Grob G 115

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

The Grob G 115 is an advanced 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 Royal Air Force service as an elementary flying trainer. Which means it is also very useful for a wide variety of flying techniques.

Design

The aircraft is constructed of carbon composite materials. The main fuselage and each wing spar is a single piece. It has a fixed Tricycle undercarriage with spatted wheels, a short nose bearing the 180 hp engine and a 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller. The cockpit features a broad canopy arch with good forward visibility and with side-by-side seating for pilot and student. 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 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 carry British civilian registrations under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme, painted overall white with blue flashes and RAF roundels.

RAF Elementary Flying Training (EFT) is taught on the Grob Tutor at RAF Cranwell and Wyton by reserve squadrons teaching the EFT syllabus to direct entrants and former UAS students, with students streamed according to ability: Fast Jet, Rotary Wing, Multi-Engine or non-pilot roles.

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.

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

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. Other than the cockpit modifications these aircraft are exactly the same as the standard Tutors with the exception of an extra VHF aerial for the new GPS system.

The Defence Elementary Flying Training School at RAF Barkston Heath also operates the Tutor.

Operators

United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force - 117 aircraft
  • University of Birmingham UAS - DCAE Cosford
  • Bristol UAS - Colerne Airfield
  • Cambridge UAS - RAF Wyton
  • East of Scotland UAS - RAF Leuchars
  • East Midlands UAS - RAF Cranwell
  • Glasgow and Strathclyde UAS - Glasgow International Airport
  • Liverpool UAS - RAF Woodvale
  • Manchester & Salford UAS - RAF Woodvale
  • Northumbrian Universities UAS - RAF Leeming
    

    

    Grob Tutor at RIAT 2010.
  • Oxford University UAS - RAF Benson
  • Southampton University Air Squadron - Boscombe Down
  • University of Wales UAS - St Athan
  • University of London UAS - RAF Wyton
  • Yorkshire Universities UAS - RAF Church Fenton
  • 1 Air Experience Flight - St Athan
  • 2 Air Experience Flight - Boscombe Down
  • 3 Air Experience Flight - RAF Colerne
  • 4 Air Experience Flight - Glasgow International Airport
  • 5 Air Experience Flight - RAF Wyton
  • 6 Air Experience Flight - RAF Benson
  • 7 Air Experience Flight]- RAF Cranwell
  • 8 Air Experience Flight - DCAE Cosford
  • 9 Air Experience Flight - RAF Church Fenton
  • 10 Air Experience Flight - RAF Woodvale
  • 11 Air Experience Flight - RAF Leeming
  • 12 Air Experience Flight - RAF Leuchars
  • 16(R) Squadron - RAF Cranwell
  • 57(R) Squadron - RAF Wyton
  • 85(R) Squadron - RAF Church Fenton
  • 115(R) Squadron - RAF Cranwell
  • Defence Elementary Flying Training School - RAF Barkston Heath

• Royal Navy - 5 aircraft
  • 727 NAS - RNAS Yeovilton

• Lancashire Aero Club
• Tayside Aviation - 5 aircraft

Egypt

• Egyptian Air Force - 74 aircraft

Australia

• Adelaide Flight Training Centre - 9 aircraft
• Australian Flying School - 8 aircraft
• China Southern West Australian Flying College - 38 aircraft

United Arab Emirates

• United Arab Emirates Air Force - 12 aircraft

Norway

• Norwegian Aviation College - 4 aircraft

Belgium

• Ostende Aviation college - 3 aircraft
• Aeroclub Keiheuvel - 1 aircraft

Specifications (G 115E/EG)

Data from http://www.grob-aircraft.eu/index.php/18.html

General characteristics

• Crew: Max two (typically 1 student & 1 instructor)
• Length: 7.54 m (24 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 10.0 m (32 ft 8 in)
• Height: 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 12.2 m² (131.4 ft²)
• Empty weight: 690 kg (1,518 lb)
• Loaded weight: 55kg (121lbs)
• Useful load: 320kg (705lbs)
• Max. takeoff weight: 990 kg (2,183 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360-A1B6 4-cylinder air-cooled piston engine, 139 kW (180 hp)
• Max Fuel Capacity: 143 l

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 343 km/h (185 knots, 213 mph)
• Cruise speed: 230 km/h (124 kn, 143 mph)
• Stall speed: 96km/h (52 Kn, 60 mph)
• Range: 1,150 km (620 nm, 710 miles)
• Service ceiling: 3,050 m (10,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 5.3 m/s (1050 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 81.1 kg/m² (16.6 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 5.5 kg/hp (12.1 lbs/hp)
  
• g limits +6.0/-3.0g

Incidents and Accidents

• 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 cousins Nikkita Marie Walters, 13, and Katie-Jo Davies, 14. Both were members of 1004 (Pontypridd) Squadron Air Training Corps. The pilots were Fg Off Hylton Price from Bridgend and Flt Lt Andrew Marsh from Vale of Glamorgan. Both were members of 1 AEF St Athan

• 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.

• 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.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• BAe Scottish Aviation Bulldog
• PAC CT4 (Pacific Aerospace Limited)
• Slingsby Firefly
  

Related lists

• List of active United Kingdom military aircraft
• List of aircraft of the RAF
• List of civil aircraft
  

References

• Winchester, Jim."Grob Tutor: Aircraft of the RAF Part 12". Air International, April 2009, Vol 76, No. 4. pp. 52–55.

External links

• G115 page on the Grob Aircraft website
• Photo of Grob Tutor Cockpit
• The RAF Tutor page
• Grob Tutor G115E Review by Today's Pilot
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