And in the meantime, MYRO is still tied-down on the airfield, airworthy, flyable, insured and ready to go. But I’m still being strangled by the ridiculous system we have in the UK that treats microlights in almost the same way as Airbuses and Boeing 747s. I don’t want to say what’s causing the problem although I probably will when things have finally been resolved. It has to be test flown in a particular state and the test pilot is not going to be available until after 27th December, so despite all my best efforts, that’s finished any idea of my flying MYRO again this year.
Petty officialdom in this as in other areas in the UK delights in using ‘The System’ as a blunt instrument to frustrate and beat those who come into contact with it into submission. It’s no wonder that we’re falling down the world rankings for efficiency and productivity when our attitude to most things is – the answer is ‘No’ … now, what was the question? A chap called Dave Stephens has just test flown a Single Seat Deregulated Microlight that is powered by two small jet engines. Totally impractical as it uses 47 litres of Jet A1 fuel per hour so it can’t be flown anywhere within range of its home airfield unless the owner has a fuel bowser of the stuff waiting at the other end. But Dave did it just for fun and to prove that it was possible and in the process has achieved world-wide recognition. I notice that he posted on the BMAA forum yesterday that he’s already received a letter from the CAA and now has a lot of explaining to do, presumably because someone in that organisation thinks that ‘The Rules’ for SSDR microlights are being treated with contempt by having jet engines rather than a piddling little two or four-stroke that whoever drew them up originally assumed would be the case. What’s the bet that they’ll be amended to stamp out such flagrant disrespect in double quick time!
We’ve had some awful weather in the past week. A couple of very deep Atlantic lows have passed through bringing with them some very high winds with gusts of over 60 mph. Stoke airfield unfortunately took a bit of a pasting and I’m told a couple of hangar roofs were blown off damaging a few aircraft. Ken went down there because he received news that the X’air, despite being tied down, was blown backwards into a fence and has sustained some damage to its elevator and operating mechanism, which is a shame because Peter passed his GST just before Christmas and is now able to fly it. His maiden flight as PIC will have to be put back a few weeks by the look of it, so for different reasons, he’s in the same position as me with MYRO. When he phoned, Ken said that MYRO hadn’t moved an inch despite the winds so that’s something to be thankful for and I’m hoping to get down there later today to see for myself.
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Yup, it looks like you’re right Paul. I was down at the field today and there’s a possibility that MYRO’s test flight could be done on 27th December if the weather is OK and the current forecast is for medium cloud, good vis, wind 10mph from SSW right up runway 24. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed. MYRO fared well in the winds and Ken was right when he said it had hardly moved at all. Just a small hole in the covers that I made myself from the tip of one aileron where the wind had been buffeting. I checked out the X’air and in fact the damage is only very slight – just a small bend in one of the elevator horns – so it’s a very quick and cheap fix. But its covers all need to be taken off so everything is in full view, although I doubt that there’s anything more to find.
Sorry to hear Roger you won’t get to fly MYRO now for the rest of this year, the only consolation is the weather was un-flyable anyway!
I’m really gutted for Ken, his Xair looked like brand new, a really nice looking machine, he must be really annoyed about the damage. Lets hope in 2012 you both get back up flying ASAP, wishing you blue skies and calm winds for 2012.