Ready to Fly? Weather Apps Hold the Key
How Important Is Doing a Thorough DI?
He hadn’t expected this day to end like it did when he boarded his aircraft for just a short flight for a bit of fun around the local area. But what happened in the next few minutes could have changed his life and the lives of those around him forever.
Doing a full and thorough DI (Daily Inspection) on my aircraft, has been drilled into me from the first day I started flying. It was never fully explained why this is needed and exactly what to look for, but as time went on, I picked up little tips from other pilots. And learned of some of their close calls that could have been averted if a full DI had been done.
The significance of this has become more and more relevant to me over the years, and it has now become almost an obsession, especially if I haven’t flown for a while. Those of you who understand know what I mean. I sometimes find myself doubting whether I have done enough before I get in my aircraft and start the flight.
This was driven home recently when we were called to do some repairs and maintenance on one of our customer’s aircraft. The lucky pilot had taken his SSDR out of its hangar for a short pleasure flight around the local area like he had done several times before. We don’t know exactly what inspection was done, but what happened after take-off can only be described as a miracle.
The pilot experienced partial power loss (a topic for another day) immediately after the plane lifted off. Thinking it was just a momentary thing, he continued to try and climb only to have the engine continue with partial power. The pilot was confronted with just one option – put the plane into a row of trees only 200 metres from the end of his runway. Fortunately, he was unharmed and was able to walk away from the accident only being very shaken up.
The plane didn’t fair quite as well, with 2 broken wing struts and some bent struts on the tailplane. And that was just for starters.
When we arrived a few weeks later to assess the damage to start the repairs, we found something very disturbing. The picture below shows the exhaust manifold hanging precariously from the 2-stroke engine, with just one bolt partially secured. The second bolt was inserted but had nothing holding it on. This left a huge gapping opening in the exhaust, which would have contributed significantly to the power loss.
How it got to this state we will never know. Was it caused by the crash, or did it contribute to the crash? Given the amount of oil on the prop, the exhaust and fuselage of the aircraft, the suspicion is that it was like this before the flight and the power loss was a direct result of it. Given that the aircraft left the ground at all is a miracle in itself.
Could a thorough DI have picked up the problem? If we are thorough with our inspections and look for anything and everything that could be out of place, then probably yes. Will our DI pick up everything? Probably not, but they should ensure that gross problems like this are detected while we are still safe on the ground.
Why not share with us what steps you take before each flight to ensure your aircraft if fit to fly? What are the “non-negotiable” areas you check before each flight?
Your comments and suggestions could help save a disaster from happening to someone else.
Airshows 2023
Not All Airshows Are Equal
We recently exhibited at two of the premier air shows in the south of England.
And they couldn’t have been more different.
On the 29/30 April we had the Eurofly Snake down at Popham for their annual, ever popular Microlight Fair. The turnout was pretty bouyant on the Saturday as the sunny warm weather brought many interested flyers and inquisitive visitors out for an afternoon of spring sunshine. We had fans of all ages wanting to take a seat in one of the lightest sub-70kg aircraft on the market. It was good to see some of our Snake flyers coming through and chatting with us. Plenty of interest in some of the new accessories we recently announced, particularly our new hand throttle assembly for the Snake. Cruising can now be as relaxing as sitting in your favourite beach chair.
If you missed it, we sent an announcement out before the Popham show about the new accessories we are launching this year. Visit our website for more details.
Sunday, as usual, was less trafficked but still much better than last year, when the cold drizzle turned many away. We still had a good turnout and spoke to several interested pilots looking to take a more leisurely approach to flying.
Private Flyer or Golf Pro or Dental Treatment?
Wycombe Park in Buckinghamshire, saw the return of the Private Flyer Airshow on the 19/20 May. To say it was an airshow is a slight over-statement. The exhibition was a combination of aircraft, golf, exotic cars, expensive art, perfumes and even some dental implants. It tried to cater to everything for those with money to burn. Most of the aircraft on display were of the more GA variety. We were by far the smallest wieght class of aircraft at the show.
