marine law and Aviation law are also similar along with rules of the road and collision avoidance regulations.”

Tom was up against the clock and the weather to get his licence in quick time – but he made it!

“Getting it all done in such a short time was hard work but I had to push as I didn’t want to spend all of my leave living on my parent’s canal barge in the freezing cold! This was my reason for going to Flintshire because I had the boat there as accommodation.

“During the time I was training there I had to deal with all sorts of weather including snow, which inconveniently turned up two days before my skills test!”

Instructor Ben Shone was very impressed with Tom’s commitment to getting his PPL, and he said: “During his course Tom flew with quite a number of instructors who all really praised his attitude and dedication.”

Tom’s future plans are to purchase or get a share in his own aircraft to commute from his home on the Scilly Isles to the mainland, and to advance his flying skills. www.flintshireflyingschool. co.uk

+INSIDE TIP

WARMING THE ENGINE HELPS BEAR in mind this time of year is the hardest on your aircraft’s engine and electrical systems.

If your airfield has a mobile preheater to warm your engine and a generator or mobile power pack to aid the battery, use them.

Engine start is the single most wearing stage of a flight cycle, so any effort to get the engine towards average temperature before you crank it over will save significant metal wear.

A chilled engine also strains the starter more, and thus the battery which will already be down on oomph because of the cold.

Also, resist the temptation to overprime for start-up as excess fuel does create an extra risk of fire.

www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 49

flightCLUBGET RATED, PLANE CRAZY RATINGS WATCH

PILOT SKILLS INSIGHT

Experience the ‘Gyro grin’ If you’ve never tried an autogyro, the arrival of new certified designs into the UK means there’s never been a better time, says Steve Boxall

W

HETHER you call it a gyroplane, gyrocopter or autogyro, for me no other aircraft puts a smile on your face like it! If you want an aircraft with fantastic visibility, awesome handling and huge fun, it’s the one for you. With modern, factorybuilt machines now available, we’ve come a long way from the sport gyroplane’s origins as a homebuilt machine with rather limited performance.

To fly one in the UK you need a PPL(G). For ab-initio students the minimum required flight training is 40 hours, with at least 10 solo.

Written exams are the same as for the NPPL(M) (Air Law, Meteorology, Navigation, Human Performance and Limitations) plus a Gyroplane Technical examination.

Holders of fixed-wing, Microlight and gliding ‘Silver C’ qualifications get a 10-hour credit towards their training, while heli pilots get 20 hours.

If you’ve already passed the written exams at NPPL(M) level or higher, you only need add Gyroplane Technical.

There’s a good chance gyros fly at an airfield near you, and with the arrival of factory-built enclosed

machines like the Magni M24 and Rotorsport Calidus they will only get more popular. I’m often asked, “Does it fly like a helicopter or a fixedwing?” The answer is... neither: it flies like a gyroplane It’s not unusual for existing pilots accustomed to converting between types in a few hours to think 30 hours to learn a gyro sounds a lot, especially as they’re “easy to fly”.

Well, gyros aren’t difficult but they are different. In the cruise and in ‘general handling’, once used to the view and the experience of “outdoor aviation” there isn’t a lot for existing pilots to master.

Once that has been covered then there’s rotor management, take-offs and landings (again, not difficult but different) before we get to the fun bits like zero-airspeed flight, vertical descents, forced landings, tight turns and, of course, landing across the runway if there is a crosswind!

You can have a crack at most of the above in an one-hour trial flight, as well as learn why gyros stay so high on finals, why we can safely fly low, why we don’t mind if it’s windy or turbulent, and why gyro flying has become so popular so quickly. The grin will be free!

Steve Boxall is one of the UK’s most experience gyro instructors, based at Old Sarum near Salisbury. He’s been a CPL and FI for over 20 years, and started flying gyros over 10 years ago when he built his own single-seater.

He now operates MT-03 and Magni M16 open-cockpit gyros, with the new generation of enclosed gyroplanes arriving at his school early last year.

You can contact Steve via his website (www,gyrocopterexperience. com/Salisbury), email (steve. boxall@gyrocopterexperience. com) or phone (0790 505 9789).

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 where possible.

ULTIMATE HIGH COTSWOLRD + 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 www.ultimatehigh. co.uk MULTIFLIGHT LEEDS/ BRADFORD 0113 2387135 + MEP: £2178 + IR: £12,115 + IR 55 hours: £12,995 www.multiflight.com

WEST LONDON AERO CLUB WHIT WALTHAM 01628 823272 + IMC £2525 (own a/c £630) + Night Rating £875 (own a/c £225) MANUFACTURERS & SCHOOLS + AOPA Safety Pilot/ Magni Gyro (www.magnigyro.co.uk ) – open cockpit Magni M16 and enclosed side-by-side Magni M24 Flying Companion Rotorsport UK (www.rotorsport.org) – open cockpit MTO-Sport and enclosed tandem Calidus £1240 The Gyrocopter Experience (www.gyrocopterexperience.com)– a nationwide network of gyrocopter schools + Hour Building British Rotorcraft Association (www.gyroflight.co.uk/instructors) – list of UK gyro schools / instructors (30hrs) £3450 www.wlac.co.uk CLACTON AERO CLUB 01255 424761 + Tail wheel conversion (residential, inc

50 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

B&B) £686 + Farm strip (residential, incB&B) £1076 + IMC (residential,inc B&B) from £1938 www.clacton aeroclub.co.uk FLYING TIME SHOREHAM 01273 455177 + PPL all inclusive £8450 + Night Qualification £1069 + IMC Rating £2690 + MEP £3000 + CPL £7790 + Zero to frozen ATPL £44,500 + Multi Engine Instrument Rating £11.950 + ATPL Ground School £2800 www.flyingtime. co.uk TAYSIDE AVIATION 01592 753 792 + PPL all inclusive £6499 + Night Qualification £780 + IMC Rating £2675 + MEP £3000 + FI course £6550 + IR course £11,470 www. taysideaviation. co.uk A school with a rating or course? Mail dave. rawlings@loop.aero with the details.

SEND US YOUR EVENT NEWS. GO TO... www.loop.aero PLANE CRAZY NORMAN SURPLUS

Around the world in a gyrocopter Early 2010 Norman Surplus embarked on a record-setting attempt to ďŹ&#x201A;y around the world in a gyrocopter. And... heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still in the process!

N

ORMAN Surplus has battled crash landings, adverse weather and forced landings during his attempt to circumnavigate the globe. His beloved G-YROX is currently in the Philippines awaiting Spring and kinder skies.

Q| What ďŹ rst attracted you to ďŹ&#x201A;ying?

A| I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t start ďŹ&#x201A;ying until I was in my 40s. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had trial lessons in ďŹ xed wing aircraft and a helicopter, then one day was watching a programme about restoring an autogyro which sparked my interest. I had to travel to Cumbria for a trial lesson.

It was a very comfortable to be in, but I think it was the quirkiness of the autgyro that attracted me to it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bit of an underdog!

Q| What spurred your ďŹ&#x201A;ight around the world?

A| Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been done before and is the only record left â&#x20AC;&#x201C; unusual, especially in aviation. I knew it would be attempted soon because of the new generation of autogyros that are factory built, bringing new people in.

On a personal note, when I saw the programme about the autogyro I was actually in hospital recovering from surgery for bowel cancer.

I thought if I manage to get through this then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something I want to do.

I also want to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK, which has been established some 25 years but isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as famous as some of the other cancer charities, so I wanted to help raise the proďŹ le.

Q| Has travelling the world in a gyrocopter been a help or a hindrance?

A| Because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so quirky itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been perfect. You land in an airport after ďŹ&#x201A;ying it for 400 miles and people look at it and come up to you. I think I probably get a lot more help because of the autogyro than if I was in a normal ďŹ xed-wing which I doubt would have anywhere near the same level of interest.

GPS map. I ďŹ&#x201A;ew back to the squiggle and below they had a big shed attached to the garage, so I looked along the road, landed and got oďŹ&#x20AC; the road sharpish.

There were two Arab guys running the garage who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak any English, and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak Arabic so it was a bit confusing at ďŹ rst , but they obviously realised that I was in a bit of trouble.

I phoned Riydah airspace to let them know I was safe and then I passed the phone over so ATC could explain why I was there. After that we had an evening talking mainly in sign language.

The next morning I was given breakfast and then I

Q| Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been the trip highlight so far?

A| Probably the time I had to force land in the desert because of weather in Saudi.

There was a thunderstorm over Riyadh and I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get into the airport â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even big jets werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t landing.

There was no way I was going to wait it out until it got dark and was going to turn back to my alternate airďŹ eld which was 30 miles behind me. But as I went to ďŹ&#x201A;y back there was a mighty thunderstorm heading for that airďŹ eld as well so I was trapped in the middle.

I remembered that about ďŹ ve miles earlier there was a garage on a desert road â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I actually ďŹ&#x201A;ew around it so there was a squiggle on my

Norman wrapped up against the cold of... err... Abu Dhabi

drove G-ROYX to the pumps ďŹ lled it up and oďŹ&#x20AC; I went... bed, breakfast and a full tank of fuel for $20!

Q| What is the current status of the challenge?

A| The aircraft is currently in the Philippines. The whole project was put back about three months because of the crash on takeoďŹ&#x20AC; I had in Thailand, but once we got going again I got round to the Philippines and the next leg was up through Japan, Russia and up to the Bering Sea. I knew the Bering Sea would eďŹ&#x20AC;ectively be shut for the winter in late September. So I thought rather than be stuck in the east of Russia, where

thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no roads or anything, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be better oďŹ&#x20AC; calling half time and wait for the weather to clear.

The idea is that we set oďŹ&#x20AC; in early May, spend all of June in North America and hopefully break a coast-to-coast record. Then up into Canada, and over to Greenland and be back by the end of July.

Ironically, this is the timescale we originally had, but just a year later!

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably be the slowest circumnavigation ever â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll still be the ďŹ rst in the autogyro! Hopefully it will give someone else the encouragement to maybe try and beat it! www.gyroxgoesglobal.com

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www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 51

flightCLUB TRAINING MATTERS

The first night of the Gulf war

When the 'maybe one day' events you long prepare for happen, the power of training is clear says Nick Heard

I

N August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. At the time, I was a Tornado pilot on XV Squadron at RAF Laarbruch, Germany – what is now Weeze Airport, near (at least by Ryanair standards) Dusseldorf. The Berlin Wall had come down a few months earlier, and we had all been wondering what would happen to us now that the perceived enemy – the Warsaw Pact – had crumbled away. Little did I realise that a few months later I would be flying my first combat mission, far away from home, as part of the operation to liberate Kuwait – Desert Storm.

