NEWS
- High Flyers

Well done also to Richard Bellamy who has completed his first Solo Flight.
- CAA Safety Evening
Soloflight will be hosting a CAA Safety Evening on Thursday 19th March 2009. The venue will be announced later.
- First Solo's
Congratulations to Gareth Wilson (left) and Lee Jackson (right) who both achieved their first Solo flight in the Piper PA28 warrior four seat aircraft at Humberside Airport.
- RAF Cranwell Visit - postponed
This visit has had to be postponed as Central Flying School are moving premises. The new date will be confirmed after their move.
The provisional program for our afternoon visit to Central Flying School has been set:
Welcome tea and coffee Brief on Central Flying School Brief on flying training/RAF
Instruction Look around the Squadron set
up and flightline Possible Tutor display Possible formation fly
through Bar for a drink! There is no cost for this
visit, but we will make a donation to the station charity. Flying in is possible,
landing fees are not cheap (confirmation of how much will follow). Please register your interest with Sandra as soon as possible as places are limited.
- RAF Cranwell & Brize Norton report
Soloflight's Mel Stewart and 20 other selected guests were invited to join Rick Peacock-Edwards, Master of the Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators at RAF Cranwell and RAF Brize Norton, the largest base that the RAF control.
The invitation to RAF Cranwell included a tour and briefing about the Aptitude testing at OASC, a guided tour of College Hall with lunch and an air display in the afternoon. The weather delayed some of the flying, but the Spitfire, Typhoon, Kingair, Grob Tutor and the Red Arrows managed to show their abilities. The skies cleared to enable the Red Arrows to perform their full 2008 display. Photos available HERE
The Brize Norton visit involved a flight in the VC10 Air to Air refuelling aircraft. After an introduction by the station Commander and a full briefing regarding the history and future of Brize Norton, everyone boarded the bus to go round the base and board the aircraft.
The plan for the flight was to go to the Area 5 refuelling area off the coast of Teesside to meet four Typhoons to be refuelled Air to Air. The next destination was Area 8 off the Norfolk coast to refuel two M2 Mirage fighters and four GR7 Harriers along with anyone else who was around. Unfortunately, the Typhoons cancelled their flight out of Coningsby so we headed south for an approach into Waddington en route for Area 8. A call on the Radio then diverted us north again as two Mig 29 fighters were inbound from Russia to have a nose around north of Scotland and the two Tornados scrambled out of RAF Leuchars would require refuellling whilst they intercepted the "visiting" aircraft and "encouraged" them to go home.
Whilst we flew north, lunch was served.
We flew the towline pattern and one of the Tornados joined alongside so the Captain could see him. He then dropped down and came up behind to refuel. Whilst it was difficult to see the process because of the angle from inside the VC10, the Flight Engineer had a screen so he could see everything. After refuelling he flew back to rejoin the interception.
The second Tornado then joined, but struggled to latch onto the line. He was very low on fuel and the search and rescue was already on its way because of a possible ditching becoming necessary. However, the pilot succeeded after the fourth attempt, taking on 7.3 tonnes, having capacity for only 8 in full. A short video of one of his attempts is available HERE.
The return to Brize Norton via Glasgow and Gloucester was uneventful and the flight which was going to be only a couple of hours had extended into five. A tour of 101 Squadron and a talk about it's history and the future of Air to Air refuelling followed the flight and ended a unique day. Photos HERE
- The last test for the Typhoon
With a deafening roar, a Typhoon powers through the haze on the runway and into the desert sky.
Such is the effort to make the exercise seem realistic that Hollywood set
designers have been brought in to make the villages look real from the ground
as well as the air and local Afghans living in the US (and sometimes Iraqis
depending on the exercise) are asked to live in the mock-up villages for days
on end.
