LIGHT AVIATION VOLUME 14 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2021
Aviation THE MAGAZINE OF THE LIGHT AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
LIGHT
November 2021 £4.25
TWO-SEAT LIMO… Clive Davidson flies the Van’s RV-14A…
Rally Avionics… let’s get connected! Light Aircraft Association WWW.LAA.UK.COM
FLYING ADVENTURE
ALL THE FUN OF THE SEASIDE DOWN AT CLACTON…
PROJECT NEWS
EUROPA XS SAVED FROM MINDLESS VANDALS…
Contents
In a spin – the sheer joy of creating something from scratch.
The Team Chairman TIM HARDY CEO STEPHEN SLATER Chief Engineer FRANCIS DONALDSON B.TECH C.ENG FRAES Chief Inspector KEN CRAIGIE President ROGER HOPKINSON MBE Vice Presidents BRIAN DAVIES & JOHN BRADY Engineering email engineering@laa.uk.com COMMERCIAL Email office@laa.uk.com Office Manager Penny Sharpe Head Office Turweston Aerodrome, Nr Brackley, Northants NN13 5YD TELEPHONE FOR ENGINEERING AND COMMERCIAL 01280 846786
LIGHT AVIATION MAGAZINE Editor BRIAN HOPE
60 Queenborough Road, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3BZ Telephone 01795 662508 Email bfjjodel@talktalk.net
Be ‘winter ready’…
W
ell, it’s not looking as if winter is going to edge its way in gently at the moment, it seems to have got pretty cold and grey all too quickly – not that I have succumbed to putting the heating on yet, but I fear the day is not far off! That brings us around to our aircraft sitting in cold and often damp hangars, the time is approaching when many of them will sit for months unused. At the very least, drain out any mogas and stick 20 litres of avgas in so you won’t end up with manky and potentially damaging fuel in your fuel system, and cover the exhaust and breather outlets to keep out the damp air. And, if you don’t use a float charger, take your battery home so you can give it a bit of a charge now and again to keep it healthy. Peter Kember, better known as a ‘Europa guy’, recently completed a HAPI Cygnet that was started by a chap called Barry Brown 30 years ago. Barry lived in Spain for a while and voluntarily helped with proofreading the magazine, but in time his wife Christine contacted me to say they had returned to the UK, as Barry had sadly become ill, and she was at a loss to know what to do about his project. Ben Syson kindly agreed to take a look at it, as he lived nearby, and agreed on a value so we could advertise it for sale in LA. Peter, looking for a project to keep himself occupied, made a very fair offer, and explains the completion of the ‘30-year Lockdown Special’. Thank you, Ben and Peter (p22). I do like the piece from Andy Miller about metal spinning a couple of engine mount hole baffle covers for his RV10. Like Tony Razzell
with his Menestrel canopy, Andy persevered and ended up with not only a couple of low-cost covers – let’s face it, building an RV10 an extra hundred quid for a couple of covers is neither here nor there – but the sheer enjoyment of the challenge and the satisfaction of making something from scratch, which is priceless (p50). Connectivity, that’s the name of the game. You could almost write a song about it couldn’t you… and each generation, they play it the same. Well, back to reality, our old avionics friend, Ian Fraser, took the opportunity at the Rally to chat with some of the leading exponents of light aircraft avionics to see what was new. And ‘connectivity’ is the latest buzz word. To be fair it’s not particularly revolutionary as it has been creeping up on us ever since the advent of glass cockpits, but it seems that all the major players see more and more individual aspects of the aircraft’s systems forming an integrated control and information package. I think you either get it or you don’t, and to a large extent that depends on what you fly, but there’s no denying that for many of the latest new types, the trend is ever more digital capability – the autopilot bone is connected to the, radio bone, and the radio bone is connected to the, headphone… if you get my drift (p18). Stay safe, and warm, Brian
By Brian Hope November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 3
Chairman’s Chat
Winter approaches, but still lots to do! By Tim Hardy
B
y the time you read this month’s column we will have had the second of our ‘digital’ AGMs, using Zoom to help us reach out to members who may not want, or be able to come to the meeting in person. Of course, we had no choice in 2020 but to have a virtual meeting, with just Steve Slater and I to coordinate the agenda. However, last year’s AGM worked well for a first-time effort, and we’ve certainly learned from that to ensure we include as many of our members as possible. Having a hybrid meeting with both virtual and actual presence makes a lot of sense and I hope you were able to join us. Please let us know if everything worked well for you or whether there are areas we could improve. We are now moving towards the quieter time of the flying year, although for some, thoughts and efforts turn to building and seeing through a project, so that next year (or the year after!) holds the promise of great adventure. Will that be you? Speaking of aircraft building projects, what a great example they are for the next generation to get stuck into. An aircraft build can readily fulfill the essentials of any project work that might be encountered in their future – planning, monitoring, reviewing milestones and gateways. Working under pressure and problem solving, it’s all there as an example for the enquiring mind to absorb and develop. So, all you builders, think about who you might know who could well benefit. The aircraft building example works for pretty much any age you choose and can be as sophisticated or as simple as you want, you might even learn something because some youngsters, particularly these days, come armed with IT skills way
4 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
06 NEWS
January’s LAA courses, COP26 airspace
09 LETTERS beyond what our demographic is generally used to. Maybe you are looking forward to getting away from it all now the travel restrictions have been lifted? The airlines and travel companies have announced unprecedented levels of bookings now that passengers who are vaccinated can travel more freely. I imagine there will be many sighs of relief in the boardrooms of the airlines as they can see their fleet utilisation pick up at long last. Of course, this resurgence in airline travel will have impacts on us as members of the LAA. Airspace will become busier, air traffic controllers will be required to handle levels of traffic they haven’t seen for quite a while, and the past 18 months or so when you and I were able to call up for a crossing clearance and get an immediate response will seem like the halcyon days of summer 2021, even if the weather was often not up to much. We are now in the throes of shorter days and wet and windy weather, so I hope we are all able to keep flying for as long as possible before the weather takes its toll on our grass runways and manoeuvering areas. I’ve mentioned before that I can normally count on some acceptable runway conditions up to the New Year before the clay base to a lot of my local runways succumb to water, however, last year seemed particularly bad, probably the effects of the November lockdown! Of course, the runway state should always be taken seriously when there is a change in characteristics due to the weather and time of year, it would be an inglorious end to the season were there to be a mishap. I like the saying, ‘If there’s any doubt, there’s no doubt’ – and recommend it. A moment’s thought can save a lot of heartache.
Single-seat gyros, Henri Mignet, No to QFE
10 PROJECT NEWS
Sherwood Scout and Europa XS Trigear. Cleared to Fly and New Projects
14 FLYING ADVENTURE
Martin Ferid nips down to Clacton…
18 AVIONICS AND INSTRUMENTS
The way ahead is connectivity, reports Ian Fraser from the LAA Rally…
22 LOCKDOWN SPECIAL
The completion and flying of HAPI SF-2A Cygnet G-CYGI, 30 years in the making
26 COACHING CORNER Preparing for winter flying…
28 FLIGHT TEST
Clive Davidson flies the Van’s RV-12A…
36 600KG: PART 2
Amendments to BCAR Section S to accommodate 600kg microlights…
40 RALLY 2021: A SECOND PEEK Brian Hope presents an overview of the 2021 LAA Sywell Rally. Part 2…
46 SPRITE: PART 2
Tony Barber’s Practavia Sprite restoration, Part two – the problem with gravity…
50 IN A SPIN!
Andy Miller ‘spins’ his own covers for his RV-10 engine mount access holes…
52 STRUTS4U
Anne Hughes profiles Strut activities…
54 MEET THE MEMBERS
We talk to Trevor Reed, former RAF Engineer, permit aircraft owner and LAA Inspector…
58 KITTYHAWK
Kittyhawk’ Farm’s first Fly-in a success…
60 CEO THOUGHTS
Steve talks Dragons, Bulldogs… and Pups
62 WHERE TO GO / VOUCHERS Dates for your diary, check out the December vouchers on offer…
Contents November 2021
54 Meet the Members
46
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58 November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 5
LA News
News
Plenty more news is available on the LAA website at www.laa.uk.com check it out every day!
DH Dragons on Permit
As Steve Slater mentions in CEO Thoughts (p60), the transition of two 1930s de Havilland DH 84 Dragon aircraft from CAA Certificates of Airworthiness to LAA Permits to Fly represents the first time the Light Aircraft Association has become responsible for the airworthiness of vintage airliners, albeit not for use on commercial operations. The DH Dragon was renowned for its efficiency and economy, carrying up to 10 passengers at a cruising speed of just over 100mph for a fuel consumption of just 13 gallons an hour. Such was its popularity, even after UK production ended with the 115th example, a further 87 were built in Australia for use by the RAAF as navigation trainers. 6 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
The two aircraft on the LAA fleet (now restricted to five occupants) demonstrate the diversity of period operators. G-ACET, currently and appropriately based at Cumbernauld in Lanarkshire after an 18-year restoration by Mike and the late Ron Souch, carries the colours of Scottish Motor Traction, a bus operator that in the 1930s diversified into air taxi and domestic airline operations. Meanwhile, Australian-built G-ECAN, above, carries the markings of Railway Air Services, the domestic airline was formed in March 1934 by ‘the big four’ railway companies: London Midland & Scottish, London & North Eastern, Great Western Railway, and Southern Railway, plus Imperial Airways. After WWII, the airline
was amalgamated into the Government-owned British European Airways. The Dragons are not the only heavier classics to join the LAA fleet. Another recent transition is the sole UK example of the Swiss-built Pilatus P3 military trainer. Owned by Russell Dagless and based at a strip in Norfolk, it certainly impressed Francis Donaldson when he inspected the aircraft in October. “The P3 is a lovely example of Swiss engineering and really high-quality aircraft design, cost no object,” said Francis. “The only piece of wood in it is a square platform inside the fuselage intended to rest your tools on while you are standing up inside working in the electrical bay!”
LA News
Meet LA’s new editor… Ed Hicks Commencing with the January 2022 edition, we’ll have a new editor. Ed Hicks is already known to most members as editor of FLYER Magazine, a post he has occupied since 2014. Now he’ll combine his work with Seager Publishing with ensuring Light Aviation builds on its legacy of success. Ed is no stranger to the LAA. He’s been a member and a regular Bristol Strut supporter since the 1990s, as well as a photographic contributor to both Popular Flying and Light Aviation since his teens. In 2000, Ed along with his father Peter and
Nigel Hitchman began work on building a Van’s RV-6. It first flew in August 2002 and is still owned by Nigel today. Ed, along with his friend Steve Ayres, subsequently built a Van’s RV-8 which made its maiden flight in 2019 and won best RV at the 2019 LAA Rally. Ed also flies a Piper Vagabond, and in 2020 also acquired an earlier Van’s type, one of the rare original single-seat RV-3s. By his own admission, he’s a bimbler at heart though, and hopes there’s a Cub in his future, a type he’s loved since learning to fly on Super Cubs.
Luton Airport transit guide
RAeS Light Aircraft Design Conference Will Climate Change pressures bring about a ‘Crunch Point’ for hydrocarbon powered leisure? How might General Aviation and private flying be affected? Will new technology unleash exciting UK creativity and industry to meet this challenge? What step change possibilities can be brought to bear? The General Aviation sector is well positioned to demonstrate new technologies: radical power-systems, electronic technology applied to control and navigation, optimised
structures and materials, the latest aerodynamics – these and more can contribute to remaining airborne. The Royal Aeronautical Society General Aviation Group (GAG) holds a Light Aircraft Design Conference and a Light Aircraft Design Competition each year. The GAG aims to encourage individuals and UK and Worldwide industry to address current concerns and opportunities by imaginative application of what is possible. Join us for the only national conference on emerging light aircraft design technology, the virtual RAeS General Aviation Light Aircraft Design Conference on 15 November 1000 -1700. For details of the conference and how to register see https://www.aerosociety.com/events/
As airspace in southern England gets ever more congested, a helpful info pack has been released by Luton Airport to assist VFR pilots needing to navigate around their airspace. The London Luton Airport VFR Operating Pack includes a pre-flight checklist, frequency reference cards, visual reference point details, arrival procedures and information on radio transmissions. It can be downloaded free from the Airspace & Safety Initiative website, along other useful infringement advice. https:// airspacesafety.com/infringement/
TLAC eKub The Light Aircraft Company (TLAC) has announced that it is working on an electric variant of their Sherwood Kub SSDR microlight. Company principal Paul Hendry-Smith commented, “The project is currently being built as a prototype working within a consortium of other organisations under the EnabEl project, which falls within the Innovate UK future flight challenge, but the intention is to roll it out as a commercially available aircraft both in self build kit form and as a factory build option.” The eKub is intended to have zero emissions, be virtually silent, be easy to charge (possibly using solar energy) and have a useful duration of one hour plus a 15-minute reserve. November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 7
LA News
COP 26 airspace The COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference takes place in Glasgow from 1-12 November, and for the GA community means that a large swathe of Scottish airspace will have restricted access from 30 October -13 November. Full details are laid out in Aeronautical Information Circular Mauve 091/2021 which is available from the AIS website at https:// tinyurl.com/n6austye The Police Scotland Air Command Cell is handling permission to fly within the area and email is the preferred communication. A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required, and longer is preferred. ATC units will not be liaising to obtain Police Scotland Permission, you must do it directly. Contact email: OSDCop26Aviation@scotland.pnn. police.uk Telephone 01786-896390. The request to Police Scotland for IFR or VFR flights should take the form of: Aircraft registration; aircraft normal operating base; IFR or VFR; departure airfield; destination airfield – with evidence of acceptance to
land at that airfield; route if flight in the RA(T) – by VRP or landmarks as far as possible, est. departure time, est. arrival at the RA(T), est. departure from the RA(T) and est. arrival at destination; PIC name,
address and mobile phone number / contact number, date of birth; all others on board name, address and mobile number / contact number, date of birth. More info at www.laa.uk.com
LAA Training Courses restart Old favourites and new subjects available from January 2022 As mentioned in the September issue, the new year sees the reintroduction of the Association’s training courses after almost two years of inactivity due to the pandemic. We are delighted to invite you to make bookings now on the following courses which interest you by contacting the office on 01280 846786 and pressing 2 for administration when asked. If you would like more information about a particular course, please email office@laa.uk.com and we will email you an information sheet. Should there be another Covid issue at the time of any course that causes its cancellation, we will refund participants’ money or, if preferred, transfer the booking to a later date. Prices include beverages. Tuesday January 11: Aircraft Woodworking Dudley Pattison needs no introduction; he has been a prolific aircraft builder for decades and is highly experienced in wooden structures. This course, held at Dudley’s home workshop near Swindon, includes everything you need to know about the required quality of timber and plywood, measuring and marking out, cutting, drilling, sanding, scarfing and gluing. Participants will have the opportunity to try the various techniques themselves and will leave the course with the fundamental knowledge and skills to repair existing wooden aircraft or
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8 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
construct the parts for a new one. Start time: 9am. Location: Swindon, Wilts. Cost: £120 including lunch and beverages. Saturday January 15: Rotax Carburetted 912/914 series Installation and Operation Kevin Dilks of SAS, a well-respected and Rotax trained engineer, has many years of experience in the field and will be hosting this course at the LAA’s Training facility at Turweston. The course covers everything those who own/operate a carburetted Rotax 912 (UL, ULS and 914 turbocharged) engine need to know about getting the best out of these very popular engines and keeping them in tiptop condition. Start time: 9am. Location: LAA HQ, Turweston Airfield. Cost: £120.
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Saturday January 22: Rotax Fuel Injected 912 iS / 915 iS Installation and Operation With the growth of interest in the fuel injected Rotax 912iS, and latterly the 915iS, it very soon became apparent that there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about the installation and operation of these engines. Electronics and Rotax iRMT certified engineer John Barrott was an early installer of a 912iS and found it difficult to find accurate information on best practice. Working with UK Rotax agents CFS and LAA Engineering, John has developed the
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required information and advice on installation and operational procedures for this new generation of aero engines. Start time: 9:00am. Location: LAA HQ, Turweston Airfield. Cost: £120. Tuesday 25 January: Aviation-Related Emergency First Aid The thought of being perhaps one of very few people present in the unfortunate occurrence of an aircraft accident is very chilling, especially if those involved have sustained serious injury. Having been trained, confident first aiders immediately available will greatly increase the successful outcome for casualties with severe and life-threatening injuries and increase the possibility of a life being saved. Paddy O’Rourke, an LAA member and a pilot himself, has a lifetime of experience as a paramedic and served as a Combat/Patrol Medic in the Army and RAF, seeing service in, amongst others, Northern Ireland, the Falklands conflict, Bosnian War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Paddy’s ‘hands on’ bespoke Emergency First Aid course will cover such things as CPR, managing the unconscious casualty (in and out of aircraft), catastrophic bleeds (tourniquets, including improvised), airway management, shock, burns, fractures and more. Start time: 9:00am. Location: LAA HQ, Turweston Airfield. Cost: £120.
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Contents
Letters
Letters We are always pleased to receive your letters and feedback. Please email the editor at bfjjodel@talktalk.net
Above The Cricket and MT03 geometries are very similar.
Single-seat gyros
Hi Brian. As the owner of both a modern factory-built gyroplane and a 1980s single seat Cricket, I’m often told how dangerous single-seat gyros are. This is often followed up with an explanation of how the design and geometry of the new machines is completely different. Out of curiosity I lined the two up on the main wheels, took this photograph and was surprised at just how similar they actually are. Looking at the rudder hinge line it is clear that the MT03 has a longer keel, so to bring my Cricket in line with the Section T approved AV18 (the Mk6 Cricket), I currently have a modification in to extend the keel by five inches. While the MT03 is undeniably a more refined and capable two-seat touring machine, please don’t dismiss the singleseaters. In 40 years of flying, I have never flown anything that makes me grin more than the Cricket. It is simple, minimalistic, incredibly agile and just pure fun. There is a resurgence in single-seat gyros at the moment and I encourage pilots not to dismiss them. I’ve not flown a Cricket without a horizontal stabiliser but will say that with one it does not behave much differently to the MT03. Pat Gardner. 33 | LIGHT AVIATION | January 2019
Do we really need QFE?
Hi Brian, I agree entirely with Julian Evans (LA September 2021) that the altimeter setting procedures in the UK are far too complicated. In the latest CHIRP, a pilot owns up to infringing controlled airspace because he failed to change from QFE to QNH. It’s an easy mistake to make and I can sympathise. What I don’t understand is why we in the UK have no less than THREE altimeter settings for flight below the transition level (QFE, QNH and RPS), while in the USA they manage with just ONE for everything! Their single setting is the equivalent of our quaintly named QNH, but on the radio they simply call it Altimeter. So, what is the point of QFE? If you know the airfield elevation (and it’s shown on the chart), then determining the circuit height is easy. There’s no need to fiddle with the altimeter, no cause for confusion! And what’s the point of RPS? The military likes to use it and claims that it assists deconfliction and reduces pilot workload. Military pilots in the US manage to use the same altimeter setting as everybody else, while MATZ controllers here in the UK expect us to change to the RPS, just another needless opportunity for confusion and potential infringement. If the powers that be are serious about reducing infringement of controlled airspace,
they could make a start by simplifying our ridiculous altimeter procedures. Best wishes, Tim Watson.
