TheGrob G 115is ageneral aviationfixed-wing aircraft,primarily used forflight training.It is built in Germany byGrob Aircraft(Grob Aerospacebefore January 2009). The E variant with a 3-bladevariable pitchpropelleris in service with the Finnish Air Force,[1]theRoyal NavyandArmy Air Corpsfor Flying Grading (a pre-EFT flying course) and in theRoyal Air Forceas part ofNo. 6 Flying Training School(6 FTS) which provides flying to bothUniversity Air Squadronsand Air Experience Flights to Cadets of theRoyal Air Force Air Cadets.[2]As of 2020, the Tutor is still being used by the RAF for some Elementary Flying Training (3FTS) but is due to be phased out in favour of its replacement, the more advancedPrefect T1.
| G 115 (Tutor) | |
|---|---|
 Grob Tutor T1 ofNo. 16(R) Squadron,Royal Air Force | |
| General information | |
| Type | Basic trainer |
| Manufacturer | Grob Aircraft |
| Status | active |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1985–present |
| Introduction date | 1999 |
| First flight | November 1985 |
Design
editThe aircraft is constructed of carbon composite materials. The main fuselage and each wing spar is a single piece. It has a fixed (sprung steel)tricycle undercarriagewith spatted wheels, a short nose housing the 180horsepower(130kilowatts) piston engine, and a 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller. The aircraft was re-certified in 2013 with a new MT Propeller following issues[weasel words]with the previous design.[clarification needed]The inverted oil system was also redesigned to improve lubrication duringaerobatics.The cockpit features a broad canopy arch and spine. Forward visibility is good. The side-by-side seats are fixed, and pilot seating is adjusted with cushions as well as a rudder bar adjuster. The wings are tapered with square tips, and theempennageconsists of a large fin and rudder, with an oblongtailplanewith square tips mid-set to thefuselage.
The initial Grob G 115 and G 115A models had an upright fin and rudder, and were mainly sold to civilian aeroplane clubs in Germany, the United Kingdom, and several other countries.
The aircraft is capable of basicaerobatic manoeuvres(limited to +6G and −3G).
Grob 115D2 (Heron)
editThe Grob Heron was first bought by theRoyal Navy.After its use, five were bought byTayside Aviation.There are only six recorded Herons in existence; two (to be sold) operated by Tayside Aviation, three privately owned, and one in Germany. One was reported as written off after an accident.[3]
Grob 115E (Tutor)
editWith the retirement of theScottish Aviation Bulldog T1fromRoyal Air ForceUniversity Air Squadrons(UASs) andAir Experience Flights(AEFs), a new system was put in place for the provision of the UAS and AEF flying tasks. Aircraft were to be owned and operated by private industry, contracted to theMinistry of Defence(MoD). The aircraft chosen for this task was the Grob 115E, designatedTutor T1by the MoD. The Tutor fleet is owned and maintained by a civilian company,Babcock,and carries Britishcivilian registrationsunder aPrivate Finance Initiative(PFI) scheme, painted overall white with blue flashes and UK military aircraftroundels.
Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force Elementary Flying Training (EFT), where students streamed according to ability: Fast Jet, Rotary Wing, Multi-Engine or non-pilot roles, was previously taught on the Grob Tutor atRAF CranwellandRAF Barkston Heathby the joint3 Flying Training School,with703 Naval Air Squadron,674 Squadron Army Air Corps,and57 RAF Reserve Squadron,before being replaced in 2018 by the more advanced turboprop trainer, theGrob G120TP Prefect.Some 3FTS EFT training for various pipelines still continues on the Tutor on16 SquadronatRAF Wittering.
Until 2005, the Tutor was used by UASs to provide EFT to university students, many sponsored by the RAF. From 2006, UAS students are no longer taught EFT; they follow an unassessed flying syllabus similar to EFT, but with only a 36 hour course and the possibility of progression to more advanced training on merit. The Tutor is also used by AEFs to provide flying experience for cadets of theAir Training Corps(ATC) andCombined Cadet Force(CCF), replacing the Bulldog in these roles at the turn of the century. The final AEF to receive the Tutor was10 AEF,based atRAF Woodvalein Merseyside, in 2001. 10 AEF was incidentally also the last AEF to receive the Bulldog in 1996, replacing theChipmunk T10.