The build-up to war from August 1990 is a story in itself, but for another time. XV Squadron eventually deployed to Bahrain in November 1990 with no planned return date; a deadline for Iraq’s withdrawal had been set by the UN for January 15th 1991, and we knew we would still be in theatre on that date. And so it was that, as we went into work on the evening of January 16th 1991, we were told that the war would start that night. As the No.2 element to my Boss, I knew that I would be flying on the first wave in a few hours time.

Our mission was to attack Tallil airfield, a large fighter base in southern Iraq, as part of the opening ‘counter air’ strategy to gain air superiority. The plan was for eight Tornados to drop JP233 runway attack munitions from low level across runways and taxiways at around 0400 – just before dawn. This was bread and butter to us – night low flying using Terrain Following Radar (TFR) was our speciality, although tonight we would be down to 200ft, rather than the peacetime limit of 500ft – and we would be releasing weapons as well!

After taking off from Bahrain Muharraq at around 0200, we would meet up with VC10 tankers to take on fuel, routing northwest in

52 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

Saudi Arabian airspace for an hour or so before letting down to low level, entering Iraqi airspace way out in the desert where we knew it would be quiet. 20 minutes later we would hit Tallil as four pairs, with 30s between pairs. We would then return to the tanker before heading back to Bahrain, in what would be a four-hour trip.

My navigator Rob Woods and I walked out to our aircraft with the other crews with more than a little anxiety, although tonight’s mission had hardly come as a surprise. We climbed in and got the jet going without drama – the Tornado always had a glitch or two to sort out, but tonight ours was just fine, and we were able to sit and await taxi time, contemplating again what we were about to unleash.

We eventually taxied out in radio silence and lined up on Runway 12. I watched the leader’s reheat ignite, and he rolled off down the runway.

10s later we followed; the Tornado was heavy with eight tons of fuel and four tons of weaponry.

We got airborne safely and I started easing in on the leader’s navigation lights to take up my position on his wing – night close formation had become another newly-acquired skill in the last few months – and we headed for the tanker rendezvous point. All eight Tornados were now airborne – something of a feat in itself, but a pleasing start nonetheless!

The tanker join up went well and we joined on the tanker’s right wing. The leader slipped behind the left hose to refuel. I moved behind the right hose and stabilised in the usual position, around 10ft behind the basket. We were tanking a lot lower than usual – around 12,000ft – because of the warm temperatures and our heavy weight, so the basket could be quite unstable. However, all went well and with a bit of power I moved in and I plugged into the basket first time – always a satisfying result! Fuel flowed and we were quickly full, so we unplugged and moved to the left wing to watch the other two Tornados of the front four-ship take theirs.

We were now able to relax a little as we proceeded up the tanker trail. Rob tuned in the BBC World Service on the HF radio which, surreally, was still playing its ordinary schedule – the world was still unaware that the Gulf War was about to start.

As we approached the drop-off point we all took on more fuel, and then cast off from the tanker to start our descent into low-level, heading northwards for the border. We got ourselves prepared for combat – I set all the armament switches to live, armed the two 27mm

Mauser cannon and AIM9L air-to-air missiles, and turned off the external lights. Rob set up the Radar Homing Warning Receiver (RHWR), Skyshadow electronic jamming pod and Boz chaff/flare pod, and checked that the JP233 weapons were good.

I had now plugged in the TFR on autopilot, and we dropped down to 1500ft as I checked the system was behaving itself, then reset minimum height in stages down to 200ft, and the Tornado settled beautifully at 420kt over the invisible Saudi desert. On my moving map display I noticed the border approaching, indicating SAUDI ARABIA on one side and IRAQ on the other. This was real: I was just about to enter the airspace of a foreign country at high speed, low-level, with fully armed bombs, cannon, and missiles – I was about to start a war. From here the Iraqis were entitled to defend themselves.

As we crossed the border, all was remarkably quiet – it was only later in the war that I realised how uninhabited this area was. We were at 420kt, 200ft above the desert, on track, on time, and on speed – all critical elements of night TFR operation, where we routinely worked to timing tolerances of plus/minus 5s.

We were now on an AWACS frequency and we could hear occasional reassuring calls of ‘Picture Clear’ from the controller – meaning no Iraqi fighter activity. We started to see bursts of AntiAircraft Artillery (AAA) fire in the distance, and knew the Iraqis were now awake and alerted, but all remained quiet in our area. 10 mins to Tallil...

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In my ten-thirty position I started to notice a large area of AAA, and was staggered at the amount and intensity of the fire. I had a brief thought of "I’m really glad we’re not going there!", and then we reached another turning point and the Tornado – still on autopilot – turned left onto its next programmed track, and pointed right at the AAA. It was then that the horrible truth dawned on me – that was Tallil!

We were at the back end of a large package attack against the airfield involving the USAF and US Navy, so the defences were up and running. I stared at the interlocking mesh of AAA and my mouth went completely dry. As far as I could see, there was no way through that AAA, such was the barrage of incredibly high energy cannon fire.

This was not the sort of stuff that would sew a neat ‘Hollywood’ row of holes in the fuselage; any hit from these shells would blow us to bits.

The only thing in our favour was that the RHWR was clear – the Iraqis were aware of our USAF anti-radar missile support aircraft, so were leaving their radars off and just hosing away. We were quite invisible in the darkness, but I couldn't see how they could miss us with that intense barrage.

Rob was now in his attack routine, marking an offset position on the airfield with his radar, and making minor adjustments which the jet followed. We entered the AAA, which point I was astounded to see that we were still over a minute away from weapon release point.

This would be a long minute.

I watched a gun open up just below to the right – perhaps just 100 yards away from us – but his fire went blindly straight up, and was astounded at how I could hear nothing of the AAA... I was still in a warm, quiet Tornado cockpit!

At last the time-to-go in my Head-Up Display (HUD) was unwinding. Less than a minute to go at 480kt attack speed, which the jet could only just manage with 'dry' power, but reheat was out of the question in the darkness as we would become highly visible. 30s to go – 15s....

Auto-pilot disconnected, I held the Tornado straight and level at 200ft, easily achieved using the HUD – we knew the autopilot wouldn't cope with weapons release well, so manual flight was required for the next few seconds. I noticed the leader’s JP233 munitions detonating exactly on time, slightly ahead and to our left... the first indication that he was there at all.

With five seconds to go Rob and I called ‘Committing!’ to each other, meaning we were both pressing the bomb release buttons. Either button would do, but we didn't want a cock-up now and fail to drop the bombs. The munitions started dispensing – a five second rumble as 60 runway cratering bombs and over 400 minelets fell away, followed by three large thumps as the canisters fell away automatically afterwards.

With all that weight and drag gone, the Tornado leapt forward and I quickly re-engaged the autopilot – meaning I would not inadvertently fly into the ground in the excitement. Seconds later we emerged from the cauldron of AAA to

the north of Tallil and began our route back to the tanker RV. I looked back to try and watch my colleagues make their attacks, but with so much AAA I couldn't make out other JP233 strikes.

A couple of minutes later, when we knew we all would have been through the target, the leader checked us all in on the radio. I checked in ‘2’, then held my breath as I heard ‘3’, ‘4’, ‘5’, ‘6’, ‘7’, ‘8’! All had checked in – we had all made it through that AAA! The relief, not just for our own success and safety but for that of our colleagues, was massive.

Danger still lurked as we routed back towards the Saudi border, but all remained quiet and we climbed up to greet the beautiful sight of the VC10, faithfully waiting for us on its towline, to give us a short top-up for the trip back to Bahrain.

The sun came up in front of us as we headed southeastwards, and we reflected on the remarkable events of the last few hours. We had just taken part in the largest air operation for decades, and the Gulf War was now definitely on.

We could see that Iraq had taken a real pounding that night, and we wondered if they could sustain that for long. We had become combat-proven crews, and the change in attitude and confidence was clear as we all crashed into the debriefing room back in Bahrain afterwards.

All three Tornado missions on that first night (the others being from Dhahran and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia) were successful, with no losses sustained. But by the time I flew my next mission – the next night – we had lost two Tornados, so we knew that it was going to be tough after all. www.loop.aero FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 53

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ADVERT OPTIONS IN PRINT AND ONLINE RALLYE MINERVA 220

1968 one owner a/c always hangered near London. In 1986 a BRAND NEW engine fitted with a turbocharger was installed but the turbocharger was removed. The turbo manufacturers claimed that for continuous use 235 bhp with 250 bhp for five minutes would have been delivered.

Some strengthening modifications have been retained. Otherwise the engine without turbo is rated at 220 bhp 400 hrs later still giving breathtaking rate of climb. Short take off and landing, excellent all round visibility, fully IFR with 2* VHF, 2 NAV, ILS, DGO, RMI, 2*ADF, transponder, special extra instrumentation. Not flown since £20,000 spent on new CofA. Brand new propellor (some £8,000). Included a mountain of new and used spare engines, blocks, pistons, con rods, crankshafts, autopilot parts, etc. Ideal aircraft for business or pleasure.

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CESSNA SKYLANE ROBIN DR182 400

2+2 delight to fly - economical - king avionics - txp mode C-VOR - skymap 111C -recent 50 hr Hangared Exeter open to offers.

Contact: Stephen - 01395445686. stephen.baker@btinternet.com

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54 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero TURBO ARROW PA28 RT-201T

Tel 01746783413 email ronsuebadger3@googlemail.com

1948 Chrislea Super Ace Mk 2

760 hrs TT. Original Logs/paperwork/ manuals. Long range tank.

Completely refurbished. Updated avionics. Engine Gipsy Major 10 Mk 2. Permit to fly April 2011. Always hangared. Offers invited. Exchange considered car or plane.

Tel: 01483 200057 Mob 07900056655 Aces-high@btconnect.com

SHOESTRING RACER

Year 1980 Airframe 3937 hrs.

Engine 874 hrs GPS GNS430.

Transponder GTX330 mode S RNav KNS 80 New. Radio KX197.ADF K86 Audio+Markers KMA20.4 way intercom Brand new Hartzell prop fitted A/P plus extras. £55,000 ono.