We took the opportunity to showcase both our Eurofly Snake sub-70kg and our Minifox SSDR. The weather was the biggest feature of the show. Most of the attendees to the airshow were fallout from the PGA golf exhibit or elite cars. Nonetheless, we did have some interesting conversations and generated some real passion, including our very own BMAA CEO Rob Hughes. I think he’s in love with our Minifox!!
It’s always good to meet fellow flyers especially those whose passion is low and slow flying. We spend a lot of time preparing for these shows in the hope that we meet some new pilots and make some new acquaintances. Even though the Private Flyer show was not exactly overrun by pilots, we still came away from it with some friendly contacts and great memories.
We are now looking forward to our own fly-in to be announced for later this summer.
Watch this space!
Marce Colucci
Fun Flying – where the fun never stops!
Calling All Snake Flyers!
It’s time to fly!!
This year Fun Flying will be at the Popham Microlight show on the 29th – 30th April in Hampshire. It would be great to get as many Eurofly Snake flyers as possible to bring your Snake trikes and make a really big showing.
Fly in if you can or drive it over and fly for the weekend.
There is plenty of camping available at Popham so book early and get a good spot. This year should be a great event as the second year after the lockdown.
Special Announcements
We will be announcing some new additions to the Snake line of aircraft at the show so be the first to hear what new and exciting things are being planned.
We will also be giving all Snake flyers who bring their aircraft and visit us on the stand a special Fun Flying goodie bag.
Book Your Tickets Now
To book your visitor ticket, just click the image below. Let’s make this a really big Snake event!
Looking forward to seeing you all at Popham!!
Marce Colucci
Fun Flying Ltd.
Cant’ Wait For Flying Season To Be Truly Here!
Cant’ Wait For Flying Season To Be Truly Here!
It seems like winter has lasted forever – at least to me. I had a short break in Spain in early February where I got to fly through some gorgeous mountain valleys near Alicante. Now I want to get the Snake and Minifox out and flying to as many shows and fly-ins as we can find.
Good News!
We will have both our aircraft, the Snake and the Minifox, at the Popham Microlight show at the end of April. Probably the UK’s most popular and usually well-attended (depending on weather) show. This is the one not to miss.
Many of you have a Snake ultralight so we would love to see you fly in if you are within reach. Or you can drive it down and camp for the weekend and enjoy the Hampshire country-side from the air. Popham have a huge parking field and there are always several campers under their wings.
To book click the image below to go directly to their website.
New Product Release!
We are now able to offer a handle-throttle option for the Eurofly Snake. The kit is very easy to fit and comes with the hand-throttle and attachments. If you fit it yourself, you will need to supply the throttle cable as it will need to be cut to length.
Or we are happy to fit the assembly for you. We just need your Snake for a day to fit and test. Details can be found on our website at https://funflying.co.uk/snake/prices/
New Strobes for the Snake
We hope to have details for you very soon about a new kit for strobe lights for the Snake. These will come with rechargeable batteries and are far more visible than the current ones. We will share the details as soon as we get a release date from the manufacturer when they have completed their testing.
That’s it for now. Our next newsletter will be before the Popham show. Until then we wish you all safe and fun flying!
Marce Colucci
Fun Flying Ltd.
It’s End of Year – I want to go flying!
Snake Sub-70 – More fun than a week in Ibiza!
Looks like 2022 is going to close out with some pretty dismal weather. Any hopes of getting a last flight in are slowly losing their oomph. But it’s not all bad. Hopefully Santa will bring some much-needed new gear and bits for our sub-70 and SSDR aircraft, ready to take to the skies when the sun returns.
In the new year we will be putting out more content, videos and (hopefully) helpful information. So watch this space and our YouTube channel.
Until then we want to wish all our loyal followers a very Happy Christmas and Happy and flight filled new year!
A Bit of News
We couldn’t send out our end of year newsletter without a bit of news. We want to share with you all that our administrative offices have moved! Not far, just a few hundred yards up the road from where we were. But the digs are much nicer!
Stop by and have a cuppa with us anytime you are in the area. Our new address is: Parkside, Basingstoke Road, Spencers Wood, Berkshire, RG7 1AE. Our telephone number remains the same – 0118 9888806 or the mobile 076888929569. All our aircraft work is still being done at the airfield – Pear Tree Farm Marsh Gibbon. Find us on SkyDemon and plan to fly in when the weather permits.
