The I-3 is just one of those birds that so liven up a day at the airfield. An imposing Russian radial aerobatic monoplane, usually in a catchy scheme, is not something you casually glance over – especially when it fires up that big tractor under the hood amidst clouds of white smoke and the stench of engine oil. 9A-DOG is no different, though there is a bit more to it than it seems.
1. The I-3 – a bit of history:
Though outwardly very similar to the Sukhoi Su-29 – almost identical at a glance – the I-3 is a different machine altogether. Known in Russia as the Technoavia SP-91 (the I-3, or sometimes E-3, being the export designation), it was designed by Sergey Estoyan, the same man who did the Su-26/29/31 aerobatic series, after he left Sukhoi to co-found Technoavia. First flown in 1993, the I-3 was intended to be a cheaper, somewhat softer version of the Su-29, but one still capable of successfully competing in Unlimited Class aerobatic competitions. In the event, the aircraft didn’t prove to be much of a sales success and only about 20-ish were ever made (23 springs to mind, but I can’t verify that), of which 10-12 are estimated to survive today.
Like other Russian aerobatic aircraft, the I-3 uses the well proven formula of a strong, survivable taildragger airframe with tandem seats under a one-piece canopy – though interestingly, the I-3 can also be converted to a single-seat configuration, something unique in the aerobatic world. And it even has a small baggage compartment! The power comes from the extremely reliable and much-loved Vedneyev M-14P 9 cyl radial, producing 360 HP in this instance (though the westernised I-3M had the option of a more powerful 400 HP model), usually driving a three-blade constant speed prop.
Performance-wise, you can hit the usual +11/-9 G with two occupants, and I think the pilot of 9A-DOG told me the ultimate limit load is a juicy +/-18 G (but still not as impressive as the Su-31’s insane +/-23 G). Roll rate is not disappointing either, to say the least, at 345 deg/sec – almost a full roll in one second. Fuel consumption – we’ll skip that :). Oil consumption… well, despite the M-14 not being oil-thirsty, the pilot of 9A-DOG – who used to own a Yak-52 with the same engine – told me once the engine uses a liter per hour in aerobatic flight… so judge for yourselves :).
2. 9A-DOG – an overview:
9A-DOG – continuing the animal theme set by the aformentioned Yak-52, 9A-BUG – is an early model I-3, built in 1993, the type’s first production year. It had previously flown in the US where it suffered an accident and was rebuilt before being sold to Croatia in 2006. It is permanently based at Lučko and is a frequent visitor to many local airshows (being the only fully aerobatic – not to mention Unlimited Category – aircraft in the country).
Warming up prior to one of its first flights on the Cro register. Image taken on June 14, 2006., a couple of days after arriving at LučkoA WW2 fighter-ish shape, one could almost mistake it for a Lavochkin La-5 or -7 🙂The I-3 is imposing whichever way you look at it. Note the thin - but strong - main gear legs, needed to provide adequate ground clearance for the large-diameter propPulling out of a loop - still a "wow!" in Croatia - at a local airshowNose detail. The characteristic Russian cooling flaps can be seen here easily. Unlike the shutter versions on the Yak-52, these open radially, a visually cleaner solution. The prop is I think an MTV-9 model
Inside, the seating is typical an aircraft of this type – passenger up front, pilot in the back, to keep the center of gravity well back. This makes the aircraft unstable around all three axes – but since stability is inversely proportional to maneuverability, that’s the point. Interestingly, the panel is quite spartan even for an aerobatic aircraft, as it’s fitted with an innovative MFD screen that shows all flight-relevant data (the panel received an upgrade since the last time I saw in in 2006., but didn’t check out what – yet).
The simple & clean panel includes just a MFD, GPS and backup compass, as well as a basic radio suite
All in all, the I-3’s rarity meant I had to include it here at some point :). More pictures may be forthcoming as soon as I take them, as the airshow season is heating up along with the weather – and combined with my new 100-400 mm lens, you may get to see some actiony shots as well…
The owner's former Yak-52. Now flying in Portugal as RA-3466K with a four-ship aerobatic teamCloseup of the front. The deep blue really suited this aircraft, one of the best - if not the best - paint scheme I've seen on a -52
The title probably got your attention, didn’t it? 🙂 Though the fact is that Beech has always been known for everything from the ultra-luxurious – like the King Air series – to the ultra-innovative, like the astonishing model 2000 Starship. However, decades ago, Beech also competed in the chaper segment of two seat trainers and four seat tourers, with limited success. While not as famous as their Cessna and Piper counterparts, the three aircraft for Beech’s section here are nonetheless outstanding aircraft, whose quality sticks with the reputation that Beech has so lovingly built.
The three in question this time are all small and simple low-powered aircraft that are surprisingly similar to three Piper products for the same market niche: the 19 Sport/23 Musketeer/24 Sierra range, the 76 Duchess twin and the Piper Tomahawk lookalike, the 77 Skipper.
The first on the list is not a single model, but the whole Beech Musketeer family, which spans everything from the cheap and cheerful 19 Musketeer Sport, the baby of the range, to the more powerful and retractable 24 Sierra – conspicuously similar in lineup to the PA-28 family, from the 140 HP Cherokee Cruiser to the 200 HP Arrow retractable. And like the PA-28s, the first model was the mid-range, fixed gear, 160 HP 23 Musketeer, designed to counter the PA-28-161 Warrior.