JODEL D112

2 seat aircraft, Continental C65 new cylinders fitted, new mags, carb ­overhaul, In Good condition, new ­permit. £9,250.

Contact Chris Murgatroyd on 07711132247.

ROBIN DR 400

2+2 delight to fly - economical - king avionics - txp mode C-VOR - skymap 111C -recent 50 hr Hangared Exeter open to offers.

Contact: Stephen - 01395445686. stephen.baker@btinternet.com

One seater racing aircraft, new engine, ready to race. Trailer included. Maintained in approved wksp 30,000 Euros o.n.o Located: Rouen (LFOP)-France Contact: +33 6 09 31 55 55 Email: claude.james@scj.fr

PA 20/22 PIPER PACER 4 SEAT TAIL DRAGGER

Lycoming 0320 150 HP '0' Time engine.

Airframe manufactured @1960 and 1800hrs. 'N' Registration. Narco MK12D NAV / COM, ILS/OBS. Narco TXPNDR. 4 place intercom. STOL Kit with droop wing tips and vortex generators and horizontal stab. New annual. Based - Compton Abbas, 1/4 share available, £6,000.

Mark Leonard 01929 459208, mandsleonard@aol.com

ZENAIR ZODIAC 601 HD

PA 24 Comanche 260 1965

205 hrs TTAF. Lycoming O-235 255 hrs STOH. Good panel with Icom A200, AV80R GPS, electric trims, turn co-ordinator etc. Permit August 2010. Good condition, excellent flyer. £16,500 ONO. Tel 01244 671417.

TT 4450 hours. Engine 1665 from new, 630 STOH (new cylinders). 3 blade Hartzell prop. 210 hrs from new.

Full airways with FM immune Narco 121 VOR/ILS. Last annual August 2009. £30,000.

Contact: 01491 573845 or email denise@rotherfieldgreys1.fsnet.co.uk

Europa Classic 912 P.O.A.

Cessna P-210 Pressurized Centurion II

Great condition. Dependable touring aircraft 120kt cruise. 4hr range.

One owner. May be sold with year permit.

Contact Alan 01245-264186 alan.stewart@blueyonder.co.uk

1982. TT: 2900, Engine TSIO-520AF engine (Eagle Engines Golden Series) TSOH: 1140. Interior 8/10, Exterior 8/10. Avidyne and Garmin Avionics. € 234,500.

Photos/video at www.alandstewart.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Tel: +00 41 91210 3128/745.66.89 Email: aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

1970 Piper Arrow1 200hp

Piper PA22 Tripacer G ARDS.

1967 CHEROKEE 180

Corrosion proofed from new always maintained / hangared at Exeter, never used for training 3 blade prop, FM immune & mode S A/F 3837, eng 2300, prop 104. New annual. £28,000.

Contact: 07770 238570 pedrothepongo@yahoo.com 01626 833977 julietock@btinternet.com

100 hours engine, hardly used since overhaul. This plane is practically as new, the best you will see, Recent rebuild, recover, and repainted. £22,000 ono.

Kept in a Private Hangar at Newtownards.

Contact: Chris Donaldson on 07768797550.

Total time airframe, 8500’. Engine, 1125. King & Narco Radio Equipment with 1 TKM MX-170 Com/Nav. Sound well maintained, Piper 6/10 inside & out. Price: £25000 Tel: 0044 1392 364216 Email: info@airwaysflighttraining.co.uk

Premier services at premium prices, Nicholson McLaren apply the highest standards of care and precision to your engine for optimum performance and reliability. Our aim is to be competitive and reliably the best in the UK. Our capability list enables us to offer the full range of rebuild and overhaul facilities, including shock load examination and dynamic testing for: • Textron Lycoming • Teledyne Continental Motors • Constant Speed units • Fuel Metering • Accessories • Bendix & Slick Magneto specialists • Carburetor Overhaul & Service specialists • Carburetor Recall service as per bulletin 582A • Heater Service Agents specialising in Janitorial B series, South Wind plus C&D Associates Heaters.

EASA 145 approved, the company is working to deliver a totally professional package of work covering engine and accessories.

www.loop.ae ro FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 55

Loop-Jan-Class-6col.indd 53

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

MX-7-180 MAULE 1991

ZLIN 526

Beagle Pup 150

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 07545922794 or richard.flanagan@ gamstonflighttraining.co.uk

G-BTXT. Dec 91. A.R.Cert June 2011.

TTAc and engine 1106 hrs. Lycoming 0-360-C1F. Hartzell c/s prop 436hrs.

KX155, KI203 VOR, KR76a txp, KN64 DME, AvMap Geopilot Plus. Vortex Generators. £48,000 no VAT REDUCED TO £43,000 no VAT 01388 745126

Airframe 2250H, Aerobatic to 3500H, engine WM6III - 900H on condition. C of A until 21/05/11.

Propeller Avia V503A at zero hours.

Many spares available. £44,000 ono.

Allan – 07921694967.

Email - jasbaldry@hotmail.co.uk

Owner offers this Series 2- B121.

PUP 150 (Lycoming 0-320). Fresh annual. Always maintained, delightful handling 150hp pup is a joy to fly.

Leather seats, long range tanks, Cleveland disc brakes, Cambrai cover and four place ­intercom. £29500.00.

Contact: 07961 408444– whiskybravo47@hotmail.com

Mooney M20J

MAULE MXT -7-160 Tricycle,

1987. Private aircraft, second owner.

Airframe and engine: TT 760 hrs, Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D, 200 hp, fuel injected. Interior 7/10, Exterior 9/10.

Garmin Avionics. $ 144,400.

Tel: +00 41 91210 3128/745.66.89 Email: aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

Only 160 TT A & E, EASA 05/2010, Aux. Tanks. Obs. Doors, Leather Interior, GNS 430 etc. etc.

Immaculate Condition, no acc. damage, as new & ready for work, only £75,000, no VAT 01635 291990 or 07802241646 email: info@villaguide.co.uk

bellanca 7GCAA citabria

BASED AT KILKENNY AERODROME IRELAND, CURRENT UK ANNEX 2 CERTIFCATE OF AIRWORTHINESS, AIRFRAME 1840HRS SINCE NEW, ENGINE O-320 900 HRS SINCE 0 OVERHAUL, EXCELLENT COMPRESSIONS AND OIL PRESSURE, SENSENICH PROP, (CRUISE), MOGAS STC, KING 155 NAV/COM, INTERCOM, NARCO AT150 TRANSPONDER, VERY NICE WELL CARED FOR AIRCRAFT IN GOOD OVERALL CONDITION, IN REGULAR USE, VERY ECONOMICAL TO OPERATE SAME OWNER FOR 9 YEARS PRICE E40,000 CONTACT VINCENT VAUGHAN 00 353 86 8497878.

Aviat Husky A-1B-180

Contact: +44 (0)1952 770428

PULSAR XP

High spec, IFR Certified.

Manufacturers new, two year warranty applies to this aircraft.

Price £125,000.00 (VAT paid via Denmark).

See full spec on our website www.aviataircraft.co.uk

DHC1 CHIPMUNK 1950

Rotax 912.

Built in 2001 she has only 101 hours.

She is equipped with a transponder and a Garmin 250XL GPS and Comms unit.

I recently took her on a flying holiday around France where at a cruising speed of 95-100kts she was only burning a meagre 13 lph!! Permited until August 2010.

Contact: me at dave@theploughinnhorbling.co.uk or call me 07957 864886

Airframe: 11750 hours, Engine: 1036 hrs.

C of A until June 2011, new annual, A/Ds up to date, Large box of various manuals.

Price: £32K NEW PRICE £27,000 Contact Paul – 01502 678125 Mobile: 07745 775937 Email – paul@blaircroft.demon.co.uk YAK 52

Built 1991, considerable maintenance, very good mechanical condition. In need of coat of paint. Great flyer. Annual – next June. All logs/hours available, airframe 920hrs aprx, engine 120hrs aprx and prop 6hrs aprx since major overhaul. Comes with spare parts worth £8.000+ Total Price £38,000 – no offers.

Call Colin on 01543 250505 /07831 845 405

1979 PIPER PA28-161 WARRIOR 11

Engine and prop just been overhauled TTAF 9795. Garmin 430, Garmi GTX 330 mode S transponder.

ARC to 10/03/2011 Well maintained £49,950 NO VAT Contact: Paul Villa email paul@apollo-aviation.co.uk Tel 01273 440737

ROCKWELL COMMANDER 112, G-BDKW

Low wing, retractable, four seat tourer, excellent condition, interior beige leather, airframe 2162 hrs, engine and prop 370hrs. Annual to October 2008.

Full airways instrumentation, Bendix King KX 20 TSO COM/NAV, KR 85 TSO ADF, Skymap IIIc. Garmin GTX 320 Transducer Mode S, NS 800 RNAV. Email john@jtjaklaschka.co.uk Tel : 01473 620677

G-CCZU - 2004

NVFR 4 seat DA40D with 2.0l Thielert Centurion JET A1 powerplant with FADEC. Extended baggage compartment. Total hours Airframe 1008 Engine 44 and Propeller 0. £109,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

G-CCLW - 2003

G-CEWN - 2008

Full IFR 4 seat DA40D 1.7l Thierlert Centurion Jet A1 powerplant. Total hours Airframe 1703 Engine 535 and Propeller 68. £99,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

Full IFR 4 seat 2.0l DA42 with G1000 Dual screen Garmin G1000.

Long range tanks. De-icing. Oxygen.

Platinum design package. Total hours AEP 190. €420,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

56 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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

350 hrs on ENGINE, AIRFRAME, PROP, INSTRUMENTS all brand new.

Engine Telydyne Cont. fuel injected 125 HP. Burns 22 litres per hr at 8,000 Ft at 105Kts cruise. Baggage, 250 lbs. Fuel load 95 litres. Short field performance. gmn2008@hotmail.com

1976 PA 28 151

Total time airframe, 13,200’. Engine, 131. Propeller, 1810. King radio & Narco Nav Equipment. A good economic Piper, 6/10 inside & out. Price: £33500 Tel: 0044 1392 364216 Email: info@airwaysflighttraining.co.uk

G-KELV - 2005

G-CEZG - 2008

OE-FYB - 2008

Full IFR 4 seat DA42 1.7l Thielert Centurion Jet A1 powerplant with FADEC. Dual screen Garmin G1000 glass panel cockpit. Total hours AEP 470. Always hangared. Cover and Electric Tug included. £265,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

Full IFR 4 seat DA42 2.0l Thielert Centurion powerplant with FADEC. Dual screen Garmin G1000. De-icing.

