tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39409698624214874882011-12-31T19:32:48.157ZNews, opinions, rumours and experiences from the world of General AviationIan Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.comBlogger3721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-35773810109398450462011-11-03T20:24:00.001Z2011-11-06T18:21:12.433Z

A couple of years ago we went on an organised flying tour of Tunisia. We had a great time and met some great people. Madeleine and Fernand (centre and right above) were there with their Cessna 210. They were in their early 70s but lived life as if they were in their 30s. Madeleine only stopped talking to laugh. Later we spent a weekend at their house in Rouen, we enjoyed good food,

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-72511482463679352232011-09-19T03:20:00.003+01:002011-09-26T19:47:02.309+01:00

I'm sitting in the loung of a large, New York area, FBO (Fixed Base Operator). I've been here for an hour or so, quietly looking at the people passing through while I wait for my lift to arrive. Just outside the door there's a gaggle of limo drivers - smoking, laughing and no doubt putting the world to rights. Then there are the white coats - a medical team presumably waiting for something or

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-73664783965318990382011-08-10T23:38:00.003+01:002011-09-26T19:48:41.755+01:00

EAA Airventure 2011 has been and gone and we've had the wrap up email from the press office. Here it is, with a few observations… Comment from EAA president/CEO Rod Hightower: "This year's event was a tremendous success. From the arrival of the Boeing 787 to our tributes to Bob Hoover and Burt Rutan, all the way through the huge crowd on the flight line for Saturday's night air show, the spirit

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-45379722509457601942011-07-19T08:12:00.002+01:002011-07-19T08:27:54.233+01:00

Since getting back from Svalbard it's been hectic, particularly since Oshkosh beckons on Saturday. A few quick thoughts on some random aviation topics…RAF Lyneham - According to the NOTAM the airspace will be suspended from today, and cancelled on September 30th. Liam Fox has announced that instead of being sold off, the site will re-open in 2013 as the home of the Defence technical training

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-74805539944132115092011-07-08T07:09:00.002+01:002011-07-08T07:11:48.875+01:00

Sorry, have not managed any updates while on this trip - there has been lots and lots of flying, and not very much time. More when I get back, but in the meantime there are a few pictures on the FLYER Facebook page here

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-63046163913277694962011-06-27T23:07:00.005+01:002011-06-27T23:26:37.255+01:00

The current plan is to head to Paris on Thursday and then Stavanger Friday, Tromso Saturday then Svalbard Sunday. With 48 and a bit hours to go there are only 2,042 things left to do, but today I managed to tick off a few more, thanks in no small part to some very good friends.I've got a pack of maps (which I need to look at in order to draw a few lines), I've got dayglo stripes on my wings,

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-49560330073925571132011-06-23T08:47:00.002+01:002011-06-23T09:00:07.230+01:00

Towards the end of next week I'm off to Spitsbergen in the C182 with a group of French pilots. After reaching Tromso in northern Norway we'll have another 550 ish nm to do, most of it over the Barents Sea. I'll be wearing a survival suit and carrying a dinghy, but plan A doesn't involve using either. Tomorrow the aeroplane will get an oil change and a good look under the cowl. I'll also apply the

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-62152507288617911242011-06-15T22:41:00.001+01:002011-06-15T22:42:50.583+01:00

You must have a browser that supports iframes to view the BBC weather forecastYou have to feel sorry for the organisers - the weather may yet change, but it doesn't look like we're set for a sunny Sywell. Right, where are my thermals?

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-77748894756580013702011-06-15T08:51:00.003+01:002011-06-17T08:40:09.962+01:00

Soon you'll need PPR to visit Alderney, Guernsey or Jersey with a GA aircraft. A website has been created here to make it easier, but come on, is this sort of rubbish really necessary? Why is it people with runways, and let's not forget that the CI has a tonne of Class A and full ATC too, seem to have a problem with aeroplanes? Grrrrr Here's part of a document that's been circulated PPR is to

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-87022596357110843862011-06-09T20:56:00.006+01:002011-06-17T08:41:52.041+01:00

Earlier today I was flying along, minding my own business and dodging the showers. I was outside controlled airspace but listening to a local unit just to see what was going on. A couple of Exam call signs were on frequency, both pilots on IR tests, both pilots undoubtedly towards the end of an expensive, intensive course. The first pilot seemed on top of things and was soon

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-45921001501000195482011-06-08T11:52:00.003+01:002011-06-09T08:34:04.579+01:00

The good news is that the weather looks good. The bad news is that just as soon as it looks good it starts to look wet too. Best take a brolly…TAF EGLL 080459Z 0806/0912 23009KT 9999 FEW030 PROB40 TEMPO 0809/0818 24015G25KT 7000 SHRA PROB30 TEMPO 0909/0912 8000 SHRA=Edit. While there were a couple of showers around the weather turned out fine, if a little blustery!

