On July 20, 2007, Laurent took me to try out a very nice biplane: the Dallach Sunwheel.
This biplane microlight with a 7 m wingspan and a weight of 450 kg was designed in 2006 by the German aircraft manufacturer “WD Flugzeug Leichtbau” and the Czech company “UL-Jih Sedlacek Spol“. Powered by an 80 hp Rotax 912UL engine, it can take you up to 4200 m altitude at a maximum speed of 160 km/h. Seated in tandem, with your head into the wind, you can perform a few simple aerobatic tricks.
That day, I have to admit that with Laurent at the controls in the back seat… I felt a bit sick to my stomach!
Some photos of the flight
Sunwheel crash
Its biggest drawback: two fuel tanks (one at the front and one at the rear) and a system of taps allowing you to switch from one tank to the other. If you’re not careful, it can be confusing. Three days later, Laurent crashed his Sunwheel after running out of fuel. The wrong position of the fuel tap before take-off led the pilot to believe that both tanks were full, whereas the first, once empty, siphoned off the second tank during the flight. By the time he switched to the second tank, it was empty!
The engine stalls. Too far from the runway, Laurent manages to glide to the threshold, but a little too short. Too low, the plane hits the fence surrounding the flying club, a few dozen metres from the runway. A few bumps for the pilot, a landing gear, a few cracks and a broken propeller for the aircraft.
Note: The aircraft has since been restored and sold with a modified fuel tank system.
