Jak 52 TD, need a real view.

[mothflyer]

Morning guys & gals,

Close friend and myself would like to join a group or start our own group with a aircraft suitable for aerobatics and short haul touring that has a warbird taste without the warbird costs! We both prefer tailwheel aircraft and have varying levels of aerobatic and tailwheel experience in various types. Friend military, myself PPL.

To cut a long story short, we are very interested in the Yak52 TD as it seems to be an all round very capable aircraft and we'd love to hear some 'real-life' experiences of the type, its functionality, practicalities, pro's & cons etc etc. We've both read a whole heap of test flight notes and reports but nothing from an owners perspective.

Any advice including the not so nice stories is what we want to hear.

Looking forward to your views. :ok:

[planes49]

The Yak 52TD was over in UK in 2006, I believe from Lithuania. Contact Yak UK, Little Gransden, Mark Jeffries, who is the UK Yak man! You won't get one though, because I believe it was to difficult to certificate in UK.
The normal one is still great fun, I know, I fly one, and it is for sale!

[bobdavy]

The Yak 52TD is a superb bit of kit. It flies just like a Yak 50 when solo, except its faster because the wheels fully retract. Two-up its great too. Some of them also have the wing-fuel mod which increases capacity from 126litres to 270litres I think? If you work out that you ll use 60-75 litres per hour at 120-140kts you can see its got good legs too. max level speed is about 330kmh, nearly 180kts, burning 90 litres or so.
Problem is certification or lack of it. The mod is carried out in Lithuania and isn't approved by Yakovlev. The UK CAA want it down as a major modification rather than a minor mod and no one has yet been prepared to put their hands in their pocket to pay for it (100k plus?)
Ironically the Yak 52TW is the Romanian tail dragger, far inferior according to a few people I've known who flew one, but more likely to be allowed in to the uk in the short term.
Best to contact Mark Jefferis 01767 651156 to see what the latest is, and cross your fingers we get an american-style 'experimental' cat from EASA which would allow these sort of aeroplanes to be flown over here..