Tutor Aircraft RAF Flying Training

The Grob 115E, known by the RAF as the Tutor Aircraft, is used for Elementary Flying Training by the 15 University Air Squadrons and 12 Air Experience Flights throughout the UK. It is also used by the Central Flying School and for elementary navigator training at the RAF College Cranwell. All of the Tutor Aircraft in RAF service are entered on the UK Civil Aircraft Register and are provided by Vosper Thorneycroft Aviation.

The Tutor Training Aircraft is constructed mainly from carbonfibre reinforced plastic, which combines high strength with light weight. Like its predecessor, the Bulldog, the Tutor has side-by-side seating but, unlike the Bulldog, the primary flight instruments are on the right-hand side of the cockpit. This allows the student to fly the aircraft from the right-hand seat with a right-hand stick and a left-hand throttle so that future transition to fast-jet aircraft is made easier.

Tutor Aircraft

 Unpressurised, and powered by a Textron Lycoming 180hp piston engine driving a Hoffman three bladed, constant-speed propeller, the Tutor can cruise at 130kts at sea level and climb to 5,000 ft in seven minutes. The Tutor aircraft has a very clean airframe and has a three-minute inverted-flight time limit, making it ideal for aerobatics where, unlike previous RAF light aircraft, it loses little or no height during a full aerobatic sequence. The aircraft has a very modern instrument and avionics suite, including a Differential Global Positioning System, which, apart from giving excellent navigational information, can also be used to generate a simulated Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach for training use at airfields where ILS ground equipment is not fitted for the runway in use.

The Tutor is a cost effective, modern, elementary training aircraft. The combination of docile handling characteristics and good performance make it very suitable for its training role. Tutor Aircraft is Single engined monoplane used for elementary flying training and air experience flying. Constructed form carbon fibre reinforced plastic, giving high strength and light weight. Side by side seating, preferred for the elementary and basic flying training role. Modern instrument and avionics suite, including a global positioning system. Docile handling and good performance makes it very suitable for elementary flying training.

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