< PreviousKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 63 10 Up, up and almost away from the Hamilton launch site. This year witnessed the 20th anniversary of the Balloons Over Waikato Festival with 17 balloons and pilots from as far away as Europe and the United States. More than 130,000 spectators attended this annual (five day) event. One of those attendees was Trevor Schmidt, a self-proclaimed non-aviator, whose visit to get the low-down with a view to writing an article, turned into an unexpected high-up when he inadvertently scored a free ride. contributed by Trevor Schmidt A ride-along of a lifetime This year witnessed the 20th anniversary of the Balloons Over Waikato Festival with 17 balloons and pilots from as far away as Europe and the US. More than 130,000 spectators attended this annual event (now spanning five days) on the NZ ballooning calendar event. One of those attendees was Trevor Schmidt, a self-proclaimed non-aviator, whose visit to get the low-down with a view to Ready to build kits | Factory built aircraft options as a Microlight or LSA Kits in stock | Kits, spare parts and full support available in New Zealand Contact your NZ Savannah Agent Philip Seale at Westwind Aviation P: 021 747 494 or philipseale@xtra.co.nz www.savannahnz.com ICP Savannah S 11 2019 #3 KiwiFlyer Feature writing an article, turned into an unexpected high-up when he inadvertently scored a free ride. I’ll confess that when it comes to heights, I’m an inveterate coward. Balloon pilot Mark Brown advised me that there was a spot available in his basket for the following morning’s flight and I nervously sensed an invitation coming my way. My stomach did a quick flip coupled with a squirt of adrenaline to prepare me for fight or flight (no pun intended). My carefully prepared list of questions pertaining to the technicalities of balloon manoeuvring and meteorology morphed into impromptu enquiries pertaining “ When you’re in a hot air balloon, you’re not flying, you become part of the sky. ” CAA Part 145 Approved Parts Supply Installation & Repair Ardmore based Fully mobile Representing Advanced Flight Appareo Avidyne David Clark Dynon Kannad PS Engineering Trig Aeroshell (reseller) 23 Victa Lane, Ardmore Airfield 09 299 9289 info@icea.co www .icea.co AVIONICSKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 63 12 Balloons Over Waikato After partial inflation with cold air, warmth is added. Pilot Mark Brown in the ‘office’. The annual Balloons Over Waikato Festival Night Glow always draws a huge crowd. Check out Darth Vader to the right. to occupant safety. I was going ballooning. 6.30am next morning I found myself in the still dark Café Fresca carpark watching the pi-ball with its flashing green beacon ascended heavenwards with a slight drift to the south-east. The fog was light and lessening - the flight was on. Five tourists, myself, pilot and ground crew hopped into the van and made our way to the launch site at Innes Common in Hamilton. After a safety briefing, dummy-run for landing positions and passenger weigh-in the balloon envelope was spread out, the basket tipped on its side, attached and the process of pre-inflation with a cold air fan commenced. Mark removed his shoes and entered the inflating envelope checking for tears and straightening out lines. With the balloon sufficiently full of cold air Mark then went to the burners and began directing judicious blasts of propane fuelled fire into the envelope. Slowly it began taking shape and rising to vertical, fully inflated. Mark shouted, “All in.” We climbed over the side and into the basket. There were more blasts of hot air. We waited. More sustained blasts of the burner and then almost imperceptibly – movement – just a nudge at first and then incredibly delicately we shucked off the shackles of gravity and were floating. Hot air ballooning must be the purest form of flight and it’s the total absence of sensation that makes it so sensational. Apart from the intermittent roar of the burners there’s no noise. Because we’re moving with the wind there’s little perception that we’re actually moving at all. There’s no window to look from, just wide open 360 degree panoramas as far as the eye can see to the horizon. When you’re in a hot air balloon, you’re not flying, you become part of the sky. Owner, Director and Chief Pilot of The Kiwi Balloon Company, Mark Brown, has been flying balloons professionally for 10 years and has logged in excess of 1000 hours in the air. Weather permitting, he