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Anything and everything you can fly

Headcorn founderDiana Patten

PILOT PROFILE

Scottish Island &Highland-hopping

FLYING ADVENTURE

Ever-popularFife (Glenrothes)

AIRFIELD PROFILE

T H I S M O N T H

First flights for Flight Design’s C4 & Glasair’s Merlin LSA ‘Old Timers’ seven-page special Plan your flying summer with Pilot’s calendar Air-brained quiz

P L U S

S P E C

I A L A I R F

I E L D O

F F E R

S

W O R T

H £ £ £

I N S I D

E !

Superb, speedyseven-seater

Diamond DA62

June 2015 £3.99

N E W !

Putting together abiplane airshow act

The Old Bückers

Aero Friedrichshafen& Sun ‘n Fun reports

‘Best in Show’

www.pilotweb.aero

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Philip Whiteman, Editor

There are now even more ways

of keeping in touch with the

editorial team’s flying

adventures and plans — follow

us on Twitter and find photos

and news on Facebook

twitter.com/pilot_magfacebook.com/pilotmagazine

EditorialWrite to Pilot, Archant Specialist,Evolution House, 2-6 EasthampsteadRoad, Wokingham, RG40 2EG

Editor Philip Whiteman Tel 01189 742527 Email [email protected]

Acting Deputy Editor Sheena HarveyTel 01189 742526

Designer Carine (Kitty) ThomasEmail [email protected]

Contributing Editors James Allan, Bob Grimstead,Mike Jerram & Peter R MarchFlight Test Editor Dave UnwinEngineering Consultant Andy McLuskieRegular contributors Nick Bloom, Alan Brown,Colin Goodwin, Geoff Jones, Pat Malone, Don Peterson,Peter Turner & Keith Wilson

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Origination Archant SpecialistPilot is published by Archant Specialist, a division of Archant CommunityMedia Ltd. The entire content is © copyright, and none of it may bereproduced in any form without permission. (Permission to make alimited number of photocopies is usually given, but should be sought.)Articles for consideration are welcome. Advice to contributors isavailable free from Pilot’s editorial office on receipt of an SAE marked‘Advice’ in the top left-hand corner, or on our website or by e-mail.We take good care of material submitted, but do not acceptresponsibility for loss or damage, however caused.

June 2015 | Preflight

Diamond’s pilot in command

S

eeing the BJJR Bulldog

autogyro, with its Hercules

propeller, at AeroFriedrichshafen, one of our

contributors was moved to say “it seems

we do have at least something of a

British aero industry after all”. While

giving due credit to microlight

manufacturer P & M, Sherwood Ranger

and Scout maker TLAC (also present at

Friedrichshafen), balloon specialist

Cameron and others, the sad fact is that

we don’t do large-scale light aircraft

manufacture like the Continentals do.

The point was driven home when, soon

after the show, Flight Test Editor Dave

Unwin and I travelled to Austria to fly the

newly certified Diamond DA62.

In the fifteen years since I last visited

its Wiener Neustadt base (to test the

prototype DA40 for Pilot, as it happens),

Diamond Aircraft Industries has

expanded its factory, as well as

establishing sister aero engine

manufacturing company Austro

alongsideand branching into simulators.

We will be reporting on the factory

visit, engines and simulators — as well as

the new DA20i Dave also sampled — in

future issues, but the broad picture is oneof a company that is both leading in

technology and expanding.

How is it that the Austrians (and, for

that matter, the Germans, Czechs, Poles

and Italians) can do it and we can’t?

I would say a big part of it is down to

the way companies in many European

countries are privately owned and run.

Diamond is a prime example, investor

and CEO Christian Dries being present

throughout Pilot’s stay. You might expect

a British CEO to spare a visiting journalist

five minutes, descending dressed in a

business suit from his office for just long

enough to meet one for a brief how do

you do. At Diamond the boss may be

addressed with typical Austrian

politeness asHerr Dries — Mr Dries —

but any suggestion of remoteness or

formality stops right there. He dresses

smart-casual, is generally to be seen

about the factory and airfield (where he

gets involved in flight-testing prototypes)

and, far from hiding from visitors,

actively seeks them out.

Sitting in the Katana Café — a place

to put the typical works canteen to

shame — and proffering wine produced at

his own vineyard to go with steak from

the Dries beef herd, he talks animatedly

about flying, Diamond and his plans for

the aircraft we have just flown.It turns out that Christian Dries finds a

lot to admire in British aviation, from the

IMC Rating — “a great thing” in his

opinion — to the unfailing professionalism

of our ATCOs. “I like flying in Britain,”

he says.

But does he see a market for Diamond

aircraft over here? “The British market

has been very good for us. There are

already two hundred or so Diamond

aircraft in the UK. I think we will be selling

five to ten DA42s and DA62s a year...”

In the year of the new model’s

certification, Diamond will actually be

making fewer aeroplanes at Wiener

Neustadt than it did in 2014. A British

shareholder might shudder at the

thought of a cut-back in production,

but Diamond’s informed investors

understand the short-term need to divert

factory labour to the manufacture of jigs

and tooling needed for production in

China — a move that will in the longer

term allow expansion and reduced

unit costs.

Not that the product will ever be

cheap: as Herr Dries is determined toensure, the prime driver is quality — one

of the reasons Diamond aircraft have a

fantastic safety record.

As the time for us to leave nears, I

cannot resist asking this true captain of

industry one last question: has he

challenged the old saw that to make a

small fortune in aviation you have start

with a large one? “No,” he laughs. “I am

living proof of it!”

It seems that some things are the

same, the world over.

www. pilotweb.aero Pilot June 2015 | 3

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Follow us on @Pilot_mag

/Pilotmagazine

ON THE COVER

16 A Fine Friedrichstafen Pilot Editor Philip Whiteman’s report

on the premier European GA expo

32 Flight test:Diamond DA62

The super-efficient, high performance

seven seater put through its paces

43 The Old Bückers Part One of the story of a dream to fly

an open-cockpit biplane in displays

67 Pilot profile:Diana Patten Interview with the Headcorn founder

and author of Redhead in the Clouds

72 Flying adventure Scottish island and Highland-hopping

CO VER S TOR Y!

Diamond DA62

Special Repor t!

Friedrichs ta fen

Air field Pro file:

Fi fe (Glenro thes )

Pre-order the July issue and SAVE

£1 OFF the cover price with FREE UK

delivery! RRP £3.99.

Go to

www.buyamag.co.uk/Pilot U S E

D I S C O U

N T

C O D E

£1 OFF£1 OFF

Contents | June 2015

4 | Pilot June 2015 www. pilotweb.aero

Books & Gear Re vie ws

Pilo t Pro file:

Diana Pa t ten

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REGULARS

6 Pilot Notes C4 first flight; Sun ’n Fun report;

Eclipse and Kestrel merge

22 Rotorheads Cavalon Pro autogyro certification,

news from the helicopter world

24 New Regs The latest additions to the G-register

27 Pat Malone The story of the building of Bodmin’s

new Control Tower

28 Airmail Hi vis debate continues; are we wrong

about drones?; open letter to HMRC

51 Open Cockpit Stephen has some experience to share

in the matter of propeller-swinging

52 Old Timers A special seven pages covering the

Shuttleworth Collection; the NZ Classic

Fighters airshow; and Sun ‘n Fun

60 Books & Gear James Hamilton-Paterson’s book on

the first war in the air; Short Stirling

Workshop Manual; latest navigation

and radio units

64 Dave Unwin’s PTT Thoughts on flying his Jodel D9 Buzz

like a sailplane

92 Safety Matters Two unexplained spins; interference

from a model aircraft; flaring too early

96 Calendar Events at home and abroad

98 Air-brained Quiz Test your flying knowledge and win a

RunwayHD iPad app or Aware 5 GPS

114 ILAFFT Getting vital help from another pilot

when lost on a solo cross-country

80Airfields guide Our new series highlighting the UK’sairfields and reasons for choosing to

pay a visit. Plus, special reader offers

83Airfield profile: Fife A very popular Scottish airfield withfriendlly staff, good food, and

skydivers to add extra interest!

Fl ying Ad ven ture

FEATURES


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NotesNews and whatever else strikes our eye this month

Vans sets a new record

The total number of RVs

completed and flown hits

9,000, equating to wing-to-

wing line-up 46 miles long

and 1,620,000hp p.8


The prototype Flight Design C4 made a 55-minute first flight from the company’s Kamenz, Germany, facility on 9 April. Test pilot Damian

Hischier reported that the C4 was stable about all axes, but while operating temperatures of its Continental IO-360-AF were acceptable,

further work may be necessary for operations in hot climates, to be resolved by changes to the cowlings. “Don’t change a thing

aerodynamically!” he commented. “The engineers can work on reducing some friction in the controls, but leave the rest alone!” Hischier

flew the C4 up to its initial speed limitation of 105kt, performed 30° banks, power-off approaches to the stall and approaches and

go-arounds, noting that the aircraft had good directional and spiral stability, overall control harmony and handling characteristics.

