Popham Microlight Fair

For today’s episode of Flying Podcast we’re looking at the world of microlights and light sport aircraft here in the UK and where better to do that than at the Popham Microlight Trade Fair held, not surprisingly, at Popham airfield in Hampshire. In this episode you’ll be hearing from most of the main manufacturers and importers of light sport aircraft in the UK.

Listen to Episode 64

 After a rainy and blustery start the show’s weather improved. So much so that the weather on Sunday was near perfect for a flying show and there were hundreds of visitors by air and by road.

Gerry Speich – Rotorsport UK

Gerry Speich of Rotorsport was displaying the new Cavalon, 2 seat gyroplane. Fully approved on the Thursday before the show, Rotorsport, the UK agents for the machine, had 2 aircraft on their stand, one for display and one for taking potential customers flying. Together with Magni Gyro, the ‘gyro village’ always attracts a crowd and today was no exception.

Gerry Speich of Rotorsport with Cavalon

Gerry was very upbeat about the Cavalon stating that ‘no other 2 seat side by side gyro in the world that can do what this aircraft can do. It’s very comfortable, it’s heated, it’s got excellent visibility and it’s CAA approved’. With a huge weather window in which gyros can fly, Gerry was expecting 30-40 of his customers to fly in despite the blustery conditions. Despite the slow economy and the poor exchange rate Gerry says that the future for gyroplanes in the UK is looking bright.

John Riley of AirBikeUK

John Riley of AirBikeUK was showing his single seat deregulated AirBike. Having changed the engine mount John says that he’s cured many of the vibration issues that he had with the single-cylinder engined aircraft during development and that the aircraft kit is now ready for market. John’s aim was to get a kit on to the market for under £10,000 and with the airframe kit itself selling for around £6,000 he isn’t far off his target. Designed by Wayne Ison (designer of the Minimax) in the US, John has registered his demonstrator G-ISON in honour of the aircraft’s now 84 year old originator.

The AirBike

Coming in at under 115kg the AirBike falls into the SSDR category in the UK and so doesn’t need a permit to fly. The aircraft certainly looks like fun and if you fancy a motorbike for the skies with plenty of fresh air then this is the aircraft for you.

Robin Morton and George Simoni of Grass Strip Aviation

The, by now familiar, EIII Fokker Eindecker replica with MZ 201 45HP engine was on show and Robin Morton of Grass Strip Aviation says that of the 7 kits that have been sold, 4 are now flying. With electric start, brakes and in-flight trim Robin says that it makes a very useful aircraft that’s extremely gentle to fly.

Fokker Eindecker

He also says that they are well on their way to having half a squadron of the sub 115kg category aircraft in the air. One commercial airline pilot customer with his own airstrip has done over 40 hours on the aircraft and claims to have had “the best fun with his trousers on”.
The company will be working on developing a Briggs & Stratton based, 4 stroke, V-twin engine range starting with a 30HP version that they will use in their next aircraft development, the Dream Demoiselle.

Graham Smith – Sprite Aviation services

Sprite Aviation was showing the original demonstrator version of the Nando Groppo Trail LSA aircraft. Fully approved in October of 2012, they have now sold 17 kits. Early customers went for the Rotax 912 engine but, according to Graham, more recent customers have been choosing the 95HP Sauer engine. ‘It’s cheaper to buy, parts are cheaper and many of the maintenance items can be sourced from Halfords’, he explained.
The company has been working on a microlight version of the Trail but they are missing the target weight a few kilos and so they may abandon the project.

Nando Groppo Trail LSA

They have had a lot of enquiries for a soon to be released side-by-side version of the Trail coming from Italy which will be 6kg lighter than the tandem version and so they could work on a microlight version of that aircraft later this year. Graham Smith says that this new aircraft may be a nose-wheel model rather than the bush aircraft, tail-dragger style of the current Trail.
I’d noticed the Zigolo at Friedrichshaven and Sprite is the agent for this too. Graham was very enthusiastic about the quality of the motor glider kit based on the Goat and at just £4456+VAT for the airframe kit he says that it’s a sensible SSDR aircraft ‘for paramotor money’.

Paul Hendry-Smith – The Light Aircraft Company

I’ve seen the Sherwood Ranger before at the Flying Show and it certainly is an eye-catcher. In bright yellow with red prop the lovely microlight bi-plane certainly attracts a crowd. The company now has 4 aircraft in the range. In addition to the 450kg microlight version there’s a 472.5kg version for the German market with BRS and then there’s 2 Cat A versions including an aerobatic version.

Sherwood Ranger ST microlight

Paul tells me that they are also experimenting with the D-Motor in the XP, Cat A version and being very light would probably work very well in the microlight ST.

Gordon Salter – Wessex Light Aircraft

Wessex supplies the X-Air range of aircraft in the UK and they had the Hawk, 3-axis microlight version on display. In this case the engine fitted was also the D-Motor which, according to Gordon, is much lighter than competing engines and so increases useful load.

X-Air Hawk with D-Motor

Notably the 90HP model comes in at 57kgs with oil, coolant and exhaust, which is 18kgs less than the Rotax 912. It’s a direct drive, water cooled, fuel injected, side valve engine and so far has cost its Belgian parent company 2m Euros in development costs.
Wessex Light Aircraft are UK agents for the D-Motor and they are looking forward to the launch of a 6 cylinder, 130HP motor in late 2014.

Bill Brooks – P&M Aviation

P&M have been busy load testing a new PulsR composite moulding and he is happy with progress so far. Because you would end up with a mountain of sandbags to do the load tests Bill explained that they now use a whiffletree which I believe is a series of cables and beams that divide up the load.

Bill Brooks with PulsR

I asked Bill how the PulsR had been received in the marketplace and he said that interest was a little subdued. Many people were asking ‘what’s the point’ said Bill but ‘once people try it, they get it’, adding that the faired in cockpit means you can fly without a face visor and your head isn’t constantly buffeted. The PulsR comes with the ubiquitous Rotax 912 but Bill is constantly looking at alternatives including the D-Motor. He’s impressed with the D-Motor but is yet to be convinced of its appropriateness for the PulsR due to potential noise levels.
P&M are also working with the Fly2Pole team to adapt the PulsRs for their flight to the pole. The enclosed engine makes it easier to pre-heat prior to start in the cold conditions and they are even thinking about the addition of heaters to the aircraft to at least keep feet warm en-route. Whilst concentrating on the PulsR Bill is conscious that they don’t loose sight of the ‘low-cost aviation goal’. He thinks that technology developed to create the PulsR trike could be rolled out to produce lower end models in future.
Bill also identified a gap in P&M’s product offering and thinks they need a simple 3-axis model for the training market so watch this space too.
At home Bill is building a Jodel with a Rotax 912S powerplant and P&M are making the cowling for the Jodel DR1050 conversion. Bill is hoping to get the Jodel into the air later this year.
He’s also very much involved in human powered flight and he’ll be down at Sywell between 19&28th July for a human powered flying competition. Bill is looking forward to human powered flight being an Olympic sport. Apparently the pilot needs 3 Watts/kg output to be able to fly an aircraft under his own power!