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-66497323620984251902011-06-06T08:27:00.004+01:002011-06-06T20:25:41.497+01:00

Jack Pelton came into work at Cessna a couple of weeks ago and retired. Colleagues in the USA tell me that Jack's retirement came in the form of being fired with immediate effect. Some poor Q1 numbers and a reluctance to make deeper cuts apparently sealed his fate. That's all rumour and hearsay of course.Today Scott Ernest, Jack's replacement, starts his second week at Cessna. If the rumours are

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-27149442563543759092011-06-05T09:11:00.004+01:002011-06-08T11:51:38.783+01:00

I had the opportunity to fly a new Tecnam P2006T from the factory in Naples, Italy, to Wycombe in the UK last week. We left the factory at about 16.30 on Tuesday, overnighted in Cannes and landed back at Wycombe at about 19.00 on Wednesday. The flight will be the subject of a 'Flying Adventure' in the magazine, but for now I thought I'd mention a few observations.VFR in ItalyLike the UK, Italy

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-57556953708168948902011-05-27T00:19:00.003+01:002011-05-31T11:43:52.551+01:00

Earlier this week I found myself flying the C182 between appointments. I was to the south-east of Benson's MATZ and heading vaguely west. I had Benson's frequency dialed in, but wasn't talking to them. The police helicopter who was working Benson was given some traffic information. A little while later the police helicopter told the controller that he'd try to get a registration, and a while

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-48679079883463411942011-05-24T10:00:00.000+01:002011-05-24T10:00:56.665+01:00

Sorry for the long gap… I just wanted to pass on what was (for me) an amusing experience. I recently found myself sitting in a car park close to Turin airport. My colleague pointed out two pilots and two cabin crew from Alitalia walking to their cars. The pilots (both male) had stylish hair, sharp uniforms and mirrored aviator sunglasses. They rolled their flight backs with style.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-35679909757684635902011-05-20T18:45:00.005+01:002011-05-31T11:45:22.963+01:00

Someone asked me recently why pilots were flying less, and why fewer people were learning to fly. The answer (obviously) has something to do with money, or more accurately, value for money. On that subject a couple of things struck me recently…I was thinking about an autopilot for the C182. It has the Cessna Navomatic 200 wing-leveller fitted, but that only works if you want to

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-48060677940408483122011-05-18T07:35:00.003+01:002011-05-24T09:57:46.540+01:00

Over the years, I've spent some time talking to people working for AOPA US. I've been to their annual events, and I read AOPA Pilot, their magazine. They're a good bunch doing a good job in tough times. A few years ago the organisation had a change of President when Phil Boyer retired and Craig Fuller took over. Craig's timing was less than ideal - the economy took a dive and that, combined

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-49039490042241970492011-04-08T00:01:00.004+01:002011-04-12T19:12:16.693+01:00

I went flying with the Aware 5 today. For anyone who hasn't seen an Aware before (is there anyone?), it's a very simple GPS with a digital CAA chart which has an underlying airspace database that's used to provide controlled airspace warnings. The '5' is a bigger unit than the original, but works in exactly the same way. In most light conditions, the screen is easy to use, although there are

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-52069868427228646662011-03-29T23:59:00.005+01:002011-03-30T23:54:05.808+01:00

Sun 'n Fun is running, but rather than sunning myself in Florida I've been at my desk in Bath (lots to do and we have a flight training show in Amsterdam this weekend). It seems that there's a fair bit of news doing the rounds…here are a couple of the more interesting stories1. Cessna announces the Corvalis TTxNot sure what to make of this. The Corvalis hasn't really sold in big numbers when

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-49316689764731261422011-03-21T08:16:00.004Z2011-03-21T19:49:20.044Z

Feeling bad about not posting a great deal recently. Here are some quick thoughts on recent aviation news items… Cirrus gets sold to the Chinese. The deal has yet to be completed and I have a feeling the road between here and there is full of turns, hills and potholes. Ultimately I still think that it'll get done. Cessna ship fewer SEPs than Cirrus in 2010. It's a tough market out there and I'm

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-85609910874362385542011-02-19T00:12:00.009Z2011-02-24T22:45:03.394Z

Another airport another day (or night)... I've been doing a lot of waiting for flights recently (sadly, running a UK GA magazine isn't profitable enough to rent some funky, fast, de-iced aeroplane for weeks at a time in the USA) and have been spending some of my time people-watching. I've developed this theory - modern business travelers are really just modern day cowboys. Rather than being

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-19866430093768278142011-02-11T20:15:00.004Z2011-02-24T22:44:05.605Z

I haven't flown the C182 for a while, since November to be precise. Earlier this week the weather was forecast to be exceptional and we needed to take a few pictures - an ideal opportunity to brush off the cobwebs and give the 182 its first flight of 2011. I packed the flying kit and took along a battery booster just in case... I drove to Henstridge where it has been

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-10152059572496079362011-01-31T21:58:00.004Z2011-02-04T14:46:50.208Z

Rumours are an everyday part of GA. In tough times there's always someone about to go bust (manufacturer, flying school, magazine...), and in the good times there's always someone about to launch a new world-beating aircraft, training school or even magazine. Right now there's a 'GA manufacturer about to be bought' rumour doing the rounds. This particular manufacturer is, apparently, about to be

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-68360885574314548762011-01-28T22:36:00.003Z2011-01-28T22:51:05.973Z

We're away this weekend. Getting to this particular event involves flying, and with a strong desire to be there I bought a couple of airline tickets a few weeks ago. The weather is too unpredictable and the freezing level too low to be able to guarantee attendance by C182. Inevitably the weather looks OK for flying, and inevitably we're figuring out exactly what we can and can't take while making