averages nearly four flights per week. “Balloons actually fly far more frequently than people realise. It’s just that we’re up and away and down again before most people are even out of bed,” says Mark. Hamilton’s inland topography and gentle weather are ideal for ballooning, frequently drawing Aucklanders from their not so ballooning friendly climate. Like many pilots, Mark started his foray into flying as ground crew for another pilot. Over two years he accrued the skills to fly solo, obtain a pilot rating and offer commercial excursions. At that point he purchased a quarter-share in a balloon and not long after was able to purchase the Kiwi Balloon Company. More than any other type of flying, ballooning is entirely weather-dependent and by implication, balloon pilots become quasi-meteorologists. During our interview Mark was regularly checking his phone for weather updates and making predictions about wind directions and fog patterns (which next morning proved to be spot-on). “In many respects the weather is the boss and as a pilot I’m just an employee doing what he’s told,” he says. Mark recalls an instance when he was sponsored to fly at a promotional event but had to make a last minute decision to abandon the launch due to rapidly deteriorating weather. “There can be significant pressure to fly from sponsors and passengers and negative financial consequences if you don’t. Safety has to come first. In ballooning, safety’s not just a consideration, it’s an obsession.” Prior to a flight, a small helium filled pi-ball (short for pilot balloon) is sent aloft with a flashing beacon attached. From this the pilot deduces wind speed and direction and works out an appropriate take-off zone, approximate course setting or whether they’ll be flying at all. Flights are generally (if not always) undertaken early morning before the ground has had a chance to absorb heat and start generating turbulence-inducing thermals. While turbulence and up draughts may be exhilarating for experienced pilots, ballooning is generally best enjoyed without them. Regulations preclude flying after dark. Steering is achieved by ascending and descending into wind currents that vary in direction at different altitudes. Flying a balloon is more difficult than appearances suggest, and pilots need to anticipate executing a manoeuvre well before the immediate need to do so presents itself. “Flying a balloon is not like flying a plane. Balloons will react immediately to any change in wind direction or speed but will take several seconds or more to react to a blast of gas to avoid an obstacle,” says Mark. Some landings do have to be aborted, maybe more than once and for this reason Mark limits flight time to an hour while carrying enough gas for two. Getting it wrong can have serious consequences, however the odds on an incident involving a hot air balloon are rare. I see a Boeing 737 as a collection of 2.3 million heavy non-flying parts assembled in such a way to facilitate flight. Compare that to the three primary components of a balloon (envelope, basket and burner) and the chances of mechanical failure drop drastically. Commercial hot air ballooning in New Zealand is governed by CAA Rule Part 115 pertaining to Adventure Aviation. Pilots must hold a Commercial Pilot Licence (Balloon) and the balloon is subject to normal annual airworthiness inspections and certificates. Although less complicated, balloons aren’t appreciably less expensive to own and operate than other forms of light aviation. An envelope will need replacement after approximately 400 flying hours as repeated heating and cooling, sunlight and stresses exerted in flight lead to fatigue in the stitching and rip- resistant nylon. A traditionally shaped hot air balloon (think 13 2019 #3 Start a new conversation “I wish you could teach others in your profession how to be awesome at their job. I appreciate the updates very much; saves me a tonne of time.” Rhonda Abrams Meggitt; Aircraft Braking Systems. What can we do for your business? supported by offices in New Zealand . Australia . United Kingdom members of the Aerospace Logistics Group www.aerospacelogistics.aero Aubrey Inston 0508 412 205 021 595 608 aubrey@talkcargo.aero www.talkcargo.aero Aviation Logistics SpecialistsKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 63 14 Ballons Over Waikato F K lightbulb) and basket costs approximately $100k with costs rising for complex custom-shapes. As we fly Mark scans for a suitable landing spot. A balloon needs to touch