Flyer 02 2011

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036 FLYER FEBRUARY 2011 ▼

Sbach 342FLIGHT TEST

Aerobatic ace

Steve Jones

tests the Sbach

342, a new,

action-packed aerobatic

two-seater with a whopping

400° per second roll rate

Parked on a crowded apron, the Sbach’sappearance is partway between an RV-8

and a bar of soap. Squat and purposeful,but curvaceous and slippery. An exotic

dancer, resting among taxi drivers.Philipp Steinbach wanted to produce the

world’s finest freestyle aerobatic aircraft, and partof the original design brief was to mimic the

whacky handling characteristics of some radio-controlled model aircraft that he had observed.On meeting Philipp, he appears to be the hippy

son of a mad professor. After spending time withhim, and listening to some of his technicalexplanations, it is clear that he is the mad

Photography Duncan Cubitt

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restrictions on what colour it is painted. Itdoesn’t have to be white. Continuing the

walkround reveals a few items to note: a fully-castoring tailwheel, so brakes will be neededfor steering; huge ailerons, with servo-spadesattached to their bottom surfaces to reducecontrol forces; single hinge-pins in all controlsurfaces to allow rapid disassembly; and an

unusual arm operating the elevator tab. Also,two air intakes for the two oil coolers necessaryfor the large, standard 315hp IO-580

Lycoming. There isn’t a whole lot to look at.Climbing in is easy and, once seated,

everything is very civilized. Feet wide apart on

professor. Clever, committed and teamed up withsome decent financial backers. Based in a

purpose-built factory two hours drive south of Berlin, they have put a vast amount of time andmoney into getting this, and its single-seat brother,through EASA certification. They are nearly there.

Certainly, as you stroll towards the aircraft, itdoes look different – it is unusually short-coupled.

The wing is close to the tail. It looks as though itmight be pretty lively in pitch and yaw. A pre-flightinspection reveals that this is a serious piece of kit.

It has a thick, symmetrical-section, wing andtailplane, plus a massively thick fin, and vastcontrol surfaces. While the thickness of wing

doesn’t mean much in terms of handling (apartpossibly from increasing the drag a little), its deep

spar probably does add to the strength of thedesign. As for the symmetrical section, this meansthat it should fly nicely while inverted. The wholepackage looks extremely strong and makes youwonder what the heck it was designed to do. Eventhe servo/trim tab on the elevator looks as though

you could stand on it if you wanted to.The whole airframe is an industrial-strength

carbon structure and has the beautiful look and

finish of a modern sailplane. Because the pre-impregnated structure is cured at hightemperature, I am told that there are few

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comfortable yet still produces an impressive climbrate and angle. From brake release to 2,000fttakes 43 seconds. I allow the speed to increase

to 120kt for more gentlemanly progress, thenreduce power to 25in of manifold pressure (MP)and 2,500rpm. At light weights, this givesabout 2,000fpm, which ought to be enough formost days.

On experimenting with the controls it becomes

apparent that our earlier estimates were correct,they are sensitive. In other aircraft, people oftendescribe this by saying that you only have to think of turning, for it to happen. Not so with the Sbach,if you think of turning, it produces about 70° of bank and about 4g. It is better to imagine a distant

relative who is thinking of turning. That seems togenerate a 30° banked turn, which is much moresensible and less alarming to onlookers.

Likewise the elevator, care is required. Rarelydoes the stick need to be moved fore or aft. The

merest thought by the distant relative will cater formost elevator requirements. The aircraft is stable,but very sensitive. A conscious effort has to bemade to keep hands and feet still. Until the knack is gained, continuous gentle wanderings persist.It doesn’t take long to get used to the required

super-light-touch-combined-with-steady-upper-body technique, and once mastered, it is difficultto stop smiling.

The cruise performance and fuel capacity areimmense (105lt in each wing and 65lt in thefuselage) but the wing tanks must be empty for

aerobatics. I started with a full ‘acro’ fuselage tank plus 20lt in the left wing. That allows most of the

A tall stick and nicely laidout cockpit. Everything is within easy reach

the adjustable rudder pedals, comfortably reclined,switches nicely within reach, basic VFRinstrumentation (engine instruments are

disappointingly basic), seven-point harness andnot a bad view (except forwards). The aileron andelevator circuits have virtually no friction or play,the rudder has just a little friction. The stick isunusually long; if it is pulled fully back, the pilot’shand will be level with his sternum. Some people

will find this odd, but I like it, it reminds me of thelovely Sukhoi.

