Bartolini Air Becomes First Operator of New Generation Training Aircraft

Bartolini Air Pilot Training Centre has reinforced its fleet with the CAP 10C NG aerobatic plane, making them the first operator of this aircraft in the world, says the company. The first aircraft arrived at the Bartolini Air base in Łódź, Poland, at the end of June. The aircraft, marked SP-EAR, will be used by the company for Upset Prevention and Recovery Training.

The aerobatic aircraft can be put in unusual positions because it has been designed to do so and can also be pulled out from death-defying manoeuvres, said Bartolini. Unlike most aerobatic aircraft in which the instructor sits behind the student pilot’s back, in the CAP 10C NG the seats are side-by-side, allowing an improved level of communication between the instructor and the pilot and helping to create a similar cockpit configuration to the one found in an airliner.

Currently, the rights to manufacture this aircraft are held by CEAPR, a French company connected with the aircraft manufacturer, Robin Aircraft. The cooperation between these companies led to the resumption of production of this aircraft, together with its modernization (thus the NG in the name – New Generation). The key elements of the upgrade include reinforcement of key aircraft structures like the spar, with carbon fibre elements (hence the C in the name), and the usage of modern Garmin avionics suite (GTN 650 and G5). Other advantages of this model include avionics that closely resemble those existing on an airliner and a glass cockpit.

The French Navy recently followed in Bartolini Air’s footsteps by ordering two CAP 10C NG aircraft earlier this year, which will be used to train the Marine Nationale pilot officers.