Air Res Aviation

Marcin Ziółek: Not everyone may know that here,in Poland over 30 replicas of the T-131 Jungmann were built and more are being built right this second in Rzeszów. Please tell us about the beginnings of the Jungmann project at Air Res...

Radek Bocheński: First I would like to clarify that the aircrafts we produce are not replicas. We build these planes under a Czech license, based on the original technical documentation which includes technical drawings of all the elements comprising the aircraft. The majority of the elements remain unchanged in relation to Jungmann produced in 30s and later.

Air Res Aviation was founded in 2009 primarily as a flight school. The right to manufacture T-131 was obtained later, by the owner of the company, from  Janusz Karasiewicz's widow at Bielsko Biała (Historical Aircraft Services in Jasienica). In the time span of 10 years, Mr. Karasiewicz put together around 30 of these planes. After he passed away, Air Res Aviation became the holder of the documentation  allowing the company to produce these biplanes. The T- 131 has been produced in Czechoslovakia, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and Hungary as well as Germany.

MZ: You have been producing Jungmann for some time now. How many have you sold so far?

RB: As of today, three Jungmann have left our company, all of them to their new homes in Germany. This year we hope to deliver two, maybe three of these planes to their owners, also in the west. Our customers are mainly very experienced civil and military pilots. For the time being, there does not seem to be much interest in these aircraft in the Polish market, presumably because of their price. However, we receive inquiries from all over the world including the USA, Australia, Brazil, actually from all of the European countries really. Jungmann are registered in the special category. In order to fly them, all you need is a basic PPL(A) license. What’s worth mentioning is that the Jungmann is not only a plane in which you can show off your pilots hat, goggles and white scarf, but these aircraft are fully approved for aerobatics, with a load factor ranging from +5.0 to -3.0 g.

MZ: You are able to construct build-it-yourself kits. Do the regulations in Poland allow aircraft constructed in such a way to fly?

RB: After a test flight and the first 10 flight hours completed by our pilot in order to fully check the machine, we proudly offer ready-to-fly aircraft, fully prepared for flight. The future owner is able to fly the aircraft home without a problem. We are at the stage of introducing so called kits. However, we are still on the fence about how advanced the work load of our customers should be. We don’t want them to have to complete advanced jobs, such as welding the airframe or gluing together the wooden wings. The best option will be to prepare a kit that will be able to be assembled without major problems and with the use of basic tools, while carefully following the detailed instructions of the Assembly Manual and watching the videos. The rule is that 51% of the work needs to be done by the customer. Accommodation in our guest rooms is available for customers interested in assembling their plane under the supervision or our professionals. Due to the fact that regulations in Europe differ from each other, for instance, in Germany there is a rule that aircraft needs to be assembled on the premises of the country, it is best to consult with respective aviation authorities.

MZ: In some countries self-assembly kits are sent directly to the customer, who can then assemble the aircraft in the comfort of their garage. Are you looking into making something like this available?

RB: We would like to introduce this kind of self-assembly kit and we are going to begin with France. We are in contact with an individual whom is taking care of the certification process. A kit is the optimal method of selling a Jungmann in France. The local authorities will initially require documentation for approval. We are in the process of drawing up the documentation and everything is progressively falling into place. This process concerns only the first aircraft, the ones that will come to follow will be built based on the documentation of the first, approved biplane.

MZ: Shouldn’t the individual undertaking the assembly of such kit be under the supervision of an experienced engineer?

RB: We are aiming to produce a kit which will be as simple to assemble as possible so that any individual wishing to construct it will be able to do so without major problems. Individuals interested in kits like these are divided into two groups. The first group comprising of individuals wanting to cut back on costs, while the other group of individuals have a knack for DIY projects and are able to spend hours working on the aircraft. In either case, we provide full technical support. If need be, our mechanics are able to fly to the customer and help with any problems or difficulties in the assembly process. It happens that we come across individuals who have many years of experience and knowledge on the subject of production as well as appropriate knowledge in engineering. These individuals are eager to do as much by themselves as possible. Our company would like to lend a hand to customers who have purchased kits and have run out of time and/or determination to assemble their aircraft, more and more frequently these types of individuals start searching for professionals that will complete the assembly process for them. We had the pleasure of providing these sort of services a few times now. We would like to transfer the obtained knowledge into the preparation of our kits.

MZ: The special category has some limitations which are worth mentioning...

RB: Yes, its con is that every country that you fly through, needs to be informed and your entry needs to be approved. Depending on the country, problems with registration may occur. Once again, referring to Germany, our customers from this country remain registered in Poland. The upside of the special category is that the owner of this type of aircraft can replace parts by himself and does not need to install Form 1 parts. The owner can also perform periodic inspection on the aircraft. In order to replace a bolt, in an aircraft of the normal category, the bolt needs to be certified and a certified mechanic needs to be the one making the change.

MZ: In your company, which is situated on the grounds of the Jasionka airport, do you produce most of the sub-assemblies to the Jungmann you offer...

RB: That is correct, we make most of the parts here at Air Res. We do, however, buy the engines, propellers, wheels, avionics as well as streamline wires. In terms of the propeller and streamline wires, we are planning to take up production of these elements. We are in the process of selecting suitable machines to add to our collection. The rest is the hard work of our mechanics, experienced in aviation and able to produce complex elements using basic machines or simply their hands.

MZ: In relation to the original construction, what modifications had to be made in order for the aircraft to be able to fly?

