E102 Passes the 100 hrs

E102, the first Eindecker kit sold in the UK has now passed the 100 hour mark.

Ian Brewster, who built the aircraft on a strict budget used a Fuji Robin 330 for the power plant with great success, see below:

 
During the build, Ian also incorporated some of his own design changes after consulting GSAL, this aircraft was always intended to be experimental and the sub 115 kg  SSDR category was perfect for this.

Now with the CAA's proposed changes to SSDR there will be even greater scope to build not only interesting aircraft but ones that will have a larger weather window for flight.

E104 Clocks up 63 hrs

Mike Clark, has clocked up 63 hours with E104 in 200 sorties, he clearly still enjoys flying his Eindecker.

Mike sent in a couple of images that look eerily like they were taken during 1915!

E105 Air to Air

Nice air to air shots of Steve flying Eindecker E105 on a lovely sunny evening.

Steve has designed a map holder for the Eindecker which allows him to keep one hand on the control stick at all times.

LAA Rally Review

Podcast review of the 2013 LAA Rally, please follow the link below and listen to Episode 66 of the Flying Podcast:

www.flyingpodcast.co.uk/exhibitions/episode-66-laa-rally-2013

GSAL are the first interviewed with George Simoni talking about our engine development program, followed by Robin Morton talking about additional kits to the Eindecker and Dream Classic, that will become available from the AA stable in the UK, if the CAA's intended deregulation of all single seat microlights is implemented.

SSDR Rule Change Proposed by CAA

This years LAA Rally was a great success and the weather was good throughout the whole weekend.  GSAL had a very good show and the new engine created lots of interest.  However, the most exciting news of the weekend was announced on Friday by the CAA, they are proposing a change to the SSDR ruling and deregulate all Single Seat Microlights. 

Providing there are no serious objections over the next six weeks of consultation the SSDR empty weight wing loading of 10 kg per sq m will be replaced with a maximum wing loading of 25 kg per sq m.  For GSAL this means we will be able to market more of the AA kits, such as the 80% Airco DH-2, 75% Fokker DVI, 75% Fokker DR-1, 75% Bleriot XI, 75% Morane parasol, just to name a few.

The link to the CAA website:
http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=14&pagetype=65&appid=7&newstype=n&mode=detail&nid=2276

GSAL at LAA 2013 Rally

GSAL, will be exhibiting the Fokker Eindecker EIII at the LAA Rally Sywell, from 30th August till 1st of September.

 

GSAL's, new engine prototype a 30 hp V-Twin four stroke with reduction drive, currently under development, will also be at the rally.

Eindecker Test Flight

On the 11th of July David Bremner did a flight test on the GSAL Eindecker, you should be able to read it in the September issue of MF magazine.

Steve's aircraft is pretty much the same as our factory aircraft, but has the added benefit of being kept rigged at an airfield with many grass runway options, and with a short weather window this was essential to get the flight test done.  Above is a nice air to air shot of Steve flying his lovely aircraft.

E103 Receives The Hercules Treatment

Hercules has produced a lovely propeller for Eindecker E103 to match its new reduction drive, now four of the five flying Eindeckers are fitted with Hercules Propellers.

Above the new Hercules Propeller fitted to Eindecker E103.

E105 Maiden Flight

Steve Duckworth flew his Eindecker E105 for the first time on Wednesday the 26th of June, he was very pleased with the aircraft performance and everything went as expected, the MZ201 engine started first time and without issues for all flights.

He also made further flights on Saturday the 29th of June and posted images and a movie on his blog:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hawk_ace/sets/72157625967127064/page6/

We now have 5 flying Eindeckers.

Popham 2013 Microlight Trade Fair Podcast

Steve Cooke of the BMAA, has produced a podcast from conversations with traders recorded at the show including ourselves, Robin and George are near the beginning, third and fours respectively, it's well worth a listen even if you went to Popham, link is below:

http://www.flyingpodcast.co.uk/exhibitions/episode-64-popham-microlight-trade-fair/

Popham 2013 Update

It had been an eventful Friday driving to Popham, as the van blew the coolant out towing the trailer on the M4, luckily we were less than half a mile from Membury service station.  Turned out the coolant bottle pressure cap valve had broken and the extra load of the trailer had highlighted the problem.  Robin hitched up the trailer and I went on ahead in the van after letting it cool down and topping up the coolant, I got there without loosing anymore fluid so all was fine.

