Snooping around hangars
Caproni Ca 20
The Caproni Ca 20 is believed to be the first air-to-air fighting machine dedicated, to destroying enemy aircraft.
Stampe-Vertongen SV.4E
The beauty of travel is that you get to see a whole new world of aeries that may not exist in your own country or even on your own continent! This particular Stampe had me a bit stumped - I spotted this one at an airfield in Chatellrault, France and thought it must be...
GEE BEE Model Z Super Sportstar
Although this is a reproduction this amazingly fast, but very dangerous aircraft fascinates me. This one is housed in the Seattle Museum of flight (definitely a bucket list item!). The original Model Z was built in 1931 to win the 1931Thompson Trophy Race at the...
The World’s Ugliest Airworthy Aircraft – Transavia PL12 Airtruk
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.
PAC MFI-17 Mushshak
At first, this aircraft looks like an ordinary little trainer, but it has so much going for it, I can’t help but wonder why the general aviation community seems so stuck on traditional, over-priced American brands?
Jodel D11
I spotted this interesting tail-dragger a couple of weeks back, being lovingly brought to to flying condition by a father and son team. The wing form immediately rang a bell in my head, as it was very similar to the Robin which I was taken for a flight in, during a visit to France.
Boeing Stearman
When it comes to radial engine aircraft this has got to be one of the nicest. Due to it’s American origins, it is hardly surprising that almost everything on this aircraft are of a grand scale. There is nothing more impressive than a huge, un-cowled radial engine…
Beechcraft Travel Air
I have affectionately taken to calling it the ‘Bitchcraft’ Travel Air, because, as I am learning to fly her, it all seems rather challenging! Admittedly, I think this is a “mans” plane, simply because, if you are a lightweight like me, single-engine simulations require ALOT of single leg input on the rudder – be warned!
Chipmunk
It has an odd name, which makes it sound a bit ‘cutesy’, but it is anything but! I thought they were quite scarce in South Africa, so I was rather excited to see this one, in especially good condition.
Yak 52
Not uncommon in South African skies, this Russian beauty just happens to be one of my favourites, and flying in one is definitely on my bucket list! It doesn’t carry war time nostalgia like some of the older fighter trainers, but it stands tall and proud which makes it a simply unforgettable sight.
Say what??? The unpronounceable CVJETKOVIC CA 61
There is nothing like discovering the hangar(s) belonging to a true aviator. You can be sure, that if the owner was already attempting to build his own aircraft at age twelve, that he is going to have an eye for interesting aircraft, and a hangar full of exciting projects, whether they be beautiful restorations, or bits and pieces all waiting for ‘something’…
Rutan VariEze
I just love it when people send me photos of interesting aircraft they have spotted (so please send yours – info@essentialpilot.co.za), but this one really made me do a double take and want to clean my contact lenses! My first reaction to the sender was ‘What on earth is it??’. I could just not figure out which was the front end and which was the rear…
The Classic Tiger Moth
Two words come to mind when looking at a Moth – classic and heritage. Meeting this particular example, was certainly a memorable privilege, not only because I got to sit in it, but because of the owners.
Diamond DA42 – Your Dream Twin
I have had my eye on this one for a while, for the simple reason that should I be the lucky winner of the Euro Millions, this would probably be the "IT" purchase. The thing that will immediately grab your attention is that it looks nothing like you have ever seen...
Remember the Alouette III?
Prior to getting up close with the Alouette, my only contact with rotor blades was having watched episodes of the 1980s TV series Airwolf. I know little about helicopters, except that getting a licence to fly one does not come cheap, and getting the flying skills...
Doting on the Dornier DO-27
I do love a good warbird. I am immediately attracted to military colours, allied and enemy insignia, simply because they represent a brave and romantic era. The Dornier DO-27 was not a product of World War Two, but rather a symbol of the re-emergence of German...
Aero Commander
Never call an aircraft ugly, especially when the pilot adores her! I actually have to admit embarrassment at having passed a comment, without taking the time to actually understand the hidden beauty that is the Aero Commander, so here you have it – my apologies..
Velocity
The first thing that you see, or actually don’t see, when you look at the Velocity, is the front prop, because it doesn’t have one! I cannot place it in either the ugly or pretty category, it is just disturbingly unusual…
Cri Cri – World’s Smallest Twin
It’s ridiculous, but yes, it is the world’s smallest twin-engine aircraft! The amazing thing is, it does fly, and even though it is not particularly useful, it is an engineering feat!
Patchen Explorer
I am sorry to the fans, but I have spent a week trying to find a way to like this aircraft – it is just ugly, and its appearance just makes you want to question how on earth (no pun) it stays in the air?
Antonov – AN2 ‘Little Annie’
Although I have been flying IN aircraft a lot of my life, I have only been piloting them myself for a few short years, and as a result, almost every new aircraft I see sends me into a personal ground loop. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting my first...
Robin 401
Traveling abroad always broadens your horizons, especially when you s’hot left and check out the local airfields. If you are lucky enough, someone will entertain you, and be willing to take you for a flip if you persist with the smiles and desperate looks.