Description, specifications and test flight performance of the G 110 are provided. The G 110 completely incorporates modern GfK construction techniques which heretofore have been developed and perfected for the construction of sailplanes. The G 110 is a prototype of a GfK constructed motorized aircraft and shows much promise for the future of German aviation

Malzbender, B.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

NASA TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 
//Po 
NASA TM-76893 
GROB AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION: THE G 1 1 0  FLIES 
B. M a l z b e n d e r  
(BASA-TH-76893) GBOB AIBCRAP'I COPSTROC3IOH: 182-30303 
THE C 110 P L U S  (Xational Aeronautics  and 
Space Administration) 15 y HC A02/MP A 0 1  
C S C L  01c U n c l a s  
G3/05 28676 
T r a n s l a t i o n  o f  "Grob F l u g z e u g b a u :  
A e r o k w i e r ,  No. 3, 1982, p p .  262-264 
D i e  G 1 1 0  fliegt", 
?I .4 T I ON A i A E R 0 N A U T I C S A ND S PA C E AD Y I N I S TR A T I 0 N 
Ii!ASHINCTON, D. C. 2C3116 J!JNE 1 9 8 2  
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19820022427 2020-03-21T07:45:28+00:00Z
ORIGINAL P A X  iS 
OF POOR Q U l \ i f N  
Description, specifications and test flight performance of the 
G 110 are provided. The C 110 completely incorporates modern 
GfK construction techniques which heretofore have been developed 
and p'erfected f o r  t Y -  construction of sa5lplanes. The G 110 is 
a prototype of a GfK .,)sstructed motorized bircraft and shows 
much Fi>cm;se f o r  the fuLure of German aviaLion. 1 
~ 
4 T u h d m ~ h  0 
GROB AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTI~N:' 
THE G 110 PLIES I 
B. Malzbendar 
Translation of "Grob Flupseugbau: Die G 110 fliegt", 
Aerokurier, No. 3,' 1982, pp. 262-264 
b& Ab@-- 
. .  
. "  , *  
CI , _ - _  " . . .  1 ' 4  
OF POCK' Qt;.%A;"'r 
Fewuary 1982--~n h i s t o r i c  d a t e ,  not only for Crob Flug- 
zeugbau. The f i r s t  motorized a i r c r a f t  b u i l t  e n t i r e l y  i n  t h e  modern 
G f K  shell s t r u c t u r e  f a sh ion  s tar ted 3n i t s  successful maiden f l i g h t .  
*/262 
Test p i l o t  ri,-wst P h i l i p p  c a r e f u l l y  approached t h e  c a l c u l a t e d  
take-off speed.  5'he G l l O  reacted readi ly  and s e n s i t i v e l y  t o  the  
foot c o n t r o l s ,  s t a y e d  c l e a n l y  on t rack  and showed none of  t h e  v ib ra -  
t i o n  which can pass through the l and ing  gear t o  t he  frame. The exper- 
ienced p i l o t  r ea l i zed  t h a t  t h e  p l ane  wanted t o  r i s e ,  s c r u t i n i z e d  the 
a i r  s p e e d  i n d i c a t o r ,  and a c c e l e r a t e d  a b i t  more i n  t h e  in t e re s r ,  of 
s a f e t y .  With a s l i g h t  p u l l  on t h e  s t i c k ,  he c a r e f u l l y  raised the 
nose of t h e  airplane--and the l i t t l e  monoplane flew. 
E q u i p p e d  w i t h  an 87 kW motor,  t h e  G310, w i t h  an e s s e n t i a l l y  aero-  
d y n a m i c a l l y  "clean" a i r  f r ame  for  motor powered  p l anes ,  reached 
f l i g h t  achievements (see t a b l e )  which surpass-, t h e  l i m i t s  of  i t s  
c l a s s .  