Introduced in 1963, the Musketeer was of pretty conventional construction, with a low wing, fixed gear and a cabin for four. Externally, it could be easily differentiated from the rest by the pronounced “hump” of the cabin, which would be turn out to be a defining feature of all the designs mentioned here. Initially powered by a Lycoming O-360, the 23 was later uprated with a Continental IO-346 productng 165 HP, but this engine proved to be problematic and was dumped from the lineup in 1968. Replaced by a different, 180 HP Lycoming O-360, the aircraft was then renamed the B23 Musketeer Custom, followed by the C23 Sundowner in 1972. Interestingly, these two models were approved for limited aerobatics outside the standard envelope of such aircraft, pretty much like the Cessna 150 Aerobat series. Production of the 23 ended in 1983 – 20 years on the dot – by which time 2,331 were produced (probably the highest of all the piston singles mentioned in this Rare Aircraft series).
Following Piper’s lead with the lower-powered Cherokee Cruiser, Beech introduced the model 19 Musketeer Sport in 1966, which remained in production up until 1979, with 922 built all in all. Powered by a Lycoming O-320 producing 150 HP (10 more than the Cherokee), all versions – the A19, B19 and M19 – were approved for limited aerobatics just like their bigger brothers.
Not to be outdone by Piper in the opposite end of the spectrum, Beech came up with the 23-24 Super III, powered by an IO-360 producing 200 HP (an engine very popular with light retractables such as the Rockwell Commander 112, and Piper Arrow). Interestingly enough for an engine of that power, a constant speed propeller was optional (!) and only about a third of the aircraft produced were delivered with it (normally, the lower useful limit for a constant speed prop is about 180 HP, with virtually all 200 HP aircraft in the touring class equipped with it). Produced only between 1966 and 1969, the 23-24 didn’t have a direct Piper equal (the closest would be the later-model Cherokees and Archers sporting 180 HP), but was notable for having one of the highest payloads in the four-seat, four cyl piston single category, from 476 to 490 kg – by standard ICAO norms, four adults and their baggage, with 110-122 kg left over for fuel. With a typical density of 0.7 kg/liter, this would boil down to a respectable 45 gallons – more than a Cessna 172 filled to the brim (though the lower powered Piper Archer had an even greater payload of 510 kg).
Only 369 were built before it was superceeded by the model 24 Sierra. Using the same fuselage and engine, the 24 introduced retractable landing gear that, uniquely, retracted outwards rather than inwards. Like all Musketeers, the 24 had trailing link landing gear, well used to landing on all types of surfaces, allowing the Musketeers to operate without problems even out of bad unpaved strips. Analogous in its intended niche to the PA-28R Arrow series, the 24 was produced from 1970 all the way till 1983 when the whole Musketeer line closed, with a production run of 744 aircraft.
Quite different from the usual exquisite Beech piston twins – the Twin Bonanza, TravelAir, Baron, Duke, Queen Air… – the Duchess is a more humble four seat trainer/tourer, designed for the same small niche as the very similar looking PA-44 Seminole and Grumman GA-5 Cougar. Grown from the Musketeer by adding another engine – hence the cabin hump – the Duchess shares the Seminole’s low wing T-tail layout and is powered by the same counter-rotating 180 HP Lycoming O-360s (LO-360 on the left wing), driving fully-feathering two-blade propellers. The “same problems, same solutions” principle applied yet again.
While the Seminole went one up with engine performance, introducing the Turbo Seminole in 1979, the Duchess went for aerodynamic efficiency. Unlike most light aircraft, the Duchess (all one models built 🙂 ) featured a bonded honeycomb structure, avoiding the need for drag-inducing rivets. Despite this reducing the turbulent boundary layer along the wing – which, though it increases drag, causes the air to stick to the wing more than to a clean one, increasing lift at any given speed – the Duchess still had good and docile low speed handling.
In the end, the Seminole – still in production today, after a pause during the 90s – had the last laugh, with Duchess production ending 1982 after 437 were built. Despite the Duchess’ popularity with flight training schools, the demand slump for twins in the early 80s – the advent of powerful, faster and more economical singles one of the reasons – doomed it along with the GA-8, leaving the Seminole the sole leader of the niche until the arrival of the Diamond Twin Star.
I think I see a pattern here Scully. The last aircraft on the list can from a distance easily be mistaken for a PA-38 Tomahawk – and is again designed for the same function, as a cheap, survivable two-seat trainer that’s a bit more vicious than the forgiving Cessna 150 (like Piper, Beech used the input of flight instructors during the design phase – input that often asked for more spinnable characteristics). Indeed, the 77 is certified for intentional spins, which may have given rise to various nicknames like the “Traumahawk” often pinned to the PA-38.
In a fit of generous harmionisation, the 77 was fitted with the same 115 HP Lycoming O-235 engine as the Cessna 152 and the Tomahawk. Unlike the 152 – and like the Tomahawk, but you guessed that already – its wing was designed around the GA(W)-1 high-lift airfoil, developed by NASA as a new airfoil specifically designed for GA operations. The extensively glazed canopy gave an excellent all-round view, while entering the aircraft was easier than crawling under the wing like in a 150/152.