Overstating Mignet
Brian. What a nice LA October issue and I liked the short piece on G-AXPG. It would be a shame if the aircraft cannot be restored to flying condition. I fear, however, that you overstate the achievements of Henri Mignet. There was a rampant homebuilding movement in the USA throughout the 1920s and 1930s. More than 3,000 sets of plans for the Alco Sportsplane alone were sold in the 1920s and Ed Heath launched the Heath Parasol available as a flyaway, a kit sold in 11 groups or as plans in 1926. Build instructions for about 20 aircraft were published in annual flying manuals in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Even all these are preceded by the three hundred or so Demoiselles reputedly built after designer Alberto Santos Dumont made plans available in 1909, and build instructions were published in Popular Mechanics in 1910. Henri Mignet was a great innovator – agreed. His Flying Flea was launched into a huge unmet need in the UK for sure. But ‘the first man to encapsulate the concept of amateur homebuilding’ – I don’t think so. The homebuilding movement is older than many realise. Regards, Malcolm Rogan. ■ November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 9
Project News
Projects which inspire others to build their own aircraft Compiled by Mike Slaughter
Project News W ell, here we are again, Guy Fawkes and early sunsets, so the flying season is replaced with the building season. This month we have two interesting projects for you, a Sherwood Scout and a Europa. I often look at the Scout with envy as my distant forerunner of the type, the Escapade, has GRP deckchair-shaped seating that, while padded, is the wrong shape for my back and renders me with back pain if I don’t sit in a chair profile with cushions. But, the Scout has seats that look like they fit the human sitting posture – I can only dream! Another intriguing norm for the Scout is the use of the Oratex covering scheme. Some of you will be familiar with aircraft covering and know how long-winded some of the systems can be to apply, using 20th century chemicals. Oratex is a 21st century system using a water-based glue and no further chemicals or paint. Some will say it’s too expensive, but that isn’t
an accurate representation of its costs. Having priced a wing repair and re-cover, I know it is not as expensive as it seems. It’s a modern, clean, and quick system that I’d love to have the opportunity to try. Steve Ivell tells how he has brought a stalled Europa kit to life having taken it on from its original builder who lost heart when some mindless vandals re-worked it for him. So many Europa kits were sold that, statistically, there must still be a number of sleepers out there waiting to be brought into the sunlight. Steve’s is an interesting project adopting an unusual approach to instrumentation. Thank you to all those members who continue to forward their build stories to Project News and those patient ones who’ve yet to see their tale in print. If you’ve a finished or part-built project, do get in touch. To tell your story, report a milestone or just to send a picture, email: projectnews@ laa-archive.org.uk. Please share your story!
G-CLWT (LAA345 - 15671) Sherwood Scout By Archie Liggat
A
long time ago I built an Evans VP1, and subsequently I shared ownership of various permit and CofA machines, before retirement brought on a hankering for another build. The craft most fancied by our syndicate was a bush-plane type – something simple, rugged, and fun with just a hint of challenge. Speed was not as essential as STOL capability, whilst range was more desirable than comfort. We looked at several offerings, with a desire to support British industry if possible, and after close study of the prototype at Sywell, we finally plumped for the Sherwood Scout. A proven iteration of the Escapade, the Scout is extremely strong and has been well sorted aerodynamically by the team at TLAC. Encouraged by Dave Unwin’s glowing assessment of the type in the June 2019 edition of Pilot (which, now familiar with the machine, I would agree with emphatically), an order was placed for the 499kg VLA kit and a couple of months later, in late February 2020, just as lockdown was starting to look like a distinct possibility, a big box duly arrived on the back of a lorry.
A pharaoh-ole heave
A bunch of us heaved the massive crate up the driveway on 10 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above The group’s Scout finished in Blue and Silver Oratex. Photo: Archie Liggat
wooden rollers, looking like something from the age of the Pharaohs. Inside was a pair of optional quick-build wings, fresh from the TLAC wing jig (so that the geometry would be perfectly true), a plethora of beautifully welded and powder
Project News coated frames, some highly attractive chunky tundra tyres, stacks and stacks of neatly packaged bits and bobs and a pair of optional and beautifully formed aluminium 50 litre wing tanks. We are of an age where flight endurance is not necessarily predicated on tank contents anymore, but nevertheless we wanted to be as free as possible from refuelling concerns while floating around the wilds of Scotland. Missing was a noseleg mount and associated gear, as this was to be a tailwheel version only. Lockdown seriously interfered with communal building, so I was pretty much forced into getting down to it myself, with the others contributing where they could, and this extended the build significantly. Wings, flaps and ailerons require some conventional building, much of it blind riveting and epoxy bonding. The Escapade-based build manual is pretty clear and uses some very clever techniques for reliably setting up critical spar attachment brackets and cut-outs. Prefabricated components in the Scout kit are excellent, with minimal fettling required to make it all slot and bolt together into a pleasing aeroplane shape. Only the undercarriage bungee wrapping brought forth any seriously loud rude words, but with assurance from TLAC that only five wraps were required rather than the published six, blood vessels deflated, and the job was eventually done. In fact, relatively little help was required from TLAC and only then where the Scout and Escapade structure diverged significantly. Advice and photographic back-up were invariably immediate.
Working with Oratex
Covering brought about the requirement for a significant new skill. Oratex, with its odourless water-based adhesive and massive heat ‘shrinkability’ is an immensely strong, durable, self-coloured, super-light, German wunderkind. This makes it refreshingly non-smelly and quick to apply compared with, say, Ceconite, but I wouldn’t say that it’s altogether challenge-free. TLAC’s one day Oratex course was a joy, and a clear highlight of summer 2020, but there remained much to learn. The material will crease quite easily off the roll and can then mark, so it needs thoughtful handling from the outset. It’s expensive so you don’t want to waste much and it’s also extremely thin, which means, if you’re not going to largely defeat the object by slathering it with paint, there is little capacity to build up and then smooth down the finished surface. Unless the base is super slick, every tiny bump and ridge underneath will show, so preparation is everything. There is also a real knack to manipulating the material around corners. YouTube shows slack and wrinkly covering efforts tautening miraculously to a drum skin under the heat gun – and you may well get away with it – but my advice is to take your time and get it as neat and tight as practical before wholesale shrinkage. A judicious degree of very light shrinking during initial application is likely frowned upon, but I found it helped occasionally. Your masterpiece will inevitably end up with a few crinkly bits here and there, but these can normally be coaxed away beautifully if the material is carefully shrunk either side of the offending wrinkle to ease it out. Never heat the wrinkle itself or it sulks, and downright refuses to go away. Oratexing can initially be an infuriating and fingerscorching process, but is very satisfying when you finally get a feel for the material and the various temperatures required to tack it down – make it finally stick where you want it and then tighten. It’s not particularly difficult, just different. Take care not to slop too much adhesive around
Above The modern car style seats slide fore and aft on rails, and also tip forward, allowing access to the huge baggage area. Photo: Archie Liggat Below An honest, straightforward instrument panel. Photo: Archie Liggat
as it will show slightly grey when dry (depending upon the colour – silver is fine) and it’s a devil to get off. Once the cement fully heat-cures, Oratex is on for good so don’t think you can adjust it later, you can’t. However, that also means that patches and repairs are relatively straightforward to apply and end up pretty much welded in place.
A good allrounder
The biggest visual difference between the Scout and its Escapade close relative is in the tail, the surfaces of which are much enlarged. Test flying shows the machine to have excellent control characteristics down to very low speeds, and particularly good directional stability. Coming out at a basic weight of around 280kg, it’s a very ‘lifty’ aeroplane, the pronounced under camber and big flaps yielding impressive STOL performance even at MAUW. Of course, you pay for this in lively gust response and modest speeds, but a 95kt cruise is practical so it's a fairly good all-rounder, with a cavernous baggage bay to boot. The Scout is an honest, agile STOL taildragger, with spectacular visibility from the flight deck, and we look forward to many hours of fun with this aerial 4x4.
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 11
Project News
G-STES (PFA 247-13931) Europa XS Trigear By Steve Ivell
R
Bonding the fuselage
esponding to an advert I had left on AFORS for a stalled kit/project, a chap named Bruce called me out of the blue – albeit that it was two years since I had placed the ad! He told me he had a Europa kit for sale, and after a bit of discussion, I agreed to go and have a look. I also persuaded my flying buddy and Skyranger builder, Steven Ridge, to come along to give a second opinion. Bruce explained that he had struggled with the kit for a number of reasons, but the final straw came when vandals attacked. All his tools were stolen from a lock-up, and as a parting gesture the thieves took an angle grinder to the lower fuselage. This resulted in a long cut and various scores to the port side of the lower fuselage tub. Bruce moved house several times, taking the kit with him until he finally gave up and called me. A couple of days later we loaded the kit into my work’s tipper truck, and trundled over the hills from Howarth to Oldham, where it lived in my neighbour’s garage until we were ready to get started. In the meantime, I had managed to persuade Steven to join me in the build – I was to do the building and he was to do the preparation and painting, no mean feat! We spent several weeks looking at the long list of Europa modifications… some of them mandatory, others optional. We quickly decided that the Hi-top Mod was top of the list, along with the cockpit widening mod. Cue the £4k bill for all the optional and mandatory mods.
Wings out of the way and shipped over to Steven’s garage in Sheffield for prep and paint, I had space in my garage to get going on the fuselage, and one of the early jobs was repairing the damage inflicted by the vandals via an LAA Engineering approved repair scheme. The build manual tells you to bond the top and bottom half of the fuselage before the undercarriage work is done, but I suspect this is a hangover from the fact that the original Europa was built as a monowheel. Installing the legs before bonding the halves together was a real labour of love, but doing this post bonding seems like it would be a nightmare – I know that some owners have retrofitted the tri-gear setup and they deserve a medal! After the tricky job of setting up the undercarriage legs, the upper half of the fuselage had to be fitted with a sliver of fibreglass going from nothing at the tail to 3½ Inches wide at the firewall – this provides the additional height which is the Hi-Top modification. Once bonded it was a relatively straightforward task of binding the two halves together, lots of Clecos, a big tub of Araldite and suddenly the bathtub began to look like the fuselage of an aeroplane – success.
Fitting wings to fuselage
Going glass
As most pilots know, the panel is a big consideration, and I was keen to go down the ‘glass panel’ route rather than use ‘steam’ gauges. I convinced Steven to take a look at the panel of a Eurostar pilot mate of ours, John Parker, and he was quickly sold. So, the engine would be monitored by a Grand Rapids 4000, which would then talk to an iLevil, which would then talk via wifi to an iPad. A bit convoluted but it gets there in the end. It took us five months before work started in earnest, which was the reinforcement of the wings internally. Working through the build manual, several months went by before the wings were ready for closure, a daunting task as it’s a one hit wonder, get it wrong and it’s wonky wings forever.
12 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Below left The damage caused to the lower fuselage when vandals broke into the lock-up where it was stored. Photo: Steve Ivell Below right Here we can see the long thin sliver of the Hi-Top Mod and all of the work to repair the vandals’ handy work. Photo: Steve Ivell
Fitting out the fuselage required the wings to be set up on the fuselage to set the incidence angle exactly, so it was a trip over the Pennines in the back of the trusty tipper to Sheffield, where the two were united in Steven’s garage for the first time. Setting the incidence allows the relevant attachment brackets to be fitted, as well as a carry-through tube to stop the fuselage flexing in flight. I had read the procedure over and over and was pretty certain that it would take no more than half a day; guess what, two days later we had it all set up and were able to step back and let it cure for 24 hours. With the wings set up it was a matter of installing rudder pedals and cables, firewall, brakes and the many other bits and bobs that make a little aeroplane work. Without the engine installed the fuselage wants to sit on its tail, so we took the decision to fit the engine prior to prep and paint. We had sourced a 400-hour 912ULS Rotax, which came from a Gyro imported by the fearless flyer Bobby Frankham, and a Fiti variable pitch propeller from a Bristell, quite a marriage.
Project News Run in to the flag
The fuselage was now beginning to look the part, and it was now ready for prep and paint. Back over to Sheffield in the tipper for a sustained spell of serious filling and sanding in Steven’s garage before he could apply the finished paint. Some heavy duty cutting and polishing, and it was now looking like the real thing.
Below Preparing to bond the fuselage halves – only one go at this! Photo: Steve Ivell
Steven had already built up the instrument panel (more prep and paint) so it was left to me to wire everything up. We had kept the build fairly simple, in spite of the modifications, and keeping weight down was always in the back of our minds. Fitting out the fuselage with three-way stretch lightweight carpet gave a satisfactory internal finish, so it doesn’t look like the inside of a portaloo! All of the internal fitting out finished, it was back in the tipper and over the hills to Crosland Moor Airfield for final rigging and finish. Once again, a process planned to last a few weeks took three months or more, but finally it was done. The first 30-minute test flight went well but Nigel Jones, our test pilot and Inspector, highlighted some relatively simple snagging which had to be completed before the rest of the five-hour flight testing schedule could be done. So, what has this taught me about building a Europa (and probably a good many kit aircraft)? Always allow three times more time than you estimate; try to get the advice of another builder, and when it seems like you’ll never get it finished, hang in there! My thanks to Steven Ridge whose part as prep and paint expanded into most parts of the build.
Right All painted and finished, a lovely looking aircraft. Photo: Steve Ivell
New Projects If your aircraft has been featured in the New Projects list, please let Project News know of your progress at: projectnews@laa-archive.org.uk ■ Van’s RV-14 (LAA 393-15787) 22/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering
■ Starduster Two SA300 (LAA 035-15786) 21/9/2021 Mr J Ball, 33 Old Park Road, Bassaleg, Newport, Gwent, NP10 8BR ■ Van’s RV-14 (LAA 393-15783) 1/9/2021 Mr T Bills, 5 Eden Park, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 9LS
■ Van’s RV-14 (LAA 393-15785) 10/9/2021 Mr J Hancock, 39A Kenton Avenue, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex, TW16 5AS ■ Aeroprakt A32 Vixxen (LAA 411-15784) 1/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering
Mr Sean Withams, Trustee of: Kingsmuir Group, 15 Bonfield Road, Strathkinness, St. Andrews, KY16 9RR ■ G-EIGT Van’s RV-8 (LAA 303-15234) 23/9/2021 Mr Michael Benham, The Bridge, Glenmore Road, East Crowborough, TN6 1RE ■ G-CLZA Zenair CH-601HDS (LAA 16215679) 16/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering
■ G-CMBO Aeroprakt A32 Vixxen (LAA 411-15724) 17/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering ■ G-CMDM Van’s RV-9A (s/n 90324) 29/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering ■ G-RPEZ Rutan Long-Ez (PFA 074A-10746) 16/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering ■ G-SLZT Sling 2 (LAA 399-15648) 29/9/2021 Name & Address held by LAA Engineering
Cleared To Fly If your aircraft has completed its maiden flight, Project News would like to hear from you at: projectnews@laa-archive.org.uk ■ G-CLFD Brandli BX2 Cherry (PFA 179-14726) 10/9/2021 Mr Ray Rawles, 82 Northmoor Way, Wareham, BH20 4EG ■ G-CLWT Sherwood Scout (LAA 345-15671) 2/9/2021
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 13
Flying Adventure
A hint of nostalgia by the sea… Clacton was once one of the UK’s favourite resorts, which came to an end as cheaper holidays abroad sprung up in the 1970s. But Martin Ferid discovers there is fun by the sea…
Y
ears ago, the father of one of my closest friends managed the nearby dairy and he used to whistle all day long. In those days, it was common for workmen to whistle throughout the day, though they don't seem to anymore. Maybe people just aren’t as cheerful or musical as they used to be? When the whistling stopped, we knew he must be out and being 100% bona fide kids, with a pocket full of marbles and grazed knees, we’d play with the milk floats, shunting them up and down the yard. When we were done, it was only idoneous to put them back on charge in a bid to expiate ourselves, so they were ready for work the next
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Above All the fun of the seaside on Clacton Pier… or just sit and chill. Photo: Wiki Below Constable’s Hay Wain favourite, Flatford Mill, is well within striking distance. Photo: Wiki
day. Being that they were already all-electric, surely electric cars were soon to follow… Solar power was another innovation in its infancy, as even a simple calculator would only work in direct sunlight. It was reasonable to assume that the two things would come together, and solar-powered electric cars would be up and running before the turn of the century. Well, it is still a long way from becoming the norm, isn’t it? That would need cooperation from our leaders and a worldwide commitment for the future… Maybe we’ll see some progress at COP 26 in Glasgow, just make sure that if you are flying in the area from the last few days of October to mid-November you are aware of the great swathes of
Flying Adventure
restricted airspace that will be in place. At this point, we normally look into our destination town’s historical make-up to see how it has evolved over the centuries, which is fine, except that Clacton’s history is neoteric and doesn’t go back that far. In fact, it was the Victorian era’s version of a purpose-built new town, a sort of Milton Keynes of the 1870s. Actually, it was the brainchild of one man, Peter Bruff, an Ipswich-born civil engineer, who had the innovative idea of turning a mass of desolate farmland into a fully-fledged seaside resort. He purchased the land, arranged the funding, built the pier and, in July 1871, the first of the pleasure steamers, The Queen of the Orwell, docked alongside the pier. By 1882 he had given ‘his resort’ a never-ending boost by orchestrating the arrival of the railways. In 1938 Billy Butlin saw the resort’s potential and opened the second of his famed holiday camps, just two years after opening the first in Skegness. By the 1960s, it was not only a family holiday destination, but was hugely popular with the newly liberated youth of the day. They had cash in their pockets and mobility, taking day trips to the coast. Then, of course, there were the famous clashes between the mods and rockers, the most notorious of which was in 1964, where leather, Triton and Gold Star met parka and tailored suit, Lambretta and Vespa (the Triton was the favoured bike of the discerning ‘rocker’ and should appeal to the aircraft builder, as it was a hybrid that utilised a Triumph 650cc twin-cylinder engine and the famed Norton Featherbed frame). Shortly after, Clacton’s heyday came to an end, as cheaper air travel made the Costa del Sol a much more attractive proposition as a holiday destination. The airfield is never particularly busy, but it is strictly PPR as, at 600 meters, it hasn’t worked well for some pilots from the larger neighbouring airfields. The perimeter hedge makes a poor substitute for an arrester wire and over the years one or two have managed to ‘engage’ with it. The simplicity and atmosphere of both the airfield and clubhouse give it a pleasant, nostalgic feel, reminiscent of the 1930s barnstorming days. It opened in 1958 and hasn’t changed much since, offering taildragger training as well as full PPL courses in a Piper Super Cub. 01255 424671 clactonaeroclub.co.uk/.
Above left Historic Colchester and its castle is only a half hour bus ride away. Photo: Wiki Above right Local residents like to add a splash of decoration to their front gardens.
From the air, the airfield doesn’t exactly jump out at you but it’s on the western side of the town, with the coast on your port side, if you reach the pier, you’ve gone too far. It’s ideal for a day trip, or even for a night or two if you plan a little exploring. A walk around the town should take no more than an hour or so, and I often go with Sian, just for ice cream or fish and chips on the beach. If you could see past the wind turbines, Holland is about an hour away across the sea. As Clacton lies to the left of the field, nobody ever turns to the right. In doing so, a 10-minute walk will have you in Jaywick, largely considered Clacton’s poor relation. It was developed in the 1930s as a holiday resort and is fairly run down these days. But the beach is quieter and you can get something to eat at The Three Jays pub, which has its own beer garden. 1 Marlowe Rd, Jaywick, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 2PJ, 01255 428440. The 20-minute walk into Clacton is quite pleasant but can be made more so walking along the seafront. Once out of the airfield, turn left and rather than follow the main road, take the first ‘proper’ road on the right past the golf course (there is an earlier short dead end road), then straight ahead at the mini roundabout and the beach lies in front of you. Along the seafront, there is an abundance of public toilets, which, if you’ll pardon the pun, makes things quite convenient, especially for those with a shorter retention period. By staying on the promenade, you’ll reach the heart of town and the pier. If so, make a point of walking through the Memorial Gardens, on the way back, which parallels the sea.