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-45638982134735217942011-01-27T08:46:00.006Z2011-01-27T21:32:49.076Z

A couple of things have happened in the aviation manufacturing world over the last few days. Starting yesterday, Textron, Cessna'a parent announced its 2010 financial results. 2010's Q4 was better for Cessna than 2009's Q4 (largely thanks to a US bonus depreciation tax break). Despite that, the end result for 2010 was still a loss of $29m for Cessna. The company is reasonably positive about the

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-14702113153197102332011-01-23T09:45:00.002Z2011-01-23T13:33:51.988Z

The argument goes something like this… I fly a XXX (insert appropriate LAA permit to fly type) and it’s powered by a Rotax 912S. It’ll cruise at XXX kt (add speed to taste) while burning about 18lph. The annual maintenance costs me about a fiver and I keep it in a barn on a strip that is usable for 12 months of the year. I tour extensively and there’s enough useful load for two people to go

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-32459088164461944032011-01-12T10:18:00.002Z2011-01-13T19:04:03.249Z

Apologies for the lack of updates. I'm in a car on the M4 with enough time for a few bullet points... - Craig Fuller, President of AOPA US is upbeat about GA and 2011. However, many observers predict a tough year. - Bembridge continues to remain closed to visitors with the owners (the Taylor family) and managers (BN Group) seemingly having trouble working and playing well together - Avgas prices

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-52339403014800758592010-12-24T20:18:00.002Z2010-12-24T20:29:09.518Z

A week or so ago, a wing skin became disbonded from the main spar during a Cessna production flight test. Cessna, in conjunction with the FAA issued an AD that effectively grounded a handful of aeroplanes, the vast majority of which were still in Cessna's hands.Since then it has transpired that a couple of other aircraft in the field have been grounded as recent repairs to these airframes have

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-49401634652494412162010-12-19T09:57:00.002Z2010-12-19T10:10:42.860Z

We took the dog to the strip for a walk yesterday. Overnight, like many others we'd had a few inches of snow - and I guess like others it was perfect snow. It was perfect for flying, soft and powdery and not too deep.I haven't flown for a couple of weeks now and I'm feeling the need to get airborne. The aeroplane has been moved to its winter base at Henstridge, but it was the low cloud rather

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-19691416687376852592010-12-15T21:30:00.006Z2010-12-17T16:02:35.966Z

Over 80 have been built, they're operated by five different countries and today the UK retired its Harrier fleet. As Harrier test pilot John Farley said - the decision says a lot more about the UK than it does about the aircraft. I've had the pleasure of working with John for a while now, he wrote a regular column for FLYER for a few years - each one carefully researched and crafted. If there

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-55483749483692743282010-12-13T08:49:00.002Z2010-12-17T16:04:41.560Z

Stand by for a war of words and numbers. Highly respected online news organisation Avweb and highly respected member organisation AOPA USA are squaring up for, well, a bit of a ding-dong. Just before AOPA Summit in November, AVweb ran a story commenting on AOPA's senior staff salaries, they went on to comment about AOPA's spending on aviation and other lobbying activities. Needless

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-26323804542832365682010-12-12T18:46:00.002Z2010-12-17T16:09:07.791Z

A week or so ago I went to a press conference at EASA. The invitation said that the subject would be 'A better regulation for GA' with about half-an-hour set aside for a brief presentation, which would be followed by some lunch and a Q&A session. It struck me that half-an-hour wasn't long to cover both EASA's efforts so far and their plans for the future. Once inside the building, I was shown to

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-83891157485534460062010-12-10T20:50:00.002Z2010-12-10T20:52:58.096Z

I know I promised an update after my trip to EASA, but thing have been manic, and that's now been compounded by my laptop going into self-destruct mode :-(I'm working on fixing that, and then I'll sort the update this weekend assuming the IT stuff goes smoothly...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-56947553874089370052010-12-01T20:43:00.004Z2010-12-08T12:44:59.954Z

I'm off to Cologne tomorrow (assuming I can get through the snow). Part of the reason for the trip is the following EASA event. At first I thought that a 30 minute presentation was a bit short, but then I saw that it was about better regulation for GA, and now I'm wondering if they'll have trouble filling the time. I want to believe that EASA is doing a great job. People I like and respect have

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-7628681464114540692010-11-26T22:36:00.002Z2010-12-08T12:46:55.972Z

Emporia is a small town in Kansas with roughly 26,000 inhabitants. It is served by a small airport, Emporia Municipal (KEMP). It has one 5,000' hard runway and one 3,800' grass runway, pilot-controlled lighting, a VOR approach and a GPS approach to each end of the runway. There's an FBO and a self-serve, 24-hour avgas fuel pump. There's no tower, so pilots take care of their own radio needs.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-47568310118233605992010-11-26T22:25:00.002Z2010-12-08T12:48:41.558Z

I love flying at night. The air is (generally) smoother, the visibility often good and the sights spectacular. I accept that an engine failure would be more of a pain at night than it would during the day, but still, night flight is something special, something to be enjoyed. I'm struggling to get much of it done, and yet with it being dark at around 5pm there ought to be plenty of opportunities

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-18234743853055658032010-11-20T17:40:00.002Z2010-12-08T12:51:58.833Z

