If it has been a while since you last saw an aircraft that made your eyes hurt, then this would be it. This awful atrocity of an aircraft is real, and it has a name: The Transavia PL12 Airtruk.
Many years ago Geoff Towill blundered into my little flying school in George. He was in his mid 30s and had tatty clothes and locks of unkempt hair hanging over his face. He had that slightly wild look of a dotty professor. “Can you teach me to fly a green aeroplane?” He asked.
“I expect so. What sort of aircraft is it?”
“It’s a green one.” Geoff explained
There are props and there are props, but these days there is such an assortment that without a degree in aeronautics, distinguishing the differences, and understanding how they all work, is quite a challenge. More specifically, why are there two, three and four blade propellers?
If you think that frequently practicing your precautionaries, and forced landings, is good preparation for the unlikely event that you find yourself in an emergency situation, you would be correct. However, is there anything else you can do to prepare adequately for an emergency?
Like most aviators, you have probably watched countless air races and shows, and wondered what it takes to be one of those pilots. For me personally, I have always been curious as to what type of character would do that crazy-ass sh*t, and what drives them to do it. Last week I had the immense privilege of attending a talk by Dutch former Red Bull Air Race and airshow pilot Frank Versteegh.
This past week, the unexpected happened. It did not happen to a super experienced airline pilot, nor a super skilled aerobatics pilot, but rather an ordinary, but incredibly present flight instructor with his student. What you will read below is the account of events (unedited), as written by Dutch former Red Bull Air Race pilot Frank Versteegh, who went out for a flight earlier in the day in the very same aircraft…
