Rallye Minerva with a Franklin Engine? I used to own a share!
The short field landing and take off performance was quite remarkable, see note below!
But the Franklin Engine had hiccups ...at inconvenient moments. The propellor required different management; not straightforward like a Cessna l72. The slats were rather fun, earned the Minerva the reputation of being a French Farmer's aeroplane. You ate your main meal mid-day, with the normal intake of red wine, and the Minerva took you safely home again; when the slats pop out you know it is correct approach speed!
I flew with a companion from Bicester to Aboyne and back, only incident at Aboyne was I forgot the correct transponder setting, and informed Aberdeen Control that we were being hijacked.....
Got back to home base near Bicester, at the farm strip. This is where I found out about the Franklin Engine. I was undergoing training with the original owner's help; we took off with a 5 knot headwind from the narrow grass strip, which was surrounded by a turnip field. No problem, came in and landed. Next circuit the owner suggested I try downwind, as the trees were lower in that direction. My approach was OK, but not perfect, so I decided to GO AROUND!!!!! and shoved in the throttle, which killed the Franklin engine stone dead. We rolled to a halt at the end of the grass, and nosed over into the turnips.
How do bystanders manage to appear out of the hedges just as you have done something stupid? anyway, they helped us push the Minerva back onto the turf, we checked it over from stem to stern and top to bottom, could find absolutely no damage. Except for a couple of turnips in the spats. The recent rain had softened the ground nicely.
So if you decide to invest in the Minerva, which is TERRIBLY NOISY on takeoff, so unsuitable for a glider tug, be gentle with the Franklin if you need to go around.
Last edited by mary meagher; 1st April 2014 at 10:28.
Reason: slats, not flaps!