The Castle now belongs to a foundation, President of which is Kit Clews. A pilot since nineteen, Kit, owned a number of different planes. At age 50, he decided it was not too late to learn how to fly a trike and bought the Air Creation. He logged 110 hrs in two years. Maneuvering a trike in the water requires elementary sailing skills; the wing must be positioned relative to the wind depending on the direction you want to go; particularly when docking. It is also necessary to have an oar on board to paddle your way through moored boats and other obstacles when approaching the shore.

Kit gladly accepted my request for a flight. I climbed to the rear seat and there I was, after flying one of the most powerful planes in the water, waiting for another wet takeoff in a 65hp Air Creation float trike.

After clearing weeds and going around a couple of seaplanes, Kit started taxiing downwind. Spray was up and we were getting a bit wet. Moments later, he turned into the wind and added full power, Seated comfortably in the middle of the two floats, I had the sensation of being in a flying Catamaran, as the trike gradually got "on step" and headed skyward at about 550 ft/sec. On my right, I saw a Ridge Runner on floats trying to match the speed of the Air Creation. Flying only 200ft apart, we waved to the pilot who waved back obviously enjoying his flight as much as we did ours.

Kit let me play with the wing. It was not particularly heavy on roll and the trike felt stable in a brisk 15mph+ wind and thermals. Cruise seemed to be exceeding that of a couple of "Seawinds" flying in the vicinity. Landing on floats and steering with water rudder is not as critical as landing a conventional trike on wheels. However, a novice float trike pilot can easily tip it over, should touchdown or takeoff not be accomplished simultaneously on both floats.

The ride in the Air Creation was the complete antithesis to the one in the Aerocomp Ten. If you love slow flight, unlimited visibility and that special feeling of being under a big hanglider type wing in a totally open environment over water, you may consider buying an Air Creation. It is not cheap at $ 22000, but nice things are hardly ever cheap in life.

ULTRALIGHTS AT PARADISE CITY-CROWDED SKIES AND COLOURFUL SAIS

Entering the Ultralight area is like crossing a border. Forget about the elaborate booths, sophisticated exhibits and professional public relations people in the General Aviation section of the airport. The atmosphere here is casual and laid back. Exhibitors operate out of small tents, often act as pilots, mechanics, sales persons and cooks, occasionally turning over hamburgers on a grill. The place is crowded and buzzing with activities of all kind.

It is not unusual to see someone change sparkplugs before a flight or even take a motor part while bellowing "Pass the f -- -ing ten millimeter socket". Some flyers wore tattoos and headbands and they drank like madmen in the evening parties. You get to love the macho swagger of it, the rowdy rock-band-on-tour atmosphere.

Trike wings are rigged and derigged, paraglider canopies are inflated for test runs and machines are being wheeled constantly between the flightline and the exhibitor area.

If you are in the market for an Ultralight, Paradise City is a good place to be. Money changes hands quickly here, as several aircraft, wings, motors and projects are bought and sold. It is sensible to watch different designs fly, get demo rides and talk to manufacturers and pilots before you make up your mind what to buy.

The "Powered parachute" phenomenon continues to capture the imagination of many more than ever. There is something very appealing about seeing a man take a couple of steps in the wind and then ascend slowly to the heavens under a colorful canopy, as the sun sets in Paradise City. Sailing the skies in touch with the world, is what Leonardo Da Vinci once imagined.

TRIKE AND TRIKERS

Most major trike manufactures were represented at "Paradise City" while North Wings and Sabre Aircraft debuted new line trikes. Trikes are here to stay as their popularity and numbers continue to increase. It is obvious that not every professional lives up, or down, to standards set by General Aviation.

Kamron Blevins, of North Wings, has designed a number of trike wings, the most notable one being the Mustang. Encouraged by the success of his wings, Blevins designed three new trikes : The Apache, (a detailed report is provided later in the article), the Maverick and the ATF Soaring Trike.

The Maverick at 253 lbs. Is a FAR 103 legal ultralight with a strutted topless 157sq.ft wing. It stalls at 23mph and cruises at 45mph. Engine is a Rotax 447. This trike may appeal to be pilot who wants to be legal, yet is after decent cruise speed, ease of storage and some soaring capability.

The ATF is a soaring trike, primarily for those who could attach their hangliding wing to it and fly. At 90lbs, it is not among the lightest in that category. Wing selection could be tricky for a 220-lb pilot, if he wants to stay within the wing’s max allowable weight in bumpy thermals.

