Flaglor Sky Scooter

[Kingy]

Hi Chaps,

Ok, ok this may sound a bit strange, but I've just unexpectedly bought this (http://www.qccuk.com/pfa/G-BDWE.htm) rather odd machine sight unseen today!!

It's a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone has either flown it, seen it or knows anything about the type? - Frankly any info would be good!

Looks like my first flight is gonna be a long 120+nm XC home.:D

I have vague notions of dressing it up with some chrome mirrors and a whippy aerial, buying a parka, some chrome shades and flying to Brighton to give some bikers 'what for'

Kingy :p

[AerBabe]

I still can't work out how you 'accidently bought an aircraft'.:confused:
I can just see you in the gear though - do post pictures! ;)

[Speedbird252]

Is that the engine protruding from the wing? What sort of engine has it got? Do you have any performance info?

Looks kinda interesting, but im not sure why. I like the ideas with the mirrors and stuff, could work as i think its unlikely that they will get ripped off in the slip stream...!

I wish you well with the 120nm x/c, make sure you take a flask and some sarnies.

Seriously though, looks like a bit of fun, how did you come across it?

Speedy

:D

[Kingy]

Speedy,

The engine is a VW and the thing is apparently capable of cruising at 75mph. It's 15ft odd long and has a span of 27ft. Due to the high C of G and springy gear it's supposed to waddle along the ground :D Other than that I dont know much. But I do know it's unique in the UK and rare in the States.

Im keeping 'stum for the minute about how I got it, but will come clean soon..;)

Kingy

[Fokkerwokker]

G-EBAY

Would that be a suitable registration Kingy?

;)

[Genghis the Engineer]

Yes I saw it on eBay too.

Serious point if I may, single seaters are interesting beasts to get to know. I don't know how serious you were about your first flight being a 150nm ferry, but I noticed on the eBay ad that it was out of permit anyway.

If I were you I'd camp out at Fenland for a few days whilst the permit revalidation is done, then get the PFA check pilot to brief you thoroughly, make notes, get permission to do some fast taxis and low hops, make more notes, go and do some 20-30 minute local hops, make more notes. Then sleep on it and think about the long trip home.

And if you have a choice of check pilot, John Brownlow isn't far from there, and is both a TP and an instructor - you could do worse than look him up and ask him if he'd do it, you'll get far more sense from him than somebody at "the other end" of the experience spectrum.

You'd probably have done all that anyway, but I wouldn't have forgiven myself for not reminding you of the commonsense of converting to obscure single seaters.

G

[Kingy]

Thanks for all your concerns guys, It's gonna be at least an overnight stop as the flight UP will be in an L4 Cub - not a cross country burner...!

I won't do anything stupid, and I'm pretty current on odd PFA A/C.. (see profile)

More to the point... anyone got any info on the thing?:D

Kingy

[Aerohack]

For what it's worth, the 'book' specs for the Scooter with 1500cc VW engine ('BDWE has the 1600 I think?) were as follows: Empty weight 390 lb; MTOW 625 lb; Max level speed 69 kt; Max cruise 61 kt; Econ cruise 56 kt; Stall 30 kt; Max ROC at S/L 600 ft/min; T-O and landing runs 250 ft; No-reserves range (5 usg tank) 152 nm. I believe the prototype had Vespa brakes, so your plan to 'Mod' it isn't entirely inappropriate!

[Kingy]

Thanks Aerohack,

That's the kind of info I was looking for..

'WE has an AUW of 318kg (700lb) I believe and a 1600cc engine, so the specs may be a little 'out', but interesting nonetheless..

I think it looks a lot less 'draggy' than a FRED - they really do need an 1834...

'5 US Gallons' crikey! that's two fuel stops to get it home!

Did you find out any more about the Mite? - not that I've got space for any more aircraft just at the moment... :D

Kingy

[Aerohack]

Still pursuing the elusive Mite. Bet that Mooney-style fin/rudder on the Scooter influenced your purchase! looks like a fun machine, sort of latter-day single-seat Aeronca C-2. Ken Flaglor's original won design awards when it appeared at the EAA Convention at Rockford in 1967. It started out with an 18 hp golf-buggy engine, but he quickly substituted a VW.

[smarthawke]

Hi Kingy

I can shed a bit of light on your purchase. Your Scooter was built over a period of 22.5 years by Dennis W Evernden (hence the registration G-BDWE).

Dennis has been very ill recently and must be well in to his 80s, living in Bedfordshire. For many years he was duty pilot with the Walkbury Flying Club at Sibson, Peterborough and he was still working their when I joined there full time as the club engineer in 1990.

It once appeared in an unfinished state at the PFA Rally, I'm not sure when. It's initial flying was done by Carl Tyres at Windmill Aviation, Spanhoe and then continued by Peter Grist.

Dennis was very much a builder but he did fly it a few times from Sibson. When Dennis retired from Sibson he had to sell it as he couldn't find anywhere closer to home to hangar it.

It was flown for a while at Sibson, then lay dormant for a while and eventually moved over to Fenland. I think it was also based at a farm strip nearby.

The machine was beautifully built by a true craftsman (I don't understand how people do things in wood and fabric - aluminium all the way for me and my RV-6!) and is one of the old school PFA machines, I'm sure you'll have loads of fun with it.

The machine is certainly the only one in the UK and possibly in Europe.

We've got various photos at Sibson of it in its early days, give Patrick a ring on 01832-280289 if you want some copies - I can scan them and email them to you.

Cheers, Jerry

[Kingy]

Smarthawke,

Many, many thanks for the information. Please check your Private Messages.

Regards

Kingy

[Hairyplane]

It does look like fun.

I worked out that I could just about get my blubber-butt plus the 5 gals of fuel in it to stay within MAUW.

Mind you, I would need to fly naked....

Hurrah for your spirit of adventure - please keep us posted.

HP

[Circuit Basher]

Kingy - just went for a search and found the auction (+ the price!!). Excellent - I'm impressed in this day and age to find that there are still people who've got the 'get up and go' to just take a risk like that to get an opportunity for cheap flying!

You've definitely staked a bet on something where you're very unlikely to lose. It may not be pretty, but it'll get you on the route to building those hours!