Light AircraftAssociation

seeks new CEOPhilip Hall, Chief Executive

Officer of the Light

Aircraft Association since

September 2013, is to

leave the post later this

year in order to pursue

new business

opportunities. A pilot

since his teenage years,

Philip owns a Gardan

Minicab and is rebuilding a

Cassutt IIIM Formula 1

racer. “Phil has broughtfresh thinking to our

association and helped to

refocus our efforts to

deliver an improved

service to our members,”

commented LAA

Chairman Brian Davies. ‘I

will be sorry to see him

leave and he goes with

our best wishes for his

future. Although Phil will

not be leaving until later

this year the search is

already underway to find

a new CEO to build on his

initiatives.’ laa.uk.com

Flight Design C4 flies

The Airbus Group will establish the final assembly

line for its E-Fan 2.0 two-seat, all-electric aircraftin Pau, southwest France. The facility is expected

to be completed in mid-2016. Airbus-owned

VoltAir SAS will manage development,

production, delivery and after-sales support and

maintenance. Airbus and its partners will invest

€20 million in design and development of the

aircraft. Pau, which is already a centre for

France’s aerospace industry, was chosen as it is

close to E-Fan design partner Daher, offers direct

access to an airport and has good meteorological

conditions. Airbus is forecasting service entry for

the first E-Fan 2.0 around the end of 2017 or

beginning of 2018. The demonstrator E-Fan first

flew in March 2014 and to date has logged 38

hours in 78 test flights.

The production E-Fan 2.0 will be aimed primarily

at the pilot training market, says Ken McKenzie,

Airbus’s Head of Development and Strategy. As

currently projected it will have a flight enduranceof ninety minutes and employ both quick-change

battery packs and rapid-charge batteries. Empty

weight will be around 500kg with batteries, giving

a useful load of 150kg. It will have fully integrated

‘E-FADEC’ battery and systems management.

VoltAir has developed a chain-driven wheel for

ground manoeuvring, which, though it adds

weight, will be more efficient than the aircraft’s

fans for taxying.

The four-seat E-Fan 4.0, which could reach the

market in 2020, will be manufactured and

supported in the USA, McKenzie says. “We look at

[it] as being the cutting edge of aircraft, but one

that will also appeal to a customer who wants

something a little different. So if you drive a Tesla

[electric car], you obviously want the cool factor

and the environmental factor, too,” he explains.

Airbus E-Fan production plans

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Notes

Sonex Aircraft has signed an agreement with Navmar Applied Sciences

Corporation (NASC) for research, engineering and production of Unmanned

Air Vehicles, beginning with the Teros, an AeroVee Turbo-powered unmanned

version of its Xenos motorglider. Sonex founder John Monnett says the Teros

“is intended to provide extended range, high altitude performance in a wider

range of environments, and more challenging missions than NASC’s

TigerShark, which has performed exceptionally well for the company’s

Department of Defense customers. The Xenos Motorglider is a perfect fit for

UAV application [a mission] we’ve been envisioning since the design of the

Moni Motorglider in the 1980s, combining performance and efficiency with

extremely simple and economical construction.” From June, Oshkosh-based

Sonex will supply NASC with Teros kits for integration and operation as UAVs.


Sonex entersUAV market

In a new initiative the management of Cardiff airport, owned by

the Welsh Government since 2013, is encouraging general

aviation pilots to visit. The ATC Watch Manager responsible for

GA Liaison, Paul Keeble tells Pilot “we want to encourage people

to fly in but also to be appreciative of the Cardiff CTA, which is

Class ‘D’ airspace, and to follow the published procedures for

the safety of themselves and all other aviators in the area”. The

Cardiff CTA is large: extending from near Exeter in the south to

north of Brecon, it abuts Bristol to the east. It extends upwards

to FL160, but embedded wihin it are two airways, base FL105

overhead Cardiff airport and FL55 at the Brecon VOR.

Paul recommends that pilots unfamiliar with Cardiff should

look at www.flyontrack.co.uk where a document Welcome to

Flying in the Cardiff Area is posted. “The most important thing

that pilots should remember,” says Paul “is to call us on the

Cardiff Radar frequency 119.150 in plenty of time”. An added

bonus of flying to Cardiff is that you do not need to call ahead

for PPR (however, if you feel happier calling ATC before arrival,

they can give you a verbal briefing (Tel : 01446 712562) or email

Paul Keeble at [email protected]

Cardiff Airport welcomes careful flyers

Epic Aircraft is ‘pushing hard’ to certify its six-seat

E1000 turboprop single by the end of this year.

Structural testing is under way, and the first prototype

will fly ‘soon’. The aircraft is a series production

development of the Epic LT Dynasty kitplane that was

marketed by the original Epic Air, which closed because

of legal and financial problems. The Bend, Oregon-based

company is now owned by Engineering LLC of Russia,

which holds more than sixty reservations from potential

buyers of the 325kt, $2.95m aircraft. First deliveries are

expected in early 2016. Epic is forecasting a production

rate of one per week, according to Chief Executive Officer

Doug King. “We are setting up the E1000 assembly line

and investing heavily in tooling, equipment, quality systems

and training programs to ensure a timely, efficient and

aggressive production ramp-up,” he says.

Making Epic progress

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Notes

FLIGHT TRAINING


Caledonian Advanced Pilot Training has

expanded its range of services to students

interested in EASA modular distance

learning theoretical knowledge courses. In

addition to its satellite base at Helicentre

Leicester, it has added one at Helicentre

B.V. in Lelystad, near Amsterdam. “This

takes us one step closer to providing a

more European service,” says a company

spokesman. “Students may now enrole

directly with us, or through either operator.

Our full range of EASA-approved courses

now includes: ATPL(A & H), CPL(A & H),

IR(A & H), including the EIR/CBIR, PPL(A &

H), and First Multi-Engine Pre-Entry

Conversion for helicopter pilots. We can

also provide courses for Single Pilot CRM/Pilot Decision Making, and Chief Pilots, and

can provide private tuition on an individual

basis though video conferencing.” For more

information Tel: 01292 310968 or visit:

captonline.com

From the 1 May - 1 August Helicentre at

Leicester Airport is offering discounted

self-fly hire rates for pilots wishing to build

hours on the R44 Raven II. Blocks of 10, 20

and 30 hours are available over a monthly

periods at discounts per hour of £50 for 10

hours, £75 for 20 hours, and £100 for 30

hours. Bookings must be made before 31

May. Advance payment for blocks is not

required, but all flights must be paid either

as a block or by the hour at full rates and

discounts will then be calculated at the end

of the period and credited to pilots’

accounts based on total hours flown within

the period. Booked blocks must be used

over a period beginning on the 7th of a

month and ending on the 6th of the

following month. If a helicopter is out of

service for scheduled or unscheduled

maintenance, out-of-service days will be

added to the end of the booked period and

the discount achieved applied to all the

hours within that period. Contact

Helicentre’s operations team on

tel: 0116 259 0186 for more details

or to book.

Pilot Flight School (PFS), based

at Sandefjord, Norway, has ordered

seven Diamond DA40 NGs to replace its

current single-engine fleet of Cessnas. Last

year PFS introduced a new Diamond DA42

NG twin which has flown 800 hours in

summer and Norway’s challenging winter

conditions. “It has been a fantastic success

both operational and financially,” says Chief

Executive Officer Frode Granlund. “Students

and instructors are very satisfied with the

DA42 NG as an advanced, modern and easy

handling aircraft. And with the amazing

reliability and very low fuel and

maintenance costs it is an all-over winner.

With the new fleet of DA40 NGs we are

looking at a major cut in fuel costs, and also

important is the availability of fuel. Another

advantage that is not less important is the

environmental benefits of less noise and

less emissions. We believe an all-Diamond

fleet [that offers] the perfect combination of

reliability, economy, modern technology, and

environmental benefits will support our goal

of being the most modern flight school in

Europe.” The school has quickly become

one of Europe’s largest and most modern

flight schools, and currently has 120

in-house ATPL(A) students. It hopes to

reach its maximum capacity of 400

students in the coming years. pilot.no

Above: Currently operating this DA42 twin,

Sandifjord-based Pilot Flight School is

replacing its SEP Cessna fleet with DA40 NGs

Right: Pilot Flight School also operates

this Boeing 737 simulator

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Notes


After protracted negotiations with Argyll &

Bute Council, Brendan and Allison Walsh

have taken over operation of Glenforsa

Airfield, which reopened on 1 May. This

730m grass beachside strip is both a vital

operational resource for Isle of Mull and

surrounding islands, and a popular

destination for fly-in visitors (including

the authors of this issue’s ‘Island- and

Highland-hopping’ Flying Adventure,

p.72 — Ed).