Malcolm Stewart – Red-Air

If you want a lesson in what is ailing the UK light aviation market you could do no better than to talk to Malcolm Stewart of Red-Air. Malcolm entertained me for a good while with his story of getting a new aircraft approved for use in the UK. Luckily he backed a winner with the C42 and his hard work and frustration paid off with 22 sales in the past 9 months but it does make one think that there is much to sort if light aviation is to flourish in this country (witness the range of new models on show at Friedrichshaven).

Ikarus C42B

Malcolm had the C42B model on show and he explained how, rather than try to get it approved as an entirely new model, he opted for a cunning list of mods in order to get it past the CAA. Sadly this isn’t going to work for the likes of the C52 which may never appear here.

Paul Dewhurst – Flylight Airsports

Flylight are 99% the way towards the approval of the Nynja VLA spec aircraft. The LS, as it will be called, will be a 500kg VLA version of the well proven SkyRanger Nynja. Also notable is that it will be the first BMAA VLA permitted aircraft.

Flylight’s SkyRanger Nynja microlight

Paul Dewhurst told me that the new version can actually be registered as a microlight or a VLA and re-registered if you, or another owner, wanted to change category in future. Also on the Flylight stand at Popham were a whole complement of Dragons with varying wings from the Fox right up to the Combat, high performance wing. There were also versions with the Chaser wing, more suited to touring. In all Paul thinks they have a total of 24 options for combining trike, engine and wing.

Gordon Clephane – Weedhopper builder & pilot

One chap that I really wanted to meet was Gordon Clephane. Gordon was one of the early microlighters in the UK and he actually built a Weedhopper here at Popham in 1980. Renting a workshop without power or water at the airfield for £1 a week, Gordon built the aircraft and then proceeded to teach himself to fly with the flying manual strapped to his knee. Luckily, and maybe surprisingly, such aviators are around to tell us their story. He was around when several aviators including Gerry Breen, Steve Hunt and Pete Lovegrove met up and decided to form the BMAA – the British Minimum Aircraft Association as it was then known.

Gordon Clephane with his Weedhopper

Gordon is now looking for some other aircraft to fly as his Weedhopper is now a permanent fixture in his shed. Suggestions welcome!

The current BMAA’s tent was very busy all weekend with people enjoying the flex-wing simulator challenge that they had set up inside. There was also a steady stream of potential members with several actually signing up and lots more showing an interest in learning to fly microlights.

Great to see a few members of the Fly2Pole, Flying for Freedom team visiting
the BMAA tent too. The BMAA are their newest sponsor of the group who are teaching injured ex-servicemen and women to fly microlights and are also aiming to fly several PulsRs to the South Pole – see Episode 63.

Fly2Pole team members

Cpl. Alan Robinson, the first qualified pilot of the group, John Laity, the projects joint founder and Dave Sykes were all at Popham.

The post Episode 64 – Popham Microlight Trade Fair appeared first on Flying Podcast.

John Laity – Flying for Freedom

Last year at the Flying Show I met a chap called John Laity. John is one of the founders of Flying for Freedom which aims to train injured ex-servicemen how to fly flexwing microlights as part of their rehabilitation into civilian life. In addition, Flying for Freedom is launching an expedition to the South Pole. Their aim is to get a team of disabled pilots to fly to the pole and back. No mean feat.

Listen to Episode 63

The initial press launch was at the Tower of London at the end of Jan 2013 and the team got loads of press coverage. Digby Jones is one of the patrons of the project and he generously agreed to buy their first aircraft, a Quik R from P&M Aviation. Flying for Freedom itself isn’t a charity but is part of the umbrella charity Help for Heroes.

Antarctic Expedition Flexwing

I had heard that the expedition was going to be called the British Antarctic Microlight Expedition – or BAME – and this was what I was keen to find out about. Microlights have come a long way in recent years but a flight to the South Pole would be a real test for even the most modern, proficient machines.
BAME is now a project within Flying for Freedom. Originally the expedition was going to be the team’s sole aim however Flying for Freedom has now grown and taken on a life of its own. FfF’s main aim now is to train injured ex-servicemen to fly and then hopefully to become flying instructors; helping them transition back into civilian life.
John and Major Jimmy Hendrickson ran a trial at Kemble to find suitable candidates for the training, their aim to find 6 pilots from 40 applicants to fly to the pole. 18 soldiers that turned up on the day flew so well that the team decided to keep on all 18 as trainee pilots. It became apparent to John and his colleagues that flying would become an excellent way of helping disabled soldiers recover from their injuries and hopefully then find a new career as a flying instructor. Although the Antarctic expedition is the most newsworthy part of the entire operation the flight training element has, in John’s eyes, become the most important.
Although the original plan was to take 6 pilots to the pole the pilots performed so well that the number was increased to 8. Also as part of the team will be Richard Meredith Hardy and Dave Sykes – of Episode 60 fame. RMH has a great deal of microlight experience having flown a flexwing over several of the world’s highest mountains including Everest.

The chosen aircraft for the expedition will be P&M’s PulsR which has a revolutionary semi-covered cockpit and a cowled in engine. The aircraft will also double as a tent when they land during the trip so that the pilot can also sit in the aircraft whilst eating or fitting legs. Somehow they’ll be rigging a tent like structure over the PulsR once the wing has been removed.

PulsR

The microlights will have to be adapted, not only to take pilots with varying disabilities such as missing arms and legs but they’ll also need to be adapted to cope with the severe weather to be experienced on Antarctica. Not only do materials behave very strangely in extreme cold conditions but oil can freeze in the engine and fuel can have ice crystals form. None of which are beneficial to incident free flight. John says that they’ll be fitting skis to the PulsRs for landing on the snow. EADS, one of the main sponsors, will be helping the team ‘winterise’ the aircraft.
Apparently it’s not just the aircraft that will need adapting. It seems that computerised prosthetic legs don’t work too well in the cold either so those guys with false legs will need newer low-tech legs fitted for the trip.
The trip is now planned for the Antarctic summer of December 2014 and the team needs plenty of support, not least to buy all of the aircraft required. They’ll also need funding for the training trips to colder northern climes to test their kit and make sure the pilots can cope in the cold conditions.

BAME Team

Along the way the team will be trying to set a few records including:
- First to fly a flexwing microlight in Antarctica
- First to fly a flexwing microlight to the South Pole
- First to fly a flexwing microlight over Mt Vinson
An excellent project and pretty daring too. These guys – and girl – really need our support.
If you can spare a few bob please visit the Flying for Freedom website and donate as much as you can.

Find the team on Twitter here

Or on Facebook here

The post Episode 63 – John Laity – British Antarctic Microlight Expedition appeared first on Flying Podcast.