Some aircraft flew in on Friday while we were setting up our pitch and it was lovely and sunny, we were finished by 3:30 pm and sat back to enjoy the rest of the day with a few drinks.

The microlight trade fair was well attended over the bank-holiday weekend,  Saturday started overcast with light rain (well it wouldn't be Popham without some rain would it), the sun came out around 12:30, but this was followed by a brisk wind which just kept getting stronger as the day passed, and our poor marquee was getting a right old battering.

You can see our marquee in the background, this was around 2pm and the wind kept getting stronger.  The wind had stopped many visiting by air and attendance was down for a Saturday usually the busiest day, but many did come by road. 

By 3:30 our marquee was suffering from structural failure and we decided to take it down and throw it in the skip.

Sunday was a much calmer day with good sunny weather, attendance was excellent and many aircraft flew in.  There was plenty of interest in our Eindecker as usual and in the four stroke engines GSAL is developing based on the B&S V-Twin, for future use in SSDR.

One benefit of loosing our marquee was that it took very little time to pack up and leave for home.  Although this was slowed up slightly with Shaun's car battery being flat, it was easy to start with jump leads, and we were off back to Aston Down for a well earned rest on the bank-holiday Monday.

Popham Microlight Trade Show 2013

GSAL will be at Popham Microlight Trade Show from the 4 - 5th of May, come and see our Fokker Eindecker replica.  Whatever the weather it's a great event to see new products in microlight aviation with many traders presenting their wares. 

Select the link below for detail directions of getting to Popham.

Popham Airfield

GSAL Kit 105 Returns to Aston Down

 Mystery truck turns up at Aston Down on Friday the 19th?

The back starts to open up and we are wondering what is inside?

We look in the back of the huge truck and guess what an Eindecker?

Steve Duckworth arrives a few minutes later, mystery solved.  We unload the Eindecker into the hangar.

We rig the aircraft ready for a general inspection and weight / balance calculations.

Steve takes his Fokker Eindecker outside for engine runs.

The cowling is removed so all the engine instillation can be observed during the first engine run, and Steve fills up the tank with fuel.

During the first engine run George monitors the T&P's.

A view of the Eindecker instrument panel.

Steve posing with his Eindecker before his first powered taxiing.

Taxiing around to bed the brakes in, and check all the controls systems.

Steve's very first taxi on grass.

Steve looking for his first kill....!!!!

40 Hours in a GSAL Fokker Eindecker EIII

Mike Clark, sent us some pictures of his lovely Fokker Eindecker EIII, he has amassed almost 40 hrs in 132 sorties.  His aircraft is powered by a 50 hp Hirth F23 Engine and a Hercules propeller.

Here is a picture Mike took while flying, a nice view over the wing of the lovely Surrey countryside.

Eindecker Kit into Morane Saulnier Type G or H

If a Fokker Eindecker is not to your fancy and you'd rather have an allied replica, the GSAL kit can be modified reasonably easily to produce a Morane Type G, winner of the Schneider Cup in 1913 (float plane version) it was state of the art before WW1.  The Type H was a derivative of the successful G with a slightly reduced wingspan. 

This colour scheme is Belgian, they were also used by Britain, Sweden, Russia, and of course France.

 

Changes are required to the main landing gear and rudder, but the fuselage, main wing and stabilizer, are so close to the Fokker Eindecker EIII it's not worth modifying, and in any case we are not producing an exact replica.  In fact Anthony Fokker used the Type G as his basis for the  M.5 reconnaissance plane which later turned into the Eindecker EI, and that is why they are so similar.

Morane Saulnier Type H colour schemes.

LAA Article on Dave Stephens build of G-FOKR

http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2010/Magazine/2010/March/Fokker_article.pdf

Many of the changes that Dave mentions in the article were incorporated into the UK kit plus further weight savings, which mean that all current kits supplied are at least 2 kg lighter than the GSAL prototype.  Using the Briggs V-Twin engine (which wasn't available when we started) sets the engine further back, shortening the nose cowling allowing for the use of thinner material saving even more weight.

A short movie of Dave and his Eindecker going to visit modeling buddies at there own strip.  There are some nice close up shots of the aircraft and that lovely sounding V-Twin engine.

Here is Dave's old Fokker at its new home, he sold it last year to a syndicate of four with great regret, having lost some of his hangar space.........perhaps he'll build another one day as the Eindecker Jasta has lost a great character.