Richard Creasey's 'Yellow Aeroplane" (G-CBKF)

Here are just a few of the reasons why Richard chose the Easy Raider, which will make an ideal low slow flying filming platform.

• Flies low and slow, and very safely
• With the doors on or off
• Exceptionally quiet
• Tandem seating - you sit in the centre
• Rugged tail dragger design
• Easy to land on rough fields
• Strong fully enclosed fuselage
• Economic on fuel with long range tanks
• Inexpensive - costs the price of a family car to buy and run
• Folding wings ready to trailer or hangar in less than ten minutes
• Last but not least - it looks like an aeroplane!

See photographs of G-CBKF's first flight.

Watch the video of Richard's first flight in G-CBKF.

Enthusiasts corner

For those who understand the shorthand of the aviator enthusiast, Richard's Easy Raider (G-CBKF) is a tandem two-seat high wing monoplane with conventional three-axis control. Wings have unswept leading and trailing edges and constant chord; conventional tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin-mounted rudder; roll control by separate freese differential ailerons; 3 stages of flaps. Wing braced by struts from below. Undercarriage has three wheel in trail-dragger formation; bungee suspension on main wheels. Push-right go right tailwheel steering connected to aerodynamic controls. Heel-operated drum brakes on main wheels. Tube and fabric fuselage. Engine (Jabiru 2200: a 4-cylinder 4-stroke horizontally opposed air cooled engine developing 80hp at 3300rpm) mounted below wing, driving tractor propeller. It is
certified to UK BCAR SECTION S Requirements . Read the specifications and performance data and the test pilot's report of the Jabiru engined Easy Raider.

The Easy Raider has a great pedigree.

Avid Flyer

It started with Dean Wilson, who set up Avid Aircraft and designed the Avid Flyer. Dean's ingenuity kicked off the whole folding wing, light aircraft industry; working alongside Dean was Dan Denny a marketing guru.

Kitfox

Dean and Dan later went their separate ways and Dan Denny set up Denny Aircraft, which produced the Kitfox.

Sky Raider

The next step in the evolutionary trail led to the Sky Raider, designed by Kenny Schrader who had been working with Dan Denny on the Kitfox.

Easy Raider

And finally, for now anyway, Troy Woodland came along, redesigning the Sky Raider to take account of over 100 changes suggested while the plane was going through Section S. A few to meet British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) safety/build/operation standards, some as general design/build/transportation improvements, and many suggested by the Test Pilot Team - handling/pilot comfort/pilot ergonomics. By then Troy had joined up with Terry Francis and Tom Lafferty's UK based company Reality Aircraft. They called their new aircraft the Easy Raider.

Piper Cub

However, skimming through the press reviews it appears that the Easy Raider is being compared to Piper Cub, that immortal, glorious, tandem two seater first built in 1931 by the Taylor Aircraft Company. Over 40,000 Cubs have taken to the skies over the last 70 years.