I flew a Cessna Skycatcher recently. It got me thinking about the different types of controls used in light aircraft. I guess the most common is either the yoke or stick, although even here here are variations on the theme. Beechcraft for example had their throw-over yoke that featured a central pedestal with one yoke that could be used on either side while the simple joystick could either be one

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-2752702191022203122010-11-20T17:37:00.007Z2010-11-27T06:22:38.638Z

I've been to pretty much every AOPA Expo for the last fifteen years (it's only been called AOPA Summit for the last two), and sadly 2010's event was the smallest I can remember.It's not entirely AOPA's fault, the GA market is going through some pretty lean times right now, but nonetheless exhibitors were thinner on the ground than normal. Most of the big names were there, but a few were missing,

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-4428228918236748622010-11-20T09:52:00.006Z2010-11-22T10:16:09.638Z

Anyone who has flown in the US will know just how easy it is, but talking about it over here, particularly with regulators, usually just elicits a roll of the eyes or a comment about how Europe is different for one reason or another.I did a bit of US flying recently that showed, once again, that they just do General Aviation better than anywhere else.Approaching Emporia Kansas (KEMP) I called

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-14877439445018676182010-11-03T22:44:00.001Z2010-11-03T22:45:33.135Z

I got up this morning and looked at the TAFs. The morning's weather was fine, but prob30 very pants later. Taking everything into account I took the appalling Kia Cee'd (hired from Hertz yesterday after my car went into limp home mode) and drove for two and a half hours to get to Shoreham. Frankly it should be a jewel of an airport. It has a decent length runway, instrument approaches, full air

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-85683919639696848942010-11-02T23:18:00.001Z2010-11-02T23:29:17.850Z

I haven't managed to post much recently as things have been busy at work. Despite that I've managed to do some flying, including a short flight in great light - I posted a few more pics here.Next week I'm off to AOPA Summit in Long Beach, although AOPA's autumn event is significantly smaller than Sun 'n Fun or Oshkosh it's nonetheless a great event mixing education, exhibition and social

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-63738589157505929232010-10-22T08:57:00.003+01:002010-10-23T12:31:59.637+01:00

With the taste of humble pie still lingering, I was amused and pleased to see an interview that AOPA conducted with Cessna CEO Jack Pelton at NBAA. A week ago I wrote that Cessna was going to launch its single-engine turboprop at NBAA, and when they launched the Citation Ten instead I had to eat humble pie. To be honest, I was starting to wonder if all the rumours over all the years referred

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-79169614291830870202010-10-21T08:31:00.000+01:002010-10-21T08:31:00.218+01:00

There's a Britain From the Air photographic exhibition running in Bath at the moment. The pictures are large and distributed throughout the streets, and certainly enhance the lunchtime stroll.The weather was stunning yesterday, so with the route taking me over Bath I took a few pictures. Here you can see the Circus with Brock Street running vertically away to the Royal Crescent. During Bath's

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-12854593148657854852010-10-20T09:30:00.001+01:002010-10-23T12:35:24.350+01:00

NBAA has seen its fair share of announcements this week: Cessna launched the Citation Ten, Beech two new aeroplanes, NetJets orders for a huge number of Phenom 300s and Garmin a new avionics suite aimed at high-level business aviation. That's a lot of good news, but there was another update that could have easily been missed by the men in suits. Cessna and Bye aviation told everyone that they

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-22567645422232768662010-10-19T09:53:00.001+01:002010-10-23T12:37:41.378+01:00

Flying west was an interesting experience earlier last week. Initially, the visibility into sun was about zero. Seriously, the view ahead was the same as being in solid IMC. The ground was still visible, but I wouldn't have fancied navigating by vertical reference (thanks Mr Garmin). Climbing made things a lot better, and by the time I got to 3,000' the scene was stunning. I obviously wasn't the

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-78083920963756628802010-10-18T16:30:00.003+01:002010-10-18T16:36:40.682+01:00

Sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and admit to being 100% wrong.As can be seen here I was pretty sure that Cessna would be announcing their entry into a new market today, but as can be seen here, they announced a new Citation - the Citation Ten.No excuses from me - I read the tea leaves, took soundings, studied faces and read between lines, all to no avail. All to be wrong.Now, where

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-32637508356713870982010-10-18T09:09:00.001+01:002010-10-23T12:41:55.906+01:00

I flew into Redhill last week. It was my first visit (by air) and I sort of expected it to be a bit of an issue. Redhill is one of those places that has a reputation. For some it is the fact that it sits in Gatwick's airspace, while for others it's the lack of a welcoming reputation - either way it isn't at the top of most people's 'must visit' list. I called for PPR before setting off and

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-43529829357628137492010-10-17T12:19:00.003+01:002010-10-17T12:24:27.643+01:00

Well, when I say it is no more, what I really mean is that it has no assets. It seems that all asets have been transferred from the Mooney Airplane Company to the Mooney Aviation Company. The new company will do everything the old one did.I don't know exactly why this has been done, but I could probably guess…Here's the full text of the press release…October 15, 2010, Kerrville, Texas— As Mooney

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-35612471868955078392010-10-16T08:21:00.006+01:002010-10-18T08:47:47.685+01:00