SAFE IS SAFE 
The r o u g h l y  3 km long  runway i n  Camp Lechfeld,  chosen f o r  t h e  
f i rs t  flight t r i a l  over t h e  630 rn track of t h e  Mindelheimer f a c t o r y ,  
passed by o n l y  5 m be low t h e  p lane  which rose gently w i t h  t h r o t t l e d  
engine  w h i l e  t h e  t e s t  p i l o t  ccrnmunlzated concise  a n 4  p r e c i s e  d a t a  
arid v a l u e s  of t h e  f i r s t  " leap"  by r ad io .  S h o r t l y  b e f o r e  t h e  end of 
t h e  runway,  h e  throttled down a n d  l anded .  After t a x i i n g  t h e  p l a n e  
ff 
Numbers i n  margin irtci: c z t e  p a g i n a t  ion  of  f o r e i g n  tt , .t .  
1 
back and c a r e f u l l y  checking It, the  G l l O  was ready for Its next  
s tart .  
jump, t h i s  f l i g h t  w i l l  be a "proper" one Inc lud ing  8 normal climb 
a t  t h e  start and an extended l o c a l  f l i g h t .  The f l i g h t  Zasted 35 
minutes. 
As t he  p lane  showed no abnormal behavior  i n  i t s  first long 
EXPECTATIONS COMPLETELY FULFILLED 
Burkhart  Grob and h i s  engineer ing  team t e n s e l y  
first f l i g h t  and t h e  commentary of  t h e  test p i l o t .  
the t ens ion  was released wi th  t h e  handshake between 
f ' r m  and t h e  test p i l o t .  Both men had reason  t o  be 
followed tCa 
After landing ,  
the  head of t h e  
congra tu la ted .  
I n  i t s  f irst  f l i gh t ,  t h e  pro to type  of t he  first motor powered air- 
c r a f t  i n  t h e  world b u i l t  e n t i r e l y  i n  t h e  G f K  s h e l l  s t r u c t u r e  fash- 
i o n  had completely f u l f i l l e d  t he i r  expec ta t ions .  A long cher i shed  
idea had become a real i ty .  
On the same day,  a f t e r  i n s t a l l i n g  a c o p i l o t ,  the  t r i m  two- 
seater was flown t o  Mindelheim f o r  f u r t h e r  t e s t i n g  in t h e  fo l lowing  
weeks. 
The modern G f K  c o n s t r u c t i o n  technique was developed and per- 
f ec t ed  f o r  the  cons t ruc t ion  of s a i l  p lanes  and has f o r  a long t i m e  
been the  s tandard  indus t ry  technique.  In t h e  r e c e n t  past, many 
attempts have been made t o  r e a l i z e  t h i s  t echnique  i n  t h e  construc-  
t i o n  of motor powered a i r c r a f t .  
The first hopeful  s teps  i n  t h i s  d i r e c t i o n  led t o  t h e  LFU 205, 
t he  Windecker Eagle and f i n a l l y  a t  t h e  French Wassmer Aviat ion t o  
the  At lan t ique  and Piranha.  These were a l s o  known as G f K  a i r c r a f t  
al though s t r i c t l y  speaking, t h e y  were b u i l t  w i t h  a mixed, t u b u l a r  
steel-GfK technique i n  which metal  o r  wood parts were rep laced  by 
p l a s t i c .  
2 

The p r e r e q u i s i t e s  f o r  the success  of  a p r o j e c t  t o  c o n s t r u c t  
On t h e  basis o f  exper ience  from b u i l d i n g  ( I )  GfK 
a pure bred fiberglass Lotor  powered a i r p l a n e  are, i f  anywhere, 
given by Grob: 
s a i l p l a n e s  and motor sai lers ,  the  Mindelheimer f a c t o r y  has t h e  know- 
how t o  draw from. T h i s  i s  t r u e  f o r  manufacture as w e l l  as con- 
s t r u c t i o n .  The G l O g ,  the  first GfK motorized s a i l e r ,  which has a 
model permi t  and whose series already exceeds t h e  number 100, set  9 
d i r e c t i o n - p o i n t i n g  mi les tone .  
From the  o u t s e t ,  t he  f a c t o r y  was designed f o r  G f K  manufactur . 
Thus, c o n s t r a i n t s  and h indrances  a s s o c i a t e d  w i t h  t r ans fo rma t ion  do, 
not s t a n d  i n  t h e  way of inves tments  directed toward t h i s  goa l .  Manu- 
f a c t u r e ,  c o n s t r u c t i o n  and development grew harmoniously and organ- 
i c a l l y  l i k e  a box of b r i c k s  whose l as t  br ick--for  the  t i m e  being-- 
i s  the  motor powered a i r p l a n e .  