Long range tanks. Oxygen. Platinum design package. Total hours AEP 213 €420,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

Full IFR 4 seat DA42 2.0l Thierlert Centurion powerplant with FADEC. Dual screen Garmin G1000. Long range tanks. Extended baggage compartment. Total hours AEP 443. €350,000 Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

G-LLMW - 2006

G-ITFL - 2007

OE-ADC - 2009

EC-JKE - 2001

Full IFR 4 seat 1.7l DA42 with G1000 Dual screen Garmin G1000. Long range tanks. De-icing. Oxygen.

Extended baggage compartment.

Total hours AEP 395. £330,000 VAT PAID Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

Full IFR 4 seat 2.0l DA42 with G1000 Dual screen Garmin G1000. Long range tanks. De-icing. Extended baggage compartment. Platinum design package. Total hours AEP 190. €420,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

VFR 2 seat 125hp DA20-C1 Eclipse.

Garmin 430 GPS/COM/NAV with Glidescope receiver. Extended baggage compartment. External power socket. Sheepskin seats. Total hours AEP 270. $185,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

IFR 4 seat DA40-180 with Lycoming powerplant. MT 3 blade hydraulic constant speed propeller.

Meticulously maintained. No damage history. Total hours Airframe 1730 Engine 1730 Propeller 42. €100,000 + VAT Tel: +44 (0) 1777 839200 – Ext 203

FIREFLY T67C

1989 Public transport 160hp, TTAF 4890. 160hrs on factory engine.

King Com, Kns 80 DME, ILS Markers, A.D.F. Transponder ARC. June 2010. £27,500 no Vat. Tel: 02088928832 07885283228 PIPER CHEROKEE PA32-300 (6/7 SEATER)

6/7 Seater Aircraft. Equipment: KN62A DME, KX165 Nav Comm, KX175B Nav Comm, KT76 Transponder, KR85 ADF, 2 VOR’s, 1 ILS, Skymap IIIC Colour GPS, 2 Altimeters. 6 Place Intercom, 6 Headsets. £58,000.

Contact John Cheetham Tel: 07973-601140 Email: john. cheetham@jcinstruments.co.uk

PLANE SWAP

ROBIN DR400 REGENT 180HP

Manufactured in 1990, a/c has a total time of 2050 hrs a/f and engine.

Engine with 0 hrs. Very good condition, is always hangared and has a full set of covers included. Cruises happily at 120 knots, carries 4 adults and luggage, making it a fantastic touring aircraft it is very easy to fly. WILL TAKE ANY KIND OF VEHICLE IN PART EXCHANGE. £65,000 – Simon York.

01423 340209

YAK 18T

JABIRU G-HINZ

EASA C of A, Termikas overhaul in 2007, long range fuel tanks in wings, Becker radio & mode S TXP. Excellent condition.

YAK UK Ltd, 01767 651156 www.yakuk.com

Built and owned by an engineer.

TT 500 hours. Excellent condition.

Leather interior. Electric trim and panel-mount throttles. Icom radio, Garmin Mode S. Headsets and fitted Garmin 196. New permit. £20,000.

Derek - 07860 208080.

Aviamilano F14 Nibbio 180hp.

BELLANCA SUPER VIKING 1971 'N' Reg.

I want a 2/4 seat aeroplane or helicopter.

I have Focke-Wulf Piaggio 149D.

1980 BEECH BARON BE58 G-OSDI

TTSN only 2188, engines 546, Props 60, Shadin Fuel Computer. Colour WX Radar, Collins pro line avionics, Second Altimeter. Century IV Autopilot and Flight Director coupled to Trimble 2000GPS. red/white & grey leather seats. 6 place intercom. Sold with Mar 09 EASA CofA. JAR145 maintained. view UK.£85K NO VAT. jah@heard.demon.co.uk or arthur@eldridgeonline.com

Very Low air time ex-German Airforce.

Aerobatic + 6-3.

4 Place + baggage tourer, 500nm 4 hours @55ltph.

What have you Ivan Allen 077 6460 8683 / 020 7636 9293 drumforce@waitrose.com

Rare 4-seat Falco. Stelio Frati design. 140kt economy cruise.

Owned last 7+yrs. Always hangared.

Work of Art, signed by artist. Much TLC applied. Asking - £39,500 NO VAT Email: robin.nash@sky.com Tel: +44 (0)7956 141833 MAULE M-6-235

Reg: G-MOUL Jun'90 T/T: 770 hrs 0-540-J1A5D Factory O/H Jun'01 Engine TSOH: 238 hrs Always hangared, prop O/H Jun'08, ARC June'09, well equipped £54,000 VAT paid E-mail: MKlinge1@aol.com Tel. 07831 612233

SLINGSBY T61F

Venture motor glider, Very good condition, 1600cc Rollinson engine, Runs on AVGAS/MOGAS, Complete with new Annual inspection and ARC to 2011. Hours: engine 1009 hrs airframe 5186 hrs. £12,000.

John Giddins - 078 99987537.

1680 hours TT A/F and E. Lycoming IO 540 300bhp Turbo-normalized.

2-axis autopilot, oxygen, extra fuel tanks, electric trim, good radio fit, good, original interior. £22,500 no VAT. Tel: 01491 573845 (Oxfordshire)

1981 MODEL CESSNA 172P

Rallye 235C

G-Reg. TT airframe 9562.01 (as at 16TH Sept 09). Engine 0-320-D2J (160 BHP @ 2700 rpm) total hours on this engine (as at 16th Sept 09) only 79.45.

New Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) on 10th June 2009. New paint and interior in 2005. VHF NAV/COM 1 – KX155A. VHF NAV/COM 2 – RT 385A. DME KN-64. 300 ADF R-546E. New in 2007 mode ‘S’ Transponder Garmin GTX 330. Four place Sigtronics I/C. Asking Price: £37.500.

For more information please contact the CFI & Operations Manager: Tel: 07899917698. E-mail: charles.hales@gmail.com

Taildragger in a superb ­condition.

A unique aircraft. Four seats. Year 1979.

TTAF 1500 hrs.

Engine Lycoming O.540, 80 hours SMOH, Prop new overhaul.

Paint/exterior as new. Delivered with new annual. Price 59.000 EUR. si@sigurnes.is

www.loop.ae ro FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 57

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BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero CESSNA 182Q, 1979

Total hrs 2300, Engine 200, Prop 200.

Colton respray 2004. comprehensive Garmin avionics fit with 530 moving map & tecas. Long range tanks. Black leather interior. Well maintained & in excellent condition. £68000.00 Contact: 01913734453 & 07977571387

JABIRU SP470

Only 95 hrs, Vacuum Pump A/H. D/I. VSI. Transponder. Intercom. Murray Flint Painted. VGC. £23,500 01580 240277 / 07970040724

Reduce your flying costs, fly on a permit

PRACTAVIA SPRITE G-BCWH ROLLS ROYCE 0240 LICENSED ENGINE. ALL METAL AIRFRAME COROSION TREATED DURING BUILD. LOW HOURS AIRFRAME AND ENGINE. PANEL MOUNTED ICOM RADIO AND SKYMAP 111c.

IMMACULATLEY FINISHED 2 SEATER TOURING AIRCRAFT, ALWAYS HANGARED. FULL FLIGHT TEST REPORTS BY WELL KNOWN BAE TEST PILOT ROLAND BEAUMONT. PERMIT UNTIL JUNE 2010.

OWN AND FLY THIS UNIQUE AEROPLANE. £30,000.

TEL: 01253 397637 SOCATA TOBAGO TB10

TTE 1853 (927 STOH), Prop 75 SOH. New ARC Oct 2009.

Complete new avionics upgrade Nov 2006, Garmin GMA 340, GNS 430, GTX 330, GI 106A . King KR87 ADF, K1265 DME. Narco comm 2. 4 place intercom, music input.

Complete interior upgrade 2007, two tone grey leather executive finish. Stunning condition, always hangared. Full maintenance manuals and Cambrai covers.

Project near completion forces reluctant sale.

Contact: Matt Colebrook on 07748 622842 or Email mattcolebrook@gmail.com

RALLYE MINERVA 220

1968 one owner a/c always hangered near London. In 1986 a BRAND NEW engine fitted with a turbocharger was installed but the turbocharger was removed. The turbo manufacturers claimed that for continuous use 235 bhp with 250 bhp for five minutes would have been delivered.

Some strengthening modifications have been retained. Otherwise the engine without turbo is rated at 220 bhp 400 hrs later still giving breathtaking rate of climb. Short take off and landing, excellent all round visibility, fully IFR with 2* VHF, 2 NAV, ILS, DGO, RMI, 2*ADF, transponder, special extra instrumentation. Not flown since £20,000 spent on new CofA. Brand new propellor (some £8,000). Included a mountain of new and used spare engines, blocks, pistons, con rods, crankshafts, autopilot parts, etc. Ideal aircraft for business or pleasure.

Contact Tony Crook, Box 66, 272 Kensington High Street, London W8 6ND or phone 0207 602 4992 or fax 0207 348 0389

VANS RV 9A DIESEL

Dornier DO27A1 1958

120hp Wilksch (WAM) engine, 120 hrs TTE&AF. May 2007 build.

MT three blade C/S prop, glass panel, colour GPS two axis autopilot transponder mode C. 115/120 knots on 15/18 litres per hr. Permit May 2010. £60,000. 07860 558558.

DORNIER D27 A1 • $120 • HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT FOR SALE • Dornier D27 A1 1958, are rare chance to purchase this historic aircraft.

Lycoming Engine with less than 20 hours, Airframe no more than 720 hours. 10gals per hour cruising. New CAA aproval to fly. £79000.00.

Dave Collier – 01487 843333, Dave@africanaviator.com

1993 AG - 5B Grumman Tiger

TTAF 3385hrs. TTE 986 hrs. New ARC just completed including propeller and carburettor overhaul. Arc expires 12-07-2011. Aircraft bare metal resprayed, corrosion proofed and interior refurbished 2007 (see www. flymoore.co.uk). Airframe, engine and upholstery immaculate condition. IFR ­avionics.