A bite to eat…
Let’s just say that you’ll not be visiting Clacton for fine dining, your tastes may vary somewhat to that of the good people of Clacton. I like pubs, fish and chips, and greasy spoons from time to time, but I also like something more appetising, using fresh ingredients. Like many small traditional British resorts, Clacton’s definition of gastronomy is likely to be a fry-up, a burger or a pizza. There are restaurants with extensive menus, but they tend to offer frozen or tinned out of season ingredients, likely coupled with a ‘nice’ 1987 vintage Beaujolais Nouveau. November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 15
Flying Adventure There was a pleasant little Italian secreted in one of the side streets with outside seating, serving homemade fayre, using flavoursome ingredients. Sadly it didn’t survive and, almost overnight, became a beauty salon where customers could soak their feet in pools of Garra rufa fish to have their dead skin eaten away! Toby Carvery is a good choice and about halfway between the airfield and the centre of town. It has a consistent standard serving roasts and is good at what they do. Outside seating is available, overlooking the sea. Marine Parade West, Martello Bay CO15 1NW 01255 425739. tobycarvery.co.uk/restaurants?search=clacton Aroy Thai is a cash-only restaurant with service that can be a bit hit and miss, but if you like Thai food, it’s worth a try. 19 Rosemary Road CO15 1NZ 01255 435599. aroythai. webs.com/
So to sleep…
Below The War Memorial Gardens offer respite and colourful charm.
You would expect rooms to be cheaper, but in truth they are not, and don’t look for accommodation at the luxurious end of the market. Many of the independent hotels and B&Bs are almost stuck in a time-warp, with tired rooms, a lack of facilities. Here are three of the better ones. Travelodge Clacton-on-Sea Central is clean and the chain maintains a certain standard throughout the country. 45 Jackson Road CO15 1JA, CO15 1JA 08719 846433. travelodge.co.uk/hotels/405/Clacton-on-Sea-Central-hotel The Royal Hotel was built in 1872 and was the first in Clacton, situated just across the road from the pier, overlooking the sea. It’s in the same building as Weatherspoon’s Moon & Starfish pub, so it’s going to be noisy. Around £100 per night. 1 Marine Parade East CO15 1PU 01255 449978. theroyalclacton.co.uk/ OYO Pier Hotel, on the seafront, complete with some local
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touches, also costs around £100 a night. 1 Orwell Road CO15 1PR 01255 476315. pierhotelclacton.co.uk/
Out and about…
Over the years, Clacton has developed its own distinctive character and style, just look at how some locals have adorned their gardens. Who would have thought that you could get so many gnomes in such a small space! For a change of scenery Frinton-on-Sea, or Walton-on-theNaze are under 30 minutes away on the No. 97 bus. Then there’s the whole of Essex to explore, with Colchester as a logical starting point. Golf: The golf club is just across the road from the airfield and ideally situated if you fancy a hack. A half set of clubs in a shoulder bag should work quite well and, if you go, see if you resist the urge to nonchalantly mention that you just happen to have flown in. It costs £35 for 18 holes or £45 for the day. There is an offer running on Mondays and Thursdays, with 18 holes, ham egg and chips for £30. 01255 421919 clactongolfclub.com/Home.aspx. Clacton Pier has all the fun of the fair, with an aureate glow that ‘Boycie and Marlene’ would be proud of. All that’s missing is The Nag's Head, a large cognac, a big cigar and plenty of bling. Starting with the Pavilion, you’ll find a bowling alley, go-karts, a water park and amusements. There are also several arcades on the main road opposite, which my son, grandson and Sian absolutely love. I tend to get bored within 15 minutes and want to move on, so I guess it’s a bit like Marmite… Garden of Remembrance is much more to my taste, with its stunning flower displays. The original gardens were laid in 1921 in five segments linked by a
Flying Adventure
path, with the War Memorial in the first. The displays can be liminal depending on the time of year and contain annual bedding plants encompassed by mature Hollies and a Euonymus hedge. The sunken Rose Garden is bounded by mature Pines and structural Cordylines that lead to the Mediterranean Garden with shrubs, macrocarpas and mature Ilex. The Sensory Garden is in the final section, a good spot for a little, pensive reflection amongst the ‘kiss me quick’ atmosphere. Marine Parade West CO15 1QX Theatres are in keeping with what the town personifies, leaning towards slapstick rather than cathartic. West Cliff Theatre Established on the current Clacton site in 1899. Tower Road CO15 1LE 01255 433 344 westcliffclacton. co.uk/ Princes Theatre, built-in 1931, Clacton Town Hall, Station Road, CO15 1SE princestheatre.co.uk/ East Essex Aviation Museum is in a Martello Tower, originally constructed to welcome Napoleon. The No 6 bus will get you there from the centre of town, Pier Avenue stand D, in around 45 minutes. Free to enter, but donations welcomed, as it is staffed by volunteers. Martello Tower, Point Clear CO16 8NG Saint Osyth. Colchester is about half an hour away by car or train and an hour on the No. 74 bus. Much as Clacton is a virtual new town, Colchester or Camulodunum, as it was known, has a venerable history but also the accolade of being England’s oldest city. It was the first to be granted the status of a Roman Colonia by the Romans, giving its inhabitants all the privileges of Roman citizenship, and that’s saying something for a cold, wet northern outpost far from Rome, in Britannia. Simply, out of interest for those that like historical detail, before the 1st century BC, the Latin name for Britannia was actually Albion, although I’m not sure what James Thomson or Thomas Arne would have made of it in 1740. As far as things to do and see, it is a complete contrast to Clacton, with not a slot machine in sight, although long before the introduction of ‘pound shops’, there was a little shop tucked away behind the main road. They sold bankrupt stock at prices very close to a pound, which was pretty forward-thinking for the time. For nightlife, there are plenty of pubs and clubs, although gone are clubs like The Affair in the centre of town or the immensely popular nightclub near the hamlet of Elmstead Market.
Above Clacton Airfield viewed from the coast.
With heritage sites, historic buildings, galleries and museums to choose from, there is plenty to see and do, with vestiges of the Roman occupation. Colchester Castle, park and museum colchester. cimuseums.org.uk/visit/colchester-castle/ Natural History Museum colchester.cimuseums.org. uk/visit/natural-history-museum/ Colchester Zoo colchester-zoo.com/ General info: visitcolchester.com/. Dedham village is lovely and a must-see place if you’re in the area, at only 30 minutes away on the No. 81 bus. Situated on the Suffolk / Essex border, it has the River Stour running through it. Many of the well-known bucolic scenes in Constable's paintings were of the local Dedham Vale area. The Tiptree Tea Rooms tiptree.com/ The Dedham Art and Craft Centre dedhamartandcraftcentre.co.uk/ The Munnings Art Museum munningsmuseum.org. uk/ Dedham Boathouse serves brasserie-style food, where you can have a most enjoyable time, overlooking the river with lunch on the terrace. 01206 323153 thekitchenatgroup.co.uk/locations/kitchendedham. To make the day particularly memorable, take out one of the rowboats as far as Flatford and visit Willy Lott's House, made famous by Constable’s, The Hay Wain. The house looks much the same today as it did when it was painted way back when. Boats cost £20 per hour, up to four adults. flatford/ features/willy-lott's-house-at-flatford. Maison Talbooth Hotel and Restaurant are good for a night or two of luxury and fine dining. Overlooking the Stour it’s a nice spot if you want to spoil yourself or someone special. Stratford Rd, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6HN 01206 322367 milsomhotels.com/. John Constable RA (11 June 1776-31 March 1837), painted in the Romantic Tradition throughout the area, so much so that it is often referred to as ‘Constable Country’. Among his most famous paintings are Wivenhoe Park (1816), Dedham Vale (1821) and, as mentioned, The Hay Wain (1821). Unfortunately, he never made it rich in his lifetime and, the eidetic in his work was more appreciated in France than England, which helped inspire the Barbizon school of artists. nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/john-constable Watch a flight out of Clacton video here: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLmW_xKkHF4. ■
Touring with Martin… Martin Ferid is a Class Rating Instructor / Revalidation Examiner, specialising in advanced tuition and confidence-building flights in your aircraft throughout Europe and the UK. These adventures can be taken as simple day trips or a few days at a time. Browsing through the ‘favourite destinations’ on the website below should inspire tyro and experienced pilots alike. For amusement, try the ‘bit of fun’ section on the ‘contacts’ tab. For a confidence boost, a biennial flight, or for some long-distance flying, we can make it fun too! Email: lightaircrafttraining@yahoo.com Tel: 07598 880178 Website: lightaircrafttraining.co.uk November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 17
Rally avionics
Avionics and instruments
The way ahead is connectivity, reports Ian Fraser, who discovered interesting findings at the recent LAA Rally…
T
he LAA Rally has played an important role for many of us in providing one of the few opportunities to look at the latest avionic and instrument gadgets in the flesh, before preparing the plan and budget for a build or winter upgrade. Because of my interest in avionics, I am often asked about which devices to use, and hitherto I would caveat any advice by saying ‘wait until the last minute as the technology normally moves faster than your build’. However, reports from Oshkosh this year were disappointing, suggesting that technology had plateaued, and it was with some trepidation that I started my tour of
Above LX Avionics custom panel design. Below Garmin G3000 Autoland display.
the Rally to see if there was actually anything new and interesting. I started with LX in its new show trailer, and indeed, while it had lots of examples of well-known instruments and avionics displayed for part- or whole panel upgrades, and were a good stop for envisaging what your new panel might look like, it had little new technology. In our dialogue it became clear that it thought the future lay with interconnected avionics, and the complexities and affordability of getting all the equipment to work properly together. It was keen to highlight its panel design and build service and where that is going. For those for whom the complexity of panel design and wiring is a task too far, there are a few companies that offer this service – LX has been doing it for some time and is now concentrating on how to optimise its service. For the more popular types of aircraft, it proposes to develop a standard panel design, thus significantly reducing the amount of design, integration (getting it to all work together), drawing, testing and approval necessary to produce one. This in turn should reduce the cost.
Garmin’s Autonomi
Next, I bumped into Trevor Pegrum from Garmin and asked what was new. While Garmin had no new gadgets at the show, he was keen to talk about Autoland for GA, part of its Autonomi programme. Autoland is the most 18 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Rally avionics
sophisticated of a series of new software functions within its G3000 panel systems (it’s coming to others soon) being developed in the USA. It states, “Just press a button and it will find a suitable field and land hands and feet off, even setting transponder codes and providing an audio commentary as it does it.” That sounds rather pie in the sky for most of us, but is it? As well as the flight computer and navigator, Autoland would involve connecting a three-axis autopilot (AP), auto-throttle and autobraking. While the three-axis AP is a relatively well understood and available product for homebuilders, auto-throttle and autobraking may seem daunting. But there are now several FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) devices and engines, such as SDS Aero’s EM5, Lycoming’s iE2, or the Rotax 9-series iS on the experimental and permit to fly markets today. They are just an interface and software (SW) update away from auto-throttle. Autobraking is the one component that is not ‘off the aviation shelf’… yet look at the automotive industry. You can buy a modern car anti lock braking system (ABS) module – which is all you need to add an autobraking capability to your existing brakes – with a CAN-BUS interface (a standard digital interface already used in some of our aircraft and most modern cars) for £400 or so, and all that is needed is connection to your hydraulics, and to a SW app in Garmin’s flight computer. There is nothing to stop this happening on a Permit aircraft. Of course, it would involve a significant modification application, and the LAA’s Mod process would be
Above top Trig Avionics’ new TX56 nav/comm with CDI screen. Above left uAvionics’ AV30 with its AI screen… Above right …and in traffic mode. Below Radio Spares’ RS232 Bluetooth interface.
challenged with this one, but look at what we already do now with avionics compared with only 20 years ago. I would not dismiss it out of hand. But Garmin’s real message at the Rally was that safety ‘gets you out of trouble’. Functionality through its Autonomi programme continues to add valuable features to its various products, and some of these features will arrive in systems such as G3X soon – keep an eye on Garmin’s press releases. While it is relatively low profile at the moment in our world, I expect we will hear a lot more about flight automation now everything is becoming interconnected. Perhaps once they have harnessed the autobrake they could do a taildragger anti-ground loop app under the same programme…
SkyDemon challenge
Moving on around the stands, I chatted to SkyDemon, where innovation also seemed to have plateaued. It is, after all, almost universally recognised as the best Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) / navigator out there, and it is difficult to identify what else it could do in its current environment. In preparation for the Rally, I had been looking at what was new in the USA and came across a product from Guardian Avionics: ‘Smartplane’. This is an electronics module that provides a link between much of the aircraft’s on-board electrical and electronic data and an app in a tablet (iPad). Its product is a datalogger, so doesn’t compete with SkyDemon, but to me its innovation is the long-awaited interface between the main aircraft electronic systems and a tablet. Right now, SkyDemon is completely segregated from the aircraft, so its growth potential is capped, but if they become connected, well…. November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 19
Rally avionics While I understand its reticence to make this leap, connecting to the aircraft’s avionics would open the door to many new functional opportunities, such as routes for autopilots, frequency preloading for radios, traffic from installed ADSB in, datalogging etc. There should be no new abilities needed for them, as we already do this with the specialist aviation EFBs such as the Garmin Aera series, but we can’t do it from the tablet-based ones yet. I do wonder why not? After all they are all just computers… The Guardian interface is not actually best suited to this particular role but, for example, the electronics to connect a tablet via Bluetooth is an industry standard module linking an RS232 or NMEA interface (sorry about the jargon, but they are common Permit aircraft electrical interfaces) via Bluetooth (for the tablet or phone) priced from £20-£200. But it could also be done with Wi-Fi on a similar basis, or even connected directly via RS232 to a tablet’s USB or Apple’s lightning interface. What is needed from companies like SkyDemon is SW in the tablet to connect its existing functions to the outside world. The necessary hardware would follow in short order, it is very DIY. This would offer a very affordable enhancement. Moving on round the show, Trig Avionics, our UK-based radio manufacturer, was exhibiting its much-anticipated TX56 and TX57 Nav / Com radio, for those who need a VOR navigation function. As is usual with its products, it has thought about ease of replacement, including interconnectivity, and it is small enough to fit in all the spaces left by the old 25Khz units. As a bonus, it also includes a VOR CDI in its display, so could be used without that space consuming 3 1/8” CDI. If you need a VOR /COM it is a good option, and Trig hopes to have it available in the first half of 2022.
Mode S ADSB
The next exhibitor I called at was uAvionix, the small Montana-based (USA) company that has turned the Mode S ADSB world upside-down with its innovative miniature
Right: The aircraft specific, but expensive, auto tyre pressure monitor.
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EC products. It was there with its SkyEcho, but was also exhibiting an interesting complimentary instrument, the AV30. At first glance it looks like a normal electronic combined horizon / DI, but it also includes a traffic display mode, and does it in an interesting way. As well as a traditional PPI (radar) display it offers its ARC display. This biases the display more on the ahead picture than behind, and allows target filtering to reduce the targets to those within a specific height band and that constitutes a potential hazard. So now we have a single display giving required heading, course and threat traffic with little other clutter. We are getting there. Together with its ability to link to SkyEcho for the EC targets through Wi-Fi (its twist on connectivity) this looks like a serious contender for a VFR primary cockpit display or even IFR back-up (if it gets LAA approval). I hope to look at this in more depth later in the year in my Electronic Conspicuity review. The message I got from the show was that ‘interconnection’ is where innovation is actually concentrated right now. To me the show highlighted that the underlying technology has indeed plateaued and there are very few things that a state-of-the-art airliner can do today that we can’t in a Permit aircraft. If the avionics developers have anything to do with it, the gap will get even narrower, but it also highlighted just how much our equipment is becoming dependent on other devices to be fully functional.
Interconnecting gadgets
Just like an airliner, the gadgets we can buy need to talk to other gadgets to exploit their capability fully. So, if I am now asked what equipment I recommend, I add the proviso to look and think about how you might want to interconnect it with other current or future devices in your aircraft. Connectivity is the future and, back to my first visit at the show, LX is certainly on the right track. Finally, a new item that wasn’t there, which was a pity, but I can guess why. Checking the pressure of those ever-leaking tyres under the wheel pants is a pain, and if we could just press a button as part of our walk round check, it would be a real bonus. An electronic tyre pressure monitor does just that, checking electronic pressure sensors screwed into normal tyre valves via a radio channel. They have been around the car world for several years now but recently I stumbled across this aviation specific one in Aircraft Spruce’s catalogue. The unique thing about it (compared with car and motorbike ones) was that the display had a picture of an aircraft to help poor overstressed pilots work out which tyre was defective. Presumably following ‘Left’ and ‘Right’ are considered too challenging for us… Oh, and the other unique thing was that at $400 + tax and freight, it was more than 10 times the price of the same device for a car or motorbike from eBay or Amazon aviation. Why? It’s not certified, no more rugged, no better tested nor had any other of the processes used to justify the premium prices we pay for aviation equipment. If you have an overweight wallet ACS can fix it for you with part number 05-04367. ● Next month I will compile my annual review of Electronic Conspicuity. I am planning to look at traffic displays and question human factor aspects. If anyone has any views let me know on the LAA chat site under the EC topic. ■
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Lockdown special A happy LAA test pilot Dan Griffith, with Peter Kember (standing).
A lockdown special…
The completion and test flying of HAPI SF-2A Cygnet G-CYGI was 30 years in the making, as Peter Kember reports…
T
he period of the Government imposed ‘lockdown’ during the Covid-19 pandemic from March 2020 has produced some interesting and widely varying individual responses. In my case I found myself walking and cycling with my wife Marion on local roads and pathways which were free of traffic, discovering parts of the local countryside that I didn’t know existed, and with time to consider the future, however long I might have. Sometimes Marion and I would ‘socially distance’ with similarly retired friends on longer walks – an excuse for eating copious quantities of homemade snacks and supping warm glühwein from our flasks. Marion has also developed her artistic and teaching skills with mostly animal drawings and paintings, and I
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have restored two 40-year-old Honda motorcycles, one of which I sold, and the other which I regularly use on trips to local airfields. I also bought a powerful Ducati Scrambler which has acceleration I find disturbing, so that may have to go! I still fly the second of the two Europas that I have built, courtesy of the present owners, which I maintain and inspect for its annual permit renewal. But I needed another, more absorbing project which would attract me into my single car garage/workshop – fortunately adjoined to the house and centrally heated. Although in my flying life I have owned a number of different aeroplanes, including a Piper PA22 Tri-Pacer, a Grumman AA5, and a Jodel DR1051 Sicile Record, my greatest enjoyment has come from the two Europa kits that
Lockdown special
I have built. In 1995, G-OPJK was the first Mono to fly, and in 2005 the second was the so-called kit number 1000, Europa XS HiTop, G-TOPK. The project that I was looking at turned out to be the completion of part-built Cygnet G-GYGI, which took me over 800 hours of work before its first flight in the summer of 2021. The first flight of a homebuilt light aeroplane is a special occasion for those involved in its construction. The first flight of a plans-built aeroplane is even more special at a time in aviation history when kit-built and factory aircraft predominate. For the homebuilder, witnessing the first flight is, for me, akin to the birth and first few days in the life of a child, will it be safe, and will it survive the rigours of life? And so it was that Cygnet G-CYGI first took to the skies at Laddingford Aerodrome in Kent on 21 July 2021, in the capable hands of Carl Meek from East Sussex, after 30 years in the making. In 1991, a Rolls-Royce trained design engineer, Barry Brown, had commenced construction of the Cygnet from the HAPI supplied plan set number 210. At the PFA Rally at Wroughton in July 1992, Barry had been awarded a PFA Commendation Certificate for his part-completed scratch built aeroplane, then known as the Sisler Cygnet. In the USA in the 1970s, Bert Sisler had designed a short-field, two place aircraft, the fuselage and empennage constructed of 4130 steel tubing, the geodetic braced wings of spruce, all fabric covered and powered by a converted VW engine. There are six Cygnets on the UK Register, some with Rotax 912 stroke engines,
although many more are flying worldwide. Sadly Barry Brown was not able to complete his Cygnet as he has developed a debilitating illness and is currently in a care home. The incomplete aeroplane was advertised in Light Aviation magazine in 2020 and I inspected it with my good friend Paul Matthews, a fellow Europa flyer, in December 2020 at Enstone Airfield, Oxfordshire, where it had been stored for some considerable time.