NEW TERRITORY 
As f o r t u n a t e  as t h e  p r o v i s i o n s  were w i t h  r e g a r  t o  pe r sonne l  
and t e c h n i c a l  matters a t  Grob f o r  t h e  G f K  motor f l i g h t  age, and as 
much as has been learned  ty s a i l p l a n e  c o n s t r u c t i o n  and by t h e  con- 
s t r u c t i o n  of t h e  motor s a i l e r  GlOg--"worlds l i e  between a motor sa i l -  
e r  and a motor powered a i r p l a n e "  (quo te  of Burkhart  Grob). 
To be s u r e ,  it is  f .3  great feat t o  c a r r y  know-how gained i n  
t h e  c o n s t r u c t i o n  of s a i l p l a n e s  and motorized sa i le rs  ove r  t o  t h e  con- 
s t r u c t i o n  of a G f K  motor powered a i r p l a n e .  The problems here are 
q u i t e  d i f f e r e n t  from those  of a motorized sa i le r  because a motorized 
s a i l e r  i s  more nea r ly  re la ted t o  a s a i l p l a n e .  A t  l e a s t ,  d e s p i t e  i t s  
placement i n  another  ca tegory ,  t h e  motorized s a i l e r  can be cons idered  
as  a f u r t h e r  development of broadening of a s a i l p l a n e .  T h i s  i s  
made c l ea r  w i t h  regard t o  t h e  b u i l d i n g  and t e s t i n g  r u l e s  and gener- 
al;y t h e  e n t i r e  a d m i n i s t r a t i v e  t h i s  and t h a t .  
Because here a l l  a p p l i c a b l e  norms come from t r a d i t i o n a l  p l a n e  
c o n s t r u c t i o n ,  t h e  development of a motor powered p l ane  from QPK must 
4 
o r i e n t  i t s e l f  i n i t i a l l y  towards p o i n t s  which were found and f ixed 
f o r  c o n s t r u c t i o n  wi th  t r a d i t i o n a l  materials. 
U n t i l  t hen ,  t h e  LBA's department f o r  motor powered a i rcraf t  
had been l i t t l e  concerned w i t h  fiberglass technology.  Thus, t h e  
Grob eng inee r s  had a d i f f i c u l t  t i m e  s e l l i n g  t h e  product  of t h e i r  
c r e a t i v i t y  t o  t h e  LBA. "The paperwork r e q u i r e d  more work t h a n  
development and b u i l d i n g  toge the r " ,  groaned Engineer  F i s c h e r ,  Grob's 
c h i e f  t e c h n i c a l  des igne r .  A t  t h e  same t i m e  he mentioned tha t  t h e  
Braunschweigeys have s i n c e  dealt w i t h  the  G l l O  p r o j e s t  u n i n t e r r u p t -  
ed ly .  
Concerning the f u r t h e r  f l i g h t  tests, a t  Grob one looks  forward 
t o  the next weeks calmly because t h e  f irst  f l i g h t s  have shown t h e  
most s a t i s f y i n g  r e s u l t s  w i t h  regard t o  a b i l i t y  t o  f l y  and f l i g h t  
behavior  of  t h e  G l l r 3 .  
C e r t a i n l y ,  t he  l and ing  of  t h e  G l l O  w i t h  t h e  crew of  Grob and 
t h e  f i r m l a  test  p i l o t  a t  t he  firm's a i r f i e ld  i n  Mindelheim ( i l l e g . )  
was awaited by t h e  weekend s h i f t  w i t h  tension--and f i t t i n g l y  c e l e -  
brated on t h e  same evening ... 
FIRST PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS 
A s h o r t  week passed between t h e  f irst  f l i g h t  and t h e  v i s i t  o f  
t h e  Aerocour i i r  e d i t o r i a l  s taff  t o  t he  p l a n t .  I, t h e r e f o r e ,  had 
t h e  oppor tun i ty  t o  photograph the  G110, t o  make some tes t s  and t o  
f l y  around w i t h  t e s t  p i l o t  Horst  P h i l i p p .  