down in a field free from obstructions, with enough surrounding space to collapse the envelope and have access for the chase-team and vehicle. A suitable paddock is identified, and the balloon is vented to commence descent. We brace ourselves for landing with our knees bent, bums on the side of the basket and hands on the basket’s edge. Running landings, when the balloon still has sideways momentum on touch-down, are to be avoided and ideally the basket should gently plop down perpendicular to the ground. Five metres, four, three, a good blast on the burner to arrest the descent, a tug on the vent line, two metres, one and… touch-down. Safe and sound back on the ground. Would this self-confessed acrophobic do it again? You betcha - in a flash. Trevor Schmidt Early morning serenity over the Waikato. P: 09 298 8206 or 0800 322 206 F: 09 298 8218 E: insure@avsure.co.nz www.avsure.co.nz Contact us at AVSURE for a free no-obligation quote on any aviation related insurance requirements that you have AIRCRAFT AVIATION LIABILITY PROPERTY PERSONAL l Pleasure & Business Aircraft l Charter l Aircraft Sales l Flying Schools l Clubs l Agricultural l Helicopters l Premises l Airports l Products l Chemical l Hangar keepers l Hangars and Contents l Pilot Personal Accident l Passengers l Pilots term life AVSURE provides the most competitive insurance programmes available in the Aviation Industry. When considering your aircraft insurance, you definitely need the best ADVICE, EXPERIENCE and RESOURCES. At AVSURE, WE DELIVER. AVSURE - where aviation insurance isn’t just a sideline, it’s all we do! RPAS, UAVs, DRONES l Commercial Operator Cover for: Hull & Liability or Liability only SPECIALIST AVIATION INSURANCE BROKER Boston Marks | A Gallagher Company Aviation Insurance contributed by Arden Jennings 15 2019 #3 Many aircraft owners will be noticing that insurance rates for General Aviation are increasing. Arden Jennings from Avsure explains recent trends in underwriting and their relevance to events over the last twenty years: the past two years is that several major aviation insurers have withdrawn from the market due to poor profitability which puts pressure on the remaining markets - resulting in the reduction of available capacity as lines get combined - and therefore reducing the markets we have to negotiate with. Whilst not an issue in NZ due to ACC Legislation, 21 years ago you expected a maximum award of US$1 million per person in aircraft losses. The airlines current budget is about US$3 million per person. However there have been a series of aviation related judgements each awarding US$100 million to a single individual. After the catastrophic 9/11 events in the USA, aviation rates increased for the next 2 years, then in 2003 rates began to level out. Over the following 15 years, aviation rates went down as reinsurance capacity allowed new primary insurers to enter the market, more than doubling the number of aviation insurers during this time - and the battle for market share heated up. However by the end of 2017 many of the insurers were being affected by global events with several hurricanes, wildfires and catastrophic natural disasters impacting reinsurance premiums. These higher reinsurance costs unfortunately came at a time when loss ratios for many aviation insurers were already hurting profits. Most insurers who have decided to continue in the aviation market have increased their underwriting terms and conditions. Some are declining risks and others are reviewing their flexibility on pilots, flying clubs and training organisations. It is important for aircraft owners and operators to keep in mind that the long term health of the aviation industry is at stake and maintaining a viable market is in everyone’s interests. We would also mention that while no market likes to see prices going up, it’s remarkable that insuring your aircraft in 2019 may still cost less than in 2000. To discuss this topic or any other aviation insurance questions, or to seek quotations, contact Arden Jennings or Bill Beard at Avsure on 0800 322206. Full policy wordings and other information is available at www.avsure.co.nz General Aviation Insurance Rate Trends There are two parts to the world Aviation market, Airlines and General Aviation. Both markets are in a situation where rate increases are inevitable as insurance companies need to turn around losses they have been accumulating over the past several years. In fact over the past five years the aviation market has generated