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64-459: The Grob G109 is a light aircraft developed by Grob Aircraft AG of Mindelheim Mattsies in Germany. It first flew (G109 prototype, and then production G109A form) in 1980. The G109B followed in 1984. It is a two-seat self-launching motor glider in which the pilot and passenger or student sit side by side, with good visibility provided by large windows. As well as normal civilian use this aircraft

128-564: A 2,400 cc 90 horsepower (67 kW) Limbach engine and an electrically controlled variable-pitch propeller . At least two aircraft have been approved to use the Rotax 912 engine. See G 109Ar. A total of 151 G 109A motor gliders were produced. The G 109Ar was a modification used on 2 Grob 109A by the Aero Club Valkenburg of two aircraft with a Rotax boxer-type engine for increased performance on short runways and reliability. The nose of

192-464: A G 120TP cockpit that is used to train basic and emergency procedures. A dome display screen is mounted to allow advanced flight maneuvers and formation flight training, in addition to basic flight training. 48°06′43″N 10°31′25″E  /  48.11194°N 10.52361°E  / 48.11194; 10.52361 Aircraft flight control system The fundamentals of aircraft controls are explained in flight dynamics . This article centers on

256-421: A back-up electrical power supply that can be activated to enable the stick shaker in case of hydraulic failure. In most current systems the power is provided to the control actuators by high-pressure hydraulic systems. In fly-by-wire systems the valves, which control these systems, are activated by electrical signals. In power-by-wire systems, electrical actuators are used in favour of hydraulic pistons. The power

320-461: A control causes the mechanical circuit to open the matching servo valve in the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit powers the actuators which then move the control surfaces. As the actuator moves, the servo valve is closed by a mechanical feedback linkage - one that stops movement of the control surface at the desired position. This arrangement was found in the older-designed jet transports and in some high-performance aircraft. Examples include

384-497: A dispensation from Grob for operating the military variant aircraft to a Max AUW of 908 kg providing an extra 59 kg of useful load. The aircraft was not modified to allow this, and no changes to the operating procedures were required as the centre of gravity constraints were not exceeded. Grob have applied to EASA for permission to have an exception to the design standard (CS22) for the Grob 109B which would allow it to be certified to

448-473: A high rate of construction. At the onset of operations, Grob Aerospace was involved in the production of gliders, having quickly secured subcontracting work from the existing German manufacturer Schempp-Hirth to build the firm's Standard Cirrus glider under licence . In excess of 200 Standard Cirruses were produced by Grob, the initial example being constructed at its machining workshop in Mindelheim . As

512-410: A pure glider, with a best glide ratio of around 1:28. The Porsche-derived horizontally opposed air-cooled engine had the cylinder bore increase by Grob to make the engine 2.5-litre capacity and has had its Time Before Overhaul (TBO) increased by a technote to 1,600 hours after many examples run on condition reached up to or in excess of 4,000 hours in service. Under the current CAA LASORS document,

576-468: A qualified pilot as well as a mechanical engineer who ran a business producing machine tooling prior to creating the company; he had been inspired to produce his own glider after being informed of the lengthy production time involved in glider production at the time, convinced that it could be done better. Accordingly, Grob Aerospace had been founded with the vision of producing full- composite gliders that would be highly cost-competitive while facilitating

640-508: A shorter wing span of 15 metres (49 ft). The first prototype, ( registered D-KBGF ), flew for the first time on 14 March 1980. The G 109A was fitted with a 2,000 cc 80 horsepower (60 kW) Limbach Flugmotoren flat four engine (maximum power delivered at 3,400 rpm), and the wing span was increased to 16.6 metres (54 ft). The spare engine power available was marginal in hot atmospheric conditions or when flying through rain, so around 30 G 109A airframes were fitted with

704-502: A similar 903 kg Max AUW however while the two objections received were rejected by EASA the authority has not yet taken the necessary rulemaking action to allow this. Cruising speed is in the region of 60–100 knots (110–190 km/h) on the 95 horsepower (71 kW) engine, which can give the aircraft a top speed of 130 knots (240 km/h). The engine (based on a Porsche air-cooled car unit) can be shut down in flight with its propeller blades feathered. The aircraft then becomes

