Some more:


3.  Calidus (gyrocopter).  This is the aircraft for me.  A well-built German gyroplane with a fully-enclosed engine and cockpit, in addition to tandem sitting.  It's powered by a Rotax 912 ULS engine but you can get the 914 turbo engine as an option. This is the aircraft that I would really like to buy and fly to my home town - Bakana, in the Niger Delta, on a flying adventure.  Superb, just superb!  Very roomy with a heated cabin, German quality workmanship, and an all-round aircraft for serious cross-country touring.  What a beauty!  By the way, the makers of this aircraft also manufacture the MT-03, a non-enclosed gyrocopter that's really popular all over the world because it was the first aircraft of its kind to get certification by the various national aviation authorities.  Prior to that, all gyroplanes were home-built!      

4.  Escapade Kid - a fully-enclosed SSDR aircraft with a Hirth F33 engine and an empty weight of just 103kg.  This aircraft is well put together and I found myself spending a lot of time on its stand.  It has a folding wing - just take one bolt from each wing and then fold them back for transportation to your home.  It only takes two minutes to do so.  The engine on it is German and is superb, with a Bing carb.  Very efficient and reliable even though a two-stroke.

Still, more to come.



kiwi992.

Yet more:


5.  Aerochute - this is a PPC (powered parachute) that's made in Australia and has a Rotax 503 2-stroke engine.  A two-seater aircraft suitable for bimbling around the local airfield in the mornings and evenings when there are no thermals.  You could, of course go cross-country flying with it.  However, it is non-enclosed, as you can see and you'll most likely freeze your wotsits off.  That said, the open cockpit is pure fun when the weather is good.  This aircraft is very light - 75kg empty weight, and comes with an eliptical wing that you can pack into your car, in addition to a purpose-built trailer to take it home and hangar in your garage.  I spent quite a bit of time looking at it.  In fact, I went back twice to view it.  I seem to quite like it but not too sure about the engine on it because although it (Rotax 503) has a lot of grunt, it is much too thirsty - consumes about 15 litres per hour at 70 mph.  I'd have much preferred to see the Japanese HKS 700E 4-stroke engine on it as it consumes only around 7 litres per hour with two up, although marginally less thrusty than the Rotax 503. The best part being that it is a 4-t engine.  Oh yeah, what you see in the middle of the two seat belts is one of the toggles that's used to control the aircraft.  There are two of them - one for your right hand and the other for your left.

6.  Magni M22 gyroplane.  This is an open cockpit Italian-made gyrocopter.  Magnis are known to be very stable aircraft with no reported cases of PIO (pilot induced oscillation) or burnt-over (PPO) which is a dangerous situation that arises as a result of the propeller thrustline not being aligned directly with the aircraft's centre of gravity (e.g. in high thrustline gyros), and having the prop slipstream not centred in the middle of the horizontal stabiliser (H-stab), and a keel which is not located aft enough to dampen down any oscillation that occurs when the nose of the aircraft pitches up or down.  That said, gyroplanes are the safest aircraft to fly because they do not stall even with an engine failure since the rotor auto-rotates (just like the leaf of a sycamore tree) hence, does not need engine power to keep it rotating.  It is mostly pilot error that causes accidents in this type of aircraft, in addition to the flawed design of some of the older gyrocopters that did not remain within the design parameters of Dr Igor Benson - a pioneer of gyroplanes and the Spanish inventor of the autogyro named De La Cierva.  This type of aircraft is the pre-cursor to the helicopter.  You can fly them in the thermals without any problem whatsoever because the rotors spin in excess of 300 mph.  By the way, Magnis are not yet certified in the UK so, it would be illegal to fly them over here.  I hear that it would be around July or August when they eventually get certified.  This is a nice aircraft for touring, with a large luggage compartment by the sides.  That said, I still very much prefer the Calidus for serious cross-country flying because it has a fully-enclosed glass cockpit, hence you are not exposed to the elements, so, both you and your passenger can fly in comfort. 

Feast your eyes - more to come.



kiwi992.