Brendan and Allison, who are both pilots,

previously ran The Intrepid Aviation

Company, which maintains the vintage

aircraft collection belonging to Pink Floyd’s

David Gilmour. They left to renovate and

re-open The Glenforsa Hotel and havetransformed the formerly neglected venue

which promises ‘a fantastically stocked bar

serving freshly prepared food all day,

fourteen quiet and comfortable bedrooms

and a restaurant serving the best local

produce and seafood the island has to

offer’, along with magnificent views across

the airfield and beach to the Sound of Mull.

‘The Glenforsa Hotel and airfield now offer

is a unique experience for pilots where

everything from first PPR contact to single

malt nightcap is seamlessly managed by

the same team and designed expressly

with aviators in mind,’ they say.

In the past the annual Glenforsa Fly-In

weekend attracted up to 135 aircraft, and

the Walshes, who organised the North

Weald and Orsett airshows, now hope to

make it an unmissable event for pilots from

the UK and beyond. This year’s weekend

fly-in takes place on 23-25 May and the

First Annual Glenforsa Piper Taildragger

Fly-In is scheduled for 12-13 September. For

more details visit glenforsaairfield.com

Bristol Airport will be allocated a

‘listening out’ squawk from May. Officially

known as Frequency Monitoring Codes, alistening out squawk enables air traffic

controllers to alert a pilot to their close

proximity to the boundaries of controlled

airspace if they seem likely to infringe. ‘The

ever-popular squawk codes have played an

instrumental role in reducing the number

of airspace infringements by general

aviation aircraft at the UK’s largest

airports,’ says the CAA. ‘Any aircraft fitted

with a Mode A/C or Mode S transponder

can use the codes. By entering the relevant

four-digit code into the transponder and

listening to the published radio frequency,

a pilot signifies to air traffic control that

he/she is actively monitoring radio

transmissions on that frequency and that

their aircraft’s position is visible on radar.’

Bristol’s squawk code 5077 becomes

operational on 28 May and the

monitoring frequency is 125.650MHz,

which pilots flying anywhere within

the vicinity of the airport are

recommended to use.

Gama Aviation has applied for planning

permission to build a new 7,000-square-

metre facility at Aberdeen Airport that

will include hangarage and two floors of

office accommodation. If approved it will

be completed next year and will be used to

support Gama’s services for the Scottish

Ambulance Service, its large fleet of

managed aircraft and other business jet

operators in northern Scotland.

Chief Executive Officer Marwan Khalek

said: “Gama Aviation has operated in a

leased facility in Aberdeen for some time

as part of a long-term contract with

National Health Service Scotland and theScottish Ambulance Service. Our plans for

this dedicated facility represent a logical

yet important step in further strengthening

our presence in Scotland to serve

Aberdeen and the east coast. We are

currently undertaking a strategic

expansion of our operations into key

geographical locations around the world,

such as Aberdeen, to ensure that we are

able to support our clients where they

need additional operational and

maintenance support.”

Gama Aviation currently operates four

bases across the UK, with its Farnborough

headquarters supported by operations at

Fairoaks, Oxford and Glasgow. A second

facility at Glasgow is due to be completed

this summer.

Wolverhampton-Halfpenny Green Airport

continues to be a popular destination forfly-in visitors, captured recently by one

such, Pilot contributor Geoff Jones. Initially

named RAF Bobbington, it became RAF

Halfpenny Green in 1943 because of

confusion with RAF Bovingdon in

Hertfordshire. It was home to No3 Air

Observers’ Navigation School’s Blackburn

Bothas (of which least said the better, the

RAF losing 169 of its 473 fleet to crashes,

two from this airfield on successive days),

and later Avro Ansons and Airspeed

Oxfords. It became a civilian airfield in 1961

when Halfpenny Green Flying Club began

operations, and now hosts three fixed-wing

flying schools, microlight and helicopter

training operators, and some seventy

resident aircraft.

AIRFIELDS

Above: new management at Glenforsa

Right: Bristol now has a listening squawk

Below: Gama’s Marwan Khalek

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What used to be an Experimental Aircraft

Association regional fly-in is now one of

the world’s major trade and air shows. The

EAA’s involvement is now minimal and,

unfortunately the elements didn’t take any

notice of the organiser’s show title.

Central Florida, and more importantly

neighbouring States through which visiting

aircraft had to fly, were bathed in atrocious

weather and fly-in attendance was way

down on previous years. Ironically the

seaplane ‘splash-in’ was cancelled because

there was too much water in nearby

Lake Agnes!

Trade displays and vendors were there in

record numbers, although many innovators

have chosen to unveil their products at

AirVenture in July. However, there were

several Florida newcomers to stimulate

attention, including Discovery Aviation,

which is starting to build the former

Liberty XL-2 again after purchasing the

assets of the former company in 2014.

The Just Aircraft Super STOL Stretch

XL with its UL Power 520 engine was

performing remarkable short-takeoff-and-

landing flights and Belgian company

D-Motor was also displaying its innovative,

lightweight engine for the first time. Brit

Colin Hales arrival in his round-the-world

Rand KR-2 was welcome, Colin reporting

that he is to embark on a Caribbean/South

NotesSpecial Report

American flight before resuming the

second half of his west-bound round-the-

world flight in the summer when Alaskan

weather has improved.

While warbird and vintage/classic aircraft

attendance was disappointing (see ‘Old

Timers’, p.56-57), the six-ship Texas Flying

Legends Museum formation , including an

airworthy Japanese Zero and TBM Avenger

(flown by Congressman Sam Graves, who

is fighting for general aviation in The

White House) was one of the highlights of

the airshow.

From 21 to 26 April this year, Lakeland’s Linder Regional Airportbecame the focus for US general aviationWords & Photos Geoff Jones

Sun ’n Fun

Brit Colin Hales arrives in his KR-2 (above) andDiscovery’s new 201 utility aircraft (below), poweredby twin 210hp Continental IO-360 engines

The Bulgarian designed and manufactured Niki Rotor Aviation Lightning, sold in the USA by HelicoptersInternational and fitted with either a Belgian D-Motor LF26 (4 cylinder) or LF39 (6 cylinder) engine of 130hp

Manoeuvring made easy: Tracy Haeggstrom demonstrateshis company’s radio-controlled aircraft tugs

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A Fine Friedrichshafen

Words & Photos Philip Whiteman

Diamond boggles the mindwith talk of a hybrid-engined

tilt-rotor and BJJR’s Bulldogautogyro steals the showwith a (very modern) retrorotorcraft

We have long considered Aero Friedrichshafen to be

the biggest and best show in the business. Some

had expressed concerns that the organisers were

over-reaching themselves when the biennial event

went annual, but people continue to vote with their

feet: 2015 saw ‘a marked increase’ in visitor numbers, 33,900

people flocking in to see products from no fewer than 645

exhibitors, from 38 countries.

‘In under forty years, Aero Friedrichshafen has transformed itself

from a small special show for gliders into the world’s most

important industry trade show for general aviation,’ said Messe

Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellmann and AERO project leader

Roland Bosch in a joint statement at the close of the four-day

show, held near Lake Constance in Germany.

As the show has developed, so has the British presence. BJJR

may have grabbed the headlines with its ‘retro’ looking Bulldog

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autogyro, displayed on an equally retro stand, but there were a

number of other well-known names present, not least avionics

manufacturer Trig, which announced its new TY96 and TY97

panel radios at the show (see ‘Books & Gear’, p.62).

While European light aircraft manufacturer Tecnam was a

notable absentee — like many of the other big companies, it

prefers to keep what you might call its news powder dry for a

biennial appearance — leading US piston single manufacturer

Cirrus was there in force, with a number of aeroplanes on display

and a model of the SF50 Vision jet. Besides the range of natty

new colour schemes — made possible by the adoption of ‘high

temperature’ composites that do not lose strength when painted

in darker tones and exposed to strong sunlight — the most

obvious distinguishing factor of the 2015 ‘digital’ Cirrus SRs is the

glass-screen stand-by display that replaces the familiar

mechanical instruments. Cirrus delivered 308 aircraft in 2014

Main: local product — the latest Zeppelin, the semi-rigid

NT (New Technology) — floats past Messe Freidrichshafen

Top right: indication that the future may be electric,

the ever-growing E-flight Expo, and...

Right: ...perhaps proof that the future is electric, the

350hp unit displayed by motor specialist Siemens

Special Report | Aero 2015

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and, through its own pilot training

initiative, the company has made a

huge improvement to the SR’s

accident rate, which used to be

significantly higher than the US GA

average. National Transportation

Safety Board figures show the SR

rate converging with the average in

2012 and becoming significantly

lower by 2014.