Based at Blackbushe for viewing. £54.000 Tel: Ian 07941 578182 email: ianjamesward@tiscali.co.uk

CESSNA 177RG

One owner!

1974 RG One owner since new.

Twin KX 155 radios with twin VOR/ILS indicators. Four headsets.

1900 hours. Engine 770 hours.

Based at Biggin Hill.

Contact: Don Ward 01689853700 kestores@ntlworld.com

DYN AERO MCR01 SPORTSTER

SOCATA TB9

R912, PV50 prop, TT 270hrs Dynon EFIS, Garmin GPS295, GTX327, Icom IC-A200, Micro Avionics ANR headsets & intercom, Hyd disc brakes, new Cambrai cover, hangered.

New permit July. Contact: Paul on 01309 641451 or 07786 055520

Four seat touring aircraft, Great condition, Lycoming 160hp engine, fixed pitch Sensenich propellor, 4660 aircraft hours, 2323 engine hours.

Built in 1983. Offers around £26,000.

May part-ex LAA or dismantle with enough interest Contact: David Hook - 07711 698636

BEECH BARON 95-B55

Year 1982, Total Time Since New: Airframe - 2530hrs, RH Engine 535hrs, LH Engine - 625hrs, Right Prop - 72hrs, Left Prop 72hrs. Last Annual - April 2010, New Exterior Paint, very good condition, always hangared.

Avionics: King KY196 COM, King KY-196 COM, King KN 53 NAV, King KNS 80 NAV/RNAV, King KR87 ADF, King KT-76A Transponder. Priced to sell, For further details or to view please call us on +44 (0)1952 770189 PA28-161

G-ELZY…1986…TTE 2130…TTAF 6880…engine build in 2004…KX155/GTX328/x1 King non G/S indicator…£20,000 + VAT with new Annual.

Contact: Robert Wildeboer 01243 755064. rob.wildeboer@goodwood.com.

DYN-AERO MICROLIGHT

Tecnam P-2006T

Dyn-Aero microlight (£55K ono) Rotax 100hp / Grand Rapids glass cockpit / txpr modeC / skymap gps 250 hr / new permit (July 2010) based Branscombe E Devon peter@nelson01.eclipse.co.uk tel: 01395 578487

T7-reg, 2010, New aircraft, Total Time: 65 hrs., ENGINE Rotax Type 912 S3, Garmin, GNS430W NAV/COM/GPS, SL30 NAV/COM, GTX328 XPDR "S", GMA340, GI106A VOR/LOC/GS Indic.

Mid Continent MD200-306 VOR/ LOC/GS Indic. Bendix KI525A HSI, KN63 DME, KDI572 DME Indic. KR87 ADF, KI227 ADF Indic. KA44B ADF Antenna, KG102A Directional Gyro, S-TEC55X Autopilot Artex ME406 ELT. € 285,000 VAT free.

Stefano Scossa - 0041 912103128. aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

58 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero SA341G CIVILIAN GAZELLE HELICOPTER FOR SALE

PIPER ARROW 200 11

ROBIN ATL

RALLYE 150SV

1974. TT 2715 A/F Engine 718 Prop 160. A very sound airplane.

Always hangered. New C of A Jan 2010. All a/d’s complied with.

King IFR. £43k. ONO No VAT. Contact Mr. P. Brunton 01970 612 567 (office), 01654 702248 (home).

Serial Number 64 - Manufactured June 1986, Total time - 2708 hours, Engine time - 186 hours, CoA until 27/12/2010, Becker Radio with intercom / 2 headsets / Garmin GPS, 1QUE / Fuel consumption - 15 litres per hour.

Barry Walker - 07836 779168, 01453 548387.

Fully refurbished sporting Breitling sponsored livery.

Please see the website www.GKHRE.co.uk for full details, price and contact.

Excellent Engine & Component Times For Further Info, Contact +44(0)1328 830060 or jeremy.a.taylor@btinternet.com PIPER NAVAJO PA31-310

On Behalf of a Major Finance Company

FOR SALE

Cirrus SR20 - G1. Y.O.M – 2003.

Registration Number: G-CMLS. Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-360-ES. CAPS ballistic recovery system.

Avidyne Flight Max EX 5000-C MFD slaved to GPS. Sandel SN338 EHSI Compass System. Garmin 340 Audio Selector Panel.

2 x Garmin GNS430 NAV/COM/GPS. S-Tec System Fifty-Five X Auto Pilot with ST360 Altitude Selector & Alert. Garmin GTX327 Mode ‘C’ Transponder.

EMAX Engine & Fuel Monitoring on MFD Airframe & Engine Hours: 592 TT Location: South West England. Offers Invited Tel: +44 (0)1442 832234 or email: gordon.wyles@wyleshardy.com WYLES HARDY & CO Ley Hill Road, Bovingdon, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP3 0NW UK T: +44 (0)1442 832234 www.wyleshardy.com

PA28-181

PA28RT-201

G-OODW…1984…TTE 542…TTAF 9790…engine build in 2009…Garmin 430/S-Tec, ADF650D/GTX328/KX155/KMA124/KN84D/x2 G/S ind, Annual due Jan 11, £28,000 + VAT. Contact: Robert Wildeboer 01243 755064. rob.wildeboer@goodwood.com.

1967 BEECHCRAFT MUSKETEER A23-24

G-LAOL… 1979… TTE1260…

TTAF4440… TT prop 480 since 2006 o/haul…GNS430…GMA340…

KMD250…GTX328…KX165…ADF650…

KN64 x2 G/S indicators…STEC single axis A/P…£38,000 + VAT. Contact: Robert Wildeboer 01243 755064. rob.wildeboer@goodwood.com.

2884 A/F HRS, 60 HRS engine and prop, Colton paint in 2005, annual and ARC due August 2011, Skyforce moving map, Narco digital avionics.

Phone James or Paul on 01328878809. For more details.

CIRRUS SR22 N719CD – GOOD CONDITION

Reims built cessna F172N

Airframe only 2019 hours. Engine 1040 since 1993.

Well equipped, Garmin audio panel and mode S ­transponder. Flies really well and in very good ­condition inside and out. Fresh ­annual/ARC issued at ­purchase. View aircraft North Essex. Email: ian@aeroservices.co.uk Tel: 01375 891165 Piper PA-46-350P Mirage

American Champion 8KCAB Super D.

N4173N, 2000, For Sale in Switzerland, Airframe TT: 1030, Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A, 1030 hours, Garmin Avionics, Hartzell HC-I3YR-1E three blades, constant speed. $ 570,000. Stefano Scossa – 0041 912103128 aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

For Sale in Switzerland, 2008, Aerobatic, Airframe, engine and propeller TT 80 hrs, Inverted Fuel and Engine Oiling Systems, Interior 10/10, Exterior 10/10, Garmin GTX330 Mode "S" Transponder, Bendix KMD150 MFD Color Multifunction Display. € 123,500.

Stefano Scossa – 0041 912103128 aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

Cherokee

Tiger Moth

Safe, reliable and economical, We have upgraded the interior, Exterior paint still glossy and in good order. JV was built in 1969 S/N 28-25572, A/F = 10414.43 Hrs, Engine 1119.88Hrs. Avionics - Com1 / GPS – Garmin GNC250, Com2/ Nav - Narco MK12D, ADF – King KR87, DME – King KN64, Transponder - Narco Mode ‘C’, The sale will include the ARC renewal and a fresh annual.

Contact:- Roger Hawkes 07976-519263 Or Duncan Bennett 07866 – 458234.

G-BLFZ. /1979 PA31-310 //TTAF: 7,920 Props: L+R 73.25 Engines: Left 1,740 – Right 1,874. ARC renewed: Jan 2010. New Engine hoses : Jan 2010. Garmin GNS 530 COM/NAV/GPS. Garmin GTX 330 mode S. Bendix Colour Radar. Full Co-Pilot Instruments. AOC maintained last 15 years.

Asking : £90,000 + VAT/* Contact: Patrick +44 (0) 78 79 88 22 55 pmr@flylea.com

LAA Permit. Maintained to a high standard. Massive amount of restoration work undertaken. Becker radio/transponder. Electric starter.

Wind driven generator. Further details. Marcus@innfrastructure. com. Tel 07900 244442.

2001. One owner. TT Airframe and Engine 1054, Prop 650. Dual Garmin 430's, Avidyne MFD, Sandel EHSI, S-Tec 55 Autopilot with Alt hold, Garmin Mode S Transponder, WX500 Stormscope. Portable Oxygen system, Cover.

Annual to May 2011. £115,000 VAT Paid. Always hangared, view Plymouth.

Contact Robin Taylor 01364 73336, 07798 663034 or robintaylor@airteccc.co.uk 1980 PIPER SARATOGA PA32

301T Turbo, Hangared, Fixed gear csp 154kt, Full king avionics and skymap 111c, IFR and airways equipped, auto pilot, 6 place oxygen and intercom, new Lycoming engine – 155hrs. New 3 blade hartzell variable pitch prop – 75hrs. £92, 000 No VAT. 01226 790735

PITTS S2A – THE CLASSIC

G-STUA: the classic Pedigree Pitts is up for sale, Factory Built: 1978 s/n 2164, TTAF: 3,664, TTE: 1,230, Last Annual : April 2010, Last Prop Overhaul: April 2010 (@£3,500 cost!) CSU (overhauled): April 2010, Always Hangared; same ownership 15 years. The perfect aerobatic machine from fun for 2 on a sunny day and standard to advanced aerobatic competitions. A very tidy ship in good condition. Based at Stapleford Airfield Asking - £41,000 (no VAT).

Contact Patrick on Mobile : +44 7879 88 22 55.

E mail: pmr@flylea.com

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BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero MOONEY M20K

BASED AT WELLESBOURNE MOUNTFORD, Two 1/5th non equity shares available in low engine hours Mooney, £165 / month, £75 /hr wet.

Good availability. Or aircraft for sale £58,500 07903082740 for Des Hopkins, 07973380774 for Bill Woods.

Grumman SUPER AA1

150BHP upgrade! Only 2850hrs airframe and 380hrs factory zerotimed Lyc O-320E2G, 80hrs since factory o/h on Hoffman prop.

1500ft/min ROC, and 135 cruise @ 28L/Hour. Mark 01296 612316 or 07932 620039.

Beech 55 Baron 95B55

ROBIN DR 400/180 REGENT.

€ 150,000.

