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aerokurier
9/2002
 Editiorial Qualifying for a US licence / Feature AirVenture:
the world’s leading celebration of flight
/ Pilot Report Columbia 400: on fast legs
/ Magazine Pilot
training in South Africa, Fly-in: full house in Tannheim, Howard Hughes racing plane H-1,
Fly-Baby transformed into Junkers substitute, The new European pilot’s licences (Part
5, Flying Instructors), FlightPlanner FP5: improved map display, In the cockpit
with Helge Zembold / Veteran Aircraft Klemm L 25: light means you
can fly for longer / On the Approach to Zell am See: new,
attractive and hospitable / Flying Target towing with the PC-9 / Practice Landing
safely in a gusty wind, Medicine: flightworthy but not airworthy, Accident analysis:
forced water landing at night on the River Salzach / Ultralight Ultralight European Championships,
Ultralight weights: much ado / Gliding European Championships in Hungary, Over
1200km in Norway by night, V5 Rondone: two-seater for self-assembly, A different gliding
rally experience, Austrian Championships in Mariazell, Distance training for women glider
pilots, German glider aerobatic championships, Disability no handicap / Helicopter Special
EDITORIAL
Qualifying for a US licence
On 16 July the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered its outposts and
district offices to stop accepting foreign pilot’s licences as the basis for a US
licence. The Department of Homeland Security that was set up in Washington after 11
September had been insisting for some time that access to American licences needed to be
made more difficult.
However, it seems unlikely that the new measures will actually
improve security. For if terrorists can avoid standing out in any way prior to committing
their atrocities, then it will not be possible to filter them out by this type of licence
control either. Though it is understandable that the US authorities should use every
possible means of checking out applicants in the post-11 September era.
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FEATURE
AirVenture: the world’s leading celebration of flight
The annual Oshkosh fly-in has a huge amount to offer: a meeting place for pilots, an
air display, the destination for an excursion, a fair, training facility and fairground.
But the most striking thing about it is its enormity.
The numbers alone are impressive. Thus, statistics like 750,000
visitors, 2,500 aircraft on show, 12,000 visitors’ aircraft and 45,000 campers on the
huge grounds are a regular occurrence.
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PILOT REPORT
Columbia 400: on fast legs
If Lancair can succeed in overcoming its present financial difficulties, then the
Colombia 400 could shortly gain FAR-23 certification from the FAA as the fastest
production aircraft to be powered by a single piston engine and with non-retractable
landing gear. It will then outshine the high-speed four-seater species, which currently
includes the resurrected Mooney Bravo M20M, the Commander 115TC, the Columbia 300/350 and
the two SR20/SR22 versions of the Cirrus.
Physically, the Colombia 400 is a derivative of the Colombia 300.
It has been FAA-certificated since October 1998. If the Colombia 300 has to settle for 191
KTAS at FL 180, the turbo version (400) manages an impressive 230 KTAS at the same
altitude. At FL 250 it is even expected to do 245 KTAS. By way of comparison, the 270hp
Mooney Bravo turbo can "only" manage 212 KTAS at the same altitude –
despite its retractable landing gear. This month’s aerokurier Pilot Report provides a
detailed report of the other features which the Colombia 400 offers.
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MAGAZINE
Pilot training in South Africa
Where can one train for the PPL-A for a mere EUR 3,000? In South Africa this is still
possible. Jan Binnebesel tried it out. After four weeks he had his licence, having had a
wonderful experience.
Fly-in: full house in Tannheim
The Tannheim fly-in attracts ultralight and powered aircraft pilots as if they were
moths drawn towards the light. Every year the numbers go up. This time about 400 planes
took up the invitation of the flying and leisure centre.
Howard Hughes racing plane H-1
Over 33,000 hours’ work spread over 4 ˝ years and the tidy sum of one-and-a-half
million dollars were necessary for the American entrepreneur, Jim Wright of Oregon, to be
able to fulfil his – admittedly ambitious – dream of an aircraft of his own.
