Ultralights for RAF
Headset review
Take three Turbis…
Igor Best-Devereux, whose father Harold was an early Chairman and enthusiastic advocate of the Popular Flying Association, gives some historical context to the three Druine Turbis built in the late 1950s… Photos from the Harold Best-Devereux Collection unless otherwise noted.
T
here have been some aircraft that were only produced in small numbers, but nonetheless played an important role in the development of the light aircraft movement. Such was the destiny of the Druine Turbi. By 1954 after several years of pushing by the Ultra Light Aircraft Association / Popular Flying Association founders, airworthiness investigations for ultra-light aircraft had been delegated to the organisation. There was finally the opportunity to build new, economical
16 | LIGHT AVIATION | April 2021
Above The TK Flying Group’s G-AOTK, built by de Havilland apprentices.
aircraft to support the flying groups that had been relying on surplus Tiger Moths, Magisters and other types. For several years the PFA had been evaluating potential aircraft, and after much analysis and debate, including developing the specification for a two-seat trainer, took the initiative in obtaining plans from Avions Roger Druine in France. By 1955 examples of both the single-seat Turbulent, viewed as a good fit for the amateur builder, and the two-seat Turbi, viewed more as a club or group aircraft, were under construction.