Empennage
Ben Syson, from the LAA, kindly met me at Enstone to show me the wings and the fuselage which was stuffed with small parts, including the empennage. Paul and I recognised that the build quality was exceptional, although it was clear that there remained a considerable amount of work to complete the aircraft. I made an offer, which was accepted by Barry’s wife, and the aircraft was delivered to my home in East Sussex, care of Paul Ponsonby, the aircraft transportation specialist, a couple of weeks before Christmas 2020. Another Europa friend, Ben Mackay, travelled up from the south coast to help me insert the Cygnet fuselage into my home workshop and the wings, tailplane and rudder into my old bike store. After examining the aircraft documents, it was evident that the Rotax 912 had been purchased in 1991 but had never been run. I offered work experience to a young, recently graduated aeronautical engineer, Alex Mills and, on my behalf, he delivered the engine to Kevin Dilks (Special Air Services) in Leicester for Kevin to thoroughly check and
Above left Early December 2020 and Paul Matthews and my first viewing of the Cygnet at Enstone Airfield. Above right The fuselage in my workshop, not much room to spare! Bottom left The new panel and throttle assembly under construction. Bottom right A trial fit of the cowlings.
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 23
Lockdown special bring it up to the current specification. He did an excellent job at a relatively low cost. The Dacron covered wings, tailplane, elevators and rudder were found to be complete, although the fin had two punctures in the fabric, which were quickly repaired using Ceconite supplied by LAS, a company I was to get to know very well. Given my almost daily call for parts, the staff were exceptionally tolerant. The LAA requires the Cygnet to have a fireproof engine bulkhead and an audible stall warner. Fortunately, Barry had installed a stainless-steel bulkhead but my attempts to find a stall warner at a reasonable price proved fruitless. However, my Inspector on the project, and yet another Europa friend, David Watts, came to my aid by building the required part.
Instrument panel
Early on in the project, and partly to save weight, I decided to remove the engine vacuum pump and the beautifully constructed and very full instrument panel, in favour of lightweight modern electronic and digital devices. The old transceiver and transponder were sold to a buyer in the USA and the remaining instruments have been, and are being, advertised on a well-known auction site. A Kanardia Horis AHRS, and Funke transceiver and transponder were ordered from LX Avionics at Turweston and the GRT Avionics EIS came from the USA, after a delay caused unavailability of parts due to both Brexit and the pandemic. I made a simple flat aluminium panel, and rubber mounted it like I had with the Europas. I experienced some difficulty getting the hydraulic brake system and park brake valve to work, not helped by Matco in the USA supplying me with two master cylinder repair kits and a new park brake valve which they knew would be incompatible. After finding that the brakes would lock on, Matco then informed me the master cylinders should have been modified at some additional cost by fitting a small spring. Marion, meanwhile, took a day or two off from her art and made some very nice seat cushions which proved to be very comfortable, especially on the two-hour endurance test flight. On the 20 April 2021, and much to the chagrin of my neighbours, I rolled the completed fuselage out of my workshop, chocked it and started the engine. It ran very smoothly with good oil pressure, albeit that the temperatures were very slow to climb. On 1 May 2021, using his Europa trailer, Paul Matthews towed the Cygnet to Laddingford Aerodrome, closely followed by Alex and I in our cars to keep other drivers from running into the convoy. This is where the serious work of fitting and adjusting the wings and tailplane occurred. The so called ‘Quick Wing Fold Mechanism’ was found to be almost impossible to operate, the ‘cuddle plates’ which connect the aileron control cables (one in the wing and one in the fuselage) were found to need a considerable amount of adjustment to produce satisfactory aileron responses (nowhere near as good as the Europa mechanism). The braking system was found to snatch because of corrosion on the 30-year-old discs and later, in taxi trials, the park brake valve was found to seize one or other of the brake callipers, which made for some very tight turns. With Matco’s help, the problem was alleviated by modifying the brake master cylinders. After all the normal jobs were complete, in Ivan Shaw’s words there was ‘no reason not to commit aviation’. In a temperature of 26°, Carl took off for the first flight 24 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
from Runway 11 at Laddingford. He was airborne in about 150 metres and the Cygnet climbed away at over 800 fpm and landed after a totally uneventful half-hour flight. Well, that is not completely true, the AHRS needed calibration, the mode S transponder should have had the input of its unique Hex code, and the MAC electric trimmer needed adjustment for more down force on approach. However, the really important factors like oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature, cylinder head temperature, electrical charge rate and control harmony were all well within limits. In a one hour second flight that day, Carl recorded all of the essential readings from the EIS, the AHRS and the ASI. Carl also explored the envelope a little further and carried out a power off stall at 37kt, a comfortable cruise of 95kt at 4,800rpm and he easily reached the VNE of 117kt. My eldest grandson, 11-year-old Mylo, was with me for a few days and was one of several people who recorded a video of the first flight on his smartphone. Because of runway flooding at Laddingford and after a short dry spell, on 4 August Carl ferried the Cygnet to Kittyhawk Aerodrome in East Sussex, with me flying chase in the Europa. Two days later and loaded to MTOM, Carl carried out the second series of tests which revealed a rate of climb of 600 fpm and all other readings as before. Although I have over 800 hours on taildraggers and a total of 2,500 hours P1, I had not flown a tailwheel aircraft for about 10 years, which is why I approached my first flight in the Cygnet with a degree of trepidation. It was dreadful! I was overcontrolling, not using the rudder to initiate turns, flying flat out and I even tried to line up for final approach at or near VNE. Carl was cool and quickly told me that I was not flying a Europa! The next day I inadvertently went solo while trying out some fast taxying on Kittyhawk’s Runway 16. Instantly I remembered to drop my shoulders, to relax and to enjoy this strange aeroplane with its superb visibility, excellent ground handling, powerful rudder, and benign pitch controls. I made one of my rare good landings after a trickle of power at 60kt on short final. The very next day I decided to carry out the two-hour endurance test flight and to reach a total of 15 take-offs (and landings!), even managing to drop into nearby Deanland Airfield.
Kittyhawk Airfield
On the 24 September, and in a feast of flying new types, the LAA’s Chief Test Pilot, Dan Griffith, flew the Cygnet from Kittyhawk Airfield. In somewhat difficult turbulent conditions, he came back beaming from ear to ear. He said the aeroplane handled very well, with power on (3,850rpm) he stalled it at 30kt and with power off he stalled it at 35kt, both lower figures than found with other Cygnets in the UK. He said that in level flight, gusts which lifted one wing could easily be corrected by the rudder which, on the Cygnet, is a lighter control than the ailerons. But mostly he eulogised over the climb and descent visibility, which he said compared with the Harriers which he had flown and meant that you could see all the way down to the numbers at the threshold of the runway. A perfect aeroplane for short strips then. After some fine tuning and fettling, including the replacement of the altimeter with a better one bought this year at the LAA Rally Flea Market, and attachment of plastic trim strips to the rudder and starboard elevator, I am now comfortable with the Cygnet. What are its virtues? Excellent ground handling with
superb brakes, good short field capabilities, easy access to and starting of the engine, a significant climb rate, docile handling providing one remembers to lead turns with appropriate rudder inputs, and a good cruise speed at 95kt using under 13 litres of unleaded (preferably ethanol free) mogas per hour. What are its peculiarities? Its looks don’t suit everybody, it much prefers on the ground to turn right rather than left (I need to look again at the Maule tailwheel breakout spring), its tight cockpit and lack of storage space (although it does have a map locker and a 50lb maximum weight storage container behind the seats) and its limited payload of 366lb.
I have to admit that returning to a tailwheel aircraft in my 70s does concentrate the mind, but I am sure it is making me a better pilot. You never stop learning, and now I suppose I am a compulsive aircraft builder. But I love it! I would like to thank those who have helped or supported me during the build and test flying, including my wife Marion, Paul Matthews, Ben Mackay, Ivan Shaw, Bobca Lee, Alex Mills, Adam Mills, Carl Meek, Dan Griffith, Dave Watts, Stephen Hall, Sarah Gulzar and, from the LAA, Steve Slater, Francis Donaldson, Ben Syson and Jon Viner. ■
Above I am grateful to Kittyhawk Aerodrome’s Oliver Steel who has provided me with excellent hangarage facilities for the Cygnet at Kittyhawk Airfield. Above left First flight on 21 July 2021, with Carl Meek at Laddingford. Below The updated and lighter panel.
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 25
Coaching Corner
Coaching Aneducational Corner… Rally… One quiz question foxed many at the LAA Rally, as PCS Head of Training, David Cockburn, reports… Plus a timely reminder that winter is approaching and what to look out for…
A
lthough I know not everyone could make it to the Rally, wasn’t it great for those of us who were able to get there, and to finally meet up and chat with others after such a long time? I hope everyone who went will join me in thanking the LAA staff and the many volunteers who made it possible. Thanks must also go to the associations and individuals which supported the Rally, providing advice and education to those attending. For example, GASCo’s Pre-Flight Challenge again reminded us how easy it is to miss abnormalities when we are preparing
26 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above GASCo’s pre-flight challenge with LAA’s Jerry Parr explaining how best to carry out the inspection.
for flight, and the human factors which can cause us to do so. For obvious reasons, there weren’t quite as many organisations providing displays, and some of those who did had only made the decision at the last minute and were sharing stands. Sharing Pooley’s tent was the Royal Institute of Navigation (the association which runs the popular TopNav competition), and its GA Nav Group invited visitors to try a very short and basic quiz. I was interested to discover that although most of the questions were correctly answered, one question seemed to catch participants out.
Coaching Corner
Above A dirty scratched screen is impossible to see through into a low sun.
Safety Altitude or MEF?
The troublesome question was: Inside each 30 minute grid of latitude and longitude is a number in the form 23. What does this represent? There were only two options, and most of those answering chose: This is the Safety Altitude in thousands and hundreds of feet. In fact, as I am sure we all know (?), the number only indicates the maximum vertical distance above sea level in thousands and hundreds of feet of any point within the grid and is known as the Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF). It is calculated by adding 300ft to the highest point of ground within the grid (in case there is an unmarked obstruction on that point) and comparing that with the highest marked obstruction within the grid. Whichever is the higher of these two, rounded up to the nearest hundred feet, is the MEF. Safety Altitude is an expression used by instrument pilots, and is calculated by adding 1,000ft to the highest obstacle within five nautical miles of the aircraft. For simplicity, many just add 1,000ft to the MEF, but the MEF itself does not provide any safety margin above obstructions on the ground. The thought occurs that it’s probably not just the MEF that people misunderstand. Perhaps we should all take some time this coming winter to get out the books we learned our PPL theory from and refresh our aviation knowledge?
Here comes the sun…
As I write this in September, the Met Office is forecasting a period of hot sunny weather over England. There’s little point in reminding everyone again about the performance losses in high temperatures, because by the time you read this, things will undoubtedly have changed, and we shall probably be shivering in our cockpits… However, the sun can still have a considerable effect on our flying.
Above The MEF of 1,300ft is the lighted 1,240ft mast between Dover and Folkestone rounded up to the next 100ft. Below Winter brings challenges so download Safety Sense 3, Winter Flying, to refresh your memory.
Even after the clocks go back (31 October), there is still plenty of daylight to tempt us into the occasional long flight, especially if the forecast is for clear skies. However, clear skies and light winds frequently result in reducing visibility as the sun descends and the air cools. The prevailing wind in most of the UK is west-southwesterly, as are many of our runway directions, and at this time of year that is where the sun sets. If we approach to land toward a sun when it is just above the horizon, the glare can almost totally destroy our forward vision, so obstructions and even the runway can be impossible to see, especially if our windscreen is dirty or scratched. There are, however, ways to reduce the hazard of pre-sunset glare. Since the reduced visibility is more likely in light winds, we might be able to land in another direction, probably the opposite direction to that in which we took off. If that is not practicable (slope or obstacles) we could plan to arrive just after sunset before it gets dark, or perhaps plan to arrive just before and hold off until the sun has set or a distant cloud covers it. And while the sun is unlikely to worry us if the skies are covered with cloud, an overcast sky will bring darkness earlier, so those of us without runway lights and a night rating need to make sure a check on sunset times (which change quite rapidly at this time of year) is included in our personal met brief.
Winter draws on
Despite the previous subject, I don’t want to get us all worried about the approach of winter. The Met Office define the start of winter as 1 December, however, wintry conditions can arrive, possibly unexpectedly, any time from now, so I recommend we all download the CAA’s SafetySense leaflet 3, Winter Flying from www. caa.co.uk/safetysense and brush up on the useful advice contained within. ■ November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 27
Flight Test
Top of the range… Clive Davidson flies the limo of the RV range, a comfy, fast, long-legged ‘go places’ aeroplane… Pictures: Neil Wilson 28 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Flight Test
I
t is often said that you sum up a person in a couple of seconds. Those first moments of contact are all important. A firm handshake with a smile and eye to eye contact, their demeanour, dress and appearance, not to mention any pre-informed reputation, they are all reputed to colour one’s judgement. So, what about the first glance meeting and flight of an aircraft? Perhaps these same, rather loose ‘human criteria’ mimic our reaction to so many other things in our lives. Like any enthusiastic aviator, I am unlikely to forget the Van’s family name and reputation, there are so many of them around – as its website shows – that figure is rapidly approaching 11,000 completed examples worldwide. And undeniably the RV has close ‘family’ resemblances, with canopies flowing atop sleek metal fuselages, straight edged wings and a reputation for high end performance. Both conventional tailwheel and the ‘A’ designated nosewheel jobs roam our skies with performance previously unheard of by the vast majority of light aircraft pilots.
First acquaintances
Above The 14A handles nicely and has excellent all-round performance.
So, what of this month’s flight test subject, the larger, tall standing Van’s RV-14A? This marque, again so clearly out of the Van’s mould, that landed at Henstridge with its nosewheel held skillfully off the runway to admiring smiles and nods. It is an evolutionary step, an ‘improved’ version based upon the genes of the four-seat top of the range RV-10. Let’s take more than a look with the help of owner/builder Robbie Jones, and his Bournemouth-based beauty. And yes, at my first meeting, I was certainly favourably impressed – by both man and machine! Many may have yet to see an example of this latest offering from Van’s in the flesh, as literally only a handful have flown in the UK to date. Robbie’s machine is certainly a looker, finished in a beautifully hued metallic blue with a contrasting red sweep of an extended smile that curves, lenticular like, expanding and broadening towards and up the fin and rudder. Registered G-XIVA, she is certainly very well groomed and no doubt proud, as her registration shouts out her name in Roman numerals. With its nosewheel configuration, standing alongside the 14 it is appreciably larger and taller than other two-seat RVs. Literally five minutes before meeting ‘VA, I had been flying with Ian Fraser, of avionic article fame, in his RV6. At 8ft 2in (2.49m) the 14A stands almost 3ft (0.29m) taller than the -6, but of course the -6 is a taildragger. A fairer comparison would be the tricycle -6A, over which the 14A is 1ft 6in (45cm) taller. At 21ft 1in (6.43m) it is 1ft 4in longer and at 46in (1m 81cm) the cockpit is 3in (7.4cm) wider. The 27ft (8.23m) Wingspan is 4ft (1.22m) wider, it’s wing area being 126.1 ft2 (11.71m2), giving a wing loading of 16.25 lbs/ft2 (0.685 kg/ m2) at gross {the 6A has 110 ft2 (10.22m2) and 15lbs/ ft2 (0.632 kg/m2). So, yes this is a bigger aeroplane, the larger cockpit adding more room for larger folk and the useful load going up by 145lb (810lb as opposed to 665lb) to accommodate them and the additional fuel load (50 usg as opposed to 38 usg). Baggage allowance is 100lb (45.4kg) in both aircraft.
Robbie’s C of G calculations confirm he can operate with full tanks, two pilots with a combined weight of 396lb / 180kg, which is 28 stone 4lb, and full baggage behind the seats – very impressive.
Engine fit
Victor Alpha is powered by a 210hp IO-390 Lycoming, which transfers its power via a 72inch two-bladed constant speed Hartzell prop. The published top speed is similar to most of the RV range at around the 200mph mark, and Van’s has a deserved reputation of being honest with its performance figures. High speed cruise is just 10mph less at 193mph / 176kt using 75% power, or for better fuel consumption 55% power will still return a speed of 182mph / 158kt. However, these speeds are at 8,000ft, which is unlikely to be reached too often here in the UK by the VFR pilot and our airspace restrictions. However, I suspect most LAAers will delight in the grin inducing wow factor of an 1,800 ft/min climb performance. And one of the key bullet points that this machine is being marketed with is its design evolution as a comfortable, real traveller with the wing tanks' capacity of 190 litres. The bulbous wingtips house Flyleds strobes and nav lights, and outboard on the leading edges are a pair of extremely bright landing lights. Robbie suggested not to look at them directly when checking during a preflight walkaround, even in daylight! Something I had not seen before is ‘wigwag’, an unusual but amusingly named mode whereby the landing lights flash alternately. Great for visual attraction no doubt.
Flying controls
The ailerons have a tight to wing fit with a ‘tubular’ leading edge under its aluminium skin that can be seen by craning your head under the wing and inspecting the outside edge whilst holding the trailing edge up to lower the leading edge into the underwing high pressure area. This protrusion ensures just sufficient inside wing drag during roll for gently balanced turns without the obvious need for rudder. But being an aerobatic machine in the US (though not in the UK at present) these ailerons also produce a fair roll rate of up to an estimated 90° a second. Rolling against the prop rotation doesn’t really produce a notably fast rate of roll, although theoretically rolling left with a clockwise turning propeller should give a better response. It’s not a ballistic roll rate by any means, but more than enough for our cruising and, of course, the direct feel of rods, rather than cables, with the accompanying bearings and bushings from the cockpit through the stick is both direct and very smooth, with no play or friction within the system. Waggling the ailerons in turn, while now standing behind the wing, shows correctly the aileron rise as the stick points towards it. My Auster Instructor of many years ago, Derek DeSeringy, once became airborne in his early 1930s Siskin fighter in a practice scramble. As he eased the stick right to roll right… the fighter promptly rolled left! A bit disconcerting to say the least, and he chided and metaphorically kicked himself for not checking before roaring off behind his flight November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 29
Flight Test
Above The roominess of the cockpit is evident from this view. Right Owner Robbie Jones (left) and friend and fellow builder Brian Morrow. Below Even the underside pays homage to low drag!
30 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Flight Test commander. A combination of flying predominantly rudder led turns, as a primary control for yaw and roll, and then exploratory ‘goes’ using the stick, brought it back to the field and landed safely. The indelicate reminder of ‘Up yours’ should see a control surface rise as the stick is pointed at it, it works for both ailerons and elevators of course. The empennage has a generous fin to aid directional stability, and the rudder a relatively small aerodynamic balance forward of the vertical hinge line – in contrast the aerodynamic balances of the elevators are much longer. The pitch trimmer by the way, is on the left elevator. Inspecting the tail from underneath the rudder stops allow a generous deflection for both sideslips and the necessary aerobatic technique of opposing roll to hold the nose up at, or near, passing the vertical stage of a slow roll.
of the Cri Cri, that remarkable twin-engined, whizzy little French bird. I had been put on the insurance and briefed to fly but was too tall to swing the canopy over and lock it! But here, settled in the RV, I was very comfortably seated and held in by a bright red Crow five-point harness, a strong indication to the airframe’s +6 / -3G stressing. The view out is as expected, being very good, not quite seeing the tail without really squirrelling around with a loosened harness, but fine for the rest of the exterior – wingtips and nose being the priorities for ground manouevering. My two initial tasks when in an unfamiliar cockpit – finding the headset jacks and the fuel selectors, pump and indicators are a giveaway as the headsets are already plugged in beside the air vents, and the old familiar friend of the red triangular Andair fuel selector is mounted centrally and forward of the seats on the central floor box section that runs up to the bottom of the centre console.
Undercarriage
The 14A has a strengthened nosewheel leg over -7A and -9A models. It uses an elastomer shock damping system – an elastic ‘rubberised’ block which is connected between the gear leg and the engine mount rather than the earlier Wittman all-sprung steel style. The main undercarriage is sprung steel and even under drop tests investigating deformation, at one and a half times the maximum all up weight, did not deform or be so far deflected as to even nudge the underwing surface. The wheels and tyres are all the same size 5.00 x 5, the kit coming with wheels that take tubed tyres. However, Robbie prefers tubeless tyres as there is a reduced chance of a puncture. One remedy is to fit Beringer wheels, but there was a fiscal compromise and Robbie ultimately fitted a Beringer to the front wheel only, the one considered more likely to have a puncture in his experience. The two mains were fitted with the best tyres he could find, Michelin Pilots.
