fancy one of these

[pistonbroke]

Clicky

[Alan France]

Magic, from $32,000 plus engine and extras. Different to Westfield, comes with a comprehensive manual.

Build errors could have implications.

[Nick Mace]

A chap I know is building a plane. It’s a modern take on a wooden plane with a doped canvas covering - really basic stuff.

His fuselage is made from aluminium tube. There is no kit - I think all he has is a plan and a pile of tube which he bought.

I think he’s mad!

[Alan France]

This is even crazier.

 

[Kingster]

I used to fly this. 

 

[Captain Colonial]

10 hours ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

I used to fly this. 

 

And that, m’lord, is the case for the prosecution. 

Although I had a PPL and also flew gliders, so people in glass houses and all that...

[Jim cunliffe]

11 hours ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

I used to fly this. 

 

Ex Kevin Armstrong I believe! I sold it to Kevin in 1998 as a kit whilst working for Mainair Sports for 35 years.

Where is now Chris ??

[Kingster]

1 hour ago, Jim cunliffe said:

Ex Kevin Armstrong I believe! I sold it to Kevin in 1998 as a kit whilst working for Mainair Sports for 35 years.

Where is now Chris ??

Yes I bought it off Kevin. 

Sadly it is no more 

a “perfect storm” of small negative effects (mostly mad hot weather, location and wind swinging 180 degrees on take off) led to a stall at around 50-100 ft ending in hitting the dry stone wall. Very nearly lost my life and only just kept my right leg!

[Jim cunliffe]

48 minutes ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

Yes I bought it off Kevin. 

Sadly it is no more 

a “perfect storm” of small negative effects (mostly mad hot weather, location and wind swinging 180 degrees on take off) led to a stall at around 50-100 ft ending in hitting the dry stone wall. Very nearly lost my life and only just kept my right leg!

Wow, I have seen lots of wreckage in my time at Mainair/ P&M but that looks like one of the worst.Hope youve fully recovered .

Jim

[Kingster]

5 hours ago, Jim cunliffe said:

Wow, I have seen lots of wreckage in my time at Mainair/ P&M but that looks like one of the worst.Hope youve fully recovered .

Jim

Yes took 9 operations to save the leg and 4 months of physio to be able to barely walk again - but better now 12 years down the line. Didn’t help falling off a bike four years later and snapping the patella tendon in the “good” leg though. But now just have to put up with pain and last week did a few 5 mile walks around the lakes (with a bit of grimacing!)

[Jim cunliffe]

Sorry to hear it still troubles you.

I read the aaib report this morning and it’s a familiar read, the high temps did you no favours and also 65 ltr tank on a 503 engine ! The twin tank system meant you could at least take a tank out and have less fuel weight and with 15/20 ltrs in the running tank it looked like plenty but put 20 ltrs in a 65 ltr tank and you would think it will run out taxying.

Did you have Westfield’s before the accident or have changed the Adrenalin source?

l bought my Westy a year ago after 38 years and 3600 hours flying and can honestly say I am enjoying it more than flying especially as Julie, wife, joins in which she never did whilst I was flying.

I haven’t flown since October and sold my plane and hangar soon after,Istill have my license and carry out permit renewals but am not missing flying one bit,that’s down to the westy I think.

Maybe we’ll get out to the North East in it one day ,l will give you a shout if we do!

all the best

Jim

 

[Kingster]

54 minutes ago, Jim cunliffe said:

Did you have Westfield’s before the accident or have changed the Adrenalin source?

The Westy was to replace bikes as my adrenaline source. 

Rode bikes since ‘76 and took up flying alongside riding bikes. Flew to France  twice including all the way down to Arcachon Bay (hence the 65litre tank) and was selling up on the day of the accident. Kind of ticked every box I wanted to flying and was looking to buy a faster bike. Probably just as well I didn’t to be honest!

The Westy now hits the spot perfectly, so am a very happy adrenaline junkie 

[corsechris]

Some nice flying in that vid of the KF. Sadly, no way the Campaign Against Aviation would let you get away with most of that in this country.

Glad you survived that prang Chris.

The most questionable flying machine I ever got into was a Rutan Long-EZ that a chap I used to know had the keys for. When he showed it to me I thought "mmm, that's a pretty big model plane". It was actually pretty amazing to fly though, and we did have some fun in it.

You'd not get me into a microlight though. Then again, to get me off the ground it would need to be a midi-light I think.

[Kingster]

2 hours ago, corsechris said:

Some nice flying in that vid of the KF. Sadly, no way the Campaign Against Aviation would let you get away with most of that in this country.

Glad you survived that prang Chris.

The most questionable flying machine I ever got into was a Rutan Long-EZ that a chap I used to know had the keys for. When he showed it to me I thought "mmm, that's a pretty big model plane". It was actually pretty amazing to fly though, and we did have some fun in it.

You'd not get me into a microlight though. Then again, to get me off the ground it would need to be a midi-light I think.

I'm glad I survived too!

Microlights are pretty safe, my problem was lack of height. If I'd had any issue at a bit of a higher altitude, gliding down would have been a well rehearsed doddle!