Group flying opportunities & questions
User avatar
By TonyB14
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#705599
Small group forming to rebuild disassembled L200A Morava twin in the Shoreham area.

Stylish Czech built twin, very rare (only 2 in the UK). Completely disassembled, but substantially complete, needs complete rebuild.

[img[imgp://freespirituk.com/tony/KMI%20Flying.jpg[/img]

Stunning ... (not this one, but looks like this)

Looking for enthusiasts with some mechanical or engineering skills, possibly with previous plane building experience, but not necessarily. The aircraft will need to be checked from end to end, systems overhauled and parts replaced if necessary.

This is a well designed, well built, stylish twin, produced in1963 and used for charter and air ambulance in the Soviet bloc. This one was used by a British construction company as their company plane, has flown only 1000 hours since new, and has been in storage for a number of years.

With a usable load of 670 kg it can carry 5 people, baggage and enough fuel for 750 miles. 2 supercharged 210HP injected M337 engines and VP props enable a fast cruise of 150kts, a rugged undercarriage and 70kts over the fence allow it to operate on a wide variety of fields.

I would like to purchase and rebuild this aircraft over the next year, with a group of 4-5 enthusiasts. Initial purchase will be about £2500 each, and it is likely that the total rebuild will require another 20-25K in total, depending on what the full inspection finds, what we can do ourselves and what avionics we require.

There will be a web site to enable good communication and eventually to control bookings and maintenance, and as I am an instructor there will be plenty of chance to get checked out and familiar with the aircraft.

I want to move on this as soon as possible, so that we are ready to work on it once the weather warms a little.

Call me on 07798 734634 or email me, and we can discuss it further. See the pictures here, or follow [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_L-200_Morava[/url] to Wikipedia for more info. You can see many other pics here [url]http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=Let%20L-200%20Morava&distinct_entry=true[/url]

Regards

Tony[img][/img]
Last edited by TonyB14 on Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
By Timothy
#705600
There was one rotting at Malden Rushett for many years - not sure if it is still there, but if it is might be a source for spares.
User avatar
By TonyB14
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#705668
Thanks Timothy, will follow that up.
User avatar
By Timothy
#705670
I just looked on GoogleEarth and I am afraid it is not there (the X marks where it was), and the presence of the helicopter indicates that it is a fairly recent image:

Image

However a call to 01372 722702 might help you find where it went.
User avatar
By Rob S
#705768
I can shed a little bit of light on this, but not very useful / hopeful. According to Wrecks and Relics there was an L200 Morava at 'Chessington' (which I assume is the same location that Timothy mentions). This was G-ASFD which was used as spares for G-BNBZ. However it had not been seen since October 1992 and was thought to be stored off site. The guy who 'ran' this strip was Geoff Masterton who sadly died in 2001 (I think) and since then I believe all the 'Wrecks and Relics' have disappeared - curiously enough one of the them was G-AZPH, Neil Williams' Pitts - I know where that one has gone because I had dinner with it in the Science Museum on Firday night!!

Sorry it is not more useful, but it would seem that 'FD was used for spares anyway (the L200 that is not our resident GP)

Rob S
User avatar
By Timothy
#705813
Yes, Chessington = Malden Rushett.

It was here, and not looking particularly stripped down much more recently than 1992. I may not have seen it for a year or two, but certainly in the last, say, 24 months.
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#705838
Certainly the ex-landlord of the Star (pub just down the road) had a twin there until recent times - I'm not sure whether it was the one in question. I'll have a word in the Star sometime soon to see whether he can shed any light.

Iceman 8)
User avatar
By Timothy
#705842
I looked into operating the Axtec out of Malden Rushett.

It really is not suitable for a nosewheel, let alone a retractable, let alone a heavy retractable.
User avatar
By Rob S
#705845
Reports from the site stopped in 2001 when the guy died, seems odd that the last noted appearance was 1992 but was still there until recently (I suspect nobody bothered to go and have a look) - I vaguely recall in the 1970s Rushett's Farm (as we described it) wasn't spotter friendly (understandable!)

Rob S
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#706057
I popped into the Star tonight (for a quick one), and bumped into the ex-landlord propping up the bar. He did indeed own the Morava that he had at the strip until about five years ago. He sold it (and a load of spares) to a Czech restoration firm for a new buyer in Germany. I have sent him an e-mail this evening so that he may return some contact details, etc.

Iceman 8)
User avatar
By TonyB14
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#706060
Thanks for all the info.

Actually the plane we will rebuild is G ASFD.

It was stored at Malden Rushett, with another L220D model, G BNBZ, both owned by the same guy, Martin Emery. BZ was then owned by Geoff Masterton before being sold out of the country.

ASFD was not used for spares, they came from a third airframe, also owned by Martin. He still has a number of extra parts that will help with the rebuild.

ASFD has only 1000 hours TT and has been looked after as much as possible. Most of the parts are inhibited and have been stored inside, only the fuselage and wings are now outside, wrapped up against the weather.

They will be inspected by an engineer as soon as we can arrange the visit, so we can assess the work required.

There is a very strong owners group around these aircraft, they are cherished and looked after. The engines were used in Zlins and parts are still readily available. Any aircraft on the market cheaply will be of dubious provenance, and certainly with a lot more than 1000 hours. ASFD was owned and operated in the UK, and lovingly maintained here.

Call me on 07798 734634 if you want any further info.

Tony
User avatar
By Rob S
#706080
Oh well Wrecks and Relics must be wrong. I am now reading the following from it in 1996:

Hertford: Stored in the area is an L200 Morava used by Martin Emery as a source of spares for G-ASFD and the airworthy G-BNBZ. The reg of that one is OE-FBC.

By 1998 it had been 'lost'.

The author - Ken Ellis - (editor of FlyPast) will be delighted to know what happened - thanks!!

Rob S

PS Good luck with the rebuild, nice looking 'plane the Morava - I remember seeing G-ASFD at (I think) Manchester in 1978
User avatar
By TonyB14
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#706251
Rob

I think you are correct, in that OE-FBC was used to support the other two, and was eventually scrapped. Parts from that aircraft are still in storage and can be used if necessary for the ASFD rebuild.

Regards

Tony
User avatar
By Rob S
#706260
Thanks - be sure to post some pix when it is all done!!

Rob S