Originally designed with a standard tail and equipped with a 100 HP O-200 engine, the 77 uses the same bonded honeycomb structure as the Duchess – and, welcomed by its pilots, a very similar cockpit layout to the 76 and the Musketeer series. Built from 1979 till 1981 with just 312 produced, it ended up – despite being a traditionally fine Beech aircraft – the least successful of the three trainers mentioned.
Had the great fortune of running into this sweet little thing at Lučko today. Owned by a member of the aeroclub, it was in town for a visit and parked at our apron – so I couldn’t resist going in for a couple of photos :). Though I must admit that my knowledge of ultra- and microlights has always been sketchy at best, this thing got me interested in the whole deal. An open cockpit, a Rotax banging away behind you, a couple hundred meters above ground… that pretty much shares first place with gliders for the true spirit of flight.
A full-option Apollo Racer GT, 9A-UPM (the U prefix being for ultralights) is a bit more serious than other similar microlights. Equipped with full nav lights, wingtip strobes and twin landing lights – not to mention a comprehensive panel with almost more instruments than the Cessna 150 I got my wings on – UPM costs about €17.000, which is not all that cheap (though I am thinking of selling my €18.000 car now 🙂 ), but you do get a lot of microlight for the money. The only thing missing is a transponder, but I believe that can be arranged as well…
Mr. M firing up UPM for an afternoon flight. I think these are the C-17 model wings (a number of them are on offer)Closeup of the... fuselage. In a nice - and easily visible - yellow scheme, UPM has the optional windscreen, according to the owner very useful on cold daysVertical view just before taxiing out. The manufacturer's webpage states that the Apollo GT can also be equipped with floatsThe cockpit. Everything needed is here - including a handheld Garmin GPS MAP 196 as extra. Unlike a number of local microlights, UPM is also equipped with a hand-held radio station, albeit powered by the engine alternatorThe power comes from the 64 HP (a lot!) Rotax 582. Interestingly for an aircraft engine, the 582 is a two-cylinder, two-stroke water-cooled engine - going pretty much against every conventional piston engine design guideline :). The power is transferred to a (I think) air-adjustable three-blade propRear view. The fuel tank is, unusually, under the fuselage. The engine water cooler can be easily seen here above the engine
Of course, Cessna is not the only one to have a couple of oddballs in its lineup. Piper ranks high up there as well, with a number of significant or interesting aircraft that had the misfortune of being unjustly forgotten. To make things more interesting, Piper also has a tendency to cram a lot of power into some versions of their popular models, creating fascinating hot ships that are today both very rare and highly prized.
The three aircraft I’ve chosen – again after extensive digging through the Airliners.net database these past few years – represent a mix of singles and twins, both piston and turbine, all variations of some of Piper’s most famous aircraft: the Comanche 400, Pressurised Navajo and the monstrous Cheyenne 400 (I had thought of including the PA-60 Aerostar as well, but that plane is a story in itself 🙂 ).
Often called the “Queen of the Comanches”, the 400 was Piper’s attempt at making a high-speed single engine tourer. The subtle clean aerodynamics approach of today’s Lancairs was obviously frowned upon, because the 400 – as it’s name says – sports an incredible 400 HP! The power comes from an engine as unique as the aircraft itself, the eight cylinder Lycoming IO-720. That’s 720 cubic inches of capacity, or an impressive 11.8 liters. Those of you with experience in GA may have already seen that a 400 HP IO-720 nicely divides into two 200 HP IO-360s – one of the most popular four cyl engines of modern times – and you’re right: the IO-720 is basically two IO-360s stuck together at the crankshaft :). Ingeniously simple – though there were some problems with cooling the rear cylinders in flight (unlike other 6+ cylinder non-radial engines which are water cooled, the IO-720 remained air cooled).
To control the extra power, the Comanche 400 was fitted with a strengthened rear fuselage and completely new rear control surfaces taken off the Aztec and Twin Comanche. Fuel tanks were also increased to cater for the thirstier engine and thicker wing skins were provided, but otherwise the rest of aircraft is generally identical to the standard Comanches.
However, the Comanche 400 was not without its problems… it wouldn’t be in this post otherwise. A cruise speed of only 185 knots, when leveled against a fuel consumption of 23 gallons per hour at high cruise power, isn’t all that impressive, which made the aircraft quite expensive to operate even back in its day (though it was the fastest normally aspirated single back then). The aforementioned modern Lancairs have significantly higher cruise speeds (by up to 30-40 knots) with 20-25% less power – and fixed landing gear to boot – which makes them far simpler and cheaper to fly and maintain. But on subjective terms, a 60s tourer with four Cessna 150s under the hood still keeps its charm, and the survivors of the 148 built are in high demand today.
Another interesting (to me fascinating) and rare aircraft to come from the Piper works is the PA-31P-425, a unique Navajo modification that is the only Piper pressurised piston twin. You’ve probably noticed by now it’s striking resemblance to the turboprop Cheyenne I and II – though they’re not directly related. Same problems warrant same solutions, hence two aircraft that look almost the same. In reality, they were developed almost concurrently from the basic PA-31-350, sharing components to add a pressurisation system, the needed fuselage changes and various structural and landing gear updates to handle the increased weight.
