Grob G 115

Grob G 115

By Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grob_G_115

G 115 (Tutor)

Grob G 115E Tutor
Role	Basic Trainer
Manufacturer	Grob Aerospace
First flight	November 1985
Introduction	1999
Status	Active
Primary users	Royal Air Force Royal Navy Egyptian Air Force
Unit cost	£250,000^{[citation needed]}

The Grob G 115 is an advanced general aviation fixed-wing aircraft, primarily used for flight training. It is built in Germany by Grob Aerospace GmbH. The E variant with a 3-blade variable pitch propeller is in Royal Air Force service as an elementary flying trainer.

Design

The aircraft is constructed of advanced composite materials the main fuselage and each wing is a single piece. It has a fixed Tricycle undercarriage with spatted wheels, a short nose bearing the 180 hp engine and a 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller. The cockpit features a broad canopy and all round vision, with side-by-side seating for pilot and student. The wings are tapered with square tips and the empennage consists of a large fin and rudder with an oblong tailplane with square tips mid-set to the fuselage.

The aircraft is fully aerobatic (to +6G and -3G)

Grob Tutor

The Tutor, until 2005 was used by RAF University Air Squadrons to provide Elementary Flying Training (EFT) to university students mainly sponsored by the RAF, however,from 2006 UAS students are no longer taught EFT. UAS students now follow an unassessed flying syllabus, very much similar to that of EFT, which was recently added to following calls for more advanced modules. UAS students now follow a 36 hour basic course, with the possibility of completing the new, as of 2007 advanced course, which aims to teach low level navigation, formation and aerobatics, to solo standard level. The only units to now teach EFT on the Grob Tutor, are the three separate squadrons of No.1 EFTS, based at RAF Cranwell, Wyton and Church Fenton. These reserve squadrons teach direct entrants and former UAS students the EFT syllabus, afterwards the students are streamed according to ability to the next Fast Jet, Rotary Wing or Multi-Engine flying course. The Tutor is also used by Air Experience Flights to provide flying experience to cadets of the Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Force. The Tutor replaced the Scottish Aviation Bulldog in these roles in the late 1990s. Unusually, the Tutor fleet is owned and maintained by a civilian company, VT Aerospace, and carries British civilian G-BY** registrations under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme. The aircraft are painted overall white with blue flashes and RAF roundels. The G115 costs around £150,000

Operators

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
- University of Birmingham UAS - RAF Cosford
- Bristol UAS - Colerne Airfield
- Cambridge UAS - RAF Wyton
- East of Scotland UAS - RAF Leuchars
- East Midlands UAS - RAF Cranwell
- Glasgow UAS - Glasgow International Airport
- Liverpool UAS - RAF Woodvale
- Manchester & Salford UAS - RAF Woodvale
- Northumbrian Universities UAS - RAF Leeming
- Oxford University UAS - RAF Benson
- Southampton University Air Squadron - Boscombe Down
- University of Wales UAS - St Athan
- University of London UAS - RAF Wyton
- Yorkshire Universities UAS - RAF Church Fenton
- 1 AEF - St Athan
- 2 AEF - Boscombe Down
- 3 AEF - RAF Colerne
- 4 AEF - Glasgow International Airport
- 5 AEF - RAF Wyton
- 6 AEF - RAF Benson
- 7 AEF - RAF Cranwell
- 8 AEF - DCAE Cosford
- 9 AEF - RAF Church Fenton
- 10 AEF - RAF Woodvale
- 11 AEF - RAF Leeming
- 12 AEF - RAF Leuchars
- 16(R) Sqn - RAF Cranwell
- 57(R) Sqn - RAF Wyton
- 85(R) Sqn - RAF Church Fenton
- 115(R) Sqn - RAF Cranwell

Royal Navy
- 727 NAS - RNAS Yeovilton

Egypt

Egyptian Air Force operate 68 aircraft

Specifications (G 115)

General characteristics

Crew: Max two (typically 1 student & 1 instructor)
Length: 7.59 m (24 ft 9 in)
Wingspan: 10.0 m (32 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 12.2 m² (131.3 ft²)
Empty weight: 690 kg (1,518 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 990 kg (2,183 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming O-360-A1B6 4-cylinder air-cooled piston engine, 149 kW (180 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 343 km/h (185 kn, 213 mph)
Cruise speed: 222 km/h (120 kn, 138 mph)
Range: 1,150 km (621 nm, 719 mi)
Service ceiling: 3,050 m (10,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 5.33 m/s (1,050 ft/min)
Maximum fuel load: 150 l
Maximum g-load: -3.0/+6.0 g

Incidents

For any elementary training aircraft a large number of minor incidents are expected, reflecting the inexperience of the pilots more than any flaws with the aircraft. Although there have been three major incidents in its RAF service to date, the Tutor has an excellent safety record when compared with its predecessors the Scottish Aviation Bulldog and the de Havilland Chipmunk.

The first serious incident occurred in June 2004, when a Tutor lost a propeller blade and its canopy in flight. The aircraft was landed unpowered in a field, where damage was also sustained to the undercarriage. Both pilots were uninjured. Subsequent investigation revealed cracking in the propeller blade roots across the fleet, which was grounded for several months as modifications were made.

A second serious incident occurred on 11 February 2009. Two RAF Tutors operating air experience flights from RAF St Athan had a mid-air collision. All four occupants were killed, a pilot and a female Air Training Corps cadet in each aircraft.

A cadet pilot was awarded a "green endorsement" after she landed an RAF Tutor after suffering an instrument and radio failure and despite having only 14 hours flying time.

A third serious incident occurred on 14 June 2009, when a Grob Tutor collided in mid-air with a civilian glider. The two people in the Grob Tutor: Flight Lieutenant Mike Blee and Air Cadet Nicholas Rice, were killed. The glider pilot parachuted down, and survived.

External links

Photo of Grob Tutor Cockpit
The RAF Tutor page
Grob Tutor G115E Review by Today's Pilot

Text from Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply.

Published in July 2009.

Click here to read more articles related to aviation and space!