aerokurier 10/2002
 Editiorial Flying unites people / Feature Vintage
Glider Rally / Pilot
Report Diesel Cessna 172 / Magazine New
European pilot’s licences (part 6), Helicopter World Championship / Travel Mediterranean
flair / Flying
Fiberclassics Airshow in Ballenstedt /
Practice Radio navigation: at loggerheads with
ADF?, Meteorological information on the internet, Accident analysis: inverted flying
without advance warning / Ultralight Tour de France UL 2002, German
Ultralight Championships 2002, Humiliation in Blois /
Gliding LAK-19: the challenger, 2nd Club Class
World Championships, OLC Symposium: gliding and the weather makers, Successfully flying
through mental training, German Women’s Championship in Hahnweide, German Open Class
and 18 m Class Championships, Fast flights to Poland, Rheinland-Pfalz championships, Heide
Cup / Special Business Aviation Buying
a business jet, The Sovereign and its rivals, Pilot with Privatair
EDITORIAL
Flying unites people
The floods that hit Austria, the Czech Republic, Bavaria and eastern Germany in mid-August
caused billions of euros of damage.
Airfields and airsports clubs were affected by this
natural disaster too, both directly and indirectly. Many clubs were affected indirectly
because their members lost their worldly goods, with the result that they will be
preoccupied for some time by the need to rebuild their existence and are unlikely to be
able to fly again for some time.
The airfield most severely affected was probably Riesa, to the
north-west of Dresden. Help is needed urgently. The Riesa flying club (e-mail:
info@fliegerklub-riesa.de) is accepting donations. As well as financial assistance,
contributions in kind are also welcome. The club will be happy to advise on what is
needed. "We won’t give up", says Frank Gärtner defiantly, even though he
must realise that rebuilding the club will be an uphill struggle.
Flying unites people. It is precisely in situations like the
present flood disaster that this ideal needs to be made a reality. Let us tackle it
together!
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FEATURE
Vintage Glider Rally
Progress is not everything. Thus, the fascination of flying is much more than simply a
function of distance and speed. You too can share the enthusiasm that flying with historic
aircraft can generate, by reading our report on the Vintage Glider Rally, which is
illustrated with some inspiring photographs of the event.
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PILOT REPORT
Diesel Cessna 172
Frank Thielert is keeping his word: he expects to obtain certification for a modified
Cessna 172 fitted with the TAE 125 diesel engine this autumn. In fact, issue of the
supplemental type certificate by the LBA is expected any day now. This month’s Pilot
Report shows what the high-wing plane has to offer when flown with diesel fuel or jet A1
instead of 100LL.
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MAGAZINE
New European pilot’s licences (part 6)
Now that ten European countries already provide JAR-FCL (Joint Aviation Requirements
– Flight Crew Licensing) pilot training, even Germany believes it will soon be in a
position to introduce the new training and medical fitness guidelines for aeronautical
personnel. This is scheduled for the beginning of next year.
aerokurier has been covering this important subject since May. Every
month questions frequently asked by readers are being answered. Part 6 is devoted to class
and type ratings. Among the class ratings, will there still be a place for group type
ratings in the future? What is the position as regards the "frozen ATPL"? Is it
still worth gaining a CPL? What will be the scope of the IFR training from next year?
These and other questions are answered by Karl-Heinz Apel, an established JAR-FCL expert,
in the latest edition of aerokurier.
Helicopter World Championship
At the 11th Helicopter World Championships 2002 held in Austria in August, the Austrian
helicopter team managed to clinch the team gold medal over the heads of the Russian
favourites in a dramatic final spurt. In the individual competitions, as expected, both
the title and runner-up position were taken by Russian crews. Austrian crews occupied
positions three to six, with seventh place going to Germany. The World Championships,
organised by the Austrian Aeroclub, the Austrian Army, the tourist region of Grimming and
the municipality of Aigen, Ennstal, which hosted the championships, was held against the
backdrop of a number of folkloric and cultural events used by the state of Styria to
promote itself as a sporting and tourist region. Over 25,000 visitors saw 52 helicopter
teams from ten nations giving highly skilled performances on four contest days.
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TRAVEL
Mediterranean flair
When fog or grimy weather strike, Gerd Sidenstein and his partner, Uta Lehr, like to
escape in their Piper PA-28. The meteorological information available on the internet
tells them where the fine weather is, and the next minute their bags are packed and stowed
in the aircraft. The experienced IFR pilot enjoys flying above the clouds when the weather
below is too poor for normal light aircraft. On this occasion his quest for the sun took
him to Cap d’Antibes, on the French Riviera, and then on to Olbia, Sardinia and Pisa.