Martin Jones, Derby Aero Club

For today’s episode I travelled down to Derby Aero Club to meet Martin Jones. Martin is the owner of the airfield and is also proprietor of Airspeed Aviation. My reason for the visit though was to have a chat to Martin about the restoration project that he’s undertaking. His labour of love is a 1934 de Havilland Comet DH88 – G-ACSP – a so called Comet Racer. The aircraft was originally built by de Havilland for the England to Australia, ‘MacRobertson’ Air Race.

Listen to Episode 62

I started by asking Martin what his background is in aviation and engineering. He replied that he’s always been involved in aviation and he also has a degree in mechanical engineering. Luckily for this particular project, he’s also a licensed aircraft engineer too.

Ken Fern of Ken Fern Aircraft Restorations first brought the aircraft to Martin’s attention and he felt duty bound to restore it. Ken is still actively involved in the restoration.

There were only 5 of this type of aircraft ever built and there is only one other, Grosvenor House, now in existence at the Shuttleworth Collection.

Fuselage of ‘Black Magic’ DH88 Comet Racer

The first of the aircraft to fly was registered G-ACSP, named “Black Magic”, and was bought and flown by Amy Johnson and her husband specifically for this race.
Black Magic was the first of a great new generation of British aircraft that flew with all three of the now commonplace technical features;
- Retractable undercarriage
- Variable pitch propellers
- Flaps

The winning Comet made the trip to Australia in 3 days but, sadly, Black Magic only got as far as India before encountering problems necessitating its return to the UK.

When Martin came by the aircraft there wasn’t too much left. A fire had pretty much destroyed the wings and it had been sat outside in Portugal for 40 years. So the task facing Martin and his team of volunteers was monumental.
Luckily they still have the drawings so every component can be remanufactured from scratch as required.
Although still under the auspices of the CAA, Martin hopes, and anticipates that the LAA will take control of the project even though it is a fairly large, powerful aircraft and also a twin. Martin is incidentally an LAA inspector too.

Cockpit of de Havilland Comet Racer

A vast amount of help and cash is needed to realise the dream of seeing Black Magic getting back into the air once again. Anyone who is interested in the project would be most welcome to get in touch with Martin with offers of assistance.
Anyone interested in visiting the airfield should also drop Martin an email or call him up to arrange to go and take a look at the Comet.

With a following wind, Martin hopes to get the aircraft airworthy by 2014 to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the original flight.
At the time of us speaking the fuselage has been almost completed. The undercarriage and engine mounts are well under way and the engines themselves are ready for refurbishment. The original engines would have been race specific Gypsy 6Rs but Martin will be using a couple of Gypsy Queen 30s enabling them to use a fully feathering prop.
The team are now concentrating on building the wings made from high quality sitka spruce sourced from Canada.

Martin’s son, Paul, will be taking the controls for the first flight with Martin as a passenger in the rear, tandem seat. When complete, Martin says that he expects to get 200knots out of the aircraft with a range of 3000 miles, a testament to the team and also to de Havilland’s original design.

If you’d like to keep up to date with progress of the project you can find out what’s happening at:
www.cometracer.co.uk

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David Bremner, Chairman of the BMAA

Having missed Dave Bremner at the Flying Show a few weeks ago, I eventually caught up with him.
We all know what great strides microlighting has made in the last few years and what relatively cheap fun it provides for thousands of aviators but today I wanted to find out more about what the governing body gets up to. So who better to speak to than one of the bigger cheeses at the British Microlight Aircraft Assoc.

Listen to Episode 61

David has just been re-elected Chairman of the BMAA and has a wealth of aviation experience.
I started by asking Dave to tell us exactly what the BMAA is and basically they offer the following services:

- Represent microlight pilots before regulatory bodies
- Monitor instruction
- Airworthiness system for microlight aircraft
- Inspectors and check pilots
- Oversee mods, build projects and permits
- Technical advice
- Safety Officers

For those of you not familiar with the definition of a microlight the BMAA web site has the following info:

A microlight aeroplane is one designed to carry not more than two persons which has a Maximum Total Weight Authorised (MTWA) not exceeding:
300 kg for a single seat landplane.
390 kg for an amateur built single seat landplane for which a UK Permit to Fly or Certificate of Airworthiness was in force prior to 1 January 2003
450 kg for a two seat landplane
330 kg for a single seat amphibian or floatplane
495 kg for a two seat amphibian or floatplane
315kg for a single seat landplane equipped with an airframe mounted total recovery parachute system
472.5kg for a two-seat landplane equipped with an airframe mounted total recovery parachute system
A microlight must also have a stalling speed at the maximum weight authorised not exceeding 35 knots calibrated speed.

The BMAA is tasked with overseeing the world of microlights by the CAA. I asked Dave whether their main aim was to make flying as cheap as possible. He said that cost was only a part of what they do but is an important element.
According to their web site the BMAA’s aims are to further the sport of microlight aviation, keep flying costs down to a minimum for its members and to represent them in national and international matters relating to their sport.

The association also carry out flight testing and certification of new aircraft whether they be factory or home-built. The testing is an entire process, according to Dave, from looking at the initial designs and calculations, overseeing load testing right through to the actual flight tests for the aircraft.

NPPL licences for microlight pilots are also processed by the BMAA acting on behalf of the CAA.

I asked Dave why someone should join the BMAA.
Initially Dave said that the magazine was the most obvious benefit. Not only is it a good read but its also a good avenue for disseminating vital information including matters relating to the law.
They organise the Round Britain Rally, The Flying Show at the NEC each year and they also oversee the issuing of permits to fly for microlights and more cheaply than if you went direct to the CAA.
One thing that Dave forgot to mention was that they support the highly successful British Microlight Team both in the UK and in international competitions.

One thing that I’ve wondered for a long time is why the weight limit was set at 450kg for a 2 seat microlight. Dave explained that although there is always pressure to increase the limit it is there to keep the max stall speed down. That means that if someone has an accident chances are that the aircraft will be flying more slowly thus limiting the damage to occupants.

We moved on to the issues facing aviation over the next 4 to 5 years. Dave said that microlighting currently falls outside of the new EASA legislation being classified as Annex 2 aircraft. Dave doesn’t see this position changing for the foreseeable future primarily because each country has its own very different legislative framework.
With regards to the BMAA’s relationship with the CAA, Dave sees that responsibility will continue to devolved downwards over the next few years. In fact the CAA will be formalising its relationship with the BMAA in the near future, something that surprisingly has never existed before.

Dave believes that the format of microlighting is mature and the definitions won’t be changing too much over the near future. He says that they will have to make the market more exciting, for example, by encouraging manufacturers to bring out new models on a regular basis. This might be achieved by allowing manufacturers to bring out new aircraft but with greatly reduced certification costs.
Dave thinks that the judge is still out regarding the advent of European LSAs but he thinks that microlights are not under too much of a threat due to the weight of legislation that falls upon LSAs as opposed to microlights which can be owner serviced etc. with a greater degree of independence. The single seat microlight and foot-launched market, which suffers an even lighter legislative burden could be the breeding ground for new experimiental designs with low cost production.
Electric aircraft are also an exciting proposition within this deregulated market especially if the weight of the battery ever becomes classified as fuel.