Five Tutor T1s are also operated by727 Naval Air Squadronof the Royal Navy'sFleet Air Arm(FAA) for trainee pilot grading atRNAS Yeovilton.[4]
In 2009, some Tutor squadrons began to receive new Enhanced Avionics (EA) Tutors, with an updated and enhanced instrument panel, featuring aGarminGNS 430WGPSsystem, digital HSI, and digital engine instruments.[citation needed]These aircraft are the same as the standard Tutors, with the exception of an extraVHFaerial for the new GPS system and the cockpit modifications.
Operators
edit
- Flight Training Perth — 3 aircraft[5]
- Royal Aero Club of Western Australia — 3 aircraft[6]
- Flight Training Adelaide – 2 aircraft[7]
- Australian Flying School – 8 aircraft
- China SouthernWest Australian Flying College – 38 aircraft (closed 2021, aircraft auctioned off.)
- Airspeed Flight School – 4 aircraft[8]
- Bangladesh Air Force- 3 aircraft.[9]
- Ostende Aviation college – 3 aircraft
- Aeroclub Keiheuvel – 1 aircraft
- Ottawa Aviation Services– 3 aircraft
- Journey Air, Windsor Ontario- 1 aircraft
- Egyptian Air Force– 74 aircraft
- Finnish Air Force– 28 aircraft, bought from UK stocks[10]
- Kenyan Air Force– 3 aircraft
- Norwegian Aviation College– 4 aircraft
- Aeronautical Web Academy – 6 aircraft
- United Arab Emirates Air Force– 12 aircraft
- Royal Air Force– 89 aircraft
- No. 3 Flying Training School RAF–RAF Cranwell
- No. 6 Flying Training School RAF–RAF Cranwell
- University of Birmingham Air Squadron–RAF Cosford
- Bristol University Air Squadron –MoD Boscombe Down
- Cambridge University Air Squadron–RAF Wittering
- East Midlands Universities Air Squadron –RAF Cranwell
- East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron–Leuchars Station
- Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron–Glasgow Airport
- Liverpool University Air Squadron–RAF Woodvale
- University of London Air Squadron–RAF Wittering
- Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron –RAF Woodvale
- Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron–RAF Leeming
- Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron –Aldergrove Flying Station
- Oxford University Air Squadron–RAF Benson
- Southampton University Air Squadron–MoD Boscombe Down
- University of Wales Air Squadron –MoD St Athan
- Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron–RAF Linton-on-Ouse
- No. 1 Air Experience Flight RAF–MoD St Athan
- No. 2 Air Experience Flight RAF–MoD Boscombe Down
- No. 3 Air Experience Flight RAF–Colerne Airfield
- No. 4 Air Experience Flight RAF–Glasgow Airport
- No. 5 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Wittering
- No. 6 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Benson
- No. 7 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Cranwell
- No. 8 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Cosford
- No. 9 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Linton-on-Ouse
- No. 10 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Woodvale
- No. 11 Air Experience Flight RAF–RAF Leeming
- No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF–Leuchars Station
- No. 13 Air Experience Flight RAF– Aldergrove Flying Station
- Royal Navy- 5 aircraft
- 727 NAS–RNAS Yeovilton- used for Flying Grading
- British Army- withdrawn from service
- Army Flying Grading School, Middle Wallop
- Almat Aviation- withdrawn from service
- Lancashire Aero Club
- Tayside Aviation– withdrawn from service
- Air Midwest - 1 aircraft, call sign G-GPSI, leased through Swift Air[12]
Specifications (G 115E)
editData fromJane's All the World's Aircraft 2004–2005[13]
General characteristics
- Crew:2
- Length:7.79 m (25 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan:10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
- Height:2.82 m (9 ft 3 in)
- Wing area:12.21 m2(131.4 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio:8.2:1
- Airfoil:Eppler 696
- Empty weight:670 kg (1,477 lb)
- Max takeoff weight:990 kg (2,183 lb)
- Fuel capacity:143 L (31 imp gal; 38 US gal) usable
