Objective
To provide a display of classic aerobatics which will entertain, excite and educate the spectators at an affordable cost to the organiser of an event.
Pilot background
1954 – present date
Barry Tempest
- Is a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Historic Aircraft Association along with the British Aerobatic Association.
- Has over 13,000 hours of flying experience in some 350 types and variants of light aircraft including over 8,000 hours instructing.
- Started display flying in 1958 and has over 2,300 public airshow performances in the UK and many other countries including France, Germany and the USA.
- Was a founder member of the Barnstormers Flying Circus in 1963 and, in 1971, flew with the famed Rothmans Aerobatic Team in Stampe biplanes.
- Has won numerous aerobatic competitions and display awards in the UK.
- His career in aviation included the role of Chief Flying Instructor at a number of UK Flying Schools, training commercial pilots and flying instructors, air taxi work throughout Europe plus ferrying aircraft to the Middle East. From 1984 to 1997, as a Flight Standards Officer in the UK Civil Aviation Authority, his responsibilities included the regulation and oversight of all civil Air Displays in the UK.
- Was a Flying Instructor Examiner for some 28 years and is a CAA appointed Display Authorisation Evaluator covering a wide range of aircraft.
- He is 66 years old, married with two grown-up children, and lives at Kings Cliffe near Peterborough.
Aircraft
Steen SKYBOLT biplane G-KEST
- Homebuilt in the USA in 1979 and imported into the UK in the early 1980’s. A total rebuild was completed during the period 1993 to 1997 by a small group of keen aviation enthusiasts in the Leicester area. The aircraft is based at Leicester Aerodrome with the Leicestershire Aero Club.
- Has two seats and is stressed for aerobatics with "G" limits of plus 6 and minus 3. The maximum permissible airspeed is 170 mph and the stalling speed is 60 mph. Maximum range is around 270 miles at a cruising speed of 120 mph.
- Constructed with a steel tube fuselage, spruce timber wings and covered in fabric. It is fitted with VHF radio and a GPS navigation receiver.
- Powered by a 200 horsepower Lycoming IO-360 engine with full inverted fuel and oil systems. It has a Hartzell metal, constant speed, propeller. Fuel consumption averages around 36 litres per hour, 40% more in displays.
- The handling qualities are excellent but demand an experienced pilots skills.