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News

Feels Like a Fighter

By Pete Collins

Date: Issue 51 - March 2014

Technical Background

The G 120TP is a development of the G 120A and retains the same massive bubble canopy, retractable gear and carbon fibre fuselage/wings/tail but with a new nose section to house the Rolls-Royce turbo-prop engine and a completely new, digital, cockpit. The all carbon fibre construction endows the aircraft with light weight, exceptional strength, no corrosion, exceptionally smooth aerodynamic surfaces, easy repair and a quoted structural service life of 15,000 flying hours. Max Take off Weight (MTOW) is 1515 kg (utility)/1440 kg (aerobatic); Max Landing Weight (MLW) is 1440 kg; Basic Empty Weight is 1140 kg. Full fuel capacity is 275 kg which, when combined with an assumed combined instructor + student weight of 200kg, means that the G120TP should not be weight restricted when readied at the start of an ‘instructional day’. Aerobatic limits are +6G/-4G, max operating altitude is 25,000 ft (crew oxygen/unpressurised) with an initial quoted rate of climb of 2855 ft/min at MTOW/MSL/ISA. The aircraft will be cleared for VFR/IFR/Day/Night operations in non-icing conditions.