The SR series now features

Cirrus’s ESP (Electronic Stability and

Protection) system, designed to

prevent pilots getting into trouble at

the low-speed end of the flightenvelope and one further technical

refinement of the latest models is

linking the parachute recovery

system with the emergency location transponder (ELT), which is

now activated automatically.

Cirrus says the jet-engined SF50, of which four prototypes are

flying, is on target for certification by the end of this year. The

company says it has 500 orders for the $1.96m aircraft.

At rival European manufacturer Diamond’s press conference,

CEO Christian Dries replied “Next question!” when one journalist

asked him what had happened to Diamond’s own D-Jet. This was

of course a typically tongue-in-cheek response from the ebulient

Dries, who also volunteered that for once he would probably not

be test flying the next prototype to emerge from the innovative

Austrian company, a diesel-electric hybrid engined tiltrotor.

While there was a large ‘e-flight’ expo, Diamond’s view is that

more battery development has to take place before pure electric

aircraft become viable. Work continues on a ‘range-extender’

concept, combining an AE300 diesel engine and generator unit

with an 87kW electric motor. Meanwhile, sister company Austro

continues to develop and expand its range of pure diesel engines,

both at home and in a new, jointly-funded centre in China.

Christian Dries says demand for the turboprop DA50 JP7 (jet

prop, seven seats) has been surprisingly high. Fingers are crossed

all round that the situation in Ukraine does not affect supply or

development of the power unit, developed jointly between that

country and Russia. A turboprop recce aircraft/trainer using the

same engine and — aha! — the D-Jet’s wing, the DART-450 is

promised for next year’s Farnborough airshow.

In contrast to all this rather esoteric stuff, Flight Design

focussed on the first flight of its C172 rival, the four-seat C4.

Above: Cirrus stand — several SR-series

aeroplanes, just a model of the Vision jet

Above right: for reasons explained in the text,

Flight Design blacked out the C4’s windows

Right: something of a lifestyle statement,

the British-made Bulldog autogyro

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The headline here is that this is going to be a certified aircraft,

priced at €220,000 (approximately £150,000, at the time of

writing). Sensibly, the company, previously known for its ultralights

and Light Sport Aircraft, has stuck to its choice of a conventional

power plant in the form of Continental’s 180hp IO-360-AF (where,

as we’ve reported in Pilot, AF stands for ‘alternative fuel’).On display at Friedrichshafen, the

prototype had made its first flight only a

week or so before Aero, on 9 April.

Comically, a number of visitors had

assumed on seeing the aeroplane’s

blacked-out windows that this was yet

another mock-up: Flight Design’s Christian

Wenger told us that they had done this to

prevent people taking pictures of the C of

G test loading cage and Tweeting or posting online idiot

suggestions that the company had gone over to a steel-tube

structure. In fact, the C4 continues the company tradition of

all-composite structures and boasts a structural ‘safety cell’ that is

designed to protect the cabin occupants in the event of a crash.

Early indications from the 55-minute first flight are that the

prototype shows good stability and handling characteristics

straight out of the box. In an echo of ‘Mutt’ Summers request after

performing the maiden flight of the Spitfire, test pilot Damian

Hischier asked Flight Design’s engineering team to leave

everything as it was, declaring the C4 has “the potential to

become a very good aircraft”.

The company says Part 23 certification will be completed by the

time AERO 2016 comes roundOn the avionics front, we were impressed

by the way Jeppesen’s now very impressive

Mobile Flight Deck VFR both works as a

GPS navigation app and has been

configured to give warnings through

Bluetooth-compatible headsets — the user

can elect to be alerted about proximity to

controlled or restricted airspace either by

an electronic ‘ping’ or a voice saying

“airspace”. The initial development work was done jointly with

Sennheiser, but there should be functionality with other

manufacturer’s units.

Out in the twelve display halls, a fantastic array of machinery

was on display. Some of it we have seen before, but it is all quite

fantastic, from sailplanes and electric ultralights to bizjets — the

HondaJet attracting much attention, even if it was only present in

mock-up form (does anybody else think the thing looks l ike a

The C4 has “the potential to becomea very good aircraft,”says Flight Design

Abov e:Diamond CEO Christian Dries about to be handed the

DA62’s Type Certificate by EASA Exec Director Patrick Ky

Above right: brave new project for Diamond, a tiltrotor that

will use (Austro) diesel - (Siemens) electric hybrid power

Below: homely ‘backwoods setting’ for the Quest Kodiak, newto both Aero and the European market

Special Report | Aero 2015

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manga cartoon version of a dolphin?) One British effort that

stood out by virtue of its sheer style was the BJJR Bulldog

autogyro. Due to be flown later this year, this Rotec

radial-engined machine looks like a cross between a WACO

biplane and a modern ‘gyroplane’. The tractor engine

installation harks back to Cierva’s Autogiros (that’s how he

spelled it) of the 1920s and 30s — very 39 Steps we thought

(remember the autogyro that featured in the original

Hitchcock movie?). However, the Bulldog’s rotor is mounted

on a cantilever boom that also serves as fin and

incorporates the rudder. As this sets the rotor hub well away

from the engine, the run-up system has been made

hydraulic. First flight is projected for later this year (see: www.

bulldogautogyros.com). The next AERO will take place from

20 - 23 April, 2016 at Messe Friedrichshafen. More information is

available at www.aero-expo.com

Above & top right: examples of the potential of electric propulsion: Pipistrel’s

‘WATTsUP’ (flight tested in the January issue); and — weighing in at just 50kg —

the quarter-megawatt motor from Siemens (350hp from an engine weighing 110lb!)

Clockwise from below: Continenental exhibited engines, 1 modern (the CD100

diesel series, their latest development of the Thielert Centurion),2 ancient (the

O-200D, which is essentially a bigger-capacity version of the 1939 A65, with

added 21st Century bells and whistles) and 3 future — the CD-300 diesel, based on

a common rail direct-injection Mercedes V8, which churns out 300hp for takeoff

2

1

3

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The AutoGyro Cavalon Pro has become theworld’s first modern-era certified autogyro*. At

the AERO Friedrichshafen show in April Tony

Rapson, Head of the CAA’s General Aviation Unit,

presented RotorSport UK Managing Director

Gerry Speich with the aircraft’s Certificate of

Airworthiness for the first-of-type. “We’re very

pleased to issue this type certificate,” he said. “A

little over a year since the launch of the General

Aviation Unit within the CAA, industry is seeing

the benefits through the development of a more

proportionate set of airworthiness and flight

operations rules. We will continue doing all we

can to ensure the UK GA sector is given every

opportunity to succeed.”

“It is testament to the teamwork between

RotorSport, AutoGyro [who manufacture the

aircraft] and the CAA that it has been possible

to establish the Airworthiness Requirements for

a certified gyroplane, and then to demonstrate

compliance for the Cavalon Pro,” replied Gerry.

“Certification recognises a higher degree of

safety, quality and reliability for operators, as

well as reducing insurance risk and enabling

fleet financing. This certification represents

years of development, and demonstrates that

gyroplanes are serious, useful aircraft that can

now take their rightful place in the aviationindustry, flying by day or night VFR, and

probably IFR later this year. With the low fuel

burn and lower noise than other rotary aircraft,

gyroplanes offer a green alternative not

currently available elsewhere.”

A particular focus of the companies is to

promote commercial use of autogyros. With an

MTOW of 560kg, the Cavalon Pro has sufficient

payload to cost-effectively replace a helicopter

in many fields of application. “Camera and

measuring equipment installation options make

numerous professional applications possible and

extend the gyroplane’s scope of use,” says the

company. rotorsport.org

*The accurate descriptive term preferred by thelate Ken Wallis and Pilot magazine alike

Rotorheads

Cavalon Pro gets UK C of A

MD Helicopters has received European

Aviation Safety Agency approval for an

increased maximum gross weight of

3,074kg for the MD 900/902 Explorer.

This provides an additional 123kg of

payload that will allow operators to

expand mission capabilities. ‘Since the

Federal Aviation Administration granted

this capabilities enhancement in 2013, many of our operators

have seen an increase in the mission versatility of this aircraft. It is long

overdue, and I am pleased that our EC customers can now benefit from the

same certification,’ said MD Chief Executive Officer Lynn Tilton. Some fifty per

cent of the global MD 900/902 Explorer fleet operates with HEMS, law

enforcement and military/paramilitary organisations throughout Europe.

AgustaWestland’s North America

government business unit, Bristow

Group, Doss Aviation and RockwellCollins are in discussions to form

a consortium that would develop a

‘turnkey solution’ for US military

and government helicopter pilot

training. The companies would

jointly provide a total support

package based around the

Philadelphia-built AW119Kx that

would include provision of

training helicopters, simulators,

ground instruction, fleet management and maintenance.

