A wheely high flyer!

What started your interest in aviation?

My interest in aviation as a child and young adult was really only a passing one. I certainly had no great desire to learn to fly, and did my gap year before university with the Royal Engineers.

However, I do remember being completely blown away by the Vulcans at the occasional airshow I was taken to by my father in the early 1970s. I flew in a 747 to Zimbabwe as a 10 year old, my first actual flight, and in a Wessex helicopter over Hong Kong when in the Army in 1983. I’d never even been close to GA before, but then I got two ‘free flights’ in an Air Ambulance in 2003, after a mountain bike accident left me with a spinal cord injury and a six month residency in the National Spinal Injuries Centre, where I learned how to function with no movement or feeling below my chest.

Tell us about your personal learning to fly journey?

My journey to becoming a pilot started with an opportunity presented by a charity called sportability (www. sportability.org.uk), which offer experience days for people with physical disabilities. I signed up for a trial flight in the back of a Quantum flexwing at Enstone in 2010. I wouldn’t even say I was immediately hooked, but I was interested in exploring it further as I could see it might be something I could get into.

Andy, my flexwing instructor, was very ‘can do’ and we arranged to do some actual lessons with me in the front of the completely unadapted trike with Andy instructing from the back, managing with no brakes and the steering damped by my immovable legs. One thing led to another, and I reached the point where I needed an adapted aircraft to go solo.

So I got one, a lovely Quik with the 80hp Rotax engine, which P&M converted to hand controls for me. Progress to NPPL(M) was, like most people, sporadic, but achieved eventually. I loved flying the Quik, but it was ultimately a little more restricting than I found acceptable.

I could get my chair or a passenger in the back, but never both. More challenging was putting on a flying suit, imagine doing this sitting down with a full epidural anethesia! I wasn’t getting as much flying in as I wanted, maybe managing 20-25 hr most years. I’d moved the Quik to Finmere in 2014 and many of the pilots there were flying LAA and BMAA fixed-wings, and a chat with another highly experienced disabled pilot a couple of years later got me looking at that option.

Discussions with other pilots made me soon realise that three-axis 450kg microlights were never going to be enough to allow me to expand my horizons sufficiently, as I wanted to stay legal on weight. So, looking around I realised the Light Sport 600kg type machines would fit the bill, but for that I’d need the next level of licence. I had to travel to find a flying school suitably equipped with hand control-adapted school aircraft (PA28s), and ended up at Gloucester learning to fly fixed-wing and ‘upgrading’ to a NPPL(SSEA) at the same time. I actually managed to gain my licence without ever having flown a fixed-wing aircraft solo – and then didn’t do so for another 20 months!

Tell us about the aircraft that you fly?

My current aircraft is an Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat. I spent some time looking at different light sport type aircraft. I knew I wanted something with a trusty Rotax up front and around 600kg MTOW, which kept it (mostly) within the price bracket I’d set myself. After that, only really two considerations were important – just how easy is it to get in and out of, and how good/easy/well-made were the hand control adaptions. The information isn’t easy to come across (I still have a project on the back burner to assimilate this information onto a web page), but I did look at a fair few, some with physical hand control adaptions that could be tried, and others where the adaptions were only design concepts. I eventually found the Foxbat, and on looking into it, not only is it the lowest and easiest to access aircraft I’ve found, it also has a beautifully engineered set of factory designed and manufactured hand controls that integrate properly into the aircraft controls – rather than bolting on as an afterthought – and they were already approved for fitting into a homebuild project.

I got to sit in a partially completed adapted aircraft –and was sold. I paid for it and bought it without ever flying it. Some people I trusted said they flew beautifully and I knew enough to know that with my limited experience of flying three-axis, I’d never know whether it did or not! The Foxbat has twin yokes and a stick in the middle that looks like a centre joystick, but which is in fact a throttle and rudder control, moving forward and back for throttle control, and side to side for rudder.

It’s so much more intuitive than the up down, or forward backwards of most of the bolt on rudder adaptions I’ve come across. I fitted the aircraft out with the Rotax 912iS, I’ve always hated the thought of carb icing, and never could get to grips with reliably adding and removing carb heat when necessary, so that solved that problem. earthworks and antiquities. It always surprises me how these are often much better observed from 1,000ft up and how the view shows them fitting into the landscape, as opposed to from the ground where you may be closer, but simply don’t get to see the big picture. Of course, I take the usual wide angle pictures of the scenery from the aircraft, but most interest seems to be generated by the closer, more detailed pictures which simply aren’t possible with a camera phone.

The avionics are hugely overkill, but I love the 10in Dynon HDX AFIS with two-axis autopilot and touchscreen control, and I’ve never for a moment regretted spending the money on them.

The Foxbat isn’t the fastest (especially when your friends all fly RVs and Pioneer 300s), but the autopilot takes a lot of the workload off, so longer legs really aren’t an issue and it allows me to take photos (more of which later) without getting myself into trouble around the complex airspace we have in the south of the UK. I’ve only ever owned the two aircraft, and I don’t anticipate changing the Foxbat any time soon (barring a Lotto win) – it really is ideal for my rather specialised needs.