ImpressiveThis is a simple aeroplane, so pre-start actions arequick. The usual things… with special attention to

making sure that the canopy is locked, the fuel ison to whichever tank you like (for planning, take-off will be done on the main fuselage tank), theelectric elevator trim is in the take-off range(although forces are so light it doesn’t really

matter). I give a few seconds of prime with theelectric fuel pump before applying the toe-brakesand turning the key to start. The engine awakensinto quiet, silky-smooth life. For a hot-start, I find itimpossible to hold the stick back, brake, turn thekey, move the throttle back and the mixture to

rich, all simultaneously, so I just cope.On the ground, there is a fair bit of weight on

the tailwheel, so holding the stick back is not asvital as on some types. With the engine runningthere is little to do apart from get going. Forwardvision is standard for a sporty tailwheel aircraft, i.e.

none straight ahead, so a moderate weave isnecessary to avoid embarrassment. Normal

taxiways present no problem, but care is requiredon the narrowest of tracks and, if in a veryconfined space, remember the aileron spades

protruding below the wing. Very little power isrequired to taxi on tarmac, so there is little washover the rudder. Asymmetric brake and a whiff of power are necessary to achieve turns. On a verylong taxi, with a tail or crosswind, this might getthe brakes hot, so I try to be gentle.

Power checks are pure Lycoming and pre-take-off checks standard (electric fuel pump on).However, before launching down the runway, it isworth remembering the large size of the controlsurfaces and the short fuselage. This is probablynot an aeroplane that appreciates having its

controls thrashed about while on, or close to, theground. Again, be gentle. Line up carefully on therunway centre and trundle forward to straightenthe tailwheel.

Today there is an 8kt crosswind from the

right, so I apply a whisker of right aileron. Pauseand take a deep breath, then stick aft of neutraland throttle smoothly but firmly to full power.This produces rapid acceleration and a bit of a driftto the left, a tad of right rudder as the stick iseased forward to lift the tail. Still no vision directly

forward but ample either side of the nose. I justhave time to think, ‘Very straightforward,’ when webecome airborne.

No drama with the take-off. Book speed forclimb is 95kt indicated, which gives a very steeppitch attitude. I try to do this but can’t bring myself

to raise the nose quite far enough, I end upclimbing at 105kt. Even this is not particularly

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With 315hp on tap, the merestthought of back stick producesa 5g pull-up

initial flight to be done using fuel from the leftwing, then change to acro for the rest of the test.Like most aircraft in this class, with low levels of

fuel in the wing-tanks, it is easy to uncover thepick-up, even in gentle manoeuvring. Twice theengine coughs because of this. A reminder not tomishandle the tanks near the ground.

Power demands respectI am beginning to realise that the sheer power of these controls means this aircraft demandsrespect. With power comes responsibility, and toexplore this aeroplane while carrying a passengerwould require caution. For example, according tothe Flight Manual, ‘full and abrupt’ aileron

application is permitted at Vne. That is not for thefaint-hearted, or for most passengers. This needsto be fully appreciated if passengers are to remainunscathed. Similarly, some other limitations wouldallow serious harm to come to the uninitiated, the

+/-10g aerobatic limit for example. Responsibilitywould be required.

Luckily, I don’t have anyone in the front seat.When I was preparing for flight, suddenly theywere all busy. So, after emptying the last few litresfrom the wing-tanks, I am ready for aerobatics.

Setting 23in MP and 2,300rpm at 3,000ft gives170kt IAS. After HASELL checks, general handlingis explored. At cruise speed, I tense my neck muscles and try the ‘full and abrupt’ aileronapplication. This is very different from most otheraircraft. One moment we are cruising serenely, a

nanosecond later we are rolling at about 400° asecond. BAM!

Stopping is the same, ‘click’ the stick into the

centre and BAM, no more roll. On the first attemptI abandon the idea of stopping after one rotation,it is too quick. We are on the second roll before

I can judge when to stop. After a few goes itbecomes easy, and then every time there are aspare few seconds I find myself whanging in alightning-quick roll. BAM-ROLL-BAM. Highlyaddictive and likely to get you banned from lotsof places.

But I digress. The stall is preceded by gentlebut increasing buffet, comes at 52kt IAS and iseasily recovered with or without power. Power-off spins, upright or inverted, seem innocuous.

However I do find myself concentrating hard

when inverted to make certain no out-spin aileronis applied unintentionally. I reckon these powerfulailerons could change the characteristics of thespin dramatically, so I don’t experiment.

Continuing to explore, I slow to 80kt. Even atthis speed the controls are vastly more effective

than most aircraft. I nudge the nose up a littlethen apply full left aileron, a complete roll takesabout two seconds. Not bad for final approachspeed. Slow- and four-point rolls can also be doneat this speed. Gone are the days of diving for aroll. At 120kt I try some flick rolls. There are no big

surprises, but practice would be required toachieve suitable panache. Maximum allowedspeed for these is 174kt. Flicking at that speed

should come with a knighthood.Now, from 1,500ft I increase rpm to the

maximum of 2,700 and push on full throttle.

There is little need to trim, so I don’t bother.


