D4 Fascination

[Confabulous]

Hi all,

After my foam-flecked ranting about the Ban-bi last week, I came across the D4 Fascination - another 'ultimate microlight'. Initial specs seems promising (pinch of salt time here), but one problem - I can't find any solid information about it. The manufacturer's site, http://www.dallach.de (Dallach) is in German, and I'm limited to the standard phrases in that particular language. Another site, Pilotmix (http://www.pilotmix.com/index.php?pgid=11&lang=en&maxInfo=151) is giving some basic info but I still can't find anything more.

Any leads? Maybe they haven't had time to translate the page, but I'm curious if anybody knows anything good or bad about the aircraft - a Group A version would make the Ban-bi look positively boring.

Are we destined to have a line of new microlights/VLA's, each with better performance then the last??? Not that I'm complaining - can't wait to see the look on Cessna/Piper's face when this one hits the airfields in large numbers!

Conf

PS: Does the PFA have any truck with glass cockpits?

And I don't mean the stuff the canopy's made of ;)

LJ,

Thanks for the link - reads like my Martian (which is rusty), but it's just about readable.

[LondonJ]

Give www.dictionary.com a try, they have a free translator on it. It's not a 100% but you definetly get the g(j?)ist.

[Fly Stimulator]

There appears to be a UK agent with a web site at www.ylac.com (http://www.ylac.com/).

It has a news release about the D4, but that is dated June 2003 and there don't seem to have been any updates since then.

The pricing section says:
We are not able to release the pricing for the Dynamic yet. This is because we do not yet know the final specification of the aircraft for UK market and regulatory requirements. However, we are sure that the entry-level model will be competitive with a BMW 3-series.
Given the apparent lack of updates to the site it's hard to tell whether these people are still working on making the D4 available in the UK. Genghis may know.

Nice looking machine though - I was admiring one in France last year, and it gave a good display at the microlight fair in Blois.

I suggest that you pay a visit to the Aero Friedrichshafen (http://www.aero-friedrichshafen.com/html/en/index.php) at the end of April to see all sorts of light aircraft and microlights at a single event.

[Confabulous]

Fly Stimulator,

Thanks for the info - indeed a definite lack of updates - wonder is one even flying in the UK (certainly not in Ireland anyway - we're still at the 'hangglider bolted to a moped' stage).

Good idea about Friedrichshafen, I might just scoot over for a night or two (thank the gods for Ryanair), is anyone else heading over?

Confab

[Fly Stimulator]

I'm certainly going. If you plan to stay overnight then book your hotel soon - they were already filling up before Christmas.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Given the apparent lack of updates to the site it's hard to tell whether these people are still working on making the D4 available in the UK. Genghis may know.

I may, but if I told you, I'd have to kill you.

Seriously, had a chat a few months ago with one of the fellows involved with that project - he said it was ongoing, but they seem to be moving forward fairly slowly. Which basically means, I don't know either.

G

[Confabulous]

Is the Dynamic the same as the Fascination?? I'm seriously confustulated now.

Is there anything out there in the microlight/VLA category that can:

1. Cruise at 160KTAS
2. Fly for 1000nm unrefueled (don't ask)
3. Do the above without gving you terminal cramps and/or a nervous tic.

PS: The Fascination's cruise (144kts) seems to be quite close to its Vne (157kts) - is this a typo? Surely the parasite drag would be prohibitively high that close to Vne?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Dyn Aero MCR-01 Ban-bi flown solo should just about do it.

Or the retractable gear version of the WT9 Dynamic, again flown solo. (Not flown that version, I liked the fixed gear version, particularly with the digitally controlled Kremen constant speed prop).

http://www.czechsportplanes.com/index.1.jpg

I doubt you'll ever find a modern microlight with that combination of range and speed 2-up, the faster aircraft are all rather marginal on weight.

G

[ozplane]

The Fascination and the Dynamic are two completely different birds. Anthony Hutton is the UK Agent for the Fascination and had one over for last year's Air Fair. One of the mags wrote it up and greatly approved. It is now VLA approved by EASA but whether that brings automatic approval from the CAA/PFA is anybody's guess. Walter Dallach claims several hundreds built and I wouldn't doubt it. It's also nicely aerobatic and was demonstrated as such at Friedrichshafen 2 years ago.
The Dynamic is a bit further behind in the certification route but they had one at Lyons last year with a French dealer so perhaps things are moving.

[Rod1]

The Dyn Aero MCR-01 is tried and tested. It does not require a retractable u/c and the ULM is a very good stol aircraft. The VLA version will manage 155 – 160kn Cruise. There are over 200 flying with about 25 in the UK. If you give Jerry Davis (the UK agent) a call he will take you up in his VLA. Lots of others will confirm the performance. Real world build time is 1200 hours if you have not done it before.

Rod1

[hutton]

WD Aircraft are sending over an aircraft on weekendof march 12/13. FOR tec details see www.huttonaviation.com.First UK certified aircraft is due in may or june. Harvard