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768-557: A standard where they are able to fly solo. The initial order for 53 was topped up by aircraft bought in the private market. The Vigilant was also used by the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School , at RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire , which trains VGS instructors as well as providing standards checking, syllabus development and engineering support. During the early 2000s Australian Air Force Cadets adopted

832-501: A switch or a mechanical lever or in some cases are fully automatic by computer control, which alter the shape of the wing for improved control at the slower speeds used for take-off and landing. Other secondary flight control systems may include slats , spoilers , air brakes and variable-sweep wings . Mechanical or manually operated flight control systems are the most basic method of controlling an aircraft. They were used in early aircraft and are currently used in small aircraft where

896-707: A wing surface can change shape in flight to deflect air flow much like an ornithopter . Adaptive compliant wings are a military and commercial effort. The X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing was a US Air Force, NASA , and Boeing effort. Notable efforts have also been made by FlexSys, who have conducted flight tests using flexible aerofoils retrofitted to a Gulf stream III aircraft. In active flow control systems, forces in vehicles occur via circulation control, in which larger and more complex mechanical parts are replaced by smaller, simpler fluidic systems (slots which emit air flows) where larger forces in fluids are diverted by smaller jets or flows of fluid intermittently, to change

960-660: Is a German aircraft manufacturer, specialising in gliders and general aviation . Since its foundation in 1971, Grob Aircraft produced a range of aircraft. Initially focusing on gliders, it soon grew into other markets. The company has produced a range of trainer aircraft , many of which have been operated in quantity by a number of military air wings. It has also produced specialised high-altitude intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft. According to Grob Aircraft, it has delivered over 4,500 airframes which have cumulatively flown over seven million hours across hundreds of operators spread over five continents. Since

1024-436: Is a low-wing cantilever motor glider, with a T-tail , folding (and detachable) wings, and side-by-side seating with dual controls. It is mainly constructed from glass-reinforced plastic and has a taildragger undercarriage arrangement. Entry and exit from the cockpit is via two perspex doors which open upwards individually – a modification from the original one-piece G109A canopy . The cockpit can be heated, providing that

1088-481: Is carried to the actuators by electrical cables. These are lighter than hydraulic pipes, easier to install and maintain, and more reliable. Elements of the F-35 flight control system are power-by-wire. The actuators in such an electro-hydrostatic actuation (EHA) system are self-contained hydraulic devices, small closed-circuit hydraulic systems. The overall aim is towards more- or all-electric aircraft and an early example of

1152-763: Is the designation of the adapted Grob 109B used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for use on Volunteer Gliding Squadrons. Modifications to the Vigilant T1 include a landing light, a higher maximum all up mass (AUM) of 908 kg and a throttle for use in the left hand seat. The Vigilant T1 with Rotax 912is3 engine by charity Aerobility Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1985–86 General characteristics Performance Avionics Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Grob Aircraft Grob Aircraft , formerly Grob Aerospace ,

1216-627: The Antonov An-225 and the Lockheed SR-71 . With purely mechanical flight control systems, the aerodynamic forces on the control surfaces are transmitted through the mechanisms and are felt directly by the pilot, allowing tactile feedback of airspeed. With hydromechanical flight control systems, the load on the surfaces cannot be felt and there is a risk of overstressing the aircraft through excessive control surface movement. To overcome this problem, artificial feel systems can be used. For example, for

1280-566: The G 520 , otherwise known as Egrett / STRATO 1 , a specialised high-altitude aircraft. First flown on 24 June 1987, the type soon established five world records. During 1992, the German Air Force placed an order for a batch of nine EGRETT II aircraft, as well as for a single two-seat trainer and one of the demonstrators. However, in February 1993, the German order was cancelled; this outcome

1344-454: The Grob G 520 Egrett for special mission applications. Grob Training Systems provides a ground-based training system (GBTS) for the G 120TP, which includes aircrew and maintenance technician training as well as training system logistics support. The system typically consists of computer-based classroom training and G 120TP Flight Training Devices. The G 120TP Flight Training Device (FTD) features

