Exhibits at AeroExpo 09
This year Wycombe Air Park and AeroExpo Europe hosted over 130 general aviation exhibitors. On display were aircraft manufacturers such as Cirrus and Piper, but if buying the latest aircraft was out of your reach then you could view the latest avionics equipment from Garmin and Trig Avionics, and shop for accessories from Transair and Pooleys.
For a full list of exhibitors go to the AeroExpo Exhibitors List.
Cirrus UK
This year Cirrus UK demonstrated two aircraft, an SR22-G3X the world's best selling single engine 4 seat aircraft, and an SR20-G3. This SR20 arrived into the UK during the week of the Expo from the Cirrus manufacturing base at Deluthe, Minnesota. The aircraft routed via Canada, Greenland, Iceland, landing in the UK in Wick before travelling down to Wycombe Air Park in time for the AeroExpo.
British Airways Flying Experience
Once again the BA
Flight Crew Customer First Team were manning their mobile B737
simulator at AeroExpo. This year following a refit and
software upgrade, the experience was even more lifelike, with
realistic Boeing 737-400 glass cockpit instrumentation and
high-resolution outside world visual display. The simulator
also featured a realistic B737 interactive flight deck environment
with fully operational control columns, gear and flap levers, nose
wheel steering and brakes. Engine roar, runway rumble and
other realistic sounds add greatly to the flying experience.
As always the simulator was available to hire by visitors to the site becoming fully booked very early each day. Participants actually landed the simulated B737-400 with full instruction from British Airways Flight Crew. On completion they received a printed certificate showing their final approach and landing, signed by their instructor.
To top it all every penny earned by the simulator raised much needed money for local charities High Flight and Dreamflight.
Youngsters all over the United Kingdom benefit from a day with High Flight, who provide flight training for disabled and disadvantaged young people. Those who are terminally ill and want to fulfill a final dream or those from a disadvantaged background are given an experience that they will remember for the rest of their, sometimes short, lives.
Dreamflight provide terminally ill and disabled children with the holiday of a lifetime, by flying them to the theme parks of Florida.
The Flight Crew team aimed to raise around £2000 for these deserving charities during AeroExpo Europe 2009.
Yakovlevs Display Team
The Yakovlevs Formation Aerobatic
Display Team had their aircraft on show at the Exhibition,
including one each of their YAK50 and YAK52, with display pilot
Peter Scandrett on hand to answer visitors questions.
The Yakovlevs provide air displays which have won universal aclaim for their graceful and exciting formation aerobatics. Based out of Compton Abbas airfield, the Yakovlevs fly three YAK50's and one YAK52.
RotorSport Gyroplanes
Undoutedly one of the newest and
most unusual planes on display at AeroExpo Europe 2009 was the
Calidus Gyroplane. First time exhibitors to AeroExpo, RotorSport UK spent time
demonstrating their aircraft and introducing visitors to the sport
of gyroplane flying.
RotorSport have made great inroads since starting operations in 2005, having 55 of their MT Series open cockpit gyroplan now flying in the UK. However, the aircraft catching most attention was the new Calidus enclosed cockpit aircraft. Manufactured in Germany, the Calidus is now sold out through to early next year on advanced orders alone. The aircraft is expected to gain CAA approval in Autumn of 2009.
Zephyr Aviation
One of the largest aircraft on display at AeroExpo
2009 was the Beechcraft King Air 200 operated by Zephyr Aviation, an
executive charter company based at Wycombe Air Park.
The King Air has been in continuous production since the mid-1960's, and is the most succeessful twin-engine turbo-prop in it's class having outsold all of its competitors combined.
Because of it's STOL capabilities Zephyr are able to use many local airports around the UK and Europe to provide a service which gets closer to the customer's door.