“This solution will lift the financial burden of buying, and ease the burden of

supporting, commercial aircraft for government and military customers with

pilot training needs,” said AW North America Chief Executive Officer Robert

LaBelle. “It will allow them to focus their vital resources on core military missions

instead of investing unnecessarily to recapitalise a total end-to-end pilot

training system.”

EASA approves MD ExplorerMTOW increase

AW consortium to bid for USmilitary helicopter training


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A new version of Airbus Helicopters’ twin-engine EC145 has been

approved by the European Aviation Safety

Agency. It combines a standardised interior

and an equipment list tailored specifically

for utility missions, along with a 146kg

increase in payload. The EC145’s weight

has been reduced through removal of such

items as the automatic flight control

system, and replacement of conventional

cockpit instruments by Garmin’s G500H

avionics suite with dual EFIS displays. EASA has

approved the EC145 for single-pilot VFR day/night operation. US

Federal Aviation Administration certification is expected by mid-year.

EC145 utility version EASA approved

AgustaWestland has launched a ‘Flydeas for the City’

competition aimed at developing a new, advanced corporatecabin interior for its AW609 TiltRotor. It follows last year’s

competition which led to selection of the Lanzavecchia+Wai-

designed cabin layout and exterior paint scheme for the AW169.

AgustaWestland is now inviting a range of designers to put

forward concepts for an innovative interior for the world’s first

commercial tiltrotor. ‘This project offers designers a one-of-a-

kind opportunity to develop a completely new interior

configuration for this revolutionary aircraft that will be able to

perform many missions that no existing aircraft can perform,’ it

says. The winner will be announced in October.


Bell wins Canadian Coast Guard contract

Bell Helicopter has won a CAN $155 million contract to supply seven

412EPI helicopters to the Canadian Coast Guard under its Fleet

Renewal Plan. They will support its maritime security and fisheries

activities in Canadian waters and will operate in all areas, including

both coastal regions, inland waters such as the Great Lakes and

St Lawrence Seaway, and Canada’s expansive Arctic areas.

The first 412EPI is expected to be delivered in June 2016, with

one following every three months thereafter. This sale follows a

CCG contract for fifteen Bell 429s, the first of which was delivered

in March.

AW launches TiltRotorinterior design competition

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KEY

+ restored registration* used imported^^^ factory-built microlight** homebuilt

++ re-registered,British owned

^ surplus ex-military^^ from BGA Register

New Regs | Compiled by Alan Brown


Agusta Grand G-STGR has beenre-registered as G-EMHD.

Tecnam spreads its wingsItalian company Tecnam has started deliveries of its

high-wing singles, with which it hopes to take over the

market so long dominated by Cessna. The stylish two-seat

P2008JC is a VLA type with metal wings and stabilator

and a carbon fibre fuselage. G-TSFC has been purchased by

Stapleford Flying Club for its PPL training courses. The

P2010 four-seat version makes its UK debut as G-TTEN.Another high-wing single coming on line is the Belgian

kit-built Lambert Mission M108; G-STUZ is the fourth on

the British register, although only one has yet flown.

Small wondersThe concept of building one’s own hot air balloon, like the

Such 20-60 G-CIRC, involving sewing together 7,000

square feet of nylon fabric with the associated load tapes

and cables may seem daunting but quoted build times are

up to 300 hours. This is less than a third that of a basic

single-seat Sonex kit and we can only guess at the trials

and tribulations which led to one being registered G-HELL

this month. Powered parachutes tend to have

disproportionately long names, G-IPIG being a ‘Powrachute

Elan 550/Pegasus Cosmos Fly Away 01’. (Small plane

syndrome?) It is surely coincidental that an advertisement

in America states that it ‘Can be used in Texas and

Oklahoma to legally hunt pigs and predators with permit‘.

ReminiscencesThe cancellation of Auster G-AIZY has a particular

resonance for your compiler. I saw it at Southend Airport

on the very first day I tried aircraft spotting, a kid with a

pristine Ian Allan’s Civil Aircraft Markings 1962. ‘IZY was

owned by The Mayor, Aldermen & Burgesses of the County

Borough of Southend-on-Sea for the purpose of flying

holidaymakers on joyrides over Southend Pier. Alongsidefellow Autocrat G-AJUE it served this function for

seventeen years, latterly with Channel Airways. It was then

sold privately, but by last year it had become a bare frame

in a field. This was collected, sold for £49.99 on eBay, and

will now be rebuilt for static display.

End of the lineThe withdrawal in 2013 of Hawker Beechcraft from business

jet manufacture brought to a close a range started in 1961

as the de Havilland DH.125 Jet Dragon. Subsequently

produced by Hawker Siddeley, British Aerospace and

Raytheon, the design was steadily refined and one of the

later marks was the Hawker 750, a shorter-range version of

the best-selling 800. Only two appeared on the British

register and the one remaining, G-NLPA, has been re-

registered as G-TWYI.

New in-sequence registrations

G-BMTO + Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk S Adamov, Slovenia

G-BRLV + Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard 4 B A Van Waeyenberghe,

Belgium

G-CCVE + Raj Hamsa X’Air Jabiru(3) G J Slater, Marlborough

C-CILN, P AgustaWestland AW139 Bristow Helicopters, Dyce

G-CIOE * Boeing 737-46J Aerotron, Crawley

G-CIOH * Airbus A330-322 SASOF II (A) Aviation Ireland, Ireland

G-CIOI * Aerospatiale AS332L Super Puma Vector Aerospace

International, Gosport

G-CIPM ^^^ P&M QuikR M R Niznik, North Berwick

G-CIPS ** Aeropro EuroFOX 912(1) P Stretton, Ashford

G-CIRC ** Such 60-20 D G Such, Royston

G-CISL Cameron C-70 S Lundin, Sweden

New out-of-sequence registrations

G-CLON HPH Glasflugel 304 S Shark P D Ruskin, Royston

G-CMDG ^^^ P&M QuikR M D Greaves, Currie

G-DCHG ^^ PZL SZD-30 Pirat K W Robinson, Helston

G-DFOV ^^ Carmam JP 15-36AR Aiglon M Howley, Halifax

G-DHMM ++ Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II Cristal Air, Hailsham

G-DIDO * Agusta A109E Power Castle Air, Liskeard

G-EMHD ++ Agusta A109S Grand NT Burton Aviation, Loughborough

G-EXLC * Extra EA 300/L Cirrus Aircraft UK, Sywell

G-EZEN + Airbus A319-111 easyJet Airline, Luton

G-EZIF + Airbus A319-111 easyJet Airline, Luton

G-EZOF - H Airbus A320-214 easyJet Airline, Luton

G-FBKE, G * Cessna 510 Citation Mustang Blink, Blackbushe

G-FDZA, D + Boeing 737-8K5 Thomson Airways, Luton

G-GATH * Airbus A320-232 British Airways, Heathrow

G-GCWS * Cessna 177 Cardinal Pilot Flying Group, Cambridge

G-GORA * CEA Robin DR400/160 Chevalier Robin Flying Club, Exeter

G-HELL ** Sonex T J Shaw, GrimsbyG-IPIG * Powrachute Elan 550 R Frankham,

/Pegasus Cosmos Fly Away 01 Wellingborough

G-IVRE * Reims/Cessna F172M Skyhawk Cooperatief Air

Waterland, Netherlands

G-JZHB, C* Boeing 737-8K5 Jet2.com, Leeds

G-KINT * Scheibe SF25C Falke G-KINT Syndicate, Wymondham

G-LTFC + Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee N M G Pearson, Bristol

G-MYWF + CFM Shadow Series CD J Wibberley, Northampton

G-MZLU + Pegasus Cyclone AX2000 E Pashley, Reading

G-OLEC ^^^ Alisport Silent 2 Electro Lleweni Parc, Chester

G-OTRT ++ Robinson R44 Raven II Seasail (UK), London

G-POWM * Airbus A320-232 Titan Airways, Stansted

G-PRPL * Bombardier DHC-8-402 Dash Eight Flybe, Exeter

G-RORY + Focke-Wulf Piaggio FW P149D M Edwards, Knutsford

G-ROTI + Luscombe 8A Silvaire R Ludgate, Tonbridge

G-SARP * Cessna R182 Skylane RG Aerobatica, Portugal

G-SAWG Scheibe SF25C Falke RAF Gliding & Soaring Association,

Halton

G-STDO ** Bristell NG5 Speed Wing S M Wade, EppingG-STUZ ** Lambert Mission M108 S A Blanchard, Cottingham