While strapping into the front seat, Colin Bodill’s incredible feat came to mind. How would it feel, I thought, flying a "912 Blade" 13,596 miles alone at an average speed of 78mph, from London to Sydney ? The familiar sound of the 912 gave me a boost of confidence as I have flown 150 hrs in a Kitfox with the same engine without a single problem.

In stark contrast to the Manair and Airborne booths, North Wings had few if any qualified sales persons and Kamron Blevins seems to be doing most of the work himself.

The trike feels light and compact and the rear seat is a delight. Kamron chose his favorite wing for our flight, the Mustang 15. On rough days when the wind was up to 20+mph and all other trikers would use double surface wings only, Kamron would put the Mustang 15 on instead of the double surface Contour wing.

The Apache with the Mustang 15 wing is a good marriage. In the air, the trike feels nimble and the wing, as I reported last year, has a perfect blend of stability and maneuverability; a delight to fly. At cruise, I saw a consistent 50mph on the airspeed indicator, which I thought was not far off. The suspension is surprisingly soft, allowing smooth taxiing.

If you want a trike that will not break your wallet, yet still provide comfort to your passenger and a wing that will do almost anything well, fly the Apache and see for yourself.

Another fact to consider when looking at the Apache is that parts can be obtained and repairs can be performed in the US.

THE RAPTOR 582 WITH THE XP17 WING

One evening, I had the pleasure to attend a triker’s barbecue at Don Wolf’s hangar at South Lakeland airport. There were may trikes and light planes there and the airport is ideally suited for Ultralight flying; boasting a nice grass runway and ample tie-down and hangar space.

Don’s hospitality brought a group of true trike aficionados together. I met many pilots in persons, whose names I only knew from exchanging views on the Internet.

It was through our discussion that an early form of camaraderie emerged, which perhaps will become more defined over time. Free rides were offered to guests. San Diego based Raptor dealer and AFI instructor Mike Huckle, a tall man with piercing blue eyes who speaks in short sentences, asked me if I wanted to fly the Raptor. To his credit, he did not hesitate to put me, a low time trike pilot, in the front seat.

Few if any trikes are made to accommodate passengers who are 6’4" tall with long legs. (see picture). Where was I supposed to put my arms? I could not possibly rest them on Mike’s knees as they were sticking up too high. On the other hand, holding the bar with my hands five inches apart was not a comfortable feeling either. In the end, I managed somehow by twisting arms and wrists to get a better grip on the bar. Ground handling and take off roll were as good and predictable as in any well-designed trike. In the air, the wing had a stable feel to it, but in turbulence, the corrections needed to compensate for gusts required considerable effort. Also, some stiffness was present when maneuvering the wing into a turn. At no point, did I feel uncomfortable in turbulence or that the trike was all over the place. I am sure that this was one of the faster Raptor wings designed for cross-country work.

On final, Mike grabbed the downtube to make one or two minor corrections. Landing the Raptor was no cause for anxiety, as it tracked as straight as the Manair did on the roll out.

The flight was too short to write more about it. Some day, I’ll fly a Raptor again with a different wing and have a little more time to play with it.

Mike’s knowledge and experience inspire confidence in anyone who rides with him. His students, I am sure, are getting some of the best trike instruction around.

THE LATEST ON THE HKS ENGINE

Last year I reported on the troubles of the HKS engine. The company promised declares and engine owners that problems associated with overheating were going to be corrected.

HKS, true to its word, redesigned the engine and is now delivering the new version. It appears promising. In brief, the following changes have been introduced:

• flow of oil to the heads has now tripled in volume
• alloy heads conduct heat better and the valve seats have been changed
• Oil returning from the head goes to the oil radiator via a galley
• Shape and angle of attack of sump have been reconfigured to optimize cooling when engine is installed on trikes
• Engine develops more torque, which allows use of longer props with wide chord blades.

At "Sun n’ Fun" I flew the newest Flightstar II trainer, which was used as a test-bed for the new "version" engine. The HKS was as quiet and as smooth as a 912. Oil pressure remained at 95psi throughout our 35min flight. Idle was smooth, down to 500rpm or even lower without the familiar gearbox rattle. Try that with a 912.

HPower LTD imports the HKS engine, and its President, Tom Peghiny, to introduced by the factory.

