Once the cameraship ahead had picked up speed and height, we continued the climb at around 900ft/min, using the electric button on top of the stick to trim out the forces. A display on the panel shows how much trim is deployed.

Visibility good from Ikarus C42, thanks to deep windows

The control stick reminds me of the gearlever in a BMW 5-series – short and chunky. It’s at elbow height so your arm can sit on the rear of the centre console. Each pilot has a throttle which is a metal rod between your legs, angled upright. You can see why instructors like the C42 – they can smack a hand off the stick if the student gets a bit out of shape. It’s a very stable aeroplane, smoothing out bumps and flying as though it has the inertia of a much heavier aircraft. That means it’s a bit harder work to turn than, say, the Eurostar, with slightly heavier stick forces, but that’s only relative. Compared with a C152, the Ikarus is a sporting aircraft. That said, the C42 feels as though it’s running on rails, and doesn’t have the twitchiness which sometimes affects the Eurostar.

The C42 cruises happily at 83kt – the ASI is calibrated in knots – at which speed it’s burning 11 litres per hour. That speed is hugely variable with the aircraft happy to bat along at 100kt, or slow right down to 65-70kt. Three stages of flap are available – the first is used for takeoff – deployed by a handle in the roof.

Coming back into the circuit and to land was a doddle. This really is a very straightforward and seemingly viceless aircraft to fly. There was a bit of a crosswind but the large powerful rudder easily held that in check and being so low to the ground meant judging the fl are and holdoff was a piece of cake. It’s all over in seconds anyway – the aircraft seems to use even less roll during landing than takeoff.

This aircraft was Aerosport’s full-loaded demonstrator, to ‘Touring’ spec with a Kevlar finish panel surface, and a conventional Attitude Indicator – the only one of the three aircraft with this – and also powered by a 100hp Rotax 912 ULS. A 80hp version is available with marginally lower performance. What’s remarkable about the C42, apart from its ease of flying, is its roominess.
German engineering and manufacturing, in this aircraft at least, is still the force it used to be. Hinges, joints, bolts, brackets… all are finished in precisely machined aluminium, with proper bevelled edges and tight tolerances. The empennage is a work of art in itself. So, although it may be the Eurostar that steals your heart, the Ikarus C42 is more likely to win over your head.

BMW gearlever-like control stick

Most spacious cockpit of the three

100hp Rotax 912 and 3-blade prop.

Standing alongside it, it seems small, especially when it’s next to a Cessna. Get in and it’s the Tardis effect – where does all that space come from? The cockpit is 48 inches wide, giving plenty of shoulder room, the supportive seats are sports car-like (the padding did start to feel a bit thin on the second sortie), and the view forwards is tremendous over the low nose. Being high wing, there’s less visibility in turns, but there is a clear panel in the roof which helps. Inspect the aircraft closely, as in a pre-flight, and you start to appreciate how well it’s built.

1. Air speed indicator 2. Attitude Indicator (an optional extra) 3. Vertical Speed Indicator, left and Tachometer 4. Rudder pedals 5. Altimeter 6. Garmin 196 GPS (non-standard) 7. Radio 8. Stick with electric buttons on top 9. Compass and slip ball 10. Circuit breakers 11. Engine instruments