Flying a Yak

[IanR]

I had the opportunity to do some flying in a Yak 52 last Sunday and really enjoyed it - takeoff performance is exciting and it handles beautifully. One thing that got to me a bit was the fumes in the cockpit. Has anyone else flown one of these and is it typical of them ? Made me a bit queasy until I cracked open the canopy a bit to get some fresh air.

 

 

[Mazda]

Ian I haven't been in a Yak 52 for years, but I don't remember any problem with fumes.

 

 

[Guest Cloudsuck]

g'day Ian,

 

Yes I used to own a Yak 52, great machine. Sold it just before Christmas to New Zealand and purchased the Tecnam. You do tend to get fumes in the plane when dong aeros and a little when in straight and level. I used to fly with the canpoy cracked a lot. Some people disconnect the cabin heat an forget to close up the hole through the firewall and fumes get in through there as well as many other places.

 

Are you sure it was the fumes that made you sick and not the half dozen snap rolls?

 

 

[IanR]

To be honest I was a feeling it before the aeros !! Opening the canopy was the solution but not sure when you can have it open or not - we closed it again for aeros and for circuits. I have not done any aeros for years - was good to do some again although we only did 10 minutes or so as I was still not 100%. Maybe I got used to it as when we returned to do circuits I didn't notice it at all.

 

I certainly had a big grin on anyway - 360 supercharged horses certainly get you off the ground fast.:big_grin: