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Aviation History
1980
1980 - 1316.PDF
1256 FLIGHT International, 14 junt 1980 Speed and distance records set ^~ TWO world record-breaking flights have been made by light aircraft in the US. A Mooney 231 has made a coast-to-coast. flight from San Fran cisco to Washington DC at an aver age speed of 302 m.p.h., flying 2,438 miles in just over eight hours. Pilot Alan Gerharter flew at 25,000ft on a direct great-circle route, using RNav to track across 21 way- points at 100 mile intervals. The Mooney had two extra cabin fuel tanks, each holding 25 US gal, and two 50ft3 oxygen bottles. Average fuel consumption was 10-3gal/hr Gerharter had done some thorough weather planning for the flight, and waited for a strong westerly airflow across the US with a relatively low- altitude Jetstream giving a tailwind of about lOOkt for much of his route. The previous record for this route and class was 218 m.p.h. set by a MANDATORY instruction on tail- wheel aircraft has been recommended to the FAA by the US National Transportation Safety Board. This follows an accident in a Piper Super Cub last year in which the pilot was killed and a passenger seriously in jured, although the NTSB points out that the total accident rate for tail- wheel aircraft is more than twice that for nosewheel aircraft types. The Cub was seen to make a series of severe bounces, then turned right and crashed near the airfield bound ary after starting a go-around. Its pilot had about five hours experience on tailwheel types, and very little in THE UK Popular Flying Association annual international rally has in recent years become the biggest event of its kind outside the US. This year's rally is scheduled for July 4 to 6 at Leicester Aerodrome. Several hundred light aircraft are expected, with a big international contingent, and public days are July 5 and 6. Leicester has a hard run way 914m long with a parallel grass strip, and proved to be a very suc cessful new venue last year after the rally's several years at Sywell. A fly ing display, including air racing and Vintage glider rally THE Vintage Glider Club asks us to point out that this year's Inter national Vintage Glider Rally will be at Sutton Bank, Yorks, and not Lasham as suggested earlier in our Aviation Calendar. Dates are July 27 to August 3. The meeting at Lasham is called Rendezvous 80 Lasham, runs from July 19 to 25 and is intended to be a preliminary get-together for in ternational visitors. Fifty vintage gliders are expected at Sutton Bank. Cessna Turbo Centurion. The other record was set in one of Burt Rutan's glassfibre canards by his brother Dick, who flew a 108 h.p. Long-Ez for SS^hr over a 160 mile route in California, setting a world closed distance record for aircraft between 500 and 1,000kg. Subject to FAI confirmation, the record is for 4,800 miles, beating the previous record of 3,000 miles set by a Meta Sokol in 1959. The 108 h.p. Long-Ez, a development of the much-acclaimed Vari-Eze, took off at over 5001b more than its normal gross weight, with 143 US gal of fuel. Rutan's flight was almost identical in duration to Lindbergh's solo flight from London to Paris, but in the same time Rutan flew over 30 per cent further and over 30 per cent faster with just a quarter of the Spirit of St Louis' fuel capacity. the past two years. As well as the much greater care needed in direc tional control on take-off or landing, the NTSB points out that all types of landings (especially crosswind), re coveries from bounces and go-around techniques are all much more criti cal in tailwheel types. An amendment to FAR 61.31 is recommended, calling for tailwheel training from an authorised flight in structor plus logbook endorsement before a private or commercial pilot flies a tailwheel aircraft as pilot-in- command. Also recommended is a re quirement for recent experience be fore passengers are carried. aerobatics, is scheduled for both pub lic days. Admission is £2 for adults and £1 for children. Enquiries to the Popular Flying Association at Shore- ham Airport, Sussex, BN4 5FF; tele phone 07817 61616. The PFA is inviting nominations for one of its leading awards, to be presented during the Leicester rally. This is the Roderick Turner Memorial Trophy, awarded to the person con sidered to have done the most during the preceding year for recreational flying. Written nominations should be sent to Shoreham as soon as possible. KZ at Old ..arden A SCANDINAVIAN invasion is expected at Old Warden, Beds, on Sunday, July 13, for Air-Britain's third annual International Fly-In. The Danish-based KZ and Veteran fly Club isf scheduled to send 47 Danish and ten Norwegian vintage aircraft. Organiser for Ai--Britain is Bernard Martin, 8 Swan Close, Chesham, Bucks HP5 2LW. The Shuttleworth Collection, which manages the air field is on Northill (076 727) 288. The Peanut Man is one of the latest special shapes from Cameron Balloons. He is 120ft high, was commissioned by Planters Peanuts, took three months to build and will be operated by the Balloon Stable, based at Ramsbury, Wilts 15m newcomer from Schempp-Hirth SCHEMPP-HIRTH has announced the Ventus, a 15m sailplane with a ne all-carbonfibre wing and a per formance that the company claims will be "significantly better" than any of the current 15m designs. Two versions will be available—the "A" and "B", the latter having a wider and longer fuselage to accom modate bigger pilots. Maximum weight for both versions is 430kg, with a basic weight for the "A" of 215kg and 220' g for the "B". Per formance claims include a minimum sink of 57 and 66m/sec for the "A" and "B" respectively, and a max L/D of 43-5 and 44. Schempp-Hirth is hoping for a first flight this month. NTSB recommends tailwheel instruction Sport flying meets at Leicester
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