PILOT’S PERSPECTIVE MILES MAGISTER
126 FLYPAST August 2018
pneumatic tailwheel only castors.
Access to either cockpit is from
the starboard wing root. Unusually,
the Maggie can be soloed from
either cockpit – although pilots
above a certain weight must fly
from the front. The wingroot
walkway is sensibly sized, and
below each cockpit’s small fold-
down door is a non-slip walkway.
There is also a generously-sized
baggage bay aft of the rear cockpit
that is accessed by a door on the
starboard side. The windscreens
look curious, as the rear one
is simply a big curved piece of
Perspex that appears rather ahead
of its time, while the front’s seems
to be more befitting its era, a
three-pane unit, with a mirror on
its left. Its frame is actually the
exposed part of a clever steel-tube
crash-pylon incorporated into
the structure.
Controls
The rudder pedals adjust, although
not easily. Seating position is
altered by selective use of cushions
only. When I last flew the Maggie it
had newly made and era-correct,
albeit uncomfortable, Sutton
harnesses. However, Suttons are
expensive items these days, so
Peter had reluctantly decided to fit
the later, stronger Z-type.
The controls also have their
idiosyncrasies: while the throttle/
mixture quadrant is nicely situated
on the left cockpit sidewall with
the flap selector and indicator
mounted directly underneath,
operation of these is distinctly
non-standard. Mixture rich is back
not forwards (the lever is actually
wire-locked in place) while the flap
lever is pushed forward for down
and back for up.
Furthermore, although when
selecting flaps up it is important
that the lever is moved back to the
neutral position, it is imperative
that when selected down the
lever is left in the down position.
This is because the flaps are
powered pneumatically, the ‘suck’
being provided by tapping off the
inlet manifold.The vacuum actuates a large
leather-sealed piston in a cylinder
below the baggage compartment.
Although the system should retain
the residual pressure sufficient
for operation in the event of
engine failure, the force of the
slipstream tends to drive the flaps
back up. Consequently a flapless
landing should therefore be
planned in these instances (while
remembering that steep sideslips
can end in disaster, of which
more later).
The elevator trim handle is on the
right cockpit sidewall and the lever
for the brakes is by your left knee.The panel is typically ‘thirties’, and
is dominated by a huge Reid and
Sigrist turn and slip (T&S) indicator.
The air speed indicator (ASI) is
immediately to its left and – like the
T&S – is generic to many types
of the era. The VNE speed
(velocity never exceed) is an
impressive 164kts.
To the right of the T&S is a
curious, liquid-filled U-tube. This
device is actually an early attempt
at displaying the aircraft’s pitch
attitude – I have no idea what it’s
like to fly with it in IMC (instrument
meteorological conditions – when
weather conditions require pilotsAbove
Magister N3788 wears an eye-catching
yellow colour scheme.Above right
The twin cockpits with doors open.Right
The ‘Maggie’ is powered by a 130hp
DH Gipsy Major I engine.