I first heard the rumours three or four years ago, perhaps more. Cessna was working on a single-engine turboprop to compete somewhere in the Meridian, TBM or Pilatus market space. To be honest, I expected it to be announced at NBAA last year or Oshkosh this year, but all I got when I asked Cessna's media team about it were blank faces.With NBAA coming up next week, and with a Cessna press release

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-56672951521540871122010-10-13T09:22:00.003+01:002010-10-16T21:37:39.918+01:00

Shortly after take-off yesterday, I called Lyneham for a basic service. Somewhere east of Marlborough, they called to say, "Squawk 7000 freecall Farnborough on 125.25".I tuned in and listened out. I don't know what was happening yesterday but the frequency should have been renamed Farnborough Comedy. Seriously, at times it was funnier than Chris Moyles on Radio 1. Half the fleet in Southern

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-82577174329838116712010-10-11T19:02:00.005+01:002010-10-15T22:24:22.590+01:00

It's not been a good week for aviation. Saturday involved a trip to Goodwood for a meeting, but thanks to some early fog that never actually cleared all day, I ended up driving. Sunday, I went to the end-of-season display at Duxford and very good it was too. The trouble is, I drove to that too. Flying to Duxford would have been good, but that option is no longer open (at least not for the autumn

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-54759415170312841272010-10-07T19:50:00.003+01:002010-10-07T20:04:46.140+01:00

There was a meeting in Cologne a couple of days ago. It was attended by some members of the FCL.008 committee, some bigwigs from EASA, the CAA and AOPA.Reports of the meeting vary a bit, but everyone pretty much agrees that EASA agreed that holders of the IMC rating would be grandfathered. I'm told that Cliff Whitaker, head of Licensing and Policy at the CAA asked a lot of questions and took a

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-57144211739484364992010-10-04T23:29:00.003+01:002010-10-04T23:37:59.418+01:00

Renaud Ecalle, the 2009 world aerobatic champion, was killed yesterday while flying his Jodel back from a display. His wife and two children were also lost in the accident which took place near Lodeve. More (in French) here.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-68983640293068804492010-09-30T20:42:00.005+01:002010-10-01T09:08:25.618+01:00

It seems that pilots aren't the only people with a touch of jet lust. Despite the less than positive economic situation, and the fact that none of the business jet manufacturers are exactly booming, it looks like we may be getting a couple of new players in the market...First to break cover is Daher-Socata, manufacturers of the TBM850. The French company has teamed up with Allied Aviation

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-69647432369650189572010-09-27T20:08:00.004+01:002010-10-04T14:41:22.795+01:00

Times are still very tough out there in the world of GA manufacturing. A few days ago Cessna announced a further 700 job cuts, Hawker Beechcraft laid off 350 and today Piper let 60 employees go. Wichita and Vero Beach are not great places to be for aircraft workers. I doubt that Wiener Neustadt (Diamond) and Duluth (Cirrus) are faring a great deal better. Those companies supplying the OEMs -

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-56939428548381786592010-09-25T22:09:00.002+01:002010-09-25T22:12:21.272+01:00

The Gordon Bennett balloon race gets underway tonight. To my shame I knew almost nothing about it, but it looks like a lot of fun and a real adventure. You can follow the progress here

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-6707346821711980422010-09-24T16:57:00.006+01:002010-09-27T12:23:33.475+01:00

Another aviation school, Aussie Air at Fort Lauderdale Exec, has closed leaving students out of pocket. It seems that Aussie Air, which catered for quite a few foreign students, never quite got the required paperwork together. It's not unknown for aviation schools to fail, often taking students' money with them, but to be blunt, it's not hard for potential students to carry out a little due

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-64427979002705634892010-09-21T20:06:00.011+01:002010-09-22T15:24:57.670+01:00

I've been involved quite a few air-to-air photo shoots. They're a bit of a blend of photographic techniques - to a certain extent you can pose the subject by frantically waving a series of hand signals. You can change the lighting (the sun's relative position), by re-positioning the formation and although you can plan things on the ground there's often an unexpected element

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-49760967816686522552010-09-21T08:36:00.003+01:002010-09-21T11:58:56.237+01:00

I had an interesting chat with a couple of French pilots over the weekend. They were both longtime P210 owners, one had replaced his engine with a factory-new unit, the other with a factory zero-hour overhaul. They had something else in common, both of their aeroplanes were grounded with big engine problems. Both engines were making significant amounts of metal, and both would need to be replaced

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-2710151263749638102010-09-12T15:38:00.007+01:002010-09-12T16:20:08.992+01:00

In the early hours of March 30th 2003 the bulldozers rolled onto the runway at Meigs Field, Chicago, and dug X-shaped trenches along its length. Mayor Daley had won the fight to close the airport, and although the city was later fined by the FAA, he'd effectively got away with his bully-boy tactics. Although some of the buildings (including the control tower) still exist, the airport has now

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-61790286401099131062010-09-09T22:55:00.004+01:002010-09-10T12:32:50.346+01:00

After my Historic hangar entry, Tony French very kindly emailed me these entries from the 1934 edition of The Air Pilot (12s 6d). Excellent.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-22110682725533493532010-09-09T21:58:00.002+01:002010-09-09T23:54:14.638+01:00