Early in the morning of 9 July, at the first glimmer of light, he took off on the maiden
flight of his Howard Hughes H-1 racing plane replica, true to the original right down to
the last detail.
Fly-Baby transformed into Junkers substitute
In the absence of suitable adversaries for the dog fights which are so popular with
air show crowds, two Englishmen have had their single-seater placid Fly-Baby transformed
into a Junkers CL I with room for Heinrich, an air gunner. Heinrich, a dummy which looks
deceptively like the real thing, can even wag his head – when his pilot activates the
rudder pedals. Gunner Heinrich made his first "front-line appearance" at the
French pilots’ convention at La Ferté Alais at the end of May.
The new European pilot’s licences (Part 5, Flying Instructors)
So close and yet so far away. This seems to be the catchphrase as far as the
introduction of the European pilot’s licences in Germany is concerned. The deadline
for introducing the new licences has already been postponed more than once. Now things are
getting serious again – and, it seems, this time things are really happening. The
introduction of JAR-FCL is scheduled for the beginning of 2003. There are still many
unanswered questions, including among flying instructors. For how long will my present
PPL-A flight instructor rating remain valid following the introduction of the JAR-FCL?
What categories of flight instructor rating will there be in the future? How will PPL
flying schools be recognised after the JAR-FCL comes in? The September edition of
aerokurier addresses these and many other questions.
FlightPlanner FP5: improved map display
Jeppesen maps of Europe and, for detailed navigation, the general map of Germany are
now available in digital form, with air traffic control information superimposed, for
FlightPlanner FP5 from ifos.
In the cockpit with Helge Zembold
When pilots write about their experiences, usually it sounds as awkward as when
journalists write about aircraft. Helge Zembold is one of the few exceptions. This young
pilot financed his first attempts at flying by working freelance for the Gifhorner
Rundschau, a local variant of the Braunschweiger Zeitung.
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VETERAN AIRCRAFT
Klemm L 25: light means you can fly for longer
All his life Hanns Klemm championed the idea of the light aircraft. One of his most
successful designs was the L 25 from the late 1920s. The oldest example still flying is
being lovingly maintained today in Grossenhain near Dresden.
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ON THE APPROACH TO
Zell am See: new, attractive and hospitable
The old airfield had to give way to an industrial estate. At least, up to a point. In
return, pilots at Zell am See in Austria got a first-class alternative.
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FLYING
Target towing with the PC-9
Even in the age of simulators, there are some things that can’t be trained in the
classroom. For the Swiss Army’s anti-aircraft defence forces this means training with
live ammunition. The Swiss Air Force’s Zielfliegerstaffel 12 of target-towing
PC-9’s provides airborne sparring partners for this purpose. Kaj-Gunnar Sievert flew
along.
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PRACTICE
Landing safely in a gusty wind
Especially in the spring and autumn, the wind can periodically surge up quite
violently at our latitude. It is therefore important to know how to master landing safely
during a gusty cross-wind. In this contribution, Karl-Heinz Apel considers the following
aspects amongst others: pre-flight planning, taxiing, taking off, practical landing
techniques and a reasonable approach speed.
Medicine: flightworthy but not airworthy
Medication, alcohol and cigarettes can have a considerable effect on a pilot in
control of an aircraft. Even supposedly harmless remedies for colds can become a hazard
because pilots sometimes underestimate their side-effects. The rule is that anyone flying
an aircraft should not be taking any medication. But if this really is necessary, then
only after consultation with the aviation medical examiner. Alcohol and flying are
mutually exclusive.
Accident analysis: forced water landing at night on the River Salzach
Fortune smiled on the four occupants of a Cessna 210 when disaster struck and their
plane was forced to make an night-time emergency landing on the River Salzach to the north
of Salzburg following an engine failure. All four persons escaped from the aircraft
unharmed, and only one passenger sustained a minor injury during the evacuation. The
entire action was so successful because the experienced pilot had done everything right.
After the engine failure he had decided to return to Salzburg, from where the plane had
set off a short time earlier, bound for Berlin. When it became clear that it would not be
possible to reach the airfield, the pilot decided to carry out an emergency water landing
with retracted undercarriage on the Salzach, as it was too dark to make out any suitable
landing sites on the ground and in this case an emergency landing on the river represented
the least risk option.
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ULTRALIGHT
Ultralight European Championships
The big surprise of the European Championships in Nagykanizsa, Hungary, was the third
place won by Wolfram Walters. But otherwise, the German team was not exactly blessed by
good fortune.
A total of 59 teams from 11 countries competed for the European
Championship title between 14 and 21 July in Nagykanizsa, to the south west of Lake
Balaton. The entry in the Three Axis classes was rather thin, with only 12 aircraft.
Competition fever at international level was more in evidence among the trike pilots. In
the Trike classes, 47 teams and individual pilots took part.
Ultralight weights: much ado
There is something up on the weight front. For the first time the manufacturers and
associations are working shoulder to shoulder to solve the UL payload problem. The
prospects of success are good.
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GLIDING
European Championships in Hungary
A silver for Claus Triebel and the title for Tassilo Bode: after nine scoring days and
only 12 hours before the ceremony to honour the winners, the European Championships in
Békéscsaba, Hungary were rocked by the unexpected. The last scoring day had seen almost
a complete shake-up.
Over eight scoring day there had hardly been any movement at the lead of the
four classes in these European Championships. But it was only the calm before the storm of
the ninth, last and deciding race.
Over 1200km in Norway by night
The fact that to the north of the Arctic Circle the sun never sets during the summer
was used by Robert Fessler and Helmut Rohs for 24-hours of uninterrupted soaring on
standing wave! They describe their pioneering achievement themselves.
V5 Rondone: two-seater for self-assembly
After the V1/2, a fibre composite design for assembly by amateurs, Dr. Pajno has now
taken on the task of developing a two-seater.
A different gliding rally experience
From spring through to autumn, the south of France is very popular among glider
pilots, attracted by idyllic conditions. But flying skills are still needed. Thanks to the
introductory and advanced courses offered by world record pilot Klaus Ohlmann, this is now
a lot easier. A report on an experience in which landing out far from the departure point
becomes an event.
Austrian Championships in Mariazell
The Austrian Gliding Championships, held between 22 June and 6 July in Mariazell, saw
some new names appear for the first time on the list of best scores. With eight scoring
days, distances of up to 600km and average speeds by the day winners of up to 130km/h,
there was plenty on offer for the 34 pilots taking part in the three classes.
Distance training for women glider pilots
The women’s training course held at the end of June in Hahnweide went extremely
well, with idyllic distance weather conditions. Marina Rupp took part and describes her
impressions.
German glider aerobatic championships
At the German Glider Aerobatic Championships held in the middle of July in Pasewalk,
Gregor Wilke took the title in the Unlimited Class. Runner up among the 25-pilot entry in
this class was Ferenc Toth (Hungary), followed by Henry Bohlig and Helmut Lindner. In the
Advanced Class, Rainer Philippi finished in the lead, ahead of Martin Schick and Mirko
Mattko. 24 pilots were competing in this class.
The subsequent European Championships were the victim of bad weather.
There were only two programme sequences, these being dominated by the several times World
Champion Jerzy Makula of Poland, followed by Ferenc Toth and Georgui Kaminiski of Russia.
The best German among the 35-pilot strong entry was the new German Champion, Gregor Wilke,
who came in seventh.
Disability no handicap
Since the spring, the project "Flying unites old and young with the
disabled" has had its own aircraft at Giebelstadt aerodrome.
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 HELICOPTER
SPECIAL
In our Helicopter Special we introduce the multi-layered spectrum of the rotorcraft
sector. In addition to a comprehensive sector overview which covers 81 helicopter
operators and licensed aeronautical engineering businesses in Germany, Austria and
Switzerland, this month’s 32-page Special includes a report on the helicopters at the
Tour de France, a contribution on flying freedom in Romania, a story about moving from
fixed-wing aircraft to helicopters and a technical contribution on fly-by-light on board a
research helicopter. All this is supplemented by the latest news from the helicopter
industry.
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