If you’d like to know more about the BMAA have a look at their web site:

www.bmaa.org

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The Flying Show – NEC – 2012

For today’s episode of Flying Podcast I went down to the Flying Show at Birmingham’s NEC. I had interviews lined up with Breezer UK, The Light Aircraft Company, Dave Sykes, GASCo and the Airspace & Safety Initiative. An interesting cross section of the people attending the show I think.
The show was pretty much as it had been in previous years, not overly busy but there were plenty of interesting folk to chat to. So all-in-all probably worth going down to if you’re into aviation. We arrived at 11.30 on the Sunday and the traffic into the NEC wasn’t too bad. The £10 parking fee is a bit steep but they have a bit of a monopoly going on there so we have to stump up the cash.

Listen to Episode 60

Breezer Aircraft

Breezer Aircraft – Russ Gordon
Well first up I met with Russ Gordon of Absolute Aviation who market the Breezer Aircraft in the UK. Russ gave me the low-down on the Breezer which is manufactured entirely in Germany. Certified as an LSA by EASA, the Breezer’s max weight is 600kgs, more than enough for 2 people, fuel and even some baggage. Its normal cruise speed is just over 100kts with a fuel burn of 17-18ltrs per hour.
As you’ll see from the pictures, the Breezer is a low wing, 2 seat aircraft. It is of all aluminium construction with a robust GFR main undercarriage.
The engine is the ubiquitous Rotax 912, 100hp unit and Russ claims that it is the ideal touring aircraft.
Having been around for over 10 years in Germany, where there are 160+ flying, the Breezer has only been available in the UK for a couple of years.
With full EASA certification Russ is hoping that the aircraft will be an attractive proposition for flying schools in the UK.
Russ says that at current exchange rates you’ll expect to pay upwards of £85,000 for the basic model but this rises to over £110K, inc VAT if you add in the glass cockpit, auto-pilot, parachute and other customising type goodies. The company is keen to offer training on the aircraft too and they are in the process of setting up a training package with The Flying Shack who are also based at Gloucester Airport.
So, watch out for a Breezer at an airfield near you next year.

www.breezeraircraft.co.uk

Sherwood Ranger

The Light Aircraft Company – Paul Hendry-Smith

Based at Little Snoring Airfield in Norfolk, TLAC build kits for a pretty niche market biplane.
They own the rights to the Sherwood Ranger aircraft, currently available in 2 forms: the ST microlight and the XP Cat A aircraft. The main difference between the 2 is that although they both weigh in at 450Kgs the XP has shorter wings and so does not qualify as a microlight due to wing loading and stall speed characteristics.
The Sherwood Ranger is a 1930′s style, 2 seat tandem biplane. Construction is of aluminium tube and fabric for the fuselage and wings of aluminium tubes, spruce ribs and fabric covering.
The kits are available as fast build options which, claims Paul, will save the builder 350-400hrs.

Sherwood Ranger

The company is developing an XP aerobatic model and a ST ballistic for the German market, a microlight with parachute. The aeros model, although being a standard 2 seater will only be certified for single seat aerobatics.
The original design was by Russ Light in the mid 80′s and I believe was named after a pub in Worksop. After the death of its designer in 2000 the company eventually ran into trouble and was rescued by Paul and his father in 2007. Since then they have refined the drawings, the materials, suppliers, and manuals. Paul says that they now have 15-18 kits in production and he claims that ¾ of all sales are exports.
Whilst chatting, Paul aired his concerns for the ‘fragile’ aircraft industry in the UK. He sees a big threat from low-cost producers in Eastern Europe, not to mention the Chinese once they get into aircraft production in a big way. Once the local manufacturers have gone he reckons that they won’t be coming back. He’s also active in trying to persuade the powers in the world of aviation that they should be lessening regulation for home based aircraft manufacturers. He said that if TLAC were to go into production of a factory built model they would be allowed to sell it in most markets of the world but not the UK.
If you’re looking for something uniquely British with a British manufacture then go and have a look at the distinctive Sherwood Ranger.

g-tlac.com

Dave Sykes’ Book

Dave Sykes – Flexwing microlight to Australia.

I was eager to meet up with Dave having read his book ‘A Wing and a Chair’ which describes, in a diary style, how he flew his flexwing microlight from Rufforth, near York, to Sydney. A quite incredible feat for an able bodied person but for someone who uses a wheel chair, really unbelievable. And what’s even more impressive is that Dave says he’s scared of heights.
I first asked Dave why he decided to fly to Australia and he said that it was because he couldn’t afford to fly around the world and someone bet him a bottle of lager that he couldn’t fly to Oz.
Dave was inspired by previous long distance microlight pilots and he wanted to raise money for Yorkshire Air Ambulance too.
The aircraft was a Pegasus Quik 912S flexwing which Dave picked because of its small wing helping him with handling on the ground with hand controls.
According to Dave he encountered varying levels of service with Egypt, in particular, charging him $800 just for landing.
He admits to setting off a little late in the year and the weather was pretty horrendous for most of the way, It was hard to believe, when reading the book, that the weather could have been much worse. If fact Dave came close to meeting his maker on a couple of occasions most notably a sandstorm over Saudi Arabia where he lost contact with the ground for nearly 2 hours and Dave was, as he describes, ‘scared to death’.

In some places Dave says he was treated like royalty. In Burma he says that he arrived with no money and left with no money 3 weeks later. At the other end of the spectrum in Gwadar he required an armed escort and guards as Bin Laden had been killed not too far away.
The Pegasus performed very well despite the weather and Dave was surprised that it survived some of the turbulence.
The only issues he had en-route were with his transponder, fuel pump, altimeter, electric trim and magneto switch all of which he managed to overcome.
With a second tank he had 145lts of fuel in total giving him an endurance of 11+ hours.

I asked Dave what were the particular problems associated with his disability on the trip and he said that he managed as well as he does back home. I did mention one recurring theme in the book where he describes being thrown into vehicles to be transported backwards and forwards to the airport. Dave said that that is exactly what he asked them to do, “just throw me in and don’t worry about hurting me”.
The whole trip took 4 months flying for 257 hrs and covering 16161 miles.
Since his return Dave has received several very prestigious awards ranging from the Royal Aero Club’s Britannia Trophy to the RAC’s Segrave Trophy which has been won by such folk as Stirling Moss, Lewis Hamilton and Andy Green the world landspeed record holder.
Dave’s next planning to fly to the South Pole in 2014 and then around the world in 2015.

