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TBM700 HB-KHC crash landing on downwind at Grenchen LSZG

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This morning, a TBM700 crashed while on a circling approach to runway 06 at LSZG/Grenchen, following an RNP24 approach. 3 occupants were flown or driven to hospital with unspecified injuries.

The aircraft had taken off from Lugano (LSZA) and was on an IFR flight to Grenchen. At around 1018 UTC the pilot contacted Grenchen tower while on the RNP approach 24 and was instructed to report breaking off for the circling to runway 06, which the pilot did a few minutes later over “E1”. Grenchen Tower tried to contact the airplane several times thereafter to no avail. The aircraft came down on a field (elevation approximately 1700 ft AMSL) on it’s belly and the tail broken off, but the cabin structurally looking intact.

LSZG 061020Z 07006KT 4000 BR SCT008 OVC014 01/01 Q1034
LSZG 060950Z 07006KT 4500 BR SCT009 OVC014 01/01 Q1034
Grenchen Elevation is 1411 ft.

Shortly after the accident, an examination flight with a very experienced examiner on board called on Grenchen TWR frequency, unaware of the accident. After establishing that the examiner was thus experienced, the tower asked them to search for the aircraft, which they located after flying a search grid. By the time they located the aircraft, some people were already there and an ambulance just arrived. Later, also a SAR helo joined the rescue effort.

While the weather was challenging, various training flights were active during the time of the accident and also the search flight was able to operate VFR and visually locate the airplane on the ground.

Sources:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/475429
https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/bern/mehrere-verletzte-personen-flugzeugabsturz-bei-leuzigen-be-id20564237.html
https://www.20min.ch/

VAT on aircraft parts purchased privately from the EU

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From here

Silvaire wrote:

it is cheaper for me to buy aircraft parts from overseas than the US

Just out of curiosity, which country would that be? From my experience it’s typically like parts from the U.S. are listed cheaper, but including all costs for shipping (and hassle, if import taxes are imposed wrongly etc.) it’s more or less the same or slightly more expensive than buying in Europe. But I haven’t thought about buying parts from other countries than U.S. or Europe…

KAP140 certification diskette / files

20200705029300507

A kind person has sent me a CD with the following (from the readme.txt file)

This CD-ROM contains installation files for the KAP 140 Automatic
Flight Control System. These files are used to program the
configuration module in the aircraft harness, as part of the system
installation procedure. This procedure is discussed in general in the
KAP 140 system installation manual, KPN 006-00991-0000 or latest
version. This manual describes the steps required to enter the
installation menu. From this menu, the "installation setup" option 
should be chosen. This selection will prompt the installer to "upload 
installation file".

Use the text file transfer capability of your terminal program to send
the proper file from this disk. All installation files have a .CER
extension in their filename. Each file has an eight digit number,
which corresponds to the last eight digits of the 722-0xxxx-xxxx
archive for that certification. Associated with each .CER file is a
.TXT file which provides any specific information for installing that
.CER file, including the corresponding aircraft type and the required
strap code in the aircraft harness.

After the file has been uploaded, the PC should display the message, 
"Installation data have been saved in nonvolatile memory". This 
indicates successful programming of the configuration module. If you
do not get this message, you should get an error message describing
the problem that prevented a successful transfer and programming.
Download problems can be caused by: selection of the wrong file, a
corrupted file, interrupted serial data communications, or improper
harness strapping in the aircraft. 

The following are files contained on this disk.  Each aircraft has
one or more gain files associated by strap code.  The strap code
differentiates between aircraft and aircraft/flight computer
certifications.   Multiple gain files associated with the same strap
code provide for a selection (nominal, high and low) of roll gains
to compensate for differing aileron control system friction.


