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aerokurier 5/1997
Mogas – scandal and chance There is no more leaded automotive fuel available and the General Aviation in Germany, for now, has lost its only alternate fuel. The use of leaded premium had been legalized since 1983 for some of those aircraft which were originally certified only to use avgas. Since the official mogas regulation was based on the use of leaded premium but only unleaded automotive fuels are available today, pilots of motor aircraft have lost every legal basis to put automotive fuel in their tanks. It is a scandal that it was missed to renew the autogas regulation. General Aviation is now left alone in this important area of flight operations. Still, the current situation offers a good chance to replace the 14 year old regulation, which is technically outdated anyway, by a new regulation. Other countries, such as the USA, have been pointing the way ahead for years already when it comes down to the use of automotive fuel in piston aircraft. These countries allow the use of autogas only with a valid supplemental type certificate for both, the engine and the airframe. The decrease of the specific avgas consumption per flight hour in the light aircraft category, from 52,3 liters/hour in 1992 down to 39,7 liters/hour in 1996, is a distinct indication that pilots are increasingly putting autogas in their aircraft tanks – no matter if there is an official regulation or not. This should be reason enough for the authorities to direct the use of automotive fuel into legal tracks. PILOT REPORT Mooney Bravo TLS: Thermal problem under control Mooney saw itself forced into a position of having to make its model TLS thermally stronger. The first aircraft of this type, which were powered by a TIO-540-AF1A engine, suffered from premature fatigue of the exhaust valve guides. Excessive temperatures were supposedly responsible for this problem. Meanwhile, Mooney and Lycoming have found a solution which is now installed in all new TLS aircraft, called the TLS Bravo. All exhaust valve guides are circulated by cool oil. Engines with this feature are now designated the TIO-540-AF1B. There is a modification kit available for the AF1A engine series. All TLS owners can get their aircraft modified for no costs until January 23, 1998. Such a kit is available for 5500 US dollar in case that the warranty of the engine is expired. BUSINESS AVIATION Galaxy throttles up New companies in business aviation which try to compete against the old-established aircraft manufacturers are rare. The Princeton, New Jersey, based Galaxy Aerospace Corporation is one of them. However, the young company is lining up with a comprehensive technological know-how, a good financial basis, as well as, some experience in jet marketing. The company’s president and CEO is Brian E. Barents, the former CEO of Learjet. Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and the Pritzker family, which is holding a share of Galaxy through the Hyatt Corporation, are Galaxy’s two main shareholders. It is the task of the Galaxy Aerospace Corporation to market IAI’s business jets, the Astra SPX and the Galaxy, and to equip these aircraft in a completion center that is still to be built. 43 cities have applied to host the new site, five of which remained after the first selection: Dallas, Fort Worth, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tulsa. The final selection is scheduled for May, after which the company headquarters will be moved to the new location and the set-up of the new completion center will begin. It will be Brian Barents main task to regain the lost territory with the potential customers for the eight to 19-seat twin-jet. The Galaxy has fallen far behind its original schedule, mainly due to the fact that the planned cooperation between IAI and the Russian aircraft manufacturer Yakovlev concerning the production of the Galaxy fuselages could not be reached. Barents is challenging this task with an aggressive time schedule: The first Galaxy (powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306A, 6040 lbs take-off thrust) is supposed to have taken off for its first flight by the end of 1997. FAA certification is scheduled to be given before the end of next year. No more leaded autogas – what now? Leaded premium is not available to the aviation community in Germany any more. Most motor gliders, ultralights, and very light aircraft can use unleaded fuel, if required the engine and airframe manufacturer are offering modification kits. However, the use of unleaded fuel in those motor aircraft which, so far, were legal to use automotive fuel only on the basis of a regulation from 1983. Two problems must be solved: First, the certification of these aircraft for unleaded automotive fuel. Other countries, such as the USA, Switzerland and Australia, could be taken as examples. These countries have legalized the use of automotive fuel, if not already certified by the aircraft manufacturer, only on the basis of supplemental type certificates. The second problem to be solved concerns the supply with automotive fuel. The aviation departments of the major oil companies refuse to deliver automotive fuel to their airport agencies due to liability reasons. However, this does not concern the numerous independent filling stations at the small airfields. Some of these airport gas station operators have already started to fill their tanks with Super Plus. Super Plus is an unleaded premium that has the same anti-knock index as leaded premium, making it the ideal successor of the leaded automotive fuel. German Aero Club takes over facility in Schönhagen The German Aero Club (DAeC) has taken over part of a facility of the former Group of Soviet