www.soloflightglobal.com

Mike O’Donaghue – GASCo

GASCo – Mike O’Donoghue

I took the opportunity to find out exactly what General Aviation Safety Council does whilst I was down at the show.
Mike O’Donoghue, GASCo’s Chief Executive, started by telling me who was involved with GASCo. Pretty much any body or association that is involved in GA is a member of GASCo. Included in the total of approx 34 members are the likes of the LAA, CAA, AOPA, BMAA and NATS.
Formed in 1964 the body is charged with bringing down the accident rate in general aviation and with promoting safety through education.
The General Aviation Safety Council is a Charitable limited company. As their web site claims: All forms of aviation are represented on the Council including ballooning, gliding, gyrocopters, home built aircraft, historic aircraft, microlighting, parachuting, paragliding, helicopter flying, large model flying and of course general aviation aeroplanes.
Through their own Flight Safety magazine and through attending shows like this one, GASCo aims to engage pilots and to try and convey their safety message. They run a series of low cost (£25-35) seminars throughout the year based around such subjects as meteorology, sea survival and ditching and helicopter safety.
In addition they run safety evenings at aerodromes around the country. Mike says that they try to make their safety messages entertaining rather than shocking. Details of the evenings are available on the GASCo web site. They have planned to do 40 this year across the UK and even over into Ireland.
The safety evenings are run by the half a dozen or so volunteer Regional Safety Officers in the team around the country that are there to spread the ‘safety’ word.
When I asked Mike what he would ask any pilot to do in order to make himself safer he said that he would recommend taking regular refresher courses and to treat every flight as if it was the first time you’ve ever flown this particular flight.

www.gasco.org.uk

Chris Finnigan of the CAA

Airspace & Safety Initiative – Chris Finnigan

The Airspace & Safety Initiative (ASI) is a joint CAA, NATS, AOA, GA and MoD effort to investigate and tackle the major safety risks in UK airspace.

Their stated aims are to:
Enhance safety outside controlled airspace
Identify the hazards associated with the use of UKairspace,
Identify the needs of all airspace users,
Prioritize the hazards
Develop a strategy to mitigate those risks while meeting the needs of all airspace users.

Chris says that one of their main aims is to reduce airspace infringements to reduce risk to airline traffic and other airspace users.
The ASI has a number of projects that look at the various aspects of the use of airspace and safety and they also have a communication and education programme which meets with the GA industry, GA press and other representative bodies to get the safety message out to pilots. They are also interested in getting feedback via these associations from the pilot’s perspective.
The so called doomsday scenario where a light aircraft strays into controlled airspace and downs an airliner is something that would change GA permanently so the ASI are working to reduce to number of infringements. And, according to Chris, the number of serious infringements has reduced in recent years however the number of overall infringements has stayed somewhat steady. The ASI is aiming to get pilots to be more aware of airspace and to better prepare their flights to avoid infringements. They are also encouraging pilots to make better use of emerging technology like the Aware GPS and Sky Demon that notify pilots of their proximity to airspace.
Most pilots in the UK will be aware of the Airspace and Safety Initiative’s work on the Olympics. Chris says that the exercise was a great success, not just from an infringement point of view but also from the relationships built with representative bodies and regulatory authorities.
The ASI also arrange ‘visit your local ATC’ days where groups of GA pilots can come along to their local airport to see how ATC work and to help build an understanding of exactly what ATC are there to do. The ASI are trying to encourage GA pilots to see ATC as their friends and to speak to them to prevent a problem escalating or just to ask for help.
Chris described a particularly successful ‘safety day’ at RAF Benson where GA pilots were invited to fly in to meet the military, controllers and other users of the airspace to get a better understanding of how each other operates.
To find out more about what the Airspace and Safety Initiative are up to visit their web site:

airspacesafety.com

As you heard in the podcast, I’m thinking of flying with Scott Beaver around the country next April.
Scott’s project is to set a record time for the flight around the UK in aid of a couple of charities: Rainbow Trust and the Make a Wish Foundation. The project is titled ‘Wings for Wishes.

Wings for Wishes

If anyone would like to sponsor Scott or keep track of his progress then please visit the web page. wingsforwishes.co.uk

The post Episode 60 – The Flying Show 2012 appeared first on Flying Podcast.

Listen to Episode 59

We started by talking about the most recent developments in the gyrocopter market. Most notable is the recent release of the Cavalon by AutoGyro of Germany. At close to £100,000 Andrew describes it as a Porsche of the gyrocopter world. It’s a side by side model, very much like a helicopter cockpit in terms of layout. We should be able to see the Cavalon at December’s Flying Show in the UK. The introduction of these enclosed cockpit gyros, like the Cavalon, Calidus and M24 Orion, is really taking the market to a new level allowing the pilot to travel in warm, dry, comfort. Having said that, Andrew insists on training his pilots, for at least some of the time, in the open topped MTO Sport. This enables the student to get an appreciation of yaw, helped by the generous blast of wind in the face when the aircraft is not lined up correctly. Andrew suggests that these new enclosed aircraft are more of an interest to conventional pilots with the open topped craft appealing more to adrenalin junkies or motorcycle fans.

Andrew has not long since moved to Carlisle from Kirkbride. He says that the larger airport with full ATC adds an extra dimension that gives students confidence to venture further afield.
He came to gyroplanes having started out in paragliders. He likes the gyrocopter particularly because it allows you to fly on more days than most other aircraft. Its wing loading and main rotor speeds mean that it isn’t as susceptible to turbulence, cross winds or mountain rotors winds and so can be flown in most weather conditions. The gyroplane is also very suitable for flight training, and flying in general, says Andrew. Because it has a very short landing roll the gyro can be flown much lower than fixed wing aircraft, ideal for sightseeing around the Lakes or low level flights across the sands of the Solway Firth.

By way of a reminder I asked Andrew to confirm just how safe gyrocopters are. The modern, certified aircraft are very safe, he says, and even bird strikes on the main rotor aren’t an issue. The gyrocopter can’t stall which makes for a stable, safe aircraft and it also helps Andrew with his aerial photography. In essence the gyrocopter is in autorotation at all times and so doesn’t need to change from powered flight to autorotation after an engine failure like a helicopter.
Have a look at some of the pictures and videos on Andrew’s web site (see link below).
About 50% of the pilots coming through his doors are converting PPLs. Many students are in fact commercial pilots who just want to inject some fun back into their flying. A converting pilot will be required to do 15 hours dual and 15 hours solo, as a minimum to get their PPL(G). Heli pilots need only do 10 dual and 10 solo. There is only 1 exam required for converting PPLs.

Sadly, at the moment, you aren’t allowed to rent a gyrocopter when you have your licence so you are limited to buying an aircraft or a share in one in order to go flying. This is a major issue for the industry at the moment but, as I understand, the industry body is working with the CAA to resolve it. Andrew also says that allowing gyrocopters to gain a commercial application licence would open up all sorts of opportunities for gyros. Powerline inspection, search and rescue observation, military patrols, police observer roles. The list goes on. Potentially very exciting times for the gyroplane.

Andrew thinks that the market is currently missing an entry level gyrocopter. This issue may resolve itself as the market matures and more second hand aircraft come on to the market but at the moment new aircraft are very expensive and second hand values are remaining high.

