           |
|
aerokurier 12/1997
Is the German Aero Club fit for the next century? On 6 December, the members of the DAeC (German Aero Club) will come together for their annual general meeting at the Arabella hotel in Frankfurt. Two motions were already the topic of discussion as the conference is approaching. The first motion concerns the planned move of the DAeC headquarters from Frankfurt to the airfield Schönhagen in the southwest of Berlin. The motion aims at a temporary member fee to finance the renovation of the prospected new building and the move itself. As it looks right now, this motion will probably be rejected. Another motion, that will most probably not pass the meeting, is a change to the statutes concerning the DAeC’s structure. At the glider pilot’s meeting, the delegates who will represent the DAeC’s gliding division at the meeting, the planned change had already been rejected. Piper Saratoga II TC: Some like it hot The Saratoga PA-32 with turbo-charged Lycoming six-cylinder engine is back. The first aircraft for Germany will reportedly arrive at the Piper representative in Kassel-Calden in December. The new PA-32R-301T’s engine is generating 300 hp already at 2500 rpm. The power is available up to an altitude of FL120. An automatic wastegate facilitates engine management considerably. Full power can be set up to an altitude of FL140 without overboosting the engine. Furthermore, there are no cowl-flaps that have to be operated by the pilot. The six-seat single-engine aircraft is certified for altitudes up to FL200. The aircraft cruises with 177 kts at 10000 ft or 186 kts in FL150. At cruise speed, the Saratoga II TC has a maximum range of 1477 kilometers (FL100), still having a 45-minute fuel reserve in the tanks. The large two-piece freight door on the left side of the fuselage makes the aircraft suitable as a small freighter. The aircraft is listed for a base price of just under 400000 Dollars. Avionics news from the NBAA: Tomorrow’s cockpit is here today The development departments of the avionics manufacturers have discovered the pilots. As "intelligent system in the cockpit", they are to be better integrated into the loop than today. The man-machine interface is currently the focus of the research and development, significantly changing the lay-out of business aircraft cockpits. Technologies, such as the glass cockpit, GPWS, and TCAS, which, only a few years ago, were reserved for airliners, have become the standard equipment of the newest generation of business jets. The displays of the first glass-cockpit generation consisted of CRTs. Their disadvantages included large mounting depth, high weight, and bad readability in sunlight. The users of the next avionics generation don’t have to fight these disadvantages. Due to their high resolution and repetition rate, the new generation displays are generating sharper images. Further display options include: combination with weather-radar information, planned route, as well as, TCAS and EGPWS information. The NBAA in Dallas in October gave a good overview of the various projects. Honeywell had brought a Citation V with three Primus Epic displays to Love Field. The aerokurier had the opportunity to take a closer look at the system during a flight to Greenville. A touchpad was installed in the center console for data entries. All user interfaces, such as mouse, joystick, trackball and touchscreen that are common for personal computers, will be evaluated for their suitability to fit into the cockpit concept. Even voice data entry is being reviewed. Living aviation history: Early Birds Lelystad in the Netherlands is the home of the Early Birds, a foundation which is entirely dedicated to maintaining and rebuilding historical aircraft. In 25 years, the group, which currently consists of 30 enthusiasts, has restored or rebuilt 15 aircraft, ranging from the Blériot XI, Fokker DR-I tri-plane to the Bücker Jungmann and Luscombe of the forties. Most aircraft of the Early Birds are flown regularly. The group is still looking for members who participate in the time-consuming maintenance and restoration of the historical aircraft. Greenpeace goes airborne with a Catalina The conservation group Greepeace has put a spectacular aircraft into their service: a PBY-5A Catalina. Faster than ever, Greepeace will now be able to identify environmental polluters. It is planned to employ the amphibious aircraft in missions against the pollution of the seas by oil rigs in the North Sea and to document the already widely banned drift net fishing. Aviation history: Last Short S.45A Solent saved from scrapping Only due to a private initiative was it possible to save the last Short S.45A Solvent from scrapping. Now, the flying boat can be seen at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, New Zealand. Until 1960, the aircraft was flying the legendary coral route for Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (T.E.A.L.), a predecessor of today’s Air New Zealand. The route extended from New Zealand to Tahiti, including travel times of up to 50 hours. IFR training with your PC: Fit for flying with the Jeppesen FS-200 There are already several PC simulators available that offer photo-realistic screens. With the two control console options for the FS-200, Jeppesen also brings the right feeling to your home simulator. The top-end equipment with the advanced control console features a power quadrant that gives a real Bonanza feeling. There are mechanical switches and buttons for gear, flaps, trim, autopilot, and frequency selection. The only difference to the real thing is, that the switches are not co-located with the indicators. The FS-200 shows some weaknesses in its "cooperation" with some sound-cards, as well as, in the European data package, which contains no single DMEs. Due to this, there are no regular IFR approaches possible at several European airports. These shortcomings are supposed to be eliminated with the Windows version that is scheduled to be on the market in December of this year. aerokurier reader election: The winners The decision has been made. In the June and July issues of aerokurier, we wanted to know from you which aircraft in its category and which GPS handy should become "aircraft of the year" and "GPS of the year". Prizes worth a total of 20000 Marks were waiting for you. Not only the manufacturers of the top selection were pleased. 