Classic Wings Rapide - Precautionary landing at EGLC

[SQUAWKIDENT]

One of the Classic Wings Dragon Rapide's has made a precautionary landing at London City Airport just now after one of the engines started coughing.

I was watching him fly over my house and following on ADSB when he turned back to London City from the Thames near the London Eye. I believe Heathrow ATC called out the local Limehouse Fire Brigade to deal as London City is closed on a Saturday so no fire cover. Thankfully he landed safely and managed to tell Heathrow Approach that all was well.

He could have tried for Biggin but that would have taken him over a densely populated part of south east London. Not nice on one engine. I wonder how he'll get all his PAX back to Duxford! At least the DLR isn't far from the airport...

Always fancied flying/flying in a Dragon Rapide. Fantastic looking "art deco" aircraft. Hope it can be repaired quickly! I wonder what they're like to fly single engine. Has anyone on here flown one?

[treadigraph]

One of the Classic Wings Dragon Rapide's has made a precautionary landing at London City Airport just now after one of the engines started coughing.

I was watching him fly over my house and following on ADSB when he turned back to London City from the Thames near the London Eye. I believe Heathrow ATC called out the local Limehouse Fire Brigade to deal as London City is closed on a Saturday so no fire cover. Thankfully he landed safely and managed to tell Heathrow Approach that all was well.

He could have tried for Biggin but that would have taken him over a densely populated part of south east London. Not nice on one engine. I wonder how he'll get all his PAX back to Duxford! At least the DLR isn't far from the airport...

Always fancied flying/flying in a Dragon Rapide. Fantastic looking "art deco" aircraft. Hope it can be repaired quickly! I wonder what they're like to fly single engine. Has anyone on here flown one?
Good call! And one for the log book!

Great aeroplane to have a ride in, I had a go in G-AIDL out of Biggin with Mike Hood - was it really 40 years ago? - and later in one of Air Atlantique's Rapides from Shoreham. Just missed a ride in the aircraft now with John English (still?) in South Africa - this was at Nakuru circa 1972 and the aircraft was either Tanzanian or Seychellen registered at the time.

Edit: it appears John English (who bought her as 5H-AAN in 1974 - the Seychelles registration I was aware of was apparently never consummated) sold ZS-JGV on a few years ago but a rather protracted rebuild was completed fairly recently and the old girl flies again in her service colours. I forget how 8-year old me fumbled the flight at Nakuru, most of the other Aero Club kids present got a go, I was probably aloft in the back seat of the tugging Citabria or riding in the tow car Pontiac...

[wub]

I used to bag trips in G-AHAG at Compton Abbas in the late 1960s.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/850x707/g_ahag_9b7e5e0b748ca14802b3006610cf0d4601a481fe.jpg

[JEM60]

Made a couple of jumps out of Classic WingsAKIF when it was with the Army Parachute School at Netheravon. I was with the Skydiving Club at Thruxton, with our own Rapide, but it broke an undercarriage strut, so we borrowed AKIF on a Sunday, 59 years ago..........

[ZFT]

Had a flight in one in 61 or 62 at an airshow in SE England. Can't recall exact location but remember that trip so vividly. Brilliant.

[Akrotiri bad boy]

I took a ride with Viv Bellamy out of Lands End. A great trip. I remember the fabric skin and the windows giving a sense of "involvement" as we banked around Longships lighthouse :ok:

[Discorde]

This book (free access from link below) describes the setting up of a small airline in southwest England in the early 1960s, using Dragon Rapides.

Airway to the Isles (https://www.steemrok.com/airwayisles/airway.html)

[chevvron]

Had a flight in one in 61 or 62 at an airshow in SE England. Can't recall exact location but remember that trip so vividly. Brilliant.
Flew with Claire Roberts in Dragon GADDI from Luton on 8 Dec 1964.
First time I'd flown in a civil aircraft, in a biplane and with a female pilot.
Course being a 16 year old ATC cadet, I'd already flown solo in gliders and in several other powered types eg Piston Provost, Shackleton, Beverley etc.
Sadly you don't get that in the Air Cadets nowadays.

