Usk - Sunday 18th May 2014 - Astir gliders

The airfield at Usk is a couple of miles to the north east of the town of Usk, Monmouthshire in south Wales.

The South Wales Gliding Club is based here with a number of two seat trainers plus some K8 single seaters too.

As with many gliding airfields a lot of the based gliders reside in metal glider trailers.

A quick stop mid morning on a beautiful early summers day found the club busy preparing for a days flying. In addition a pair of single seat Astir gliders were being prepared for flight beside the row of glider trailers.

G-DEOD is a Grob G102 Astir CS77 built in 1977 with c/n 1614. The Astir was a very succesful Club Standard glider with over 1,200 examples being built by Grob in Germany of which approx 250 were of the CS77 version. This example was originally registered on the BGA register as "BGA 2859" before becoming "G-DEOD" in June 2008.

G-DDKX is a Grob G102 Astir CS built in 1976 with c/n 1331 - the original production version of the G102, over 500 of this version were built.  This Astir wears the competition code "353" on the tail.

Even after nearly 40 years there are currently 115 examples of the Grob G102 Astir series gliders on the UK CAA aircraft register. 


Click here for a web link to the South Wales Gliding Club




 Steve
  

Bickmarsh - 29th August 2013

Bickmarsh airfield is located just south of Bidford-on-Avon in Warickshire - I had only been here once before and that was back in 2002.

Brand new and still under final construction was Vans RV-8 G-XRVB - the owner was working on his aircraft and told me that he hoped to make the first flight within the next month or two - he's been working on this project for 9 years. There are currently 59 examples of the RV-8 registered in the UK.

Long term resident is Piper Pa-25-235 Pawnee G-BVYP - this is operated by the Bidford Gliding Club. This Pawnee was built in 1965 but didn't arrive in the UK until 1995 - since then it's always been based at Bickmarsh tugging gliders. By the end of 2012 this aircraft had flown over 4800 flight hours.

Older than the Pawnee is Luscombe 8E Silvaire Deluxe G-LUST - this example was built in 1947 ( 66 years ago ) . This classic aircraft came to the UK in 1989 from the USA and had previously flown as N2065B. The Luscombe 8 series is very popular here with 72 examples currently registered in the UK.

G-ATOI is an example of an early Piper Pa-28-140 Cherokee dating from 1966. It was imported new by CSE Aircraft Sales at Oxford-Kidlington and since then has operated with more than ten owners and has clocked up over 8100 flight hours. With over 140 Piper Pa-28-140 Cherokee currently on the UK register this example is perhaps the 5th oldest.



Steve

Hinton in the Hedges - 1st June 2013

I arrived here on a beautiful evening with plenty of activity still going on. Around the field were an interesting mix of types including ZK-JQK a long way from home in New Zealand.

ZK-JQK is a Pacific Aerospace 750XL c/n 118, a large single engine aircraft - this example was built in 2005 and has operated with Hinton Sky Diving in the UK for several summers. The aircraft is powered by a 750HP Pratt&Whitney PT6A-34 turboprop. This aircraft is currently listed "for sale" on the Pacific Aerospace website with approx 3,300 flight hours.

Link to Pacific Aerospace website

Looking very smart was Swiss registered Cessna 177B Cardinal HB-CWC, this machine was built in 1972 with some 4,100 flight hours. This aircraft was recently imported into the UK and had actually been registered as G-ZION a week earlier on 23.5.13 but as can be seen had yet to adopted its new registration letters. Currently 29 Cardinals registered in the UK of which six are 177B versions like this machine.

Also dating from 1972 is this WSK Antonov An-2 HA-ANG c/n 1G132-53 - this aircraft has had this registration since delivered new 41 years ago. It first arrived in the UK in 1998. HA-ANG departed back to Hungary three days after this photo was taken.

 

Halfpenny Green - Fly In - 31st March 2013

G-BPUA is an EAA Biplane - this design originates from the Experimental Aircraft Association ( EAA ) of the USA. The project was to design and build a simple biplane that could then be offered as a homebuilt blueprint for pilots to build themselves at home.