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■DIMENSIONS Wingspan ......................................................7.5m/24ft 7inLength .......................................................6.67m/21ft 11inHeight................................................................2.3m/7ft 6in

■WEIGHTS & LOADINGSEmpty weight ...........................................635kg/1,400lbMauw (aerobatic)..................................850kg/1,875lbTake-off weight .....................................999kg/2,200lbFuel .....................................................................65lt/17.1usg

■PERFORMANCE

Max level speed IAS @ 3,000ft .......................205ktCruise 75% ...................................................................185ktRoll rate........................................................170kt 420/secStall......................................................................................55kt Vy ..........................................................................................95ktRate of climb......................................................2,800fpmRange, FL100, 200kt TAS...................................950nmFuel consumption (aerobatic) ....................... 110lphFuel consumption (touring @ 200kt) ...........65lph

■COST

Ex-factory base price ...................................€279,000

■ENGINE

Lycoming AEIO 580 B1A

■SEATING2

■CONTACT DETAILS Tel 07710 442816 [email protected]

Sbach 342TECH SPEC

In level flight, the indicated airspeed stabilises at205kt. The merest thought of back stick produces

a 5g pull-up which I stop when pointing straightup. Now we wait… and wait… and wait. Slightinput of right rudder is required as we slow, butnot much. Still pointing vertically up, the altimetereventually stops climbing at 3,800ft, a 2,300ftzoom from level flight. Tap the stick forward a little

and we accelerate away in level flight at about therate of a serious sports car. Crikey.

While in the stratosphere, I try a few gentletumbles. There isn’t time for much but I certainlyget into things I have never got into before.I would love to stay and explore, but don’t have

the time. I find myself cavorting in all directionswhile almost stationary. The controls are just sopowerful, who needs speed? At a safe height this

is fantastic, carefree handling.Getting down is even easier than getting up,

but this is a clean airframe, so a little thought will

be required to avoid exceeding the 225kt Vne.Levelling at 2,000ft I do another HASELL check,then surprise myself by closing the throttle tosimulate an engine failure. Book glide speed is80kt, so plenty of time could be available toconvert speed to height or time. At 80kt the

pitch attitude is slightly nose-up, so forwardvisibility is restricted. Gentle turns help to seewhere you are going, but cost height. Having saidthat, because of the clean airframe, this is a prettygood glider, especially if the propeller can be

persuaded to go into coarse pitch to reduce drag.Going around from the glide produces no drama.Generally, it feels selfish to use 2,700rpm unlessdoing serious aerobatics; 2,400-2,500rpm with24in of MP always seems plenty, and annoysfewer neighbours.

Setting 2,200/22in for a return to Kemble,I am cleared direct downwind. I complete pre-landing checks early, main fuel tank selected,electric pump on. There is no other traffic so Ileave this power in a gentle descent towards thestart of the downwind leg. This gives a speed of

210kt as I call, “Downwind,” and requires asmooth but aggressive reduction of power,thereafter, to about 14in.

The speed washes back to about 110kt at thestart of a tight base leg, and the nose is wellabove the horizon. This is a symmetrical aircraft

with no flaps, so forward vision at low speed will

be poor. Continue the turn onto a short finalapproach. I reduce power further and apply a little

right rudder and left aileron. The speed continuesto reduce. I aim for 80kt on my first attempt, withthe slight slip allowing a view of the runway edgeto the left of the nose. At this light weight it is alittle too fast, I remove the slip, throttle to idle andfloat for a while, before three-pointing in a

reasonable fashion.Directional control is simple on this wide

tarmac, only about half rudder being required tokeep straight, even with 8kt of crosswind. Theslightest whiff of into-wind aileron seems to keepthe wings level. I remind myself to be economical

with stick and rudder, to avoid over-controlling.At taxi speed, I smoothly apply full power, for atouch-and-go. Again, a bit of right rudder stops any

drift left and we lift off after about five or sixseconds. This time there is traffic to be followed,so the whole pattern is flown at 80kt. This requires

minimal power but due to the virtually three-pointattitude, does need moderate weaving to seewhat is happening up ahead. Following really slowaircraft would be quite hard work. Again, cockpitchecks are simple.

This time I approach at 75kt with a trickle of

power, we float less and land nicely. At taxi speedthe brakes are again needed for directional controlin the slight crosswind. After landing, checksconsist of turning the electric fuel pump off, plustransponder if required.

The silence after shutdown is the first thinkingtime I have had for the last hour. This is an action-packed, truly remarkable aircraft. It is as aerobaticas anyone in the world could desire, is available insingle- or two-seat versions. Oh, and for touring?If the weather is good across Europe (and often it

is) I could take off from Kemble, fly non-stop toVienna or Madrid, at 170kt or more, and on arrival,do a full air-display before landing. Amazing. Couldeven take the wife. ■

Steve Jones, along with Red Bull Air Race World Champion Paul Bonhomme, make up the RedBull Matadors team, one of the UK’s most dynamic aerobatic teams. A Captain with BA, Steve hasbeen flying in displays since 1993 and was the UK Freestyle Champion in 1995 and overall BritishAerobatic Champion in 1996. With the Matadors, Steve and Paul fly Sukhoi 26s in their formation

display, while their choice when racing is the Edge 540.www.jonesairracing.com

That seven-point harness means there are twolap-strap attachments each side of the seatfor extra safety when under negative g

For more of Duncan Cubitt’s excellent photos of

the Sbach 342, go to forums.flyer.co.uk and click on ‘Editorial Extras’

Flyer 02 2011

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