Instrumentation
In my comfort zone
The one-piece bubble canopy may be unlatched from the left and lifted up and forward to reveal a cockpit of up to the moment dark instrument panel with three screens. High tech it certainly is. The canopy, you may recall from previous mention in LA, is now much more user friendly to build, a great improvement over earlier models where it was most builders’ bête noire. The open canopy lip, as in earlier models, reveals the rear of the instrument panel and its wiring, a useful maintenance feature. When open the canopy blanks out the forward view but does reveal two small circular fans for demisting the canopy – neat. Stepping down and in from the quite small wing walks, the cockpit’s larger dimensions and comfort are immediately noticeable. The seats are particularly so, being part memory foam covered in dark grey leather and from German firm Lemke (lemke-polsterei.com). But it is not just the seats themselves, but the whole environment and space that is positively appealing. Each side even has its own heater vent and control – comfort indeed. Without leaving sticky fingerprints on the canopy, it is eased down cautiously by holding onto its edge frame, initially to rest onto the protruding left hand locking mechanism, then to be locked and sealed by the handle. I do have both head and shoulder room. I am not particularly broad shouldered, rather being possibly too tall in the seat, and am often concerned that my head might have the plexiglass resting on my pate. In Victor Alpha however, I certainly have more than adequate space to spare. Robbie’s and my shoulders were completely clear, and I could bounce my hand up and down between my headset and the canopy – somewhat better than the disappointment
Below The panel lit up like a Christmas tree. Nice seats and trim.
And here I have to pause and follow the advice of a fellow I must meet one day, David Cockburn, LAA’s Pilot Coaching Scheme Head of Training. In last month’s (October’s) issue of LA, he advised taking time to come to grips with this new screen technology. And quoting him, there is no doubt that we ought to learn how to operate our devices properly before we try and use them in the air. He then suggests flying with another pilot that frees you up to concentrate on operating the gizmos with your head in the cockpit, and this after a fair amount of ground preparation. The previous week I had been engaged in test flying Matt Thorne’s RV-12, the first in the country with an injected Rotax, and it too has two screens and no ‘steam driven’ instruments at all. It was a novel experience to a predecimal fellow such as myself, to say the least, so I spent time on the ground being briefed on his Garmin G3X system. This is also an option for the RV-14 panel, but ‘VA has Dynon’s HDX kit, however, as Robbie knows his set up, having both installed it, flown the entire test programme and operated her for 20 hours, I felt I was in safe hands, and he pointed out the very basics of ‘navigating’ around the
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 31
Flight Test
systems to promptly find the required performance figures. I have to be honest, my priority is an ASI reading and power indications on take-off, knowing instantly where to scan. A needle on a dial, just its position is enough, whereas a tape and a figure to interpret takes a millisecond longer. Within a minute or two of being airborne, I would have all my attention glued to the spacing and attitude in close proximity to the Pacer, today’s camera ship, and not looking at any indications or display whether it be a screen or a vintage basic six. So good to have Robbie along checking stats and as an extra pair of eyes scanning the sky. Try flying in formation with the ADSB informing you that there is traffic! Best not to, the Pilot Aware tumbler switch is to the left of ‘my'’ (rhs) main screen switch.
Pitch and roll trim
First things first, we have full dual controls, including toe brakes, and with all that space, both sticks have an uninterrupted throw with no likelihood of a leg obstructing full deflection. My stick has a radio transmit button but the P1 seat also has a plethora of trim buttons on top. I will have to lean forward to the low and centrally placed separate trim tumblers on the centre console, the left for roll and the right for pitch. It is unusual to find aileron trim, but it could be possible, if improbable, to end up with a wing imbalance where one tank is full and the other completely empty. The tank lever arm, although short, may need an aerodynamic counterbalance to ease the 68.4kg / 150lb of 95 litres of fuel. Directly above the trimmers is a comms PMA4000 for headset volumes, and above that are the side-by-side red magneto guards, to be flipped up to engage them, and an electric flap lever – handy for it to be ergonomically close to the pitch trim. All centrally placed, the black topped vernier throttle, the light blue prop pitch and the red mixture knobs are in the comfortable reach of both crew. There is no carb heat (it’s a fuel injected engine) but there is an Alternate air control should the usual air intake become blocked.
The panel
The instrument panel has three main screens, the two large Dynons with a middle screen which transpires to be a Samsung tablet neatly disguised with an alloy bezel, running the omnipresent all singing and dancing SkyDemon, and below that is a Garmin GNS 430 (Global Navigation System). 32 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above A well proportioned machine, and such good fits.
Under both screens there are a row of black faced service switches, with the red Master and Alternator field next to the throttle. Far left there is a backup attitude indicator, a Kanardia Horis 80, with both ASI and DI indications. And beneath is a Bendix/King ILS indicator – I haven’t played with one of these in probably 20 years. The right-hand side houses all of the contact breakers, all black bar the uppermost alternator's white topped 60-amp breaker. An autopilot switch panel is sited top right of the P1’s screen. More of that later.
Start and taxi
The short cranking time of a fuel-injected engine with the throttle cracked and the blue prop lever forward in fine pitch, needs a hand hovering over the red mixture lever which has been set fully back to the lean position. As soon as the engine catches, the mixture has to be pushed promptly in for rich to keep the engine firing and our prop turning. Taxying after initial warming and a call in from the camera ship, then a call to air traffic, has us applying a bit of power to first move from the grass, and then reducing power once on the move. As the nosewheel castors, it needs looking after, particularly at slow speed, and to a greater extent in a confined area. By definition it needs encouragement with jabs of brake at slow speed to turn the nosewheel along the desired taxiway… and sometimes a smaller jab in the other direction. Once on the move a slight pressure on the top of Victor Alpha's brakes is sufficient. Coming to a stop it is kind to the system to throttle back first, rather than needlessly wearing out the discs and pads, abusing her with power against brakes. T’s and P’s in the green (graphically indicated mid-way on the lowest band of Robbie’s P1 screen) and both a prop cycle check with the marvellous lower revs thrashing the air, then back to its and power check with each guarded mag flipped down, and then on again with an increasing return, and an upward needle displayed further right still on the same screen. Good to see the manifold pressure rising too as the prop makes the engine toil harder in low gear, cleans the plugs too, and pitch up again to breathe normally once more.
Airborne and into formation
The standard briefing has the subject aircraft, that’s us in the -14A, backtracking the runway first and the Pacer with Neil strapped securely into the rear seat with the left door
Flight Test
Above Forward hinging canopy allows easy access, and easier panel maintenance. Left Plenty of space for up to 100lb (45.4kg) of baggage. Below A very neat idea for a rudder lock.
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 33
Flight Test removed. As David eases the Pacer from the ground I wait until he climbs over the horizon and then I too roll. A little right rudder without brake is sufficient to maintain the centreline. I use the technique of taking the weight from the nosewheel and rather than having a set speed, VR to rotate, raising the nosewheel to break ground, I allow her to fly herself off. In a stream take-off with similar types, there would be sufficient spacing of opening the throttle as a following number two as soon as the formation lead leaves the ground, but for us today, the anticipated increased performance of the -14A over the Pacer requires us to have a greater spacing. The Pacer will be climbing at 70mph at 600fpm, we, on the other hand, have the potential of climbing at over two and a half times that rate and 20mph faster. Fun indeed, but I would not want to be climbing with our nose blanking out the world ahead. I will keep the Pacer in sight and above the horizon, that way I can keep tabs on him for the join. Within 100 yards I call so he knows I am close and closing on his blind side. Ordinarily the phrase used when teaching a formation join is ‘when the target aircraft blooms, close the throttle’. However, this and all other RVs are clean aeroplanes, so I reduce power quite a bit earlier so the closing speed is reduced sufficiently for me to slide smoothly into position. It’s also a good idea for me to reduce my upper torso restraints, so when I move forward of the camera ship and I am looking back, my scan is not restrained. Neil pushes us down and out, forward and back and into the sunny side turns. The flying is not so much formation as flying alongside in odd attitudes. It is normal to formally check lateral and directional stability after the shoot, on the way home to Henstridge. But here, with frequent crossing and releasing of controls, not just from steady heading sideslips but climbing and turning sideslips with increasing and decreasing power at varying speeds, the lateral and directional stability are more than adequately put through their paces during the shoot. The last shot of the day is an inclined wing low, head on shot whereby the RV is placed in the Pacer’s seven o’clock and we try to fly sideways pointing into the camera lens. It was certainly one of the easier aircraft to hold in this odd attitude and position, that 210hp and constant speed prop helped too, a nice complementary unison of airframe and power. The breakaway shot was also helped by being able to put ‘top’ rudder on when slowly moving away from the Pacer, attempting to present a plan view whilst not quite in knife edge, avoiding the Pacer’s wing blanking the camera’s view. It was on these that Robbie felt we had done enough of these, thank you very much!
The stall
Stalling was a gentle exercise, with buffet as an aerodynamic warning and a downward sink from just above the mid-forties knots. The ailerons gave a suggestive hint, indicative of slower reaction as we neared the bottom of the slotted flaps’ effectiveness to decrease our speed and still fly, but true to form those ailerons worked right to the point where she had had enough, and we sank away. Recovery was near instantaneous with stick forward, power and intuitive balancing of the rudder to keep the nose straight (I didn’t find a representation of the slip ball until the flight was over!). Released to wander home and Robbie happier now we were straight and level, I asked why he had decided to build the -14A. He had already built an RV-9A, which he kept on the line at Bournemouth with another RV-9A and an RV-6, as well as two Europas – a small LAA gathering. Parking costs are reasonable at £120 a month, but by the time landing fees and 34 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
VAT are added, it gets to be expensive. But it works for him as any other airfield is just not viable, travelling to and from. Robbie was looking for another project, possibly a boat, but nothing seemed to appeal. Then somebody suggested the bigger 14A. His garage was just large enough to have the wings mounted on the walls and the fuselage angled diagonally across. It took four-and-a-half years to build and a friend, Brian Morrow, would come over and help. It was Brian who accompanied him today, also having acted as observer during the test flying. Both were very pleased with the way the aircraft handled and responded, and with its high performance. Ultimately Robbie would like to get an IFR clearance for Victor Alpha and he tells me that an aircraft must have flown for at least a year and have 50 hours in the logbooks before it can be considered.
‘That’ autopilot
I didn’t try the autopilot but understand that it has two modes, either ‘Simplified’ or ‘Expert’. Simplified is very easy to use – one press of a button to hold straight and level and then a twist of a knob to alter track or alt. Press another button and it follows a flight plan. Expert is really for IFR and Robbie has yet to venture into that realm, but apparently it will do such things as VNAV and IAS holds. Robbie flies at a comfortable 135kt / 155mph, burning 28 litres an hour at 22in of manifold pressure and 2,200rpm (22 squared). That would give a still air range of over 900 nm (1,050 statute miles), too far for me as I would have to get up and walk around, but what a machine for the serious go places pilot – comfort, speed, and reasonable economy at 22mpg.
Landing
Getting the aeroplane down to a sensible airspeed for joining has to be planned with these faster aircraft, but you soon get used to it. On base, when below 100kt / 115mph, I asked for partial flap, and then the full flap setting of 30° once I was on final. I flew the tail end of the approach onto 06 at 70kt, trimmed out and used the point and shoot technique of maintaining the same attitude over the nose at the runway, and altered speed with throttle but maintained the same attitude throughout. There was next to no wind, and I managed not to embarrass myself too much on the round out, flare and nose high touch down. My first impressions of the RV-14A were not far off the mark, as ‘Victor Alpha is well turned out and well-mannered. She is also brimming with advances in avionics, whilst balancing its travelling and handling capabilities remarkably well. I’m sure Robbie will have many satisfying hours flying, learning, and further appreciating his aircraft. Happy Landings, and thanks for an enjoyable sortie Robbie. ■
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600kg: Part 2
BCAR Section S revision
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Ben Syson explains the probable amendments to BCAR Section S to accommodate 600kg microlights…
ollowing Francis’ article describing the new 600kg microlight category in September’s Light Aviation, I’ve been asked to write a short article on the changes being made to BCAR Section S, the CAA’s airworthiness requirements document for microlight aeroplanes, which is being updated to suit the expanded Microlight definition. However, as a revised document has yet to be published – I fear I may have been stitched up! To be fair though, I have been involved as LAA Engineering’s representative in the CAA’s working group advising what should and should not go into the updated document, so I have a reasonable idea about what might appear.
BCAR Section S
45kt stall speed limits will allow many more higher performance aeroplanes into the microlight definition. Therefore, it has been decided to overhaul BCAR Section S to make it fully applicable to all aircraft in the new microlight category. It’s also been decided to realign BCAR Section S as much as possible with the Czech UL-2 and German LTF-UL documents.
Gust loads
The first ‘high speed’ requirement currently missing from BCAR Section S are gust loads – the original BCAR Section S had the gust loading requirements of JAR-22 removed. This is a justifiable omission for low-speed aircraft, as flying relatively slowly through gusts doesn’t generate loads as large as the +4/-2g manoeuvre load limits. I’m expecting traditional light aeroplane gust load requirements to be introduced into BCAR Section S, which will align it with the Czechs and Germans, as well as the American Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) requirements.
a 600kg microlight must have payload sufficient to take two 100kg people
BCAR Section S was introduced by the CAA in the mid-1980s as part of the regulation of the new, and previously unregulated, sport of microlight flying. Rather than starting from scratch, JAR-22, the then European airworthiness requirements document for powered sailplanes, was used as a starting point. The sailplane-specific requirements were removed, and the remaining requirements tweaked and toned down to suit the simple, lightweight, low-performance microlights of the day. An early version of BCAR Section S was used by the Czechs and Germans as the starting point for their ultralight airworthiness requirements, UL-2 and LTF-UL respectively. As time has gone on, the three documents, BCAR Section S, UL-2 and LTF-UL, have evolved independently, and grown apart to some extent. Although BCAR Section S has evolved – mostly for the better – it is still only fully applicable to aeroplanes with a design maximum speed not exceeding 140kt. The few microlights in the current definition that are faster than that were approved by borrowing ‘high speed’ requirements from light aircraft airworthiness requirements. The expanded 600kg take-off weight and 36 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above The Blackshape Prime is typical of a new genre of high performance 600kg aircraft.
Flutter
The other ‘high speed’ requirement that was significantly toned down – although not entirely removed – in BCAR Section S, was flutter. Although flutter can occur at low speed, it becomes much more of a problem as airspeed increases. The German and Czech requirements are very hot on flutter, as they have a number of universities that specialise in the subject for their glider and light aeroplane industries. Unfortunately, the UK is not well endowed with this particular expertise. I’m expecting the CAA to find some middle ground for the new BCAR Section S, with some ground testing/analysis required prior to confirmatory flight testing.
Increased payload
One of the criticisms of the 450kg microlight category is that it’s possible to squeeze a conventional-style light aircraft into it – think Eurostar or Flight Design CT – but only just.
600kg: Part 2
Above A draft of the original BCAR Section S from the 1980s, a hand-am ended page of the JAR-22 powered sailplane requirements showing the removal of the gust load requirements. Similar requirements are now being added back in! November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 37
600kg: Part 2
Above The flight envelope – incorporating gust as well as manoeuvre loads – from EASA’s CS-VLA. I’m expecting the new BCAR Section S envelope to be similar to this, and the same as the envelope in the Czech and German requirements. This has resulted in a lot of the fleet being rather heavy and rather impractical as two-seaters. I’m expecting the new payload requirement will mean a 600kg microlight must have payload sufficient to take two 100kg (220lb, or 15 stone 10lb) people, together with an hour’s fuel at the engine’s maximum continuous power. This is the same requirement as adopted by the Czechs and Germans for their 600kg ultralights.
Undercarriage strength
Light aircraft ground load requirements introduced into BCAR Section S, will align it with the Czechs
The current BCAR Section S has simplified undercarriage strength requirements, compared to the traditional undercarriage requirements for light aeroplanes. Again, these were aimed at the simple microlights of the 1980s and 1990s, many of which didn’t have conventional springs or other energy absorbing components in the undercarriage, but relied on the flexibility of the airframe to absorb the landing impact energy. Although the BCAR Section S requirements are easy to test, they are quite conservative when applied to a more conventional undercarriage system. I’m expecting traditional light aeroplane ground load requirements to be introduced into BCAR Section S, which will align it with the Czechs – but not the Germans – as well as the American LSA requirements.
Unintentional spin recovery
Although not in the initial BCAR Section S, a requirement to ensure that an aircraft can be recovered in case it gets into an unintentional spin, was introduced into BCAR Section S about 20 years ago. The Czechs and Germans haven’t introduced this into their ultralight requirements. 38 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
There has been some discussion about whether it should be removed from BCAR Section S to help align with UL-2 and LTF-UL. However, there are some contemporary European ultralight types with poor stall/spin accident records, so it has therefore been decided to keep a spin recovery requirement in BCAR Section S. It’s also worth noting that Germany, for example, has possibly justified not having any spin recovery requirements for ultralights on the basis that it has a requirement for a mandatory, functioning ballistic parachute. By contrast, the UK doesn’t require a ballistic chute and, if one is fitted, our requirements don’t require the installation’s effectiveness to be verified. The current spin recovery requirement in BCAR Section S is essentially the same requirement as for certified aeroplanes. This requirement requires that the aircraft can’t get into an unrecoverable spin, however hamfisted and perverse the pilot. Although well intended, proving this definitively requires the test pilot to plough through an enormous number of spins to check all possible combinations of entry conditions and recovery actions – both right and wrong. There has been a lot of discussion about whether this can be simplified for microlights, to concentrate on those spins that are most likely to be problematic. I’m looking forward to seeing what the CAA proposes in this respect.
When?
The CAA has promised to release a draft of the new BCAR Section S any time now for a public consultation, with the final document being published around year-end. ■
Chrislea Super Ace
Chrislea Super Ace flies again…
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Rupert Clark relates the news that his uniquely controlled vintage machine is back in the air…
fter just over four years in storage since her last flight, Chrislea Super Ace G-AKUW has once again been airborne in the skies of Lincolnshire. The 74-yearold aircraft had been stored in a dry and well-ventilated environment (a hangar with a number of holes in the roof!) and needed servicing and a full inspection before a Permit Flight Release Certificate could be issued. With everything in place, the test flight took place in calm conditions late in the day at the beginning of August. Mark Sharp, an LAA Coach and Shuttleworth Trust pilot, amongst his many qualifications, flew the aircraft for 40 minutes and seemed pleased that everything was in order, as I did not have a current Medical. With its distinctive and unique-to-
Above Owner Rupert Clark with Chrislea Super Ace G-AKUW. Below Mark Sharp after a successful test flight.
type flying control system, where pitch is controlled by moving the control wheel up and down, the Chrislea Super Ace is certainly a quirky aircraft. However, once airborne she climbed well and seemed to enjoy being back in her natural environment. After landing, she drew the usual small crowd of interested onlookers along with many comments on the design, cockpit layout and blue velvet-lined interior décor. Many comment on the ‘windy’ generator on the starboard wing, and these days I can describe it as a ‘Green’ feature, making use of ‘renewable energy’ to charge the battery; although most will find the idea of a ‘Green’ Gipsy Major powered aircraft a bit far fetched! With her new Permit to Fly in hand I look forward to a few more adventures with her. My thanks go to Rick Hand, LAE and LAA Inspector, for his guidance and advice on the return to flight process, to Al Weir for assisting me with the work, and to Mark for doing the test flight. ■ November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 39
LAA Rally
Rally Ho!