[treadigraph]

Classic Wings back in action today, G-AKIF trundling back towards Duxford from a little saunter along the Thames.

[SQUAWKIDENT]

Classic Wings back in action today, G-AKIF trundling back towards Duxford from a little saunter along the Thames.

That's fantastic news treadigraph. Sounds like the engine issue wasn't too difficult to fix then. Last time I flew myself over/around London was over 10 years ago so I must do it again sometime if they let me through their airspace - it looks a bit more complicated now.

Great reminiscences from all thank you.

[megan]

Did a bit of flying in this old girl as a pax as a sixteen year old (1959), few years later our skydive club used the machine and did jump from her. Back in the '30's when the type was new to Oz a pilot I knew, Len Diprose, set a speed record for the Perth to Adelaide airline trip.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1500x1018/0183728_81099f87d71dadc1a80b5ac8bf810801bcacb4b9.jpg

[blue up]

EGLC is an unusual choice for a SE diversion? 5.5 glideslope/PAPIs (no sneaky ducking-under) and frightening daily charges.

[V_2]

That's fantastic news treadigraph. Sounds like the engine issue wasn't too difficult to fix then.

think the poster was referring to their sister ship having a flight. The incident plane is still at LCY, I just taxied past it. Assuming it gets fixed they might have to wait for winds on R09 to get out…?

Well you don’t have to worry about the 5.5 papis when the airport is closed and they are switched off! And under the Strasser scheme there might well be no charges.

[Jhieminga]

EGLC is an unusual choice for a SE diversion? 5.5 glideslope/PAPIs (no sneaky ducking-under) and frightening daily charges.
Dealing with a steep approach path requires drag... something a DH Dragon Rapide should have lots of! Anyway, if you're concerned about your engine(s) any runway will do. Landing at the nearest available airport sounds like a wise decision. Perhaps the pilot explained the risks to the passengers and passed a hat around so that they could chip in a few quid for the landing charges 😉

[treadigraph]

think the poster was referring to their sister ship having a flight.

Indeed, G-AKIF was hauling passengers yesterday, no idea which aircraft is at London City.

I should imagine that London City won't begrudge Classic Wings a small corner for a few days and a free pass out - it's good publicity surely? Not the first Rapide to visit either, quite a few historic aircraft have flown in and out of the site when they've hosted occasional open days on Saturday afternoons. Pretty sure I saw a Rapide in the circuit while walking along the Thames Path on one of those days.

[DHfan]

Did a bit of flying in this old girl as a pax as a sixteen year old (1959), few years later our skydive club used the machine and did jump from her. Back in the '30's when the type was new to Oz a pilot I knew, Len Diprose, set a speed record for the Perth to Adelaide airline trip.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1500x1018/0183728_81099f87d71dadc1a80b5ac8bf810801bcacb4b9.jpg
That's a DH84 Dragon, not a Dragon Rapide.

[OvertHawk]

Dealing with a steep approach path requires drag... something a DH Dragon Rapide should have lots of! Anyway, if you're concerned about your engine(s) any runway will do. Landing at the nearest available airport sounds like a wise decision. Perhaps the pilot explained the risks to the passengers and passed a hat around so that they could chip in a few quid for the landing charges 😉

As for charges - Most UK airports participate in a goodwill agreement that charges are not levied for genuine emergencies and legitimate poor weather diversions.

[barry lloyd]

There were Rapides to be seen oop north as well. The AA aircraft was a regular visitor to the Art Deco terminal at Speke:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1600x750/scan10036_001_3ca188801fd951c38e0debdce44766bbc9281b5d.jpg

After the terminal had been turned into a hotel, this full-scale model of a one-time resident sat outside for a number of years

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1015x580/g_anzp_0648247b978b4bff5b633cb8cf2d8310e0a9c616.jpg

[V_2]

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x717/img_0501_6643911eed8cdb123e7eae6e80be34a2a4f49f72.jpeg
Current situation

[treadigraph]

Current situation

Ah, it's the former Mike Hood/Southern Joyrides G-AIDL, familiar to Biggin regulars - and me! - for many years in the 70s/80s.