Technology advances are happening apace in the gyrocopter space. In the US  CarterCopter are developing their own vehicle and in Europe the PAL V  is an exciting concept.
So, get yourselves up to Carlisle, preferably on a sunny day, and have the flight of a lifetime across the beautiful English Lakes.
Andrew Lysser – Cumbria Gyroplanes – 07771 608767

The post Episode 59 – Andrew Lysser – Cumbria Gyroplanes appeared first on Flying Podcast.

Jon and co-pilot Dave return from the Round Britain Rally

Jon Hilton is an adventurous pilot, currently flying a CTSW out of Barton Airport, Manchester. Having read a couple of Jon’s reports in the BMAA’s monthly magazine he sounded like a prime candidate to appear on the Podcast.

Listen to Episode 58

He started out completing his PPL in the USA, in his early twenties, and went on to get his night, multi and IMC ratings. After taking a break from flying Jon came back to aviation but this time chose to fly microlights, buying a CTSW a couple of years ago. Jon lists the reasons why he flies microlights including: cost of flying, cost of maintenance, speed and endurance of the CT and also because it just feels better to fly than some of the old Cessnas and Pipers found on many airfields.

Jon's CT in Lille, France

As a fair weather pilot myself I’m always considering what I’d do if the weather took a turn for the worse and I’ve had one or two exciting moments when the cloud level has dropped or I’ve flown into rain. In Jon’s reports he mentions how he has set off in conditions that would deter most pilots and so I was interested in how he made his `to go or not to go’ decisions.

Jon flew to Fredrichshaven earlier this year and the conditions were far from ideal. He found himself at 800ft over the Channel and had to land in a cross-wind that would tax even the most experienced pilots.

G-CGIZ on a recent trip to the Scilly Islands

He’s also flown the Round Britain Rally in what was laughingly called our British summer. Many pilots didn’t set off on the trip due to the rain and wind but John and his co-pilot braved the elements and managed to win the Silver category to boot by circumnavigating most of the UK over the course of a couple of days.
Jon’s `get on with it’ attitude certainly generates interesting aviation stories and he certainly has his share of fun times on the ground too.

It’s a fine line between pushing your own flying limits and being foolhardy, and I asked Jon what influences his decision making. With lots of experience under his belt and plenty of pre-flight preparation he continues to come out on top. Jon says that he always carries a tent and sleeping bag so he can land at an alternate airport if necessary. He’s also planning a Round the World trip at some point so being able to cope with changing weather conditions is probably a must for such an adventure.

At the end of our conversation Jon quotes Kipling’s poem, If:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

Jon’s certainly filled his life with challenges and achievements. This ethos applies to his flying too. As a result he has many fascinating tales to tell and many stories for his grand-children. I sometimes wish I had Jon’s adventurous spirit but we’re all different eh?

Jon on a recent trip to Dublin - he dared me not to use this!

If you needed any more evidence of Jon’s attitude to life then have a look at his charity blog.
www.justgiving.com/Jon-Hilton
There you’ll find out that Jon is attempting the World record for covering a mile on a pogo stick. Having seen Jon practice I can confirm that this will be a real challenge but I’m sure he’ll do it if he doesn’t cripple himself in the process.

The post Episode 58 – Jon Hilton – Microlight pilot appeared first on Flying Podcast.

Chris Walsh - NATS ATCO at Manchester International

Today I’m down at Manchester International Airport to interview Chris Walsh one of the Air Traffic Control Officers working in the tower there. Following on from my chat with FISO, Mark at Barton, I’ve been asked by many listeners for a podcast featuring a fully fledged ATCO. So here it is.

I was accompanied on my trip by fellow Barton aviator, Duncan, who also appeared on episode 50 of Flying Podcast. Chris, very generously, gave up a couple of hours of his free time to give us a guided tour of the tower and then settled into one of their meeting rooms, overlooking the apron, to answer all of our ‘ATCO’ type questions.

Listen to Episode 57

To set the scene for our listeners I first asked Chris about the airport itself.
The airport sits within class D airspace at ground level and then class A above 3500′. It is one of the busiest airports in the UK, currently handling approx 18m pax per year. In terms of movements, as far as the ATCOs are concerned, they handle 500-600 aircraft a day with a maximum of 50-60 take-offs and landing per hour at the busiest times.
The Approach Control Unit protects airspace out to about 40 miles on their radar.
Typically and inbound airline will contact the airport at 30-40 miles out as they descend below 10,000′, approaching one of their holding points.

View from the control tower Manchester Int'l Airport

For a departure, the sequence is for an aircraft to contact the Ground Movement Planner who will issue the pilot with a clearance, a squawk, any applicable route restrictions, standard instrument departure details and the departure slot. Once the aircraft is ready for pushback, the pilot will request ‘start’ and the GMP controller will pass the pilot to the Ground Movement Controller who will issue clearances for the aircraft to move out on to the taxiways. Control is then handed to an Air Controller who controls the runway and is able to issue take off clearances. Once airborne, and through approx 3000′, control is handed to an Area Controller based up at Prestwick in Scotland. Chris goes on to describe how an aircraft could end up talking to 15 controllers before he lands and parks up on a stand at an airport such as Heathrow in London.

Radar Controller at Manchester Airport

We’d watched the Airbus A380 taxi out and take off earlier whilst we were up in the control tower and Chris explained how the aircraft’s size can present certain challenges due to its size. Not only does its wake turbulence cause issues fro following aircraft but the size of the aircraft can also interfere with the ILS beam on the runway. That’s why there has to be such a large gap between landing aircraft when the A380 takes off.

I asked Chris whether they still used the flight progress strips in the tower to control aircraft movements. He explained that they had just recently moved over to a computer based system whereby the strip now appears on a PC screen. Although there’s slightly more work involved in inputting the aircraft details into the system, it’s then much easier to hand aircraft on to colleagues and more personnel on the airfield can be made aware of aircraft status at the press of a button.

Apron with new tower in background

The air traffic guys at the airport will soon be relocating to a new tower based away from the main terminal building. Although they’ll be keeping the old tower as a back-up, they’ll be moving over to the new tower in 2013.

After hearing about the airport I then went on to ask Chris about his role as an ATCO at Manchester International.
Chris, and the rest of the 50 strong team of controllers at Manchester, actually works for NATS, the national air traffic control company who run the main control centres for UK airspace.
There are 5 watches working a 10 day cycle at the airport. The sequence is to work 2 days on the morning watch, 2 afternoons, 2 nights and then they get 4 days off. During a shift, each controller can expect to work a maximum of 2hrs before taking at least a half hour break.

ATCO position in the tower

Chris says that the busiest times, like the early morning, can be quite stressful but that the stress is controlled. It’s only when something untoward happens, like an aircraft go-around or the weather is very poor, that things can get a bit more difficult. To cope with extremes in weather, such as fog, the airport will actually reduce the number of movements to keep things safe.

Chris explained that the NATS web site has all of the relevant details for people considering a job as an ATCO.

