Warsaw - Bemowo 18.8.09

I always visit the general aviation airfield at Warsaw - Benowo ( Babice ) when I travel to Warsaw. Even though many of the residents are very familiar there are always some new aircraft to see.



SP-YMK Evektor EV97 Eurostar c/n 980104 visiting Bemowo on 18.8.09. This Czech aircraft was built at the Kunovice factory and was originally registered as OK-DUR07 before being sold to Poland and registered as SP-YMK in 2002 . This aircraft is fitted with a Rotax 912 80 HP, FITI propeller and a Junkers rescue system and is believed based at Pruszcz - Gdanski.


External LINK to Evektor website



Yak 12A SP-AWA was built under license at the PZL Okecie factory back in 1960 with c/n 30128. This aircraft was initially delivered to the Polish Air Force ( PWL ) in 1960 and was withdrawn in 1971 and became SP-AWA the same year.

This Yak 12A is now operated by the Aeroklub Warsawa ( AK Warszawski ) as a glider tug. I have seen it here at Bemowo every year since 1995. The aircraft is powered by the 5-cylinder radial engine M-11FR (nominal power 104 kW/140 hp ) - it certainly makes a healthy roar.

The Yak 12A first flew in 1957 as a streamlined development from the Yak 12M. The "A" model features just one underwing brace spar whereas the Yak 12M and the Polish deriative PZL 101 Gawron feature two such wing braces. The Poles built 137 Yak 12A but also built approx 1050 Yak 12M and approx 320 PZL 101 Gawrons




SP-SPAW Aeropro Eurofox 3K 912S c/n 19606 registered on the four letter Ultralight register in 2006. I understand that the c/n shows this is Eurofox aircraft #196 built in 2006.

This aircraft was built at the Aeropro factory at Nitra in Slovakia - the "3K" model has a fixed tricycle undercarriage - the "2K" model has a tail wheel design. In the USA the type is known as the Aerotrek A220 and A240 - I guess the "Euro" part of the name might have detered some US cusotmers !

Approx 295 Eurofox aircraft have been built by summer 2009.

External LINK to Aeropro website




There are now dozens and dozens of imported second hand old Cessna basic training aircraft in Poland - This example is Cessna 150L c/n 73121 built in 1971 and registered in Poland as SP-GPB in November 2008, it was imported from the USA as N5221Q


External LINK to photo of N5221Q at Tracy, California, USA



SP-3062 SZD 42-2 Jantar 2B c/n B864 coded "AW" was built at the SZD factory at Bielsko-Biala in 1978 - I have seen this glider at Bemowo since 1996.



SP-1979 Fauvel AV-36C - this interesting bat like glider is a flying wing with no real fuselage. It was built in 1958 and delivered to Austria as OE-0414 before being imported into Poland in 1959 as SP-1979.

This glider was designed by the French designer Charles Fauvel - I understand that approx 50 AV-36 gliders were built from parts produced by Wassmer plus maybe a further 100 homebuilt from supplied design drawings.

This glider looks in good condition, I understand it was restored between 2000 - 2002 at Modlin. Hopefully one day I will see this unusual glider fly.


External LINK to excellent website all about designer Charles Fauvel and his gliders




D-MBBJ Flight Design CT SW - this aircraft is c/n 07-10-16 built in September 2007. I first saw it in the Aeroklub hanger at Bemowo in August 2008, still present one year later. This design features a very wide cockpit cabin.

The CT first flew in 1997 and over 1,200 aircraft have been delivered to date.


External LINK to the Flight Design website

Bodmin, Cornwall - 11.4.09

Bodmin airfield is situated just 1/2 mile from the A30 just a couple of miles NE of the town on the edge of Bodmin Moor. The airfield has a small simple cafe with some outside tables too.

A request at the Tower gave me permission to walk around to the hangers - residents seen included

G-OTUN EV-97 Eurostar built in 2002

G-GAOM Robin DR400 Dauphin built in 1977 as F-GAOM - imported into the UK in 2005 with a nice simple "F" to "G" change

G-CWFB Pa-38 Tomahawk built in 1978 originally as G-OAAL before becoming G-CWFB in 2000 when operating with Cardiff Wales Aviation ( G-CW....... )

G-BSDW Cessna 182P built in 1976 and registered as G-BSDW in 1990

Cessna 175C Skylark built in 1961 - the 175 model had a more powerful engine than the similar looking early Cessna 172 models - only approx 2,000 examples of the Cessna 175 were built.

G-BKRH Max Brugger Colibri MB2 - this homebuilt aircraft was completed in 1988 and has visited many of the PFA fly in rallyes over the past 20 years - it was previously based at Cranfield.

G-GLKE Robin DR400 Regent looking in excellent condition, this example was built in 1992 and arrived in the UK in 2007 having previously been F-GLKE - another simple "F" to "G" revision.

G-XSAM Vans RV-9A kitbuilt aircraft completed in 2008 - the black and yellow colour scheme is similar to the current RAF training colours



G-CFJG Skyranger this ultralight aircraft design is very popular in the UK, this example was kit built in 2008.

The airfield is also home to several old Aeronca aircraft including G-BRER, G-IVOR and NC33884 plus Air Camper G-CCKR. Altogether 32 aircraft were present at the time of this visit.