Just a Gabriel in the South

[Charl]

I actually went to have a look at Flying Fries Qasar because I’m a fan of the brand (Scrapyard Monster, anyone?).

But this nice little model was on ½ price sale, I figured the Quasar’s turn will come another day.

The Gabriel BK160-TR is a modern general aviation trainer featuring advanced Garmin avionics and powered by a Lycoming IO-320 engine with 160hp, all encapsulated in a sleek carbon fiber airframe. Key specifications include a cruising altitude of 8,500 feet, a maximum altitude of 11,500 feet, a cruise speed of 150 knots, and a range of 400 nautical miles.

So off we went for a hop NZQN-NZWF, quite a good modern cockpit, and I suppose the tandem seating is a plus for a trainer.
There are the usual FF quirky bits: fries in the console, a pile of boxes available in the front seat pilot selections.
But there are other trainer options, the Diamond is very popular.
I had thought the Blackwing to be very similar, but they are not.
It is in a completely different performance class, and the side by side seating is wholly preferable in a tourer.

[Splitpin]

Great post Charl and what a little beauty.

[Charl]

Thanks Marty, not sure why I collect so many of these little GA jobbies.
Maybe a deep-seated Walter Mitty after all

[cowpatz]

Certainly a nice looking aircraft. I would have thought that it would cruise faster than 150 kts. Sleek, carbon and with retractable gear, I would have thought that it would be around the 170 mark.