After a long wait, these planes are now ready to form the backbone of the
RAF's war-fighting capability for decades to come. The Typhoon, along with half a dozen others, was cruising over villages
populated by Afghans thousands of feet below, watching over a brigade of
soldiers from the US Army. The RAF Typhoons, as well as US fighter jets and layers of other
reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft, took off in a near constant stream to
provide air cover for the troops. But this is not yet Afghanistan
- it's the Nevada
desert and an exercise called Green Flag West. The strange sights of the Las Vegas skyline lie in the distance with mock pyramids
and Eiffel Towers providing the backdrop for the
runway at Nellis Air Force base. This exercise was the final chance for the Typhoon to go through its paces
before it was declared ready for combat. And the verdict from all quarters - including the US Air Force pilots who
flew alongside it - was that the Typhoon was more than ready. Different scenarios are run through, to test both the US Army on the ground
as well as the air cover provided by the US Air Force and the RAF. A key part of the mission is to train both army Forward Air Controllers
(FAC) and the pilots they talk to in how to work together successfully. In a part of the exercise replayed to us, you could hear a FAC hesitantly
trying to direct the planes to spot someone moving out of a building. In a battle-field context, ensuring that the information is accurate is
vital in making sure either aerial surveillance capability or the deployment of
weapons is employed accurately and does not endanger civilians. "The aim is to train for the current flight," explains Lt Col Ron
Hanselman who runs the exercise about 10 times a year for those soon to head
off to the battlefields of Iraq
and Afghanistan.
The arrival of the Typhoon - or the Eurofighter to give the aircraft its
generic name - has not been without controversy. It was originally conceived in the Cold War designed for aerial combat with
Soviet aircraft. Its delivery has been beset by cost over-runs and delays and questions over
how well it could adapt to the new 21st century era of warfare with a priority
of supporting troops on the ground rather than engaging in dogfights in the
air. The RAF has driven forward towards developing air-to-ground sensor and
weapons capability and getting the Typhoon ready for operations with 1 July
2008 as a deadline. Seven Typhoons in all were brought over from the UK for the exercise which
provided a chance to fly on training ranges far bigger than are available in
the UK and also interact with US counter-parts with extensive debriefing after
every mission. "You can turn on a sixpence," said Wing Commander Gav Parker who
is charge of 11 Sqn as he showed me round one of the Typhoons. 'New generation' The latest technology in the Typhoons means that data can be downloaded from
the plane's sensors to a laptop style devices held by those on the ground. This can help guide a pilot onto a target by allowing them to see exactly
what is coming through the Typhoon's sensor pod. "It's a new generation of aircraft," Group Captain Stuart Atha, in
charge of the RAF's Typhoons explained. "It is fast, it can carry lots of weapons. It has new sensors. It has
got data links. It has got radar. So the pilot knows a lot more of what's going
on around him." During their time in the US,
the Typhoons managed to fly 99.3% of the sorties that were planned and a total
of 67 weapons were dropped onto a range with a 100% falling into the expected area.
The exercise was used to prove that the Typhoon is not just useful for
air-to-air combat but has also been successfully adapted for air-to-ground and
the modern battlefield. Until now, the Typhoon's deployments have been limited. Ironically, it has
been busiest performing a throw-back to the Cold War by intercepting Russian
aircraft heading towards UK
airspace. But with Green Flag now complete and judged a success, the Typhoon has been
declared ready for deployable combat operations. Officials stress that this does not mean that the Typhoon will be rushed
into missions over Afghanistan
or Iraq
immediately - but that day is now closer. Story from BBC NEWS. Click HERE to see the video Own a Typhoon click HERE
There's no doubt about the affection the pilots and engineering support
staff have for the Typhoon.
- Mark Nelson took part in the Bridlington to Blackpool Charity Bike Ride
............. on 20/06/2008 to raise money for three charities and would really welcome your support after this gruelling two day challenge.
St Leonard's is part of the Hospice Movement, a voluntary service for
people with life-threatening illness. The specially trained medical and
nursing staff offer daycare for people living in their own homes and
in-patient care in a purpose built 20-bedded unit. No charge is made to
patients.
Provides holistic care and support to children and young people with life limiting illnesses, and to their families.
Cancer Research UK, the UK's leading charity dedicated to cancer reasearch
Many thanks for your support.- Tandem Sky Dive raises money for charity
Watch it HERE
- Airline proves that small can be beautiful
A tiny British
airline that boasts a fleet of one plane - a 34-year-old Boeing 737 - was
yesterday named one of the four best carriers in the world. Palmair, which flies
from Bournemouth airport, was rated ahead of
global brands such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic thanks to its very
personal service, which includes a member of staff who greets every passenger
to make sure the seating plan she drew up on her kitchen table the night before
suits everyone. The airline was
shortlisted by the consumer champion Which? with four other much bigger names.