RB: First of all, the power unit was changed. This, however, is not a serious change as the successor to the Walter Minor engine is but a younger LOM engine, M332-AK, produced in Prague. This engine has more horsepower (140 hp) and is equipped with a compressor and fuel injection system approved for aerobatics. Its build is the same as its predecessor’s, four cylinder inverted inline. This is of significance, as it does not influence the shape of the nose cowl. Some people own Jungmanns with Lycoming engines (opposed piston engine – boxer, in other words), which require a complete change of the plane’s nose. We offer both versions and are also able to install the original Spanish Tigre GIVB engine. The engine that is installed determines the symbol that appears after the number of the type of aircraft. For instance, T-131: PA – LOM engine, PB – Lycoming engine, PC – Tigre engine. Another change that was implemented, was the replacement of the wheels and brake system. Today we use Beringer wheels, a very popular and recognized French brand. Their greatest advantage is their weight and brake performance. It so happens, that Jungmanns produced elsewhere fly to us just to have their wheels and brake system replaced. In terms of the remaining elements, we have replaced the aluminum fuel tank and seats with fiberglass. In some cases, we also make the leading edge skin out of fiberglass instead of plywood.

MZ: Another interesting fact is that the airplane is built out of carefully selected wood..

RB: We use carefully selected pine that meets all the aviation requirements. Mainly, there need to be an ample amount of grain per centimeter. That is, growth must occur slowly. Of course the planks need to be knot free, while the grains need to be in line. Additionally we prepare samples in order to check their strength and classify them. Currently, we have received orders for two sets of wings for a different kind of biplane, similar to the Jungmann, the Stampe SV.4. In this case, however, the customers requested spruce. Spruce is used more often in the USA and Australia than pine if we’re talking about aviation. We willingly undertake the construction of wooden elements. Sets of our wings have been sent to Florida as well as Australia. The market is in need of such elements, as their lifespan is much shorter than those of metal constructions. That is one of the reasons why we produce wooden elements and have set up a professional wood working station, not just for our own needs, but for the purpose of realizing market demand. The quality of our work is highly acclaimed, and it is not easy to find exceptional professionals in this field. Orders placed from around the world are proof enough.

MZ: What is the cost of a standardly equipped Jungmann?

RB: The net price ranges around 140 000 Euros. The cost mainly depends on the type of engine thebiplane will be equipped with as well as the additional add-ons.

MZ: A potential customer may wish to equip the plane with add-ons. What are the options?

RB: We provide a wide array of add-ons. Of the more practical ones we offer a front cockpit cover for solo flights, a set of covers useful especially in the case of hangaring for longer periods of time (like the winter months), or an extended baggage sack. There are also elements improving the look of the biplane, such as spinner and wheel caps. At customer request, we can equip the aircraft with a smoke system, increasing visual effects during aerobatic performances. We have plans to design a second fuel tank, which would improve flight duration.

MZ: Let us move onto the details of piloting this aircraft. What do we need to look out for, what is unusual?

RB: One of the main characteristics of the Jungmann is the construction of its landing gear, the presence of the tail wheel and relatively narrow spacing of the main landing gear. You need to be careful when starting the engine, the control stick needs to be pulled towards you so as not to be surprised when the tail wheel lifts. Taxiing is a bit more difficult due to limited visibility and susceptibility to side winds. This aircraft doesn’t like concrete landing strips, it prefers grassy runways. You can’t complain during flight, well unless you happen to swallow the occasional fly, but as Bear Grylls says, “It’s all protein”. The joy of flying with an open cockpit takes your breath away, especially when flying upside down (it is recommended that you check your seatbelts before performing such aerobatics). During WWII, due to very good piloting characteristics, this was the primary aircraft used to teach Luftwaffe pilots.

MZ: Often exhibited at various aviation events and fairs, AERO in Friedrichshafen being the most spectacular..

RB: That is true. We had the opportunity to present ourselves at the fairs as well as exhibitions in the country and abroad. We have been to Paris, Montreal, Friedrichshafen and Prague. You can also find us at local aviation gatherings and air shows. We have visited the mentioned AERO fair many times. There we are constantly greeted with interest in our production. Some individuals attend, just to see and talk with us about the details of our biplane. It is heartwarming to hear that our aircraft is the fairest of them all (at the exhibition). Thanks to this we have established many contacts, and just last year two people decided to sign a contract with us.

MZ: Besides the Jungmann you also assemble other, equally interesting aircraft...

RB: Yes, on one hand we make aircrafts from scratch, while on the other hand we deal with the assembly of airplanes and helicopters from kits. If someone decides to buy one of the kits mentioned, they can contact us and have us assemble it for them. We can also organize and carry out test flights of the aircraft. We are currently housing a helicopter (Hummingbird 300LS) produced by an American manufacturer, with a LS7 engine (280 hp), for a customer from Hungary. Additionally we have started cooperation with Cub Crafters, more specifically with their European representatives. At this moment we are assembling Carbon Cubs, which are newer versions of the well-known Piper Cubs with very interesting specification. Aside from that, we are working on a Hatz Classic biplane for a Polish Customer, who bought the original documentation and is having us assemble the aircraft for him. The radial, nine cylinder Rotec R3600 engine with 150 hp was purchased in Australia. What is more, we are in the possession of documentation of the well-known CSS-13, built out of steel and wood. This biplane was designed in Warsaw on the basis of a Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 “Kukuruznik” license. For the time being we are currently searching for technical drawings of the Bücker 133 Jungmeister and de Havilland Tiger Moth. We are slowly but surely developing our historical aircraft services.

MZ: Thank you for your time.

RB: My pleasure. A warm shout-out to all the aviation enthusiasts. I encourage you all to visit our  web page www.air-res.pl as well as www.bucker-jungmann.com dedicated solely to the Jungmann.  www.air-res.pl or directly       www.bucker-jungmann.com