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FLYING
Fiberclassics Airshow in Ballenstedt
From the Concorde through to the aerobatic aircraft - the big model builders leave no
model uncopied. Originals and models came face to face in Ballenstedt airfield for a
performance comparison.
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PRACTICE
Radio navigation: at loggerheads with ADF?
ADF equipment is still found on many aircraft today. On VFR flights, it offers a
navigation aid that supports terrestrial navigation. But just because radio navigation is
used, this does not turn a VFR flight into an IFR flight.
Meteorological information on the internet
The internet is one of the fastest media around and especially well suited for publishing
weather forecasts and meteorological aviation reports. What specifically is on offer? This
article investigates how much pre-flight planning is possible using content provided free
of charge on the internet, and lists some important links.
Accident analysis: inverted flying without advance warning
Two pilots, brothers and retired airline captains each with over 18,000 flying hours’
experience, lost their lives when their single-engined Beech V35 Bonanza suddenly rolled
over onto its back while flying slowly at low altitude flight, plunged nose down and
exploded in a fireball. According to witnesses, the whole incident lasted only five
seconds. The Bonanza manual describes critical behaviour which can occur in particular
flight attitudes, such as side-slipping. Thus, without any advance warning, the aircraft
can experience flow separation and roll over on its back. If the pilot does not have
sufficient altitude, as in the present case, there is not enough time to restore the
Bonanza to its normal attitude.
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ULTRALIGHT
Tour de France UL 2002
At times the Tour de France UL 2002 was a bit like a flight from the fronts. This year the
rally organised by the French ultralight association FFPLUM was supposed to include some
flying over Germany. But in the event this proved not possible due to bad weather.
Nevertheless, morale were still high. Roland Fesenmar attended with a CT 2K and describes
his impressions of this remarkable rally.
German Ultralight Championships 2002
The 17th German Ultralight Championships in Nördlingen went very well for participants
and organisers. 29 aircraft took part in four classes.
While elsewhere in Germany continuous rainfall transformed even small
rivers into torrential currents, there was excellent weather to be enjoyed in Bavaria.
Five scoring flights determined who would be the new German champions. In the three-axis
ultralight classes, the winners were Jan Altenkirch and the Voormanns/Schumacher team. The
titles in the trike classes were claimed by former champion Viktor Wyklicky and the
Scheible/Hiebel team.
Humiliation in Blois
As efforts are under way to raise the UL weight limits at the European level, the
Deutscher Aero Club squandered an important opportunity. At the annual meeting of the
Europe Air Sports Microlight Working Group, held during the 22nd Rassemblement-Salon ULM
in Blois, the DAeC was expected to present the German proposals for a new ultralight class
based on the American light sports plane category on 1 September.
But in the event, the representatives of eight European aviation
association waited in Blois in vain for a DAeC official to appear.
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GLIDING
LAK-19: the challenger
After the successful debut of the LAK-17, Sportine Aviacija of Lithuania has now come up
with a standardised version of this flaperon-controlled aircraft, designated the LAK-19.
The LAK-17 and the LAK-19 derivative are virtually identical apart from their flaps –
on the LAK-19 the flaps were frozen in the neutral position – and the slightly bigger
angle of wing setting on the LAK-19. This required the fuselage-wing joint to be modified,
but everything else remained unchanged, including the tailplane.
According to the manufacturer, the flying performance of the two
sister models is virtually identical as well. In this month’s Pilot Report we take a
closer look at their flying and aerobatics characteristics.
2nd Club Class World Championships
At the 2nd Club Class Gliding World Championships held in the middle of August in Musbach,
65 pilots from 24 nations were put through their paces on some challenging routes over
nine contest days. Top marks are due to the Freudenstadt flying squad for organising the
Championships so brilliantly.
However, competition directors Axel Reich and Christoph Geisler did not give anything away
to the entrants. The tasks were all situated not far from those being simultaneously flown
in the Open and 18m class competitions of the German Championships, only 50km away to the
south in Klippeneck. Half-way through the Club Class Championships 504km had already been
flown, whereas at Klippeneck the maximum distance, in the Open Class, was only five
kilometres more.