SPICK AND SPAN 
The t r i m  c r a f t  whose subdued s t r i p e s  e f f e c t i v e l y  underscored 
t h e  w h i t e  p l a s t i c  inade a s a t i s f y i n g  f irst  impression.  The stream- 
l i n e d  and  e l e g a n t  p lane  e f f e c t i v e l y  showed t h e  p o s s i b i l i t i e s  of  a 
s t r u c t u r e  b u i l t  of  p l a s t i c  w i t h  a l a r g e  cockp i t  and s l e n d e r  f u s e l a g e ,  
5 
t r a i l i n g  wing assembly and g r a c e f u l  t r i p o d  l and ing  gear. Round 
and n i c e l y  formeu t r a n s i t i o n s  from t h e  f u s e l a g e  t o  t h e  wings and 
t o  the  t a i l  u n i t  h i n t  a t  t he  aerodynamic q u a l i t y  of t h e  p l ane .  
The upper s u r f a c e  i s  smooth as is  only  p o s s i b l e  wi th  GPK. Only the  
gangway on t h e  lower s u r f a c e  f o r  e n t e r i n g  t h e  plant; i s  roughened 
t o  avoid  s l i p p i n g .  
The f u e l  tank covers  are set i n t o  t he  s u r f a c e  t o  p reven t  drag. 
Apart from the  l and ing  gear, t h e  only p r o j e c t i o n  one sees i s  a t i n y  
g r i p  on the  f u s e l a g e  f o r  opening t h e  cowl. A i l e rons  I and f l a p  s l o t s  
are minimal as are the  t r a n s i t i o n s  from t h e  motor cover  and t h e  
f o l d i n g  doors  t o  t he  f u s e l a g e .  
FIRST OFFSPRING OF A FAMILY 
There is  a l o t  o f  room under t h e  motor cowl which, as i s  w e l l  
known, i s  p rogramed  f o r  "growth". The G l l O  w i t h  the  Lycoming 0-235M1 
(87 kW/118 PS) engine i s  only the  p redecesso r  t o  a f a m i l y  o f  motor 
powered p l anes .  
The PS 160 v e r s i o n  w i t h  t h e  same airframe w i l l  qu i ck ly  fol low.  
The 4-seater G l l l  i s  already ! tne  drawing boards .  
CONSTANT SPEED--NO SWINDLER 
The Hoffmann-Verstell p r o p e l l e r  n e c e s s a r i l y  belongs t o  the  con- 
cept of t h e  G l l O  s i n c e  i n  t h i s  ca tegory  very h igh  t r i p  speeds are  
made poss ib l e  because of  the aerodynamic q u a l i t y  of  t h e  p l ane .  Such 
speed could h a r d l y  be achieved w i t h  a f ixed  prop. 
MANAGEABLE 
The f o l d i n g  door  c c x e p t  of t h e  G l l O  has proved 30 be  very 
Only one hand I s  needed t o  open t h e  door .  The gas manageable. 
pressured  s p r i n g  which holds  t h e  door  i s  s o  a r ranged  tha t  t h e  d m r  
w i l l  not f a l l  c losed  when r e l e a s e d  i n  t h e  h a l f  s t a t e .  
one doesn ' t  get  i n  h i s  way. 
( l l l e g . )  and 
6 
The f o l d i n g  door s  are also a b s o l u t e l y  t i g h t  i n  high speed 
f l i g h t .  This i s  a small matter. but, by no means so t r i v i a l  8s one 
might b e l i e v e ,  r e q u i r i n g  a l l  k inds  of " t e c h n i c a l  t r icks"  t o  realize 
i t .  
COCKPIT LAYOUT 
I s i t  i n  t h e  r i g h t  seat and recognize  that  the coclrai t  has more 
room t h a n  i s  apparent  from the e x t e r i o r .  The she l l  seats, whose 
back rests have a removable cushion t o  a l low room f o r  a parachute ,  
are a t  least  as comfor tab le  as t h o s e  of a middle class car. The 
seat ad jus tments  allow even "giants1* t o  comfortably s t re tch their  
legs i n  t he  cockp i t .  Consider ing the large luggage compartment 
behind the seat, one is  almost  i n c l i n e d  t o  spesk o f  wasted space. 