Stefano Scossa – 0041 912103128 aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

D-IGCA, 1964, Airframe TT: 2500 hrs, Interior 9/10, Exterior - 9/10, Very well maintained aircraft, Valid ARC, 100 hrs on overhauled engines TCM IO-470's and engine accessories.

Slingsby Firefly T67M-Mk2.

Price: £48,000, Robert –07737745604, 01666825962.

ROCKWELL COMMANDER 114

Offers around £85,000.

FREE HANGERAGE. FREE STRIP AVAILABLE. She is in exceptional condition and hangared 10 miles west of Salisbury on a private 1000 metre strip.

Full ownership or 1/2 share, Engineer on site.10 hrs since complete engine overhaul. KFC200 flight director coupled to 3axis autopilot, NEW :-GSN430, SL30 navcom, GTX330 Smode transponder, GMA340 audio panel, EDM700, Leather seats. Oxygen, TT1560 hrs grahamdimmer@hotmail.com or 07836205010

LANCAIR 320 Award winning immaculate beauty for sale following loss of medical.

Injected Lycoming 160hp with 0 hours STOH. 250 hours TTAE. Overhauled completely in last year.

Cruises at 200mph for 1,000 miles at 8 gph! Fully equipped panel.

Comes with interchangeable wing tip extensions, cover, Permit to Fly, quantity of spares & more. Always hangared at Cranfield. Transition training available.

Contact: Mafopp5@aol.com, or +44(0)1525 270067, +44(0)7836351553. £70,000 + VAT

D-ELFO, 1980, Total Time: 3300 hrs, Engine TCM IO-520-D, TSOH: 1443, Oerhauled: 9/06, Propeller Mc Cauley D3A4C403/80UA-10, TSOH: 1000, OVH 5/03. Interior / Tan, 8/10.

Exterior - 8/10. $ 135,000 VAT free.

Stefano Scossa – 0041 912103128. aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch SLINGSBY FIREFLY T67M MKII (160HP)

Contact John Kistner – Mistral Aviation.

01730 812008. Sales@mistralaviation.co.uk

Grunman american aa-5a cheetah

PIPER PA32-300 CHEROKEE SIX

TTAF 10900 Approx, Lycoming 0320-E2G, Mccauley 1C172/BTM7359, superb condition with no history of accident damage. £38,000 Contact: Grant Miles 07957 358908

1978, G KNOW, TT Airframe 2811 Hours, TT Engine 10 Hours Since Rebuild, TT Prop 10 Hours From New, Brand New Hartzell Three bladed prop. King Avionics, full IFR fit. including Piper Autocontrol IIIC 3 Axis Autopilot, Cambrai Cover, External Power Lead, Tip Tanks (Fuel-84 US Gallons), Life Jackets, Electric Trim, Sun Screens. Club Seating, Cream Leather Seats with Blue Piping (New 2005). £73,000.00 Offers Invited, Vat Paid.

Hangered at Stapleford Essex.

George 00447904338864

Ikarus C 42

2008 ACA CITABRIA AURORA

1997 Super Decathlon

160 hours TT. 118hp Lycoming. Very Economical. Aerobatic +5/-2G. Full Gyro Panel. KMD150/SL30 NAVCOM/GTX328 MODE S TXPNDR. JPI Fuel Computer.

Aileron Spades. CFP-2 Corrosion Protection Package. High Spec. Perfect Condition. £86,995 (No Vat). For more details and a full specification contact European Dealer, Blue Yonder Aviation Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 1787 224290 or mark@blueyonderaviation.co.uk

310 hrs TT. 85 hrs Prop. Fully Aerobatic with 180hp Fuel-Injected & C/S Prop. Annual just done.

1950lbs GW increase mod. £70K. Call Mark at Blue Yonder Aviation for full info 01787 224290.

912 Rotax engine, Radio Transponder, VSI GPS Only 24O Hours from new, 5 years old. £50,000, Contact: Bobpage66@yahoo.co.uk 1969 PA23-250D AZTEC

Cessna A-185 Skywagon F

Airframe - 5960 hours (in 22 years), engine - 390 hours since major overhaul (with a TBO of 1600hrs) OH, propeller - 360 hours since major overhaul (with a TBO of 750hrs) OH Date Feb09.

Fully aerobatic. Bendix King avionics.

1988, Lycoming 0360-A3A, Sensenich 76EM 855-0-58, TTAE 2100 approx, Exterior: 8/10, Interior: 7/10, EASA C of A July 2009, New ARC Aug 2010, King Avionics, this aircraft looks nearly new inside and out and the asking price reflects the engine hours and would otherwise be considerably higher, engine has been extended to 2400 hrs, been repainted in 2006 when the wings and tail were re-covered and the wing spar mod also done. £54,000 No VAT.

Piper PA-28R-201T Turbo Arrow III

2009 build SportCruiser plane for sale

100 HP Rotax, analogue panel with Garmin 328 Mode S transponder, Large 695 GPS, BRS, Test Hours only, beautiful plane in white, blue and silver bargain at £78,600 inc VAT, ready for permit & to fly home. Call Ben on 0207 536 6356 for details, or see www.czechsportaircraft.co.uk

7343 Airframe HRS 934 ENG HRS, De-ice, Good paint and interior, annual and ARC due FEB 2011.

Garmin 430 & Mode “S” Xponder.

Owner pilot for last 20 years.

James or Paul on 01328878809, for more details.

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. €46,200.

Stefano Scossa – 0041 912103128 aeromeccanica@bluewin.ch

PA28-161 Warrior II

FABULOUS TOBAGO 200 XL

FOR SALE 1952 CESSNA 170B

1970 CESSNA 172H REIMS

Eng less than 600 hrs from new Prop 30hrs SMO. Remanufactured

by Socata in 1997. King Avionics full airways, Skymap 111c. All 500hr items completed 2008, Cambrai cover, dingy, Workshop manuals. No VAT (VAT paid). Like new £59950.00 or consider shares. 0789 4472 360 rodshears@ntlworld.com

Same owners and maintenance facility since 1990, A/F hours 6530, C of A to April 2011. Continental 0-300-A145 hp. 720 hrs since zero hour overhaul in 2002. King transponder with Mode C. Complete new exhaust system, magnetos o/h and all new hoses fitted in 2010. Peter Ford 0118 984 4450 or 07836 717565 or Mark Bridgeland 07973 755052

TTAF 9285, recent prop overhaul, TTE 1090, Continental 0300D, Annual December 2010, Well equiped, reliable, good starter, Based Full Sutton York, £22,000 no VAT. Contact: Paul 07940576583

Year 1993, Total Time Since New: Airframe 4418hrs, Engine - 587hrs, Prop - 408hrs, Fresh Annual and all service bulletins/mods up to date

1988, TTA 8665, TTE 280 Zerotimed rebuild 2006, Prop 280, Full King IFR, Trig Mode-S, Full repaint 2006, Public CoA ARC 24/2/2011, Very good condition, Ext 8/10, Int 7/10, Privately owned, Priced to sell.

Beautiful, reliable aircraft. £44,950. mjw3136@mjwade.co.uk Loop stripad ad 216x20 1009:Layout 1 20/10/09 10:05 Page 1 For further details or to view please call us on +44 (0)1952 770189.

01280 860355.

For competitive aviation insurance...

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

Hayward Aviation Ltd info@haywards.net Tel: 020 7902 7800

60 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero KITS OR READY BUILT

ENSTROM F28A G-BONG

Runs on unleaded Mogas.

Fuel injection engine.

Fully approved in the UK. Basic insurance around 1k.

Type ratings.

Servicing and spares always available.

Rotorway 162F. Brand new. Radio Fitted.

Others available

Price £39,000 + VAT. SOUTHERN HELICOPTERS LTD. TEL 01279 870211 E-mail jon@rotorway.co.uk Website www.rotorway.co.uk SR20 G2 For Sale

TT 2975, good component times, engine 530 hrs, Fresh annual Nov 2010, Met Silver with red leather.

Bargain at only $59,000 NO VAT. Tel 01978 780197 or 07780 700418 Lovingly maintained Jabiru UL 450

De havilland dh60 moth major

G-ACNS S/N 5068 1934, impressive history, rare. £70,000.

Phone Croydon Parry 0207 6229115

GROUPS & SHARES

Build assist by Eric Bentley and beautiful paintwork by Murray Flint. 340 trouble free hours. priced at £23,000. For full details, more photo's and list of many extras, Email geoffrey.d.allen@btinternet.com

This aircraft is in excellent condition inside and out. Fully maintained and all AD's up to date. Only 460 hours TT, comes with a fresh annual. Full glass cockpit with EMAX. Can be viewed at EGHO. £125k plus VAT. Please call Bill on 07887720031 or email billpeachment@aol.com for full details.

Piper Lance PA32RT

mikeboutel@hotmail.co.uk

Aerobatic/touring Biplane on LAA permit to April 2011. Fuel injected Lycoming IO360,Hartzell C/P prop.

Christen inverted oil & full inverted fuel system. £21750.

01394 448231 or 07929666069

GROUP FLYING

Join a well run friendly group who enjoy flying the DA40 TDi. Stapleford based this aircraft ideally placed for European or UK trips. Full IFR equipment, auto pilot, a cruise of 130 knots. G-ZANY has excellent availability, a non-equity scheme, no capital outlay which is ideal for those flying 2+ hours a month, whether long distance touring, local flying or IMC training and discounted rates for required conversion training.

Call Paul Ponting on 07803 174804.

Email info@altairaviation.co.uk or see http://www.altairaviation.co.uk

TB10 Tobago for Sale or Shares

WELLESBOURNE WARRIOR II

180hp c/s Prop 402.5hrs TTA 3543 TTE 1380 Cambrai cover , New windscreen. Full IFR,KMA24 panel w/4 place intercom, KX 155(2) KN64 DME, KH87 ADF, Garmin GTX327 with Mode C Skymap II GPS £38,000 outright or shares at £7.000 currently based Fife(044) 01506 852296

PA28 161 Shares for sale at £2500 each. Small friendly Group. Recent Annual. £70PM, £70PH Wet. For further details Phone Norman 01608 664613 / 07917 312158 David 01455 613001 / 07980 705844

Chipmunk 1/6 share £5,000

1/8 SHARE GLOSAIR AIRTOURER SUPER 150

PA-30 £17,000

email fraser@dalgowan.freeserve.co.uk

Based at Rochester, semi aerobatic two seat tourer with C/S prop, recent full respray & new leather. Bored with Cessnas and Pipers? Fly an aeroplane with character that always turns heads whenever you land.

