Grob G 115

The Grob G 115 is a general aviation fixed-wing aircraft, primarily used for flight training. It is built in Germany by Grob Aircraft (Grob Aerospace before January 2009). The E variant with a 3-blade variable pitch propeller is in service with the Finnish Air Force,[1] the Royal Navy and Army Air Corps for Flying Grading (a pre-EFT flying course) and in the Royal Air Force as part of No. 6 Flying Training School (6 FTS) which provides flying to both University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights to Cadets of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets.[2] As of 2020, the Tutor is still being used by the RAF for some Elementary Flying Training (3FTS) but is due to be phased out in favour of its replacement, the Prefect T1.

G 115 (Tutor)
Grob Tutor T1 of the Birmingham University Air Squadron, Royal Air Force
Role Basic Trainer
Manufacturer Grob Aircraft
First flight November 1985
Introduction 1999
Status Active
Primary users Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
Egyptian Air Force
British Army Air Corps
Finnish Air Force
Produced 1985–present

Design

The aircraft is constructed of carbon composite materials. The main fuselage and each wing spar is a single piece. It has a fixed (sprung steel) tricycle undercarriage with spatted wheels, a short nose bearing the 180 hp engine, and a 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller. The aircraft was re-certified in 2013 with a new MT Propeller following issues with the previous design. The inverted oil system was also redesigned to improve lubrication during aerobatics. The cockpit features a broad canopy arch and spine. Forward visibility is good. The side-by-side seats are fixed and pilot seating is adjusted with cushions as well as a rudder bar adjuster. The wings are tapered with square tips and the empennage consists of a large fin and rudder, with an oblong tailplane with square tips mid-set to the fuselage.

Grob G 115A of the Lancashire Aero Club at Manchester (Barton) Aerodrome in 2004 showing the vertical fin of this early version

The initial Grob G 115 and G 115A models had an upright fin and rudder, and were mainly sold to civilian aeroplane clubs in Germany, the United Kingdom and several other countries.

The aircraft is capable of basic aerobatic manoeuvres (limited to +6G and −3G).

Grob 115D2 (Heron)

The Grob Heron was first bought by the Royal Navy. After its use five were bought by Tayside Aviation. There are only six recorded Herons in existence; two (to be sold) operated by Tayside Aviation, three privately owned and one in Germany. One was reported as written off after an accident.

Grob 115E (Tutor)

With the retirement of the Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1 from Royal Air Force University Air Squadrons (UASs) and Air Experience Flights (AEFs), a new system was put in place for the provision of the UAS and AEF flying tasks. Aircraft were to be owned and operated by private industry, contracted to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The aircraft chosen for this task was the Grob 115E, designated Tutor T1 by the MoD. The Tutor fleet is owned and maintained by a civilian company, Babcock, and carries British civilian registrations under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme, painted overall white with blue flashes and UK Military Aircraft roundels.

Royal Navy, Army and RAF Elementary Flying Training (EFT), where students streamed according to ability: Fast Jet, Rotary Wing, Multi-Engine or non-pilot roles, was previously taught on the Grob Tutor at RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath by the joint 3 Flying Training School, with 703 Naval Air Squadron, 674 Squadron Army Air Corps and 57 RAF Reserve Squadron, before being replaced in 2018 by the turboprop trainer, the Grob G120TP Prefect. Some 3FTS EFT training for various pipelines still continues on the Tutor on 16Sqn at RAF Wittering.

Until 2005 the Tutor was used by UASs to provide EFT to university students, many sponsored by the RAF. From 2006, UAS students are no longer taught EFT; they follow an unassessed flying syllabus similar to EFT, but with only a 36-hour course and the possibility of progression to more advanced training on merit. The Tutor is also used by AEFs to provide flying experience for cadets of the Air Training Corps (ATC) and Combined Cadet Force (CCF), replacing the Bulldog in these roles at the turn of the century. The final AEF to receive the Tutor was 10 AEF, based at RAF Woodvale in Merseyside, in 2001. 10 AEF was incidentally also the last AEF to receive the Bulldog in 1996, replacing the Chipmunk.

