X-Mas Inspiration: Calendar "Calendar 2017 Passion Aviation 2017"

Unterstützt das Projekt "Nanuq 2017"! Kauft euch den Kalender "Leidenschaft Fliegen 2017"!

Support the project "Nanuq 2017"! Order your calendar "Passion Aviation 2017" now!

Orders are taken until November 25th, for a delivery before X-Mas. (For the DIN A2 = 42 x 59 cm we need at least 10 orders to go to production)

DIN A 2 landscape/quer 45,- EURO + shipping

DIN A 3 landscape/quer 25,- EURO + shipping

order via pilot@helkert.de

First 10 orders before Nov 16th, get free shipping within Europe!

X-Mas Inspiration: Calendar "Calendar 2017 Passion Aviation 2017"

Unterstützt das Projekt "Nanuq 2017"! Kauft euch den Kalender "Leidenschaft Fliegen 2017"!

Support the project "Nanuq 2017"! Order your calendar "Passion Aviation 2017" now!

Orders are taken until November 25th, for a delivery before X-Mas. (For the DIN A2 = 42 x 59 cm we need at least 10 orders to go to production)

DIN A 2 landscape/quer 45,- EURO + shipping

DIN A 3 landscape/quer 25,- EURO + shipping

order via pilot@helkert.de

First 10 orders before Nov 16th, get free shipping within Europe!

How to get Flight Hours

How to get Air Time

Or

Everybody can support Nanuq 2017

 

With no doubt, for mastering the Nanuq 2017 challenge successful, I need to have as much airtime as possible. To develop skills and to train under all expectable conditions.

The financial efforts for chartering an aircraft are quite high. As Nanuq 2017 is a non profit project, having as financial sources only my own engagement and the support of a handful of supporters and sponsors I’m seeking for support for getting the required airtime.

So I’m offering roundtrips in the Breezer B400 from the area of Munich over Munich City, the Alps, the Kings Castles or anywhere else you want to go.

Here some pictures of happy guests, who made already the great experience of flying with an Micro Light Aircraft (Ultraleicht Flugzeug)

You can book the flights directly with me under pilot@helkert.de or via the booking platform: https://flyt.club (search for flights ex Mühldorf or EDMY

Prices reach from 90-120 EURO/hr.

Become part of the project NANUQ 2017!

Book your sight-seeing-flight now!

Request free slots under pilot@helkert.de

l

Give the Plane a Shine

Give the plane a shine

Some weeks ago I promised to introduce my supporters and sponsors. As I accept supporters an sponsors only, if I'm convinced of their products and services, I had to take some time to check the products of LIQUY MOLY Aero.

Thomas Hauptmann, founder and owner of THTEC is my German contact. As a passionated pilot (he has a C172 in cool painting!) he was one of the first reassuring me and my plan to fly to Greenland. He is giving me support, and has always an idea, if I show up with a new question.

We've arranged a meeting at the Airfield of Eggenfelden (EDME) where Thomas was supporting the German AOPA Meeting. Thomas delivered my a huge box with cleaning and care products of the Liquy Moly Aero Line:

• Aero Windshield Cleaner
• Aero Aircraft Cleaner
• Aero Paint Restorer
• Aero Speedwax and some Cleaning Micro Rags

Well, Thomas isn't a bad salesman, so he nearly convinced me already in Eggenfelden, that the 1.000-hrs-Breezer from our Flight Club Mühldorf (EDMY) will look like new after the treatment with his stuff.

But I've seen and heard so many sales people telling about their "wonderstuff", so I wanted to give it a try, before I present his products.

I could convince friends of mine from India and my daughter Sandra to teamwork on a complete cleanup of the Breezer D-MDDK.

Pradeeptee and John took care of the outside (main wings) Sandra cared for the glass part and I declared war to the engine liquid traces under the aircraft and midges and flies on rudder and elevator.

First round was with the Liquy Moly Aircraft Cleaner. We sprayed and wiped afterwards with the Cleaning Rags, provided by Thomas. The bodies of hundreds of midges have been washed away, and my Aircraft Shiner Team was close to a physical break down.  ;-)

Though we finished the Breezer within 90 minutes complete. And believe me : there have been midges, which have made the maiden flight of this aircraft!

At no wing we had to make more then one run. Exception was the bottom side of the cowling. The engine liquids, which have legt their traces since many years, had to be made two times.

But it was worth it: the aircraft was clean.

Though, after so many years the paint didn't look fresh. So we started to treat it with the AERO Paint Restorer. Nice result. The color was shining fresh, and looked not 10 years old. Difficult to see on the photos, but believe me: the white parts look white again!