CHOPPER TOWN

A John Deere tractor-trailer shuttle, hauling passengers from one area of the airport, a mile down the road from "Paradise City". There are no crowds to speak of at "Chopper Town". Spectators are mostly curious visitors who come to see what is going on. Few gyroplanes and even fewer helicopters of the homebuilt variety were at the flight line.

WHAT? A "FLYING PLATFORM"?

Three guys were wheeling around a nine-foot high platform, which looked like an announcer’s stand. A closer look revealed two counter-rotating props underneath the platform and two tiny engines on each side turning two equally small model airplane type props.

It was "The Pam 100B individual lifting Vehicle", using a counter-rotating rotor lifting system powered by two Hirth, two-stroke, 105 hp engines. Engine power came through two 2.64:1 engine gearboxes, centrifugal and overrunning clutches and central counter-rotating gearbox.

The first things which comes to mind to anyone who sees this unusual lifting vehicle is whether it can get off the ground.

At the flight line, pilot Clem Makowski climbed on top entered a small rectangular caged area and stood in front of a control panel.

Was I about to witness a scene from "Back to the Future"? A minute later, the platform started to move inches above the ground; first sideways, then forward and backwards.

Clem was using the simplest possible form of lateral control; just leaning his body towards the direction he wanted to go. Three minutes later, he added power and it gradually started to lift. For about ten minutes, Clem seemed to be fully in control of the platform’s movements. However, it never went higher than twelve feet or so, and while hovering, one of the yaw engines quit but it did not seem to matter. Landing was nothing more than a soft helicopter-like touchdown.

The project has been in existence and continuous development since 1989 and appears to have reached a plateau beyond which some very daring experimentation and/or a technological breakthrough is needed. It is not clear what prevents Clem from reaching altitudes of 30 feet and higher and covering distances up to a mile or so.

We many see this happening by next year or sometime in the future. The men behind the project deserve all the encouragement they can get, as all novel ideas require long periods of research and development before they can be safe for individuals to fly.

THE TWINSTAR GYROPLANE AND THE UNFORTUNATE DEATH OF DON FARRINGTON

I always wanted to fly a gyroplane but never pursued that desire vigorously. Amorphous fears, probably related to a high number of Bensen gyrocopter pilot deaths in the past kept me away.

This time, determined to fly one, I went around "Chopper Town" to find what, in my opinion would be the best gyroplane and the best pilot. Among the few gyros parked at the flight line, the 18A, fully enclosed, Heliplane and the Twinstar (N72DE) trainer of Air&Space Inc of Paducah, Kentucky got my attention. They were the only ones powered by Lycoming aircraft engines and flown regularly. Construction appeared more robust than others did, but neither was equipped with a GRS ballistic chute.

Chief pilot and flight instructor was Don Farrington, former Pan Am captain with all kinds of rations and one of two in the US qualified to give check rides to Gyroplane CFIs.

He agreed to take me up in the "Twinstar". Taxiing with a rotor spinning overhead felt strange at the beginning. Rotor speed and not ground speed is the most critical aspect of takeoff. Rotor is prerotated to about 150rpm and must reach at least 300rpm before the gyro is ready to fly.

The flight lasted about 25 min and it included two low passes for photo shots.

Flying a gyro is unlike anything else I’ve experienced. It falls somewhere between a helicopter and a plane, depending what you are doing with it. Takeoffs and landings are more airplane like; the rest is definitely helicopter.

Don was a master of his gyro. He impressed me with his precision flying, very steep turns (steeper and tighter than trikes can make) and spot on landings. Approaches were steep and he would flare about seven feet above ground. Airspeed would bleed rapidly and landing roll would be about 10-15 ft.

Two days later, Don Farrington crashed on climbout while at the controls of the 18A Heliplane. The Heliplane veered to the right from an altitude of approximately 200ft and hit the ground sideways. At press time, the NTSB investigation found no evidence of mechanical malfunction. Both types of gyros have been flying for years without any fatalities. Most likely, Don lost control due to temporary incapacitation of his senses. He seems to have suffered a heart fibrillation, which would have stopped his heart. He did not die from impact injuries but from complications originating from aspiration i.e. the taking of foreign matter into the lungs with the respiratory current, in this case stomach acid. Such a condition is frequently associated with heart problems.