The EAA Biplane first flew in 1960 and it is said that over 7,000 sets of plans have been sold since. The type was not common here in the UK and at the momnet there are four examples registered on the UK CAA aircraft register. This example was completed in Ireland in 1986 and was originally registered as EI-BBF. It was registered in the UK in March 1989 as G-BPUA and had flown just 285 hours by the end of 2011.  



Link to the EAA Biplane website



Another interesting aircraft at Halfpenny Green was Cassutt Racer IIIM G-CGSU. This very smart homebuilt sport aircraft was completed in 2010 and has flown 41 flight hours by 31.12.12. The aircraft is shown here being taxied out of the static exhibition area off on a local flight.

The pilots name is shown on the canopy. There are currently a dozen of these aircraft registered in the UK with about 6 believed to be airworthy at the moment - this example is the most recent to have been completed at is based at Halfpenny Green airfield. There was also a second Cassutt Racer present this being G-BFMF

G-BFMF was originally registered in 1978 and built by owner in Dorset, being completed circa 1982. In 2006 it was bought by an owner in West Sussex before moving onto to the West Midlands in early 2013 - the link below shows the same Cassutt Racer back in 1988 in a white/gold/orange colour scheme

Link to ABPIC photo of G-BFMF in 1988


Also resident at Halfpenny Green is TEAM Minimax 91 G-MYKZ with the name "Kilo Zulu" on the cowling - this aircraft was originally registered as G-BVAV for just one week in July 1993 before becoming G-MYKZ.

"Kilo Zulu" is powered by a Rotax 503 engine and has had several owners around the UK before coming to HalfPenny Green in 2010. By Dec 2011 this aircraft had flown just 69 flight hours.

 
Among the visiting aircraft was Savannah G-SAVY  - this aircraft was built in 2009 and is powered by a Jabiru engine

EV-97A Eurostar G-UZUP was built from a factory supplied kit - the Eurostar is a very popular aircraft in the UK with approx 165 examples registered as at April 2013. The aircraft is powered by a Rotax 912 engine and is based in the Sheffield area.

Steve

Perranporth - 1st September 2012

A holiday in Cornwall gave me a chance to re-visit the north Cornish coast and the airfield at Perranporth.

Outside by the fuel farm area was Pa-23 Aztec N485ED c/n 27-3864

This aircraft was built in 1968 and originally flew as N6567Y. The aircraft was imported into the UK and in September 1972 registered with the CAA as G-BAED. Over the years this aircraft operated with numerous air taxi operators including spells based in Essex, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In 2001 the aircraft was cancelled from the UK CAA aircraft register and registered as N485ED - although American registered the aircraft remained based in the UK. The current white/green colour scheme dates from its time painted in Manx Airlines colours, see link below

LINK to photo of G-BAED in Manx Airlines colours


Beside the hanger area was Reims Cessna FR 172F G-AWWU c/n 0111 - this Reims Rocket was built in 1969.

For the last 26 years this aircraft had been based at nearby St Just - Lands End airport operating pleasure and scenic flights around Cornwall. In Summer 2012 it was sold on to a new owner and is now resident at Perranporth.

Inside the hanger was flexwing microlight Pegasus Quantum G-CDIL c/n 8093.

G-CDIL was built in 2004 and over the past eight years this aircraft has had four different registered owners, all based in the South West in either Devon or Cornwall - the UK CAA aircraft register currently shows  over 330 examples of the Quantum as registered.

Reims Cessna F172H G-BGIU c/n 0620 was built in 1969 and originally operated in the Netherlands as PH-VIT - it arrived in the UK in 1979 being registered as G-BGIU in February 1979 and has been based in Cornwall since 2003.

 


 Steve

Binisallem airfield Mallorca - Flight Design CT2K

A few miles east of the town of Binisallem ( close to the large town of Inca ) lies the small dirt airfield of Binissalem. I understand that the airfield has only been in operation for about 5 years.