A rare - and still good looking - Pressurised Navajo operated by the Croatian Air Force, coded 014. The only one of it's type in Croatia, it unfortunately rarely - if ever - flies (photo: myself)One could easily be fooled into thinking this is a Cheyenne with piston engines... (photo: myself)
As the pressurisation system saps quite a lot of engine power, the haul itself at a respectable speed the Pressurised Navajo was equipped with massive TGIO-541-E1A engines – turbocharged, geared and fuel injected – producing 425 HP. With all of this power – 850 HP in total – you’d believe the P-Navajo could touch Mach 1, but as mentioned, most of the excess power was spent on spinning the massive turbocharger, which needed to be large enough to both charge the engine and pressurise the cabin with bleed air. But, like the Beech 60 Duke that had a similar system, this led to a highly complex engine (the Duke – which was labelled as very maintenance intensive – didn’t even have geared engines), which consequently kicked the operating price up.
All of this – combined with a production run of only 259 aircraft – make the P-Navajo a prized aircraft with a unique character, pretty much the case as with the Comanche 400. Sadly, if the Airliners.net database is anything to go by, few appear to be flying nowadays.
What better way to finish this post than with the awesome Cheyenne 400 – in a nutshell, the biggest, fastest and most powerful aircraft that Piper has ever built. A modification of the standard PT6-powered PA-42-720 Cheyenne III, the 400 sports two 1,000 HP Garrett TPE331 turboprops, driving imposing four-blade composite propellers, which together give it a cruise speed of an impressive 335 knots – almost 60 knots faster than the equivalently-sized (and far more expensive) Beech King Air 200. At maximum cruise, the 400 can outrun even the Big Brother King Air, the 350, by a comfortable 20 knots.
With almost 30% more power – but only 6% more weight and the same dimensions – than the Cheyenne III, the 400 (originally designated the Cheyenne IV and 400LS) was designed to compete with smaller bizjets such as the Cessna Citation I and II. In the event, only 43 were ever made, making it one of the rarest and unique production aircraft in the world today.
Digging through my photo database – as well as Airliners.net – I stumbled across this idea for an informative series of articles about aircraft that aren’t all that famous anymore.
You’ve already seen the first installment – Cessna’s Oddballs – and there’s more coming! So far, apart from this one, there’ll be three other articles, one published every second day. If it works, I may turn it into a regular thing, especially if I have the photos to spice it all up :).
Every now and then, I get the urge to dig through the Airliners.net database looking for “oddball” aircraft – aircraft that almost made it to life, made it but sank into obscurity, or simply served as platforms for famous aircraft before being forgotten and discarded. My fascination with the above almost always centers on the Big Three – Beechcraft, Cessna and Piper – big corporations that produced some of the most famous aircraft of all time… and naturally had some upsets along the way.
Cessna – with their diverse line of everything from the 150 to the Citation X – naturally caught my attention first and it didn’t take me long to find three candidates that perfectly fit my criteria. As such, these aircraft had to be mass produced at some point in their lives and sold to civilian customers, but be little known and quite rare today. The list could have gone on for awhile, but I chose the 175 Skylark, 205 Super Skylane and the 336 Skymaster.
The most common of the three aircraft chosen, the 175 was designed to fill the gap bewteen the Cessna 172 – then still in infancy, with just two years of production behind it – and the larger and significantly more powerful 180. As such, it is an evolution of the 172 designed to accept the more powerful Continental GO-300 engine. Rated at 175 HP (versus the 145 HP of early Skyhawks), this engine was a bit of an oddity for a single engined plane, being geared (the G prefix) rather than direct drive as most piston engines are. A common solution on high-power twins of the era, geared engines had a reduction gearbox between the crankshaft and the propeller, allowing the engine to spin at a higher RPM while keeping the prop at lower speeds. Depending on your wishes, this allowed you to either crank the engine up to a higher speed to give more power while keeping the propeller tips below the speed of sound, or reducing prop RPM to make the plane quieter (or a combination of both as in the case of the 175).
Apart from the engine – and the redesigned cowl to accept the gearbox mechanism – the 175 incorporated some minor differences, but pretty much from the exterior looked like any 172 of the era. A little known fact is that the later, higher-powered 172 versions – such as the 195 HP Hawk XP, the 210 HP Reims Rocket, the military T-41 and the retractable 172RG – were evolutions of the 175 design, rather than the basic 172. Fitted with Cessna’s “Omni-Vision” rear windows and direct drive engines, these aircraft were all based on the later-model 175, but marketed as 172s. Indeed, I’ve personally often been in a position to compare the two, flying 9A-DDD, a stock 172N, and 9A-DMJ, an early model FR172F Rocket. DMJ, being based on the 175 which is based on the 172 and 172A, has the narrower and taller undercarriage and tighter cabin, while DDD, produced when the 172 design pretty much froze, has the wider track and lower main gear and more spacious cabin (when I started flying these two, I’ve often wondered why I couldn’t see as much of the main gear from the cabin in DMJ as I could in DDD).