With a n  empty weight of  560 kg and a maximum g r o s s  f l y i n g  weight of 
900 kg, the weight arrangement a l lows  a n  a d d i t i o n  of 340 kg. T h i s  
f a c t  t o g e t h e r  w i t h  t h e  room i n  t h e  cockp i t  have led t o  c o n s i d e r i n g  
t h e  a d d i t i o n  of  c h i l d r e n ' s  seats t o  t he  G l l O  (2+2 seater). 
The G l l O  has s t i c k  s t e e r i n g  corresponding t o  i ts proposed use  
as a t r a v e l ,  s choo l ,  s p o r t  and l i g h t  work a i r p l a n e .  The view fo r -  
ward i s  remarkable. One can see t h e  ground only  a f e w  meters i n  
f r o n t  of t h e  s t e e r i n g  wheel. It i s  easy t o  steer.  I know s a i l p l a n e s  
which are more d i f f i c u l t  t o  steer! 
Thanks t o  the  reasonable  space and cor respondingly  generously 
dimensioned p a n e l ,  there  i s  s u f f i c i e n t  rcmm f o r  e x t e n s i v e  i n s t r u -  
mentatio!;. The t ru s twor thy  and easy t o  survey t r i p l e  guidance 
o r i g i n a t e s  from t h e  v e r t i c a l  a v i o n i c s  ledge i n  t h e  middle. The con- 
t r o l  l e v e r s  f o r  t h e  motor,  t h e  t r i m  and t h e  f l a p  l e v e r s  s i t  on t h e  
middle console .  The p ro to type  h a s  an a l t o g e t h e r  p l e a s i n g  and appeal- 
i n g  cockpi t  l ayou t  proving once aga in  t h a t  f u n c t i o n  and des ign  can 
harmonize w i t h  one ano the r  throughout .  One must only s t r i v e  f o r  t h i s  
from t h e  o u t s e t .  
7 
GROB GllO DATA SUMMARY, STATUS AS OF JANUARY 1982 
producer B. Orob 
- 
Flugzeugbau, 
Mindclheim 
model G l l O  
- 
motor Avco Lycoming 
0-235-Ml 
TC 223 
power kW 87 
PS 118 
with U/min 2800 
propeller HO-V72G 
crew 2 
wingspan m 10.6 
length m 6 - 9  
wing area m2 12.2 
spread 9.2 
profile EppLer E 789 
cabin measurements : 
length m 1.7 
const. speed 
width m 1.28 
A t ;  m 1.15 
empty kt. kg 560 
max. fuel l/kg 140/100 
live wt . kg 240 
added wt. kg 340 
inax. cakeoff wt. h3 900 
surface load kg/m2 73.5 
max. -baggage kp, 40 
max. allowed speed kts 189 
km/h 350 
max. speed in normal f l t .  kts 140 
km/h 260 
maneuvering speed kts 118 
km/h 2 20 
trip speed 75% kts 130 
km/h 240 
fuel consumption at 75% 
power NM 648 
km 1200 
consumption at 75% power 1/h 25 
consumption at 100 krn 
flightline 10 
stalling speed 
flaps in km/h 95 
flaps out km/h 80 
max. climb rate m/s 4.8 
8 

ORIGINAL PAGE IS 
OF POOR QUALITY 
1264 
FIRST FLIGHT IMPRESSIONS 
Test p i l o t  P h i l i p p  took h!-s seat on t h e  l e f t  $ide. We both 
wore parachutes .  He even wore a Je t  helmet "out of p r i n c i p l e "  as 
he said.  I s i g n  the  necessary release forms and become COPW 
t h a t  I am s i t t i n g  i n  a p ro to type  '*Thich had not  been flown el 
rseek ago and which s t i l l  doesn ' t  have 10  f l i g h t s  under i t s  b e ~ c .  
We go c a r e f u l l y  through t h e  check l i s t ,  s tar t  the motor and t axy  
away. 
t i p s  of  t h e  feet .  
