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aerokurier 3/1998
Save taxes now The VAT in Germany will go up by one percent on 1 April. If you plan to buy an aircraft in 1998, you can save a lot of money if you buy it before that date. Today in Germany, a liter of aviation gasoline costs between 2,35 and 2,45 Marks. Fuels, not only avgas, are hit by the VAT increase twice since the VAT must be paid for both, the product price and the mineral oil tax. The recent years show a significant decrease in flight hours of general aviation pilots. This is one of the effects that the introduction of the mineral oil tax has had on general aviation. Another increase of the mineral oil tax would amplify that effect even more, such affecting flight safety too. The only hope in this situation are new propulsion concepts such as the aviation diesel engine. While the tax is the same as for avgas, such engines would use considerably less gas than today’s engines. The joint-venture of Socata and Renault seems to lead the developments in this new market. Lancair IV-P High-performance single-engine aircraft such as the Mooney TLS Bravo, the Malibu Mirage or the Commander 114TC have difficulties in catching up to the speed of the Lancair IV-P. The four-seat kit aircraft, which is normally powered by a 350-hp Continental TSIO-550E/B with twin-turbocharger, is faster than all of them. Approximately 90 kits of the composite low-wing have already accomplished their first flight, half of the fleet is equipped with a pressurized cabin. We could fly the only Lancair IV-P in Europe. The aircraft is based in Basel, Switzerland. Its builder has invested some 7000 work hours and lots of dollars into the hot-rod of the air. The aerokurier flight confirmed what the kit’s manufacturer and the American insurance companies demand from the pilots: A solid experience on high-performance single-engine aircraft is mandatory. And even then, one should approach flying this aircraft with lots of respect. Citation Excel just prior certification: Lightjet Comfort Class The two-year flight test phase is almost completed, the production has started. Now, Cessna is waiting for the go-ahead from the FAA. Cessna chairman Russ Meyer is confident: "I think we will sell more than one thousand Excels", he said at the roll-out of the first production Excel on November 21, 1997, in Wichita. Cessna already has contracts for one fifth of this number in its books. No other business jet has generated so many orders in this early program stage. The two Excel prototypes have spent almost exactly 2000 hours in the air since the first flight on February 29, 1996. As compared to the computed data, which was first published in September of 1995, the Citation Excel has become better in the past two years. The aircraft has an outstanding climb performance. At maximum take-off weight, it climbs in only 25 minutes to 43000 ft. The passengers can enjoy a cabin comfort which is unsurpassed in the light business jet class. Developing the Excel, the engineers have taken the Citation X cabin and have shortened it to 7 meters. With 1,73 meters between floor and ceiling panels, the Excel cabin offers standing height to its passengers. As of now, the aircraft will probably receive final certification in the second quarter of 1998. With this date, Cessna is missing the first announced date by at least six months. Still, the manufacturer plans to hold on to the first delivery times. Fuel carnets Fuel carnets are not a luxury item but, have become a popular method for the payment of aviation fuel bills. In Germany, carnets are offered by Air BP, Shell and Esso. They are valid in the worldwide network of the respective company. Within Germany, the three companies accept the carnets of the other two suppliers. The carnets are not limited to aircraft owners and operators. Private pilots without their own aircraft can also apply for a fuel carnet. Ecuador – where adventures happen every day South America is a continent of extremes. Rain forest, high mountains and pampas have one thing in common: The aircraft is the only means of transport which can reach those regions. Hans-E. Görtz has accompanied a pilot of a Pilatus PC-6 on his adventurous flights. Tips for trips: A flight to Saanen in Switzerland The pilot article for a new aerokurier series. First destination: Saanen in Switzerland. A step by step approach of how to get there and of which points have to be considered. Even pilots without Alpine flying experience should have no problems. Saanen is located in a beautiful landscape. In the summer, a stop-over in Saanen is the ideal basis for a trekking tour. In the cold season, the slopes are ideal for skiing. Gstaad is located only a few minutes away, either by bike or by Taxi. Whomever wants to go further can reach Lake Geneva in only a few minutes. Slow flying The spring is coming up and often, the flying skills have somewhat suffered over the winter months. Time for some serious training flights. Brushing up on slow flight and stalls might be the right beginning. Whomever masters both, has a better chance not to show up in the accident statistics. The important point for flying slow: always keep the ball in the turn-and-slip indicator centered. Changes in altitude should be made with power only. Is the speed wrong, it should be corrected with the elevator. Also keep in mind that the stall speed increases with bank angle. At 60 degrees of bank, up by 40 percent. The so called cross-control stall and the accelerated stall should not be left out when doing the stall exercises. The first typically occurs when uncoordinatedly turning into final approach. The latter proves that aircraft can be stalled at any speed, for example in turns and in strong pull-ups. VFR flight planning By using user waypoints, valuable flight time can already be saved during flight planning. Also, the highly frequented racing tracks over the radio beacons can be avoided. An example flight shows how it works. Accident analysis In the southwest of the Hochschwab in the Steiermark, a motor glider crashed into the rocks during a strong wind condition. Indications are strong that the mountain flying experienced German pilot turned in the slope. He was killed during the crash. With the ultralight over the Rio Branco It is one of the regions in Northern Brazil that is not known very much: The area around the Rio Branco. That’s where our author Klaus Kolling came to because of his job. Surprisingly, he found many ultralight aircraft in the area which has experienced a major gold rush in the eighties up to the beginning of the nineties. Klaus Kolling visited many abandoned gold digger airfields with an ultralight. Dallach goes offensive The crash of a Fascination in the USA has led to many speculations about the construction. We tell you what Dallach himself and other experts in the USA have found out about the accident cause. Ultralights in the government quarter Not a few members of the German parliament were surprised: At the beginning of February, a CT and an Ikarus C-42 were standing in the middle of the German government quarter in Bonn. The aircraft highlighted an event which Bonn had not seen so far, the parliamentary evening "ultralight aircraft". aerokurier hosted this event with high-ranking guests from politics and from the branch, as well as, associations. The achieved goals were to make the ultralight branch known on the political stage in Bonn, and also make a first important step towards an effective lobbying. Among others, the German government’s aerospace coordinator, Dr. Norbert Lammert, has brought news for the participating industry representatives. Final glide calculators: Where is the new trend? If one plans to update his glider with a calculator, he has a big choice. Just in Germany, there are eight suppliers with 15 sets/product lines on the market. What is the right choice for you? The article points out the requirements and user concepts. Barron Hilton Cup 96/97 - Region Europe The winners of the Barron Hilton Cup 1996/97 of the European region are revealed. The highly popular tickets to the Flying-M-Ranch have been given out. Again, the decision in some of the classes were close. Also, this time luck was part of the competition. Some of the top-ranking pilots, who just missed the first rank, are still invited to the Winners Camp in Nevada, USA. Lucky them. (Result table) The big chance: records in Germany/Europe Since October 1, 1997, there are new record categories which now differentiate between the glider categories. The new lists still have many blank spots – they could be filled in Germany/Europe if the weather is good. Do you think you will be able to accomplish a return flight over 500 or 1000 kilometers with a 15-meter-glider – with whatever average speed? Then you could (still) set a new German gliding record! The article shows the white spots in the lists. Ultralight glider from a kit With only 70 kilogram, the ultralight glider Tempest is a true lightweight. Supposedly, this American-Australian ultralight glider is as easy to build from a kit. The designer of the Tempest, Bill Moyes from Australia, is a known designer of paragliders. Not surprisingly, the Tempest’s materials are very similar to the ones used to build paragliders. Possibly, this bond is building a bridge that guides hang glider pilots to gliding. Also, with a glide number of 24, according to Moyes, the Tempest is doubling the performance scale of the hang gliders. So far, the ultralight is available only as a complete aircraft, priced at 12500 Dollars (Moyes Microlights Pty. Ltd., 173 Bronte Road, Waverly 2024, NSW, Australia). Bob Bailey plans to offer the kits, which are under preparation, for an introduction price of 10000 Dollars (Quest Air Soaring Center, 6548 Groveland Airport Road, Groveland, Florida 34736, USA). Further gliding news, for example concerning the European championships of the women and the German championships of the juniors, can be found under airSPORT and NEWS Gliding. Editorial: Aviation careers start at the airfield Hal Shevers is a famous man. However, only few know him under his real name. Hal’s nick name "Sporty" is known to most pilots. His pilot supply business "Sporty’s Pilot Shop" is probably the world’s largest business of such a kind. Hal Shevers lives for flying and mainly from flying. He is a big promoter for General Aviation. Only a few weeks ago, he, together with the American AOPA, donated 1600 advertisement signs "Learn to fly here" to flight schools. Hal Shevers reasoned his action, saying: "If the marketing budgets of the flying schools are that small, that interested people can’t find their way to the flight school, AOPA and I must buy the signs." Aerobatic training: Don’t fear the loop Is your fascination of flying becoming routine? Then maybe an aerobatic flying training will change your point of view. Unexpectedly, our author Ursula Sollfrank has accomplished her aerobatic rating in only three days. Only in this flight training special: Interview with Walter Extra Saving with fun: Flying in the club "What does that cost?" This question is one of the most often asked questions when interested people are looking into the possibility of flying themselves. Whomever wants to pilot an aircraft in his leisure time, does not necessarily have to be rich. The local flying clubs often offer an affordable alternative in training and charter. Still, there are several points that have to be considered. 40 years of Gröger aviation correspondence school With his correspondence school, Ernst Gröger (72) has turned many pedestrians into pilots. So have Gloria and Günther Kotzor who took over the school from Gröger in July of 1993. Ernst Gröger has mastered the task of preparing the pilot applicants in their home study rooms. The Gröger aviation correspondence school is now celebrating its 40th anniversary. Comprehensive flight school survey The survey of the German, Austrian, Swiss and selected US flight schools is meant for beginners and for pilots who are looking for additional training. |
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Last updated February 23, 1998