Despite the increased grunt, the 175 was not a major success, with about 2,100 built. The main culpit was the GO-300, which proved to be a bit unreliable – though many now say that it was more the fault of operating technique than the engine itself. Many pilots without experience on geared engines ran the GO-300 in the lower 2,000 RPM range common on direct drive engines. Designed for the higher 2,000s – around 2,800 as recommended by 175 type clubs – the engine didn’t get all the cooling it needed, leading to frequent breakdowns and relability issues. A number of sources say that some owners have even switched to larger-displacement direct drive engines, partly due to the added costs of servicing the gearbox (and the fact that parts and rated mechanics for these nowadays very rare engines are increasingly hard to find).
(of note: unlike today, where both the model number and model name are part of the designation, in the 50s and early 60s, Cessnas designated with just the model number were the basic versions, while those with a model name were the deluxe models. So, the “175” was a cheapo model, while the “175 Skylark” was the full-option version. The same was with the first few models of the 172)
While the 175 is not all that obscure, the next aircraft on the list could certainly qualify – despite being the stepping stone to one of Cessna’s most famous piston singles. With a family tree stretching back to the 182 Skylane, the 205 was essentially a 210 Centurion (itself a beefed-up 182) with a fixed undercarriage and an interior optimised for utility, rather than comfort. Evidence to that is it’s official Cessna designation, 210-5, as well as the chin on the front cowl where the nose wheel would have been stowed on the early 210 models – some sources say this was later used to house radio equipment, though one would wonder about the heat from the engine.
That took the form of the six cyl normally aspirated Continental IO-470 from the 210B, rated at 260 HP, driving a constant speed propeller (usually three-blade, but photo evidence shows a number of two-blade models as well). Like the early 210, the 205 did not have the split rear doors that would debut on its follow-up, the famous 206 Super Skywagon/Stationair (early versions of which still had the cowl chin).
The small production run of just under 600 aircraft over two years meant the 205 was offered in just two versions, the basic 205 and the touched up 205A of 1964. Being a converted tourer, it wasn’t all that practical for utility work and was replaced the same year by the more powerful and purposeful 206.
A Skymaster you say? But they’re not obscure… despite clearly deserving the “oddball” epythet any way you put it :). Indeed, the 337 Super Skymaster is a relatively common sight today, but it’s predecessor, the “normal” 336 Skymaster, is a first class rarity today as it was during its production run.
On the ground, it’s hard to tell them apart at a single glance (despite the 336 being a tad smaller) and only the most astute will notice a most interesting oddity on the 336 – the fixed undercarriage. An unusual configuration for a twin, I must admit I was instantly interested when I learnt of this a couple of years back – despite the Italian Partenavia (former Vulcanair) P.68 light twin sharing the same trait.
Initially, the 336 was designed as a four seater, built around two 175 HP GO-300 engines, the same as on the Skylark. Only the prototype was built in this configuration however, the design being changed to accommodate six, as well as new 195 HP direct drive IO-360 engines, before deliveries began. Other changes included larger vertical stabilizers, revised wings and some other minor changes to improve handling.
Like the 205, the 336 had a short life and only 195 were produced in a single version before production switched to the bigger, more powerful – and retractable – 337 Super Skymaster (the Super later being dropped).
By Boran Pivčić Photos by myself and Šime Lisica (where stated)
After the smogarsbord of aircraft and their various bits I’ve posted here, I thought it’d be a nice change to post some scenery instead, swapping details of 40+ year old aircraft for some soothing airborne shots. For the first subject I’ve decided on the city of Zagreb – not on any sentimental grounds, but because I fly over it often and have the time – or copilots – to snap a few shots here and there :).
Most of the photos shown have been taken from 1,500-2,000 feet AMSL, which is about 1,000-1,500 feet AGL – (usually) the minimum altitude at which we can fly above town – following the standard panorama flight route which takes about 25 minutes from startup to shutdown. Zagreb isn’t all that big a place – 750,000 inhabitants – so everything is over pretty quickly (to the great fortune of some of my passengers 🙂 ). But on a summer’s afternoon, when the air is calm, the traffic light and the sun just dipping below the horizon, it’s majestic…
Climbing through about 1,500 feet toward the district of Črnomerec in the western part of town, with the sun just about to set (Šime Lisica)This is what it's all about! (Šime Lisica)An architectural detail of the city centre. The main city square - Trg Bana Jelačića - can be seen to the right of shot, while the Cathedral - one of the city's landmarks - dominates the shot to the left (Šime Lisica)Stretching up along the foothills of Medvednica, the northernmost part of town is home to the well-off slash elite districts (Šime Lisica)The main city stadium at Maksimir park. The main venue for large and/or important football matches and numerous concerts, it is seen here about 20 minutes before a Croatia-England match on October 11th, 2006 (Šime Lisica)A wide view of the city centre from above the western districts. The nose belongs to 9A-DDD, our favourite ship for panorama flights (myself)Strafing the railbridge :). Though DMM is no WW2 fighter, the bridge was indeed a valid target during WW2, here recrated in a dramatic (sarcasm) dive on a dull afternoon (myself)Chasing DDD during a formation panorama (!) flight (a turning dogfight) above Zagreb. Though DMM was not up to the task speed-wise, this was by far the most interesting panorama I've ever flown 🙂 (Šime Lisica)Another wide view from a climb to altitude. The Jarun lake - a major sports centre and the favorite exercise ground for the citizens of town - an be seen not far away (Šime Lisica)Something a little different :). A motion-blurred Zagreb from 3,000 feet during Night VFR training (myself)The southernmost edge of town - as well as nearby Velika Gorica - seen over the tail of DMJ during a climbout from Zagreb Intl. (myself)