Singapore Airlines (1.5 million passengers a month) won top prize but Palmair
(70,000 passengers a year) was runner-up along with India's
Jet Airways and Air New Zealand. David Skillicorn,
managing director of Palmair, said: "We are just little Palmair with a
little Boeing 737 yet we beat off the likes of Virgin Atlantic and British
Airways. "Singapore Airlines
has onboard massages and a choice of DVDs. All we can offer is the choice of
tea or coffee." Palmair was founded by
businessman Peter Bath in 1957 when the company leased an aircraft to take
passengers to Mallorca. It bought its own
plane and now flies to 14 European destinations, including Spain, Tenerife, Portugal and Croatia. Bath used to make sure he was in the departure lounge for each flight
to greet the passengers. When Bath died longstanding employee Teresia
Rossello took over the role. She draws out the seating plan on her kitchen
table the night before flights. Stewardesses place fresh
flowers on the plane every day. Palmair employs 25 cabin
crew and 25 back-office staff. The plane flies twice a day in the summer and
once a day in winter. The airline does not
operate night flights as Bath
believed they were antisocial. Which? asked 30,000
consumers about experiences on airlines. They were asked to rate factors such
as the cleanliness of the planes, the amount of legroom, the quality of the
in-flight meal and the helpfulness of the cabin staff.
- Pilots
live to tell about dangers in the Circuit

Aircraft converging on final
approach can find themselves in precarious spots. On a few occasions they’ve
flown so close, they’ve got stuck together. On May 15, a Piper Cherokee landed
on top of a Stinson at Northwest Regional Airport
in Roanoke, Texas. The Piper was carrying a flight
instructor and a student while only the pilot was aboard the Stinson. The Piper
was apparently landing while the Stinson was starting its takeoff, according to
press reports. The final approach path is obscured by trees. Luckily, no one
was seriously injured. Most midair collisions take place
close to airports and in good weather conditions. That’s why you have to be
especially careful on final approach. This brings to mind two other accidents
in recent years where, as they say, aircraft swapped paint in the circuit. In 2004 a Cessna 152 and a Cessna
172 Skyhawk collided on approach to Cincinnati
West And in 1999, a student pilot and
her CFI survived a freak midair collision involving a Piper Cadet and a Cessna
152 in Plant City, Fla.,
Municipal Airport. The two airplanes locked
together and landed safely.
Airport
in Harrison, Ohio. The two aircraft became locked
together in flight at 300 feet agl and spiraled into a gravel pit. The pilots
and a passenger in the Cessna 172 suffered serious injuries.
Eclipse Aviation formally
announced its intention to begin production of a $1.35 million single-engine
jet called the Eclipse 400. The announcement was made earlier today at the
company's annual "E-rrival" event in Albuquerque. At the same time, Eclipse
announced it was boosting the price of its twin-engine 500 model by more than
$550,000 from $1.595 million to $2.15 million. The announcements came as
Eclipse was celebrating the tenth anniversary of the company. In both cases,
Eclipse founder and CEO Vern Raburn said they were ideas whose time had come. Regarding the 400, Raburn said
there was overwhelmingly positive response to the single-engine "Concept"
jet unveiled at EAA AirVenture last year. The four-place aircraft is claimed by
Eclipse to be the "world's most fuel-efficient jet aircraft" and will
be powered by a PW615F engine. Deliveries are planned for the end of 2011.
Existing Eclipse 500 owners get first crack at one and a $125,000 discount if
they order by July 25. It goes on the general market at EAA AirVenture. As for
the price increase, Raburn said it costs more to build the Eclipse 500 than
they thought it would and they aren't able to build them in the kind of volume
they thought they could so they had to increase the price. "Eclipse's
cost-driven pricing model requires Eclipse to re-examine aircraft pricing if
actual costs change significantly from projections," the company said in a
news release.
