Chrislea Skyjeep loses prop in flight 25/05/05

Shouldn’t take long to get airworthty-new nose cowl,prop,prop hub and the engine stripped down for inspection,hopefully not too much engine damage as there aren’t many Cirrus Majors about these days.

Report on another group stated that ‘VR was roaded down to it’s new base in Devon soon after the incident and fixed there.

One for the archives.

It’s not Southam, it was at Stoneythorpe Hall 😉

Stoneythorpe Hall IS at Southam – If I’d put Stoneythorpe Hall no-one would have had a clue where it was (except you)

Roger Smith.

Thanks for the pics G-ORDY. I don’t know much about Chrislea. They only produced a few aircraft? Totally British,or development of something else? Thanks for your help. If there were only a few,they certainly seem to have survived well.

Just glad to see (1) That the pilot is OK. And pulled off a pretty good forced landing too!

(2) That a unique – and recently beautifully restored aeroplane is relatively lightly damaged – I’m sure it’ll be flying again very soon.

Hmm, just off to double check my prop mounting bolts before I fly tonight!

The Gipsy was a Cirrus Major and it’s not the first occurance of a Fairey Reed propellor being lost in flight. Indeed my friend had a prop and half the crankshaft of his Gipsy Major 10-2 disappear from the front of his Chipmunk. In this case I would suggest looking at the damage that occured to the prop boss and cowl that a crack from one of the mounting bolt holes was responsible. They are subject to NDT.

It’s not Southam, it was at Stoneythorpe Hall 😉

The Courier article was typical of all tabloid press covering a forced landing. “Missed a group of playing school children by 30 minutes” Wow! If the pilot had seen any mass of people this would have affected where to land – self-preservation and preservation of others takes priority.

Glad all are okay.

The question is though why did the Gipsy shed its prop?

Chrislea Super Ace & Skyjeep Photos

Just lifted this pair from the first edition of AJJ’s masterpiece, top one is a Super Ace (tricycle gear) bottom one is the prototype Skyjeep (taildragger).

G-AKVS was modded to take a conventional joystick & rudder bar system (the original Sky Aces had a car-type wheel which came out of the instrument panel – a bit like the Blackburn Monoplane), Cirrus Major 3 and tailwheel. As such it was the prototype C.H.4 Skyjeep, first flown on 21 Nov 1949, by D. Lowry at Exeter Airport (home of Chrislea Aircraft Ltd).

Enjoy
🙂

Already tried Google—zilch! Don’t have Flypast either(…gets banned from forum!).

It’s a rare machine after all.

OSH- There should be something on an images search in google alternatively she was featured in FlyPast a few months ago.

The Skyjeep is the only one of it’s kind in the U.K . The Super Ace of which there are two airworthy in the U.K is generally similar but in a tricycle arrangement.

I didn’t realise this was a taildragger. Anyone have a picture?

Thanks for posting this news Roger. This is a great shame and a testiment to good airmanship to manage to force land it in a controlled manner if the prop suffered catastophic failure. I was fortunate enough to be allowed by the owner to look over this airframe when it was in its flight trials phase at its then base. It is a superb restoration. The airframe incorporates a feature whereby the rear fusealge decking hinges up to allow a stretcher case or freight to be carried. It was up for sale at that time. GINFO still records G-AKVR as awaiting certification. I do hope the pilot on the fateful flight was uninjured.

The Skyjeep is the only one of it’s kind in the U.K . The Super Ace of which there are two airworthy in the U.K is generally similar but in a tricycle arrangement.

It states it is the only one,but I believe there is another,G-AKUW? Or is that a slightly different model?

‘KUW is a Super Ace but both are designated Chrislea CH.3. They look very similar but there are differences.

Roger Smith.

Link here—

http://www.leamingtononline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=691&ArticleID=1039362

It states it is the only one,but I believe there is another,G-AKUW? Or is that a slightly different model?