Forces at the airport Schönhagen, south of Berlin. A move of the DAeC offices from Heusenstamm to Schönhagen looks probable if the financing of the renovation can be secured. A contract was signed already, giving the DAeC the right to utilize an entire building tract of the former central training facility of the Soviet Forces at the Schönhagen airport. Along with a utilization concept, the DAeC must now work out a financing plan. At least DM1,2 million are needed to turn the building into a presentable facility. This money is a good investment, should it be raised. There would be a significant image gain for the DAeC headquarters by moving the DAeC offices to an airport for the first time. Furthermore, the Club’s lobbying efforts would be much more effective by moving close to the new government location in Berlin. Control zone for the Baden airport The Spanish airline Spanair will start charter services from the Karlsruhe/Baden airport to Mallorca in mid May. This will also be the effective day for the implementation of a control zone (airspace D/CTR) around the airport. The control zone will have an upper limit of 2500 feet above ground. The lower limit of the surrounding class E airspace will be 1000 feet above ground. The new ILS (category I) will be available for both runway directions (21 and 03). The Baden airport (EDSB) also offers an NDB/DME. GPS overlay approaches are possible in landing direction 03. Various aviation related companies have already moved into the confines of the airport, including Becker Flugfunkwerke (avionics) and the Heli Air de Kever which is using the airport as base for its helicopter training. The International Used-Aircraft Fair IGM (June 5 to 8, 1997) will be the first major aviation event at the new civil airport which had been used as an airbase (Söllingen) by the Canadian forces in Germany. The gentle drive to achieve the optimum cruise performance The correct power adjustment in cruise flight protect the engine and reduce emissions to the environment. Full power or the maximum allowed propeller rpm are seldom the optimum figures. Automatic variable pitch propellers allow the selection of any manifold pressure/propeller rpm combination (within the limits of the pilot’s operating handbook). Also, one specific power setting can often be achieved through different manifold pressure/prop rpm combinations. However, neither the combination "low manifold pressure/high rpm" nor the combination "high manifold pressure/low rpm" are ideal. Most of the time, the optimum power setting can be found somewhere in the middle. It is always worth to take a close look into the cruise performance chart of the respective pilot’s operating handbook. Landing without fees Our action for more and safer flying continues. This month, when purchasing the aerokurier, you will again get coupons for four free landings. The airfields Kamenz near Dresden, Neuhausen (Cottbus) and Mosbach-Lohrbach invite you for a visit. A touch of Oshkosh The construction of ultralight aircraft was the focus of a workshop which took place on March 22 and 23 in Berkheim. With 70 participants the seminar was booked out, reminding one of similar events at the Oshkosh Air Show. Prof. Dr. Peter Maderitsch and Calin Gologan introduced the participants to the basic design and construction of ultralight aircraft. The course content was presented with the support of a new computer program which had been especially designed for amateurs by Gologan. The software is a great help for designing a light aircraft. Still, the workshop revealed the necessity for improvements in some areas of the program. Although well prepared, the workshop suffered from the high number of course participants, making it difficult to follow the flow of the course. A limitation of the number of participants would probably have made the event more efficient. Still, the event deserves praise since it was the first event of this kind that offered an interesting scale for all of those who are occupied with the construction of an aircraft. Maderitsch/Gologan are planning further workshops in the future to intensify this topic. The disk with the construction program can be ordered from Calin Gologan under http://home.t-online.de/home/calin.gologan/pretty.htm. Premiere for Pretty Flight As a highlight of the workshop in Tannheim, Calin Gologan presented the Pretty Flight, his own construction. The prototype which was built in Romania had arrived only two days earlier and had gotten a preliminary certification. The high-wing aircraft impressed with extraordinary slow-flight characteristics in a short flying display. According to the present stage of the flight tests, Pretty Flight stays flyable down to 61,5 km/h at a weight of 450 kg. The aircraft reportedly reaches a cruise speed of 200 km/h at 75 percent engine power. D-5 Evolution takes shape The development of the D-5 Evolution is running in high gear at Straßdorf based W.D. Leichtflugzeugbau. The core model for the new high-wing aircraft has just been completed. Wolfgang Dallach wants to continue the good performance of the Fascination in the new aircraft. Wings and empenage are derived from the Fascination which is still assessed to be the fastest aircraft of its class. Dallach plans to deliver the first kits of the Evolution in the beginning of 1998. Also, the ultralight will be available in a flyable condition around the middle of next year. The price will supposedly be well above DM100000. UL motor glider is looking for a sponsor Focus is the name of an ultralight motor glider. It’s a project conducted by Thomas Droxner, an engineer from Munich. The twinboom and engine installation with push propeller behind the cockpit reminds one on the early Stratos 300/500 