Guido Gehrmann

Guido Gehrmann wasn?t even born yet when he embarked on his first flight. He spent his first flying hour in his mother?s womb onboard Daddy?s light aircraft. 23 years later he won the world hang-gliding championship. Instead of a fancy car there?s a ?Little Bull? in his garage.

1. Do you remember your first flight as a pilot?

» GG: No, but I think it may have been an ancient Piper PA22 Colt. When I was a baby, my dad used to let me steer, sitting on his lap.

2. With which Flying Bull plane would you perform a risky landing rather than opt for the parachute?

» GG: I don?t fly anything with a parachute. My favourite plane is small, agile and simple ? like the Little Bull, CH-7 Kompress.

3. Longbow or Bell 47?

» GG: I?d rather fly the Bell 47.

4. Which plane would you like to fly if you could have any choice, and why?

» GG: I?ve already tried all of the Flying Bull planes, what more could anyone want? My dream would be to design an even better and simpler hang-glider, and an even smaller, lighter and simpler helicopter than those available today.

7. What are the flight qualities of the Bell 47 that inspire you the most?

» GG: It?s still one of the most vibration-free helicopters I know, and that says something considering the Bell 47 is one of the first helicopters in the world that went into production. The auto-rotation qualities are also excellent.

6. Are there any technical or design details of your aircraft that fascinate you in particular?

» GG: The unbeatable 360° view. We often call it ?panoramic flying sofa?.

7. How many flying hours have you completed so far?

» GG: Planes: 4,400 h; helicopter: 1,100 h; ultra light: 500 h; hang-glider 1,300 h.

8. Have you ever worried about the age of a plane once you?re on board?

» GG: No. Firstly, because you probably won?t find better technical assistance anywhere else, and secondly, instead of the old piston engine there?s a sweet little turbine blasting away behind you.

9. What was the most turbulent flight you ever witnessed?

» GG: Literally speaking, with my hang-glider during northern foehn winds at the international championship in Carinthia, Austria. It got so bad, I had to land even though the organisers hadn?t cancelled the event yet. Apart from that: an uneventful safety landing of a Boeing 737 in Barcelona, after we were warned that the thrust reverser of both engines was no longer in its locked position.

10. Is there any other aircraft that ought to be added to the Flying Bulls collection?

» GG: Something that would have to be built first: a 200 kilogramme aircraft that flies at 250 km/h, consumes 18 litres of fuel, offers room for two people, and is easy and cheap to maintain ? and technically, that?s easy to do.

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