While we have treated the body, Sandra was working the windshields from inside to outside. A spray on the plexiglass, waiting for a moment and wiping dry with the Micro Rags from Thomas. Speaking -free, removing any remaining of past cleaning attempts. Outside all midges and flies have been removed smoothly, no scratch or other deposits.

Result is a clear, streaking-free windshield. No irritations against the sun. Photos can be captured in a good quality THOUGH the windshield.

Overall the care products have been of a very high quality. Thomas didn't oversell. Due to a lack of time, we couldn't treat the Breezer with the Aero Speedwax. This will be done inner next cleaning action.

Easy to use, great result: Liquy Moly Aero Care Products have convinced my team and me 100 %!

Safety Training in EDAY- The Need for Speed!

This weekend I have spent 12 hours on a German Autobahn to travel from Munich to East of the German Capital, Berlin: Airport Strausberg was the destination.

WHY?

RUWE Aero, a flight academy for Microlight Aircrafts, owns a Full-Motion-Flight Simulator, incl. the option to simulate the release of the "Ballistic Recovery System".

With some folks from the airports EDML and EDMY we arrived on Friday midnight at Strausberg.

Sharp in time we met on Saturday morning Norbert, a very experienced retired military pilot, in both German Airforces, (East- and later West-Germany), who is leading the "Microlight Safety Program" of RUWE Aero. A short introduction to the facility by Derek, the MD of RUWE Aero, and we started straight in the meeting room.

Firstly we got an overview of the current situation, including some typical causes for accidents with MicroLights.

We have been one, on the perception that avoiding problems is the best way to stay away from dangerous situations. So we tried to identify the main root causes of critical situations, flying an aircraft.

And, in simple words, it's all about speed. Speed is uplift, and uplift is time.

But don't get me wrong: it's not about speed for itself, it's about the right speed. Many pilots are not aware of the "best glide speed" of their aircraft. Being 4 mph faster or slower then it, eats your height within seconds away.

And this is a slogan we must not discuss:

HEIGHT IS TIME IS LIFE!

Our Microlight Aircrafts have glide factors of 1:10 to 1:15. This means if we move horizontal 10 m or 15 m, we lose 1meter in height. Being in a critical situation in a height of 500 m above the ground, we might move between 5.000 and 7.500 m! Not so bad, right?

Sounds cool, but there is one big thing to keep in mind: it works, as the gas consumption we get promised by the auto manufacturers, only under exactly defined regulations and environments.

One of the most critical key points is the "best glide speed". And this speed is individual for each aircraft. Take your "Manual/Handbuch" and look out for it. Start seeking for in a critical situation is far too late!

And the difference between the 1:15 to a 1:7 is only a difference of  + or - 3-5 mph!!!

Seeing the formulas, calculating some (typical) situations is one thing.

DOING it, would give evidence, that our assumptions and calculations are correct.

Instead of crashing plenty of aircrafts, we changed the scene, after our lunch with the team, to the RUWE Aero Microlight Simulator for the next level.

Steering dashboard

Full-motion Simulator

All our assumptions and calculations have been confirmed! Even if we experience a fatal engine failure, we have time enough (given we are in a certain height) to take decisions, to find good places to land, maybe to get back to our airfield, to prepare for landing.

And if we are not 500 or 800 ft AGL? It's much more crucial to safe EACH single foot of height!

Remember: 

HEIGHT IS TIME IS LIFE!

No kidding around: even with that knowledge, good trained skills and calm blood we cannot recover all.

So finally we have simulated another scenario: 

recognizing that there is NO RECOVERY possible!

We have the "Ballistic Recovery System", mandatory by law in Germany, equipped in our aircrafts! 

So we brought our aircrafts (with good help of Hannes, the technical engineer from RUWE) in situations, where we had to decide:

do or die!

Do stands for PULL the RED HANDLE!

It may sound strange, but there was a constraint to pull this RED handle. Exactly what probably happened to some of the pilots, crashing fatally in the past months. 

To recognize and to talk with the group about this very same experience, made all of us more "FREE" to pull the handle. As we could make the experience, that we couldn't recover a situation, where we BELIEVED we could, brought us closer to our limitations and boundaries. 

We pulled, and we SURVIVED!

Limitations and borders are not bad, as long as we know them!

Special thanks to the Team of RUWE Aero and my flight mates for this great experience. You all made our future flights safer!

But one person, we regrettably did not meet on Saturday has to be mentioned extra:

Klaus Dieter Tschäpe, the founder and owner of RUWE Aero:

in times where it seems only profit, KPIs and make more profit are THE values, he is taking all his passion for flying and offers this great program to ALL Microlight pilots for FREE.

Not to sell anything afterwards, but to make MICROLIGHT Flying more safe!

(And you can trust me: no hidden costs, no fees. Only for FREE.)

The RUWE Aero Team:

Derek Hans, Norbert, Hannes, Angelika

The EDMY/EDML Folks:

Stephan, Jan, Claudia, Roman, Andi

Safety Training in EDAY- The Need for Speed!

This weekend I have spent 12 hours on a German Autobahn to travel from Munich to East of the German Capitla, Berlin: Airport Strausberg was the destination.

WHY?

RUWE Aero, a flight academy for Microlight Aircrafts, owns a Full-Motion-Flight Simulator, incl. the option to simulate the release of the "Ballistic Recovery System".

With some folks from the airports EDML and EDMY we arrived on Friday midnight at Strausberg.

Sharp in time we met on Saturday morning Norbert, a very experienced former military pilot, in both German Airforces, (East- and later West-Germany), who is leading the "Microlight Safety Program" of RUWE Aero. A short introduction to the facility by Derek, the MD of RUWE Aero, and we started straight in the meeting room.

Firstly we got an overview of the current situation, including some typical causes for accidents with MicroLights.

We have been one, on the perception, that avoiding problems is the best way to stay away from dangerous situations. So we tried to identify the main root causes of critical situations, flying an aircraft.

And, in simple words, it's all about speed. Speed is uplift, and uplift is time.

But don't get me wrong: it's not about speed for itself, it's about the right speed. Many pilots are not aware of the "best glide speed" of their aircraft. Being 4 mph faster or slower then it, eats your height within seconds away.

And this is a slogan we must not discuss:

HEIGHT IS TIME IS LIFE!

Our Microlight Aircrafts have glide factors of 1:10 to 1:15. This means if we move horizontal 10 m or 15 m, we lose 1meter in height. Being in a critical situation in a height of 500 m above the ground, we might move between 5.000 and 7.500 m! Not so bad, right?

Sounds cool, but there is one big thing to keep in mind: it works, as the gas consumption we get promised by the auto manufacturers, only under exactly defined regulations and environments.

One of the most critical key points is the "best glide speed". And this speed is individual for each aircraft. Take your "Manual/Handbuch" and look out for it. Start seeking for in a critical situation is far too late!

And the difference between the 1:15 to a 1:7 is only a difference of  + or - 3-5 mph!!!

Seeing the formulas, calculating some (typical) situations is one thing.

DOING it, would give evidence, that our assumptions and calculations are correct.

Instead of crashing plenty of aircrafts, we changed the scene, after our lunch with the team, to the RUWE Aero Microlight Simulator for the next level.

Steering dashboard

Full-motion Simulator

All our assumptions and calculations have been confirmed! Even if we experience a fatal engine failure, we have time enough (given we are in a certain height) to take decisions, to find good places to land, maybe to get back to our airfield, to prepare for landing.

And if we are not 500 or 800 ft AGL? It's much more crucial to safe EACH single foot of height!

Remember: 

HEIGHT IS TIME IS LIFE!

No kidding around: even with that knowledge, good trained skills and calm blood we cannot recover all.

So finally we have simulated another scenario: 

recognizing that there is NO RECOVERY possible!

We have the "Ballistic Recovery System", mandatory by law in Germany, equipped in our aircrafts! 

So we brought our aircrafts (with good help of Hannes, the technical engineer from RUWE) in situations, where we had to decide:

do or die!

Do stands for PULL the RED HANDLE!

It may sound strange, but there was a constraint to pull this RED handle. Exactly what probably happened to some of the pilots, crashing fatally in the past months. 

To recognize and to talk with the group about this very same experience, made all of us more "FREE" to pull the handle. As we could make the experience, that we couldn't recover a situation, where we BELIEVED we could, brought us closer to our limitations and boundaries. 

We pulled, and we SURVIVED!

Limitations and borders are not bad, as long as we know them!

Special thanks to the Team of RUWE Aero and my flight mates for this great experience. You all made our future flights safer!

But one person, we regrettably did not meet on Saturday has to be mentioned extra:

Klaus Dieter Tschäpe, the founder and owner of RUWE Aero:

in times where it seems only profit, KPIs and make more profit are THE values, he is taking all his passion for flying and offers this great program to ALL Microlight pilots for FREE.

Not to sell anything afterwards, but to make MICROLIGHT Flying more safe!

(And you can trust me: no hidden costs, no fees. Only for FREE.)

The RUWE Aero Team:

Derek Hans, Norbert, Hannes, Angelika

The EDMY/EDML Folks:

Stephan, Jan, Claudia, Roman, Andi

It's (all) about decisions or what diving has to do with flying an aircraft

Some people are asking me;" Hey, what are you doing to prepare for this trip. You will not know everything what will happen, so how will you prepare or exercise!?"