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1408-453: The 1944 work Stick and Rudder . In some aircraft, the control surfaces are not manipulated with a linkage. In ultralight aircraft and motorized hang gliders, for example, there is no mechanism at all. Instead, the pilot just grabs the lifting surface by hand (using a rigid frame that hangs from its underside) and moves it. In addition to the primary flight controls for roll, pitch, and yaw, there are often secondary controls available to give

1472-539: The 1970s, the copious use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer in the manufacture of its aircraft has been a hallmark of the firm's designs. Over 75% of the components of its aircraft, including composite (carbon fibre and glass fibre reinforced polymer) elements, are manufactured in-house at the firm's facility in Tussenhausen -Mattsies, Bavaria. The company was founded as Grob Aerospace during 1971 by Dr. Burkhart Grob (26 March 1926 - 20 May 2016). Dr. Grob had been

1536-565: The G109B can be classed as either a touring motor glider (TMG), or a self-launching motor glider (SLMG). The G 109B is powered by a Grob 2500 E1 horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, air-cooled petrol engine that develops approximately 95 bhp (71 kW) at 2,950 rpm. The propeller is a two-bladed, manually operated variable-pitch type driven directly from the engine. Three pitch settings can be used: Fine for take-off and general flying, Coarse for cruising, and Feathered for gliding with

1600-477: The G180 SPn: "We have created a new category of jet aircraft". The G180 SPn performed its maiden flight on 20 July 2005. The second prototype crashed shortly after takeoff on 29 November 2006 close to the production plant in Germany; chief test pilot Gérard Guillaumaud , the aircraft's sole occupant, was killed. During February 2007, following a three-month break, flight testing resumed; by this point, certification

1664-513: The Grob 109 for pilot training purposes. The type is still in use to date. The RAF Vigilant fleet was 'paused' from flying since April 2014 due to ongoing maintenance issues associated with airworthiness certification. A recovery plan was put into in operation in 2016 which saw Vigilant numbers reduced to 15 nationwide, flown by four VGSs at 'regional hubs'. It was anticipated that these relaunched gliders would be disposed of in October 2019. This date

1728-491: The Grob 109B was designated Vigilant T1 . The G 109 was only the start of Grob Aerospace's motorised aircraft lineup. It was followed by the larger G 115 , an all-composite two-seat aerobatic monoplane, which received certification from the FAA during 1987. Not all of the firm's designs were taken forward into production; the GF 200 , a relatively unorthodox business aircraft , flew during

1792-559: The LTV A-7 Corsair II warplanes, a 'bob-weight' was used in the pitch axis of the control stick, giving force feedback that was proportional to the airplane's normal acceleration. A stick shaker is a device that is attached to the control column in some hydraulic aircraft. It shakes the control column when the aircraft is approaching stall conditions. Some aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 are equipped with

1856-511: The aerodynamic forces are not excessive. Very early aircraft, such as the Wright Flyer I , Blériot XI and Fokker Eindecker used a system of wing warping where no conventionally hinged control surfaces were used on the wing, and sometimes not even for pitch control as on the Wright Flyer I and original versions of the 1909 Etrich Taube , which only had a hinged/pivoting rudder in addition to

1920-442: The aircraft became the property of Allied Aviation Technologies . On 18 August 2008, Grob Aerospace filed for insolvency. As a consequence, the firm suspended the majority of its activities, including all light-jet production; this shutdown raised questions over the timely delivery of Bombardier Aerospace 's Learjet 85 prototypes, of which Grob had been contracted to produce. While efforts were made to seek new investors to rescue

1984-546: The approach was the Avro Vulcan . Serious consideration was given to using the approach on the Airbus A380. A fly-by-wire (FBW) system replaces manual flight control of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires (hence the term fly-by-wire ), and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control surface to provide

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2048-537: The club market and adopting competitive pricing for its new product, the G-102 Astir , the first Grob-designed glider. During its long production life, over a thousand examples of the type would be produced. The G-102 was quickly followed by the larger two-seat G 103 Twin Astir line of sailplanes. During the late 1970s, Grob also branched out into motorised aircraft, developing the G 109 . First flown on 14 March 1980, it

