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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0083.PDF
Two from Finland: the PIK-11 (above), powered by a Continental A.65; and the H.K.I (above, right) which uses a Walter Mikron. ULTRA-LIGHT POT POURRI By H. BEST-DEVEREUX A PART from the many examples of the better-known ultra-t^k light aircraft at present in use and under construction there ^ •*• is a surprising number of such aeroplanes existing inexperimental prototype form or as variations of existing designs. Probably the most fruitful source of the true "one off" specialis the U.S.A., where the members of the Experimental Aircraft Association are able to revel in an inexhaustible supply of cheaplyobtained standard parts and dollar engines. Second only to America is France, where at numerous airfields the probing airtourist can find an almost pantagruelic feast of ultra-lights from the most serious to the most fantastic.The shot in the arm for French light aviation has undoubtedly been the supply of war-surplus light engines, and it requires butlittle imagination to think what could happen in the United Kingdom if, say, two hundred American flat-four engines wereto be available. The British enthusiast must, however, put up with the fact that his economic masters know what is best forsporting flying. He can have his ration of aviation from a TV screen or from trashy films bought for dollars and which onaverage depicts pilots as "psycho" cases who are so bad that a P.P.L. medical would kill them.The French are certainly the most prolific producers of ultra- lights this side of the Atlantic, but that is not to say that othercountries are lacking. In Finland, for example, one man has made a little amphibian, the Eklund, while another has built thesnappy little H.K.I, a veritable miniature fighter of yesteryear's formula, and powered with a Walter Mikron. This little aircraftis the present holder of the straight-line distance record for air- craft under 500 kg, having made an exceptional flight from Madridto Turku. As shown in the photograph, a large ventral tank was fitted for the long trip.An opportunity to fly this aircraft was recently accorded to the writer. Having seen it in a corner of the hangar he felt likethe small boy and the plum cake—it just had to be nibbled at. Mr. Heinonen, the designer and owner, who helped design theViihuri military trainer, mentioned that the C. of A. had expired; but there must be something about living in the lesser populatedareas, because a five-minute phone call sufficed for authorization to fly.The cockpit of the H.K.I is large and comfortable, with a satisfying aerobatic harness and a robust cabin hood sliding foreand aft. Most things in the cockpit are normal except that there are no brake controls, while the trimmer and flap controls arebadly placed low down on the port side. A steerable tailwheel is fitted; and this, combined with the lack of brakes, makes for carefultaxying—and, equally, makes one decide at an early stage of the approach whether to go round again or into the far hedge.On the day chosen the cloud-base was low. with a blustery 25-knot wind, so it was no* possible to essay any real tests. Thetake-off requires some care in order to avoid the consequences of a right swing, but once the tail is up the H.K.I gets on wirn thejob. The gradient of climb seems flat, but largely as expected. Controls are very light, and in gusts there is certainly plenty ofwork to do. Cruising speed seems to be of the order of 120 m.p.h., while, flaps up, a straight power-off stall comes at about 57 m.p.h.,breaking cleanly. Landing is easy, with a slight loss of elevator power as the stick comes back. Once down the aircraft stays downand the steerable tailwheel comes into its own. Altogether the H.K.I seems to be a delightful modern version of the ComperSwift formula, and according to all reports it is an exciting aerobatic aircraft. Two from France: the Gatard Statoplan Poussin (centre), Volkswagen- powered; and a Mignet (Continental 4.65.) owned by M. Croz. -.• To a simpler set of flying standards and more involved con-structional standards, the PIK-11, built by students of a Helsinki technical institute, provides a local comparison with the H.K.I.The PIK has a Continental A.65 and, like its stable-mate, is fitted with a Wittman spring steel undercarriage. The structure is ofwood and although the skinning is in the excellent local birch plywood some of the nearly compound curvatures have, in thefullness of time, beaten the efforts of the Finnish enthusiasts to defy the rules of geometry. An opportunity to fly the PIK wasfoiled by the failure of a main bearing in flight over the centre of Helsinki (where, incidentally, the Hunters of No. Ill Sqn. gavea roof-top display over the centre of the town which did more to raise British prestige than anything before). The PIK pilotpulled off a very creditable forced landing back on the airfield at Malmi and a large kaput notice was placed in the cockpit. Cer-tainly in its shape the PIK shows some unconventional thought, but the local boys are very attached to it and have learned a lotfrom their efforts. In another direction—at Toulouse, to be exact—there wereseveral aircraft to illustrate the variety of thought among amateur designers. The rally of the Reseau de Sport de l'Air, apart fromits spectacle of some sixty amateur aircraft, showed that originality is still a feature of the French aviation scene.Le Prix des Anciens de St. Yan was awarded at this rally to M. Albert Gatard for his unusual Statoplan Poussin, which isfitted with a Volkswagen engine. Surely one of the smallest air- craft ever built, this little device is developed from the designer'shigh-wing two-seater Alouette of 32 b.h.p., which was the proto- type for testing the theory. The Statoplan has no elevators butis fitted with a large tailplane. Full-span flaps operate both as flaps and ailerons. Back pressure on the stick lowers the flaps,
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