I n  t a x i i n g  t h e  G l l O  can be  steered play"u1ly eas i ly  w i t h  the 
Quickly t h e  p lane  a c c e l e r a t e s .  Even before  t h e  c r o s s  runway 
(200 m )  w e  have a u d i b l e  signs t h a t  w e  have reached the  take-off  speed. 
Because the  a i r  spec?  i n d i c a t o r  has not y e t  been c a l r b r a t e d ,  w e  l e t  
t h e  p lane  a c c e l e r a t e  P. l i t t l e  more. 
10 

P h i l i p p ,  " f a r  t h i s  t r i p ,  t h e  ground e f f e c t  w i t h  low w i n g  monoplanes 
and t h e  40° f l a p  placement, t h e  f l a t t e n i n g  o u t  t a k e s  r e l a t i v e l y  long. 
I n  a d d i t i o n  t o  which the e x t r a o r d i n a r y  aerodynamic q u a l i t y  of t h i s  
p l ane  makes it fast even i n  f a l l i n g  f l i g h t " .  
Everything has two sides, b u t  i n  t h i s  case, one cannat  be 
unhappy w i t h  Grob. C e r t a i n l y ,  i t  is  easier t o  i3ise t h e  r e s i s t a n c e  
through corresponding l and ing  aids t h a n  t o  reduce r e s i s t a n c e  t o  achieve 
higher t r i p  speeds. 
" F i r s t ,  we  w i l l  c a l i b r a t e  t h e  t r i p  i n d i c a t o r  t o  have exact 
informat ion  about  t h e  planned 100 km/hr f l igh t .  Then w e  w i l l  
s lowly approach t h e  60° f l a p  p o s i t i o n " ,  said Horst  P h i l i p p  t o  ques t -  
i o n s  about f u r t h e r  procedures  t o  be foi jowed i n  i n v e s t i g a t i ; , g  the land- 
i n g  behavior .  The problem w i l l  be so lved  i f  t h e  s t a r t i n g  procedure 
remains safe at  h ighe r  f l a p  p o s i t i o n s .  
GREAT PIECE OF LUCK 
Meanwhile, d h e  t r i p  i n d i c a t o r  has been c a l i b r a t e d  and t h e  land- 
i n g  speed determined. It l ies  s l i g h t l y  dnder  80 km/hr, a remarkable 
value f o r  a motor powered p l ane .  The t r i p  speed a t  a power set t ing 
of 75% l i e s  a t  240 kmjhr  accord ing  t o  t h e  c a l i b r a t i o n .  The maximum 
speed a t  t h i s  t i m e  i n  h o r i z o n t a l  f l i g h t  i s  260 km/hr. 
Although these va lues  are e x c e l l e n t  f o r  t h e  G l l O  c lass  p l ane ,  
B u r k h a r t  Grob fee ls  t h a t  by improving t h e  cowling and c a r e f u l l y  
a d j u s t i n g  t h e  prop t h e y  w i l l  b e  able t o  t i c k l e  some more out  of i t .  
T h a t  a t  t h i s  ear ly  s t a g e  i n  t h e  t e s t i n g  t h e y  are t h i n k i n g  of " f i n e  
deka i l s "  proved t o  me what Horst  P h i l i p p ,  who i s  c a r e f u l  i n  judging ,  
s a i d  t o  me a f t e r  our first s h o r t  f l i g h t :  "The p l ane  i s  a great p i e c e  
of luck i n  completely f u l f i l l i n g  out  expec ta t ions .  Everything p o i n t s  
t o  conf i rmat ion  of c a l c u l a t i o n s  i n  t h e  f l i g h t  t e s t s .  No great 
d i f f i c u l t i e s  are t o  h e  expccted".  
12 
The model permit procedure is going well. In 1982, the plane 
will be publicly introduced to the ILA for the first time. If 
series production can begin in late summer of 1982. 
goes w e l l  and several things indicate this will be so,  
From autumn on the GllO may appear in our airports And one 
could wager that soon quite a few GllO's will be bustling about in 
the skies of West Germany and also abroad. The GllO could open a 
new chapter in German aviation history. 


Grob aircraft construction: The G 110 flies

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