Aircraft	Gain File(s)  Strap Code	Description

Cessna 172 	
		16810000.*	  1		Nominal

Cessna 172
		17650000.*        9		Low Gain
		17660000.*        9		Nominal Gain
		17670000.*        9		High Gain

Cessna 182
		16820000.*        2		Nominal 

Cessna 182S
		17030000.*        6		Early Nominal
		18030000.*        6		Revised Nominal
		18040000.*        6		Low Gain

Cessna 182S
		18000001.*        A		Low Gain
		18010000.*        A		Nominal Gain
		18020000.*        A		High Gain

Cessna 206
		17040001.*        8		Low Gain
		17360001.*        8		Nominal Gain
		17370001.*        8		High Gain

Cessna 182T/T182T
		18740002.*	  C		Low Gain
		18750002.*        C		Nominal
		18780001.*	  C		High Gain

These files are as rare as hen’s teeth unless you are a dealer but they seem to be extremely unwilling to part with them. I am still looking for the KFC225 one for the TB20. I did find a PA46 one years ago.

Flight Design Bankrupt (and restarted)

20200705029300507 Angrybird 2 Hbdwcavtar Vlcsnap error114 Avatar2 Serenity 500px

Sadly, it appears Flight Design is filing or has filed for bankruptcy in Germany.

Since Flight Design was leading in sales for SLSA this bodes badly for the SLSA niche in general and of course for the C4 which was going to redefine price/performance and panel for the 4-seater Part 23 certified market.

Exchange Autopilot options for a TB20

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I’ve question to the experts,
I’d like to get an autopilot like KFC 225 with Vertical Speed operating.
My present equipment is KC191, GNS 550, Sandel 3308 without
VS- operating mode.
Is it possible to exchange the AP?
Is there a better way to get VS-mode?
How much is it for a TB 20? Is it worth to do it?
Can I take a used item ?
Thanks in advance , Thomas

Historic blue spruce routes

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Not sure how significant this change is, but of interest as a historical footnote.

https://ops.group/blog/nat-changes-2025-no-more-blue-spruce-routes/

Peelable sealant for belly panels etc

20200705029300507 Ava C60cb2de ef9e 4791 922a 3f4e4abc2201

Does anyone use this?

It is highly desirable to prevent the ingress of TKS fluid into the belly cavities.

The firm known for the old PR1422 etc (a highly effective 2-pack adhesive-sealant – example) makes such but nobody in Europe stocks it, and – like all the good stuff – it is “hazardous goods” for shipping, or there is a ridiculous MOQ

Seneca V N666NN down February 3, 2025 in Black Forest / Germany

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Only local newspaper articles available so far. 1 on board, no survivor. The only related information available from the news is that the hills were in fog during time of flight, whether it’s relevant or not is up to the investigation to find out. From the pictures it looks like the aircraft disintegrated upon hitting the trees. No fire. Also no mentioning about any quantities of fuel (ground contamination) in the articles.

Südkurier

Schwarzwälder Bote

Pilot

EDXR
Rendsburg / Schachtholm

2025-02-06
Tigerflyer

Pilot
Several reasons: one big one is that sales tax doesn’t apply to labor but anybody starting a small labor-only business has to deal with VAT, passing money from the customer to the government as an…
20200705029300507
It is a 3 pole, IIRC, switch, and it doesn’t last long because it carries the servo clutch solenoid current, which is an inductive load and burns the switch contacts. Otherwise yes a bog standard p…
Img 6493
Here we go. This is the panel of my plane when it was sparkling brand new, just starting its trip across the Atlantic, from Duluth.

And this is the panel today, 20 years later.

The only three …

Pilot
It’s fun to read other’s reactions to flying in places with which you have some familiarity.

I have filed a VFR FPL once in my entire flying history, as a student in 2002 or so. I also tend to ski…

Pilot

In a CFIT incident (if this was one) the pilot is by definition not where he thought he was or intended to be.

61905135 832128000498457 6817995836320907264 o

Not really geofenced. DJI(the biggest actor) now warns the pilot that this airspace is restricted but allows flying once pilot is aware of by clicking a waiver.
And not really “Unrelated” as drone…