Unusable in the Bush
Hey Astro,
I was bushpilot in Namibia for 2 years, and renew my JAR MEP on a DA 42 in Belgium.. have to accept this is a great plane to fly, great view, very nice in roll and very stable... not even mantioning that amaizing two Garmin G1000 efis television-looks-alike screen!!
Impossible to get lost!! impossible to F*** up an aproache!! a fantastic toy!
BUT, I have to say that plane is, on my opinion, not made for "wild Africa" at all. It s a all composite plane, with twin Diesel engine, one of these broke after only 700hrs of flight! what a pitty for such a revolution. Diesel engine is economic, but not ready obviousely.
Have difficult to imagine a small dude in his hangar trying to fix a fully automatic digital engine managing system...that..FADEC as we call it..
Really, that plane is, on MY opinion, great, easy, perfect for future A340-600 student pilot, or sunday pilots, but for the folks that want to fly old toys in "real african" situation, this is not made for them.
last exemple? the 2 engines have an autonomy of 30 minuts if the alternator goes mad! of course: diesel = no magnetos! 30 min in Belgium, UK, or USA is a way enought to find a alternate airport... try it in Congo, north west Namibia, center Kalahari..and you might have to run faster than lions, and improvise a waterhole with the help of bushmen...
Well, I might be wrong, but for me, that plane is really fantastic, but not really made for "wild africa"...
any comment?