- Pilot still flying at 101
Ernest Trent is not your ordinary pilot. For starters, he’s 101 years old
and still in the left
seat. Add to that a flying history that includes training
aircrews to fly B-25s during World War II and ownership of 13 different
aircraft.
Although Ernie, as he prefers to be called, no longer holds an FAA medical,
he still drives his Mini Cooper daily and can exercise the privileges of a
light sport pilot. He received his most recent sign-off in an Avid Flyer in
August 2007 from flight instructor Richard Gibbs, a friend and member of the Somerset (Pennsylvania)
Aero Club flying group that Trent
helped found in 1940. “Usually I go with him, but he is officially signed off,” said Gibbs, who
added that Trent
flies only a couple of times a year but still enjoys getting aloft. And he
passed the flying bug on to his family. Trent’s
grandson is a former Navy pilot who now flies Boeing 757s for UPS. What does a 101-year-old man do for fun when he’s not flying? Among other
things, Trent enjoys eating out—often driving himself 50 miles to a favourite
restaurant—and performing routine maintenance on his car.
- Pilot, Director and Producer Sydney Pollack dies
Legendary director Sydney Pollack was passionate about two
things—film making and flying. And he approached them both with a desire to be
the best, a consummate professional. In fact, Pollack began his flying career
at the controls of a Learjet. After becoming frustrated with airline travel, Pollack began chartering
aircraft to help him make the demanding and long commutes between Los Angeles and various
movie locations. Then he purchased a Lear 25 and committed himself to learning
to fly it, quickly earning a type rating for the jet. “I don’t have other hobbies. I’ve never been on a golf course, I don’t play
cards, and I don’t collect art; but I love to fly airplanes,” Pollack told AOPA
Pilot during a 1998 interview Pollack later moved on to larger jets, continuing to fly them himself and
always maintaining professional standards. “I’m not a professional pilot, and I never will be, but when I work and
study with professional pilots, it’s up to me to work as hard as I can to meet
their standards. So I take lots of notes at FlightSafety, and I study hard so
that I can keep up with these high-time guys. I love to spend time with pilots,
real pros who take pride in what they do,” Pollack told AOPA Pilot. Pollack was so passionate about flying that he often encouraged others in
the film business to learn to fly, including Tom Cruise who worked with Pollack
in The Firm and went on to earn a pilot certificate. Pollack’s storied film career included directing 20 films and producing
another 40, as well as acting credits in numerous films. He earned many Oscar
nominations and won two for Out of Africa, one of seven films he made
starring Robert Redford. Pollack’s other big hits included Tootsie and
The Way We Were. Pollack is survived by his wife Claire, two daughters, a brother, and six
grandchildren.
He died on the 26th May, aged 73 at his home in Pacific
Palisades, California, after a battle with cancer.
- Piper to Remain in Vero Beach
The Airship is scheduled to enter commercial service in June, and head for the US in
September. Friedrichshafen, Germany and Moffett Field, California – May 21, 2008 –
Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik and Airship Ventures today announced the successful
first flight of the fourth, and latest, Zeppelin NT airship over
Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Construction of the fourth Zeppelin NT airship having recently been completed,
the ship was handed over to the flight test department to begin the testing
phase. The hangar doors opened and the airship left the 360 foot long hangar
for the first time since the start of airframe assembly in March 2007.
Robert Gritzbach, Zeppelin VP of engineering, commented "Being the fourth
ship in our series production, we were able to incorporate a number of design
improvements – reducing weight while increasing lift and achieving a near
doubling of airframe lifetime – that make this our finest ship to date!"
A proud and long awaited moment for all involved, it is a special moment when a
new airship exits the hangar for the first time.
Alex Hall, Airship Ventures CEO, remarked "What an incredible process we
have witnessed over this past year – the assembly of the frame, fitting out of
the gondola, helium being put into the envelope, the first start up of the
engines, and now her maiden flight."
The engines having been started one by one, the airship was released from the
mast truck, and right away started for the sky. Taking off nearly vertically,
the ship proceeded to the calm air over Lake Constance
to head right into her initial flight tests.
