Chipmunk
Question:
I agree with just about all that Jeffrey Mathews says. The ‘Chippy’ is an absolute delight to fly. I wrote an article in the UK ‘Pilot’ magazine of May 1991 about what it’s like to fly and live with (I’ve had a share in G-BCSL at Manchester Barton since 1979). I have flown many types, and none have had that ’strap on a pair of wings’ feeling that the Chippy gives. You ‘think’ it around the sky, with tiny movements on the stick (pressures rather than actual movements). But as Jeffrey says, it’s not in the least twitchy. It’s well mannered too. It will always buffet if you pull too hard in aeros (unless of course you pull so abruptly that you go straight through buffet into immediate departure). Spins need watching; it’s fine for about three turns, but then goes ‘flat’. Recovery from this can take several turns (during which rotation speeds up), and can require a most un-Chippy-like hard forward push on the stick, maybe using both hands.This is especially dangerous because the stick will move forwards quite easily for 3/4 of its travel and feels as though it’s reached its limit. But that’s just air-loads restricting further movement – and it’s that last bit of forward travel which will un-spin the aeroplane. 90 knots at 2150 RPM for about 6 gallons an hour is what you’ll probably get. It is short of power for aeros, and you will lose height even if you perform faultless manouvres. The engine is 1920s technology and needs carefull handling; don’t over-rev it or run it at high power if it’s not fully warmed up (this applies to all aero engines, but the Chippy’s Gypsy Major will tolerate it less that ‘modern’ machinery). Also, opening the throttle advances the ignition timing on ’sliding cam’, so opening up too abruptly will result in over-advanced timing and pops and bangs from the front end. I wouldn’t say it’s the easiest aeroplane to land, but for a tail dragger its OK. Easier than a Cub (which is un-damped and will readily bounce) but harder than a Citabria. You need to keep on the rudder ’till youve parked the aeroplane. It’s very manouverable on the ground, steered by differential brakes on the rudder, controlled by a fly-off handbrake (no brake when it’s off, both brakes on when it’s fully applied, proportinal brake-with-rudder in between). It’s noisey, unheated, oily, with virtually no luggage space. Endurance (2 nine gallon tanks) is about 2.5 hours safe. But most of all IT’S GREAT FUN!
Response:
I am looking for articles or advices from pilots who experienced Chipmunk: characteristics, pilotage, maintenance, running costs… Many thanks in advance, Jean-Pierre GABERT
Response:
I am looking for articles or advices from pilots who experienced Chipmunk: characteristics, pilotage, maintenance, running costs… Many thanks in advance, Jean-Pierre GABERT
Go to: http://www.hiway.co.uk/aviation/pilothom.html This is Pilot Magazines homepage and you might be able to order a back issue of one of their 96 issues which had a 4 page article on chipmunks with the running costs etc……. Good luck Gav
Response:
I am looking for articles or advices from pilots who experienced Chipmunk: characteristics, pilotage, maintenance, running costs… Many thanks in advance, Jean-Pierre GABERT
A most delightful airplane, but one that has the character of a bygone day. Handling: The controls are quite light at any reasonable speed, but need a bit of movement–it’s not a bit twitchy. After all, it was a primary trainer. The controls are nicely balanced with respect to one another. The elevator, in particular, has lots of authority, and it’s easy to get a bit of buffetting at any speed. Stalls are gentle and precise, though a secondary stall is noticeably sharper. Performance: About like an older Cessna 172. You’ve got about the same weight, same power, and same wing area. The one I flew used to indicate about 95 kts at a reasonable cruise, and would climb 600 fpm with two aboard. Acrobatics: Light and precise, if somewhat underpowered. The engine quits at about 1/4 g, so rolls are best done with the throttle closed after about 120 degrees, and the engine will still stumble a bit when power is re-applied. However, it will do a nice 4-point roll, and hammerheads with quarter rolls work out well. The airplane is nicely proportioned, and presents itself well to spectators. Landing: Easiest airplane to land that I’ve ever flown. If it touches three point, you do nothing with the stick, and just steer it down the runway. If it touches mains first, you still do nothing with the stick, and steer it down the runway. Anyone who can land a 150 and has made half a dozen reasonable landings in a Cub will have no trouble with it. Approaches with no flap are objectionably shallow, and the engine does not respond immediately to sudden applications of power, so a somewhat steeper, full flap approach works better. Visibility: The nose is very high on the ground, and no way are you going to see over it. But it’s narrow, so with a only a bit of weaving taxiing is no problem. In the air you can’t beat the view. Ground handling: There’s no tailwheel steering, but the ‘Munk doesn’t need it. Pull the brake up a couple of clicks, and the large rudder will do most of the work. The rudder pressure is very light, and after a bit of practice using the airplane’s momentum to your advantage, taxiing is more fun than flying many other airplanes. You can waltz all around the ramp and never use more than idle speed. Maintenance: It’s rugged, in an old fashioned way. The inverted engine dumps oil on the belly–the more fun you had, the more oil you’ll wipe off. Many people widen the oil ring groove and use a more modern ring, which will get the oil consumption to a quart in 5 or 6 hours if you keep it right side up. The electrical system is unusual–high-quality Lucas starter and generator (quite different from their automotive pro- ducts), a great huge box of supressor coils, and a carbon pile regulator, none of which are very troublesome (fortunately, as the regulator is a- head of the rudder bar, on the inside firewall). But the wiring is rub- ber covered, and instead of terminals, DH just stripped it back a bit and ran a screw down on it. The rubber cracks and melts, the wire corrodes, and the whole mess needs stripping out, to be replaced with standard ter- minals and Mil-Spec wire. Overall: If you’re not in a hurry to go somewhere, and don’t mind that it won`t do vertical outside octo-flugerons, and if you enjoy ministering to the needs of a somewhat eccentric character, there’s nothing, anywhere, that can touch it. You will be the envy of every airport bum that sees you, most particularly those who have flown the Chipmunk. Jeff Matthews