The Czech Tomas Suchanek, who only a few weeks earlier had won the
title of European Champion in the Standard Class in Hungary, also took the World
Championship title in the Club Class. In second place was Richard Hood from the United
Kingdom, who managed on the penultimate day to catapult himself to the lead with a very
good score on the 367km task. Suchanek’s fellow countryman and team partner, Pavel
Louzecky, finished in third place, having obtained the best score on four days and having
for much of the competition alternated in the lead with Suchanek.
The German team were not quite so successful: Matthias Sturm came
ninth, Manny Gersmaier 19th and Andreas Lange 26th.
OLC Symposium: gliding and the weather makers
On Saturday 26 October what has become an annual tradition, the aerokurier Online Contest
(OLC) autumn symposium, will take place in Gersfeld. The central theme this time will be
information systems for gliding weather. We provide a preview of the subject-matter.
Successfully flying through mental training
The "Segelflugszene team" is to hold three seminars entitled "Distance
flying: mental gliding training" this autumn and winter in collaboration with the
Wasserkuppe Flying School. Whether a practical module is then offered in the spring will
depend on interest from would-be participants. At present, it is planned to hold such a
module. Further information on the project can be obtained from www.segelflugszene/training.html.
German Women’s Championship in Hahnweide
The German Women’s Championships held in Hahnweide at the beginning of August enjoyed
five highly competitive contest days out of 11 possible days. The title in the Club Class,
the group with the biggest entry, 21 pilots, was won by Kathrin Wötzel (Standard
Libelle), while the Standard Class competition (17 pilots) was won by Cornelia Schaich
(LS4) and the Racing Class (11 entrants) by Katrin Senne (Ventus 2b).
German Open Class and 18 m Class Championships
A tally of nine contest days – quite a record for this summer of rain – was
achieved at the German Championships in Klippeneck in the 18m Class. The title was won by
three-times European Club Class Champion Ralf Fischer (DG-800B). Thomas Holder from the
Klippeneck Gliding Association decided to cancel one of the Open class contest days after
the 18m class landed out, so that it had to make do with eight contest days. Once again
Holger Karow took the title, way ahead of the competition with a 400 point lead.
Fast flights to Poland
The 5th Open State Championships of Brandenburg and Berlin in the Club and Open Classes,
held between 28 July and 11 August in Neuhausen near Cottbus, was blessed with eight
contest days despite 2002 proving the year of the rain. Participants flew over the
Märkische Heide, with its outstanding thermals, to the impressive landscape of the
Erzgebirge, while the Club Class flew around Dresden. At the same time on several days the
competition directors set turning points in Polish airspace up to the altitude of Zielona
Gora. In the discussions with the Polish air traffic control authorities that this
necessitated, Waldemar Labusga of Strausberg proved a great help with his Polish language
skills.
Rheinland-Pfalz championships
Vive la France – this could have been the catchword for the State Championships of
Rheinland-Pfalz, which were held in the first week of August in Pirmasens and mostly
contested in French airspace.
The Club Class was virtually dominated from the second contest day by Michael Kempf, who,
having previously won the title in 2000, became State Champion for the second time. In
second place was Dieter Bartek, while third prize went to Markus Gutmann.
In the Standard/Racing Class, three young glider pilots divided
up the honours amongst themselves in an extremely exciting contest: Florian Theisinger
ended up just one point ahead of David Schneider, who in turn was only 18 points ahead of
Henrik Bieler.
Heide Cup
Dag Pauschardt (Club Class), Dirk Nickisch (Standard Class) and Carsten Büdig (Mixed
Class) took the prizes in the Roitzschjora competition after six contest days.
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 SPECIAL BUSINESS AVIATION
Buying a business jet
Whether new or second-hand, the purchase of a business jet is always a considerable
investment. To avoid this investment turning into an adventure, certain technical and
legal pitfalls have to be avoided.
As far as second-hand aircraft are concerned, after almost eight years
of steadily rising prices, used aircraft prices have dropped back in the last year. Now is
the time to buy. There is a surplus of planes on the market and only a few buyers chasing
them.
The Sovereign and its rivals
The "super midsize" jet market is particularly lucrative. Several new types
are shortly to be launched. Contenders in this category of twin-engined business jets with
typically eight to ten passenger seats include the Gulfstream G200, previously known as
the Galaxy, the Hawker Horizon, the Bombardier Continental and the Cessna Citation
Sovereign.
Pilot with Privatair
The pilots working for the Swiss company Privatair are sent all round the world. With
a fleet consisting of three Boeing Business Jets (BBJ), one Boeing 757 and some 150
smaller jets, the company is one of the world market leaders in Business Aviation.
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