The first pilot to fly the airship, Fritz Günther, Zeppelin
Flight Operations Manager and the first pilot to fly the new airship said
"This is the 3rd Zeppelin for which I have been part of the maiden flight,
and feeling of pride in knowing all our hard work has resulted in success never
diminishes. As a pilot, I look forward to confirming the new performance
characteristics." In the meantime, two pilots of Airship Ventures have
arrived in Germany
and are training with their new ship.
- Soloflights' North Weald Fly-In report.
Visiting aircraft came and went throughout the day and joined
a selection of home based veteran aircraft from the airfields historic
collections and aviation tenants. All proceeds from the Nominal £2 entry fee
went to the Airfield Gate Guardian
Project. The Dakota aircraft of the RAF Memorial Flight, was also on static
display.
There was a ceremonial roll out and unveiling of the
airfields new gate guardian, a full sized replica of a Hawker Hurricane fighter
aircraft that flew from North Weald in September 1940. Symbolizing The
Spirit of North Weald Airfield and its Community since flying began there
in 1916, the "aircraft" will be mounted in a realistic flying
position at the airfield entrance later in the year.
The unveiling was carried out by Wing Commander Tom "Ginger" Neil DFC* AFC, who flew the depicted aircraft from North Weald during the Battle of Britain. The RAF National Servicemens Association will be hosted a member's reunion in a private area at the eastern end of The Squadron site throughout the day - .exRAF National Servicemen were invited to call in for a chat.
StalIs and Displays by a wide variety of community, leisure and aviation based organisations, including Epping Forest District and North Weald Bassett Parish Councils, Veteran cars, WW11 Military vehicles and an RAF re-enactment group, plus a selection of children's rides and amusements kept everyone well entertained throughout the day.
Hot and cold Refreshments were on sale throughout the day, with a BBQ and pay bar for non drivers and non-flyers.
The flying action was started by the Missing Man Formation Flypast by Bulldog aircraft of North Wealds own SkyHawk formation team after the unveiling of the Spirit of North Weald. Peter Teichman of Hangar 11 and long time friend of Soloflights’ Mel Stewart, then put his unique Spitfire through its paces.
Pete’s spitfire was followed by a fly - by demo by two North Weald based "Red Arrow" Gnat aircraft of Area 51 was followed by fly pasts by Hurricane and Spitfire of RAF Memorial Flight. The finale of the flying display was a series of fly-bys of representative military aircraft that have onwards flown from RAF North Weald, along with other visiting and airfield based veterans.
The next North Weald event is the Air Britain Fly-In on June 21st and 22nd, this year commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Air Britain.
Raburn said recent events like the scaling back of expansion plans by
Florida-based air taxi operator DayJet have had "no effect on Eclipse
whatsoever" and there have been plenty of customers anxious to take the
aircraft that DayJet has deferred. DayJet is selling off 16 of its 28 aircraft
and concentrating its efforts on serving 11 hubs in the U.S. southeast
after failing to find the financing needed to expand the operation to a
profitable size. DayJet is Eclipse's largest potential customer, with 1,400
aircraft on order but Raburn said he's unconcerned by the issues there and said
he believes the scale back is a "bump in the road." Eclipse owners
who had hoped to fly the aircraft have also had a bumpy ride. "We have
flunked a significant number of people (in the mandatory type rating
course.)" he said. "Some of those people have come back but a lot of
people have chosen to hire their own pilots, which is the way we think it
should be."
The largest investor in Eclipse Aviation says the European market for VLJs
is huge and a plant in Russia
is likely to fill that void. In his first public appearance on behalf of ETIRC,
which poured more than $100 million into Eclipse, Dutch business magnate Roel
Pieper announced at EBACE 2008 that a perfect storm of crowded airports in
Western Europe and primitive transportation in burgeoning Eastern
Europe is creating major opportunities for the charter/air taxi
business. "We believe the demand for fleet and air taxi operations in Europe is huge," Pieper told AVweb. He said the
company could be building aircraft in Russia by the end of 2009 and that
it will be busy. "We believe very much that the VLJ market is real and
that the Eclipse 500 will set the standard. He noted U.S. and Canadian
authorities have granted export permits for the airframe and engine (Pratt and
Whitney Canada) However, European certification of the aircraft still eludes
the company and CEO Vern Raburn isn't saying when he thinks that might occur.