of the Lüneburg based Stratos Flugzeugbau. With an estimated glide number of 42, the Focus is promising excellent gliding capabilities. The wing is designed according to JAR 22. Still, the Rotax 912 powered aircraft is supposedly to weigh only 250 kg. The Focus is completed on the paper. Thomas Droxner is now looking for a sponsor to build the prototype. Streifender: "Albatros" – the idea fireworks In nature, the Albatros is one of the best gliders, being able to stay airborne for days without a single move of his wings. The new standard class aircraft from Hansjörg Streifender is flying under the same name. The aircraft is full of new ideas and is consequently designed for excellent performance, good flying characteristics, and safety. As compared to the simpler aircraft in the same category, the Streifender Albatros is a firework of ideas and will probably raise a storm in the standard class. A new fuselage wing fillet with cambered inner wing is one of the features of the new glider, significantly reducing the drag. This design, which was tested in the wind tunnel of the Technical University Delft, allows for a wingspan reduction of 2 m. Other constructions often fly with turbulent air flow in this wingspan area. Since the construction is complex, the Albatros receives a mid-wing of approximately 2 m wingspan. Other highlights of the Albatros include a modern horizontal stabilizer which can be electrically trimmed for slow and high-speed flight, as well as, a speed-controlled upper and lower wing surface blowing. The wing profile (TU Delft, Prof. Loek M. M. Boermans) with a 95 percent laminar flow of the underneath side stands for excellent glide performance. The aileron blowing, in this section controlled by the movements of this control surface, is designated for the underneath side of the wings. The Albatros fuselage is equipped with a rescue system as a standard. Hansjörg Streifender is cautious about the performance data. However, just the estimates are promising a significant performance leap: 25 percent less flow-around surface than the competitors, 10 percent less profile drag as the ASW 24, and the aerodynamically optimized fuselage wing fillet. On the test bench: The real performance of the modern standard class "Fly the winner" is a promising marketing slogan. However, it is not that easy to evaluate an aircraft. At least not if one is trying to do it seriously. Due to this fact, the Idaflieg in close cooperation with the DLR is putting a lot of effort to objectively evaluate the performance of gliders. The aerokurier will publish in May and June the performance evaluations for the aircraft of the modern standard class. In the aerokurier May issue we will present the ASW 24, with and without winglets, the DG-300 (DG-303) and Discus a and b (with and without winglets) with speed and glide number curves, along with the characteristics descriptions. In June the LS7, LS8 and SZD-55 will follow. Registering the flying characteristics more exactly The performance of a glider can be relatively easily understood when looking at the numbers (glide numbers and speeds). However, describing the flying characteristics is much more difficult. What are flying characteristics and how can they best be described? The Idaflieg is routinely doing these examinations in close cooperation with the DLR at their annual summer meetings. Idaflieg’s numerous evaluations of many aircraft types have lead to a comprehensive statistic in which personal factors of the pilots (flying experience, body size and weight) were also incorporated. The development of the glider aircraft in aspects of good natured flying characteristics and flight safety has already profited from these evaluations. In order to be able to benefit from these characteristics protocols, we will describe in detail in aerokurier 5/1997 how these protocols are drawn up. A detailed description of a characteristics protocol is also a good guideline of how to examine the characteristics of gliders on your own. aerokurier cross country prize:
Flying and winning Even the German national gliding team is seeking advice from Alps flying expert Klaus Ohlmann who lives in Serres, in Southern France. In intensive training courses he offers Alps flying courses for beginners and long-range cross country flying courses for the more experienced pilots which may well include a 1000-kilometer flight. Such an intensive course can be won by participating in the aerokurier cross country prize in connection with the German cross country flying championships 1997. Would you like to participate? A two-week intensive course with Qua Vadis International under the instruction of Klaus Ohlmann is waiting for the winner. What has to be done for that? Just participate in the German cross country flying championships 1997 (DMSt) and report this to the aerokurier (editorial office, Ubierstrasse 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany). Each entry (postcard, fax, ...) will take part in the raffle, the length of the championship flight or the number of points achieved do not matter. This gives each of the DMSt participants the chance to win the two-week gliding vacation in Southern France with each flight. You see, it is worth it to document each cross country flight, even if when it doesn’t score championship points. The detailed invitation to enter the aerokurier cross country prize was published in aerokurier issue 3/1997. The starting shot for the German cross country flying championships has already been on March 15 of this year. The complete invitation for the championships is available on this website and may be downloaded at your convenience. |
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Last updated May 8, 1997
