"Palo Alto Tower, Grob 216 Alfa Romeo is ready for takeoff, right Dumbarton"
"216 Alpha Romeo, Palo Alto Tower, right Dumbarton is approved, follow the Cessna upwind, cleared for takeoff"
The aircraft is my flying club's brand-spanking-new Grob 115C "Bavarian", a nifty little composite two-seater from Germany. This model has the Lycoming IO-320 engine (cleverly modified to use fuel and oil in metric measure), and basically looks like a Grob motorglider with the wings clipped (by quite a bit!). Appearance is kind of like a Katana on steroids, or perhaps a Marchetti on a diet...sliding clear canopy, two-place side by side using control sticks (stick in left hand, throttle in right hand, like an old Luscombe). Here's the pilot report. Checkout took 1.1 hours, @ $66 Hobbs wet rate.
VY is a crisp 77 knots, 81 knots or so with the cute little flaps up.
The Grob has great visibility forward, giving you a nose-down and flat-climbing feeling after departure. Actually, at this higher speed the climb is relatively flat compared to a Cessna. Much like a Tiger, in many respects. I'd say not a very good mountain airplane. :^(
Didn't get to cruise very much, but the view out is spectacular not only forward but to the sides, up, back, etc. You can even check your six in this airplane.
Book says the cruise speed is 130 knots true. Didn't get to check this out; I suspect you'd have to work at it with careful leaning and trimming to get it there.
Power on departure stall indicated < 50 knots, plenty of airframe buffet and a very, very mild stall break.
Power off approach to landing stall with flaps very "loose" feeling, and I didn't notice the airframe buffet before this one. The stall warning horn and loose sloppy control feel had to suffice as warning.
Steep turns, chandelles, wingovers a piece of cake in this airplane, a real, absolute joy. The airplane is very responsive. The turns require a fair and deliberate amount of rudder to coordinate, however (as any good airplane should, in my antiquated opinion).
The desire I have to abuse this airframe further is overwhelming, but since I'm flying with the clubs Chief CFI I overcome the urge for the aileron roll . Fortunately, for the owner and maintenance folks, the Grob 115 is stressed for load limits of 13 positive Gs, and a VNE of 184 knots.
Here's where Grob's composite and glider experience makes this a really different airplane. The G-115C just wants to *fly*, and you really have to pull the power *way* back to get it to come down.
The book approach speeds are 73 knots without flaps and 70 knots with flaps. These seem a bit on the high side to me, with the airplane not wanting to come down properly. 65 knots probably a better number to start with. Not much power required to hold approach path with flaps, no power at all (!!) required to hold approach path with no flaps. This to be verified with further testing in future flights.
My landing approaches with use of flaps (partial and full) work out OK, but when I try no-flap landing I find myself way too high, and getting way-too-higher, on final. A forward slip fails to do much of anything, and even a vigorous forward slip does only a little to get rid of the excess altitude. I have to go around, after sailing past the second windsock..
The next try is still too slippery, and getting too high again on final. This time the vigorous forward slip works and we are able to land, although using full length of Palo Alto's runway.
--
"I think you want to work on those no-flap landings on your solo flights in this airplane, Lee."
"Gladly!!"