I’ve been out and about at the field today and I’m happy to report (to those one or two interested) that I’ve managed to nail 9A-DJZ with my big bad Canon during its visit to Zagreb, so now I have some quality photos to go with the article. They’re not very artsy, but then it was a very hot and humid day and jumping around the grass in sweat-soaked clothes was not high on my priorities list :). So here goes…
Classic front quarterview. Like the last time I shot it, DJZ had seen better days...Note the difference in gloss between the paint on the fuselage and vertical stabRear quarterview. Like almost all (if not all) light Pipers, the PA-28 has an all-moving horizontal stabiliserFull profile viewNote that the prop is canted a bit to the right. A pretty common solution on high-power aircraft (to offset a bit the P factor), this is the first time I noticed this on a PA-28
While not a “proper airshow” in itself, the “Susreti Za Rudija” (roughly translated as “Meetings for Rudi”) commemoration includes a strong air presence, which traditionally comprises a number of light aircraft, in addition to the airforce fast jets and helos. This year – after missing out last time – I finally managed to hitch a ride on two of our club airplanes that were scheduled to take part in the proceedings. Naturally, my camera never left my side so, with plenty of photographic evidence, here goes…
1. Background to the show
The “Susreti Za Rudija” event first started several years ago to commemorate Rudolf “Rudi” Perešin, our most famous military pilot. Born in the town of Gornja Stubica near Zagreb, he was one of the best MiG-21 pilots in the former Yugoslav Air Force, who in 1991. (at the start of the Yugoslav Civil Wars) defected to Croatia with his MiG-21R. Unfortunately, he couldn’t land at Zagreb’s Pleso airport, so low on fuel – when isn’t a MiG-21 low on that? – he proceeded, without any form of clarance, to Klagenfurt, Austria and landed there. His jet, coded 26112, was impounded, but Rudi was allowed to return to Croatia where he continued flying for the nascent Croatian Air Force.
He was killed on May 2, 1995. when his MiG-21bis was hit by AAA near the town of Stara Gradiška during Operation Flash. Flying close to the ground, he ejected at low altitude, but hit the surface of the Sava river before his chute opened.
The present day meet consists of a wide variety of activities, including the aforementioned air program, which was for this occasion to include flypasts by Air Force MiG-21s and Mi-8/171 helicopters, a police and military parachute team demo, aerobatic flights – and light aircraft flypasts, where we come in.
2. Showday – the aircraft
Despite the flying program scheduled to start at 15:00 – with our first takeoff around 16:00 PM – a friend and I arrived at the field early at 9:00, hoping to make ourselves useful in the mean time. The day for one of our airplanes – Cessna 172N 9A-DDD – was packed full in addition to appearing in the flypast, so we came early to prep the birds and start things off as soon as possible. All in all, three of our planes were due to take part in the show: 9A-DDD, 9A-DMJ and our Seneca III, 9A-DMO.
Registration: 9A-DDD (ECOS Pilot School) Type: Cessna 172N Skyhawk II Mfd.: 1980. Engine: Continental O-320, 4 cyl, normally aspirated @ 160 HP, driving a two-blade fixed pitch prop
Registration: 9A-DMO (ECOS Pilot School) Type: Piper PA-34-220T Seneca III Mfd.: 1981. Engines: 1x Continental TSIO-360, 6 cyl, turbocharged @ 220 HP, driving a three-blade constant speed prop & 1x Continental LTSIO-360 with the same specs but spinning in the opposite direction
And you’re already familiar with 9A-DMJ from a previous post :).
3. Showday – scenes from Lučko
Since most – if not all – aircraft involved in the meet would be launching from Lučko, I got the opportunity to catch several of them during either practice or departure. Though most of the types involved would be GA birds, I’ve decided to skip over them – for despite this being a GA blog, I’ll be the first to admit that prepping a C172 isn’t all that a thrilling experience. Much more interesting were the various military and police helicopters that decided they might just catch some air on this beautiful – though humid – spring day.
Mil Mi-8MTV-1, coded H-211, crossing low overhead during an ingress/egress practice sessionWaiting for their bus :). Almost 50 army skydivers wait patiently in line during rapid entry/exit exercises. As a bonus they would also get to fly a bit, as the air force prudently combined their exercises with the aforementioned ingress/egress flights to keep the pilots on their toesA newer Mil Mi-171Sh blasts low over the field toward Gornja Stubica to catch its display slot. Unlike the stock airforce Mi-8MTV-1s, the -171Sh - Sh for "shturmovoj", or attack - can carry four B8V 80 mm rocket packs under removable pylons. Only equipped as such once - during their unveiling ceremony - they now mostly fly completely unarmedA Police AB.212 lifting off with a company B.206B-3 in the background warming up. Both helos were on the invited list
4. Showday – the first run
Normally, an airshow wouldn’t be an airshow if it ran flawlessly :). Due to the way the meet was organised, each participant would be performing solo – which meant that all three of our planes would fly their displays individually and at different times. DDD would be first with a flyover at 16:05, DMJ second at 16:40 and DMO last at 17:55 to close the show. Though it certainly appears a bit nonsensical – having 5-6 Skyhawks pass one at a time over a stadium that was sure to attract a significant number of people – the reason behind it was that the aircraft would get points for being on time over target, points that would be added to their scores in the upcoming precision landing championship to be held at Lučko in two weeks. In the end – as is usually the case – it all went awry quite early in the game :).
