Gnat down at CarFest
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Expert - The definition
Expert. Ex=Has been. Spurt. = Drip under pressure
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I worked with the pilot some years ago in the banking world and remember him as a thoroughly decent chap. Very saddened by the news and my deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time.
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Also raising a glass or two.
But I do wish that these so called f*****g experts would stay under their rock instead of crawling out to get their 15 minutes.
But I do wish that these so called f*****g experts would stay under their rock instead of crawling out to get their 15 minutes.
Aviation expert Julian Bray said the type of Gnat plane involved in the crash had been around since 1955.
He said: "They had great ideas for these little aircraft but they didn't quite made it. The RAF did use them for training purposes but never for display purposes. They went with another variant. They sold theirs on, mainly.
He said: "They had great ideas for these little aircraft but they didn't quite made it. The RAF did use them for training purposes but never for display purposes. They went with another variant. They sold theirs on, mainly.
RIP the deceased Gnat pilot...
As for 'aviation expert Julian Bray', whose cellphone number is easily found by Googling, he is talking complete and utter nonsense.
Elsewhere it has been written that
From what I recall from flying the Pocket Rocket, 'pulling too hard too slow' would lead to heavy buffet and a high RoD. But not 'a classic flick and spin'.
The Gnat is a tricky little jet when things go wrong, purely due to the complexity of its systems. STUPRECCC and CUBSTUNT drills have to be instinctive, but it does NOT have any unpleasant aerodynamic quirks. Unlike the Hawk, it has classic swept-wing characteristics and needs to be respected for such.
Again, RIP the deceased pilot and condolences to family and friends.
As for 'aviation expert Julian Bray', whose cellphone number is easily found by Googling, he is talking complete and utter nonsense.
Elsewhere it has been written that
...from the video it would appear that it was a classic flick and spin .. pulling too hard too slow...
The Gnat is a tricky little jet when things go wrong, purely due to the complexity of its systems. STUPRECCC and CUBSTUNT drills have to be instinctive, but it does NOT have any unpleasant aerodynamic quirks. Unlike the Hawk, it has classic swept-wing characteristics and needs to be respected for such.
Again, RIP the deceased pilot and condolences to family and friends.
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gotta love the meeja......
dont care who they piss on in a never ending attempt to get the scoop and be the first.....
Today has to go down as another Oh, bugger. day in the diary. I would raise a tall one but I'm working the night shift so someone do it for me.
condolences to his family - hopefully they found out thru the proper channels first rather than hearing it on the news......
dont care who they piss on in a never ending attempt to get the scoop and be the first.....
Today has to go down as another Oh, bugger. day in the diary. I would raise a tall one but I'm working the night shift so someone do it for me.
condolences to his family - hopefully they found out thru the proper channels first rather than hearing it on the news......
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Surely one wouldn't fly any fast jet without a working seat?
Not saying this is the case with the jets in question just responding to SSD's post.
Well, I wouldn't, and when offered the opportunity to do so with a Jet Provost, didn't. The Aircrew Manual 'Manual Bailout' advice is probably vague enough to permit flying without live seats (it is with the JP; I've not flown the Gnat), and the licencing authorities really don't like live ones.
BBC News have just interviewed a test pilot, Peter Collins, about this, who said the ejection seat would have been inert. He gave good reasons why this would be so. No spares for this old type of seat and they need regular servicing by qualified people.
One of the Gnat pair almost came a cropper at Abingdon earlier this year - poss pilot disorientation in heavy rain? Not widely reported or witnessed, a bit like the Reds gypo A-axis breach at RIAT last week.
TOWTEAMBASE
Pair did a low fast circuit of the airfield right at the end of their display in a biblical downpour. One of the pair appeared to lose orientation in one of the turns and flew towards the ground but fortunately pulled up - clearance looked pretty tight (sub 50'?). As I said not many people witnessed it as most had taken refuge from the rain.
The Reds naughtiness was all over Twatter last Saturday.
Pair did a low fast circuit of the airfield right at the end of their display in a biblical downpour. One of the pair appeared to lose orientation in one of the turns and flew towards the ground but fortunately pulled up - clearance looked pretty tight (sub 50'?). As I said not many people witnessed it as most had taken refuge from the rain.
The Reds naughtiness was all over Twatter last Saturday.
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dead_pan
dead_pan:
Same aircraft i believe G-TIMM, also was Tech last weekend when due at East Fortune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mt7i9zCs-c
Same aircraft i believe G-TIMM, also was Tech last weekend when due at East Fortune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mt7i9zCs-c
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Terrible tragedy and condolences to the family.
I offer this for discussion, I was talking to someone who flies a former East European training jet recently about the ejection seats and he said that the CAA was very much against them being inert. His was live. There was a near accident some years ago when an inert seat in a JP was not secured and while inverted the seat and passenger rolled through the canopy. The pax had the presence of mind to release the seat and survived.
I offer this for discussion, I was talking to someone who flies a former East European training jet recently about the ejection seats and he said that the CAA was very much against them being inert. His was live. There was a near accident some years ago when an inert seat in a JP was not secured and while inverted the seat and passenger rolled through the canopy. The pax had the presence of mind to release the seat and survived.
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Have a friend who is an armourer and also has a close association with the team. He says the seats were live ones. Quiet a few of the JPs flying also have live seats. However would a Folland seat have saved anyone in the circumstances of this accident? I would doubt it. RIP Kev.
That video showed what looked like an extremely sudden pitch down... awful.
I've read online about the Gnat's hydraulics - but trying to understand.
Is it prone to sudden pitch departures because of it's short length?
Am I correct in assuming that the gearing linkage to the tailplane allows for c of g to be moved forward or aft to compensate?
Does it have an all moving tailplane, or elevators?
EDIT: found a T1 photo - elevators.
I've read online about the Gnat's hydraulics - but trying to understand.
Is it prone to sudden pitch departures because of it's short length?
Am I correct in assuming that the gearing linkage to the tailplane allows for c of g to be moved forward or aft to compensate?
Does it have an all moving tailplane, or elevators?
EDIT: found a T1 photo - elevators.
Last edited by tartare; 2nd Aug 2015 at 00:37.
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Sure the hydraulic actuators on the Gnat are hydro boosted. It is a power assisted system, not fully powered controls. The Gnat is an intermediate ex military PtF aircraft as far as the CAA is concerned, making it less restrictive in airworthiness provisions such as the OEM support required if it is complex. Speculation on the reasons is would not be welcome by most on here and the AAIB report will be as comprehensive as any BoI would have been if the aircraft would have been still on the military register. But that leads on that it was a civilian aircraft being flown by a civilian pilot displaying on a CAA approved PDA.