no underwriting return on capital after costs. This statement applies to the overall aviation market not just the airlines. Some of the largest losses in recent years have arisen within General Aviation which normally provides a balance to the volatile airline sector. The indication is that increasing rates alone will not be sufficient to generate adequate returns. Costs need to be addressed too. The other issue affecting rates over KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 63 16 John Lanham in The Vintage Aviator Limited’s Fokker D.VIII Gavin Conroy has been spending more time with The Vintage Aviator Limited at Masterton recently, adding some exceptional photographs to their image portfolio. TVAL pilot John Lanham complements some of those images here with an informative article on flying the Fokker D.VIII. What were they like to fly? John writes: contributed by John Lanham with images by Gavin Conroy One of the great privileges of flying with The Vintage Aviator is being able to compare contemporary accounts of flying in the Great War with one’s own experience of the collection’s various aircraft. I have been fascinated with WWI machines since first reading ‘Biggles of the Camel Squadron’ at about age 10. I soon got over the ‘Boys Own’ sentiments in such books but the primitive nature of the aircraft, the savagery of the air war and the raw courage and skill of the early aviators have remained with me. As I gain more experience in flying WWI aircraft I continually revisit written accounts, histories, piloting techniques and my own experience in order to understand more about how it was in those early days of air fighting. For these reasons I have particularly enjoyed flying the Fokker D.VIII, a relatively little known aircraft due to its 11th hour arrival on the Western Front, which left it no time to have any significant impact on operations. What were they like to fly? 17 2019 #3 “ I would confidently engage in a dogfight with an SE5a or Camel in the expectation that only pilot ability would determine the outcome. “ Fokker D.VIII Pilot’s Report Too Few Too Late The Fokker E.V parasol monoplane fighter was specially designed, by the company’s Chief Designer Reinhold Platz, for the Second Fighter Competition convened between 27 May and 21 June 1918 at Adlershof, the German aircraft test centre. It was powered by an Oberursel Ur.II 9-cylinder rotary engine of 110 HP. During the Competition the E.V showed good performance, excellent all-round visibility, a good climb rate and good manoeuverability. Some pilots even preferred it to the Fokker D.VII. An official contract followed. The first production E.V aircraft were shipped to Jagdstaffeln 1, 4, 6, 10, 11, 19, 23, 24, 35 and 36 in late July 1918, although KiwiFlyer FeatureKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 63 18 Fokker D.VIII no units were equipped completely with the type. Jasta 5 was issued a single aircraft which the ace Erich Lowenhardt flew at least once, although he continued to favour the Fokker D.VII. Leutnant Emil Rolff scored the first kill in an E.V on 17 August 1918 but two days later he was killed when his aircraft’s wing failed in flight. After two more fatal accidents due to wing failures, all too reminiscent of the Fokker Dr.1 wing disasters, the aircraft was modified and renumbered D.VIII, under the company’s re- designation system. The first unit to receive the new machines, on 24 October 1918, was Jasta 11 commanded by Ernst Udet. The D.VIII also went to Jastas 1 and 23 and one naval aviation unit, commanded by Theo Osterkamp, one of only two Germans (to my knowledge) to become aces in both WWI and WWII. Osterkamp scored two victories in the D.VIII. Reportedly one of its more successful days was 6 November 1918, on which D.VIIIs supposedly shot down three American Spads. Dubbed the Flying Razor by Allied pilots, the D.VIII is claimed to have the distinction of scoring the last aerial victory of the war. However, both these claims cannot be verified. A total of 381 aircraft were produced but only some 85 aircraft reached front-line service before the Armistice. Some eventually reached Holland, Italy, Japan and the United States as trophies but most were scrapped in accordance with the terms of the Armistice. In France and Belgium they were left to rot and pilots were even discouraged from flying these ‘dangerously fragile’ monoplanes with their untrustworthy cantilever wings. Italy and Holland were more realistic and operated the type successfully