[meleagertoo]

I'm surprised that anyone would consider City's published glideslope a factor that would cross a pilots mind for a moment in an emergency in a Rapide.

[ETOPS]

so that they could chip in a few quid for the landing charges

I believe LCY is a member of the Strasser Scheme so no need to pass the hat :ok:

[DaveReidUK]

After it had been turned into a hotel, this full-scale model of a one-time resident sat outside for a number of years

The accommodation must have been a bit cramped. :O

[Allan Lupton]

Good to see Speke in this collection of Rapide photos as my first flight was in a Rapide from the Isle of Man to Speke in about 1946. My father and I had been to visit my manx-resident half-brother and, as the outward boat from Fleetwood was so rough and horrible, father paid up and took me on the first of many commercial airline flights.

[SQUAWKIDENT]

think the poster was referring to their sister ship having a flight. The incident plane is still at LCY, I just taxied past it. Assuming it gets fixed they might have to wait for winds on R09 to get out…?

Well you don’t have to worry about the 5.5 papis when the airport is closed and they are switched off! And under the Strasser scheme there might well be no charges.

Apologies gents - I should have included the reg in the original post - yes it was G-AIDL not its sister ship. I forgot they had two in the fleet at Classic Wings.

Regarding the landing - the wind was westerly so they made a nice gentle circuit into Runway 27 avoiding the office blocks approach into 09.

Sad to see it sitting there rather forlornly. Get better soon G-AIDL!

[treadigraph]

I used to bag trips in G-AHAG at Compton Abbas in the late 1960s.

Just noticed on ADSB that G-AHAG is downwind for Goodwood having crossed over the Channel from Jersey.

[BSAA1947]

Apologies gents - I should have included the reg in the original post - yes it was G-AIDL not its sister ship. I forgot they had two in the fleet at Classic Wings.


I think they still have three, G-AKIF, G-AIDL and G-AIYR. I've certainly flown in all three a few times with Classic Wings, the last being the London flight in G-AIDL three weeks ago.

[barry lloyd]

The accommodation must have been a bit cramped. :O

The suite was at the front of the aircraft of course :O Thanks Dave, now corrected!

[wub]

Just noticed on ADSB that G-AHAG is downwind for Goodwood having crossed over the Channel from Jersey.

G-AHAG was in storage for a bout 30 years and was rebuilt by Ralph Jones of Southern Sailplanes. When I flew in her she was in the colours of Scillonia Airways and was named ‘Bryher’. She has been restored to the Scillonia colours.

[blue up]

I'm surprised that anyone would consider City's published glideslope a factor that would cross a pilots mind for a moment in an emergency in a Rapide.

If you hit an obstacle on approach?

Have you seen the obstacles in the GA?:)

https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2017/01/27/09/citya.jpg?width=1200&height=1200&fit=crop
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/636x300/lcy_bb9fabbb71f082613a54786822b6ee134e53677e.jpg

[meleagertoo]

If you hit an obstacle on approach?

Have you seen the obstacles in the GA?:)

Seriously? Who's going to do a g/a with an engine failure?
Are modern pilots really so welded to the magenta line and adherence to a glideslope that they can't concieve of see and avoid and fly whatever pattern is required to make a precautionary landing?
Proper pilots, the sort that fly Dragon Rapides fortunately don't seem to be hamstrung by such fixed tunnel-vision.

Have I seen? Brother, I've spent more hours low level around Canary Wharf and Docklands than you've had hot dinners, plus operated into the place f/w, so yes, I know it very well indeed.
I've landed a 737 there too (in the sim) that required considerable deviation from the standard approach - it's perfectly do-able (though in that case a g/a would have been ticklish).

[meleagertoo]

If you hit an obstacle on approach?

Have you seen the obstacles in the GA?:)

Who's going to do a g/a with an engine failure?
Are modern pilots really so welded to the magenta line and adherence to a glideslope that they can't concieve of see and avoid and fly whatever pattern is required to make a precautionary landing?
Fortunately proper aviators, the sort that fly Dragon Rapides aren't hamstrung by such fixed tunnel-vision and blind adherence to SOPs.

