Greetings all,
The South African Airways Museum Society has been donated, and taken delivery of, an Air Trainers Limited Jet Instrument Flying Trainer – a licenced built Link Trainer.
Complete with Instructor’s Table and accessories.
It dates from 1954 and is in pristine condition, ex SAAF, and from what we can tell is in its original colours – Grey fuselage, Red and Black base – not the blue and yellow found on the majority of Link Trainers.
Some manuals arrived with it but they seem to be for earlier models – not the AT50 (D4 Mk2) which this one is.
We would like to attempt to “get it working” so anyone familiar with the AT50 is most welcome to offer comments/suggestions/advice as well as contacts for sourcing spares and information.
Photographs of it are here http://www.saamuseum.co.za/images/stories/Air_Trainers_Limited_AT50_Jet_Instrument_Flying_Trainer.htm
Cheers from Johannesburg,
Jaws
By: jaws - 5th July 2015 at 19:50
Thanks for the heads-up,
There were a number of boxes labelled “parts/spares” – as yet unopened – we’ll wait until the building is complete, hopefully before Christmas, and the SIM moved in before we “unpack” – loose items not in sealed boxes tend to grow legs – mind you I know of many a “sealed box” whose contents was substantially less than when originally sealed!!!!
Re turning motor – some “thieving” may have to be used here – I believe there are more “spares” in a hanger at a close-by airfield – will investigate in due course.
Cheers,
Jaws
By: Ross_McNeill - 5th July 2015 at 18:11
Hi Jaws,
Task one of the independent researchers at The National Archives, Kew to take photos of the AP.
For the jet version
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3306650
and
piston version
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3306649
Neither are the illustrated part catalogue but both are the best general, unpacking, set up and operations manuals for the Air Trainers Version.
They both have a few pages missing but between the pair you can get the gist.
The US manuals are OK for general servicing but you really need the UK ones for the detail.
Main task to do is replace the bellows cloth. Time well spent at the early stage that saves chasing vac leaks as you progress.
Other area of concern usually is leaking hose from the vac pump to the trainer base but self amalgamating tape as an outer wrap will reduce infiltration leakage to acceptable levels.
Lovely condition in the photos but no turning motor. Elsewhere or do you need to rob a couple of player pianos?
Ross
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July 5, 2015 at 2:06 pm