How long have you been an LAA member?

I joined the LAA in 2017 at the start of the purchase and build process for the Foxbat. It does sometimes feel a lot more like an organisation for people who like to build aeroplanes and mess about in workshops, than one for people who simply want to fly, but as I own an LAA Permit aircraft, we’re stuck with each other for the foreseeable future, and I’ll continue to take advantage of the Inspector and Permit services, which are excellent.

How many types and hours have you flown?

I’ve flown three different types of flexwing (all P&M) and four different fixed-wings, Foxbat, PA28, C42 and CFM Shadow (the latter two for an hour or less).

This is mainly down to the lack of opportunity in finding other aircraft with hand controls! I’m just approaching 500hr total (and 100hr this year) and would hope both these milestones are passed by the time this goes to press!

Any favourite types?

It won’t be any surprise to find that my favourite is the Foxbat. And knowing what I do now, I’m still convinced that it was the best choice I could have made then (and now) within my budget.

Tell us about your interest in photography, and how you use flying as a means to explore.

Photography has been a hobby since I got my first SLR as a teenager. It’s waxed and waned over the years, but recently has been firmly alongside aviation on the list of things I like to spend my time on. One thing I didn’t want to lose when I transitioned from flexwing to fixed-wing was the ability to take photos without distorting perspex or glass in the way.

The Foxbat comes with the option of photo windows in the doors, easily large enough to shoot through from the pilot’s seat with a DSLR. I’ve always taken photos from the air, but more recently it’s become a bit more organised and a bit less opportunistic (although that does still happen). If I’m flying a circular route my flying buddies have to follow me round in the direction that provides the best angles for the light from the left-hand seat at the time of day. Some flights are taken specifically to be somewhere at a particular time of day, and sometimes I can end up sitting in the crew room ‘waiting for the light’.

I try to identify a few features to head for, which I think will make good photos using Google maps and other online resources such as Tripadvisor, to find out ‘what is where’.

One particularly interesting flight this last summer was taken early one morning as a local flight from Finmere, with the intention of locating a disappeared hill figure in Wiltshire, last seen (if it in fact ever existed, which is by no means certain), in aerial photos taken in the very dry summer of 1966, and identified among considerable scepticism by a local archeologist about 10 years ago.

Someone I follow on Twitter had mentioned the figure and, given the very dry summer, wondered if the evidence might be visible, so I thought I’d go and have a look. While I did manage to get some images that suggested there might be something in the reports, it was far from conclusive, so I guess the controversy will continue. I still need to write this up properly but there is a teaser post on my own Twitter feed which is mostly aerial photos twitter.com/RussPinder. However the combination of the early morning light and the location did mean that I got some excellent pictures of the whole area, which is rich in Neolithic and later history, white horses, iron age forts, burial mounds, and even the odd stately home. There’s a full album of the shots taken that day at tinyurl. com/Russpinderflickrwiltshire.

Another typical day out, a week or so later, saw me at Compton Abbas for lunch before a trip along the south coast for pictures, stopping for tea at Lee-on-Solent. The sun came out for this section, and the south coast was looking its magnificent best. I’ve also managed to take in the Norfolk coast, the North East coast, the Peak District and west Wales at different times this year. Even an aircraft that most would consider slow, can really get me to places around the country and fill my Flickr and Facebook pages, as well as numerous aviation-related groups on social media.

As a disabled flyer, do you encounter any challenges when flying around the UK? Have you got any advice for airfields on how they can help?

Most airfields are very helpful, but challenges do obviously exist. The obvious ones are getting into the café and finding an accessible toilet. I accept it’s not always possible to arrange access to first floor cafés, and I and other disabled flyers don’t expect perfection.

A can-do attitude is by far the most important thing, and I don’t think making at least one toilet somewhere at least partially accessible, is too much to ask. One problem is actually finding out what the access is like before flying somewhere, and to this end I set up a website where disabled flyers can share this information – airfieldaccessibility.wordpress.com/

I often ask for preferential parking, especially if it avoids a long push over grass, and most airfields are very helpful.

I still haven’t done an overnighter; organising accessible accommodation is never easy and finding it at short notice if there are weather delays or diversions is even harder. Tents don’t work for me. It’s something I just need to get on and do!

I am very fortunate that the airfield owner at Finmere, along with the pilots I share a hangar with, have enabled me to set things up so I can fly completely independently.

I’m not reliant on anyone else at any single point between arriving at the field and leaving it. I’ve set things up so I can get the aircraft out, fuel it up, do the pre-flight, get in, get my chair in and go flying and on return get out – get the chair out, and then put aircraft back in the hanger (using a mobility scooter as a tow truck), and turn it round ready for the next flight. My aircraft always stays at the front of the hangar behind the electric door. Not having to rely on anyone is very important to me, and although I very, very rarely have to do it all on my own, the important thing is I can. There’s a video of this process on my YouTube channel – search for That Wheely

Plane Bloke

Your best aviation moment and flight – and why?