Grob G 115E Tutor T1 of the RAF arrives at the 2019 RIAT, England.

Five Tutor T1s are also operated by 727 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm for trainee pilot grading at RNAS Yeovilton.[3]

In 2009 some Tutor squadrons began to receive new Enhanced Avionics (EA) Tutors, with an updated and enhanced instrument panel, featuring a Garmin GNS 430W GPS system, digital HSI and digital engine instruments. These aircraft are the same as the standard Tutors, with the exception of an extra VHF aerial for the new GPS system and the cockpit modifications.

Operators
 Australia
  • Flight Training Adelaide– 2 aircraft [4]
  • Australian Flying School – 8 aircraft
  • China Southern West Australian Flying College – 38 aircraft
 Belgium
  • Ostende Aviation college – 3 aircraft
  • Aeroclub Keiheuvel – 1 aircraft
 Canada
  • Ottawa Aviation Services – 3 aircraft
  • Journey Air, Windsor Ontario - 1 aircraft
 Egypt
 Finland
 Kenya
 Norway
 Portugal
  • Aeronautical Web Academy – 6 aircraft
 United Arab Emirates
 United Kingdom

[7]

Specifications (G 115E/EG)

Data from

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 7.54 m (24 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
  • Height: 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 12.2 m2 (131 sq ft)
  • Airfoil: Eppler 696[8]
  • Empty weight: 685 kg (1,510 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 990 kg (2,183 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 143 l (38 US gal; 31 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming AEIO-360-B1F/B 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 139 kW (186 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed variable-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn)
  • Stall speed: 96 km/h (60 mph, 52 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 343 km/h (213 mph, 185 kn)
  • Range: 1,150 km (710 mi, 620 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 3,050 m (10,010 ft)
  • g limits: +6.0 -3.0
  • Rate of climb: 5.3 m/s (1,040 ft/min) solo
3.81 m/s (13 ft/s) dual
  • Wing loading: 81.1 kg/m2 (16.6 lb/sq ft)
  • Power/mass: 0.141 kW/kg (0.086 hp/lb)

Incidents and Accidents
  • In June 2004, a Tutor lost a propeller blade and its canopy in flight. The aircraft was landed unpowered in a field, where damage was also sustained to the undercarriage. Subsequent investigation revealed cracking in the propeller blade roots across the fleet, which was grounded for modifications. No-one was injured in the incident.
  • In February 2009, two RAF Tutors operating air experience flights from RAF St Athan collided in mid-air. All four occupants were killed, a pilot and a female Air Training Corps cadet in each aircraft. The two cadets killed were aged 13 and 14, both were members of 1004 (Pontypridd) Squadron Air Training Corps.[9][10][11]
  • In June 2009, a Grob Tutor collided in mid-air with a civilian glider. The two people in the Grob Tutor were killed. The glider pilot parachuted and survived.[12][13]

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References
  1. "Puolustusvoimat hankkii alkeis- ja peruslentokoulutuskoneita". Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  2. "The Royal Air Force". Combined Cadet Force. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  3. "Naval Air Squadrons: 727". royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  4. "HOME". Fly FTA. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  5. "Näillä koneilla harjoittelevat tulevaisuuden hävittäjälentäjät – Puolustusvoimat ostaa 28 käytettyä harjoituskonetta". Yle Uutiset. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  6. "16 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  7. Operators list on Grob Aircraft website
  8. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  9. "Search for crash clues continues". BBC News. 12 February 2009.
  10. "Inquiry investigating". BOI.
  11. AAIB. "AAIB Report6/2010". Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  12. AAIB. "AAIB Report5/2010". Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  13. "RAF crew dead in 'mid-air crash'". BBC News. 14 Jun 2009.
  • Flight Global – Grob Tutor Propeller Issues
  • Winchester, Jim."Grob Tutor: Aircraft of the RAF Part 12". Air International, April 2009, Vol 76, No. 4. pp. 52–55.
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