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In Part 2, Brian Hope reports on the success of the LAA 75th Anniversary Rally…
t’s reassuring to have read and heard from so many quarters that the LAA Rally was so well regarded and enjoyed by the many who attended. After two years without any major events in the UK and Europe, it was with great relief that the Rally was able to go ahead and, perhaps surprisingly, was anything but a watered-down event due to potential constraints of the pandemic. Last month we covered the award winners and took a general look around, so let’s take another stroll around to see more of what makes it so special. As winter draws ever closer, memories of the sunshine,
Main Michael Wood departs early on Sunday morning in his SD-1 Minisport for his long flight back to the North of Scotland. Photo: Michael Bajcar.
camaraderie and a host of fabulous aircraft alighting at Sywell will, I hope, help sustain us through the latest batch of challenges that life seems so intent on throwing at us at the moment. And so we bid a fond farewell to the LAA’s 75th Anniversary Year’s Rally at Sywell with many happy memories. Thanks go to all who helped make it such a welcome return after we were forced to cancel the 2020 event, including of course our sponsors: Garmin, LAS Ltd, Cambrai Covers and Adams Aviation. I’m already looking forward to Rally 2022! ■
Above There was a good crop of vintage and classic types at the show, including this very nicely turned out Proctor 5, G-AKIU owned by James Allison. Photo: Nigel Hitchman 40 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
LAA Rally
Above What a cracking little Rand KR2. Built in 1985 by Derek Munday it is now owned by Brad Wagenhauser and has had an 80hp Rotax 912UL engine installed which drives a three blade Warp Drive prop. I’d love to hear more about this very interesting little machine. Photo: Brian Hope
Above As Nanchang G-BXZB departed there was a very brief blast of smoke which enveloped the photographers. It was great to see so many photographers, enthusiasts, spotters etc, at the show again this year. Thank you for coming. Photo: Michael Bajcar.
Above Lovely weather throughout saw members chilling out and chatting in the sunshine and catching up with old friends. It was a good weekend for the ice cream sellers! Photo: Neil Wilson
Above Tony Razell has supported the Homebuilders Tent for several years now with his Menestrel project, and this year there was tremendous interest in his home-produced canopy, an article about which appeared in the Project News in August. Photo: Brian Hope
Above The Canadian produced Pelican is a rare bird in the UK, which is a shame because a reasonable number of kits were produced. I met a German couple in Calvi once who were flying a Pelican and they had flown it over the high Alps to get there, and they loved it. This example, a Club GS variant, was originally built by Eddie Clapham in the mid-1990s but it now belongs to John Aplin from Gloucester. Photo: Brian Hope November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 41
LAA Rally
Above Fortunately, it wasn’t – muddy that is – but Carlos Jose De Sousa E Morgado’s Super Cub certainly came prepared for the worst with a huge set of tundra tyres. Nice Cub, but I imagine you need to be more agile than me to clamber aboard. Photo: Brian Hope Right Good to see Trig Avionics at the show, who were promoting their TX56 and TX57 Nav / Com unit which should be available in mid2022. With ADSB the current talking point and the CAA rebate scheme now extended until 31 March 2022, there was also much interest in their ADSB offerings. Photo: Neil Wilson
The trio of Austrian pilots, from left Kerry Skyring, Kitfox 5 OE-AMJ from Stockerau, Christian Meier in Lancair OE-CCM from St Johann, and Wolfgang Hamershmidt in BX Cherry OE-CTO from Wiener Neustadt. Photo: Christian Meier
Above G-IIIM is a nicely turned out Stolp SA100 Starduster recently acquired by Robert Johnson of Northampton. It was originally built in the US in 1974. Photo: Neil Wilson 42 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
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LAA Engineering team restructure
Meet LAA’s new Engineering Director With Francis Donaldson retiring after 30 years as Chief Engineer, John Ratcliffe explains his new role…
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fter more than 30 years of incredible service to the LAA and its members, Francis Donaldson decided to stand down from his Chief Engineer role at the end of 2021. This led to the creation of the Engineering Director role, which I was delighted to have been offered. The Engineering Director role will differ from the Chief Engineer role, in that it will hold a non-voting place on the LAA Board, and also oversee the work of the Chief Inspector and Quality Manager, who both previously reported directly to the CEO. The role will focus on the leadership, development and performance of the LAA’s engineering activities. My first few weeks have quickly shown that it is impossible to replace Francis as the Chief Engineer, as no one within the world of amateur build, recreational and sport flying has his encyclopaedic level of knowledge and experience from a combined engineering and operating perspective. There has clearly been some concern that Francis will be leaving the LAA completely, but the good news is that he will continue to work for the LAA as a consultant and he will be starting this new role in January 2022. Look out for Francis’ article in December’s edition of Light Aviation, where he will attempt to summarise his 30 years as the Chief Engineer in just a few pages, alongside Brian Hope, who is packing up his typewriter ribbon after 21 years as editor of the LA magazine! Coming from an aircraft operations background, I am
56 | LIGHT AVIATION | August 2021
Above John Ratcliffe enjoying some down time at the LAA Rally. Photo: Ed Hicks
a staunch advocate of continuous improvement, so one of my aims is for the engineering team to provide the highest level of service and delivery to the LAA and its members, while ensuring that airworthiness and safety remain our top priority. I am, therefore, extremely keen to get your feedback and hear of any concerns, areas that could be improved and of course what we do well, so please do not hesitate to get in touch with me via engineering@laa.uk.com.
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Practavia Sprite Part 2
Headset review
Sprite gets airborne… Tony Barber looks at the Practavia Sprite, part two – the problem with gravity…
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eight and balance turned out to be ‘interesting’ with this aircraft and, in hindsight, we should have weighed it before it was dismantled and resprayed… but we didn’t! The weight and balance schedule from 1991 was rather tight for a two-seat aircraft – probably two super light people could take off and land with about one hour of flight – but when we came to the weighing after the rebuild, odd looks were exchanged.
Unexpectedly heavy
We weighed ‘VF with empty tanks and the results were unexpected and more than a little disappointing; she had gained 72lb (32kg), that’s equivalent to the weight of 45 litres of fuel. We were expecting the replacement 46 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above Tony says landing at the Rally with his son, was a great experience. Photo: Nigel Hitchman
Continental O300-D to burn around 33 litres an hour, so that’s about 1.5 hours of flying gone. The newer O300-D engine was supposedly 11lb heavier than the C125, plus around 4lb for the addition of the vacuum pump. We had replaced a lot of DIY hardware (nuts and bolts) with aviation grade which may have accounted for a couple of pounds in weight. We had removed three layers of paint and added an undercoat and two-pack topcoat, theoretically not adding any weight. The prop should have been very similar and the prop extender slightly lighter. A new radio was, if anything, lighter than the very old one we removed and other than that, there were no differences, so the jump in weight was something of a mystery. We concluded that apart from the old weights being erroneous, she had added a few pounds over the years.
Practavia Sprite Part 2 Weight loss ideas
was also very keen for him to do the first flight. Come the big day we almost didn’t make it. The flap lever proved troublesome with a nylon bush in the mechanism sticking in the outer lever, meaning the flaps could not be locked into position consistently. A couple of hours’ work to remove it and a rub down with some wet and dry emery cloth did the trick. All this meant it was late in the day, but there was still time, and armed with a bit of ballast to bring the CofG into range, I watched as Carl taxied off to the end of the runway to do the power checks. With the video camera in hand, we then watched as he took off into the blue and white evening sky. It was a fairly nervous time but after 20 minutes he returned safely, the only minor concern being the oil temperature gauge showing around 100° and just off the scale. I knew this was not a problem as the scale ended at 100 and the previous owner had told me it was linear after that point, with 105° being the usual temperature. However, for the next few flights we kept a cautious eye on the temperature, but it never rose above 105°, well below the red line. A few weeks later I finally got to fly the new look ‘VF myself. I remember the hesitancy lining up on the runway in an aircraft still new to me, with a chequered history and a newly overhauled engine that had seen little use in the last few years. But I had nothing to worry about because she flew very nicely, and I returned with a broad smile on my face.
Removing weight from an aircraft is notoriously difficult. The options as I saw it were: • Change from metal to wooden prop (£1,700 + vat). • Change the 14lb generator to a 3lb lightweight alternator (approx. £1,000 incl. fitting). • Replace the heavy original starter with a lightweight model such as from B&C (about £1,000). • Investigate an as yet unapproved lithium battery (approx. £1,000). My wallet didn’t like any of these options so, during March 2017, I became an expert at spreadsheets as I looked at all sorts of options. I had also spoken to LAA Engineering about the weight differences hoping we would be able to revisit this later, with them showing some interest in test flying this Sprite to evaluate the longitudinal stability compared to the other flying Sprite.
Different weight limits
One other oddity I found, which didn’t have any explanation, was a different maximum landing weight to MAUW for take-off. There was a 20-year-old letter in the notes where the then PFA engineering team had granted an extension to the MTOM but not to the maximum landing mass (MLM). However, G-BCWH, the other flying example, actually had a far higher MAUW and no landing restrictions. It did have a different undercarriage though. With its current limitations, ‘VF was not really a two-seat aircraft. I could probably take-off with two superlight people (which is not me) and limited fuel, but I could not land. Posing the question to Engineering, I found another unexpected answer. Francis’ encyclopaedic memory recalled that the other example had been granted a MAUW increase because it also had previously been flying with undeclared weight. It also had a modification to improve the longitudinal stability following an extension of the rearward CofG. I wondered if we could do the same with ‘VF. Calculations on VF’s new schedule showed that she was sensitive to loading, and easy to find yourself exceeding the rearward CofG with two up and low fuel (ignoring for a moment that you could not legally land back). Furthermore, the forward CofG could be (only just) exceeded with a light solo pilot and full fuel. But for now, that would have to wait. She needed to fly. In early 2017 I at last had the chance to sit in her and fire the engine up myself, it started easily and ran smoothly. Ground runs showed a mag drop and given all we had previously found, I suppose we should not have been surprised to find that the key was wired the wrong way around. Once this was resolved a faulty plug was diagnosed, which was the best possible problem really. A new plug resulted in the engine running super smoothly and sounding lovely. It is said in building circles that the aircraft won’t fly until the weight of paperwork matches the weight of the aircraft. Fortunately for me, given the weight of the Sprite, this wasn’t true, or we would have been guilty of deforestation to an extreme degree!
The Sprite flies!
With power plant modification forms approved, it was time to test fly and my Inspector, Carl, was keen to be the first to test his work. Given my previous experience with an emergency landing and all the changes we had made, I
Above Emptying the tanks prior to the weighing.
Resolving the W&B issues
So, back to the next phase, finally resolving the weight and balance. It was quite clear that as it stood this was legally only a single seat aircraft. What could be done? It was time to revisit the changes made to the other Sprite and see if ‘VF could benefit from them. The LAA’s modification principle often works on the premise that if something has been done successfully before, then there is a good chance the change might be approved for other examples of the type. This entailed finding out more information about the modifications approved for G-BCWH and submitting a MOD proposal seeking the same weight and CofG limits that she had. Naively I thought this bit might be easy, based on the premise of proven changes, but it was not to be… The process of change was initiated by a MOD proposal request, which resulted in a visit to LAA HQ for a discussion of the problem, which led to more application November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 47
Practavia Sprite Part 2 forms and eventually a certificate to test fly at a higher weight and increased forward CofG. The test flying was to be carried out by a combination of my Inspector and myself, but it was over a frustratingly long period of time. A mixture of weather, availability and crucially, aircraft airworthiness and permit lapses, conspired to draw the process out to over a year, but we got there in the end. The results, I thought, were fine other than the stall speed, which was slightly higher than I would have liked. The stall characteristics also displayed very little pre-stall buffet and a slight wing drop.
Vortex generators
Chatting this through with Francis, we thought it would be worth seeing if vortex generators would decrease the stall speed. She already had stall strips at the wing roots, which are supposed to improve approaching stall awareness and I subsequently added a set of Stolspeed wing vortex generators. We then reran all of the flight tests, and the results were positive. The stall speed was reduced by around 2-3kt but, more interestingly, I felt that the slow speed handling had become more ‘docile’, the VGs doing exactly what they are advertised to do. At this stage I thought the results were acceptable and not enough to warrant major concern from the LAA design team, after all the concept was proven by G-BCWH, and our engine had an extra 20hp than her. However, our LAA team was very measured and cautious in its response, being rightly concerned about making changes to the aircraft’s operating envelope, especially in light of the history and the stall characteristics I had reported. After a few months of ponderous consideration and a bit of prompting, I was invited to fit a stall warning device and to have the aircraft evaluated by the LAA Chief Test Pilot, Dan Griffith.
aircraft that is not cleared for said manoeuvres. I can tell you that watching Dan depart into the blue yonder was one of the most nerve-racking moments of my flying life. I knew my pride and joy could not have been in better hands and I was buoyed by the knowledge that he was wearing his parachute. Spins in an aircraft, which has not been previously spun, could be fraught with danger. Seeing ‘VF returning to the field was a massive relief. Subconsciously I had this vision of her returning like a shot-up Hurricane after a Battle of Britain dogfight with bits hanging off, but thankfully nothing was further from the truth.
Dan flies the Sprite
This entailed more hoops to jump through, but they made sense and I did feel that it would be a very positive move to get a thorough evaluation by a pilot vastly more experienced than myself. The stall warner was quickly fitted, and contact made with Dan. The first test flight was carried out in October 2020, just before the November Covid lockdown. You know what’s coming now – it took another four and half months before we got through the 2021 lockdown and Dan was able to match his schedule with mine. And so it was that on one sunny day in April 2021, after endless delays caused by the usual combination of weather, work, life, family, holidays, pilot availability, aircraft serviceability, and ultimately the pandemic, we gathered at Spanhoe Airfield to watch Dan methodically go through his checks and flight plan. Engineering had requested a handling flight test to verify our request for increased MAUW and a onecentimetre extension of the aft centre of gravity limit. Dan had flown a general handling test at the forward CofG in 2020, but for the above reasons had not been able to complete the full test schedule. So here we were, a 10kg lead weight attached to the rear tie-down, about to send our intrepid test pilot off to investigate incipient spins in an 48 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Success at last
Above The O-300 engine, slightly heavier but more powerful.
Dan landed and all was good. Behaviour in both the stall and incipient spin was faultless and she did not even need full anti-spin control to stop the autorotation, just a centring of the stick. “Excellent, I do hope this will keep Engineering happy,” I thought – and indeed it did. The design team was satisfied with the results, at least sufficiently to grant ‘VF a new set of limitations, increasing her MAUW to match those of the other flying Sprite. The request for slightly extended CofG forward and aft were considered safe by the flight testing and subsequent calculations and ‘VF is now cleared to take-off and (importantly) land at 794kg. She can now legally carry two reasonably average adults and enough fuel for two hours, or one person for 3.5 hours. I consider that we have come away with a good result. I am now the proud owner of a very rare British designed aircraft, one that I have brought back to life again. Knowing that there are currently only two of them flying in the UK makes me feel quite protective of the old girl.
Practavia Sprite Part 2
I try now to keep it hangared all year round and have had some great covers made by Dave’s Custom Covers, which I can highly recommend.
Satisfactory performance
How does she fly? It’s not a STOL aircraft for sure, and you need to be aware of TODA, temperature, loading and headwind. With no wind at MAUW we try to keep to 700m of tarmac and 800m of grass. Once airborne though, the rate of climb is around 500fpm at MAUW, which is fairly standard for the class – the Robins that I regularly instruct in struggle to make this on warm days two up. Cruise is around 100kt, although she looks like she should be faster – the wide cockpit and spatless fixed undercarriage probably play a part in that. With small wings and a high-wing loading you can feel the lumps and bumps on a thermic day, but that is no different to the RV range. I would consider her sensitive in pitch, fairly sensitive in yaw and on the heavy side in roll, but she has no real vices. Visibility out of the large domed canopy is excellent and the cockpit is the widest I have ever seen in a two-seat side-by-side aircraft. Landing is fairly normal, though you do need to keep some power right to the end as she will drop quickly if power is reduced too early. All in all, she is very acceptable and conventional.
Would I do it all again?
It has definitely been a hugely interesting and rewarding project, I’ve met some great people and spent too much money. I have also learned so much about airworthiness and light aviation. So yes, I probably would do it again for the experience, but I admit there
Above Back after a successful first flight. Below 10kg ballast for Dan Griffith to test permissible rearward CoG increase.
were days when I thought what the heck am I doing, especially as the bills rolled in. As my Inspector said to me, ‘aviation costs are inversely proportional to the size of the component’. I can vouch for that, as tiny packages arrived from suppliers following huge invoices.
Advice to consider
What advice would I give to others? The best advice I can offer anyone tempted to take on a first major rebuild project is to get the thing inspected before you take it on. I did and went into it with my eyes mostly open, however, I underestimated the work required and the challenges of even the small issues. Don’t assume that everyone else will have the same high standards as yourself. I know that the LAA permit scheme is about affordable innovation but some of the things we found were questionable, so do a full renovation and then you will know what you are sitting behind, and you will have a greater level of trust in it. Finally, get a great Inspector or engineer, this relationship is critical. I knew I had found the right person when I first told Carl what the aeroplane was. One of the first things he said to me was… ‘that’s the one with a Jet Provost canopy isn’t it?’. Remember this was an aircraft designed in the 1970s and there are only two that are flying, with maybe three others having seen flight in the UK. None had been built since 1978, so how many people would have known that! If you do take a project on, take a deep breath, put your hand deep into your pocket and bring back to life something that deserves to be cared for. Good luck. ■ November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 49
Metal spinning
In a spin…
Headset review
Having researched the cost of covers for his RV-10 engine mount access holes, Andy Miller embarked on spinning his own in aluminium… with favourable results!
H
aving enjoyed reading about Tony Razzell’s exploits moulding a canopy for his Menestrel (Light Aviation August 2020), I decided I’d share my own little lockdown project. While busy fabricating the engine baffles for our RV-10, I was looking for some covers to fit over the engine mount access holes in the rear baffles. AeroSport in the US sells a lovely pair of covers made in carbon fibre... but they are $125 plus delivery and VAT, so I wondered whether I could maybe make some in glass fibre or… why not spin them in aluminium? Several YouTube ‘metal spinning’ videos later (who even knew there was such a thing!) and I gave it a go.
Below left Using an offcut of an old staircase newel post, I turned a male former to the required shape. Note the small ‘flat spot’ at the centre.
It was a pretty steep learning curve – estimating the required size, making a mandrel, repurposing my small lathe and making a metal spinning tool and tool rest (from some scrap I had lying around). I then had to select the right grade of aluminium – not the high strength alloys we normally use in aviation, but 0.55mm thick 1050 spec – and develop the skill required to shape the flat metal disc into the desired flanged bowl. After half a dozen learning opportunities (i.e. scrap), two rather workmanlike, but serviceable, engine mount covers were produced. Once painted, they even looked quite passable! Even including the scrap, they still cost less than £10 in materials, they weigh next to nothing, and I have a certain satisfaction of having made them myself! ■
Above I fabricated a makeshift tool rest from an old engineer’s clamp and a post from the ram of an old adjustable office chair. The aluminium disc is held against the former by pressure from the rotating centre in the tailstock against an alloy block the same diameter as the flat spot on the former. 50 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Metal spinning
Above top Initially it is a new and interesting way to create some scrap, but… Above … practice makes (almost) prefect and, amazingly, one lovely bowl shaped cover. Left Lightly grease the aluminium disc and you’re ready to spin up. Be sure to wear safety goggles and have the guard down to avoid the risk of losing any body parts!