2112-620: The company, most of Grob's employees were released on 3 November 2008. Niall Olver, Grob's chief executive officer, stated of the suspension: This unfortunate situation has arisen fairly rapidly off the back of recent delays in the SPn program, resulting in commensurately increased cash requirement to see the aircraft through to certification. Our current loan provider has elected to discontinue support, with immediate effect. On 16 December 2008, Grob insolvency administrator, Dr. Michael Jaffé, announced that two parties had expressed interest in taking over

2176-503: The control surfaces and linkages from damage from wind. Some aircraft have gust locks fitted as part of the control system. Increases in the control surface area, and the higher airspeeds required by faster aircraft resulted in higher aerodynamic loads on the flight control systems. As a result, the forces required to move them also become significantly larger. Consequently, complicated mechanical gearing arrangements were developed to extract maximum mechanical advantage in order to reduce

2240-438: The control surfaces reducing the amount of mechanical forces needed. This arrangement was used in early piston-engined transport aircraft and in early jet transports. The Boeing 737 incorporates a system, whereby in the unlikely event of total hydraulic system failure, it automatically and seamlessly reverts to being controlled via servo-tab. The complexity and weight of mechanical flight control systems increase considerably with

2304-436: The control surfaces using cables, others (fly-by-wire airplanes) have a computer in between which then controls the electrical actuators. Even when an aircraft uses variant flight control surfaces such as a V-tail ruddervator , flaperons , or elevons , because these various combined-purpose control surfaces control rotation about the same three axes in space, the aircraft's flight control system will still be designed so that

2368-584: The controls of the RAF 's Avro Vulcan jet bomber and the RCAF 's Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow supersonic interceptor (both 1950s-era designs), the required force feedback was achieved by a spring device. The fulcrum of this device was moved in proportion to the square of the air speed (for the elevators) to give increased resistance at higher speeds. For the controls of the American Vought F-8 Crusader and

2432-410: The earlier versions was replaced with opening doors, and the main landing gear was moved rearwards to ease weight on the tail wheel. The engine was replaced with a Grob-built 2,500 cc unit of 95 horsepower (71 kW). Some aircraft in Germany have been fitted with a turbocharged engine, and with structural strengthening of the fuselage have been adapted to aero-tow gliders. The Vigilant T1

2496-509: The early 1990s but never progressed beyond test flights. The G160 Ranger, another business aircraft somewhat similar to the Pilatus PC12 , similarly did not enter production. During 1996, Grob Aerospace decided to end production of gliders in favour of concentrating its manufacturing base on its powered aircraft instead. During the 1980s, Grob Aerospace partnered with American defense firm E-Systems and engine manufacturer Garrett to develop

2560-435: The engine is running, and the seat backs can be adjusted and cushions of differing thickness inserted to accommodate a range of body sizes. Total weight is around 1,870 pounds (850 kg) with a maximum load of 506 pounds (230 kg) though this depends on mod state and history of the airframe, and is rarely above 200 kg on most examples. The RAF sought and obtained a number of military specific modifications; including

2624-462: The engine off. Carburettor heat can be supplied to the twin carburettors when there is a risk of icing. An electric fuel pump is used. The G 109 uses conventional controls , duplicated for both seats, including the throttle (not available on the left in standard production G 109s). The rudder pedals, which also operate the wheel brakes, are adjustable forward and backward to suit individuals of differing leg length, and airbrakes are used to increase

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2688-410: The expected response. Commands from the computers are also input without the pilot's knowledge to stabilize the aircraft and perform other tasks. Electronics for aircraft flight control systems are part of the field known as avionics . Fly-by-optics, also known as fly-by-light , is a further development using fiber-optic cables . Several technology research and development efforts exist to integrate

2752-505: The extensive use of composite materials . The aircraft's requirements were defined in close collaboration with the Swiss -based company ExecuJet Aviation Group. Following its public unveiling, it was initially referred to as the SPn Utility Jet . Plans for a family of aircraft based on the type were mooted at one stage. During June 2005, Grob Aerospace president Dr Andreas Plesske stated of

