Continuing our series on prize winners report backs (from the Christmas bash last year)Flight in Yak 52 – Pierre Myburgh
A chance to fly in a Yak-52!! Courtesy of a very good friend who had actually won the prize at the 2005 year end function, Alexia Michaelides, and decided that a Yak flight was not her idea of a fun afternoon, I gladly (and very quickly) accepted when she offered the prize to me.
The prize had a choice of the flight being a scenic flight, a photographic flight or…aerobatics! I opted for aerobatics, as the closest I’ve come is ‘n flight in a crop sprayer and then of course spinning in a C152, and the curiosity and hunger has always been there to do some proper aerobatics. I contacted Dale Humby very soon after the year end function, and after a few bad weather days, a misfiring mag and the Yak having to go to PE for a MPI, we managed to pin down a day for the flight.
It turned out to be a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the weather was sunny with calm winds, and it promised to be everything I expected it to be. On arrival at Fisantekraal, the Yak was being prepared to be the photo ship to take pictures of a few Jabiru’s, so it gave me ample time to observe and walk around the Yak-52 and some first impressions…
My first impression, it looked Russian. Why? A uncomplicated and strong aircraft. I was immediately impressed, being able to be close to the aircraft, it looks like a aircraft that wants to fly, she just cant wait to get those “stork like” tricycle landing gear retracted and fly! First, from warbirdalley.com, a bit of history about the Yak-52.
The Yakovlev Yak-52 first flew in 1976, and is still being produced in Bacau, Romania, by Aerostar. Designed originally as a primary trainer for students who would later transition to Soviet jet aircraft, the aerobatics-capable (+7g / -5 g) Yak-52 is now often seen in the hands of sports flying enthusiasts from the United States to New Zealand.
A descendant of the single-seat champion aerobatic Yak-50, but with a tricycle-geared
undercarriage that makes it appear more like the earlier Yak-18, the two-seat, all-metal Yak-52 is powered by a 360hp radial engine, the Ivchenko M-14P, with an inverted fuel system that permits inverted flight for as long as two minutes, while drawing fuel from a 5-gallon reserve tank. The engine drives a two-bladed counter-clockwise rotating, variable-pitch, wooden propeller.
An easy airplane to fly, with a fast roll rate, especially to the right, the Yak-52 takes some taxiing adjustment for flyers accustomed to hydraulics, because the plane uses air pressure to operate the brakes (as well as the flaps and landing gear), and also because the non-steerable nosewheel calls for differential braking. Air lines to each cylinder, used for starting the engine, may easily be mistaken for a fuel injection arrangement.
At 2,200 lbs. empty weight, the plane is quite light and agile. While the landing gear is fully retractable, it remains partially-exposed in the retracted position, affording a measure of protection should the plane be forced to land "wheels up." Capable of operating from unimproved grass runways, the aircraft is easily maintained, even "in the field." A newer version of the aircraft, the Yak-52TW, features a tailwheel configuration and is powered by a 400-hp version of the M-14 engine.
Specifications:
Engine: One 360-hp VMKB (Vedenyev) M-14P radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 2,238 lbs., Max Takeoff 2,877 lbs.
Wing Span: 30ft. 6.25in.
Length: 25ft. 5in.
Height: 8ft. 10.25in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 223 mph
Range: 310 miles
Armament: None
Number Built: 1,800+
Number Still Airworthy: 1,200+
Ok, enough history. After removing all loose items that can possibly leave my pockets and start flying around in the cockpit, it was time to start strapping in. Assisted by Dale and comprehensively briefed by on the emergency procedures, I was firmly harnessed to my seat and we were ready to go. As noted above, the differential braking used to taxi is very noticeable and audible as it sounds like a snake “hissing” because it does not want to go straight. Taxing to the hold and after run-ups and vital checks, I got my first feel of the 360hp radial engine. The acceleration is quick, and we were quickly in the air. After a fast fly-by at Fisantrekraal with a fairly steep pull up with a short burst of “g”, and I had my first feeling of what to expect for the rest of the flight.
We headed out towards Simonsberg at 1500ft and the Yak-52 felt great! It was responsive yet firm and stable. After Simonsberg we started climbing towards Franschhoek valley for aerobatics manoeuvres. Using the road between Paarl and Franschhoek as a straight line reference, and having a recovery ceiling of 7500ft, we started off by Dale showing me some basic manoeuvres. A few loops first, wing overs, Immelman and a split S, barrel rolls and ailerons rolls and I had the chance to try a few aileron rolls myself. After the basics, Dale showed me a few more advanced manoeuvres. Half cuban eights, cuban eights, stall turns and a few spins as well as a wonderful moment of prolonged inverted flight. It was magic to look at Table Mountain in the distance, the Drakenstein mountains and Pearl Valley golf course below us, all while being inverted!! We’d been busy for almost 40 minutes, and the time flew past and I could start feeling the effect of not being used to aerobatics, and we decide to head back to Fisantekraal.
As we flew back, there was a layer of low cloud starting to move in from the False Bay area, it was a stunning view and what a view to have after an exhilarating aerobatics flight. We joined the circuit at Fisantekraal all alone and were soon back on terra firma. After we landed, I smiled and smiled…it was a truly awesome flying experience!! It turned out to be much more than what I expected, but also hard work during the manoeuvres to handle all the g-forces imposed on the body. A big thank you to Alexia, as well as to Dale Humby for a truly wonderful and memorable aviation experience.
