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aerokurier 11/2001
AETi0111.jpg (26673 Byte)Editiorial Will Tempelhof survive? / Feature The reality of giving an aerobatic air display / Pilot Report Diamond Aircraft DA20-C1 Eclipse / Magazine Repercussions of the terrorist attacks on General Aviation, Ortner diesel engine, GAT 24: complete service for private pilots, General Aviation at the Moscow Airshow, In the cockpit with: Heiner Schulte / Flying Fiber Classics Airshow 2001 in Odenwald / Practice VFR basic knowledge 7: take-off, Fuel Management, Accident analysis: were the pilots suffering from fatigue?  / Ultralight Ultralight autogyro now available, Jabiru engines: power packs from Australia, Mark Flugzeugbau institutes insolvency proceedings, First aerotows with Remos G-3 Mirage / Gliding Vittorio Pajno V 1/2: well-behaved kit, Idaflieg summer meeting 2001, 50 years of gliding research, Junior World Championships 2001 in Issoudun, Survey of rescue systems / Special Business Aviation Windrose Air: operating out of the heart of Berlin, Leasing in accordance with GAAP, Fractional ownership in Europe, RVSM: deadline 24 January 2002


EDITORIAL

Will Tempelhof survive?

Despite protestations to the contrary from those involved, it is not entirely a matter of plain sailing as far as the plans to develop Schönefeld airport into the new Berlin-Brandenburg International (BBI) airport are concerned. To recap, the idea is that all the traffic from Tegel and Tempelhof airports will be absorbed by the redeveloped Schönefeld airport when it opens in 2007.
    But the reality suggests otherwise. Despite this, parts of the Berlin Senate, led by the senator for urban development, Peter Strieder, are keen to implement a consensual resolution passed in 1996, under which the city airport of Tempelhof would have to be closed in 2002.
    Senator Strieder should take a look at London’s Docklands airport as proof of the possibilities that such an airport offers. It is essential that Tempelhof is retained as the City airport of Berlin even after the new airport opens in Schönefeld!

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FEATURE

The reality of giving an aerobatic air display

Few pilots have as complete a mastery of aerobatics as they do. But despite that, they don’t see themselves as an elite. For the pilots of Spree Flug Luftfahrt GmbH, the aerobatic displays they put on at air shows mean hard work. Even so it is good fun.
    It is only a very small movement, a scarcely perceptible nod prior to moving off down the runway and yet, in this fraction of a second in which no words are exchanged, Oliver Korn and Jan Paul Häusler communicate information to each other on which much depends, perhaps even one of their lives. "I have checked the Pitts, and it is ready for the flight programme," so Korn’s head movement gives his friend in the cockpit to understand. Then in the next moment Häusler will unleash the 260hp of the six-cylinder plane and put the red-white biplane into the notorious Pitts steep climb on take-off: at 340 km/h, only three to four metres above the runway, it is pulled up into a vertical climb.

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PILOT REPORT

Diamond Aircraft DA20-C1 Eclipse

The subject of Katana is still a long way from being exhausted. Newly arrived in Europe is the C1 Eclipse version. Its Conti powerplant is 125hp, a 25% performance hike compared with its most powerful Katana predecessor.
The name Eclipse no doubt comes from the fact that the aircraft firmly puts its rivals from the very light aircraft camp (and also the original Katana model) in the shade on performance.

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MAGAZINE

Repercussions of the terrorist attacks on General Aviation

The atrocities of 11 September in the USA have severely affected the freedom of movement of General Aviation. Many of the initial restrictions have been lifted again, but others may well turn out to be permanent.

Ortner diesel engine

A PA18 Super Cup will shortly be taking off for its maiden flight in Austria. The unusual thing about this aircraft is that it will be flying with a 150hp turbodiesel engine developed for a car.

GAT 24: complete service for private pilots

"Aviation’s Butler" is the name under which the new GAT 24 internet portal presents its offerings. In fact there has been nothing like this service before. GAT 24 offers flight planning facilities including aeronautical information publications (AIP), weather information, reservation system and much more, tailored to the needs of VFR pilots. These services are quite reasonably priced.

General Aviation at the Moscow Airshow

The Moscow Airshow is the showcase of General Aviation in Russia. At MAKS 2001, held in the middle of August, manufacturers were once again showing projects that were still in their early days although no longer completely new either. From a technical viewpoint there were a lot of interesting things to see, but which developments actually reach industrial production remains uncertain, given the ongoing restructuring of the Russian aerospace industry.

In the cockpit with: Heiner Schulte

The first thing that strikes one about him is his open, lively facial expression, combined with the fact that he is still comparatively young. At least, unexpectedly young for a four-stripe captain and chief executive of the flourishing MSR Flug airline. The company’s offerings range from travel and business air services and pilot training through to IFR authorisation and check rides on jets.

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FLYING

Fiber Classics Airshow 2001 in Odenwald

An unusual airshow in the Odenwald municipality of Michelstadt catered for all sizes: not only was it attended by parents with their children, but it featured large flight-capable models and full-size aircraft classics.
    The unmistakable smell of kerosene hung in the air, accompanied by the characteristic singsong of jet engines undergoing static testing as the Airbus A340-600 began to taxi. The four-engined aircraft in its factory paintwork took off as if without a care in the world, the undercarriage was retracted and the Airbus appeared its usual portly self as it climbed. A normal scheduled flight with experienced professional pilots at the cockpit controls and enterprising passengers in the cabin. So one would have thought, were it not for the plane’s dimensions, for the "airliner", with its 4m wingspan, looked almost lost on the 15m wide runway.

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PRACTICE

VFR basic knowledge 7: take-off

The seventh article in our "VFR Basic Knowledge" series examines the normal take-off into headwind and possible exceptional situations.
   The direction of take-off is normally decided by the aerodrome control tower, air control service or air traffic control. Wherever possible, take-off is into the wind, as this allows take-off to be achieved in the shortest possible distance, with the lowest ground speed at rotation and better directional control during the take-off run. The shorter take-off run and the steeper angle of climb above the ground mean that obstacle clearance is greater than with a tailwind.

Fuel Management

Will the fuel last out? For many flights, especially in the vicinity of the home airfield, this question is quickly answered with a rough estimate. However, the limitations of this approach are quickly reached. It is not a seldom occurrence that errors in calculating fuel requirements end spectacularly and tragically. Yet often it is experienced professional pilots who make such crass errors – in both small aircraft and passenger planes. Calculation of fuel requirements is demonstrated using an example.

Accident analysis: were the pilots suffering from fatigue?

The German-registered business jet was en route to the USA, in the course of which it was supposed to make an intermediate stop in Narsarsuaq, Greenland. The NDB/DME approach passed off initially without problems, but then radio contact was lost. Shortly afterwards the bodies of the three occupants were recovered from the aircraft wreck.

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ULTRALIGHT

Ultralight autogyro now available

The gyroplane relies on autorotation to remain airborne. Testing for the UL class was recently completed. Only those intimately familiar with its peculiarities should fly it. We had a look at the Bensen B-8 that was used to fly parts of the test programme. One of our conclusions is that one should only fly an autogyro if one has previously put a lot of effort into familiarising oneself with its idiosyncrasies. For its simple technology is deceptive, and it is all too easy to underestimate just how complex its aerodynamics are. In this month’s aerokurier you can find out what is so fascinating about the gyroplane.

Jabiru engines: power packs from Australia

In just under 10 years Jabiru has developed into an established manufacturer of engines for experimental and ultralight aircraft. Its aeroengine manufacturing facility "down under" is one of the most modern around. Today Jabiru offers a range of light four- and six-cylinder engines which are the mature product of many improvements. Deliveries of the new flagship, the 200hp eight-cylinder Jabiru 6000, are expected to commence in January.
    We visited Jabiru in Bundaberg, Australia and viewed the ultra-modern, partially automated production of engines for you.

Mark Flugzeugbau institutes insolvency proceedings

Mark Flugzeugbau GmbH is insolvent. On 21 August insolvency proceedings were instituted at Darmstadt district court. This plunges the future of the ultralight amphibian Seahawk into uncertainty. It was only in March that aerokurier reported on the development of the Seahawk.

First aerotows with Remos G-3 Mirage

On 22 September Remos Aircraft performed the first aerotows using the G-3 Mirage RS at Manching airfield. Since then a variety of different glider types up to 570 kg gross weight have been towed at a number of different airfields. These include the Mini Nimbus, Astir CS, ASH-24E, LS 4 and the Twin Astir.

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GLIDING

Vittorio Pajno V 1/2: well-behaved kit

For designer Vittorio Pajno of Varese the fibre reinforced V 1/2 fulfils a lifelong ambition. His V1/2 has turned out to be a modern glider with quite good performance and good aerodynamic properties. The plane was intended for use as a club aircraft.
    In Italy the V1/2 has been certificated for amateur construction. Now Dr. Vittorio Pajno (62) is considering whether he could start up a kit manufacture facility. He intends to announce his proposed pricing at the beginning of November. If he can find at least 10 purchasers, production will be launched.
    This month’s Pilot Report describes what it is like to fly the V1/2.