Airplay Aircraft under new ownership
Fun Flying leads the way in the ultralight market
Fun Flying is proud to be the new representative for Grif Italia, leaders in wing production, and Eurofly, leading designers and manufacturers of the Snake flex-wing trike, and the Minifox SSDR aircraft. Having taken over the business of AirPlay Aircraft, our aim is to make ultralight flying more accessible to everyone seeking to enjoy flying, while supporting all of the existing customers of Airplay.
From our airstrip just outside of Bicester, we plan to serve the whole of the UK market. Our goal is to make aviation affordable and available to a wider audience. We want to attract more pilots to the sport from the younger audiences who want to explore flying for the first time, to the older demographics who are looking for an affordable way to enjoy flying and fulfill a lifelong dream.
We have over 30 years of experience in building and flying aircraft, and training other pilots to fly microlights. We took over AirPlay because we believe that the Snake sub-70Kg flex-wing trike and the Minifox SSDR fixed-wing aircraft, are 2 of the best aircraft in the microlight market today.
While we transition things over to the new company, Airplay Aircraft website will still be the main source of information on all of our products and services. Watch for updates as we progress towards a full launch of Fun Flying!
We invite anyone who would like to experience these amazing aircraft to come and see them. To arrange a visit just call us on 0118 9888806 or 07888 929569 or drop us an email at adventures@funflying.co.uk
February 2022
Newsletter- February 2022
Minifox Maximum All-Up Weight Increased
As a by-product of the structural testing done for Eurofly’s latest two-seat aircraft (the Twinfox), they can now proudly claim a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 300kg for the single-seat Minifox. All future Minifox aircraft produced will use the same frame and geometry as the two-seat version (with a revised lift strut position to ease access to the rear seat).
This means that with a potential build weight of less than 115kg the payload of the Minifox (which was already the highest in it’s class) has risen to an astonishing 185kg!
The costs associated with UK certification of the Twinfox mean that we have no plans to import the two-seat model at this time. However, if there was sufficient confirmed interest it’s a possibility for the future. The Twinfox would make an ideal training aircraft and would likely retail at almost half the price of the next cheapest two-seat microlight available currently.
Increased warranty for Vittorazi engines
Vittorazi Motors Srl have announced an increased warranty of 2yrs/150hrs for their entire engine range. This is a first for any of our engine suppliers, and as a result Vittorazi are now our recommend option for all Snake aircraft. The new 300cc Vittorazi Cosmos engine also appears to be a great match for the Minifox:
The Cosmos promises 36Hp from a water-cooled twin-spark engine weighing 25kg (plus coolant). The engine features both a centrifugal clutch and a counter-balance shaft to reduce vibration. The full specification is at https://vittorazi.com/en/motori/cosmos-300/
Eurofly are currently testing one of the first batch of Cosmos engines on a Minifox. Grif Italia have already flown a Cosmos under their wings and early reports are very encouraging.
Vittorazi have also released updated user manuals for all of their engines at https://vittorazi.com/en/manual-and-documentations/. We’d advise all current Airplay aircraft owners with Vittorazi engines to read these carefully; particularly with reference to the warranty conditions.
November 2021
Newsletter- November 2021
We managed some nice flying after the crowds had gone home at the Popham Microlight rally. You can catch a glimpse of the Minifox manoeuvrability and docile stall characteristics in the video below:
You can also see a brief introduction to the Minifox and our Snake flexwing aircraft in this interview with Giles Fowler:
July 2021
Newsletter- July 2021
Popham Microlight Rally
Just a reminder that the Popham Microlight Rally will be held this year on the 14th and 15th of August. Airplay will be exhibiting on the flight line, with the Evo Speed Minifox and Snake aircraft. Some show special discounts will be in place on a number of machines- get there early to guarantee yourself a bargain!
Electric Minifox revealed!
In collaboration with Avio Engineering Srl, Eurofly have recently unveiled a Minifox proof-of-concept vehicle powered by an all-electric propulsion system. More details will follow soon, but you can see an interview with the creators (in Italian) by following this link. The future is here!