I took EW to RGV at Gloucester this morning for the biennial IFR checks. I'm in the habit of getting involved in the maintenance, so watching from a distance was interesting.If the checks had been straightforward they wouldn't have taken long, but it seems that there's a bit of a static leak somewhere so that needs to be tracked down and sorted first...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-66890870145448199272010-09-08T18:51:00.002+01:002010-09-09T00:29:46.511+01:00

I went to Old Sarum this morning. I dropped in on the way to work (a bit of a diversion, but hey it's an airfield) to take a few pictures.I've known for ages that the hangars are listed, but to be honest I've never really bothered looking before. They date from 1917 when the airfield was opened as a training station for the Royal Flying Corps and the wooden roof trusses are amazing.It turns out

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-25597583183405400212010-09-07T01:28:00.002+01:002010-09-07T01:37:11.970+01:00

The 'It's not the LAA Rally' took place last weekend and I have to say it was a great little event.With something like 800 aircraft flying in and three marquees of trade stands the event managed to combine a social event with a show that didn't take itself too seriously.I understand that the event will continue to grow slowly and sustainably, which I guess means not betting huge amounts of money

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-54069982179326707132010-08-31T09:19:00.001+01:002010-08-31T20:23:49.280+01:00

Anyone know what's happening with the Skycatcher? In terms of orders, it's in high-speed cruise, in terms of deliveries it's just about limping away from the hangar. As I understand it, there have been just eight deliveries so far. Most of those have gone to Cessna employees, or those close... so what gives? The official line is that the aircraft are being shipped to Wichita for assembly and

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-2131670323166257162010-08-30T11:10:00.005+01:002010-08-30T12:39:30.636+01:00

I was hanging around a flying school recently. This particular school appeared to be modern, forward looking and well run. The instructors, students and ops staff were all friendly and helpful and the facilities were excellent. There was of, course, a fly in the ointment and that fly worked in engineering. While I sat on my bar stool minding my own business an obviously frustrated character

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-149926648943744322010-08-26T07:31:00.001+01:002010-08-26T21:56:37.110+01:00

I was at the Aquila factory last week and saw their new demonstrator.Until now buyers have been able top chose between a traditional analogue six pack, a Flymap equipped aeroplane or one with a pair of the excellent Aspen PFD1000s.Now buyers will also have the option of choosing the Garmin 500 too. Taking the Garmin will cost you about $5000 more than the Aspens.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-58578012931922021492010-08-25T19:48:00.004+01:002010-08-27T14:23:10.561+01:00

Been a bit busy recently, hence the lack of posts here...will try to do better. I took someone for their first couple of flights in a GA aircraft a week or so ago. Things started out well - the relatively early departure meant for still smooth air, and the slightly nervous chirps from the right-hand seat served to limit my angle of bank to less than 15 degrees (yawn). We were only flying for

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-69677099568272291332010-08-17T09:48:00.001+01:002010-08-17T14:06:06.281+01:00

There's lots of talk about electric aircraft and there are a couple of experimental versions flying, but while they're on the verge of making it to market they aren't there yet. The cost/performance benefit isn't there yet, but that begs the question of what will be an acceptable balance? For starters it'll have to have two seats - the lighter weight of a single-seat machine might appeal from an

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-3497247218258658082010-08-16T08:54:00.002+01:002010-08-16T09:58:45.481+01:00

I've noticed that the way I fly seems to be changing. There was time when I hardly ever ventured above 2,000' - an excursion to anything above 4,000 was unusual and anything above that was very rare indeed. Then, because I had to on a few occasions I started flying higher. Now, when flying any distance, I find myself climbing higher. Coming back from France last week was a good example - cloud

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-81398056757536909022010-08-15T09:47:00.001+01:002010-08-16T10:02:03.730+01:00

A check of the NOTAM for a recent flight revealed a couple of gliding competitions, one of which was local. With my route taking me within about ten miles of Lasham there was a fair chance that I'd be spending a lot of time searching out gliders which are, as you probably know, notoriously difficult to spot. I have a PCAS traffic system that displays the position and relative altitude of any

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-62704517539765684722010-08-13T20:46:00.002+01:002010-08-16T10:03:56.404+01:00

I often find myself thinking about an aircraft that's cheaper to run. It's the fuel costs that I'd like to do something about, but I was recently reminded why the C182 is such a good all-rounder, even if it does burn a lot of fuel. For a recent trip to France (only three nights away!) we ended up taking... A couple of boxes of presents for the people we were visiting A couple of suitcases (

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-90919829753749072252010-08-13T09:41:00.001+01:002010-08-16T10:05:26.069+01:00

It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted - not since Oshkosh in fact - I'll spare you the details here, but Osh. was busy, work was busier when I got back and I've been away for a couple of days too. So, Oshkosh - how was it? Any aviation event with over half-a-million visitors and 10,000 aircraft is going to be prettty interesting and it was but, and I feel a bit guilty about saying this,

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-67782258626456861372010-07-27T22:15:00.003+01:002010-08-05T11:52:26.848+01:00

The FLYER news story has a quote from a Red Bull spokesperson. From what I hear the 'consideration' has taken place and Germany will be the last event... Red Bull won't confirm that (yet), but if I'm wrong I'll drink a can of it!

