G-RIPA 

 

What type of aircraft is it?

RIPA is a six seater Vulcanair Partenavia P68 Observer 2 twin engine propeller survey aircraft.

G-RIPA Image.JPG

 

What makes it a good survey aircraft? 

The aircraft’s major strengths are its long range fuel tanks, allowing us to be on survey task for long periods and its large survey camera hatch allowing for us to house a variety of sensors. As part of the survey hatch, it has what we call the ‘bomb doors’ on the floor of the aircraft that we can close for takeoff and landing to protect the expensive and sensitive sensors and open up during a survey to allow a clear view of our survey area. This particular model of Partenavia also has fantastic visibility for pilots and crew whilst out on survey due to the high wing position and the Perspex nose cone. The clear nose cone provides for excellent forward visibility for bolt camera technicians and pilots, a major advantage for certain survey requirements. It also makes for a slightly strange sensation during landing where the tarmac can be seen flying past under foot. The twin engines also offer us flexibility to survey in remote areas offshore and over urban areas.

 

What's its history?

It was APEM’s first twin engine aircraft and was purchased direct from Vulcanair’s factory in Italy in 2009, in keeping with APEM’s philosophy to purchase the best quality of equipment available. Our Managing Director Keith Hendry, went to collect the aircraft in Naples in spring 2009 and flew it back to the UK to great interest from the aviation community, it being the first aircraft of its kind to be operated within the UK. It then had to be registered in the UK and we had to come up with an appropriate name for it. After much deliberation we decided on G-RIPA because ripa is the latin word meaning bank of a river, hence where the term ‘riparian’ comes from. APEM’s river surveys make up a large proportion of our remote sensing services so it was thought to be an appropriate name.

Since its purchase is has undertaken thousands of survey hours for us and is much loved among pilots and crew.