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aerokurier 1/2002 The meaning of freedom Freedom is something that everyone yearns for. There is no universally valid definition
of "flying freedom", but it means something different to everyone. For example,
anyone who has learned to fly in a country in which pilots have to submit a flight plan
just to fly a circuit will experience flying in a country where this is not required as
flying freedom, even if native pilots of that country complain of a lack of freedom for
different reasons. Aerotows: roped together for a set time Actually, it is a simple service job. Taxi forward, hook up to a glider, climb and then fly back to the airfield and land as fast as possible, ready for the next glider to be towed up. Nevertheless, in the clubs this job is much coveted. A lot of pilots are really keen to perform these brief ups and downs and, once they have fought their way into the cockpit it takes a lot to oust them again. According to competition and record-setting pilot Angelika Machinek, who is more at home at the other end of the rope but in Bad Nauheim regularly takes her turn at aerotow duty in her club, in the flying club, the aerotow pilot is "king". Robin Alpha 120T Robin has ceased production of the HR200 in favour of the Alpha 120T. This has a design
similar to the 112160, which is now known as the Alpha 160. As the Alpha 120 is not
intended to be used for aerobatics, it does not have the big rudder of the R2160 and the
ventral fin. Otherwise there is a lot of commonality between the two aircraft. AOPA Expo 2001 The 375,000-member strong Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA), powerful
mouthpiece of American General Aviation, had issued invitations at the beginning of
November to its annual exhibition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On the horizon: DA40 TDI A sensation is in the offing in Wiener Neustadt at Diamond Aircraft. The development
crew there is working flat out to certify the four-seater DA40 by the summer with the new
135hp TAE 125 diesel engine from Thielert. The prototype took off on its maiden flight on
22 November. Only a week later aerokurier got the opportunity to participate in a first
"sniffer flight" with Christian Dries, the owner and main shareholder of the
400-employee strong company. Diamond plans a four-seater twin At Diamond Aircraft in Wiener Neustadt there are plans to produce a twin-engined derivative of the Diamond Star, with retractable landing gear. As many DA40 components as possible are to be incorporated into the new plane. At the point where the wing studs end in the current version, the engine nacelles are to be positioned along with the shafts for the main landing gear. According to present thinking, the plane will be powered by two TAE 125 diesel engines. Maximum weight is to be 1,650 kg, with fuel tanks capable of holding 250l. At lower altitudes the target cruise speed is 165 KTAS, rising to 190 KTAS at higher altitudes. With the diesel power plants, fuel consumption should be less than 40l/h. What’s new at Thielert? The final design of the TAE 125 is complete. The inline four-cylinder aircraft, now
135hp, has recently acquired a completely new turbocharger system and new reduction gear.
At full throttle the helical gear converts 3,900 rpm at the crankshaft to 2,300 rpm at the
propeller. At cruise, the propeller rotates at 2,000 rpm. The new specially developed
hydraulic propeller pitch controls and single lever operation of the engine are also new. What does the advent of the euro entail for pilots? As Germans cease to carry deutschmarks in their pockets, the advent of the euro will bring scant relief to General Aviation. Cross-border payment transactions will not be any cheaper, and there is little prospect at present of the euro strengthening against the dollar, which would make aircraft imports cheaper. We tell you in the current issue of aerokurier about the adjustments that pilots will have to make with the introduction of euro notes and coinage. In the cockpit with Michael Amtmann Michael Amtmann is not a man to draw attention to his condition, and yet his example has opened up the way to the cockpit to many disabled people. With his strong personality and stubbornness he has achieved what seemed virtually impossible only 20 years ago in Germany. We present a portrait of the successful rally pilot and advocate of the integration of disabled people into aerosport. First turbine kit helicopter The first kit helicopter to be powered by a Rolls-Royce 250 C18B turbine engine comes from Michigan. Its designers have given it the name "Tag", and customers can choose between six different variants in the number of rotor blades, depending on their taste and flying requirements – something which is quite new for a kit helicopter. Croatia – Corfu – Corsica "Mediterranean coasts rediscovered" would be a fair description of the trip presented by Michael Kirsch from the passenger’s vantage point. Pilot Eckart Jahn and he were "on the road" for two weeks in a PA-28. Their stopping points were Losin, Kefalonia, Corfu, the Gulf of Salemo, Rome, Elba, Corsica and Locarno. 