Warsaw - Bemowo - 7th April 2013

The airfield was still covered in snow despite being early April and closed for flying. All the hangers were shut up with the exception of a small new hanger near the YALO facility.

Parked out in the snow was SP-MAH Cessna 150J c/n 15069481 - this aircraft was built back in 1968 and flew as N50680 before being imported and lregistered in Poland in 2009.

Also outside was SP-MAN Reims Cessna 152 c/n 01677 - this was built by Reims Aviation in France in 1979 and originally imported new into the UK as G-BHEA before taking up the out of sequence marks G-OWAK in 1980

The aircraft spent most of its life operating out of Biggin Hill airfield in Kent. It was cancelled from the UK CAA register in December 2009 as exported to Poland and became SP-MAN in April 2010.

At the back of the Aeroklub hanger was this GM-01 Gniady - I think this is the unfinished second example ( the first being SP-YBN ) - designed as a glider tug the design made use of existing many Koliber and Wilga components.

Parked outside the YALO facility was YALO Ultra Pup Bravo SP-SAMB  - ( "SAMB" probably refers to "Samoloty B", ie "Airplane Bravo" ). This is the third example assembled by YALO and was actually exhibited at the Aero 2010 trade fair at Friedrichshafen in April 2010.

Parked right outside the YALO facilty was this CH 601 Zodiac fuselage. There are approx a dozen Zodiac aircraft registered in Poland and at least two companies building them too. I do not know the identity of this particular aircraft or the subtype ( HD, HDS, UL, XL etc )  - it appears to have a little damage around the cowling so may be here for repairs - if you know more then please do send me an email - thanks.



Just beside the Pup Bravo was a small new hanger which was open - inside was the excellent looking SP-SORO a sleek Tecnam P2008 - this was delivered new in 2012.

The P2008 is a new two seat aircraft and has a carbon fibre fuselage with metal wings and rudder - at the time of writing no examples were registered in the UK so this was a new type for me, more info on the Tecnam website below

External Link to the Tecnam website


Also resident in the new hanger was Swedish registered SOCATA MS 894A Minerva 220 SE-FSU c/n 12076, the owner was doing a little work on the propeller hub.

Regards



Steve

Poles at Son Bonet, Mallorca, Spain - August 2010

Noted at Son Bonet airfield ( a few miles North of Palma city ) on the island of Mallorca, Spain on 14th August 2010 were

EC-JUM - PZL Swidnik W-3AM Sokol c/n 370707 - this Sokol helicopter was built in late 1996 and test flew at Swidnik as SP-SYL (2) prior to delivery to South Korea for use by Daewoo as HL9257.

In 2006 it was sold onto Spain and became EC-JUM, owned by Sky Helicopters - it is now operated on behalf of the Govern de les Illes Balears ( the local government for the Ballearic Islands ) and is coded "H01" and is on standby for local emergency use and firefighting duties.

Also seen at Son Bonet was An-2 c/n 1G190-59 - this aircraft was built in 1981 and delivered to the USSR as CCCP-84627. In 1997 it was transferred to the Ukrainian aircraft register as UR-84627.
 

 
During 2005 this An-2 UR-84627 arrived at Son Bonet airfield on the island of Mallorca together with several other Ukraine registered An-2 aircraft. After sitting in the sun withdrawn from use for several years the airport authorities decided to auction these aircraft - today UR-84627 is the only example left. The registration has been overpainted from the fuselage but is still visible under the port wing. Note the "IV" marking - this may be connected with the auction.

The other three former Ukrainian An-2 that were sold off at Son Bonet were

UR-31497 - sold and become SP-OOH
UR-81649 - sold and became SP-FAV
UR-TAS - sold and became SP-AIN


I wonder if UR-84627 will ever fly again.


Steve

G-UKAT - Aero AT-3 - Accident 9th May 2010 in UK

Aero AT-3 G-UKAT was destroyed in an accident at North Weald airfield on 9th May 2010.

The aircraft hit a motor car whilst trying to land and caught fire. Thankfully the pilot and car passengers survived the accident.

G-UKAT was the sixth AT-3 to be built by Aero at Krosno in Poland but is unusual as it was delivered to the customer as a factory supplied kit. It arrived in the UK in April 2004 and was allocated the Popular Flying Association kit construction number PFA 327-14107. The aircraft is registered as an Aero AT-3 SK ( ie kit built ).

Aero have since moved their production facility to Mielec in Poland and have built over 50 examples of the AT-3 to date and more than 25 examples of the enhanced AT-4.

This AT-3 was based at North Weald airfield just to the North East of London - North Weald was a major RAF airfield during the Battle of Britain period in 1940.


The photo below was supplied by the Essex County Fire & Rescue Services

G-UKAT had flown 453 flight hours by 31.12.09.


More photos of the accident damage can be seen via the Essex County Fire & Rescue Services link below


http://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/pages/index.asp?area=5&id=38&folder=658

More news details via the BBC link below

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/8672152.stm



Steve

SP-FYB - Pitts S-2 in the UK - November 2009

The one and only Pitts S-2 Special on the Polish civil aircraft register is currently in the UK. The S-2S aircraft was built by Aviat and arrived in Poland back in 1993. It was seen at Modlin in the 1990s marked as SP-FYB although it was not officially registered until 2006.

It arrived at Booker airfield near High Wycombe in England by road transport in November 2009 for some maintenance.

The external link below shows this aircraft in the ATS hanger at Booker in December 2009 - photo by Clive Glaister.


http://www.pbase.com/denham/image/120037138



UPDATE - This aircraft was registered as G-OSZS in the UK on 23-2-10 to an owner in Gloucestershire

LINK to UK CAA register entry for G-OSZS


Steve