Above Job done, painted and installed.
engineering charges LAA Project Registration Kit Built Aircraft £300 Plans Built Aircraft £50 Issue of a Permit to Test Fly Non-LAA approved design only £40 Initial Permit issue Up to 450kg £450 451-999kg £550 1,000kg and above £650 Permit Renewal (can now be paid online via LAA Shop) Up to 450kg £155 451-999kg £200 1,000kg and above £230 Factory-built gyroplanes (all weights) £250 Note: if the last Renewal wasn’t administered by the LAA an extra fee of £125 applies Modification application Prototype modification minimum £60 Repeat modification minimum £30
Transfer (from C of A to Permit or CAA Permit to LAA Permit) Up to 450kg £150 451 to 999kg £250 1,000kg and above £350 Four-seat aircraft Manufacturer’s/agent’s type acceptance fee £2,000 Project registration royalty £50 Category change Group A to microlight £135 Microlight to Group A £135 Change of G-Registration fee Issue of Permit documents following G-Reg change £45 Replacement Documents Lost, stolen etc (fee is per document) £20 Latest SPARS – No 17 April 2018 PLEASE NOTE: When you’re submitting documents using an A4-sized envelope, a First Class stamp is insufficient postage. November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 51
LAA Strut News
C
Struts 4U by Anne Hughes
ongratulations to the North Western Strut, who celebrate their 50th birthday in November with an evening of nostalgia. The Strut, which meets at Barton Airport, held its inaugural meeting on 4 December 1971. Earlier in 1971 Ernie Horsfall, now at 103 the oldest of the strut members, encouraged local PFA members to get together, and with Ernie as Chairman, the Strut started on its 50-year journey. The present Chairman, Cliff Mort, continues, “It does seem incredible that the Strut has been going for 50 years and not only that, but that I have been involved with it for 47 of those years. So, what is the NWS? Well, all of our Struts are a mix of two things, one is the activities and the other is the characters who belong to it. “The activities of the NWS have ranged from talks from eminent persons on subjects related to aviation, to cheese and wine meetings or just plain old BBQs. However, the characters who have been members of the Strut have certainly enlivened the meetings. One very notable character was Eric Clutton, the designer of the aircraft called the ‘FRED’ and when he lived in the UK he was a member of the NWS.
52 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above Pete White with Granddaughter Ivy after her first flight. Inset Rougham Fly-in enjoyed good weather and plenty of activity. Below Martin Steggles with the Suffolk Coastal Strut caravan at Rougham.
At the most innocuous of meetings, he would find a joke in there to the delight of the rest of us. He was once heard talking at Oshkosh saying, If you want to go up – pull the stick back. If you want to come down, pull it back further. We are still going up and looking forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary.” In the last couple of months we have been blessed with some good flying conditions and many of the Struts have enjoyed meeting up with aeroplanes and their owners at airfields! Brian Hope reports that Headcorn saw a gathering of members of the Kent Strut and others from further afield, as they held their LAA Meet the Members Day a couple of weeks after the Rally.
LAA Strut News
“The weather was kind and Nic Orchard kindly made one of her delicious lemon drizzle cakes and lemonade. The event proved a great success, being well attended with visitors arriving by air and by road. Thanks also to Jamie Freeman for hosting us, and to Stuart from Pooley’s for also coming along.” Rougham, in Norfolk, also held a fly-in on the same weekend and the event, run by North Weald Marshallers, was supported by Suffolk Coastal Strut. The Strut’s caravan was used as a sign-in and welcome point, and the airfield filled with aircraft of every description, including a selection of Chiltons and, by contrast, the Avro 652A Anson T.21. SCS followed this event with a fly-in and BBQ at Monewden. Meanwhile, the Oxford Strut have been trying out their
T
Above Kent Strut’s Meet the LAA Day in the Headcorn sunshine.
new meeting venue which is Sturdy’s Castle Country Inn, and have returned to their monthly meeting formula of a pub meal followed by a presentation. After disruption caused by poor weather to Bodmin’s summer fly-ins, the weather cleared and the Cornwall Strut Fly-In proved to be a full day of flying activity, with aircraft arriving from Wales, Shobdon and the Isle of Wight. All were treated to a real Cornish welcome, which included cake from the café, Diner 31, and entertainment from the saxophone quartet, Forethought. The following week proved to be extra special for Pete White’s granddaughter, Ivy, who took her first flight in Pete’s Aeronca Chief and received a certificate on arriving back at the airfield. Notable among the Cornwall Strut’s members is David Young, who is a full member of the Guild of Aviation Artists and produces artwork of the highest standard, which is on display in the clubhouse. David’s eye for photography also means that he has produced hundreds of photos for the Strut, and he has also started training for his PPL, flying his first solo in August. Congratulations David!
Strut details hroughout the winter there will be a mix of programmes for the Struts. Some are returning to meeting in person and others are planning to return to the Zoom format. As Struts often publish programme details very near to
Andover Strut: Spitfire Club, Popham Airfield, SO21 3BD. 1930. Contact: Bob Howarth email: bobhowarth99@btinternet.com Phone: 01980 611124 8 Nov – Round the World Journey by Colin Hales. 13 Dec – Christmas Quiz and refreshments. Bristol Strut: BAWA Club, Filton. 1930. Contact: chairman@bristolstrut.uk www. bristolstrut.uk 2 Nov – The Grand Parton Flying Tour - Dawn to Dusk by Neville and Hannah Parton. 13 Nov – Strut vs Bristol Aero Club in the BAWA skittle alley. Cornwall Strut: The Clubhouse, Bodmin Airfield. Contact: Pete White pete@aeronca. co.uk 01752 406660. Virtual Zoom meetings throughout winter months. Devon Strut: The Exeter Court Hotel, Kennford, Exeter. 1930. Contact: david.millin@sea-sea. com East of Scotland Strut: Harrow Hotel, Dalkeith. 2000. Contact: inrgibson001@btinternet.com 0131 339 2351. East Midlands Strut: The Plough, Normanton on Soar. Contact: tonyrazzell2@gmail.com We also have a Facebook group and upload recordings of some meetings where we have speakers. Gloster Strut: The Victory Club, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2SY. Contact: harry. hopkins@talktalk.net Highlands & Islands: Highland Aviation, Inverness Airport. Contact: b.w.spence@ btinternet.com 01381 620535. Kent Strut: Cobtree Manor Golf Club, Maidstone, Kent. 2000. Contact: Steve Hoskins
the date of the event in the winter, it is always best to check with your local Strut to make sure you are up-to-date with programmes and arrangements. They would love to see you – one way or another!
07768 984507 hoskinsltd@outlook.com 4 Dec – Christmas Dinner. LiNSY Trent Valley Strut: Trent Valley Gliding Club, Kirton Lindsey. pilotbarry1951@gmail. com http://linsystrut.wixsite.com/website North East Strut: Fishburn Airfield. Brunch on the third Sunday of each month. 1130-1330 at Fishburn Aviator Cafe. Contact: alannixon297@ btinternet.com North Western Strut: Veterans Lounge, Barton, Manchester, 19.30 for 20.00. Contact: cliffmort@ btinternet.com 07813 497427. 2 Nov – Strut 50th Birthday. 7 Dec – Christmas Dinner and Quiz. North Wales Strut: Caernarfon Airport, Dinas Dinlle. First Sunday of the month – HEMS Bistro Café. 1300. Contact: Gareth Roberts gtrwales@ gmail.com 07876 483414. Oxford Group: New Venue from 11 August, Sturdy’s Castle Country Inn, Banbury Road, Kidlington OX5 3EP. Second Wednesday each month. Contact LAAOxford@gmail.com www. oxfordlaa.co.uk Redhill Strut: The Dog and Duck, Outwood, Surrey, RH1 5QU. Third Tuesday of each month at 1930. Contact: david@milstead.me.uk Shobdon Strut: Hotspur Café, Shobdon Airfield, Hereford HR6 9NR. 1930. Meetings on the second Thursday of the month. Contact: Keith Taylor bushebiggles@sky.com Southern Strut: The Swiss Cottage, Shorehamby-Sea. 2000. First Wednesday of the month. Contact palmersfarm@sky.com Strathtay Strut: Scottish Aero Club, Perth Airport, Scone. Scone Clubhouse. Contact: keith.boardman@peopleserve.co.uk 07785 244146.
Suffolk Coastal Strut: Earl Stonham Village Hall (IP14 5HJ). 1930. Contact: Martyn Steggalls events@suffolkcoastalstrut.org.uk / 07790 925142 17 Nov – Bush Flying in Australia by Paul Catanach. 15 Dec – Chairman’s Quiz and Christmas nibbles. Vale of York Strut: Chocks Away Café, Rufforth East Airfield. 1900. Contact: Chris Holliday 07860 787801 valeofyorkstrutlaa@gmail.com www.valeofyorkstrutlaa.wordpress.com 19 Nov – Building my Zenair 750 Cruzer – by Darren Weston. Wessex Strut: Henstridge Airfield Clubhouse. Monthly meetings on the third Monday of the month. Contact: neil.wilson@laa.uk.com neil. harriers@btinternet.com. Local fortnightly Strut walks organised by Wessex Aviators Leisure Klub. West Midlands Strut: Navigator Café, Halfpenny Green Aerodrome 1930. Contact: Graham Wiley westmidlandslaastrut@ googlegroups.com Stuart Darby stuartdarby134@hotmail.com. or visit our website wmstrut.co.uk West of Scotland Strut: Bowfield Country Club, Howwood, PA9 1DZ. 19.00. Contact: Neil Geddes barnbethnkg@gmail.com 01505 612493. Youth & Education Support (YES): Contact: Graham Wiley gw20home@outlook.com Thank you to all Struts and clubs for getting in touch. If you have any stories, items you wish to share or updates for the calendar, please contact me at struts@laa.uk.com November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 53
Meet the Members
An engineering life… This month we talk to Trevor Reed, former RAF Engineer, permit aircraft owner and LAA Inspector…
W
elcome Trevor, can you tell us something about your career?
I am now retired – that is if you don’t count being a LAA Inspector, writing the occasional article and doing a bit of product design as work. My early working life was with the Royal Air Force as an engineering officer. When I left the RAF in 1976 as a squadron leader, I was still a (comparatively) young man and started a couple of successful businesses. My engineering knowledge was a great asset. However, it took me a little while to understand the ways of business. Military training does not include accounting nor how to make a profit.
Tell us more about your RAF engineering training
A good result in 11-plus exams gained me a scholarship to Kingston Grammar School, where I managed enough O and A levels to get into the Royal Air Force Technical College as a Technical Cadet, initially at Henlow and subsequently at
54 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above Trevor with his current machine, a Glastar in which he would like to do more touring.
Cranwell. This was a ‘sandwich course’, taking four years and eight months, which was quite a stint. But it included two three-month placements in the aircraft industry and two similar sessions at RAF units. It was a superb, well-structured course that led to a BSc in Aeronautical Engineering and a commission. We studied in uniform and were paid! There were too many highlights during my training to mention them all, but on one occasion we were told to fall-in at the airfield at Henlow, issued with white overalls and told we were working for a film company making a film about an early air race. This was to become Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines and a few of us appear in the background of some of the aerodrome sequences. I passed out as a flying officer and was posted to Valley in 1967. Part way through the engineering course I met Lizzie, a student at the local teacher’s training college, and we got married when I became commissioned in 1966.
What started your interest in aviation?
From childhood I was absolutely enthralled by engineering, there was nothing else that grabbed my enthusiasm and
Meet the Members held my attention. I had my first motorbike at 14, and first car at 16, and I learned a lot about mechanical engineering from both. I took the offer of the RAF cadetship as the course looked good, knowing little about aviation when I joined. The love for it came later and has stayed with me undiluted to the present day. Other interests have come and gone, but aviation has conquered all comers…
Where did your RAF career take you?
After training I was fortunate to be streamed for fast jets, working with Gnats, Lightnings, Hunters and Vulcans. My first posting was to 4FTS at Valley, where I was responsible for first line servicing of the Gnats. This was a great job for a young officer. I owned a strip of concrete long enough to park 30 Gnats, a crew hut with 100 tradesmen, and was tasked with providing sufficient serviceable aircraft for 72 sorties per day. On this posting I flew regularly with the unit test pilot as engineer/observer on post rectification test flights. This was great fun as the standard test profile involved a climb to 40,000ft, a supersonic run to Mach 1.2 and, if we had any fuel left, a high-speed run home at low level down the A5. Occasionally there were unexpected duties such as showing Miss Wales around the Gnats. After a couple of years back at the engineering college at Cranwell lecturing on aircraft systems, I escaped the classroom and was posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus as CO of the Vulcan Servicing Flight. The Vulcan job lasted 2½ years and it was eventful, to say the least. The RAF had two Vulcan B2 squadrons, 9 and 35, stationed at Akrotiri in Cyprus as part of the Near East Airforce supporting CENTO forces and providing a strong presence in the eastern Mediterranean. My task was to carry out the routine servicing and rectification of the resident aircraft – not too difficult a task. However, if there was an increased security situation in Cyprus, the role of my team was to get all the aircraft in our care serviceable and flown away to ‘safe’ airfields. With Iran being a member of CENTO, we regularly dispersed aircraft to Tehran, which now seems unbelievable. It was the stuff of nightmares when they came back, as there were always scorpions hiding in the dark corners of the cockpits – I am still scared of scorpions! In July 1974, while I was still in Cyprus with my family, the Greek armed forces invaded to depose the government and claim the entire island for Greece. Although there was no action against the British, we were put on a war footing. The families, most of whom lived in the nearby town of Limassol, were moved inside the base at Akrotiri, with the military personnel living on camp beds at work. We generated all the Vulcans in two days, dispersing them as soon as they were serviceable. Eventually, UN forces arrived, setting up a green line across the island, separating the Greeks and Turks. The line is still there, still policed by UN forces. The service families were sent back to the UK, and I completed my tour with the Vulcans unaccompanied. My final RAF posting was in 1975/6 when I was promoted to Squadron Leader and appointed as the CO of the Project Team at the BAC factory in Kingston-uponThames (back where I went to school). We were tasked with looking at the maintenance matters associated with the introduction and operation of the Hawk in its advance training role, and advising MOD if it was fit for service. This was a fascinating job, introducing me to the world of the civil aviation industry. I had to develop negotiating skills not normally needed in a military environment to ensure that the
Above Trevor in his much-loved Jungmann with wife Lizzie. Below Trevor trained as an aeronautical engineer with the RAF and was servicing Vulcans in Cyprus in 1974 when Greece invaded the island.
RAF got the aircraft that they needed and what the taxpayer was funding. I think that we got it close to being right. The Hawk has been a successful aircraft, still working hard after 45 years.
What did you do once you left the RAF?
My last day in the RAF was firework night 1976 at RAF Swanton Morley, my parent unit while I was with the Hawk. I attended the families’ firework display in the evening and threw my RAF cap on the fire! There were no regrets at all. I had a great time serving in the military, seeing most parts of the world and it had been during interesting times. But it was time to move on. Military life gives you little choice over where you live. You go where you are posted and take your family with you. My hobby while I was in the RAF was sailing, doing several long-distance voyages and a bit of racing. Lizzie and I had built a trimaran while we were at Valley, and we loved the sea. So, it was natural that we moved to the coast. We chose Dartmouth and started a business manufacturing aluminium yacht masts, specialising in large bespoke masts for racing and cruising yachts. The company was successful, gaining a strong reputation in the market. Alongside the mast fabrication, I had been designing specialist equipment for installing electronics on motorboats and sailing yachts. After 10 years I sold the mast making part of the company to concentrate on the equipment part of the business, and Scanstrut Ltd was born. Over the next 30 years the company became the market leader in its field, exporting worldwide and gaining a Queen’s Award for International Trade with a visit to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen and Prince Philip. We kept up with technology, developing a resin injection
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 55
Meet the Members
process for GRP components using heated steel multipart moulds, with in-house CAD/CAM facilities for prototype development. My policy was to subcontract the production runs to industry and this proved a success. I passed the Scanstrut business on to one of my sons 10 years ago. It is based in Exeter, and it is still going strong.
In what, where and when was your first flight?
I had my first flight in September 1963, soon after joining at Henlow. I think it was called a ‘familiarisation flight’. I sat in the front of a silver Chipmunk with Wing Commander David Downs, a decorated Battle of Britain pilot, in the back. Downs handed me the controls as soon as we were airborne and talked me through the manoeuvres up to and including a loop! To a 19-year-old boy from South London this was fantastic. It was like riding my motorbike, but different because I was free from the ground and let loose in another dimension. I remember every moment of that flight and was hooked on flying and aircraft from then on.
Where did you do your flight training?
When the mast business was safely established it was time to get back to aviation, and one way was to learn to fly. Starting in October 1983 I booked Thursdays off and went to Dunkeswell. If the conditions were good enough for instruction I flew, if not I tackled the ground subjects. Looking at my logbook, it seems that the weather was on my side, and I managed to fly most Thursdays, going solo in November after 12 hours dual. I guess the weather was not so amenable at the start of 1984 as my progress slowed but I persevered, passing the GFT on 2 May after 32 hours dual and 13 solo.
How long have you been in the PFA/LAA? I joined in 1984, when I bought my Piper Cub, so I guess that makes 37 years.
How many hours and types have you flown? In 38 years of flying I have managed 1,100 hours P1 on about 20 types, with about 1,000 hours on taildraggers. 56 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above First aircraft was a L18C Piper Cub, which Trevor rebuilt. It is pictured here with Trevor’s wife Lizzie.
Plus, I have had the privilege of flying as a passenger in several aircraft, particularly when I was in the RAF, when flights in some unusual types sometimes came up, I jumped at the chance – Meteor, Canberra, Piston Provost, Jet Provost, Vampire, Varsity, Hunter, Shackleton, plus most of the Transport Command fleet from the Hastings to the VC10.
Do you have a favourite and less so type?
My favourite must be my Jungmann. It had delightfully harmonised controls and I loved every minute in it. I flew it for 500 happy hours. My least favourite was the Goldwing microlight. I was coerced into flying this canard by an insistent owner who was having a few difficulties, and I quickly found out why. I knew it was a mistake the moment I lifted off from the grass at Halwell but it was too late to abort, so I just hopped the stone wall at the end of the strip and climbed away in a series of pilot-induced oscillations. My options were either to get some height and try to tame the beast or get it down asap. I chose the latter. I flew a tight left-hand circuit and aimed for about 50m inside the threshold, hoping that the oscillations would cooperate. Luck was on my side and my touchdown was good enough. I opened the trapdoors in the cockpit floor and stuck out my legs as brakes and it was all over. Phew!
What aircraft have/do you own?
I own a Glastar; a rugged, go-anywhere aircraft that I bought after I had sold the Jungmann. I had a plan to undertake some adventures to the more remote parts of the UK and Europe but Covid got in the way. But I still have the maps and the dreams, so it may yet happen. My first aircraft was a Piper Cub (L18C). Although there is a good following for other Cubs, I found this model superb for my needs. On a PFA permit, it provided me with gentle, economic flying; it had good short field performance, an acceptable cruising speed of 90mph and a range of 500 miles. With help from Clive Repik, I restored and recovered the aircraft, painting it in a light cream finish with Piper factory civilian markings. I had the opportunity to help a friend from Headcorn
Meet the Members
taking the relevant sections from LAMS to construct a working schedule.
How can we get younger people to become Inspectors? Flying is competing with lots of other exciting activities for the time and commitment of youngsters. I feel that our only chance is to make our activities more attractive with a level of style and excitement to rival other sports – let’s hope the new 600kg limit helps our image. If we can get younger members then we have a chance of gaining younger Inspectors, but it may mean that the current system will need overhauling.
collect his Jungmann from Spain. His aircraft was one of 10 that were the final tranche released from the Spanish Air Force and I was smitten straight away, but all 10 were pre-sold. With little hope, I mentioned that I was interested should any buyers wish to change their mind, and I had a call a few weeks later and took over the purchase. I took the precaution of having a couple of hours with Pete Kinsey in his Jungmann, eventually travelling out to Spain to collect my new toy. I kept both aircraft for some time but in the end realised one had to go. It was a tough call as each had its benefits. But the Jungmann was my clear favourite so, after refurbishing the Jungmann the Cub was sold.
Tell us about your Devon Strut column
I started writing Inspector Matters as a way of spreading information to owners. I wanted to develop the concept of a partnership between owner and Inspector that would benefit the owner and make life easier for the inspector. It was not set up to duplicate Malcolm McBride’s Safety Spot, but I am finding that since the column’s ceased, I am having to include information that would have appeared in Malcolm’s column. The difficulty is, unlike Malcolm, I have no access to information that comes into HQ.
What has been your best aviation moment and why?