until the mid twenties. Oberursel Ur.II 9-cylinder rotary engine of 110 HP. Both guns are fired together by a trigger on the right hand grip. “The view along the two 7.92 mm Spandau MG08 machine guns is magnificent.” The D.VIII’s immediate and very successful predecessor, the Fokker D.VII.19 2019 #3 Pre-Flight, Start and Taxi On approaching the aircraft, the first impression is indeed one of simplicity, even fragility. In fact, the design has great structural integrity. A very recognisable Fokker fuselage, tail assembly, undercarriage and auxiliary wing supports a clean and modern looking wing, held up by two rigid, widely spaced tripods for the front spar and two adjustable struts for the rear spar. The fuselage is tube-welded and the wings are plywood covered throughout their span. The wing has a thick but aerodynamic profile and is placed at the pilot’s eye-level. This placement reduces forward and upward visibility, which is otherwise excellent. The aircraft is small even by the standards of the time and very light, weighing only some 600 kgs. In summary, although the parasol configuration was far from new, the Fokker D.VIII is a very mature and capable design. Platz himself claimed that he had achieved his aim of designing the cheapest and simplest single seat fighter ever built. With such a clean design, pre-flighting the aircraft is straightforward, and mounting is accomplished in typical Fokker style, left foot in the stirrup and right leg up and over. The cockpit is spacious, comfortable and airy but austere, even spartan, in terms of equipment. Only the necessities are provided, a fuel gauge, air speed indicator, non-sensitive altimeter and the all important RPM gauge. No temperatures or pressures. Another Fokker characteristic in the cockpit is the separation of engine fuel and air valves. The fuel valve (tampier or fine adjustment) is mounted where you would normally find a throttle quadrant and the air valve (or throttle) operates as the left hand grip of the control column. As with anything, one becomes accustomed to this arrangement. The view along the two 7.92 mm Spandau MG08 machine guns is magnificent and the two are fired together by a trigger on the right hand grip. Having done a fair amount of air to air and air to ground gunnery over the years I often itch to fire them! Starting the Oberursel is straightforward (as rotaries go). First the slip ring is cleaned as a precaution and the cylinder head valves are oiled and primed. When the mechanic calls ‘fuel on’ the aircraft fuel cock is turned on and the fine adjustment opened until fuel runs out. The mechanic calls ‘fuel flow’ whereupon the fine adjustment is closed, the air valve opened to about one third throttle and the mechanic calls ‘contact’. Ignition on, the prop is swung, the engine fires, the fine adjustment is opened to introduce fuel and the two levers adjusted to find the maximum RPM position of the day. Having found the full power run setting the two levers are retarded, until the happy position is found where the engine runs at a manageable RPM. After a second brief run to full power to confirm control settings, we are ready to taxi. A little experience soon suggests that this machine is much happier in the air than on the ground! Taxiing is not easy, as the rudder has little authority in light winds or at low engine RPM and the aircraft has a huge turning circle. The aircraft rolls readily even throttled right back and occasional ‘blipping’ is needed to control speed. Taxiing in confined spaces is a heart in mouth affair, with the aircraft having a mind of its own unless one has the courage to use large amounts of power. Wing walkers are a great help and it is a relief to line up into wind. In Flight At full power the tail is up almost immediately, and the aircraft is eager to fly. As always during take-off, it is important to check that the rotary engine is developing full power (1300 rpm) and Contact David: 027 222 0872 avionicscanterbury@gmail.com www.avionicscanterbury.co.nz Now an Approved Garmin Service Centre Fully mobile avionics service catering for customers throughout Canterbury and the South Island. Biennial Avionics Inspections. Installation certification and service of installed avionics equipment. Full aircraft wiring installations for all light GA, homebuilt, experimental and microlight aircraft. Fault diagnosis and rectification. ELT Battery changes for both Artex and Kannad brand ELTs. Software and Firmware Upgrades for all Garmin Avionics.Next >