As previously mentioned, DDD had a full day in addition to this, with several panorama flights and a banner towing mission stacked end to end. Due to a breakdown in coordination, a skydive flight also appeared out of nowhere, necessitating the use of the more powerful DMJ – which then, by some mechanism that I didn’t quite get, threw the whole plan into disarray. In the end, DDD missed its display slot, but with a quick call to the organisers, we managed to squeeze it in along with DMJ in the latter’s slot. This in the end was fortunate for me, because apart from securing myself a seat on DDD, I’d get another chance for some air-to-air action :). And I desperately needed to get into the front seat of something, as I hadn’t flown for a couple of months and wanted to get my bearings back :).
The route we were to fly is pretty similar to the one we flew in the last Trip Report I posted, but significantly shorter. Gornja Bistra is just behind the Medvednica mountain, a pifling 10-15 minutes away as the Skyhawk flies. After passing Zaprešić – or November point, the exit out of Lučko CTR (I should really post a map here) – just turn right and keep low for the next 5 minutes… and you’re there.
Our departure was scheduled for around 16:20 and surprisingly we made it on time! Given the manageable difference in performance between DDD and DMJ, our formation takeoff was more successful than last time, with DMJ leading the way up until halfway to Zaprešić. There we switched roles and the slower DDD took up the lead.
The well-worn route to Zaprešić. Some beautiful weather up front - excellent news after the rainshower we went through right behind us...
Unfortunately, DMJ came up on our left, so I couldn’t get a clear shot of it – not through an open window as I had originally hoped. But the short flight time to Stubica – as well as continual communication and sequencing with a provisional ATC unit set up down there – meant we really didn’t have time for fooling around, so I had to make do with what I had.
Holding station to our left. With half-full tanks and two people aboard, DMJ could keep up with anything we could throw at it :). And the green tint to the photo is from the green rear windows on DDD, didn't want to manipulate the photo much to get rid of itA little dynamic break to spicen up a tight formation
The event itself was held at a sport stadium, which is quite difficult to find if you’ve never been there before. Even aerial photos with drawn approach and flyover routes aren’t of much help, but thankfully both pilots had been here a number of times before, so it was a relatively straightforward job of lining up for the run. The only problem is that apparently nobody notified the ATC that we’d be coming in formation, so there were a couple of on-frequency changes in lineup to be made.
Keeping a stacked holding pattern while we wait for some slot problems to be sorted out... we were supposed to wait more than 10 minutes for some reason, but finally managed to get our 16:40 slot
As we lined up for our run, our formation – predictably I could say – broke up and we ended up chasing each other down toward the stadium, DDD first and DMJ about 100-200 meters behind us (as far as I could see over the tail). Don’t know how it looked like from the ground, but from up here the whole flypast – as well as the next two ones – looked a bit shabby.
Diving on the stadium that can be seen just above the noseApproaching from the east this time, as opposed to the Southern Approaches from the past photo 🙂
Between snapping a few photos and constantly craining my neck and looking for DMJ, I didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the display, but it involved normal flypasts at Warp Skyhawk – in other words, slow :). The presence of numerous hills on all sides of Gornja Stubica percluded anything more aggressive, especially in an relatively underpowered Skyhawk on a hot +25 C day. Our time slot of just 4 minutes didn’t help either, so after our three passes, we set back for Lučko.
DMJ on our left again - after a brief fast pass to our right - with the Sljeme TV and radio tower visible in the distance
5. Showday – the second run
After we landed, I harrassed my flight instructor – who was supposed to fly DMO – to hitch a ride on it as well, as the first run didn’t really live up to my expectations. Thankfully, little persuation was necessary, so I found myself in the front right cabin seat at our revised 18:10 launch (I wanted to be up front, but a Seneca-rated pilot from our club was flying the left seat, with my CFI on the right). With four of us aboard and about 3/4 fuel, the takeoff run was more lively than I expected and we were soon off the ground and keeping our heads low toward Zaprešić.
Flying low at around 1500 ft MSL (1000 AGL) above western Zagreb. Traffic returning from the show normally kept at 2000 feet, so this was a welcome bit of separation
As the traffic around Gornja Bistra had already cleared, we proceeded pretty much straight in, with no holding or orbits – picking up speed along the way for a smashing high-speed low pass.
Diving down toward the stadium, with the airspeed needle creeping into the yellow arc. On our first pass we hit in excess of 185 knots indicatedTight right after the first high-speed pass. The hills around the stadium meant we had to pull some G getting out and I'm pretty sure this was in the 3-3.5 range
As is standard for every DMO display, the first pass was followed by a slower “dirty” flyover with flaps and gear extended, while the third – and last in this case – was a surprise low pass from a different direction.
Trees!Going up. Bleeding off airspeed from the fast pass
After the third pass – and the impressive-ish climb after it – our work was done, so we set off back to Lučko for another 10 minutes of uneventful flying. The total flight time for this run – calculated from the photo timecodes – was about 35 minutes, bringing the overall time up to 1 hour 15 minutes.