7th balloon fiesta in Chambley Every two years, balloon enthusiasts meet together in Chambley, Lorraine. As well as excellent cuisine, the French region offers the biggest balloon Mecca in Europe. More than 500 balloons from all around the world, primarily of course from within Europe, "populate" the sky during the races and it is not seldom that the hospitality of Lorraine farmers is sought, namely, when it is necessary to recover a balloon that has landed in a private field. VFR basic knowledge 9: landing In no other phase of a flight are concentration and the body’s own sensors so
heavily in demand as when landing. Air safety: switching between IFR and VFR With F class airspace and independent GPS approach procedures, many airfields can be approached safely under IFR even in poor weather conditions. However, the complications that are caused by changing between IFR and VFR are described by Roman Grandis from the point of view of an air traffic controller. Accident analysis: lethal change from VMC to IMC The British pilot had taken off with his US-registered MD 500 helicopter and one passenger on board in Marl-Loemühle. His destination was Idar-Oberstein. But en route the weather worsened so dramatically that the helicopter first found itself in clouds and then started to ice up. Witnesses in the vicinity of Lindlar (in Bergisches Land, Germany) saw the helicopter emerge from the clouds and then nose-dive down into a field. The two persons on board had no chance of survival. Motte BR: aviatics with the flair of the 1920s The Platzer Motte BR is pure nostalgia. Anyone who is prepared to invest a lot of work can acquire their own ultralight for less than €10,000. Willi and Fabian Häuser have succeeded in building a veritable gem. Today they are flying an ultralight which has not only been built perfectly but also is cheaper to operate than almost any other light powered aircraft. The story behind Michael Platzer’s design and details of for whom this UL is suited are explained in the January issue of aerokurier. Project People’s Aircraft At present it is still only on the drawing board. But in six months’ time the
"People’s Aircraft" will fly. Its builders plan to sell the baseline
version for less than € 25,000. Glider Pilots’ Convention 2001 The 60th German Glider Pilots’ Convention in Stuttgart – just another gliding
convention? The occasion saw the unveiling of two popular sports initiatives. Gliding Safari to Lapland The opportunities that a self-launching glider opens up are quite clear in a touring glider. A German team of three surveyed the thermals far to the north of the Arctic Circle this summer. A good climb is essential Without a good climb, one can forget about speed. The amount of time spent circling on its own does not say much. This is made clear in an analysis of flights in the 1999 World Championships and of distance flights in the German Championships and the Online Contest. Dr. Herbert Leykauf has investigated the relationship between flying speed and mean climb. Finding and committing members Without young blood, a club will founder. It is therefore essential to keep recruiting a stream of new members and above all to retain them. Karl-Hans Becker describes how FSC Aschaffenburg-Grossostheim manages to achieve this, in exemplary fashion. How not to seek member commitment A legally binding judgement issued by the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe provides an insight into what can go on in an aerosports club. In matters of membership commitment it is an example of what one should not do. Mental exercise distance gliding The Segelflugszene Team plans to repeat its training offering, "Distance flying – how to achieve your dream flight", this spring in collaboration with the University of Heidelberg. This time they are joined by state-certified psychologist Marc Immenroth from the team of Professor Hans Eberspächer. Flying carpets When is it worth refurbishing the cabin and what is the procedure for modernising the interior? We explain the procedure regarding reconditioning of seats, carpets and panelling in single- and twin-engined aircraft and business jets. Extensive manual labour is required if the cabin is to shine in new splendour. Altimeter servicing Servicing of altimeters requires expert knowledge and a lot of accurate manual
dexterity. |
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Last updated December 20, 2001