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-33998520406974479122010-07-27T14:46:00.006+01:002010-08-05T11:53:39.695+01:00

Believe it or not, the Bose X headset has been around since 1998, a pretty amazing fact in itself, but when you consider that it's a hi-tech product that has remained at the head of the market, it's astounding. Yesterday, at 7.30 in the morning, Bose announced the retirement of the Bose X and the birth of its replacement, the Bose A20. The A20 is available immediately and will retail, in the

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-13286495025780800062010-07-27T14:46:00.004+01:002010-07-27T22:05:35.928+01:00

They don't rush things at the EAA. They've been looking for a new president and now, after a five-year search, they've found one. Tom Poberezny, chairman and president of the EAA, today introduced Rod Hightower, who will become the EAA's new president on September 7th. PS Poberezny is at the podium and Hightower is, err holding the baby - an interesting visual metaphor...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-13434942299945576982010-07-25T16:52:00.002+01:002010-07-26T20:42:09.040+01:00

There may be another entrant making its debut at Oshkosh. Like Cobalt, Korea Aerospace Industries is aiming for the single-engine, four- or five-seat market. It's not yet clear if they'll have a mock-up of the aeroplane at Oshkosh, or even if one exists...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-74663951046539703612010-07-25T16:49:00.002+01:002010-07-26T20:43:25.091+01:00

The Cobalt is a new, five-seat, twin-tail design aimed at the high performance single market, originating in France. Oshkosh will be the first public outing for the design. More information to follow...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-67654399786821661022010-07-25T16:44:00.002+01:002010-07-26T20:45:02.524+01:00

The biggest news so far is Alan Klapmeier's involvement in the Kestrel Aircraft. I flew the prototype for a couple of hours on the way from Maine to Oshkosh and if the certification process doesn't change the aeroplane or increase the price too much, I think it'll be a winner. The Kestrel makes other aeroplanes look old, and certainly look as if they belong to a previous era. I think we'll be

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-61412156594956261122010-07-25T00:53:00.002+01:002010-07-25T16:57:09.148+01:00

Most airports in the US have an FBO (Fixed Base Operator). They 'pump gas', provide a pilot lounge, access to a computer and sometimes offer flight training and aircraft rental. They're variously family businesses, a chain or a multinational.They're a major part of the aviation infrastructure and can make or spoil your day. On the way from Maine to Wisconsin we dropped into a couple. The FBO in

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-71504017848110710062010-07-24T13:17:00.002+01:002010-07-26T20:49:14.356+01:00

The weather between Augusta and Oshkosh has been prob90 pants for most of the day. I got a lift in the Kestrel from Augusta to Burlington (200nm). When we landed, the FBO had just held a BBQ and we were all invited in for a free lunch. Nice. I was offered the next leg from Burlington to Flint; we climbed to 16,000ft which got us mainly on top. To avoid the weather we routed over Canada, and

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-2835043584024360322010-07-23T13:44:00.003+01:002010-07-26T20:50:01.207+01:00

Remember the Kestrel single-engine turboprop? The State of Maine has just announced that The Kestrel Aircraft Company, led by Alan Klapmeier, will be located at Brunswick Landings, Maine. For more see www.kestrel.aero

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-87460011106316044622010-07-20T23:18:00.004+01:002010-07-26T20:52:10.707+01:00

The world's greatest aviation event opens in Oshkosh next week. There'll be everything from DC-3s (fifty of them) to ultralights, military jets and electric experimentals. Films, talks, workshops, hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of aircraft and hundreds of thousands of visitors. Check back here for regular updates, technology permitting...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-70903695285902332602010-07-19T19:28:00.002+01:002010-07-20T12:10:01.880+01:00

I went to Farnborough today. The weather was nice, there were no crashes and thanks to some fantastic hospitality from Thomson Airways, UK (and possibly European) launch customer for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, I had a very nice lunch. I'll be going back to do a little work on the Aerobility (BDFA) stand on Wednesday, but I won't be rushing back after that. Much of Farnborough has little to do

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-26472134367371343112010-07-17T08:52:00.001+01:002010-07-18T14:32:17.953+01:00

The weather for yesterday's flight to the top of the southern chart could be described as bloody windy. On the way up I climbed to FL60 to take advantage of the tailwind and the smoother air. At one point I had a groundspeed of over 160kt, not bad for a 1977 C182 at low power. The flight, brakes-off to brakes-on, took exactly an hour, and that included a fair bit of faffing for Fairford. There

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-30223085960045465172010-07-15T20:21:00.001+01:002010-07-15T20:21:35.160+01:00

I'm heading up north tomorrow, and if the TAFs are to be believed it's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride. The route has just got a bit more complicated thanks to RIAT at Fairford, but with a bit of luck a call to Brize might at least take the edges off of any restricted airspace diversions.Just have to hope that the rain clears through as forecast...