Just wanted to add a small update to my previous AT-402 anatomy post. Driving to the field today, I came across 9A-DKJ being packed into a freight container for a trip to somewhere. Not waisting the opportunity, I snapped a quick photo…
How to pack an airplane... as noted before, the engines and prop had already been removed for overhaul, so all that was left was to take down the wings and landing gear (which are to the left outside the photo)
Going through my photo database – a Herculean task I must say – I’ve noticed that there are quite a few old model Cessnas and Pipers in Croatia, pre-1970s vintage. Though somewhere else they might be considered normal and ordinary – Australia and New Zealand spring to mind – here they’re a bit of a rarity. So, in a an obvious lack of inspiration to write anything else, here’s a short run through a couple of these odd-balls :).
(unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find out the manufacture year for most of these aircraft. Their data plaques were most uninformative, while serial number searches on the net turned up little useful info. This list is then primarily based on their version letters)
1. 9A-DAH, Reims (Cessna) F150K
Serial No.: F150-0631 Operated by: Aeroklub Krila Kvarnera
Based at Grobnik airfield (LDRG) just outside of Rijeka on the coast, this early model 150 – French-built no less – is the oldest 150 model I’ve seen in Croatia. Most others are either L or M versions (both Wichita- and Reims-built) so catching this one on a surprise visit was of relatively high priority :).
Preparing to fire up for an afternoon departure back to Grobnik. The plane had seen better days, but I was told - through feedback from a different photo on Airliners.net - that it got a new coat of paint not soon after this was takenRear quarterview. From this angle, the K version can be distinguished from the much more numerous L and M models by the short dorsal fin connecting the vertical stab with the fuselageFrom the front, recognition is even easier. The K model was the last to have the relatively flat nose and assymetrical cooling ducts (don't even know how to call those in English...)
2. 9A-DNG, Reims (Cessna) F172F Skyhawk
Serial No.: 0111 Operated by: Air Mravinac
Our second oldie is what I believe to be the oldest Skyhawk in Croatia. Based at Čepin airfield (LDOC) near Osijek in eastern Croatia, this gem still has the early – and nowadays very rare – 6 cylinder O-300 engine of 145 HP (with a fixed pitch prop), in more modern Skyhawks replaced by the 160 HP 4 cyl O-320 or 180 HP IO-360. Was very excited to catch this one, didn’t know we even had one on the register…
Finally a real oldie :). The longish nose gives away the 6 cyl O-300 underneath. To my additional good fortune, it's not the stock Lycoming or Continental, but a Rolls-Royce licence built model. Despite the engines being identical, having the R-R on the engine is a thing of prestige 🙂She's in pretty good shape for her age :). In town for some light servicing. Note also the different nose profile, common on early model SkyhawksAnd a very nice cockpit to round it up. The "place 'em where you can" instrument layout is also typical of early Cessna singles in general. An interesting addition is the German WW2-style manifold pressure gauge to the right of the tachometer. Like its counterparts on Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs of old - from whom it may even come - the gauge measures in atmospheres, rather than inches of mercury. Takes some getting used to, but it's very simple: 29.92 inHg = 1013.25 hPa = 1 atmosphere
3. 9A-DJZ, Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser
Serial No.: 28-7425212 Operated by: private
Third on the list is the precursor to the very popular Piper Warrior – the small and simple Cherokee. Sharing the same family tree, the Cherokee was the smallest of the PA-28 line, powered by a 140 HP engine (in contrast to the 160 HP on later Cherokee models and the 180 HP on the Warrior). Based at Dubrovnik in the extreme south of the country, DJZ rarely ventures here to the north – who would with 140 HP and 3+ hours of flight time – so the only photos I have of it were taken back in 2005 with my old Fuji S5000 camera.
Though small and relatively underpowered, the early Cherokees are classics today. This is the only one in Croatia as far as I'm informedFrom any angle, the Cherokee Cruiser is a diminutive aircraft. At my height, I wonder how would I fit in it 🙂The typical Piper cockpit. Though not much of a looker from the outside, in here DJZ was equipped rather nicely. You had a transponder, VOR and ADF, pretty much everything you needed for any form of VFR flying
4. 9A-DTD, Cessna 182K Skylane
Serial No.: 182-57946 Operated by: private
The last on the list for this post is a relative newcomer, first spotted by me in October 2008. A mid-model Skylane, DTD was configured in a skydive configuration with an upward opening door modification I’ve frequently seen on dedicated-but-not-built-as-such skydive aircraft (including HA-SVH, the Cessna 185 featured a couple of posts back). Bought for that purpose, DTD is one of the few Skylanes of any model in the country.
Parked away from the main apron on a beautiful autumn afternoon. Easily recognisable as an mid model by the oldie cowl, from the firewall back it generally looks like any other SkylaneShowing off its right hand door mod. Like most Skylanes, DTD has a presence when viewed from the front, the large three-blade prop certainly helping matters. The aperture you see in the right cooling duct is the oil coolerAn artsy perspective of the panel. Though a bit vintage, it has everything you need - and skydive ops are hardly avionics-intensive 🙂
Achtung, Skyhawk! 