How did you get involved in becoming an LAA Inspector?
When I moved the Jungmann from Dunkeswell to Watchford Farm I met the ‘resident’ Inspector, Les Dray. Les was an experienced aircraft engineer, with a wealth of knowledge, but he was getting a bit stiff in his bones and finding it difficult to crawl around inside small aircraft. He encouraged me to become an Inspector to take over from him. I duly sat the exams and became Inspector 784, working alongside Les until he was too infirm to continue. Although permit revalidation is an important part of the roles of an Inspector, it is not the only function. Les and I developed the concept of helping owners all year round in the airworthiness of their machines. For both of us it was a hobby. I particularly enjoyed the idea of tailored maintenance and, well before TMS was a by-word, I helped owners prepare their own schedules,
Above A lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, Trevor has recently been restoring this 1925 Triumph. Below Trevor working on his Jungmann, which he bought and flew back from Spain.
When I bought my Jungmann from Jesus Ballester in Spain I flew it back to the UK over three days, taking my time and enjoying the trip. I eventually crossed the Channel on a beautifully quiet, sunny evening with a calm sea and unlimited visibility. Coasting in to land at Lydd, I pinched myself and realised that sometimes we experience moments of complete pleasure. It is at these times that all the work involved with owning an aircraft is worthwhile, and we are lucky to be able to fly.
Who are your aviation heroes?
I must choose an engineer and I have no hesitation in going for Frank Whittle. First off, he was a Cranwell Cadet, a good start for anyone! But his invention, and it really was a single-handed effort, produced the most significant change in aviation in recorded history. The virtually unlimited power available from a gas turbine enabled aviation to advance to areas that were not accessible to piston engines. Furthermore, he persevered where the faint-hearted would have given up. To my mind he is a great inspiration to all engineers.
Have you had any ‘learned about’ Flying moments?
Remember the Goldwing? I should not have agreed to fly it. Just don’t fly unless you are completely happy with the situation.
Do you have non-aviation interests?
I still spend a lot of time afloat on the River Dart. I own a classic motor launch, built as a naval pinnace by the apprentices at Portsmouth Dockyard in1930. I am also restoring a 1925 Triumph motorcycle – it started as a lockdown project but is ongoing.
What advice would you offer members? Be kind to your Inspector! ■
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 57
Kittyhawk
Sweet success
Duncan Campbell reports on Kittyhawk’s first Fly-in…
W
hen I first landed at Kittyhawk Farm, it was a mistake. I had been passing by aloft on a beautifully sunny day when the radio, tuned to Safetycom and silence, suddenly burst into life. “Luscombe overhead… come down and have a cuppa.” It was hard to refuse such a warm and unsolicited invitation, so I landed and met Jack. It was quiet, there were a handful of aircraft in the hangar, including another Luscombe and, as promised, we drank tea, listened to the birds and enjoyed the stunning views of the South Downs. I went on my way but, some years on, given notice to leave our single occupancy strip (beaten earth hangar floor with a layer of macadam, no power and no water), we were lucky enough to find a friendly welcome at Kittyhawk. It was only quite recently that Jack confessed to me that he had mistakenly thought that the passing Luscombe had been a friend of his! In the time that has passed since we took up residency, the strip has improved step-by-step. Nothing too flash, but the painted concrete floor, electricity and water have been supplemented by toilet and washroom facilities, and our hangar has pupped, a smaller ‘soft-top’ unit being installed alongside housing a Vari-eze and an as yet unfilled space for another occupant. Work is ongoing on surface improvement, runway enlargement, ditching and drainage, and there are even some beehives on the campus. All this, and the friendly welcome still sustains. I’m not sure when the idea of some sort of fly-in/ barbecue/musical event was first posited, but it was
58 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
Above An aerial view of the Kittyhawk fly-in. Photo: Paul Fraser-Bennison. Right top Land Rover fun for the kiddies. Photo: Hugh Gilbert. Right bottom Fellow Luscombe owners over from Kent. Photo: Phil Laycock
certainly long before Olly, our airport manager, took up the reins a year ago. Somehow, it never really took wings until, under his oversight, it popped up again in mid-August. A date was set and planning proceeded at the speed of light. Not long before the decision to go ahead was reached, we’d had our own frequency, 118.265, approved and, as none of our residents had yet been trained to operate a ground to air service, Olly had arranged with John ‘The Haff’ Hafenden to provide the service on the day. There was much to do. Olly would be the first to admit that, and though his enthusiasm for aviation is unbounded, his knowledge and experience are limited but to his credit, he embraced the experience of the residents. Martin and Roy busied themselves running the gang mowers and roller up and down the runways, giving 16/34, having recently had its width doubled, particular attention. Paving slabs were set in the ground and whitened to mark the runway edges and, because it was not unknown for even regular users to call the runway numbers wrong, they were painted on the thresholds in the ICAO approved font to aid identification from the air. Olly arranged for a fire and rescue presence, an ice cream van to attend, Maddy from Cafe 8 to come over from Shoreham to run a coffee and cake stall, and for Elliot and Valet-Pro to demonstrate what thorough cleaning and detailing can do for an aeroplane. Phil meanwhile, exercised his tin cutting skills to recycle an empty 50-gallon drum into a stunningly efficient barbecue. One of the more difficult issues we had faced in planning the event was, taking account of each of the four possible runways, where would the aeroplanes park and how would
Kittyhawk
Above Eat, drink, chat and chill for the grown-ups. Photo: Phil Laycock
they get there and out again without entering into conflict? In the event, the wind did as forecast and clearly favoured Runway 28, with a 15-20° crosswind over the trees from the left. This gave us the possibility of using the full length of 16/34 to safely park our visitors, also simplifying the marshalling. The main hangar had been all but cleared to allow shelter if it rained and unencumbered access to the toilet at the far end, and the concrete apron and grass manoeuvring area were furnished with tables and chairs for our guests. The neighbouring paddock became a temporary car park for those visitors arriving by road. On the morning of the fly-in, we had received positive responses from the pilots of 60 aircraft. All that remained was to hope that the weather would remain fine, which thankfully it did and all day long, whatever the clouds did around us, we sat in a pool of sunshine! By any measure, the day was a great success. Early arrivals shortly after 0900 were followed by a steady stream of vintage aircraft, homebuilts, microlights, flexwings, autogiros and helicopters – they being given a separate paddock to land in, far away from any light taildraggers. All in all we had a pretty broad cross-section of LAA permit types and Kevin, Alex, Jack and I shared the marshalling duties. Phil, flaunting his versatility, took the controls of the barbecue and produced magnificently succulent spicy
Lebanese kebabs which pilots, families, enthusiasts, spotters and neighbours consumed enthusiastically. Children rode around on the powered miniature Land Rover that now lives in the hangar, intended to perhaps double as a tug, and James, erstwhile aviator and affable owner of the land upon which the airfield sits, surveyed the proceedings with a big smile before disappearing into his man cave and emerging to drive his enormous radio-controlled model of a Tiger Tank, complete with realistic sound effects. My 10-year-old grandaughter was captivated. We can only estimate the number of visiting aircraft to be around 50, because we stopped counting after that, and I am delighted to say that the event enabled us to make a donation of £150 to the Air Ambulance. We were lucky with the weather, but we all learned a lot putting on the event and we know that for future events (for we hope there will be) we will need to extend the aircraft parking and improve access for road vehicles and ground communication. Feedback from those who visited has been very encouraging and we welcome and appreciate it. Thank you all who came, and please don’t wait for our next fly-in to visit us again. You’ll find a PPR form on our website. We can’t guarantee there will be miniature Land Rover and tanks to greet you, but we can assure you a very warm welcome… and a great cuppa! ■
November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 59
CEO Thoughts
There be Dragons!
T
he Light Aircraft Association has reached a significant milestone in its 75th Anniversary month with Francis Donaldson and the Engineering team convincing the CAA that we can oversee the biggest aircraft on our fleet yet. The transition of two 1930s de Havilland DH 84 Dragon biplane transports from CAA Certificates of Airworthiness to LAA Permits to Fly, represents the first time we have become responsible for airliners, albeit not for use on commercial operations. The DH Dragon dates from 1932, building on the success of the single-engined de Havilland Tiger Moth and Fox Moth biplanes. The Fox Moth’s first customer, airline entrepreneur and bus operator Edward Hillman, wanted greater capacity at minimal extra cost and de Havilland proposed a twin-engined version, with a plywood box fuselage and Fox Moth outer wing sections, allied to a pair of Gipsy Major engines. It proved perfect for the emerging domestic airline market of the time and, as it is effectively a ‘twin Tiger Moth’ in terms of its engineering, the type naturally complements our knowledge base today. While more modern types account for a significant proportion of the 2,700 aircraft currently operating on LAA Permits to Fly, and around 70 new home-built and kit-built aircraft are completed by their owners each year, our system also supports the restoration and operation of vintage and classic types, factorybuilt aircraft for which demised manufacturers can no longer provide approval of new replacement parts or approve repair schemes. In fact, the fastest growth area for the Association in the past decade has been permit ‘heritage’ types. They include Jodels and Austers, Aeroncas and Taylorcrafts, other de Havilland types such as the Tiger Moth and DHC-1 Chipmunk, and Shuttleworth Collection aircraft including the iconic DH-88 Comet, Mew Gull and Hawk Speed Six racers as well as their WWI aircraft and the famed ‘Edwardians’. More esoteric are the sole Pilatus P3 Swiss military trainer, Reid and Sigrist Desford, and Soko Kraguj ground attack aircraft. Chinese Nanchang CJ-6s and Russian radialengined YAKs are also supported, often requiring a bit of head-scratching by the Engineering team! Ironically, we can’t take on many regular Piper J3, Cessna taildragger or Luscombe due to an arcane CAA ruling, dating from the 1990s, that if an aircraft holds even an obsolete Type Certificate it has to stay on a CofA. It has created the bizarre situation where, for example, Piper Cubs that were imported and issued with a permit before the cut-off date can remain in the LAA system, while later imports are forced to be administered on a CofA. Dafter still, if you own a 200hp Scottish Aviation Bulldog (with
60 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
CEO Thoughts
By Steve Slater
a hefty stock of ex-military parts available), you have a choice of switching from CAA oversight to an LAA Permit, but if you fly an earlier and simpler 100 or 150hp Beagle Pup (for which there is minimal parts support), it has to remain on a CAA Restricted CofA scheme adding unnecessary expense and difficulty because it restricts the introduction of new parts. Explain the safety or any other logic of that to me please! This, frankly daft, piece of regulation is one we hope will, at some time, come under CAA scrutiny for change. Speaking of change, as those of you who saw my presentation at the LAA AGM will know, we have embarked on one of the most significant periods of change in decades, in the manner that we manage some of the ways in which we serve fellow members. Hopefully, a bit like a swan gliding along, there will be little discernible effect above the water line, but underneath, there’s some fairly significant paddling going on which will result in more effective customer services and information flow. Prime among the changes of course are those within Engineering, driven by input from our new Engineering Director John Ratcliffe, whose first weeks in his new job have resulted in a very productive review of engineering and airworthiness processes, working alongside outgoing Chief Engineer Francis Donaldson. Together they make a truly impressive duo, which is why I am delighted to confirm that although officially signing off from our staff at the end of December, Francis will continue his 30-year association by remaining as a consultant to the LAA. In fact, forget a 30-year association with us, more than four decades ago, in March 1981, Popular Flying magazine reported a young student building a Bowers Fly Baby in Sevenoaks, Kent. The builder commented that ‘progress is slow owing to the fact that he has to attend university’. That young builder was one Francis Donaldson! As you will have read in News, another significant change will come even closer to home, specifically this magazine. After more than 20 years at the helm, including such milestones as the first monthly issue of Popular Flying in January 2005, and the first issue of Light Aviation in January 2008, Brian Hope will be standing down. More on his fine history with our Association next month. Meanwhile, after the December 2021 edition, Light Aviation will embark on a new era, with Ed Hicks as editor. Obviously many will know Ed from his similar role at Flyer magazine, with whom he will remain involved, but as Ed has equally impressive credentials as an LAA flyer (he owns a Van’s RV-3, is co-builder and co-owner of an RV-8 and was a former Bristol Strut Co-ordinator), we can rest assured he is one of us! ■
Want to improve your skills and set yourself a challenge? Earn your LAA WINGS!
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Where To Go and Landing Vouchers
A
Where T To oG Go o s winter draws in there are fewer organised flying events, so we have combined these two pages into one. We can but hope that the start of next year’s flying season is not badly affected by a bad winter for the
pandemic causing yet another lockdown. Whether attending events or not however, I hope you manage to get air beneath your wings on those beautifully crisp and clear days that winter sometimes blesses us with.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Yeovilton Threshold FAAM Night Photo-shoot [Pre-book] 6 Compton Abbas Vintage Saturday Fly-in 6 Blackpool Threshold Hangar 42 Spit & Hurri Photo-shoot [Pre-book] 14 Kempton Pk Racecourse Heathrow Aircraft Enthusiasts Fair 14 Breighton Remembrance Sunday Service [PPR] 15-21 Cosford RAF Museum Conservation Centre Open Week [pre-book] 26-27 Cosford Threshold RAFM Night Photo-shoot [Pre-book]
4
3
11
Compton Abbas Vintage Saturday Fly-in Compton Abbas Christmas Fly-in
LANDING VOUCHERS The vouchers for December are for two airfields with hard runways, Peterborough Conington in Cambridgeshire is offering a half-price landing
fee, and Sherburn-in-Elmet in North Yorkshire a free landing. Our thanks to them both for their support for our members.
✁
Aviation LIGHT
Free Landing December 2021 Sherburn-In-Elmet 01977-682674
With both hard and grass runways, Sherburn is an ideal location to visit for the winter months. PPR please. Avgas, Jet A1 and UL91 available. The Pilots Retreat offers a good choice of food, with a full Sunday roast on offer. Leeds East (formally Church Fenton) now has an adjoining ATZ with Sherburn. New circuit patterns are now in place so please refer to the Visiting Pilots section on www.sherburnaeroclub.com. Radio, A/G 122.610. Please keep clear of all local villages. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Aviation LIGHT
Half Price Landing December 2021 Peterborough Conington 01487 834161
With two hard runways this is an ideal destination to fly into in the winter. Please PPR, non-radio not accepted. Avoid nearby Peterborough Sibson parachuting site and overflying local villages. Overhead joins please. Snacks and meals available seven days a week 1100-1500. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Avgas and Jet A1 available. Radio 129.725 www.flying-club-conington.co.uk
62 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
DECEMBER 2021
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Classifieds For all display or commercial advertising enquiries please contact Neil Wilson: 07512 773532 neil.wilson@laa.uk.com
November
AIRCRAFT FOR SALE
You can email your classified advertisement direct to the LAA at the following address: office@laa.uk.com Deadline for booking and copy: 22 November 2021 If you would like to place an aircraft for sale advert please see details below: MEMBERS’ ADVERTISEMENTS Up to 30 words: £6; 31-50 words: £12 Up to 50 words with a coloured photo: £45
TL-3000 SIRIUS, LSA G-CIAF. Total hours 430. Permit to Sept 2022. BRS recent repack. Comprehensive specification, long range tanks. VPP. See www.Stingaircraft.co.uk £83,000.00 (No Vat). Contact Peter: 07905 709759
NON-MEMBERS’ADVERTISEMENTS Up to 30 words: £22; 31-50 words: £44 Up to 50 words with a coloured photo: £60 www.laa.uk.com
AIRCRAFT PARTS & SERVICES Limbach L2000 EB1 engine. Complete and ready to fit, including exhaust pipes and silencer. All paperwork, Certificate of Conformity and Form 1. £9500. For more information call 07528 665279.
Chipmunk parts for sale: 1 centre section/cockpit + seats. 1 canopy frame-some glazing. 1 port wing - t/e damage. 1 same – only 1/2 plus bits. 2 tailplanes. 2 elevators (pair). 1 and 1/2 ailerons. 2 flaps (port). Call: 07973 765552. The original Evra D11 28 2B propeller for the TSR3 G-AWIV, from when it had a C90 engine fitted. No damage, made in 1969. Offers to michael@lynx.net Light Aircraft Weighing Service in East Yorkshire and surrounding area. For details contact Demraview Ltd. Email: Demraview@gmail.com Mob: 07984 810761.
Aircraft fire extinguisher for sale. Model C352TS BCF/Halon 2.5Lb. Transair price £468.02 Dated 2019 with 12-year life. Surplus to requirements £200 ONO. Tel/Text 07967 993 298
AIRCRAFT PROJECTS Kitfox Mk4 rebuild project. For details and link to photos please email kitfoxib2021@outlook.com
MISCELLANEOUS Breitling Emergency Watch, model E56121.1. Have receipt from John Morley, London in 2000 with case and testing box, and current service book etc. £2295. Tel 07967 153068.
64 | LIGHT AVIATION | November 2021
HANGARAGE Individual T hangar on farm strip near Shepton Mallet. Lower Withial Farm, 500 Metres. Hangar will suit any high wing type. We are looking for a responsible, friendly flyer who would like to fly from this lovely rural airfield. £100 per month. Please contact David Stokes 01458 834486 or davidstokes979@gmail.com
Jodel D120. Rolls Royce O-200, Mode S transponder, B&C lightweight starter. Narco COM 819 transponder, new Hercules Prop fitted 2014. Also, headsets etc. Offers in the region of £11,000.Contact Larry, 01953 681091. larryjodel@hotmail.co.uk.
AIRCRAFT WEIGHING
COVERS
FOR ALL MEMBERS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES CONTACT SHEILA
SHEILA.HADDEN@LAA.UK.COM
WWW.LAA.UK.COM TRANSPORTATION
Aircraft Transportation Specialists Specialist vehicles to move your aircraft safely
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Telephone: 0121 327 8000 E-mail: info@ponsonby.co.uk Web: www.ponsonby.co.uk
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For all display and company advertising contact Neil Wilson
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SERVICES & MORE
Lima Zulu Services Ltd. limazuluservicesltd@gmail.com / 07713 864247
5/17/18 3:11 PM
Can you tell what it is yet?
Back to earning its keep.
It’s Staffordshire Gliding Club SF25 Falke TMG training, BGA Navigation / Field Landing etc. Call them. November 2021 | LIGHT AVIATION | 65
LAA Books & Heritage Plans Chasing the Morning Sun
Druine D.31 Turbulent Heritage Aircraft Plans CD
£50.00 excl p & p
by manuel queiroz. Signed copy
£18.00 excl p & p
Stick and Rudder
Isaacs Spitfire
by Wolfgang Langewiesche
Heritage Aircraft Plans CD
£24.00 excl p & p
£50.00 excl p & p
Branded Clothing
LAA Soft Shell Jacket £30.00 (sizes S,M,L available)
* Prices exclude P&P for clothing
LAA Sweatshirt £20.00 (sizes S,M,L, XL & XXL available)
LAA Windcheater in a Bag £20.00
(sizes S, M, L & XL available)
See our website for full range
www.lxavionics.co.uk Supply, design, build and install service EXCLUSIVE OFFER, USE CODE LAA5 TO GET 5% OFF ANY ITEM ON ORDERS RECEIVED BEFORE 30th NOVEMBER 2021.
uAvionixSky Echo II from £529.00 inc. VAT. Please call us to order at offer price.
Offer available to LAA members, for orders placed by phone or email only. Not available on products already advertised with an offer price. Orders must be placed by Friday 29th October to qualify.
We specialise in Avionics supply, design and build assistance for homebuilders.
GTN650/750 Xi waas GPS/NAV/COMM
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RV7 panel under build
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custom made loom for RV9
GNS to GTN adapter
We can help with panel and wiring design through to complete installation. Contact us to discuss your Avionics build requirements and to go through ideas.
Call us on 01280 700020, or visit us at Turweston (next to the LAA) to discuss your requirements. Talk to us for LAA member discounts
info@lxavionics.co.uk
www.lxavionics.co.uk
Our Address: LX Avionics Ltd, Hangar 10, Turweston Aerodrome, BRACKLEY, NN13 5YD
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