"We are optimistic that we'll get (EASA) European Aviation Safety Agency
certification," he said. "I'm just not prepared to say when."
also said that he expects the company to "be cash-flow-positive next
year."
- Dambusters remembered 65 years on
A Lancaster
bomber flew three times over Derwent Reservoir in Derbyshire, which was
used by the original pilots to train ahead of their famous raid. In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron set out to destroy three dams in Germany's Ruhr
valley. They managed to breach two, giving a boost to Britain's war
effort. The service remembered the eight aircraft and 53 crew who were lost and was held on top of the Derwent dam on Friday morning. A Spitfire, a Hurricane, two Tornadoes and a Dakota transport plane - all
from the present 617 Squadron joined the fly-past Squadron Leader Les Munro, the last surviving pilot from the mission which
was codenamed Operation Chastise, was one of the guests of honour together with Michael Gibson, whose uncle, Wing Commander Guy Gibson,
led the Dambusters. During the service, 88-year-old Richard Todd, who played Mr
Gibson in the 1954 film The Dambusters, layed poppies on the water of the
reservoir. On 16 May 1943, 19 aircraft set out to destroy the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe
dams in Germany's
industrial heartland. They used specially-designed drum-shaped bouncing bombs which skimmed across
the water, rolled down the dam wall and exploded at depth. They were the brainchild of legendary aviation engineer Barnes Wallis who
was knighted in 1971. (from the BBC) Visit the Dambusters web site by clicking on the logo
A service and fly-past was
held on the16th May to mark the 65th anniversary of the World War II Dambusters mission.
travelling from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to take part.
- High Flyer
Andrew Miller completed his Private Pilot Licence on fixed wing aeroplanes. Andrew already holds a Private Pilot Licence on helicopters. Well done.
- FAA Flight Tests
Our UK resident FAA Examiner is now able to conduct Flight Tests on G-registered aircraft as well as all other registrations.
The wife of a pilot held after landing his plane near US
President George Bush's ranch says her husband is sure he did not go into
restricted airspace. Kirstie
Kirk, of St Donats, Vale of Glamorgan, said she hoped US officials
realised her "eccentric" husband wanted to leave a thank you note at
the ranch. Maurice
Kirk was held in a psychiatric unit after sheriffs detained him minutes after
he landed in a field. The
62-year-old is expected to be questioned by US special services. He
has been in custody since last Friday following his unannounced landing in a McLennan County farmer's field some six miles
from the president's Crawford ranch. He
was first accused of being drunk because his arthritis meant he could not walk
a straight line. Then he was taken away for psychiatric assessment. Mr
Kirk, who calls himself the "Flying Vet", although he was struck off
six years ago, is engaged in a solo round-the-world flight challenge. In
February he had to ditch his 65-year-old aircraft Liberty Girl in the Atlantic
ocean off the Dominican
Republic, when he was rescued by US
coastguards. Mrs
Kirk said her husband wanted to thank Mr Bush for his rescue from the
shark-inhabited waters and said he was adamant he did not stray into the
prohibited zone around the ranch. She said: "He just loves flying. He
would have been flying on south [to South America]
had he not lost the aircraft. "He's somewhat eccentric and I don't know
what the Americans would make of him. I don't know they would understand our
sense of humour and slightly different way of doing things. "The fact that he is suspected of being
a threat to the president, when he was quite safely outside the prohibition
zone, is quite worrying. He told me he was going to leave a thank you note on
the gate, which I do believe. I don't think even Maurice would think he could
land on the president's lawn, not without repercussions. It's quite typical
he'd do something that would be a gesture. He is a very good pilot for that
sort of aircraft. He is a purist's pilot. An aviator. The sort of flying that
Maurice does is landing in fields and little grass airstrips. He uses a plane
the way some people use a sports car, to get to things. He just loves flying."
Mrs Kirk, 48, said the couple flew around Ireland in the
Liberty Girl for their honeymoon 10 years ago.
Vern Raburn, President and CEO of Eclipse Aviation, was the keynote
speaker at a VLJ conference sponsored by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
in London
during March. At the close of the conference, he challenged attendees to
initiate a research project that would validate the acceptability of
single-pilot VLJ air taxi operation. Obviously, the reason for this proposed project is economic.