2816-459: The firm's production capacity expanded, Grob Aerospace relocated its operational base to a larger facility at the newly established Tussenhausen-Mattsies airfield. In 1974, Grob began to pursue independent glider production, harnessing its accumulated experience with composite construction. Instead of producing gliders that directly competed with the larger established manufacturers, the company differentiated its product by orientating itself towards

2880-457: The forces required from the pilots. This arrangement can be found on bigger or higher performance propeller aircraft such as the Fokker 50 . Some mechanical flight control systems use servo tabs that provide aerodynamic assistance. Servo tabs are small surfaces hinged to the control surfaces. The flight control mechanisms move these tabs, aerodynamic forces in turn move, or assist the movement of

2944-608: The functions of flight control systems such as ailerons , elevators , elevons , flaps , and flaperons into wings to perform the aerodynamic purpose with the advantages of less: mass, cost, drag, inertia (for faster, stronger control response), complexity (mechanically simpler, fewer moving parts or surfaces, less maintenance), and radar cross section for stealth . These may be used in many unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 6th generation fighter aircraft . Two promising approaches are flexible wings, and fluidics. In flexible wings, also known as "morphing aerofoils", much or all of

3008-528: The insolvent company, Munich based H3 Aerospace and the Chinese Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation . Both companies offered around $ 4.5 million for Grob, while Guizhou had also offered an additional $ 3.5 million to separately acquire the SPn jet program. In January 2009, it was announced that H3 Aerospace had reached an agreement to acquire the training aircraft and support business of Grob Aerospace; shortly thereafter, it

3072-405: The operating mechanisms of the flight controls. The basic system in use on aircraft first appeared in a readily recognizable form as early as April 1908, on Louis Blériot 's Blériot VIII pioneer-era monoplane design. Generally, the primary cockpit flight controls are arranged as follows: The control yokes also vary greatly among aircraft. There are yokes where roll is controlled by rotating

3136-438: The pilot finer control over flight or to ease the workload. The most commonly available control is a wheel or other device to control elevator trim , so that the pilot does not have to maintain constant backward or forward pressure to hold a specific pitch attitude (other types of trim, for rudder and ailerons , are common on larger aircraft but may also appear on smaller ones). Many aircraft have wing flaps , controlled by

3200-467: The plane is longer than that of the regular G 109A, the engine covers are shaped differently to house the engine and its air inlets and improve airflow across the larger radiator. 3 Grob 109A's were converted on the G109Ar. The Aero Club Valkenburg still has 2 of these, the ph-710 and ph-835. Developed out of the Grob G 109A; the wingspan was further increased to 17.4 metres (57 ft), the one-piece canopy of

3264-564: The rate of descent during the landing approach as well as limiting airspeed to V ne (velocity never exceed), if required. The Vigilant T1 variant was introduced into service in 1991, replacing the Slingsby Venture , and was used by Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS) around the UK to train Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Force cadets in basic flying with the aim of bringing them to

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3328-454: The sale of the G180 SPn to Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation. Niall Olver, Grob Aerospace's former CEO, was appointed by the creditor to find new investors to buy the assets of the G180 SPn with the aim of restarting the program by June 2009. During March 2009, Olver indicated that the then-current plan was to complete certification and commence production near the middle of 2012. The rights to

3392-497: The size and performance of the aircraft. Hydraulically powered control surfaces help to overcome these limitations. With hydraulic flight control systems, the aircraft's size and performance are limited by economics rather than a pilot's muscular strength. At first, only-partially boosted systems were used in which the pilot could still feel some of the aerodynamic loads on the control surfaces (feedback). A hydro-mechanical flight control system has two parts: The pilot's movement of

3456-656: The stick or yoke controls pitch and roll conventionally, as will the rudder pedals for yaw. The basic pattern for modern flight controls was pioneered by French aviation figure Robert Esnault-Pelterie , with fellow French aviator Louis Blériot popularizing Esnault-Pelterie's control format initially on Louis' Blériot VIII monoplane in April 1908, and standardizing the format on the July 1909 Channel-crossing Blériot XI . Flight control has long been taught in such fashion for many decades, as popularized in ab initio instructional books such as