G-TCDJ, K Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines, Manchester

G-TCDV ++ Airbus A321-211 Thomas Cook Airlines, Manchester

G-TSFC Tecnam P2008-JC Stapleford Flying Club, Stapleford

G-TTEN Tecnam P2010 R C Mincik, Chichester

G-TWIY ++ Hawker 750 Saxonair Charter, Norwich

G-UISE ** Van’s RV-8 J A Green, Milton Keynes

G-UPRT ++ Slingsby T67M260 Firefly CTC Aviation Group, Southampton

G-VBAL, M Cameron A-400 Virgin Balloon Flights, Telford

G-VINI + Sikorsky S-92A Bond Offshore Helicopters, Dyce

G-WNSR * Sikorsky S-92A CFC Scotia, Dyce

Cancellations reason

G-AIZY Auster 5J1 Autocrat cancelled by CAA

G-ASOX Cessna 210-5A (205A) sold to Hungary

G-AXCM Morane Saulnier MS.880B Rallye Club withdrawn from use

G-BEJV Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II re-registered as G-DHMM

G-BGAG Reims/Cessna F172N Skyhawk sold to Mali

G-BHSS Pitts S-1S Special withdrawn from use

G-BNSV Cessna 152 sold to Hungary

REGISTRATION TYPE OPERATOR

New Regs

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REGISTRATION TYPE OPERATOR

G-BRFL Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk cancelled by CAA

G-BUPI Cameron V-77 withdrawn from use

G-BVMU Aerostar Yak-52 sold to Norway

G-BWXI Slingsby T67M260 Firefly sold to USA

G-BWXU Slingsby T67M260 Firefly re-registered as G-UPRT

G-BYMG Cameron A-210 cancelled by CAA

G-BYYU OGMA DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 sold to Poland

G-CFDV Sikorsky S-76C sold to USA

G-CJUS Grob G102 Astir CS destroyed

G-COWN P&M Quik GTR cancelled by CAA

G-DPEP Aero AT-3 R100 sold to Kazakhstan

G-EHUP Aerospatiale SA341G Gazelle 1 sold to Serbia

G-EOLX Cessna 172N Skyhawk sold to Romania

G-MMHE Mainair Gemini Sprint cancelled by CAA

G-MNTE Southdown Raven X withdrawn from use

G-MOSS Beech D55 Baron cancelled by CAA

G-MWYZ Solar Wings Pegasus XL-Q withdrawn from use

G-MWZD Solar Wings Pegasus Quasar IITC cancelled by CAAG-MZGS CFM Shadow Series DD sold to France

G-NLPA Hawker 750 re-registered as G-TWIY

G-OZBP Airbus A321-231 sold to Greece

G-ROWN Beech 200 Super King Air sold to USA

G-SEGA Cameron Sonic-90 SS sold to USA

G-STGR Agusta A109S Grand re-registered as G-EMHD

G-TAGE Canadair CL600-2B16 Challenger 604 sold to India

G-VIKS Maule MT-7-235 Super Rocket sod to Kyrgyzstan

G-VSSH Airbus A340-642 sold to Iraq

G-YKYK Aerostar Yak-52 sold to Lithuania

Sonic-the-Hedgehog special shape balloon G-SEGAhas been sold to the USA.

See page 70

for Mega Deal details

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job was not finished when Mike, impatient

as ever to move things along, flew over

with his mate Ron in a Rallye Club. They

were supposed to be scouting the lie of the

land but Bruce had an inkling they might

try to land, even though the ‘runway’ was

still a couple of hundred yards of rough

moorland. Sure enough, they made an

approach, but Ron had forgotten that Mike

weighed almost twenty stone and the

Rallye stopped flying at fifteen feet. So the

first-ever landing at Bodmin was a crash.Ron and Mike fetched some jacks, fixed the

undercarriage and flew it off again.

Mike based an Aztec at Bodmin, but

when Trago bought a Golden Eagle it had

to operate from bigger airfields. Mike sold

Bodmin to Cornwall Flying Club in 1976 but

kept a hangar, in which the Trago Mills

SAH-1 aircraft was built. This was the

aircraft Mike hoped would take over from

the Bulldog as the armed forces trainer,

but the military wouldn’t touch it. The

rights have since passed through several

hands and are currently owned by John

Edgley, who plans to offer a kit.

As we stressed to the nice lady from the

BBC at the opening, Cornwall Flying Club is

a serious business. Cornish people are flying

747s for major airlines because they started

their careers at Bodmin. The chief pilot for

Thomson first flew here, and a former Red

Arrow has his introductory flight at Bodmin

with the Air Cadets. We might look like a

bunch of mates having fun, but we make

skilful and safe pilots to the satisfaction of

the Civil Aviation

Authority, bless it.

Anyway, Brucedrew aside a curtain

to reveal a plaque

and a picture of his

dad, and we all

clapped and drank

the Cava and said it

was a shame about

the weather. Denis talked about the big

plans they have for the future — the Board

is working on a site plan, to make the best

of what is a fabulous asset for Bodmin, for

Cornwall and for general aviation. And as

we walked away, we looked back and saw

the beautiful glass and concrete monolith

that now stands as an affirmation that

general aviation in Bodmin is here to stay.

Come and visit this summer.

the exercise of judgement — the mindset is

similar. When he was President of the

Association of Surgeons, Denis promoted

aviation disciplines in medicine: on his

watch they introduced checklists for

operations and established a Chirp-like

system called CORESS, the Confidential

Reporting System for Surgery, which uses

the same software as Chirp. Chirp’s Chief

Executive Peter Tait sits on the CORESS

Board, too. Denis built the log store from

which the wood-burning stove in theclubhouse is fed, and he’s made a stonking

job of it.

Denis introduced our

celebrity ribbon-cutter,

Bruce Robertson — son

of Mike Robertson, the

maverick to whom we

owe the flying club’s

existence. Mike wanted

to fly in the RAF, but

they put him in the

motor transport pool. He did his PPL when

he got out and began to buy ever-better

planes as the discount merchandise house

he founded, Trago Mills, prospered. Mike

was instrumental in breaking down the

trading laws that used to make Sundays so

stultifying. He would open on the sabbath

and the traffic jams would stretch back to

Liskeard. Then on the Monday he’d be in

court paying his £3,000 fine, and he’d

make it back in the first hour of trading the

following Sunday. Planning permission was

always a remote concept to Mike. Needing

an airfield, he bought

a farm, cut through

some hedges, laid outrunways and invited

the local authority to

give him planning

permission. There

was a kerfuffle,

including a public

inquiry. Bruce

recalled an objector standing up to say

there was no need for such a facility

because there was a flying club at

Torpoint. Huh? Who knew? Brief research

established that it was a pigeon flying club.

Laughter in court. Permission granted.

Bruce was a boy when Mike bought the

farm. That winter, the boy was given a

bucket and spent day after freezing day

walking the runways collecting stones. The

The Great Day finally dawned;

after two years of relentless hard

work by everybody at Cornwall

Flying Club, the spiffing new

control tower at Bodmin

aerodrome was ready for its official

opening. BBC South West was coming to

film the event, Michelle had arranged for

little sandwiches with the crusts cut off,

glasses of Cava with a strawberry in the

bottom, bits of cake, the works. Sandy had

a tie on — who knew Sandy owned a tie? —and Terry took the BBC cameraman flying

despite a proper

Cornish gale which

stopped almost all

other aviation on

the day. And now

the cameraman

wants to learn to

fly… Go Nigel!

No question, the

old Tower was in a

shocking state. A Portakabin stacked on a

Portakabin, it had been battered by many

winters and they had to put sheets over

the equipment when it rained. When we

were licensed the CAA didn’t like it —

Bodmin is hilly, and you couldn’t see all the

thresholds. The story was told of a

microlight that flipped over on landing, and

nobody knew until the pilot walked into the

clubhouse with the stick in his hand. I

could never trace the chap that happened

to, but it’s too good a story not to pass on.

So it was decided that, after the fashion

of Amish barn-builders, the membership

would be invited to pitch in and build a new

Tower — bigger, better, more waterproof.And what a range of skills we found...

electricians, IT experts, builders and

plasterers, painters, digger drivers,

handymen — even our CFI Matt used to be

a builder. So, on a stop-start basis, the

Tower began to rise out of Bodmin moor

and the radio was operated from the

clubhouse café while the Portakabin was

dismantled and junked.

Our Chairman Denis Wilkins is a retired

vascular surgeon whose primary practical

skill, transplanting hearts, doesn’t amount

to a hill of beans when you’re trying to

build a control tower. Denis will tell you

there are a lot of parallels between pilots

and surgeons — the complex knowledge

base, the requirement for professionalism,

A team effort at Bodmin

The membershipwould be invitedto pitch in andbuild a new Tower

The airfield is afabulous asset forBodmin, Cornwalland GA

Regulars | Pat Malone

PAT MALONEPat has worked as a journalist on three

continents and is a fixed-wing pilot and formerhelicopter instructor with 1,500 hours TT

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I couldn’t let the opportunity

go regarding the regular item

in the April edition by Steve

Slater regarding what is

considered ‘vintage’. Steve has

been bubbling away on this

subject ever since he found

out that the Vintage Aircraft

Club definitions were 25 years

old to qualify as a Classic and

forty to be Vintage, just

before he became chairman.