20 readers, who had participated in the election, have reason to be happy also. The first prize, a trip to Oshkosh for two persons, was won by Ralf Svoboda from Kürnbach. He will visit the world’s largest airshow with his wife in 1998. Light aircraft: The Extra 400 is the aircraft of the year in the category motor aircraft. It won in a field of 25 aircraft with 21,6 percent of the votes. The Cirrus SR20, which came in second, will be the first light aircraft to be standard equipped with a rescue system, allowing to bring aircraft and passengers down with a parachute in an emergency. Very light aircraft: With 48,1 percent of the votes, the DA20 Katana from Diamond Aircraft won this category. Not a surprise since the Canada built two-seater is the best-selling VLA. Ultralight: Wolfgang Dallach’s Fascination came in first in the ultralight category (28,8 percent of the votes). The Fascination won against another 21 competitors. The Delta Dart II came in second. followed by the FK 12 Comet from B&F. Motor gliders: The Super Dimona from Diamond Aircraft in Austria was the clear winner of the motor glider category. Aircraft from Diamond won two categories this year. Gliders: In none of the other categories were the results as close as in the glider department. 12,7 percent of the votes were enough to catapult the Duo Discus from Schempp-Hirth to first place, followed by the ASW 27 and the ASH 25 M. GPS handies: The readers had the choice between eleven units from six manufacturers. Three handies from one single manufacturer made the first three places. With 31,1 percent of the votes, the Garmin GPSMAP 195 won this category. Elected and won ANR headsets The manufacturers are convinced that the best way to reduce the noise inside cockpits is by electronic means. We tested and flew ten headsets with active noise reduction. Even in the cockpits of modern business jets the noise level can reach 80 dB(A); in propeller aircraft, the noise easily reaches 90 to 97 dB(A). Without headsets, on-board communication is only possible by yelling. Radio communication can only be understood by turning up the volume of the loudspeaker to the maximum level. Noise induces stress, is fatiguing and harmful to the health in the long-term. That’s why headsets have become a standard equipment for pilots. Conventional headsets just block the noise by placing a thick layer (the earphones) between noise and ear. This principle works good for frequencies above 500 Hz. However, the noise also consists of low and medium frequencies with high sound pressures. That’s where the active noise reduction headsets come in. We tested the following headsets: Bose Aviation Headset Series II, David Clark H10-13XL and H20-10XL, Lightspeed 20K ANR, Pilot Avionics Freedom Series PA 17-76, Sennheiser HMEC 25-KA Noise Gard, HMEC 45-KA Noise Gard and HMEC 200, as well as, the Telex ANR-1D and Telex Airman ANR 200. Weather: The local wind systems In the second part of his meteorological approach to wind systems, Manfred Kreipl focuses on local wind systems, such as Mistral, Bora and Scirocco. He especially talks about Föhn which has a considerable effect on aviation in southern Germany and close to the Alps. New regulations for US licenses Many German pilots are holding a US license. FAR61, the regulation governing the licensing of pilots and flight instructors, was considerably revised. The new regulations are applicable since the beginning of August of this year. Here are two of the most significant changes: The former IFR rule 6-6-6 does not apply any more. In order to keep an IFR rating valid, one must now have logged six IFR approaches within the past six months. The former requirement to have six hours IFR time does not apply any more. Now, it is enough to prove that an unspecified time was spent intercepting and following courses, as well as, flying holding patterns. New regulations apply to aircraft such as the Mooney TLS, Commander 114TC or other high-performance single-engine aircraft. To fly these planes as PIC, one needs two log-book entries: a so called high performance endorsement (due to the aircraft having more than 200 hp), and a complex aircraft endorsement (because the aircraft have a constant-speed prop and a retractable landing gear). Another change applies to FAR67: Class III medicals from pilots with an age less than 40 years are now valid for 36 months. The other validation times for the medicals have not changed. Accident analysis: Piper disintegrates midair due to trim failure A twin-engine Piper Seneca crashed because the aircraft disintegrated after an abrupt pitch-up, killing three people on board the aircraft. The Seneca was on a training flight from Stuttgart to Maastricht. Passing the Nattenheim VOR, the aircraft was supposed to sink from FL100 to FL60. Based on the accident report by the German transport safety board (FUS), the manual electric trim switch had a defect, resulting in the autopilot not disengaging when the student pilot at the controls activated the trim switch. Possibly, the pilot tried to lose altitude by pushing on the control column, with the effect that the still armed autopilot was countering the manual force, trying to keep the airplane level. After the autopilot was disengaged the entirely out of trim Seneca supposedly pitched up. The fuselage deformed and the empenage was torn off. The aircraft flight manual specifically warns of a possible out of trim situation when applying a manual force to the control column with the autopilot engage. Disengaging the AP in this condition may result in a force up to 250 Newton. Pilot Report: Flight Design CT: Total cruising The CT was developed with ambitious goals. In our test flight, the composite high-wing proved to be a fast and comfortable aircraft. Still, we