Grob G 115

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G 115 (Tutor)

Grob G 115E Tutor of UBAS
Type Basic Trainer
Manufacturer Grob
Maiden flight November 1985
Introduction 1999
Status Active
Primary user RAF
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 is in Royal Air Force service as an elementary flying trainer where it is known as the Grob Tutor T.1 (Trainer Mark 1).

Contents

[edit] 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)

[edit] Grob Tutor

The Tutor, until 2005 was used by British 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 a 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 1EFTS, based at RAF Cranwell, Wyton and Church Fenton, respectively. 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 called Vosper Thornycroft 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[citation needed]

[edit] Operators

Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom

[edit] Specifications (G 115)

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two (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 knots, 213 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: 33 gallons (in contrast, this is not enough for some jets to taxi to the end of the runway)

[edit] 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. Compared with its predecessors the Scottish Aviation Bulldog and the Chipmunk, the Tutor has an excellent safety record. The only major incident so far in its RAF service occurred in June 2004, when a Tutor operated by Southampton UAS lost a propellor 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 propellor blade roots across the fleet, which was grounded for several months as modifications were made.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

v • d • e
Aircraft produced by Grob

G 102 • G 103/G 103a • G 104 • G 109 • G 115 • G 116 • G 118 • G 120 • G 140 • GF 200

In partnership: Egrett
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