Alpine Silver. Bullet

Transcription

1 Alpine Silver Bullet 16 FEBRUARY 2014

2 De Havilland DH-100 Vampire HB-RVN still going strong by Stefan DeGraef photos stefan degraef and edwin borremans Since the end of World War II and the creation of NATO and the Sovietdominated Warsaw Pact military and political power blocks in Europe, the traditionally neutral Alpine state of Switzerland had no other option than to equip its military forces with as up to date as possible military hardware and to develop an indigenous armament industry (especially aircraft, artillery, and tanks). Partly blessed by its natural terrain characteristics to deter foreign aggression, the Swiss armed forces established a cost-effective and capable self-defense infrastructure. The con- 17

3 tinuous technical advance in aircraft design and performances, however, forced the Swiss air force to frequently invest in more modern aircraft. Similar to the average NATO air force, a re-investment cycle of 10 years was deemed necessary to remain on top of the food chain. Older but still pristinely maintained aircraft were not withdrawn from operational service but transferred to lesser demanding (training) roles. Eventually, not willing to export secondhand but still serviceable aircraft, older airframes were scrapped. In May 1981, however, the Swiss Office Fédéral des Aérodromes Militaires/OFAEM (Swiss Air Force Logistics Command) auctioned old Pilatus P-2 trainers and Dornier Do.27 liaison aircraft for a total of some CHF 730,000. This financial success triggered the Swiss authorities to organize almost a decade later a second more ambitious auction. Early 1991, 17 Pilatus P-3 trainers and, more importantly, three de Havilland DH- 100 Mk.6 single- and 28 DH-115 dual-seat Vampire aircraft were auctioned at Lodrino. With some of these airframes having only some 1,800 flying hours on the clock and still airworthy, the auction quickly gained international interest (France, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, USA, Canada). Before the actual auction, the OFAEM received some 500 bids to buy these old-timers. Once auctioned and paid for, the fully tanked aircraft were delivered by Swiss OFAEM pilots to their new owners. One of these Swiss Vampires, auctioned in 1991, was DH-100 J-1197 (c/n 706), built in November 1952 in license by the Eidg Flugzeugwerk (F+W) Emmen (i.e., Federal Aircraft Factory) and becoming HB-RVN in the process. Nowadays almost 60 years after its conception, this twin-boomed silver bullet is still crisscrossing the Swiss aerospace by its present owner Eric Chardonnens. J-1197 Becomes HB-RVN Immediately after the 1991 auction, ex-swiss air force DH- 100 Mk.6 J-1197 was flown to the French aerodrome of Dole-Tavaux in the nearby Jura department in the Franche-Comté region, bordering Switzerland. Until 2001 the single-seater was flown from time to time by his owner. After four years of inactivity at Dole, DH-100 HB-RVN was sold to the Swiss surgeon Eric Chardonnens, based at Lausanne. Already owning a Bucker Bu- 131 Jungmann (HB-UUU), Eric Chardonnens had finished his type-rating conversion and flight training in France on the civil Fouga CM-170 Magister, instructed by the well-known French civil (but ex-armee de l Air) Fougaaficionado Yves Duval. Since Yves Duval was the leader of the Fougaequipped Patrouille Cristaline, Eric used the various transfer flights by the team to Switzerland out of their home base Rennes (Brittany/ France) to fly the aircraft from the front seat to accumulate the necessary flying hours for his Fouga conversion. Unfortunately, Yves Duval died in an aerial accident while flying in a two-ship formation with another Cristaline-Fouga in July Assisted by Yves Lebail, another famous ex-military French Fouga instructor, Eric terminated his Fouga training in 1998 and received his much-desired and hardworked French Fouga license. With no suitable Fouga CM-170 Magister available on the market, he quickly shifted his attention to the Dole-stored DH-100 J In early 2005, the purchase of the aircraft, joined by a spare de Havilland Goblin four-turbojet engine, was signed. Since the aircraft had been grounded for four years, some work was needed to make the DH-100 flyable again. At the same time, having no military background, Eric Chardonnens needed to start his Vampire instruction before making any chance to fly his own single-seat DH-100. When freed from his busy medical duties in Lausanne, two one-week-long training weeks were organized at Dole, using Swiss DH-115 HB-RVF 18 FEBRUARY 2014

4 TWIN-BOOMED TAILSECTION: A second nonflyable DH-100 Vampire-airframe (ex-swiss air force J-1193) was purchased by Eric Chardonnens, safeguarding the on-the-spot availability of several out-of-fabrication spare parts for the near future. UNDERWING FUEL TANK: Although built in the early 1950s, DH-100 J-1197 aka HB-RVN has only flown some 1,700 flying hours. This aerial future safeguarded for generations to come. LANDING GEAR WING AND NOSE SECTION: Supersonic, and even 250-plus KTAS, flying by civil-owned jet aircraft is by law forbidden in Switzerland, also restricting jetflying operations on Sundays and official holidays to officially authorized transfer flights from/to demonstration aerodromes. EJECTION SEAT: Eric s ultimate guardian angel: Martin Baker Mk.3B ejection seat, with a minimum operating altitude of feet and 90 KIAS groundspeed limits. COCKPIT: The DH-100 classic 1950s cockpit, dominated by the still fully functional gunsight, although the aircraft has been demilitarized pending its final auction. 19

