Airtourer T.3 on TradeMe

[Dave Homewood]

I came across this Airtourer on Trademe

www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Aircraft/auction-150764101.htm?p=25

Even if it's of no interest to members of the forum, I just thought how unusual it is that the control column is in the centre rather than in front of the pilot between the pilot's legs. Were all Airtourers like this?

These photos on the listing may be of interest to modellers, etc too.

[Bruce]

Indeed all Airtourers did have a central column and separate dual throttles. It is a little different (although many new light aircraft such as the Zenair have similiar arrangements) but quite comfortable and intuitive. The difficulty comes when trying to jot down details in your Nav log when flying...

[Dave Homewood]

Interesting. Did the RNZAF's T.6's have this arrangement too then? I don't recall seeing this arrangement before. I had very little to do with the RNZAF's Airtourers, but I'm sure I looked inside at least one. Odd.

[Peter Lewis]

All Airtourers (but not Airtrainers) had this feature, including the T6. See pic below for the office of ZK-WBW.



In my first flight in WBW I hated it, second flight I got used to it, and third flight I was solo.
The main drawback was in trying to do a max performance takeoff - remember that the Airtourer only had a handbrake, no footbrake. Thus you needed one hand on the throttle, one to hold the stick back and one hand to release the brake. One-armed paperhangar stuff.
I recently found this photo on jetphotos, and yes that's me and Mrs flyernzl on a Sunday afternoon outing.
God, I still miss that aircraft!

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Peter. That shows how unobservant I was when I painted out the roundels on all four T.6's - I must now have had a good look inside...

[sniff]

Peter, we used to fly it from the right hand seat. Freed up the right hand.
It was one plane we were allowed to fly without a conversion or check flight - but I think we had to sit a limitations test. It felt like being in an old roadster after flying the 'trainer.

[aileronroll]

I flew the RNZAF AirTourer's at Wigram, seems like a thousand years ago now. From memory excellent rate of roll. There is one parked up at Tamworth NSW where I fly the CT4 now...must get around to tracking down the owner and begging a flight !

[Peter Lewis]

I'd agree with the rate of roll, short wings. I did some (mild) aeros in WBW. The limiting factor was the rapid build up of speed in a spin - you normally were getting near to Vne in one and a half turns.

[flyjoe180]

I've never seen a spin where the airspeed increases that dramatically. The only way I can think of that the speed would increase that rapidly in a spin, which is of course a result of yaw in a stalled state possibly with fluctuating airspeed indications, is that the Airtourer must have a spiral tendancy?

[Peter Lewis]

That was the way it was. Probably due to the Airtourer spinning in a very nose down attitude, so the speed built up quite rapidly.
The book most certainly said 1 to 1-1/2 turns only - as per a scan from my copy:

[beagle]

They had one had Base Woodbourne for a few years for pilots on base to keep their hours up etc. I got taken for a ride by the then CO ARS, Sqn Ldr Des Ashton. He caught me in a very sorry state on a Friday morning after a big night in the baggies bar and the next thing we were doing an hour or so or aerobatics. A very good way of sobering up. he even let me fly it for a while. Not sure if it was 63 or not. This would have been the mid 80's.