- Powerplant:1 ×Lycoming AEIO-360-B1F/B4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 130 kW (180 hp)
- Propellers:3-bladed Hoffmann HO-V343K-V/183GYConstant-speed propeller,1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed:250 km/h (160 mph, 130 kn)
- Cruise speed:178 km/h (111 mph, 96 kn) (long range cruising speed)
- Stall speed:91 km/h (57 mph, 49 kn) (60 degree flap)
- Never exceed speed:341 km/h (212 mph, 184 kn)
- Range:1,150 km (710 mi, 620 nmi) (45% power atFL80, 45 min reserves)
- Service ceiling:6,095 m (20,000 ft)
- g limits:+6.0/-3.0
- Rate of climb:5.3 m/s (1,050 ft/min)
Incidents and accidents
edit- On 29 June 2004, an RAF Tutor (G-BYXJ) 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. Subsequent investigation revealed cracking in the propeller blade roots across the fleet, which was grounded for modifications. No-one was injured in the incident.[14]
- On 11 February 2009, two RAF Tutors (G-BYUT and G-BYVN) operating air experience flights from RAFSt Athancollided in mid-air. All four occupants were killed, an RAF pilot and a female Air Training Corps cadet in each aircraft. The two cadets killed were cousins aged 13 and 14, both were members of 1004 (Pontypridd) Squadron Air Training Corps.[15][16][17]
- In June 2009, a Grob Tutor (G-BYXR) collided in mid-air with a civilian glider (G-CKHT). The two people in the Grob Tutor were killed. The glider pilot parachuted and survived.[18][19]
See also
editAircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Aquila A 210
- Scottish Aviation Bulldog
- PACCT/4(Pacific Aerospace Limited)
- Slingsby Firefly
Related lists
References
edit- ^"Puolustusvoimat hankkii alkeis- ja peruslentokoulutuskoneita".ilmavoimat.fi.Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2020.Retrieved16 May2020.
- ^"The Royal Air Force".Combined Cadet Force.Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2020.Retrieved16 May2020.
- ^"Accident Grob G115 G-BPKG,".Aviation Safety Network.Flight Safety Foundation. 13 April 2016.
- ^"Naval Air Squadrons: 727".RoyalNavy.MoD.uk.Royal Navy.Archivedfrom the original on 18 April 2009.Retrieved9 September2010.
- ^"Home".Flight Training Perth.Retrieved6 October2022.
- ^"HOME".RoyalAeroClubWA.Archivedfrom the original on 23 October 2021.Retrieved23 October2021.
- ^"HOME".Fly FTA.Archivedfrom the original on 6 April 2019.Retrieved6 April2019.
- ^"Our Aircraft".Airspeed Flight School.Retrieved25 December2022.
- ^"Germany is supplying a couple of dozen trainer aircraft to Bangladesh".
- ^"Näillä koneilla harjoittelevat tulevaisuuden hävittäjälentäjät – Puolustusvoimat ostaa 28 käytettyä harjoituskonetta".Yle Uutiset.10 October 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-10-10.Retrieved2016-10-10.
- ^"16 Squadron".RAF.Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2020.Retrieved16 May2020.
- ^"Operators list on Grob Aircraft website".Archivedfrom the original on 2016-06-18.Retrieved2010-07-16.
- ^Jackson 2004, pp. 179–180
- ^"Grob G115E Tutor, G-BYXJ"(PDF).June 2004.
- ^"Search for crash clues continues".BBC News.12 February 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 14 February 2009.Retrieved12 February2009.
- ^"Inquiry investigating".BOI.Archivedfrom the original on 2010-07-07.Retrieved2010-04-10.
- ^AAIB."AAIB Report 6/2010".Archivedfrom the original on 28 January 2013.Retrieved9 January2013.
- ^AAIB."AAIB Report 5/2010".Archivedfrom the original on 28 January 2013.Retrieved9 January2013.
- ^"RAF crew dead in 'mid-air crash'".BBC News.14 Jun 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 15 October 2015.Retrieved14 June2009.
- [1]Flight Global – Grob Tutor propeller issues
- Jackson, Paul, ed. (2004).Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2004–2005.Coulsdon,Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group.ISBN0-7106-2614-2.
- Winchester, Jim (April 2009). "Grob Tutor: Aircraft of the RAF, Part 12".Air International.Vol. 76, no. 4. pp. 52–55.
External links
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