Chris has been an ATCO for 25 years and he gave us an quick outline of his career and also mentioned what had changed during his time in the tower.
He does fly GA aircraft himself so he is very aware of ATC’s relationship with light aircraft pilots.
We were keen to find out what the ATCOs think of GA pilots operating near the airport. Since the last flying school left Manchester Airport some years ago there are very few GA movements into or out of the airport and the ATCOs don’t seem to be too keen on letting small aircraft enter their airspace. It’s understandable that they don’t really want us light aircraft pilots taking to them when they’re busy but Chris says that if you have a problem or are ‘temporarily unaware of your position’ you should call them up. The ATCOs do also have an agreement with Barton that students on their first cross country down the low-level route, between Manchester and Liverpool’s airspace, should call Manchester, just to let them know they’re there.
There are special rules in place for aircraft flying up and down the low-level route and Manchester would prefer pilots not to talk to them. As it stands at the moment pilots should squawk 7366 and listen out on 118.575 Mhz. See the City Airport web site for the latest info on this!

City Airport

Although Manchester’s controllers are understandably not keen to talk to light aircraft pilots they are happy to try and help pilots fly safely and to keep clear of controlled airspace. To this end they do go out to local GA airfields, such as Barton, to talk to the pilots about airspace rules.
The airport does allow a few visits to the tower each year but only organized via local GA airports. There’s also a ‘Visit an ATC Day’, organized by Airspace & Safety Initiative. Details can be found on their website:

http://airspacesafety.com

The post Episode 57 – Chris Walsh – ATCO at Manchester International Airport appeared first on Flying Podcast.

BE-2C 'Biggles Biplane'

For today’s episode I travelled down to AeroExpo at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. I had a wander round to see which exhibitors had something interesting on offer and got chatting to a fair few of them. I went down on the Friday and although there were a fair few people in attendance most exhibitors had plenty of time to spend with anyone with an interest in their products.

Listen to Episode 56

Conrad Beale – Conair Sports
First off I spoke to Conrad from Conair Sports who was exhibiting the new Rotax 912iS, fuel injected engine.
Conair are the only UK Rotax Approved Service Centre according to their web site.
I’d heard a fair bit about this new Rotax and I think it’s fair to say that it’s a welcome leap forward in light aircraft engine technology. Running on mogas or avgas, the engine is predicted to return an approximate 20% reduction in fuel consumption, which is most welcome with the sky-rocketing price of aviation fuel. Conrad says that first indications are that they can run this new engine on just 8 litres an hour. And with automatically controlled mixture the engine should run much more economically at higher altitudes too. An electronic display inside the aircraft will be a requirement with the new engine but their will be no requirement for a choke and starting will be more straightforward. Conversions from old Rotax engines to the new 912iS are possible, says Conrad, but the aircraft will need an all new fuel system and instrumentation. The 912iS will have the same power output of the old 912S/ULS – 100hp.
www.conairsports.co.uk

Nigel Beale – Cosmik Aviation
Right next door to Conair was Conrad’s father Nigel on the Cosmik Aviation stand. Cosmik were displaying the ever popular Evektor Eurostar microlight and the Sportstar VLA. Cosmik have been involved with the Eurostar for 11 or 12 years, according to Nigel, originally as a kit and since 2003 as a factory built option. The Eurostar can be found at many microlight schools around the UK and, as I found out recently, has great performance from a grass strip. Nigel claims that due to its light weight construction the aircraft can out-perform the standard Cessna flying school aircraft. He has even taken part in competitions whereby the pilot has to take off and land inside a 100m box – fully laden!

Eurostar with Nigel Beale

The Eurostar has a mainly aluminium semi-monocoque construction and is left unpainted to enable it to fit within the UK’s 450kg microlight weight limit.
Also on the Cosmik Aviation stand was the Sportstar SW. Fitting into the 575kg VLA bracket it looks similar to the Eurostar but is wider, can be painted and is capable of carrying more load. The aircraft will be available as a kit, subject to LAA approval, or a factory built EASA ‘permit to fly’ aircraft.
www.cosmikaviation.co.uk

Rob Hart – Sky Demon
Inside one of the exhibition halls I found my old friend Rob from Sky Demon. Having done a podcast with Rob some time back I just wanted to know what’s new with their great flight planning and nav software. At the show the Sky Demon team were demonstrating a prototype plate delivery system, delivering AIP plates within the Sky Demon system. Rob says that they are talking to AFE about the possibility of getting their flying guides into Sky Demon as well. Whilst on the stand I had a quick look at the iPad version of the software and it is really well worth a look.
www.skydemon.aero

Vojtech Tuma and Oscar Starinsky – Czech Sport Aircraft
The new PS28 Cruiser aircraft from Czech Sport Aircraft has just obtained its EASA LSA certification. Vojtech claims that the plane is the only one in the world with this new certification and it is ideal for initial and continuing PPL flight training with a cost saving of 50% over a C152 and 66% over a 172. An impressive claim. The PS28 is very similar in appearance to the old Sport Cruiser but has over 60 design changes.

Czech PS28 Cruiser

Since the demise of their relationship with Piper in Jan 2011 the company has been building its own distribution network and with the split with their UK dealers recently they’re also looking for a new UK agent to market their aircraft here. The aircraft on display featured a full glass cockpit. The performance is very impressive. Cruise is 98kt with fuel consumption of 17ltrs/hr. Max speed in level flight is 118kt, VNE 138kt and stall speed 31kts. The aircraft is only available as a factory built option and I wish them well with their project.
www.czechsportaircraft.com

Tim Orchard – Tecnam UK
Tim is the MD of Tecnam UK and today, as distributor for Tecnam’s range of factory built aircraft in the UK, he was exhibiting a couple of Tecnam planes – the single 2002 and the twin engined 2006. Both aircraft are fully certified in the UK and so can be used for flight training and as both have Rotax engines they are very economical to operate. I was particularly interested in the 2006 which is the only twin engined Rotax aeroplane in the world apparently. Tim describes how Professor Pasquale still goes into the Tecnam factory every day and designs a new aircraft every year. The factory then actually produces one of these aircraft every other year and the model number of the aeroplane indicates the year of its inception. So the 2006 first hit the drawing board in that year.

Tecnam P2006T

Tim says that the twin has just recorded its 100th sale. We were sat across from the Vulcanair stand and the 2006′s heritage was fairly obvious from the old Partenavia twin. The performance of the 2006 is particularly impressive, being able to climb at 250′/min even on one of its 100hp engines, a tribute to the design, aerodynamics and low weight of the aircraft. It’s very frugal too, burning less than 8 gallons per hour whilst cruising at 135-150kt.
I asked Tim what market the 2006 was aimed at and he said that there were 2 particular niches for the twin – the multi engined training market and the individual who wants a reliable, economical aircraft to take himself, and possibly his family, long distances or over water. With the wings and engines behind the cockpit the visibility is excellent and there’s a surprising amount of space for the occupants too. Add in the short field performance and low noise footprint then you have a very impressive aircraft. Tim says that he has personally landed and taken off on a 500m strip without backtracking!
www.tecnamuk.com

Paul Ford – Jasta Binks Aviation
Whilst admiring a couple replica WW1 aircraft I came across Paul Ford soaking up some sunshine next to his DR1 Fokker Triplane – ‘The Red Baron’. Fokker Triplane, G-FOKK, is a full scale replica of the famous German WW1 fighter aircraft, the Fokker Dr1 Dreidecker and very impressive it is too. Not in the bright red we’ve come to associate with the Red Baron but a deliberately subdued and battle-worn blood red.