5 POSTFLIGHT: With several well-maintained civil-owned jet aircraft still flying regularly, the Swiss Office Fédéral de l Aviation Civile/OFAC (Federal Civil Aviation Board) had no other option than to elaborate official technical, operational, and safety directives for these types of aircraft, without suffocating their owners with a plentitude of costly and bureaucratic regulations. (aka U-1208) trainer and former experienced Swiss air force Vampire instructor pilot Ueli Leutert as training assets. Once the old Swiss air force-used ground-course digested, 20 DH-115 missions were flown, once more using the former Swiss air force training syllabus. On 20/09/2005, after months of intense work, he finally took his DH-100 for his first solo flight, needing to adapt himself to somewhat different flying characteristics of the single-seater, lacking the big nose in front of the cockpit. In June 2005, the aircraft was permanently transferred from Dole to Sion (Valais/Switzerland), offering more optimal meteo-conditions all year round. Flying through the Swiss valleys and over the stunning snow-covered Alpine peaks may well be more hazardous than expected since high winds from the south (up to 150 km/h at 12,000 feet) may cause heavy turbulence. Special care needs to be taken at all times while crisscrossing the various small and tight valleys often frequented by small and ultra-light aircraft, helicopters, and even para-planers. A plentitude of power lines and cables, often constructed by farmers while bringing down their products (especially wood) from the various mountain slopes and meadows, cause PILOT: DH-100 HB-RVN is nowadays proudly owned by Eric Chardonnens, a Swiss surgeon living in Lausanne. omnipresent danger to airborne pilots. This constant need for intense concentration and relative positional awareness is, however, largely compensated by the stunning Alpine airspace, dominated by some of Europe s best-known Alpine giants. Nowadays based in the hangar of Farner Aviation at Sion Airport, the DH-100 is flown almost monthly by Eric Chardonnens. During the summer air show season, several demonstration routines (Cubaneights, rolls, looping) are flown at various air shows in Switzerland and France, joined by and teamed up with various Switzerland-based privately owned de Havilland DH- 115 Vampire and Hawker Hunter aircraft. In wintertime the aircraft, until now having only some 1,700 hours on the clock, is maintained and, if needed, partly overhauled by Farner. Up until the final withdrawal of the last Vampire jet by the Swiss air force in December 1990, Farner Aviation was responsible for overhauling all Swiss air force DH-100/115, including those de Havillands operating for more than 44 years at Sion. A second non-flyable DH-100 Vampire airframe (ex-swiss air force J-1193) was purchased by Eric Chardonnens, safeguarding the on-the-spot availability of several out-of-fabrication spare parts for the near future. Annually in October, a standardization checkflight is flown in a Sion-based privately owned DH- 115, joined by an examiner during which emergency procedures are evaluated and trained. Operating Historical Jet Aircraft in Switzerland The vast number of aircraft operated and auctioned by the Swiss air force since World War II, ranging from venerable Bucker Bu- 131 Jungmann biplane trainers to more dynamic de Havilland Vampire and Hawker Hunter trainers, and recently even an operational Dassault Mirage III DS deltawinged trainer, rendered Switzerland into Europe s historical (jet) aircraft heaven. With most of these well-maintained aircraft still flying regularly, the Swiss Office Fédéral de l Aviation Civile/OFAC (Federal Civil Aviation Board) had no other option than to elaborate official technical, operational, and safety directives for these types of aircraft, without suffocating their owners with a plentitude of costly and bureaucratic regulations. To obtain this historic classification, the maiden flight of its aircraft type needed to be flown at least 40 years before applying within the Swiss aviation register. At the same time a very limited number of similar aircraft are flying around the world or the aircraft-type has marked an impor- 20 FEBRUARY 2014

6 tant stepping stone in the worlds of Swiss aviation heritage. At all times flying operations with historical aircraft are strictly limited to daytime flying only and restricted to demonstration, pilot proficiency, and technical control flights. When flying to other aerodromes, explicit authorization for landing the aircraft has to be obtained in advance from the destination airport. Supersonic and even 250-plus KTAS flying by civilowned jet aircraft is by law forbidden in Switzerland, also restricting jet-flying operations on Sundays and official holidays to officially authorized transfer flights from/to demonstration aerodromes. All historical aircraft need to be (re)constructed according to original manufacturing documents. Additional modifications require validation by the OFAC. A detailed technical survey, including technical description of the airframe, engine, and propeller, joined by the individual maintenance and operational history of the aircraft, is sent by the owner to OFAC for evaluation of the overall quality and airworthiness of the aircraft. Finally after in-depth studying of the flying and operating manual of the aircraft and future inspection and maintenance programs, planned by the owner, OFAC will grant the prestigious historic mark to the aircraft and its owner. by Jean Barbaud