Here are some more:


7. FlyCar - from another angle

8. DragonFly - this is a flexwing microlight that meets the SSDR requirement. It is powered by an 18hp Bailey 4-stroke engine. It sips fuel at 2-3 litres per hour. An ideal aircraft for thermaling and cross-country flying, if you don't mind the cold. It really, really is well-put together. It's even got electric retracts (wheels). A very beautiful aircraft.

Yet more to come.



kiwi992.

Just a few more:

9.  Paramotor - this type of aircraft is pure fun to fly, with a great deal of following all over the world.  You can carry the aircraft at the back of your car, the wing included.  The wing is made of fabric but very sturdy.  Some of the wings are termed 'reflex wings' and can indeed, carve through thermals with a great deal of ease.  I learnt a lot about aircraft engines from these types of aircraft.  It would be unsafe to fly them without proper training (though you do not require a licence to fly them in the UK or USA).  You just strap the frame (with the attached engine and propeller) to your back and take a few running steps.  You would be airborne before you know it.  It is most important to get a powerful motor that's relative to your empty weight.  Engine thrust is extremely crucial with this type of flying else you'll run forever whilst trying to take-off.  There are electric paramotors out now as well.  The Hirth F33, Simonini 200, Bailey 4-stroke and the Black Devil engines are some of the most popular engines that are used on this type of aircraft.  Endurance on them varies.  By the way, that's only a dummy strapped to a Bailey 4-stroke paramotor (with a titanium frame) just for show.  I bet you didn't notice, did ya?


10.  An electric paramotor powered by a Chinese-made nikel battery that gives an endurance of around 30-45 minutes.  The technology is still new and the endurance would definitely increase when battery technology matures.
 
The last ones are yet to come.



kiwi992.

Not too many left to feast your eyes:

11.  DragonFly - from another angle

12.  Alatus-M - this is an SSDR motorised sailplane that's made in the Ukraine.  A glider has no engine on it but a sailplane does.  You fly this type of aircraft under thermic condtions.  You go looking for the thermals and use the lift created by the rising air columns to fly them.  One can fly very long distances with a sailplane (and glider) and indeed, thousands of feet up.  You literaly are flying from the seat of your pants - pure, raw, un-adulterated flying.  Oh yes!!  It takes a lot of balls and a heart of steel to fly these types of aircraft because you go flying when the weather is rowdy (and indeed, most scary to fly).  You go flying when every other pilot is grounded due to the dreaded mid-day thermals - when the air is rising and bumpy.  On a 'blue' day (no thermals), you can just fly around using the tiny 2-stroke Black Magic engine on it (on this particular one).  The engines on sailplanes are retractable and you mostly use them for take-offs and landings, in addition to using them to fly back to your airfield when the thermals die down in the late afternoons.  I really like this aircraft but the problem is the wingspan, hence how to hangar it without having to incur too much hangarage cost.  The Alatus-M can be dismantled into five pieces, then packed into their cases and carried on your car's roof rack for transportation to your home.  This includes the wings.

That's it, folks.  Hope you liked the photos.  I didn't take any photograph of the bigger (and boring) aircraft because they do not interest me.

Hopefully, by now, you guys have come to realise that there are other forms of General Aviation (GA) that can equally get you up and flying, as well as going cross-country (xc), just like the Cessnas, Pipers, Boeings, Airbuses, Robinsons and so on, do.  At the end of the day, flying is flying and it's the various aircraft listed here that give you the most fun, if all you want to do is simply to get in the air (with or without your friends) and have a good time by flying for leisure and visiting far-away places. 

Good luck to you in your quest to become Pilots.  See you in the skies. 



kiwi992.

[size=14pt]Smashing![/size]

Thanks Kiwi

Hi Wham,


Cool. No probs.


kiwi992.

Took me a while to find this thread on the Career Section.

What happened?

@Kiwi992

I just found the time to finally go through your concise online documentary on the interesting world of SSDRs.

Its amazing to have an insight on some of the remarkable contraptions that these people have engineered to fly.

I'm touched by your attitude, especially your having to painstakingly type the descriptions for each of the aircrafts in detail with the intention of motivating the rest of us.

I really appreciate your contributions and your interest in our aspirations.

Thank you.

Hi Wham,


Thanks for your comments.

I just wish that aviation training would become more accessible to our people than it is at the moment.  Everything in Nigeria is such a big deal, I simply can't understand.  Stumbling block here, stumbling block there, simply to estop people from fulfiling their career aspirations.  How so very sad.  In the end, it is Nigeria that loses because our people are not allowed to exploit their full potential.

I acquired the various skills that I have got because I live in the UK where education is open to all, as it is in the USA.  If you wish to become a Pilot, Aircraft Engineer or Avionics Engineer, you just go to a flying school, pay the fees and start the training.  No big deal.  In Nigeria, it is so much hard work.  You'd probably be expected to have a PhD in Physics or something similar (despite their published selection criteria), before someone would even take a look at you, let alone the sweetner that you'll be required to pay to the corrupt officials, just to get your foot in the doorway.  How so sad.

I have seen musicians that have successfully trained to become very good Pilots simply because music and flying are closely-related.  Both require good co-ordination skills.  I bet nobody would ever give anybody the chance to commence a Pilot training in Nigeria if the one is musically talented.  Little do they know what they are missing.

My advice to all and sundry - be very strong and determined.  You'll get there in the end.



kiwi992.

people longest time, keep the tread flying cheers

@kiwi992
Ouch! you got me right there with the music thing, man. You know, I'v always wanted to fly. I realised when I was growing up that I had amaizing reflexes( I say this with all humility). I just noticed that I could use my hands qiute well. right now. I play the electric and bass guitars as wel as keyboards. I draw, paint and make animations. Swimimng is my best sport bla, bla bla. Man, you are the first to put the coordination thing out like that. Now, more that ever, I think I'd like to give flying one more chance. Thanks, man. U're the BOMB!, ooops!, sorry. I shouldn't use words like that in a FLYING environment. (lol)

@wham
Man, I don't know what to say. This thread is way up there! keep it up.

Thanks maxani!

Coincidentally, I do some animation too. Hoping to meet u on the Graphics section on that one.

Hi Max,


Glad to hear about your musical talent.  Yes, flying and music are closely related due to the good co-ordination skills required in both of them. Try it. You'd be good at it.

You said:

Now, more that ever, I think I'd like to give flying one more chance.

If you live abroad and can afford the cost of the flying lessons, please consider it seriously.  Even if not for a career, then for leisure.  You can always hire a Cessna 172 or Piper PA-28 for around £110 an hour (dry) and take your friends up in the air. 

Good luck.



kiwi992.

d

@wham
hey, man. Hope to see your animations on of these days. Are you a pilot or you got planz to get on board?

hello all dey merry xmas

A piloting thread!
Fantastic!

Does Nigeria have anything to offer in terms of flight training?I was vaguely aware of an Aviation school in Kaduna, but I never checked. You know pilot training is hideously expensive. It took me eons to save for my P.P.L,but I had the privilege of simulators and Cessnas, Beechcrafts and Pipers. That isn't available in Nigeria. I think the best bet for the aspriring commercial pilot is to check out some airlines , beginning with the small or medium-sized fleets, and see what they have to offer. Some airlines do a work-training thing, where they put you through flight school, if you'll fly for them when you graduate.     

Durban (South Africa) has some good and relatively inexpensive flight schools too.  Some professional pilots organisations offer scholarships to members. Like Women in Aviation. There are dozens of them. You may join as a student and apply for scholarships. They're generally international, so the country you reside in in irrelevant. 

Great thread.