A very friendly group, on-line booking and good availability make this a viable alternative to renting. Engine fund. £75 PCM and £85 PH wet.

1/8 Share £3000.

Contact Dave on 07711 189933

25% shares G-BAKJ. BRNAV/ GPS approach approved. Dream Panel.

Leather interior refurbished. Engines under half life, hangared near London/.

160kts cruise. For full specifications and photos contact grahamcolover@aol.com or call 07768063289

Bölkow 209 Monsun

1/6TH SHARE

PA28 140 Cherokee

MX-7-180 MAULE 1991

Thruxton based two seat, semi aerobatic tourer. Excellent availability. Friendly well organised group. 1/5 shares (£4000) available. £70 pcm, £65 per hour wet. See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ D-EGHW/, Jonathan - 01264 333606, jsb@jsblake.co.uk

IMC equipped, recent ARC at Headcorn (Shenley Engineering), lovely to fly, c­ urrently hangared at Biggin, friendly group online booking. £4,750, engine fund visit www.triquetra.co.uk/bams or call John 07786 566477.

1/12th share in a fine PA28 140 Cherokee. Well equipped (IMC), good availability with web based booking. £2,000 per share £75 per month £70 per hour wet. Based Gloucester/ Kemble. 07595 373539 stephen.white2@btopenworld.com (Treasurer Gatti Flying Group)

Based at Co. Durham, G-BTXT. Dec 91. A.R.Cert June 2011. TTAc and engine 1106 hrs. Lycoming 0-360C1F. Hartzell c/s prop 436hrs.

KX155, KI203 VOR, KR76a txp, KN64 DME, AvMap Geopilot Plus.

Vortex Generators.

1/4 share at £9,750 07801 184372

NORTH WEALD BASED BEAGLE PUP 150

PA28 – 161 WARRIOR II

Pitts Special S1-E Tex

1/6th share available. £5300 ono.

CofA completed Jan 2009.

Well run group.

See www.swiftflying.co.uk Contact Roger Hayes on 01285 851311 or 07860 257333

A fifth share available at £10,000 in this superb 1984 PA28 -161 Warrior II based and hangared at Humberside Airport. Only three other shareholders and operational costs are £84 per hour wet with no monthly standing order.

Excellent condition rated at 9/10 inside and out.

Contact Chris Dale on 07711 438999 or e-mail chris.dale@gbpom.co.uk

Share available in G-BMTU at Sherburn in Elmet, IO360 S injected, TTE 680hrs, TTAF 200hrs. Half or third shares considered to suitably ­experienced pilots.

Contact Neil Pogmore neilpogmore@yahoo.com 07714 205147

£120/month; £80/hour wet (fuel and oil), Hangared at Oaksey Park, Full conversion training available, On-line booking system and good availability, Contact Ken on 07785 537603 or

142kt Always hangared. New cream leather interior. Full IFR with GNS430. 6 place intercom. New 3 blade prop. Based in Sywell, Northants. £15,000 per 1/6 share. Finance available.

Free conversion.

Phone 07703583564 for a trial flight.

More photo’s available on request

SORRELL HIPERBIPE SNS7

Streak Shadow

1944 L-4J PIPER CUB

FIFTH SHARE PA28 PIPER WARRIOR 11

Rotax 532 w/Electric Start. Airframe/ Engine 580 hours. Permit till 06/2011.

New 5 year W&B. Built 1991. Full h­ istory.

All mods up to date. New Crosbie ­undercarriage/boom tube. Hangared near Pilling, Lancs. Hangarage a­ vailable.

Priced to sell. £5,995 07971 476780

Low-hour continental 65A engine, Sensenich propeller Brand new aluminium wings. USAF D-Day markings Permit renewed May ’09 White Waltham based. Two reluctant sellers due to relocation! £6500 per share 01886 880568

Based Old Buckenham, Norfolk. Zero timed eng/prop, EASA C of A, Hangared, E-Allocator booking, Full Panel plus auto pilot. Low Hrs and experienced pilots w ­ elcome, excellent availability. £150/mth + £70 wet. £8000. Call Ray on 07810502850 for viewing and trial flight.

www.loop.ae ro FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 61

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BUY AND SELL YOUR AIRCRAFT ONLINE AND IN LOOP MAGAZINE www.loopmart.aero SUPER L4 CUB

SHARE FOR SALE BASED WELLESBOURNE

1/6th share available in well run group based in own hanger at Wellesbourne. 95 hrs TTAE with new full permit. Wilksch WAM 120 diesel engine, MT 3 blade C/S prop.

Very economical 16ltrs hr JetA1 at 140 knts cruise. Well equipped for touring, Garmin GNS 430, Garmin VOR/ILS, Garnin mode c transponder, digital EMS. All fixed costs £60/month including home landings, and £35 pr hr wet.

Contact: Mark Weaver 07801 126877 or Steve Arnold 07779 311769

Based in Dundee. 1940, TTAF/E1200hrs, Super Cub Fuel system 4.5 hrs endurance, solo from the front , Cleveland brakes/800 tyres, Comm KY96A, intercom P & S 1000., £43/hr wet with free landings, £80/month, Sixth shares at £3,700.

Contact: sa300.duster@virgin.net or telephone 07836 589898

ROBIN HR100/210 SAFARI £3,900, £80/month, £69/hour wet. Sixth of Robin Hr 100/210 Safari. London Fairoakes. 210hp Rolls Royce prepared Continental IO-360, All metal construction, four seater, large hold, IFR avionics – stable flight characteristics, Constant Speed Unit, 120 kt cruise, 10 Hr fuel, 1300 nm range, 480kg useful load, Inexpensive and practical tourer, small, well organised and friendly group, Google hr100 for details. cloudmuncher@gmail.com SYWELL BASED BEAGLE PUP 150

C150 CHEROKEE WARRIOR ARCHER CHEROKEE 6

e-mail: intermanxnorton@me.com

Wellesbourne Warwickshire, no capital Flying Club. No minimum daily or weekend hire, £40 per month, rates per hour, wet, fully inclusive, weekday/weekend, Cessna 150 Aerobat £79/£89, Cherokee 140 £89/£99, Warrior £99/£109, Archer £109/119, Cherokee 6 £189/£199.

FREE BROCHURE 01789 470424 www.takeflightaviation.com

PIPER ARROW 2 1/5 SHARES

JODEL DR1051M1 1/2 Share

ROBIN DR400-160

2 1/5th shares for sale in friendly 1973 Piper Arrow 2 group based Denham.

Fully IFR. £8000. Wet £80 per hr.

More details at: http://n747mm.helihost.org/ad/ Contact 07956 282 940 or andrewflyboy1@aol.com

G-BHTC 3-Seat (or 2+2) at Oaksey.

1/2 share with great co-owner. 30 hours on 105hp Potez gives 3-seats & 100+kts cruise at 21 ltr/hr. 1520 airframe hours, new permit & beautiful. £12,500 Contact: 07967 805059

Two 1/6th Shares. Hangared at Headcorn, IMC equipped, maintenance by Shenley Engineering, June completed annual, lovely to fly, great tourer, friendly group, online booking, £4,750, engine fund Contact: www.triquetra.co.uk/ bams or call John 07786 566477.

1/6 th share available £5,100, Good availability, Friendly group, Hangared, Delight to fly this Historic Aircraft.

Contact: Phil 01327830549 07794624509.

Piper Arrow 200HP 1/6 SHARE – SUFFOLK

SPORTSCRUISER

3 Blade C/S Prop. Twin NS800 FM immune RNAV, Michel MX 170C Nav/ comm, Garmin 340 Comms Box,TXPDR GTX 327.

Autopilot; 2 x Altimeter; 2x CDI/GS; Slaved DI, ADF, 4 place intercom; Two-tone leather interior. 4-man liferaft; two lifejackets, McMurdo Fastfind GPS ELB. Internet booking system. 815m grass airstrip. No hangarage or landing charges. One-sixth Share available £6,000.00. Hourly rate £90.00 wet : Monthly charge £97.00 (Mar 09). For details: Peter Tel +441284706222. email petespencer@kesdale.com

2 shares available in a group of 5.

Superbly equipped new aircraft arriving April 2010. £16k per share, £6k of which deferred for 2 yrs. £70 p/mth £45 per hr wet.

Call Mike on 01234 355149 / 07725 560809

MOONEY M20J

ROBIN REGENT

ROBIN 340 SHARE IN EAST SUSSEX

Be free from flying club restrictions: shares available in Mooney M20J hangared at Booker. Touring and day trips in style at 150kts, fully equipped.

See www.zitair.aviators.net

1/6th shares available in friendly group operating a Robin Regent out of Spilsted Farm Strip, E Sussex. GMIFF built 1991; 1568 TTAF; 828 TTE; always hangared; no outstanding ADs; full IMC kit; Skymap. £90/mth fixed; £80/hr.

Call: John on 01424 845400 or Roger on 01424 838403

A one sixth share, well equipped with very low engine hours & good ­availability. Private strip & hangar in East Sussex £95pm £60ph wet. £4200, Non-equity share considered.

Contact Bryan 01444 892841 BJ@F2S.COM or Geoff 01323 833641

Yak55m G-NOIZ

GRUMMAN TIGER

PIPER 28R -180

White Waltham based Fabulous condition, £30,000 spent in 2008/9 upgrade. 375TTAF, new prop, engine, plugs, spades.

1/3rd share £18,350 Simon - 07730506129

Swindon based Grumman Tiger share for sale. 1/5 share in AA5B based at Draycott Farm. £7000.00. £65/hr wet. £100/month. ADF, RNAV, Mode S. May consider nonequity membership. Contact Tony Tel: 01635 200431. tony@redshiftdesign.co.uk

Kirknewton/Edinburgh Based.

Always Hangered. 3 Blade Prop 180bhp. Engine 653 hours.

Fully equipped. 1/4 Share Available.