At the time of my visit in August 2010 there were 10 small tin hangers all in one row - although most of them were locked up many of them had plenty of small holes to view the based aircraft - I logged 20 aircraft but I would estimate that maybe another 5 or 6 remained unidentified.

Seen arriving here on 14th August 2010 was Flight Design CT2K EC-XCS - on the passenger seat was a large location beacon and inflatable raft - I suspect this aircraft may have arrived on a visit from mainland Spain. Over 1,400 examples of the CT have been built since 1997.

The official Spanish aircraft register shows EC-XCS was built in 2009 - I would be interested to know the official Flight Design construction number for this aircraft please.


One of the based aircraft was EC-FE5 a Tecnam P92 Echo - this aircraft is used by a local flying school at Binisallem.

EC-FE5 was built by Tecnam in Italy in 2005 and is c/n P92E-029.

Steve

Old Sarum - 18th March 2010

Old Sarum airfield is just to the north of the cathedral city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. This is a very old airfield dating from 1917 and some examples of the pre WW2 hangers are still in use today.

I logged over 40 aircraft during my visit including,



G-AZTV a rare example of a Stolp SA 500 Starlet - this home built aircraft was registered back in May 1972 and by the end of 2008 had flown just 348 hours. I don't think I've seen this aircraft before. It is currently the only example registered with the UK CAA.




G-WSSX Ikarus C42 inside one of the old hangers - just look at the roof construction. This example was built in 2006 and first registered in October 2006 - in comparision to the above Starlet this aircraft had flown over 600 hours by December 2008. I logged 7 examples of the C42 at Old Sarum today.



G-CPXC a beautiful Cap 10C c/n 301 - this acrobatic aircraft looks great in its white and red colour scheme. It was first registered in December 2001.



G-CFSB Tecnam P2002 Sierra RG - this Italian designed retractable gear aircraft is virtually brand new having first flown on 19th Dec 2009 at Hinton in the Hedges - it was built from a factory supplied kit and has c/n LAA 333A-14864 - it is shown here in the CFM hanger.

The UK CAA register currently shows 18 examples of the P2002 Sierra registered in the UK as at March 2010 - of these 2 are factory built, the other 16 being factory supplied kit built aircraft - G-CFSB shown above is just 1 of 2 retractable gear ( RG ) versions in the UK.

More info on the Tecnam P2002 Sierra can be found below

http://www.tecnam.co.uk/p2002_sierra.html



The airfield has an excellent cafe open to the public so enjoy your visit.


For more information about Old Sarum airfield visit their comprehensive website - lots of historical info on there too.


http://oldsarumairfield.co.uk/

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

Poland - Radom Piastow airfield

The airfield at Radom Piastow ( EPRP ) is approx 6 miles North West of Radom city. This grass airfield is home to the local Aeroklub Radomski operating both aircraft and gliders. In addition there are also some privately owned aircraft too.

There is small elegant clubhouse that includes a cafe open to the public. Permission was granted to walk over to most of the hangers during my visit on 28.8.09.

SP-ZUD PZL M-18 Dromader recently repainted into this bright yellow c/s, this aircraft was built in 1983 and is used for aerial fire fighting.

SP-KMC Cessna 182Q Skylane was built in 1978 and imported into Poland in 2001 from German as D-EVER

SP-FRK PZL Koliber 150 was built in 1984 as SP-ARK a Koliber 110 - it became SP-FRK in 1989 and was converted to 150 standard in 1993

SP-AFM PZL 104 Wilga 35A was built in 1982 and delivered to the Polish Aeroklub. I've seen it active at Radom Piastow in 1997 and 2000 - now it looks in need of some attention

SP-SMWD Ekolot JK-05 Junior a Polish built ultralight being pushed back into a small private hanger

SP-ACM Extra 300L c/n 48 was built in 1997

SP-KGK Cessna 152 dismantled inside the Aeroklub glider hanger - this aircraft was built in 1977 and was imported to Poland from Germany as D-EDLN in 2005

SP-3038 SZD 9Bis Bocian 1E two seat trainer was built in 1976

SP-2503 SZD 30 Pirat was the second Pirat to be built ( in 1966 ) and is now the oldest remaining example of this singe seat design after the prototype ( SP-2502 ) was destroyed in 1966. Based with Aeroklub LOT.

