This is a channel dedicated to restoring G-AWWM a GY201 Gardan Minicab. It was originally built in France as F-BFOQ and first flew in 1955. It was imported to the UK in 1970 with 897 hours. It spent the next 22 years , 420 hours in Sherburn and then Markington. At some point after that the covering was removed for a re-cover but never completed and it sat in a barn until acquired by us in 2017 in a rather sorry state. This channel has been set up to document our adventures with G-AWWM over the past 3 years and into the future on our adventure to bring it back to life!
I have been given a Gardan Minicab. At the moment it's assorted parts in the garage. The build quality is very good, but I have no paperwork yet. Wish you all the best, remember it is always worth the effort. Cris R
I've not flown either of them (I am too tall :-D) but my friend describes it as not dynamically stable, requiring constant input, except in the cruise. Very responsive to stick movements being so short and short winged.
@@tinolino58 some people build a larger horizontal stabilizer and most are also stretching the fuselage 14 inches or so. This will help with stability. But these are not beginner planes. Just happen to be cheap to build.
@@EllipsisAircraft I love KRs! But I am to tall for them. Bought a Mooney. Now I am retired and I am drawing my single seater. Calculations are done. But I have to learn CAD. 😥 Motorcycle, traveling, yachting keep me away from the project. Will see.. have fun!
Hi, thanks for the note, no more videos posted yet - life has stalled progress somewhat and a few difficult technical repair pieces. Very happy to chat and share pictures / info if that would help. G-AWWM has not flown for nearly 30 years (last flight in the logs was 1995) so no footage available from then... I have built up a whole directory of info on minicab in general from old magazine articles to old plans, etc.
That's really exciting! Very happy to share any pics or knowledge I can with you as you embark on your build journey!. I've not had much time to put up more videos recently but do have plenty more footage. Where are you based?
@Lorne H "restoring-a-gar-9924@pages.plusgoogle.com" is the email on this channel if you message me on that, I'll reply with my details - it would be lovely to touch base! What is the Reg of yours?
@Lorne H if that address doesn't work, feel free to drop your contact details on here and I'll email you (and can delete the comment after so your details don't stay on here)
Hi Benji, this is something that I assumed I would really enjoy so I did a trial but was surprised by how i unexciting I found it I didn’t pursue. What was your experience did you find it exciting right from the start or is it something that gets better as you take more control etc? Might try it again
Hi, thanks so much for the question! For me flying is very much connected to freedom and adventure! I think when you start learning to fly it is a very steep learning curve so a lot of hard work, but as you develop and gain skills and a lot of the learning converts into muscle memory and you have headspace to be able to look out, enjoy the view, push yourself to go new places you have never been before (like my trip down to Damyn's hall) and to keep learning... I think there are several milestones that really up the excitement... when you do your first landing with you controlling and the instructor takes their hands off the controls... when you do your first solo, first navigation (without getting lost :-D)...
@@minicabadventures6209 ok thanks I think I will giv it a go again. Do pop in if u ever land down at white Waltham, we’re down the road (largest grass runway in Europe)
Oh cool - what was the reg of the one you owned? Do you know if it is still flying? I'd love to see it - I have a collection of photos of different minicabs looking at the little minor differences between them that different builders have done. - I just did a quick intro video about what my project was like when I got it - hope to have it flying in the next year or so....
@@minicabadventures6209 Mine was G-BEBR. Had an 0-200 engine which gave it a very respectable 100knot cruise. Now written off I believe after a crash following fuel starvation (ran out of fuel on takeoff…….. I’ll leave that one to your imagination!). Very sad
Lots of great photos of her online - shame about the crash - G-INFO showing cancelled by CAA, but reinstatement underway - so maybe some restoration work going on?
I collected the plane from Liverpool. It's now in Suffolk with me. As far as I can make out the project was started in 1970/71 by two gentlemen, sadly one has passed away. It was offered up in the LAA magazine so we made enquiries and got hold of it. Unfortunately the plans have been lent to some one and misplaced. No other documents exist so I'm not sure how I'm going to register it or finish it. We are building some Flitzer biplane so they are on hold until we get organised. The family of the deceased are keen to see something done with it. So here goes I made them a promise to do what ever I could. I will keep you in the loop. Kind regards Cris Richards
Great introduction to what seems quite a bigger project than I first thought it would be. Seems to be a few technical issues with the recording but the voice-over was great and clear. Thank you will be following with interest.
Thanks for the encouraging comments - yes rather a daunting project - hopefully taking others on the journey with me like this will keep me motivated to get her in the air again :-) Yeah, I had some frame drops while recording that I didn't spot until I published - I know what has caused it and how to fix, but wanted to keep the momentum going so published anyway. It will be fixed in the next one.
100% agree! But he did previously fly it from there, so experience existed, but hindsight might well say another location would be better to tweak final things for the next flight...
That seems a very tight strip to test fly from, that mast at the end as well, is that there just to ramp up the awkwardness? Took a very long time for him to climb out as well I assume he was feeling the aircraft. It would have been good to hear what his thoughts were before and after the flight. Enjoyed the video though, thank you for posting.
Thanks so much for the comment and questions - yes, very short, probably too short as we learned from the experience, but it is where the aircraft was. He is doing some more testing from a longer runway not too far away! The long climb out was proably due to him feeling out the aircraft, the land slopes away beyond so he had room, I think 9 years since flying it, there was probably more practice needed. The KR2 is very short aircraft and needs a lot of back stick to get in to the climb and has a very short CoG range, I know he is looking in to this and the trim range. Good idea about putting some of my thoughts at the beginning and end - I'll look to incorporate that more - lots to learn :-)
Pitching up to anticipated Vy on a new aircrafts maiden flight is a terrible idea. This fellow did everything right. Stayed in ground effect, gained sufficient flying speed, and cruise-climbed over obstacles without the knee-jerk reaction of pitching up, losing speed, and stalling. Once you determine if the aircraft is trimmed and what it's stall behavior is, and what works best for Vy, then you can fly it to it's performance potential.
Hi Dr Carlo, there are reciprocal agreements with most European countries for LAA permitted aircraft to fly to their territories. I've not done it yet, but know many who have.... one day :-)
Thanks so much @Tyler - yes that's the next edit I'm working on. Put these first ones up to give the back story of the inspiration on how I got started :-)
Oh wow - amazing! I saw about that number at the rally in total, but didn't get footage of them all - was too busy speaking to the owners and getting to sit in them. I've got photos of a few of the interesting differences in them - maybe the subject of a nerdy video - things like elevator attachment gaps. trim round the base of the tail, parcel shelf and engine cowlings. All bits not really on the original plans where each builder has made their own decisions.