In a certain way this is a valid point. I do not know exactly what I have to expect. The best weather forecast is not a guarantee for a bright sky, and especially in the Northern Atlantic, fog or rain can appear immediate and with very limited pre-warning.

But preparation for a project like this is not only to foresee all possible situations, but to be prepared for taking good decisions.

It's given, that humans have only limited cerebral capacity to solve problems. While I'm training my skills in handling and operating the aircraft and its technical equipment,  I'm producing "free capacities" to handle unforeseen situations and issues- and to take (good) decisions.

In my time as scuba trainer and guide in Germany and Egypt, I was very often facing difficult, and sometimes, dangerous situations.

I remember one situation while a wreck dive in the "Lake Constance", at the triangle Germany, Austria, Suisse. I wanted to explore the wreck of the "jura", a wooden boat, sunk in 1864, with a group of experienced divers. The relic is in very good shape, due to the cold waters, and it is one of "the" hotspots in this lake for experienced divers. Laying in 39 meters, doesn't make it a "piece of cake". The weather was drizzling, the ride with the boat to the diving spot was a kind of a nightmare, due to wind and current and waves.

While the descent into the cold and dark lake, in approximately 30 meters, I felt alarming symptoms of "rapture of deep"  occurring.

Within seconds I lost contact to my group, and my breath was escalating. I had to take an immediate decision what to do. Due to the well trained skills for handling my dive gear, I was using a dry suit, and the "self-acting" skills in buoyancy kept me enough resources to analyze my situation, take some options into consideration and take a decision.

Understanding the root cause of the problems I had, there was only one way to get back to safety: a slow and controlled climb. Nitrogen can lose it's bad impact on a diver within only a few meters.

Having taken this decision, I was within a few seconds climbing controlled 4-6 meters. The impact of the harmful nitrogen decreased. Holding the new level for some minutes got me back to normal and I could resume my dive. Finally I met my group again, and could enjoy the wonderful wreck of the "Jura".

Well, having the skills and routines for the "normal" workload (handling the airflow in my dry-suit, breathing and pressure equalization, using the lamp, controlling the air supply), gave me time and capacity for taking problem solving decisions.

So this is exactly what I have to train and practice for this adventure in the opposite element. My skills for the basic workload in an aircraft.

As a scuba diver you have to dive, dive and dive. As an aircraft pilot, guess what?

Airborne Again

As those of you, who follow my flight career, know there has been a major incident some weeks ago at the Jesenwang Airport (EDMJ). A pilot crashed with an aircraft after taking off. Beside the human tragedy of two victims, my training aircraft Breezer B400 got fatally destroyed.

Since one week there is a replacement aircraft based in Jesenwang, the Breezer B 400 D-MABR. This aircraft was designed as demonstration aircraft. Therefore we see now one of the most beautiful planes currently in duty:

To get not stuck in my preparations again (there might always be a technical issue grounding an aircraft), I'll use a second aircraft from next week on:

the Breezer B 400 D-MDDK, based at Mühldorf Airport (EDMY).

Not that nice design, but the same reliable aircraft.

Mühldorf (EDMY) will become my new "Homebase" from next week on, Jesenwang will become the backup.

As always in flying, redundancy is one of the key issues.

Nanuq 2017- Let's start the adventure!

NANUQ 2017

... stands for the plan to make a Solo Maiden Flight with a Microlight Aircraft from Germany to Nerlerit Inaat (Constable Pynt), close to the city of Ittoqqortoormiit (Scoresbysund) on the  East Coast of Greenland. It will happen in the arctic summer months of 2017. So 12 months have left for planning, training and preparation.

In comparison to set a new highspeed record, a Maiden Flight will be linked to the name of the pilot and his aircraft forever. A good reason in my opinion, to make this project happen.

Why Greenland? Greenland, the largest island of the world, perpetual ice, igloos, inuit, polar bears, midsummer nights, polar lights. Greenland is linked so closely to our weather phenomenons, the Global Warming can be witnessed there, each time an Iceberg is breaking from the shelf, and traveling over the North Atlantic Sea.

There are so many good reasons the see this extreme region. Why not in a combination with this once-in-a-lifetime adventure?

Let me invite you to come along with me over the next months, to watch the efforts and activities for the preparation of the "NANUQ 2017" Project.

You will learn about me, the aircraft, the planned routing, my preparations, my trainings and the negotiations with supporters and sponsors. Get a close view on the passion of flying a Microlight Aircraft.

Next blog will introduce the To-Do-List for the next 12 months.

Make it your project, too!

CU

Mario