His death came as a shock to me Unfortunately in aviation, the worst can happen to the best. I am sure that he will be missed by all who knew him and particularly by the gyroplane community. Ironically, the Heliplane was already sold to a customer and Don took it for a last ride around the patch at "Chopper Town".

AN INTERVIEW WITH NIKOLAI TIMOFEEF, ONE OF THE TOP FIVE AEROBATIC PILOTS IN THE WORLD

Before attending "Sun n’ Fun", I spent a day at Sebring airport, which hosts the southeast regional aerobatic contest each year.
Apart from several Extras, one Staudacher 300 and a couple of Sukhois, a large number of Pitts Specials were at the field, competing against (Giles) G202s in the "Sportsman Class".

Q. What are you doing in the US ?

A. trying to establish an International Aerobatic Centre in the States. Florida offers distinct advantages. Its good weather makes possible all-year-around flying, even in January, and the price of fuel is cheaper than in most parts of the world. The many attractions of Orlando could keep the family entertained, while the father receives aerobatics training.

The most likely location for the Centre is Marianna airport in Northern Florida, where local authorities and the FAA have been receptive to the idea.

Q. You still fly the "Sukhoi 26". Last year the Russian team was split, half flew the "26" and the other half the "31". Any advantage in flying the "Sukhoi 31" ?

A. The team was split for cost reasons. The "31" is over $ 200.000. the "26" has won the most gold medals. In 1996, it won all gold medals in Oklahoma City and in 1998, it took second place in the Slovak Republic. The two planes are very similar aerodynamically.

Q. In the US, the Sukhoi has a controversial reputation. In other words, it is an airplane that "will bite you"; very unforgiving, particularly in spin recovery. Extras are considered easier to fly. What do you think?

A. My airplane is very clean and will come out of any spin or crazy tumble. Recovery is "hands off, do no the plane, leave it alone and it will recover". One must try hard to keep this plane in a flatspin. It wants to pop out.

As far as difficulty in flying it, let me say that the "26" was built fifteen years ago but, I bet, someone can still discover a new maneuver while flying it. It has that much potential even in World Aerobatic Competition. For example, according to CIVA regulations, in the Unlimited, seven figures should be flown for 120K. The Sukhoi is so strong that it is probably the only one that can walk away from such a demanding routine.

Q. What do you think of the "Walter Extra"? Does it have the potential of winning World Championships?

A. I am the wrong person to answer that question because I have flown Sukhois all my life. However, let me say this: it is an easy plane to fly but difficult to make good snaps. I mean snaps which score perfect in a contest. In brief, it is not the finest aerobatic plane I have flown.

Q. The United States is one of the richest countries in the world. There are huge resources being allocated to sports. Most US pilots competing in Unlimited can afford the Extras, Sukhois and pretty much everything they want. Why aren’t US pilots winning worlds contests? Why do Russian pilots like you and Sergei Boriak train them? It is the training? Are Russian pilots state athletes? What is it?

A. The way contests are organized in the US promotes the sport of aerobatics, but unlike Russia and Eastern Europe, it does not produce top results.

The aerobatic teams change every year. Competitors should stay longer in the team to acquire more experience in world contests while flying against the best.

For example Mike Goulian and Matt Chapman, who flew well last year are not in the team this year. For a new pilots it is very difficult to break into a world class event with big names around. The judges do not know who the guy is. A more professional approach is needed to world aerobatic contests. More and better training will help.

Q. Anything new coming out of the Sukhoi factory?

A. Times are difficult. There is a lot of uncertainty in Russia and developing new aerobatic planes is not a priority. I am sure that Mr Rakitan has some beautiful ideas for modifications to existing designs and in developing a sport aerobatic plane.

Q. What kind of conditioning is necessary for hard acro and what are the most common medical problems experienced by unlimited pilots?

A. Back pain and middle ear problems affect top pilots. You should listen to your body and develop appropriate conditioning techniques.

Q. How many Gs do you pull in one of your average routines?

A. There is a misconception regarding unlimited aerobatics. People think that the better you are, the more Gs you should pull. Energy management is key here. I usually pull 8 Gs+/-. If you pull more you lose efficiency. Snaps I keep at 6.5 Gs. Sometimes, in an unknown routine, you may have to pull 9 or even 11 Gs doing configuration snaps like if you push up from 45 degrees and go inverted and have to do two snaps, you will end up with a high G load.