New C of A £7500 Tel 07836 379711 Email: biodun@sfg.co.uk

1/6 SHARE AUSTER D4/108

EV97 EUROSTAR

Lycoming O-235, Classic taildragger, under-utilised, hangared Bourne Park, Andover, long-established group, includes instructor, groupmaintained, on LAA Permit to Fly, £2,900, £55 per month, £45 per hour wet. Phone Robin on 0118 978 1821

£3,700, £55 /month, £35 /hour wet, Tenth Share of G-CFEE EV97 Eurostar, Microlight hangared at Redhill. Micro/ NPPL/PPL licenses, All metal, 2 seater with luggage shelf, 3 blade carbon prop, 100 mph cruise, 3.5 Hr fuel capacity 188kg useful load, Inexpensive and practical sport plane in immaculate condition, low hrs engine and maintenance fund accumulated, Nimble and responsive handling, class leading performance, unobscured vision. cloudmuncher@gmail.com

SOCATA TB10 SHARE LIVERPOOL

Hangared at Liverpool.

Perfect 4(5) place touring 180hp gives 120kts at 35Lph. 2 Bendix King NAV/ COMM with Glideslope, DME, ADF and 2-axis autopilot.

1/12 share £3,500. £120pcm £75p/h. Airframe 2846 hours. Engine 1744 hours inc healthy engine cash fund standing at £15,000. Friendly, well run and established group with excellent availability.

Call Alan 07976 667807. www.deltaecho.co.uk

62 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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Insurance

Clubs and schools

Aircraft Dealerships and Parts

West London Aero Club

� � � � � � � � �

TWIN TRAINING AVAILABLE Trial Lessons/Vouchers available PPL – IMC – TAILWHEEL – AEROS – NIGHT Ground School available daily, including evenings FIC Training Aircraft parking and hangarage EASA 145 Engineering on site UK leader in Light Aircraft Silencers Historic Club House NPPL available

01628 823272 www.wlac.co.uk

White Waltham Airfield, Maidenhead, M4 Junction 8/9, M40 Junction 4

Clubs and schools

5 DAY PPL GROUND SCHOOL/EXAMS No time? Too long since school?

Call Derek NOW. You will be astonished at how much you can learn and how much fun it will be doing one subject at a time, then the exam, then the next, and so on.

5 full days you’ll go home knowing the subject and all exams passed, to take back to your club.

Individual single days are also available.

COME - STAY - FINISH Ask for a leaflet.

Stop worrying phone now

TEL : 07831 517428

Hampshire Aeroplane Club Operating from

GOODWOOD Cessna 172/Cirrus SR20 PPL Training / Hire

www.hampshireaeroplane club.co.uk

Aircraft Respraying

07766 312221

7.15am - 8.30am

DEREK DAVIDSON flyderek@hotmail.co.uk Instructor/Examiner

DON’T CHASE SHADOWS

arage Hang ailable av now ll for ca s price

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060 Batteries

Premium Aircraft Batteries and Chargers Call AQS 02086 062950 www.loop.ae ro FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 63

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Avionics

Engineering MODE S IS HERE TRIG and FUNKWERK units in stock for immediate dispatch.

www.airworlduk.com

Private Sale

Ownership

N & B Engineering Ltd

3D Milling, CNC Turning & Milling Established supplier to: Aircraft restorers, Marine Industry, F1 Racing teams and The MOD. Parts produced from samples or drawings and are of the highest quality and precision. Full 3D CAD/CAM Software.

CMM Inspection available.

FOR SALE

NOSE DRAGGER PATENTED 1-800-535-8640 Pull your plane in and out of a hanger with ease.

12v battery supplied For sale due to bereavement. £375 ono.

Telephone Number 01945 430210

Tel: 01327 831239 Fax: 01327 831240 Email: nandbengineering@btconnect.com

Please mention LOOP when responding to our advertisers

Pilot Services

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060 Helicopter Training

Hangar Doors

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060 Aircraft Covers

Aircraft Kits

Microlight Services Pilot Shops

Hangar Space

Fly in to Galaxy Microlights...

UK ULPower Dealership

Galaxy Microlights is a Wiltshire based small microlight aircraft repair and service centre providing the following services: ● Permit inspections ● Check flights ● Repairs ● Maintenance ● Fabric Covering & Paint Spraying ● Micro Avionics

07841 614577

Galaxy Microlights www.galaxymicrolights.co.uk

Mark Jones

Call us now for a competitive quote

mark@galaxymicrolights.co.uk

64 LOOP FEBRUARY 2011 www.loop.aero

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Aircraft Dealerships/Grass Reinforcements

We’ve created somewhere special for you to land...

www.looptv.aero LOOPTV is the best place to land for your aviation films, video, product tests, interviews and show reports.

Upload your own videos online and whilst you’re there comment or rate on someone else’s!

Register online to receive the latest monthly programs and exclusive news - just go to www.looptv.aero to create your own account!

whilst you’re there let us know your thoughts... just register, login and comment!

Flight Planning

To advertise here please call Chris Wilson on 01223 497060

LIFE IS A RACE...

Pilots... how about competing in this year's Schneider Trophy, Kings Cup or the British and European Air Racing Championships?

Navigators... enjoy the same spirit of competition.

Marshals required... If you are an aviation enthusiast this is your opportunity to get involved in the exciting sport of air racing.

The Royal Aero Club invites you to join them for an one day Air Race School at North Weald on 25th March. To compete in a handicap Air Race all you need is a GA piston aircraft capable of over 100mph and 100 hours of P1 time. The one day course comprises full briefings on racing technique, rules and procedures and video presentation culminating with an air experience flight. If you cannot bring your own aircraft we can provide you with a Pup 150 or Bulldog Aircraft through Skysport UK. The school uses a mentor system which provides pilots new to the sport an ideal way to get into air racing. To register complete the form, enclose your cheque and you will receive an arrival package.

No landing fees are charged for arrivals on the day. Alternatively email rogerhayes@dial.pipex.com and you’ll receive your entry form to fill in online.

Name Address Tel No I wish to attend as: Pilot Navigator Marshal I require the use of: Pup 150 Bulldog Aircraft I’ll bring my own* *please provide registration and home airfield I enclose a cheque payable to Royal Aero Club RRRA: £35 for pilots/£20 for navigators and marshals. Cost of schools aircraft is extra.

Please return to: Training School, Royal Aero Club RRRA, Three Way Cottage, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire, GL7 5RZ. Tel 01285 851311. www.airraceuk.co.uk

www.loop.ae ro FEBRUARY 2011 LOOP 65

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INSTANTEXPERT +PRE-OWNED AIRCRAFT

Van’s RV-7/7A Best-selling side-by-side two-seater that sets the standard for kitplanes + VA N ’ S RV- 7 FA C T S

+ Kit available as standard or Quick Build + Single engine from 150 to 200hp + Metal airframe – get used to riveting + High performance, low cost + From long line of successful Van’s aircraftt + 117 in UK; 73 flying

F

OR many pilots, an aircraft like the Van’s RV-7 (and its RV-6 forerunner) is the perfect plane: fast, very agile, relatively inexpensive to run, aerobatic, all-metal and great looking.

I was once lucky enough to compete in the Schneider Trophy Air Race in an Rv-7, piloted by John Kelshall, and – a personal aviation hghlight for me – we won!

The RV-7’s precise handling made it a lot +HISTORY

+ 1973 Richard VanGrunsven launches Van’s Aircraft with partial kits for the Rv-3 + 1979 RV-4 launched + 1986 Van’s launches RV-6 side-by-side kitplane – it rapidly became the company’s best-seller. The 6A version with nosewheel soon followed + 1995 RV-8 launched + 2001 In response to input from owners and builders, and production changes, Van’s replaced the RV-6/6A with the RV-7/7A. “A little better airplane, a far superior kit,” says Van’s

Van’s RV-7 available with nosewheel or tailwheel landing gear

of fun to ‘corner’ and at an average speed of almost 200mph, it was fast too!

But, you do have to build it yourself. Van’s is the world’s most prolific supplier of kits and the RV-7/RV-6 range is its best-seller.

Of course, you might be lucky and find one for sale secondhand – if you do, snap it up because they don’t come up for sale that often, and they hold their value well.

- Dave Calderwood

+CHECKS

!

Paperwork Important when buying any aircraft. Check logbooks and Permit against the actual aircraft and make sure every detail is correct.

Service Bulletins Van’s publishes SBs on its website. Check that aircraft for sale complies with these.

Pre-Purchase Survey When buying any aircraft it’s wise to commission an engineer to survey it. With a homebuilt and homemaintained aircraft, it’s possibly even more important to check workmanship and history.

! !

Panel fit is up to the builder so each is different 66 LOOP February 2011 www.loop.aero

+OWNING

BROTHERS Mike and Ray Newall have just built an RV-7.

Mike says, “The internet and various build websites were an absolute godsend.

The forums in the UK and US made us feel like we’d joined a huge global family. As we progressed, I’d prepare for each stage of by researching online so we lost no time when we got together.

“The build was mostly straightforward but there were some interesting rivets due to the Quick Build preassembly. However, it never failed to impress us when we were Clecoing parts together just how precise they were and how much care and attention had been invested in the kit.

“Our particular kit was one of the last assembled in the Czech Republic. We chose it because it felt good to have something built by some of the best engineers in Europe.”

+FOR SALE

RV-6A PRICE: £52,000 No longer for sale but an indicator of price. TT 140hr, eng & prop 120hr. www.rvuk.co.uk

RV-7: $64,900 In US – can’t find any for sale in UK! Built 2004, TT 280hr, 160hp Lycoming, no damage. www.barnstormers.com

+PROS AND CONS

PROS + Aerobatic, fast + On a Permit with simpler maintenance regime + Can build yourself + Excellent flying characteristics + Spares and support easily available

CONS + Permit limits use – no night or IMC flying + The nosewheel version requires ‘respect’ and caution when landing + Owners seem very reluctant to sell!

+THE DATA

VAN’S RV-7 Max speed 210mph (with 180hp) Rate of climb 2200ft/min Ceiling 23,000ft Range 950sm @ 55% power Limits +6/-3 g Engine Single-engine piston, from 150 to 200hp, with or without constant speed prop Wingspan 25ft 0in Length 20ft 4in Max weight 1800lb Empty weight 1061-1114lb Wing loading 14.8lb/sq ft Fuel capacity 42 US gal Seats 2 Baggage 100lb Manufacturer Van’s Aircraft Inc 14401 NE Keil Road Aurora Oregon 97002, USA +LOOP SCORE

Running costs Durability Performance Reliability Handling TOTAL SCORE

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 21/25

+OR THIS...

Yak 52

£32,000 www.loopmart.aero

Extra 230

£70,000 www.loopmart.aero

*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”).

**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.

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.