There have been a few highlights, flying over a snowcapped Snowdon was something I’d always wanted to do. Revisiting the scene of my mountain bike accident on its 17th anniversary with my life partner and soul mate Jen beside me, probably outdid that. However, although it was nothing in aviation terms, I think my absolute best aviation moment was taking an 11-year-old girl wheelchair user with the same injury as me for a flight. It showed her just what was possible, and I really enjoyed the smile on her face throughout the whole flight. Sorry, that’s three, isn’t it?

Any aviation heroes – if so, who and why?

I know it should be Douglas Bader, and he is a hero but oddly I don’t think he’s any more of a hero to me than anyone else, if pushed for a single name I think I’d have to say Sir Frank Whittle, he changed the face of aviation as an engineer and that really appeals to me, he also presented me with my civil engineering degree at my graduation.

However my real aviation heroes are all those young men with very little experience, flying and navigating bombers over the North Sea at night while being shot at. I mean I can hardly get to Fenland for a bacon butty in good VFR conditions without a GPS! I can’t see the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster flying without a huge lump in my throat, and visits to museums like at East Kirby and Old Buckenham are a sobering reminder of what they went through, and of how many didn’t come back.

Any favourite aviation books?

I’m not a big reader, but one book that did make a big impression on me and I’d advise others to get a copy, is

The Killing Zone – how and why pilots die by Paul Craig. Other than that, the books folder on my iPad is the Skyway Code, Dynon user and install manuals and the Foxbat PoH and maintenance manual!

Any lessons that you’ve learned?

I had an expensive accident about two years ago where I got caught out by a thermal, gust or windshear very close to the ground. I was completely uninjured thanks to the strength of the Foxbat cockpit, but it was an expensive lesson on (a) keeping the nosewheel up – no, really up! and, (b) at the first sign of trouble, your first completely instinctive reaction must be to apply full power and go-around. I simply wasn’t quick enough to react. I just didn’t expect things to go so awry, that close to the ground, after a perfectly good stable approach, until 10ft from touchdown. I do now!

What would be in your ‘fantasy hangar’?

I’d love to fly in a biplane of any sort, but I’ve always had a huge soft spot for a Pitts since I used to watch the Rothmans Aerobatic team practise over the fields behind my house when I was growing up. Also, completely impractical for a wheelchair user, but the one classic aircraft that always attracts me is the Beech Staggerwing. I own a 500bhp Jaguar XKR, but in my fantasy hanger there would be an E-Type to sit next to the XKR.

Do you have other non-aviation hobbies or interests?

As I said, I’m very into my photography and that does extend beyond aviation, although looking at my photo sharing sites you might not believe that. I cycle, using a handcycle a fair bit (in good weather) and did London to Paris in 2018, which I was due to repeat this year, but had to pull out due to (unfounded as it turned out) health concerns. I volunteer for a spinal injuries charity, The Backup Trust, mentoring recently injured people, helping on their online and residential courses, which is both rewarding and provides some purpose to my retirement.

Any advice for other aircraft owners and pilots?

Not sure I’m qualified to give much advice, except maybe to say don’t let anything hold you back! ■

Aselection of events for the beginning of the year, and some you might want to plan for in the summer months. While they’ve yet to publish a list of events, don’t forget GASCo are running some Safety Evenings up and down the country. Keep an eye on their website, www.gasco.org.uk, for further updates.

December

As always, check the Royal Aero Club Events website for the latest information and web links for many of the events: http://events.royalaeroclub.org/events.htm.

Our thanks to the RAeC and to Dave Wise for the use of their data. If you have an event you want to advertise on the list, please email the details to Dave at: dave.wise@btinternet.com.

7 Norwich Aviation Museum Threshold Night Photoshoot

7 Seighford GASCo Safety Evening

10 Compton Abbas Christmas Fly-in

10 Coventry Threshold Night Photoshoot Shackleton WR963

Planning ahead

Apr 8 Perth ACS Aviation Festival

May 19/20Wycombe Private Flyer Fest

May 20/21Compton Abbas Pooleys Air Day

Jun 8-10 Sywell Aero Expo

Jun 9-11 Guernsey Air Rally

May 19/20Wycombe Private Flyer Fest

Jul 7-9 Sleap Sleapkosh Fly-In

Jul 20-27 Nympsfield VGC Vintage Glider Rendezvous

Next year, around the world…

Jan 1 Foxpine (ZK) New Year Fly-In

Feb 18-19 Mandeville (ZK) Fly-In

Feb 24-26 Masterton (ZK) Wings over Wairarapa Air Show

Apr 7-9 Blenheim-Omaka (ZK)Classic

Fighters Air Show

May 28-29 Oostwold (PH)Air Show

Jul 24-30 Oshkosh, Wi EAA AirVenture National Fly-in & Display

Jul 31-Aug 14 Leszno (SP) FAI Gliding

European Ch’ships

Aug 12 Texel (PH )Texel Air Show

Aug 18 Roskilde (OY ) Air Show

Dec 2-16 Narromine FAI World Gliding Championships

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