found some points that put a shadow on the impressive performance. New plastic low-wing aircraft: Star prototype short of first flight The Czechian manufacturer TL Ultralight wants to score points in the ultralight upper class with its new TL 96 Star. Following a six month delay, the aircraft is reportedly due for its first flight any time now. In November, the prototype was in the final assembly at the TL Ultralight plant in Hradec Kralove, located east of Prague. Successful broad-spectrum evaluation: Glider-tow flights with the Rotax-Falke Scheibe Flugzeugbau in Dachau has done its homework, the glider tow flight evaluation with the SF-25C Rotax has been successfully completed. Still, before getting the German aviation authority’s certification, the JAR 22 Annex J (airworthiness requirements for tow-flights with motor gliders) must be published. The Rotax-Falke has already passed a broad-spectrum evaluation, proving its capabilities during numerous tow flights at several airfields. The Alps Gliding School Unterwössen participated in a research study concerning tow flights with motor gliders and can now look at the highest number of tow-flights with motor gliders: Approximately 800 motor glider tow flights were accomplished in Unterwössen in 1997. The performance overview also shows the limitations: The Rotax-Falke does not suit every case. The aircraft can’t replace a powerful tow aircraft. Still, it is a useful supplement for the gliding community; for some pure gliding fields it may even be the only chance to get gliders airborne with a tow aircraft. HB-23 Scanliner as tow aircraft The Flying Group Dettingen did not want to wait for the German certification of motor gliders for tow flights. The group got hold of an Austrian HB-23 and started to use it immediately. The experiences of the FG Dettingen could motivate especially these clubs to consider motor glider tow flights which have no tow aircraft and for which the use of a standard tow aircraft is out of question due to financial or infrastructural reasons. World gliding aerobatic championships The German aerobatic glider pilots finished the world championships in Turkey quite successful. After a consistently good performance, German champion Henry Bohlig (Schemmerhofen) reached an outstanding 6th place, such being the second best non-professional in this competition. In the nation’s scoring, the German team ended up with a slightly ungrateful 4th place. With a total of 15339 points, the team missed the third place (France) by only 44 counts. The competition itself suffered from the missing experience of the Turkish organizer. Only three scoring flights could be counted for the 52 participants from 14 nations during seven scorable days. On the average, only 35 tow-flights were accomplished per day. Meteorology/Internet: The weather in the world wide web The Internet is promising a variety of information. Whomever is interested in weather information will find several suppliers that offer their service through the world wide web. We tell you which institutes, research establishments, and private enterprises are present in the web and how they can be reached. A surf guide gives additional tips for optimum browser adjustments. Festival around gliding: Glider pilot’s day in Frankfurt The word has spread: The glider pilot’s day marks a highlight at the end of the season. This year it was held in Frankfurt. Many came and witnessed a brimming festival. The meeting of the German Aero Club’s (DAeC) gliding division was part of the event. This year, it focused on the future European licensing and the integration of the motor glider rating. The gliding division wants to achieve that the medical intervals for glider and motor glider pilots will remain the same as today. A new structure for the DAeC was rejected since it would supposedly take away too many rights from the sport division. Some of the highlights of the event included the presentation of the eta project, an Open Class aircraft with a wing-span of over 30 meters, an overview of the possibilities of current and future weather forecasts, Klaus Ohlmann’s outlook to large wave route flights in the Alps, along with Bruno Gantenbrinks suggestions for a significant change of the competition regulations with a goal to reduce the attractiveness of flying in bulks. aerokurier route prize The winner of the aerokurier route prize 1997, who will be able to participate in a 14-day intensive mountain flying course in southern France in 1998, has meanwhile been drawn in the editorial office of aerokurier. It’s Daniel Hirt from Langenwetzendorf in Thüringen. Daniel Hirt (23) is an engaged newcomer and junior. He only started gliding in 1994. Following the first cross-country flights in 1996, he has been very active in route flying this year, reporting eight flights for the German route flying championships. Daniel Hirt won the aerokurier route prize with a 200-kilometer flight with a Standard Jantar from his gliding club. Club and Double-Seater Class: East-/North German block championships with six flights 23 pilots in the Club Class and eight crews in the Double-Seater Class participated in the East-/North German block championships (19 July to 2 August) in Schwarzheide (Cottbus). It was possible to score on six days, the pilots accumulating a total of 47193 route kilometers. Dag Pauschardt won the Club Class, while Ralf Paulsen came in first in the Double-Seater Class. Saxonian race: junior comparison in Roitzschjora Beautiful weather and good thermal conditions highlighted the junior comparison in Roitzschjora (northwest Saxony) in August. 13 juniors were competing in the Club Class. Michael Schneider won after the six days, followed by Norbert Kalisch and Sven Thomsen. Further gliding news, for example concerning the European championships of the women and the German championships of the juniors, can be found under airSPORT. |
NEWS | SPOTS | airSPORT | FACTS | MAGAZINE | SPECIAL | aeroACTION | LINKS | SHOP | PROFILE | HOME
Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved.
Last updated November 26, 1997
