May Bank Holiday
May Bank Holiday
We should be thankful for
the ever changing weather in England as this sometimes can be for
the better; not often but sometimes.
This meant that the forecast misery was replaced by sunshine and
pleasant skies on the Saturday.
The grey drab skies were on the horizon on Sunday and this meant
a drastic reduction in aircraft flying in and terrestrial
visitors for that day. The rain arrived in the early afternoon
and so everything was packed away early and aircraft escaped to
places far and wide, Belgium and Ireland.
Of course as soon as the
panic was over the skies cleared and the Sun shone through...
This was apparent on the weather app radar image...
So I drove home in brilliant sunshine, there was nothing for me
to fly, and there won't be for a while.
Today, Bank Holiday Monday,
there's a classic car show and a Vintage Aircraft Fly-In, but
sadly it is grey and raining at Popham as I write this.
Is it Climate Change? The Jetstream is low in the Altantic
bringing low pressure areas one after the other, week after week,
blocking the summer from rising from the south. Even the odd high
pressure area has brought cold arctic air from the north when the
sky has been clear.
More precisely: The Popham
Microlight Trade Show
Microlight/Ultralight
aviation has come a long way.
No longer rags and string and two strokes in the Rogallo and
Weedhopper style, now they're sophisticated aircraft that exceed
the performance specifications of equivalent certified light
aircraft.
For many there's little point in doing a Private Pilot's Licence
when you can fly higher performance aircraft on a microlight or
ultralight licence or permit. These aircraft have modern
technology available only in vastly more expensive certified
aircraft that require expensive and difficult certification.
Just try to fit a modern traffic warning ads-b system to a
certified aircraft... A friend can not fit a U Avionix tail
beacon, Nav light ads-b system, to his certified aircraft as it
is not on the list of approved types. Why? There's too few of
them for the manufacturer to bother including the type in the
blanket approval. Then again each national aviation authority has
to approve modifications to aircraft under their registry.
So a system that might improve safety is excluded by cost and
process.
But if you have a microlight, ultralight, or homebuilt aeroplane,
go ahead!
The full size Stampe SV4 replica with a
Rotax 912 engine was the undoubted star of the show.
The Rotax stand was offering free coffee and chocolates on it's
stand.
Liquid cooled engines lend themselves to making coffee machines.
Simply lovely; in my past I flew the
heavier Gipsy and Renault Stampe SV4 biplanes.
Paul had the Sling 2 out on the Metal
Seagulls stand as it has a UL Power engine supplied by them.
At the end of the day we
took the Sling up for another test flight.
This time we tested the Garmin Autopilot and it operated without
fault
Very slick in the style of a Lancair.
Autogyros have become popular, looking far
more sophisticated than their open frame Benson predecessors.
Pipistrel have an electric Velos operating
at Airbourne Aviation flying school at Popham.
Due to Covid they have renamed their Virus model, it's now the
Pipistrel Alpha.
Made in Ukraine
Retractable undercarriage from Czech.
You can splash in Ireland and in Scotland,
but few places are allowed in England.
Modern technology available in a
'microlight' cockpit. It's aglazing!
Visiting Friends
Lawrence wants the
Aircoupes to get together and fly formation, but it's a hugely
frustrating time for the yellow one as it now waits for Bowden
cable parts which are on back order.
This "Just In Time" idea is really "Just Too
Late" in reality.
Hopefully the trimming
system will be the last snag to frustrate me after I have spent
so much money (over £10,000 so far) on it.
This is highly punishing for me, I always pay for my mistakes.
This time I failed to sell the aeroplane on completion of its
original task, being on a CxA (certified) was a huge disincentive
to potential purchasers as outlined above.
In November I took the nose leg to Luton to be rechromed, then it
went in for an Annual check... Certified aircraft parts are
expensive and when I started to buy new parts, Ignition
Harneesses, Magnetos, Rudder Cables, the parts bill rose and
rose, then there's £5,000 of labour.
I never imagined that this year's Annual inspection would rise in
cost as much as it has, the aeroplane should have been scrapped.
I shouldn't think too much as I have to maintain my pilot medical!
