Sport Pilot Talk

I have a friend who is in the process of buying a Titan Tornado.

For the uninitiated:



Superficially, it looks similar to my Sky Arrow - tricycle gear, high-mounted engine and pusher prop, etc:



His proposed model is single seat, so there’s no real way for him to get checked out in it.

We’re flying later today so he can get a feel for the Sky Arrow*. I doubt anyone here has time in both, but has anyone owned or flown a Titan Tornado? Just looking for “gotchas” I should warn him about, or I should know about if called upon to test fly it.

Thanks in advance.


*Todays’s flight will be a pleasure flight and not instructional. That is one drawback to converting to E-LSA - it cannot be used for flight instruction (in an aircraft which that person provides) or rental.

You can provide instruction in a aircraft you provide as long as you receive no compensation for the instruction or airplane use.

So how generous are you feeling today?

I know a few people who have owned and flew them. They are generally well-liked, but the consensus seems to be that the pitch axis is *very* sensitive, and may actually be slightly dynamically unstable, which can make them challenging in certain circumstances. Just something to watch out for.

Where's the nearest trainer?

3Dreaming wrote:You can provide instruction in a aircraft you provide as long as you receive no compensation for the instruction or airplane use.

I was ready to argue with you, but I checked both my Operating Limitations and the FAR’s and neither disallow it if no charge is made. Learn something every day ~ thanks!

But I checked my insurance policy and flight instruction is excluded, except to me.

So how generous are you feeling today?

Not that generous!

Regardless, had a perfect day of flying and my friend really enjoyed his exposure to the Sky Arrow.

One correction: he’s already purchased and has possession of the plane. He’s had to send out some parts for repair or modifications, so it will be at least a couple of months before he’s ready to fly it.

MrMorden wrote:I know a few people who have owned and flew them. They are generally well-liked, but the consensus seems to be that the pitch axis is *very* sensitive, and may actually be slightly dynamically unstable, which can make them challenging in certain circumstances. Just something to watch out for.

Thanks, Andy!

CharlieTango wrote:Where's the nearest trainer?

I actually asked him that and he said he was unable to find one within a reasonable distance.

There is the 'crow hop' method. ( after a wheels off the ground hop, do it again and again a bit higher each time) Pretty soon your a Tornado pilot.

FastEddieB wrote:

CharlieTango wrote:Where's the nearest trainer?

I actually asked him that and he said he was unable to find one within a reasonable distance.

I would think with life, limb, and aircraft on the line reasonable distance would not be an issue.

FastEddieB wrote: I was ready to argue with you, but I checked both my Operating Limitations and the FAR’s and neither disallow it if no charge is made. Learn something every day ~ thanks!

The FAA used to be much more restrictive on use of an experimental for training, then they finally realized that allowing training in experimental aircraft would reduce accidents. Think about the number of first flight accident fatalities that used to happen with home built aircraft. The accident numbers have been reduced because the FAA will allow someone to receive instruction in someone else's experimental to prepare them for the first flights in their airplane.

CharlieTango wrote:There is the 'crow hop' method. ( after a wheels off the ground hop, do it again and again a bit higher each time) Pretty soon your a Tornado pilot.

I believe many pilots may have learned to fly that way in the early days of aviation. To shift subject slightly, I tried to get some user/owner feedback on Hirth engines and the Aerolite 103 here and on another forum. No luck. Just what's available on the internet.

HAPPYDAN wrote:

CharlieTango wrote:There is the 'crow hop' method. ( after a wheels off the ground hop, do it again and again a bit higher each time) Pretty soon your a Tornado pilot.

I believe many pilots may have learned to fly that way in the early days of aviation. To shift subject slightly, I tried to get some user/owner feedback on Hirth engines and the Aerolite 103 here and on another forum. No luck. Just what's available on the internet.

I actually did become a pilot like that with a single seated / Rotax 503, high wing pusher that I built after seeing a Tornado at the airport.

It didn't come off like planned because the result of advancing the throttle was to leap into the air and climb at a 30* angle. I had to learn it in a single hop.

You're the Man, Charlie!

HAPPYDAN wrote:I tried to get some user/owner feedback on Hirth engines and the Aerolite 103 here and on another forum. No luck. Just what's available on the internet.

For the most popular Part 103 ultralight that is newly built, Aerolite sure has a slim online presence. But the total numbers are very small. It's not like when Quicksilver was king. Dennis sells about 50 to 60 airframes per year, and it's hard to say how many of them actually fly. Your best bet is to send direct messages to people who upload videos of themselves flying Aerolite 103 on Youtube.

Thanks! I'll try that.