Have I seen? Brother, I've spent more hours low level amongst Canary Wharf and Docklands than you've had hot dinners, plus operated into the place f/w, so yes, I know it pretty well.
I've landed a 737 there too (in the sim) that required considerable deviation from the standard approach - it's perfectly do-able (though in that case a g/a would have been ticklish).
I'm pretty sure you could fly bog standard circuits at LCY in a slow, small turn-radius aircraft like a Rapide without getting dangerously close to anything at all.

[muggins]

a couple of photos of G-AIDL from 2010 when owned by Air Atlantique. Taken at Perth

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x681/g_aidlrapideegpt20200605_cockpit_792365acd5a1713e1c4230bbbcd 362333e5433f8.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x612/g_aidlrapideegpt20200603_906ba8e0e5324625464452c5dcaab36d861 d424c.jpg

[treadigraph]

Good news is that G-AIDL was flown home yesterday lunchtime and is back in action sighseeing over London today - just abeam Stansted on her way back to Duxford now.

Here be dragons!

[Asturias56]

"landing distance from 50ft is about 600m with no need to use brakes on the grass surface"

So less than that if you find some thing solid to put down on

[kcockayne]

Just noticed on ADSB that G-AHAG is downwind for Goodwood having crossed over the Channel from Jersey.
It had been in Jersey for a few days offering pleasure flights. Don’t know how many It did, but they were taking place at the same time that a two seat Spitfire was doing the same thing. The Spit’ was very busy, but a bit too expensive for me !

[Geriaviator]

This book (free access from link below) describes the setting up of a small airline in southwest England in the early 1960s, using Dragon Rapides.

Airway to the Isles (https://www.steemrok.com/airwayisles/airway.html)

Thank you so much for this link, I had never heard of this website. Anyone who flies biplanes will be spellbound by this book from the dodgy days of 'real' flying. I started it yesterday and couldn't put it down. Long ago I scraped home at 100ft just under the Irish Sea weather, one thing to do so in a Tiger Moth, quite another at 50ft in a Rapide with seven passengers! Other books look equally interesting, this site is a goldmine.

[pendrifter]

Myself and sister at Heathrow very early '50s. You could take a short flight round the airport - didn't get to do it then. But did manage a flight in a Rapide round Cornwall [from Newquay] in May '16. Great trip, but it took three attempts to take the trip. On two earlier occasions taxied out to end of runway when the pilot said was not happy with something about an engine.
"Much better to be down here wishing we were up there, than up there wishing we were down here.'
Oh so true.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1842x1256/heathrow_53__86681af8a41bb46e68f4fbfd79696b2f90dee454.jpg

[BEagle]

What was the cause of G-AIDL's engine problem?

[First_Principal]

At the risk of a slight hi-jack I thought some people might like the following photographs of a Dragon Rapide (and C-47) some 12,000 miles away from G-AIDL.

I took these in 2007, the astute amongst you will see that here we hang the DC's on the other side of the control column, something to do with the coriolis affect perhaps ;)



https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_0590_2b06185d861d7c9ca98a94707f5f94ab453fcde8.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_0605_e47ec812f59ec85556507de9c503b6de574e575f.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_0609_8f2d1ca538c9f9c71d3354b4cb0b9ea417a44e9e.jpg

[chevvron]

Myself and sister at Heathrow very early '50s. You could take a short flight round the airport - didn't get to do it then. But did manage a flight in a Rapide round Cornwall [from Newquay] in May '16. Great trip, but it took three attempts to take the trip. On two earlier occasions taxied out to end of runway when the pilot said was not happy with something about an engine.
"Much better to be down here wishing we were up there, than up there wishing we were down here.'
Oh so true.

I can remember those; you had to walk across 08R/26L to get to where the central area was being built, that runway being truncated due to the construction of the tunnel. There were several light aircraft parked there and while there two Meteors taxied in and parked there too.