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Hi all, will try to answer some questions. I did buy the Dornier from the previous owner Dave but only for a token amount because he had grown fed up with the hassles of ownership and I can understand why. In fairness the guys at Hunter Flying did a great job of opening up the wing and clearing out the corrosion. Rex Ford a good engineer but the CAA dictates and the hassle of paperwork and delays endless.

When it comes to aircraft ownership it’s not about head but rather an emotional attachment and in my case saw one years ago in the Deutche Musueum Munichand liked it.

We picked up the aircraft yesterday, started well chugged out of Saint Athan up to Sleap where we dropped in for a tea and to pay membership subs. Then a quick twenty minute hop to Ashcroft farm, bit nervous about the first landing but only used about half the strip in the end as I came in low and slow. Confidence builder as I can add a few more knots for next time.

Dragging the one tonne Dornier into a hangar back breaking though so will need a rope and tackle next time. Doors played up so another twenty minutes carefully playing with them until they shut. Will drop in for fuel at Sleap fom time to time and plan to plod around the NW weather permitting.

Aircraft burns about 60 litres in the cruise at 90kts but can carry four so a reasonably practical old bird but quite challenging to fly and a pig in a crosswind on Tarmac. Best kept into wind on grass where it stops in 200m.

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Hi I was surprised and disappointed but the colour scheme has become pushed down the list by getting the aircraft technically sorted which thus far included something close to a wing re skinning after corrosion cleaned out by the able team down at Hunter Flying, brakes, oleo and avionics.

The previous owner Dave was keen to put FG into Portuguese Colours and I am coming round to that idea as it flew in Africa and picked up at least three bullet holes neatly repaired by them in theatre. I personally liked the picture of a tired D27 in Belize on its way to Canada with a faded dark green colour scheme.

The aeroplane has character and I do not really want it flashed up in a neat sharp colour scheme, something under stated and plain will work better. But money tight so paint a bit down the line, will put the letter up in a day or two, felt that having said no best not to push the Germans…

Update

After frustrating weeks of problems, brake changes (discs and pads) further fault finding that the right toe motor a bit soft on the left side and bedding in the discs, plus a few false starts as we wobbled down the taxiway,plus strong winds we finally got out of Chester.

Thanks to Airbus Staff various for their patience and a special thanks to the guys at Chester Handling.

Aircraft now at St Athan for an avionics upgrade, intercomm, second radio and mode S. Not going to give it a steerable tail wheel but wish Dornier had because a castoring one on Tarmac is a bitch

After that hopefully off to a farm strip and hangar back up North.

Notwithstanding the brake and crosswind issues the aeroplane is a pleasure to fly and growls along nicely at 100 kt while the world unfolds beneath. The view from all seats is great and with the rear doors up or off the pax have a metre square viewing window which we hope to use later in the year for another video.

Costs now nudging £30k but we hope to enjoy it and feel it has been worth the grief and hassle to keep a D27 in the UK.

As the previous posts says, you are long time dead, just not yet please God!

Brakes

After reflection on last arrival at Chester and discussions with the engineers it seems likely the discs are worn so have ordered replacements and pads, o rings etc so that the brakes are over hauled prior to St Athan trip.

St Athan visit for new radio and mode s transponder. Unfortunately all of the above has eroded money for paint so grey it stays for a while.

Will post date for flight when brakes over hauled.

Crosswinds and castoring tailwheels!

Flew the aircraft this afternoon and took it to Sleap for some circuits. Oleo appeared fine and returned to Broughton about 40 minutes later.

Made an approach to land on RW 22 with ten kts crosswind from the left. Decent touchdown but as the tail started to settle hit by a gust from the left side coming around the factory buildings.

Found it hard to counter with brakes and rudder and in the end settled for gentle pirouette or low speed ground loop. Embarrassing enough but then struggled to maintain direction control when taxiing down wind onto taxiway G so gave up and shut down.

ATC very helpful, perhaps amused by our arrival, airfield ops staff great and got us tow so the aircraft was safely dragged back unscathed.

There is however a learning point and that is that given my ability, the aircrafts design, the brakes and the almost always present 10kts across at Broughton it is not going to work out for us so have given notice and will look for a quiet GA field preferably with grass strip.

Anyone got any thoughts on GA airfields with an hours drive of Crewe?

Sag

Was not that bad at take off, suspect the leg depressed further during circuits.

12,000 hrs various types and wife and son on board hardly likely to be reckless.

Anon Anon not an Airbus employee by any chance on a fishing expedition?