Hi mad max?? Just read ur comments and i find it very interesting, U said u spent eons saving up for ur PPL thing - how much did it cost u and where did u get ur wings ( PPL dat is) from, Thank u, I look forward to hearing from u - my emails wubloodkid@yahoo.com

@ MAD MAX,

Hi mad max?? Just read ur comments and i find it very interesting, U said u spent eons saving up for ur P.P.L. training - how much did it cost u and where did u get ur wings ( P.P.L. that is) from, Thank u, I look forward to hearing from u - my emails wubloodkid@yahoo.com

Happy hols people, Well i need your opinions bout a flying school in MALAYSIA - they are offering P.P.L. training, accomodation and feeding for approximately $13,000, How cool is dat??

Whats the name of the School in Malasia?

Any website?

@Crooks,

Is that 13,000 US Dollars  , in Malaysia?

My brother, that sounds a bit high. In fact, it is nearly the cost of a professional licence in some schools in Yankee.

A P.P.L should be more like 5,000 US Dollars.

check here, http://www.theflightschool.com/programs.htm

Crooks, what can I say? It cost me a lot. And that was then. I've moved beyond P.P.L training, though I'm not a career pilot. The flight school you attend matters. Why don't you tell me what sort of flight training you're interested in,and what countries, and I'll recommend some good places. Are you aiming for a C.P.L ,or just a P.P.L?Or you want a real aviation career, in which case, if you're still in school, you might switch to places like Embry-Riddle, where you get a degree in aviation and get to fly some of the coolest transports. You might even get to test pilot, which is the coolest thing this side of heaven!

Or you're interested in rotating wings? What's your interest?

@ mad max - am done with my first degree now, Am 27 years now - and am gunning for an aviation career - A.T.P.L. license @ best, Yeah d skools name is Malaysian Flight Academy and d sorry bout d price I meant $10,000 approx 1.5 million naira,

Hello all,
I saw a career ad. in a Guardian newspaper. Though expired, the main details were that:

The new flying school in Kwara State, INTERNATIONAL  AVIATION COLLEGE, ILORIN is looking for

1. Flight Instructors
2. Ground Instructors
3. Flight Simulator Instructors

I didnt bother to include all the details because the deadline has expireded (22nd Dec).

We should at least keep an update of whats happening in the industry.

Hey!
I heard Virgin Nig. downsized its staff workforce some weeks back.

About 70 of their staff got affected.

Seems the global economic meltdown really took its toll on the airline. (Abi what's the truth behind the airlines restructuring?)

@Crooks
I think U can get training for a PPL at a lower fee in SA.
This school in Malasia, is it known for high quality?
Whats the attraction?

Any other prospects attached to schooling there?

virgin nigeria(vk) case is a very good example of what happens when you enter a business with poor commitment/poor market planning, mr branson never really took the investment seriously becos he felt he had no competition at the period he entered the business but it was the same period (about a year later)arik air started with newer planes and in my view their biggest undoing aero started their huge expansion(they now fly about 7 - 10 b737-300/400/500).and coupled with the fact that aero has better service and keep to schdule, vk is finding hard to find its feet and create new capacity so some of their staff are becoming redundant, hence they gat to lay-off.

Now I'm not sure anymore how much stakes Branson still has in VN.

There was the rumor recently that he was going to pull out of the investment, especially because of the treatment he felt they got from the Fed. gov. and FAAN in the MM2/Internationl Wing issue.

@ wham

are u serious about S.A. flight been cheaper than i quoted in the malaysian flight academy, Well about the quality of the school and all, I cant really say but u could check em up on their website - go through google search for accuracy,

@Crooks

What I know about SA is that there are some flying schools from which U can get your people with the Rand equivalence of about N0.7M.

I had earlier posted links to websites of a number of flying schools in SA. Why not check them out and do some comparison.

Another thing is that it will be better if U had someone who will recommend a school to U. Try to find out from anyone U know who has passed through this Malaysian school about the quality of their facilities, instructors and training.

Its much easier to find Nigerians who can tell U about some of he schools in SA, US Ukraine and Cyprus.
On the other hand, lets not be rigid, U might just be the onee who is going o bring us good tales from "Malaysia".
(just do ur homework well b4 making a choice).

Check www.pprune.org. U might just get the info u need