In total I logged 36 aircraft and gliders at Piastow of which 18 were gliders. Two private hangers on the Western side of the club housewere not accessed.

Keevil - Inter-Services Regional Gliding Championship - 5.8.09

On the Grid ready to go - Grob G102 Astir CS77 G-DDOE is operated by the Heron GC at RNAS Yeovilton and was built in 1977

RAF Keevil airfield in Wiltshire is home to the Bannerdown Gliding club part of the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association ( RAFGSA ) - this year they hosted the Inter-Services Regional Gliding Championship ( ISRGC ) for a week of competition in early August 2009.

The poor summer weather meant that competition days 3, 4 and 5 were cancelled - I visited Keevil on Wednesday 5th August and found almost 40 gliders lined up on the Grid ready for the start of the competition - unfortunately a 20 minute shower and some low cloud caused the days flying to be scrubbed just as they were due to launch.

Beautiful sleek Schleicher ASW 27 coded "P10" was built in 2001

SZD 51-1 Junior G-CJLG was built in 1990 and is operated by the Army Gliding Asociation at Upavon - all ready to launch but it rained.

Centrair 101A G-DEVM coded "N51" operates with the Seahawk GC at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall and was built in 1984

G-DCPM Glasflugel Standard Libelle 201B has a lovely tadpole shape - this glider was built back in 1971 and is based at Upavon

Rolladen Schneider LS8-18 G-WDGC coded "M9" is based at Upavon and was built in 2001

G-DCCU Schleicher KA 6E c/n 4122 coded "CCU"built in 1967 ( thanks to James for this correction )

G-CFRZ Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus c/n 348G was built under licence by Grob in 1973

Schleicher ASK 21 G-CKJP coded "R12" is home based at Keevil with the Bannerdown GC

The event brought half a dozen visiting tug aircraft to Keevil including Chipmunks G-AOTF ( RAFGSA ), AOUO ( RAFGSA ) , ATVF ( RAFGSA ) , BAVH ( Royal Navy Gliding Soaring Association ), BCKN ( RAFGSA ) plus Pawnees G-ASIY ( RAFGSA ) and BDPJ ( RAFGSA ).

G-AOTF is a rare singe seat Chipmunk 23. This aircraft was originally built for the RAF as a conventional T 10 serial WB563 with c/n C1-0015 in 1950. In 1956 it was registered as G-AOTF and was flown by the RAE Farnborough Aero Club. It was sold to Farm Aviation in 1963 and was converted to a single seater for agricultural spraying services. In 1969 it was bought by the RAFGSA as a glider tug and has remained with them for the past 40 years. Now almost 60 years old the aircraft still provides a valuable service and is the only Chipmunk 23 version flying in the UK.


Chipmunk 22 G-BAVH operates with the Portsmouth Naval Gliding Club at Lee on Solent. This Chipmunk was built in 1953 as WP975 with the RAF. It became G-BAVH in 1973 operating with the RAFGSA before being passed onto the Portsmouth Naval Gliding Club in 1981. The original Gypsy Moth engine has been replaced by a Lycoming O-360-A4A.


Another type popular with gliding clubs for aero tows is the Piper Pawnee - this former agricultural spraying aircraft G-ASIY was built in 1963 with c/n 25-2446. For 20 years it flew with ADS Aerial Spraying based at Southend. In 1984 it was accquired by the RAFGSA and is now based at Bicester. By the end of 2008 it has flown over 9410 flight hours.

Keevil has a collection of older gliders undergoing or awaiting restoration among them is Slingsby T 42 Skylark 3 registration BGA 735 built in 1955

Among the resident gliders and aircraft at Keevil are several vintage former RAF gliders including Slingsby T21B Sedbergh TX 1 WB981 featuring side by side seating now operating as BGA 3238



LINK to Official ISRGC website for this competition

LINK to Army Gliding Association

LINK to Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association

LINK to Royal Navy Gliding & Soaring Association