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-70093530454775022552010-07-15T08:18:00.005+01:002010-07-15T14:48:03.346+01:00

With Farnborough and Oshkosh taking place in the next two weeks my inbox is groaning under the weight of hundreds of incoming press releases. Those related to Farnborough are interesting for their almost uniform lack of interest. Typically they'll either refer to some kind of military system or to some upcoming corporate deal between two suppliers you've never heard of providing services you'll

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-83660902859152539382010-07-13T09:24:00.004+01:002010-07-13T14:15:08.984+01:00

I popped into Compton Abbas for some fuel and a cup of tea last night. I tuned in when turning at the western end of Salisbury Plain to hear - nothing - Compton were obviously very quiet (I was pretty sure that the radio was working) and then, within the space of just a few minutes, Compton got very busy with lots of arrivals for an evening fly-in. When the time came to leave it was raining - I

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-50364477035185823592010-07-12T22:07:00.002+01:002010-07-13T14:16:07.433+01:00

It's not often that we go to a fly-in party, but Saturday saw us landing at a private strip for a fly-in BBQ. There were about 25 other aircraft there ranging from a classic single-seater to a turbine helicopter. It was a great evening in an idyllic setting - and to cap it all the flight home was another one of those silky smooth evening flights with the setting sun bathing everything in golden

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-6801719058861959382010-07-08T08:08:00.002+01:002010-07-13T14:17:43.892+01:00

I went flying yesterday, not so much a flight for fun, more one for transport. The weather was officially OK with TEMPO pants and when the time came to take off it was, surprise surprise, TEMPO pants. The destination forecast was OK but soon after taking off and setting course I could see the hills in the distance were merging with the cloud. Not my favourite kind of scud running, so cowl flaps

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-86252488007821207152010-07-06T19:49:00.003+01:002010-07-13T14:18:52.462+01:00

It's press week this week, lots of work, lots of late nights, lots of making dents in office chairs and not much, if any, flying - bet the weather's fantastic.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-68682953923759837832010-07-05T09:36:00.003+01:002010-07-13T14:20:19.462+01:00

A couple of weeks ago we flew to Lundy for dinner. It was my fist visit and I was impressed. Although the memory is recent and may yet fade it's looking like the visit to Lundy will go down as one of my all-time favourite flights. Initially I was a bit worried by this. I've spent a lot of time, money and effort on flying and have had some exceptional experiences, so how come little Lundy island

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-75180882901646138462010-07-04T23:29:00.001+01:002010-07-04T23:31:03.239+01:00

I've been sorting through some pictures taken on recent flights, thought I'd experiment with some blogger slideshow tools.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-19567483638107389932010-07-03T17:24:00.005+01:002010-07-05T12:41:40.288+01:00

Friday was aviation medical day. As usual I'd managed to leave it until the last minute, so with my FAA class II expired and my CAA/JAA class II in its last 36 hours of validity I flew up to a convenient Davetry strip to see Dr Frank Voeten, an AME who handily does both CAA and FAA medicals. I'm glad to say that both medicals were renewed - failing would have meant leaving the aeroplane there.

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-55045491661669404092010-07-03T09:54:00.002+01:002010-07-03T16:33:46.251+01:00

It's new aeroplane bonanza time. Despite the economy I think we're likely to see quite a few interesting aircraft announced over the next few months, and they're not all lightweight two-seat Rotax-powered aircraft either. Think singles, with two, four and more seats - and think twins, think pistons, think mogas, and think Jet A. New announcements aren't just restricted to new aircraft, there's

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-27635761204984511222010-07-02T08:35:00.001+01:002010-07-03T16:35:23.768+01:00

Yesterday was a five-leg day. It started with a short flight to Garston Farm to pick up FLYER's editor, Ian Waller. From there we flew to Goodwood to take a look at their new Aviation Show, which is running alongside the Festival of Speed. Goodwood was its usual very organised, very friendly and very neat place. The courtesy coffee and bacon bap on arrival were much appreciated, as was the

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-49972742175903737512010-07-01T09:00:00.002+01:002010-07-03T16:36:48.896+01:00

The Tecnam P2006T turned a few eyes at AeroExpo, but its engines also raised quite a few eyebrows. To some pilots who have spent hundreds or thousands of hours behind Lycomings or Continentals, Rotax spells trouble. They immediately think of the early, two-stroke engines rather than the current batch of four-stroke wonders. Sadly, pilots with tens of hours who get their disinformation from

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-70043281854028251692010-06-30T18:15:00.001+01:002010-07-03T16:38:06.531+01:00

The hoped for recovery seems to be happeneing a little slower than we'd like. Piper's Vero Beach factory will close for a week in August with almost all employees getting a week off without pay. A small group of people will remain to ensure that critical parts get shipped, and that any customers can pick up their new aeroplanes. The PiperJet development group will also be at work during that

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-17673268791075009992010-06-30T09:02:00.001+01:002010-07-03T16:40:57.746+01:00

I had the chance to fly the Tecnam P2006T twin a few days ago. It performs remarkably well considering the four-seat twin has just 200hp. The aeroplane delivers a relaxed cruise of 135kt, with a total fuel burn of just 38 litres per hour. Impressive stuff. Looking at the specs it's hard to avoid comparisons with singles rather than twins - who'd buy a Piper Arrow instead of a Tecnam twin for

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940969862421487488.post-26219801611733809852010-06-29T00:18:00.006+01:002010-07-03T16:42:32.416+01:00

I've just been reading about an interesting experiment that took place in the early 80s. Socata, in a project financed by Lycoming, Primagaz and the French Transport Ministry, clocked up 250 hours on a TB10 converted to run on liquid propane. According to an EADS Socata book, the result was an aircraft that was both faster and quieter than the TB10. The LPG was stored in tip-tanks, which

Ian Seagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15639399132311378386noreply@blogger.com0