Leading glider pilot, Guy Westgate becomes second Grob G109B Able customer

Tuesday 24th May 2022

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Aerobility, the UK’s leading aviation charity offering disabled people, without exception, the opportunity to fly, has announced its second Grob G109B Able customer for its Project Able programme is glider pilot, instructor and air display innovator Guy Westgate. This follows a hugely successful participation at AERO Friedrichshafen last month, where Aerobility established 65 leads, along with 10 expressions of interest in the motorglider. First independent customer, David Pilkington, took delivery of the first G109B Able in March.

Guy, who is one of the most experienced operators of the aircraft and who piloted the aircraft to Friedrichshafen Germany said: “I fell in love with this aircraft seven years ago. I own a legacy Grob. The Grob G109B Able is simply the most amazing aircraft. Everything about it is optimised for my fun.”

“The modern upgrade of the Grob Able with the motorised Rotax engine is perfect – delivering great reliability and economics. Flying over to Germany, I wanted to mimic the performance of my legacy Grob so I flew at the same airspeed. Typically, I would have burned 18 to 20 litres of fuel an hour. In the G109B Able, I burned 11.7 litres of fuel an hour so that is a pretty impressive, representing a two thirds’ saving. This engine, a 100 hp version of the Grob 912 – with its injected engine adds to the performance,”  he added.

David Pilkington added: “The aircraft is as good as new. The engine is fantastic – I fly Rotax all the time and they are very solid engines. I was delighted to be the first customer to launch this fantastic programme. Importantly, for a motorglider – the aircraft will restart – it is an exceptional motorglider.”

Grob Able centre stage at Armchair Airshow

Grob G109B Able will be a key attraction at the Armchair Airshow this Saturday at London Biggin Hill Airport. CEO Mike Miller-Smith MBE, comments: “We are thrilled to have had such interest in the aircraft to date. With his immense flying experience, Guy’s endorsement is a huge boost for the charity. With a proven design and the latest propulsion and avionics technology, which is both sustainable and cost-effective – we look forward to profiling this impressive and versatile motorglider during the Armchair Airshow programme on Saturday and at the Farnborough International over the summer.”

The charity which exists to change lives through the magic of flight, will be both operating the Grob G109B Able within its fleet, as well as marketing and selling this enhanced model commercially, in collaboration with Grob Aircraft SE and Southern Sailplanes in the UK .

 

            

Left - Guy Westgate (left) with Aerobility flyer,

Harvey Matthewson 

Right - Guy Westgate pilots the Grob G109B Able

 

For more information on the aircraft including specifications, please contact  enquiries@g109able.org

About Project Able

Project Able is a unique, award-winning and UK Government-backed programme, centred on upgrading 60 former military training aircraft and repurposing them for societal use, including disabled flying.

Project Able was formally launched last year.  Seeing an opportunity for a unique fleet type to teach more disabled people in the UK to fly, beyond the 1,000 students and veterans already engaged, Aerobility’s CEO Mike Miller-Smith proposed Aerobility could take on these aircraft, modify them working alongside aerospace partners; take a number itself and adapt them for disabled flyers.  The remaining aircraft it would put up for sale via the commercial market, including potentially working with an aircraft lessor on financing. The first private buyer was confirmed and took delivery just a few weeks ago. 

Mike Miller-Smith duly garnered support from a wealth of supporters, led by OEM Grob Aircraft SE. The overhauled and adapted airframes will help around 2,600 disabled people take to the skies yearly with Aerobility, says Mike, compared with the current 1,000 who receive training.

UK Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, a private pilot himself, backed the initiative, highlighting the life changing opportunities and unrivalled confidence boost Aerobility offers disabled pilots.

“Aerobility’s ambition is to inspire a new generation of Grob pilots and encourage pilot training schools, gliding clubs, aviation enthusiasts and others to seriously consider purchasing a Grob G109B ‘Able’ aircraft.” Adds Mike.

Project Able is supported by a stellar team of advisors and sponsors including Hayward Aviation, NATS, Grob Aircraft SE, Southern Sailplanes, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, Garmin, CFS Aero, Brinkley Aerospace, Kanardia, Airborne Composites and Saywell International. PR partners are The Emerald Network.

www.g109able.org

About Aerobility 

   

Aerobility is a leading disabled flying charity based at Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, UK.  Aerobility changes lives by providing anyone, with any disability with access to the magic and wonder of flight. It does this because taking the controls of an aircraft drives a focus on capability and encourages its flyers to ask the question ‘If I can fly an aeroplane, what else can I do?’ This makes everything else in life feel that little bit more achievable, whilst offering the ultimate feeling of freedom and escape from restrictions of disability. Flying with Aerobility can deliver increased life ambition, leading to improved life opportunity, driving many of our beneficiaries toward more independent and personally fulfilling lives. Aerobility represents the

needs of those living with disability in to aviation and is recognised as the leading expert in disabled flying.

www.aerobility.com