Idaflieg summer meeting 2001

Microturbulence has been much complained of in recent years. Is it possible to demonstrate how it affects the flow of air over the aerofoils of gliders? Microturbulence is thought to have a significant impact on performance in planes whose profiles are geared towards exacting the maximum performance. The issue was examined by the Idaflieg at its summer meeting.
   Measurements of flight performance and aerodynamic properties were the main focus of the meeting. The special measurement projects were concerned with whether air mass has a discernible impact on the transition between laminar and turbulent flow on the aerofoil. The question is to what extent microturbulence affects this transition point. Another issue investigated was the energy expended on aileron and flap actuation during a thermic flight, the objective here being to be able to use the results to estimate the energy requirements for a future fly-by-wire control system. With the aim of examining boundary layer blowing, Akaflieg (academic flying group) Karlsruhe flew the AK-5 having previously applied an even coat of oil paint to its wings, resulting in graphic representation of the laminar and turbulent air flows.
    This year the aircraft performance of two different Duo Discuses, the Nimbus 4M and the new standard class aircraft from Schleicher, the ASW 28, was assessed. The results will be presented at the Idaflieg winter meeting, which will take place in Berlin in January 2002.
    The aircraft types that were available for investigation of aerodynamic properties this year were the AFH 28 (a DG-600 whose wings had been extended to 18m with winglets), ASK 21, ASW 24, ASW 28, BS-1, Duo Discus, H30 GfK, H 303 Mosquito, LS4, Nimbus 4M and a Super Dimona.

50 years of gliding research

Right from the earliest days of gliding the Akafliegs (academic flying groups) have played a critical role in glider development, even if originally they operated under a different name. Their observation programmes have been going for 64 years now. We report the highlights of the Idaflieg summer meetings.

Junior World Championships 2001 in Issoudun

The second Junior World Championships held in Issoudun, France were not as successful for the German team as the first championships two years ago in Terlet, at which they took two world titles. This time they had to make do with two bronze medals. Benjamin Schluz reports.

Survey of rescue systems

Complete rescue systems and new requirements regarding the technical equipping of gliders in the planned new areas of airspace were the main topics discussed by the Sailplane Development Panel (SDP) of the international Organisation Scientifique et Technique du Vol à Voile (OSTIV), which met in the middle of August in Aalen-Elchingen.
    The major part of the SDP meeting was devoted to the rescue systems currently under development for gliders. At the initiative of Akaflieg (academic fly group) Darmstadt, all those currently working on such systems were present: Frank Thurecht and Simon Kinscherf for Akaflieg Darmstadt, Frank Mehling for the Autoflug company, Professor Wolf Röger of Aachen Technical College, Hans-Jörg Streifeneder for his Glasfaser Flugzeug-Service GmbH and Andre Jansen for DG-Flugzeugbau.

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SPTi0111.JPG (22711 Byte)SPECIAL BUSINESS AVIATION

Windrose Air: operating out of the heart of Berlin

Windrose Air is based at Berlin Tempelhof. The success of the young executive chartered airline is closely related to Berlin’s city airport.
   With a fleet comprising two Cessna 525’s, two Citation 550’s and one Learjet 60, Windrose Air sees itself as the market leader in the Berlin Brandenburg region. It was only after reunification in the autumn 1990 that the company first started up as a small air taxi business flying a single Cessna 421.

Leasing in accordance with GAAP

Up to now leasing has played a relatively minor role in the financing of business jets in Germany. With its new InnovativLeasing offering, GE Lease & Finance Services wants to make this form of financing more attractive. The leasing model works in accordance with American Generally Acceptable Accountancy Principles (GAAP) and, unlike the leasing contracts that have been available up to now in Germany, it eliminates any risk to which the customer might otherwise be exposed when it comes to disposing of the aircraft at the end of the contractual period. This results in a more beneficial calculation of the true costs from the start.

Fractional ownership in Europe

Compared with the USA, where jet-sharing programmes are experiencing a boom, the introduction of this service in Europe is taking time to become established. A jet of one’s own? Too expensive! This excuse may have reflected the truth for some companies at the start of the 1990s, but today possession and operation of a corporate jet no longer requires a high outlay up-front.
   The concept, under which one can enjoy access to a jet without having to pay for all of it, is known as fractional ownership and originated in the United States. Under a fractional ownership programme the customer acquires a fraction – the minimum fraction is 1/16 – of an aircraft and hence the right to a guaranteed transport service.

RVSM: deadline 24 January 2002

At 1am UTC time on 24 January 2002 Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) will come into operation in the airspace of 40 countries.
    The European RVSM-Space stretches across all the European states, including the Baltic states, Turkey and parts of North Africa. A detailed description of the future regulations and requirements is contained in the AIP, especially in AIC 12/99, AIC 04/00 and AIC 14/00.
    RVSM allows air traffic controllers to reduce the vertical separation between aircraft flying between FL 290 and FL 410 from 2,000ft to 1,000ft (300m). This effectively adds another six flight levels.

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Last updated October 22, 2001