Aviator
Aviator
The Aviator range includes carp rods from 10′ to 13′ Including the powerhouse 13′ Aviator TE, a beast of a distance rod, though most of the range consist of beautiful rods tuned for caching fish not just casting. The full list of test curves is listed below.
The Aviator Blank
The backbone of the Aviator range is the blank, made here in Liverpool. All Aviator blanks are made by four craftsmen who only make top quality carp blanks. True craftsmen with a lifetime of experience. It is difficult to overstate how skiled a job this is. Each blank is made on our own bespoke mandrels from a stack of patterns as complicated as a saville row suit. All cut by hand. The team can make this look easy, but like playing a musical instrument, it is only easy because they have learned the skill over many years.
Although the hands-on skill is very traditional, the materials themselves are anything but. At Harrisons we have cold rooms stocked with the best carbon fibre prepreg available, both in terms of the fibre and the quality of the impregnation. We use Toray raw materials for most of our production as they have always offered the finest flat uniform prepreg. Especially important when you are using lightweight carbon prepreg down to 20 grammes per square metre.
After rolling the blanks they are cured in computer controlled ovens. This process combined with balanced designs leads to rods that will not fatigue and will perform the same at ten years old as they did on day one.
Harrisons have always led the field on blank innovation and the Aviator continues this tradition. The Harrison objective has always been to produce a blank that delivers fishing pleasure as well as performance. In Aviator you will find a range of rods that will not just cast and play fish well but also deliver feedback and feel. And isn’t that the most important thing? The feel in your hand when playing a fish is what makes fishing with a rod and running line so special.
Aviator blanks are finished in 1k woven fabric four toughness and looks, and ground to a natural matt finish that is scratch resistant and will look good for years.
Carbon prepreg ready to make blanks
Dave Owens assembling patterns
Mandrels wrapped before curing
Greg tying an Aviator
Aviator Rod Specification
Finished Aviator rods are available in a choice of builds. Black raven build with lightweight Vortex guides or Legacy build with stainless collars and Kigan 3D zirconium guides. Build choice is up to you. Currently the black finish Raven Aviator is popular but with so many custom builders out there you can choose so many options. The blank is matt finished and the guides tied in black thread. Handles are abbreviated with a small dome on the butt of the 12′ and shorter slimmer rods.
Action
It is impossible to sum up an Aviator blank in a few words like progressive action, or high modulus. To do so would overlook the complexity and subtlety of the design. The zero axis fibres, those that run along the length of the blank are high modulus in the butt section and intermediate modulus in the tip. Around the blank we have thin layers of fibres to increase strength and control torque. These vary in angle from 90 to 45 degrees in different zones of different rods in the range. This is all encased in 1k woven carbon fibre. A typical Aviator blank is made from up to ten individual hand cut pieces of carbon and of three different fibre types.
Actions are according to length and application. The longest rods for distance casting are fastest, whilst the focus of most rods in the range is feel and playing ability. These differences can be seen in graphs elsewhere. The basic philosophy is to be the best availble.
“Raven” build Aviator with carbon reel seat.
Aviator Plus Legacy build
Custom built by Federico Bulgari
Custom Aviator by Lee Preston
Featuring Aviator 12′ Plus
The benchmark for modern carp fishing. The go to rod in the range. Perfect balance of fish playing action and casting. Designed for UK carping.
The 12′ 3lb 6oz test curve blank offers the perfect upgrade path from the 3 1/4lb Torrix. The blank is matt with matching weave tip and butt, made by hand in Liverpool. The action has power enough for fishing at 120 to 130 yards, but beautiful balance and action for medium and closer range fishing.
The factory rod comes with a choice of builds. The popular “Raven” has a black 1k carbon reel seat and American tackle Vortex guides. An abbreviated handle in Japanese shrink rubber. Delrin CNC collars and buttons. Delta ceramic lined tip guide and black whippings.
Also available with the “Legacy” build with Zirconium Kigan 3D guides stainless steel fittings and bright hooded reel seat.
Featuring Aviator 13 Plus 2 3 3/4 lb TC
This rod leads the way in real-world distance fishing. A proper rod anyone can cast and capable of fishing comfortably passed 150 yards. For more information on performance head to the distance rod page.
My personal preferred build for this rod is with high stand off Ti Forged guides or Kigan ZD guides if you are using braid. It lies close to our legendary Trebuchet Light in terms of power as can be seen from the power curves here on the left, but it has a little more initial flex due to a slightly slimmer tip. A few grammes lighter and half a mm slimmer
One of the best rods we have ever made.