As he comes from the car

world, Steve’s ideas are

somewhat prejudiced to

ideas of Edwardian, Vintage,

Veteran, etc, all locked to particular years.

I tried to get this debate going in the pages of the Vintage

Aircraft Club magazine way back in 2012.

To me, the most important thing to remember is that history

does not stop but keeps rolling past. Any definition of historicmachinery must take this into account. If a set of dates are

locked then the appellation only applies to the generation that

set the dates and ignores future generations. If Steve wanted to

lock the dates then such fine new technologies as electrically

powered practical aircraft would never be historic.

A good debate!

John L Broad

ex Chairman, Vintage Aircraft Club

A vintage debate

I write to say how much I enjoyed the

news of Redhill in the February ‘Airfield

Profile’. I lived through the Thirties as

it began, and my brother often flew

from there and he may even have

been a club member. He later became

a test pilot for Hawker’s and I

remember him demonstrating the

civil Hurricane at the Air Display in

Summer 1939. Details of that display

remain very vivid.

Later, probably in 1942, I recall often cycling from school to

watch the flying. What stands out most in my mind was when

Beaufighters were stationed there (I do not know the squadron).

My invitations to visit the club were limited, but I do recall the

club bar was kept busy.

Brian Seth-Smith

I’m 78, born in 1937, and still flying. If Paddy Elliot is still flying at

ninety, that’s great. But born in 1935?

George Newbrook

I’m not sure how or when the 2 in Paddy’s date of birth became a

3, but 1925 was what it should have read! — Ed

How old is that ‘oldest pilot’?I’m confused. I was born in 1930, five years before Alfred Ernest

‘Paddy’ Elliot ( May ‘Notes’ ). So either I am ninety or Paddy is

eighty. Hope he gets someone to check his weight and balance

calculations.

John Benentt, Crawley, West Sussex

Memories of Redhill

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From our virtual postbox...Twitter chatter

Follow us on @Pilot_mag

Pilots N Paws is an online

volunteer organisation in the US

where GA pilots can connect

with rescue volunteers to

transport animals in need of

homes to safe havens.

Pilots N Paws From Maren

Gibson: “PNP is an Amazing

Group! Arctic Rescue Thanks

You for Another Life Saving

Freedom Flight!” Zeus snoozing

as he flies high above the

mountain tops on the way home

to his forever family in Utah.

Love his face markings!

Michael Miklos

With Tracey Curtis-Taylor, Bird in

a Biplane

This lady flew from Cape Town

to Goodwood UK in Spirit of

Artemis open-cockpit biplane

See the interview with Tracey atwww.pilotweb.aero

Thomas Hornsby shared

JetStream Radio’s photo

Tim identifies a difference of opinion in his double tweet:

Tim Robinson@RAeSTimR

1/2 Hmm. Press release of a study commissed by travel agency

says 52% of Britons believe airliners won’t have pilots by 2025.

2/2 But in same study - only 3% of Britons would feel safe flying

in an ‘unmanned’ airliner...

Wot flick trickThank you to the editorial team for making such a good job of

my Wot v Nipper piece in the May issue. Since it appeared, I

have discovered the trick to getting a good Avalanche in my

Currie Super Wot.

Normally, with relatively low-power and high-drag aerobatic

machines like the Wot, you centre the stick after initiating a

flick roll in order to speed up the roll rate. It’s only with

high-power and low-drag aeroplanes like the Extra that you

push the stick forward of neutral.

For some reason, when I tried that with the Currie Super

Wot it works beautifully. I now push the stick well forwards of

neutral and get a nice tight flick at the top of the loop that

means I no longer end the flick too nose-down. Opposite

rudder stops the flick roll within a quarter-rotation.

Nick Bloom, Hemel Hempstead


Dean asked The Peoples Mosquito to retweet his project:

Dean McBride@McBrideDean77

@PeoplesMosquito any possibilty you can retweet this to your

members pls; https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/Project/

View/924 … Local attempt at a phoenix from the ashes

Get in touch with us

via social media and

your could see your

post here next month

Searching for a classic…

ComptonAbbasAirfield@abbasair Tiger Moth G-ADXT - anyone know the history? Or where we

can find it? Thank you!

/Pilotmagazine

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I flew to Welshpool yesterday and was parked next

to another Robin Regent. You might find the

photo on the right ironic? A coincidence?

Ed Green (G-BUYS Flying Group)

Ironic registration comboseen at Welshpool


I have read with interest the proposed changes to the GAR reporting system and have had to battle with it several times last year;

particularly difficult and annoying when abroad and returning to UK.

I fully support the need to monitor and track the movement of GA aircraft and their passengers/crew in and out of the UK, but it could

be made much simpler and cost-effective if you simply linked notification to flight plans.

It would also be beneficial if the need to close flight plans and raise overdue action were transferred back to APEX or HMRC, as this

would to some extent close the information loop and give you actual time and place of arrival. At present overdue action is the

responsibility of the destination airfield, or is pre-arranged with a person at the home airfield or airstrip, and there is no need to close a

flight plan, though I always do.

Any GAR notification must be simple or, better, part of the flight plan, especially when abroad when often mobile networks may be

blocked or no WIFI available or the batteries flat in your tablet or PC. There should be the option, as in flight plans, to phone the

information through or, as has happened to me in past when weather precluded landing at the last intended airfield on mainland Europe,

filing a flight plan airborne and making a dash direct to UK. In the latter case, had a GAR been required, as now, the notification period

would not have been possible. So, as we made the flight back home to an inland airfield away from the unexpected crosswinds, we could

have faced a £1,000 fine for putting safety first.

Of course, a determined criminal is not going to file a flight plan or GAR. And if they did not communicate en route, it is unlikely you

would know unless there were some as yet un-defined means of tracking and identifying aircraft that have or have not filed a flight plan.

To close the loop you would need to track on radar all movements and cross check their destination to flight plans, but as much of the

UK is now not covered by primary radar, nor is the Channel now that Manston is closed, that will not work. Likewise, many aircraft do not

have or cannot have transponders fitted, and only Mode S identifies the aircraft — but a criminal can easily turn it off! Basically, you are

imposing excessive rules and regulations on law-abiding citizens that any criminal can easily work round without you ever knowing. A

£1,000 fine is not going to deter any criminal, especially where the chance of identification is low.That said, we in the aviation community do self-police and if we know of pilots regularly failing to notify HMRC of file flight plans then

it is likely questions would be asked or authorities notified.

Sadly, the whole system is not joined up and I am sure many GA pilots would be happy to work through options and scenarios to

create an effective notification and flight plan system that would be simple to use and hard for criminals to circumvent, if you just ask.

None of us want to have terrorists, illegal immigrants, smugglers, or worse, enter the UK by GA.

Finally, I have just heard from our local airfield ATCO that there is to be a new charging structure for receiving flight plans at airfields,

something which in the past was free. Our airfield simply will not pay the charges when it is of no benefit to themselves. So how are they

to know if a flight was cross-border and therefore notify you if it seems suspicious, as actually happened at our airfield recently.

This has simply not been thought through or joined up.

Eur Ing David Beale BSc CEng MIEE

Chairman Innomech Group

Changes to the GAR system: an open letter to HMRC

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gallons, only 9.6 are flowing into each

turbocharged Austro diesel per hour.

Multiply that by two, and then by 3.78

(the conversion factor for USG to litres)

and you get 72.6 litres per hour. Jet A-1 is

currently around 60p/litre, which means

that we could fly seven people almost

200nm for around £44 in fuel!

At 12,000 feet I lower the

DA62’s long nose, leaving the

power levers at the ‘max

continuous’ setting of 95%

and re-trim. As the speed

slowly increases, Editor Philip leans

forward to take a photo of the numbers

glowing on the screen. The indicated

airspeed is 162 knots, which the G1000

automatically corrects for pressure and

temperature to show as a 194kt TAS (true

airspeed) at the bottom of the speed tape.

Now, 194kt is pretty respectable−it

eventually peaks at 196−but to be honest

I am more impressed by the fuel flow.

Somewhat surprisingly displayed in US


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Flight Test | Diamond DA62

apply to aircraft of two tonnes and over,

and the seven-seater’s is 2,300kg -

although overall dimensions, engine

power etc will be common to both types.

