Shark

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Nedan en artikel skriven efter första provflygningen av SHARK.

Fransmannen Eric de Berberie har beställt SHARK nr 3 med leverans under våren 2010.

Praya, 18th of December 2009

First contact with the shark

The machine is of immaculate white covered with a long light blue canopy and ended by a super sized tail fin. Everything is white around with a grey sky snowing gently. Canopy opens from the inside as Vlado invites me to get installed on the rear seat. Engine is in temperature and every systems and servitudes have just been checked positively. Flight plan consists with stalls, maximum speed check, basic manoeuvres either side, configuration for landing, go around and final landing. Vlado is in charge of take off as I am not familiar both with the steering and the braking coefficient of the runway under those conditions.

After demonstrating a first stall, he handles me the controls for the remaining part of the flight. Side stick and throttle are placed in a way you can ask yourself why every plane is not configured this way. The Dynon 7inches screen displays constant information of my poor coordination skills. The rudder is touchy and very efficient. Despite that, every stall, either clean or fully configured for landing appears at surprisingly low speeds. Nose goes down frankly down to 20 to 25 degrees, but recovers straight the way without waiting for the power to arrive. Forgetting voluntarily for the power, we never experienced a secondary stall. From the rear place, the large aerodynamic chord looks really stiff and inspires confidence.

Time for max speed, I cannot really announce a figure as the GPS logger suffered some fourth dimension effect. But still, descending from 3000 feet with a smooth turn, and with some wind helping during the straight run, we were well above 300 km/h. A little bit of extra noise, controls getting heavier to move but still trim able and stable around all three axis.

The rest of the program was completed with a ground base at 1000 feet. Lazy eights, flats eights between 2 and 3 g and a close to zero g manoeuvre Apart from the low temperature and light snow, conditions were easy with light wind and no turbulence. In those conditions, I cannot recall any vibration, excessive effort with the controls or unexpected behaviour. The plane is naturally trimmed for a wide range of speeds. Again, probably, thanks to the aerodynamic choices.

Gear down now, then flaps; fortunately, it was planned a go around first! This plane is a glider. I try again, keeping in mind that when everything is white, it is good to use a little less feeling and a little more basic key points. With the help of the electric trim powered from the side stick, it is simply too easy.

What else?

Euh...When is my next flight?                    
 

Eric is a former fast jet pilot now operating in business aviation as pilot in command. He has accrued more than 4700 hours of flight time, having been qualified on close to 10 types of aeroplanes and having flown a lot more. He holds university degrees with aero dynamical and structural knowledge. He is married with 3 children. He has ordered for Shark n° 003.