July Pilot Mag P2006 Article

[silverknapper]

Just got round to reading the July edition of pilot and was particularly interested in reading the Tecnam twin review. I have to say I was fairly disappointed. Either it's the best aircraft ever built, or it was just a bit of a love in.
'Real world touring test' the headline says. I'm afraid in most peoples book Wycombe to Alderney doesn't really cut it as real world touring. especially in a twin. South of France? Norway? Although I had no way of knowing if this was possible as I couldn't see any real world range information anywhere. I'll happily be corrected but bar extrapolating bits of the story I dont see how anyone could know the range vs payload of the machine.

In saying that for a 2x98hp aircraft I am very impressed that three burly blokes, camera equipment and 140lt of fuel made the weight and balance work. Surprised also.

Single engine performance figures, the key reason anyone buys a twin? Nope. Unless you look at another aside article where someone says it was ok when it was light on a different flight. I'd have preferred a 'real world' single engine test with the load that was on it in the article.

And down the side of the article where the specification is listed why no range/single engine information.

As I say it looks a fun aircraft but really that 'review' is very poor and reading it objectively I really don't learn anything about the machine.

[huv]

The tiny Tecnam Twin is indeed interesting. It compares more closely to singles like C182 or Cirrus SR20 in the speed, horsepower and fuel flow compartement than with any other light twin. Indeed, its total fuel flow in cruise is lower than for the C182, and almost matches the SR20. Useful load is slightly lower.
Fuel capacity is given as 200 liters, range is 620 NM plus 30 minutes reserves at 65%. This according to manufacturers website information, where single engine climb also is listed as 300 fpm. According to Aviation Consumer, the single engine climb is 230 fpm, with 200 fpm achived in the magazine's actual test flight (altitude not specified). Unusually for a twin, there is no rudder trim; the Aviation Consumer's pilot did not miss it during any single engine phase. Manufacturer's single engine ceiling is 7000 or 7500 ft.
Rotax engines, of course, run on mogas or avgas.

[Rod1]

Having been a subscriber to Pilot for 20 years I cancelled after they ran a series of articles on subjects I knew about which were very inaccurate. Flyer is much better.

Rod1

[Contacttower]

I think there was actually an earlier piece on the Tecnam in Pilot was which was more of a flight test and less of a trip report, I can't remember but there might have been some more performance figures in it.

Overall I don't find either Pilot or Flyer particularly inspiring although I do often buy them because I find the trip reports quite interesting and although a lot of the flying articles deal with things that firstly PPLs should already be familar with (and if they aren't they should find an instructor not a magazine!) there are sometimes interesting ones from some of the more experienced regular contributers.

The flight tests always seem a bit contrived with not enough critical assessment of aircraft and comparasion with other models.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

James Gilbert will be spinning in his grave.

[smarthawke]

Since the first P2006T arrived in the UK 14 months ago, it has featured in all the UK magazines (even L**P...) so there is plenty of 'air test' info out there written by different authors and pilots.

Some magazines have/had a policy of not air testing aircraft other magazines had covered hence, for instance, Pilot doing a piece on MEP 'revalidation' and the recent trip to Alderney.

The facts are that the aircraft really does what everyone says it will do - good short/rough field performance, 135 KIAS cruise at 38LPH total fuel burn and a climb on one engine at MAUW equal or bettering book figures.

If you don't believe the facts and figures then visit Tecnam UK at Wycombe Air Park and try it for yourself.

PS It does have rudder trim (electric)....

[AdamFrisch]

I miss Today's Pilot very much. I thought it had a really good new products section with interesting upcoming designs and even concepts. It also had good photography and was squarely aimed at the private pilot and not constantly flirting with wanna-be commercial pilots and military jocks. I also liked the layout and the design of it. It felt classy. The two remaining ones are rather disappointing. I can't remember which one it is that always dedicates page after page to the future airline pilot and training - which does not interest me at all as a private pilot. One of them has such bad quality control that one can frequently find large photos and sometimes even covers that are hideously pixellated - as if they'd just scoured the internet for some photos to accompany an article. And as mentioned, many of the test articles are either bought on the cheap from other magazines, or tests in the loosest possible sense. I also would like to personally read more about real adventures - crazy people flying across the world in homebuilts, or crossing vast areas in old planes etc. Le Toquet trip reports can get a bit tedious after the 31st time.. I digress.

The Tecnam looks like a great little airplane and I think and hope it will do really well. I'd love to own one myself - twin flying, high wing, cheap to run - ticks all my boxes. Next time I'm in England I think I'll try to book a little test flight at Wycombe.