G-FOKK Fokker Dreidecker Dr1

Paul’s company, Jasta Binks Aviation, based at Sywell, has the enviable task of building, restoring and maintaining these beautiful aircraft. Based alongside Mathew Boddington’s BE2C ‘Biggles Biplane’, the 2 aircraft made for a stunning sight in the blazing May sunshine.
Paul says that his Fokker took him 4 years to build from scratch and the attention to detail is impressive, even down to the simulated rotary engine up front disguising the Lycoming 0-320. The other concession to modernity is the use of Ceconite fabric to cover the steel tube fuselage and wooden wings.
His early passion for the Fokker lead him to source the plans from the States, building the aircraft over 3000 hours and then converting to type over a period of years.
Paul says that there are no original triplanes in existence and only 4 replicas in the UK to date. I asked Paul what the Fokker was like to fly and he says that it is a very unforgiving aeroplane which must be landed direct into wind otherwise you’ll ground loop.
If you ever get to see Paul and his Fokker at an airshow be sure to say hello, he certainly is a very friendly bloke.
www.jastabinksaviation.com

Freddie Rogers – Beaver UK / American Legend Aircraft

Beaver UK have been awarded the rights to distribute the American Legend Cub in the UK and Europe. The gorgeous retake of the famous Piper Cub is all but approved as a kit by the LAA and should be available soon. Freddie claims that the kit, built in Texas, will be attractively priced in the UK.

Original Piper Cub with Legend Cub behind

The kit, not including engine, is currently $62,750 or approx £45,000+VAT including shipping. The company will be happy to help builders with the project whilst staying within the 51% self-build rules, assisting with rigging, covering and painting the aircraft. The kit comes with pre-built wings and a one piece fuselage and, claims Freddie, can be built in your garage at home. The company can, if you wish, supply a Continental 0-200 engine for approx £16,000+VAT

As authorised sales agents for the American Legend Aircraft Company here in Europe, the guys will be showing the Cub at as many shows as possible so you should be seeing more of this fabulous kit plane.

www.legend.aero

The post Episode 56 – AeroExpo 2012 appeared first on Flying Podcast.

Owen Zupp and Jabiru J230D

On today’s Flying Podcast we’ve got a pilot from ‘down under’. That’s Owen Zupp.
A couple of years ago, Owen flew a single engine light aircraft around Australia. I remember hearing about Owen’s exploits on the great Australian aviation podcast Plane Crazy Down Under so when Owen contacted me offering to come on to the podcast I jumped at the opportunity.
For his day job, Owen is a 737 pilot for a major Australian commercial airline company – no prizes for guessing who that might be – but in his spare time he puts his passion for aviation to good use. Not only has Owen written a book on a WWII RAF pilot but he’s also flown a Jabiru aeroplane around his homeland in order to raise money for an excellent cause; that being the Royal Flying Doctor Service. As these adventures spike my interest, it was primarily this project that I wanted to talk to Owen about.

Listen to Episode 55

First up though, I asked Owen about his flying background. With both of his parents in the RAAF and his dad flying over 200 missions in the Korean War, it’s hardly surprising that Owen developed a love of flying from an early age. He went solo at 16 years of age and started his career in aviation as a charter pilot, flying instructor and various other posts before finding his way into the airlines; starting work with Ansett.

In 2010 his plan to fly around Australia came to fruition. He’d long been planning the trip and it coincided nicely with the 100th anniversary of powered flight in Australia, incidentally flown by Harry Houdini. Owen also wanted to promote aviation in his homeland and, at the same time, highlight its accessibility to the general public who often, like here in the UK, see it as an elitist activity. In order to make the whole project an Australian affair he decided to use the Jabiru J230, built at Bundaberg. En route, Owen would be raising funds for the RFDS, the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Here in the UK it’s hard to imagine how important a service this is for those living in the more remote places of Australia. All in all he’s raised over $10,000 for the RFDS; so a wonderful contribution to this essential service.

Owen with Jabiru and RAAF FA-18

Owen says that he picked the Jabiru as it was designed and built in Bundaberg, Queensland. And not only that; Bundaberg was the home town of one of Owen’s boyhood heros – Bert Hinkler. If you’ve never heard of Bert Hinkler his story is a truly fascinating one. If you have a spare moment, Google ‘Bert Hinkler’ and check out his incredible life in aviation.

The Jabiru J230D is a factory built aircraft. It shares the airframe with the 4 seat J430 but, as the 230 has only 2 seats, it has plenty of room for the baggage required for Owen’s long distance jaunt. As you can imagine, such a trip over largely uninhabited areas or indeed open-ocean, will require lots of safety gear and the Jabiru proved a capable beast for the job. As Owen says, he flew over sea, desert and fairly cold areas too but the Jabiru didn’t miss a beat.

Owen in his Tiger Moth

The trip itself launched, not surprisingly, from Bundaberg. The route was anti-clockwise and took Owen over approximately 7500 nautical miles, clocking up 75 hours of flying time. Although the aircraft had an endurance of something over 5 hours, he usually confined himself to legs of 2 to 3 hours, where possible; landing at regional aerodromes, farm strips and even major international airports. In my ignorance I asked Owen whether Australia could be characterised as having population around the edge and nothing but sheep in the desert interior. In fact I wasn’t far off except that it’s mostly cattle in the out-back due to the lack of grass. I had imagined that flying over such vast areas would be quite boring but Owen reckons that there’s quite a bit of variety of landscape and that is what made the trip so incredibly beautiful for him. Listening to him describe the trip from Broome on the coast with its azure sea and white sands in to the desert area of the Pilbara made me feel very envious. Not quite like my trips to Caernarfon.

As I mentioned, Owen has turned his hand to writing. When his first airline employer, Ansett, collapsed, Owen went off to university and discovered his love of writing. Since then, and even though he didn’t stay unemployed for long, his work has often been published in aviation magazines and he’s even turned his hand to writing books. His first book, ‘Down to Earth’ is the story of a WWII fighter pilot and Owen is working on his second book at the moment. If you’d like to know more about Owen or would like to read his excellent aviation blog, you can start by going to:
http://www.owenzupp.com

Owen’s long term goal is to fly around the world one day and this trip was a great starter experience. I look forward to speaking to Owen again soon to find out what his next great aviation adventure will be.

The post Episode 55 – Owen Zupp – Flying a Jabiru Around Australia appeared first on Flying Podcast.