3520-516: The warping-operated pitch and roll controls. A manual flight control system uses a collection of mechanical parts such as pushrods, tension cables, pulleys, counterweights, and sometimes chains to transmit the forces applied to the cockpit controls directly to the control surfaces. Turnbuckles are often used to adjust control cable tension. The Cessna Skyhawk is a typical example of an aircraft that uses this type of system. Gust locks are often used on parked aircraft with mechanical systems to protect

3584-511: The yoke clockwise/counterclockwise (like steering a car) and pitch is controlled by moving the control column towards or away from the pilot, but in others the pitch is controlled by sliding the yoke into and out of the instrument panel (like most Cessnas, such as the 152 and 172), and in some the roll is controlled by sliding the whole yoke to the left and right (like the Cessna 162). Centre sticks also vary between aircraft. Some are directly connected to

3648-603: Was also used in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS) to train air cadets through the gliding induction, and gliding scholarship courses up until 5 May 2018, when it was retired from service. The Grob 109B was known in RAF service as the Vigilant T1 . The G 109 was the first motor glider built using composite construction to be granted Federal Aviation Administration approval. The G109B

3712-547: Was attributed to the peace dividend following the collapse of the Soviet Union and a decrease in military tensions. During the mid-2000s, Grob Aerospace secretively embarked on a jet-powered light aircraft programme, the Grob G180 SP . In response to perceived market demand, this aircraft would possess both the short-field and cargo-carrying performance traditionally associated with turboprop -powered aircraft, as well as

3776-656: Was brought forward and the Vigilant was retired from service on 5 May 2018. Two Vigilants were retained by the RAF, one as a ground based training aid and the other as a gate guardian . The remainder of the fleet were transferred to the Defence Equipment Sales Authority, removed from the military aircraft register and sold to civilian operator Aerobility in 2020. The first two prototype aircraft (constructor's serial numbers 6001 and 6010) were designated G 109. They differed from later production aircraft by having

3840-499: Was developed after series production of the G109A which itself followed a number of early prototypes with differing wing spans, configurations etc. The G109B addressed several issues learnt from operation of the earlier G109A which included improvements to power (95Hp up from 80Hp on the G109A), performance of the wings when wet, crosswind behaviour and limits and cockpit space. The G109B aircraft

3904-411: Was rebranded as Grob Aircraft AG . The production of training aircraft, which had been halted during November 2008 due to insolvency, was restarted during February 2009. During 2010, Grob Aircraft introduced the G 120TP , a new single engine training aircraft, powered by a 450SHP Rolls-Royce B250F turboprop engine and equipped with a Mühlbauer MT5 (five blade) composite propeller. This aircraft

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3968-698: Was specifically designed to perform a wider range of the training syllabus than its contemporary peers, allowing more training to be performed using this single type. Since the start of serial production of the G 120TP, in excess of 100 aircraft have been delivered to seven worldwide fleet customers. In April 2012, it was announced that Argentina's government-controlled Aircraft Factory FAdeA plans to produce 100 IA-63 Pampa II training and combat aircraft at its plant in Córdoba in association with Grob Aircraft AG. The Pampa II aircraft will have several parts for its updated version supplied by Grob. Grob Aircraft also offers

4032-553: Was targeted for early 2008. During November 2008, development of the G180 SPn was put on hold by the insolvency of Grob Aerospace. Prior to the company's collapse, around 100 orders had been secured for the G180, which had a list price of €5.9 million ($ 8.7 million). While subsequent attempts had been made to raise investment to resume development, these came amid the Great Recession . Grob Aerospace's largest creditor did not approve

4096-654: Was the world's first production all-composite motor glider upon receiving its type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1981. In addition to widespread civilian use of the type, perhaps the most prominent operator of the G 109 was the Royal Air Force , who adopted it for their Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS) to train Air Cadets through the Gliding Induction and Gliding Scholarship courses up until 5 May 2018; in RAF service,

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