Even at a glance you can see that the

standard of finish is extremely high, while

the elegant, flowing lines are extremely

attractive. Indeed, the airframe is almost a

Standing out on the ramp at Diamond’s

base at Wiener Neustadt in Austria, the

DA62 looks exactly what it is – a 21st

Century aircraft. Company test pilot Niko

Daroussis introduces me to the aircraft,

and although it looks a lot like a DA42

TwinStar NG, it’s actually quite different,

the biggest distinction being that the 62

can be certified with seven seats

(personally, I would’ve called this version

the 72). In fact, the DA62 will be offered as

either a five- or seven-seater, with the

seats in two-three, or two-three-two

arrangement. The five-seater has a

1,999kg maximum all-up weight designed

to avoid the Eurocontrol charges that


In enlarging the DA42 to make a five/seven-seater, Diamond hasproduced a super-efficient machine packed with fine

detail design — and one that really performs too

Words Dave Unwin Photos Philip Whiteman

UncommonBrilliance

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1: Dave lines up for takeoff, primary flight display showing virtual horizon and runway and right-hand multi-function

display the GPS moving map and terrain. Glass stand-by instruments are just visble between PFD and MFD screens

2: Centre console is home to, from left: rudder trim and indicator; parking brake, demist and heater control levers;

twin power levers and (hooray!) a proper mechanical elevator trimmer and indicator

3: Like any self-respecting 2015 supercar, the DA62 has spiffy metal starter buttons — but in this case there

are two and they are functional, rather than show-offy items

4: Protected by the central armrest, left and right fuel control levers, L and R auxiliary pump switches and

headset jack sockets

5: Left-seated PIC’s stick grip incorporates electric trim switches, PTT and autopilot disconnect buttons

airflow separation at the tip while the VGshelp to retain the ailerons’ effectiveness atslow speed. The winglets are alsoadvantageous in an asymmetric situationas they damp yaw and roll whileincreasing directional stability.

work of art, although this is more a happycoincidence than a design aim, as I verymuch doubt that Diamond’s engineerswould have placed form above function.And, as I was soon to learn, this is aseven-seat flying machine that currentlyhas no rival for sheer efficiency.

Starting at the long and shapely nose, itis immediately apparent that althoughmany aspects of this aircraft are the same,in some respects the 62 is quite different

from earlier models. For example eachpilot now has his own door. The relativelyhigh aspect-ratio wings use a laminar-flowaerofoil (a modified Wortman FX63-137/20section) are superbly made, and featureswept-back, up-turned winglets as well asvortex generators in front of the ailerons.The winglets and vortex generatorscombine to give the aircraft excellent slowspeed handling characteristics, thewinglets producing a vortex that delays


5

4

1

2

3

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1: Starboard-side nose baggage locker houses deicing

fluid tank (the port one is longer and will take golf clubs)

2: Access to the middle row of seats is via a single

gull-wing door on the port side. You get to the

rearmost seats/rear baggage compartment by folding

forward the seatback (red handle)

3: Door releases feature an inbuilt security latch and

are beautifully made and finished

4: fantastic attention to detail in what is essentially aproduction prototype (the DA62 had only received

certification days before we tested it)

5: solid metal overhead air vents — luxurious, after the

typical plastic jobs you find in commercial airliners

Flight Test | Diamond DA62


53 4

2

De-icing is by the TKS ‘weeping wing’system. This uses an anti-freeze solutionwhich seeps from titanium panelsmounted on the leading edges of thewings, fin and tailplane, while a ‘slinger’ring inside the spinner coats the propellers.This is an optional extra, but it’s a mustreally−and I doubt that many DA62s willbe sold without it, as to file IFR regularlyyou have to have either an anti-icing or ade-icing system. The tank for the TKSfluid is housed in the starboard nosebaggage bay, and can carry up to37.5 litres.

Interestingly, the wings are fitted withtwo different types of electrically-actuatedflap. Inboard of the engines, the flaps areof the simple split variety, while outboardthey are of the more sophisticated

single-slotted type.Power is provided by a pair of Austro

Engine AE330s. These180hp two-litre

liquid-cooled four-cylinder turbochargedDiesels feature common-rail injection andturn three-blade constant speed, fully-feathering MT wood composite propellers.The engine nacelles are extremely elegant.In fact, given there is a turbocharged dieselinside each one, along with its starter,alternator, radiator, oil cooler, intercoolerand heat exchanger, they’re a designmasterpiece. Furthermore, as the AE330’sengine block is canted over by about thirtydegrees, each nacelle is asymmetric, withan obvious bulge on one side. They couldeasily be ‘fugly’−but aren’t. The aftcowling (which is metal-covered to avoidcooking the composite skin) blends inbeautifully, while the hot, high-speed airexiting from the exhaust even adds acouple of kilograms of thrust, possibly

enough to offset the drag caused by theradiators. The engines are fed from a pairof wing tanks with a combined capacity of189 litres, while a 137 litre auxiliary tankis an option.

The rugged-looking trailing-link mainundercarriage retracts inward and thenosewheel forwards. For a 2,300kg machine

the relatively high-pressure tyres are notoverly big, but then the DA62 has not beendesigned to operate ‘off-piste’ anyway. Themain undercarriage doors do not completelycover the wheels when the undercarriage isretracted for two reasons. First, the smallincrease in drag is offset by the reduction inweight and second, as the undercarriage’slimiting Vle (maximum extended extensionspeed) is the same as the aircraft’s Vne itallows the pilot to use the undercarriage as arudimentary airbrake.

Overall, I think the 62, with its largeventral strake, dorsal fillet and turned downtailplane tips looks great. The restrainedsilver-grey colour scheme really suits it,although despite its obvious good looks thisis clearly a machine in which form followsfunction, and that drag reduction has

obviously been one of the design team’sprincipal concerns−even the taxi andlanding lights in the belly are flush-mounted. It’s just a happy coincidencethat it also looks so good.

Access to the cabin is excellent. Eachpilot has their own door complimented bysensibly-sized non-slip wingroots

1

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Near Fairoaks Aireld (0.4 miles) in Chobham, SurreyAn impressive Victorian country house, situated at one of the highest points in Chobham with extensive

views over surrounding areas. The property has been beautifully maintained and is ideal for family

living and entertaining. 9 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 4 large reception rooms, snooker room, staff annexe,

swimming pool, tennis court, lake, manicured gardens, mature woodlands, paddock and stables, space

for helicopter landings. There are numerous golf courses and schools of all levels nearby. Trains to

London Waterloo take 23 minutes from nearby Woking. About 7.5 acres.

KnightFrank.co.uk/country+44 20 7861 1378 [email protected]

@KnightFrank

KnightFrank .co.uk

or telephone: 020 7834 5631

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8/8/2019 Pilot June 2015

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then start thesecond engine.Every reasonable engineindication is clearly shown on the MFD,and by the time the post-start checks werecomplete and the fuel cross-feed checked,and the oil and coolant temperatures hadrisen from the yellow ‘caution’ range(50°C for the oil, sixty for the coolant) weare ready to roll.

The hydraulic toe brakes are powerfuland progressive although as MAUW isgreater than the DA42’s the nosewheelsteering is heavier. Really tight turns can bemade by deft application of differential

braking anddifferential thrust. Atthe run-up point I setthe parking brake,increase power and

press the engine testbuttons. Each EECU then runs through anextensive self-test procedure, which evenincludes cycling the props. This is muchbetter than fumbling with throttle, prop andmixture levers, mag switches, boost pumpsand carb heat! The AE330s have two ECUs,A and B, and part of the pre-takeoff checksrequires using a small ‘voter’ switch toselect each one off in turn to check thatboth are functioning correctly. Should onefail in flight control automatically switchesto the other. However, ECU B does notmerely function as an emergency back-up;the two ECUs are identical and each iscapable of full engine control.

For the first flight we flew in formationwith a DA42 carrying photographer Philip,

G1000’s dual multi-function display (MFD)screens. The back-up instrumentation isno longer mechanical, but an electronicstandby AI that includes airspeed andaltitude. The flap and undercarriagecontrols are exactly how they should be:the aerofoil-shaped flap switch is on theright side of the panel, is guarded and hasthree positions: ‘Up’, ‘Take Off’ and‘Landing’, while the undercarriage selectormounted on the left of the panel iswheel-shaped and has co-located positionindicator lights. Lights next to the flapswitch indicate when the flaps havereached the selected position and thelimiting speeds are printed next to thelights. All the circuitbreakers are on theright side of the panel,easy to see and reach.

Control sticks are

unusual for aseven-seat twin, but I like them. P1’scarries rocker switches for electric pitchtrim, along with PTT and autopilotdisconnect buttons. The power levers(strictly speaking they’re not throttles, asthey control both the engines and thepropellers) are located in a centre console,which drops down from the base of thepanel and extends aft between the seats.The left power lever incorporates ago-around button. The console also carriesthe rudder trim knob, levers for theparking brake, cabin temperature controland canopy de-mist, and a large elevatortrim wheel with positi

pilot june 2015

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