Druine Turbulent

Dave Pitman · Post by **Dave Pitman** » Tue May 05, 2009 5:17 pm

Hi
I have always dreamt of owning a Druine Turbulent, but after reading some blogs from the USA I am not so sure.
Does anyone have any views on this aircraft?

Sub question, I have never built an aircraft before - would the complexities of a Turbulent be beyond someone with 'average' skills.

Dave

macconnacher · Post by **macconnacher** » Tue May 05, 2009 5:52 pm

The turb is a delightful aircraft but from a homrbuilding point it is relatively a light structure and thus prone to damage if you are hamfisted.

The plans are available from LAA but if you are over 14 stone there may some difficulties in getting a reasonable performance.

There are similar aircraft available to build such as the Jodel D.92, the Brugger Colibri, Taylor Monoplane and Corby Starlet but it might be better to look for an existing aircraft or project that needs completion.

Before you make a desision to go and look at existing flying examples e.g the Tiger Club at Headcorn and speak with their owners. I am sure that others with closer connections to the Turb will answer this thread.

Good Luck

cardiffrob · Post by **cardiffrob** » Tue May 05, 2009 6:50 pm

How about a FRED instead? I'm in Llantwit Major. Want to come and see one here? Nobody has ever had a noteworthy injury in a FRED other than underwear damage and splinters. The designer crashed his enough times to prove a decent safety record.

Rob FOGGY Thomas
01446 795489

Dave Pitman · Post by **Dave Pitman** » Tue May 05, 2009 7:02 pm

Foggy

Never heard of a FRED, however I'm a bit dull when it comes to LAA stuff (only joined the forum today).

Would love to see the FRED, where do you fly from?

Regards,

Dave

Nigel Ramsay · Post by **Nigel Ramsay** » Tue May 05, 2009 8:01 pm

Dave,
Try a PM to Jonathan Wilkins. He's got a Turb at Headcorn and would no doubt be happy to tell you more. A Jodel D9 is a more gentlemanly a/c than a Turb and it can manage a few more kts than a FRED

Jonathan Wilkins · Post by **Jonathan Wilkins** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:54 pm

Ah.......this is i !!

Thanks Nigel. Dave if you are serious about the Turb, dont take any notice of our american friends, pop down to Headcorn where we have 6 Turbs including mine and i would be very happy to show you round them and have a chat.

Unfortunately i couldnt tell you too much about the build as i have not built one although i am aware that they arent the easiest homebuild, mine took 6 years to build by an ex RAF engineer. However it may give you a more detailed idea of what you are looking for! PM me if you are interested.

Dave Pitman · Post by **Dave Pitman** » Wed May 06, 2009 11:08 am

Jonathan
Many thanks. Will take you up on the offer soon.

Regards,

Dave

mhunt1 · Post by **mhunt1** » Wed May 06, 2009 5:40 pm

Dave

I have had one of these on the go for a long time, if you wish send me a pm and I will make contact fora natter.

Malcolm

Dave Pitman · Post by **Dave Pitman** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:41 pm

Just finished on WII fit, I'm over 90kgs so that's the end of that!

macconnacher wrote:The turb is a delightful aircraft but from a homrbuilding point it is relatively a light structure and thus prone to damage if you are hamfisted.

The plans are available from LAA but if you are over 14 stone there may some difficulties in getting a reasonable performance.

There are similar aircraft available to build such as the Jodel D.92, the Brugger Colibri, Taylor Monoplane and Corby Starlet but it might be better to look for an existing aircraft or project that needs completion.

Before you make a desision to go and look at existing flying examples e.g the Tiger Club at Headcorn and speak with their owners. I am sure that others with closer connections to the Turb will answer this thread.

Good Luck

ColinC · Post by **ColinC** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:06 pm

I have it in mind that the Jodel D9 has the best lifting capacity! If thinking of building then the space to build the one-piece wing becomes significant.

rogcal · Post by **rogcal** » Fri May 08, 2009 10:43 am

At 14 and a half stone, my Veep gets me off of my 280m strip in 150m and lands in the same distance.

Cruises at 80kts too!

You'll need a shoe horn to get into a Fred if you're a bit on the big side and if you have any back or hip problems, forget it.

My back, hips and knees may be shot but climbing into the cockpit of a Veep is a doddle for me.

As for building one, it couldn't be simpler.

It may not be a beauty to look at like the Turbi but it flies and flies well!

Nigel Ramsay · Post by **Nigel Ramsay** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:08 pm

Sorry but I can't resist this!

I have heard that the chances of rescue after crashing a VP are slim, because people spotting the wreckage assume it's just an old wardrobe someone has dumped.

Only joking, honest guv!

rogcal · Post by **rogcal** » Tue May 12, 2009 7:15 pm

Ah but like many old wardrobes that are easy to fix, just a quick visit to B&Q for some screws 'n glue and she's back in the air within a jiffy.

Try that with a Turbi or Taylor Mono!

chrismk260 · Post by **chrismk260** » Wed May 27, 2009 8:32 am

oh dear now i going to say sorry to as i jumping on the wagon with nigel ramsay here !
the veep ! eh but in defence to nigels's coment about walking away from a firm incident in a veep i know some one who managed to run lol when he got to the tower no one belived him thou until they went to look at the mfi flat pack wardrob that sat on the airfiled perimeter road. the od thing is the engine failed above a two and a half mile millitry runway but he opted to try and glide home ok i admit the words glide and vp should not really go together but strange things happen on the plus side at least it made the airfiled (just) and rather than going to b&q and have it flying in a jiffy maybe putting the bits in a jiffy bag and calling it a day could be a move foward lol joking aside we all need to get in the air i looked at a veep once its a means to getting up there just a shame the cab is well the skoda of the skys

Nigel Ramsay · Post by **Nigel Ramsay** » Thu May 28, 2009 5:06 pm

To be fair, I wasn't really having a go, it was just a humerous crack someone else made which I found very funny! I currently read the VP Group site on Yahoo because of my interest in VW engines and there are some interesting renderings of the once slab-sided 'entry level' machines. They do indeed get you flying, which after all is what that matters! They are also very much in the spirit ofthe PFA self-build ...er sorry LAA self-build aircraft.

Now then; where's that instruction sheet... fit tab1 into slot2...... er.....