Even though very light jets are already being certified for single-pilot
operation, any jet operated commercially in Europe
is required to have two pilots. Even DayJet in the U.S. is using
two-pilots. While the financial model for a two-pilot air taxi business
may be acceptable, the bottom line would obviously improve dramatically if only
one-pilot were required. Last week during a VLJ session at the World Aviation Training
Conference (WATS) in Orlando (FL), attendees were asked: "Should the
VLJ be flown by single-pilots in air taxi operations?" This
question stimulated some interesting comments but one of the more thought
provoking was this: "When aviation first began, there was only one pilot.
Through the years we've added more crew members as the aircraft and/or its role
has become more complex. Fortunately, we've always been able to produce
the number of pilots required. Now, there is a major pilot shortage on
the horizon for all of commercial aviation. The backlog of aircraft
orders and the projected public demand for air travel indicate that there
is an increasing spread between the number of new pilots required each year and
the projected pilot production. However, human nature being what it
is, we are still reluctant to retrace our steps even if technology can be shown
to make the task more manageable by fewer people. Moving from three to
two pilots was a major behavioural challenge for a variety of reasons many of
which involved human perception and politics. Of course, there were also
crew management transition issues as well (think 3-pilot vs 2-pilot CRM).
Moving from two pilots to one pilot creates similar challenges (think
single-pilot resource management). However, the reality is that the
demand for more pilots and the proven capabilities of technology are now
leading us through a complete cycle that began with one pilot over a hundred
years ago and is rapidly moving back toward one pilot or less (think RPV) for
both economic and practical reasons." If single-pilot operations are to be the future reality of
commercial aviation, what are the issues and concerns that must be
addressed in order to facilitate this step? Is the VLJ air taxi an
operational prototype for the future of commercial aviation? By Robert Barnes Volunteer Chair International VLJ Training Stakeholders' Discussion Group
- Manchester to sell their share of Humberside Airport
The majority owner of Humberside
Airport has announced
it is planning to sell its stake in the business.
Read the letter from Manging Director, Robert Goldsmith HERE
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said it
wanted to sell its 82.7% share to focus on its larger airports - Manchester,
East Midlands and Bournemouth. The news surprised North Lincolnshire Council which owns the remaining 17.3%
of Humberside Airport.
Council chief executive Simon Driver said the local authority "now
needed to consider its position". A spokeswoman for MAG admitted that its
decision had left an uncertain future for the 730 people who are employed by a
variety of companies based at Humberside
Airport. "It is a great airport, it returns a profit but we feel it needs
somebody else to take it forward as we concentrate on our core business at our
other airports," she said. "We have grown the business since taking over in 1999 and we would hope
that would be the case under new ownership. "However, it is difficult to say how someone else is going to run the
business." MAG chief executive Geoff
Muirhead said: "Humberside Airport
is a solid business but the attention needed to maximise its full potential may
not fit easily with the group's emerging strategy. "The Humberside Airport
team has done a fantastic job retaining and attracting airlines and maintaining
stable passenger numbers, particularly during the last few years when
competition has increased significantly." Mr Driver said: "North Lincolnshire Council
welcomes the long-term relationship with Manchester Airports Group and
recognises that now is the time to look to the future. "We will build on the success of the airport for the benefit of North
Lincolnshire and the wider region. "The airport has real potential and the council, as a shareholder, will
look to maximise the development of the airport in the future. "The council has maintained its shareholding in the airport since 1996.
"In light of the news from Manchester Airports Group, the council now
needs to consider its position. It is inappropriate to comment further at this
stage." Since buying its majority stake in Humberside
Airport in 1999 for £10m, MAG
has invested nearly £7m to improve and develop the airport's infrastructure. Routes currently served from Humberside include Air France/KLM's
worldwide hub at Amsterdam, many
popular holiday destinations, including the Canaries, Lapland
and the Channel Islands, and domestic services to Scotland.
Government forecasts indicate that Humberside
Airport is expected to handle about
one million passengers every year by 2016.
The European Aviation Safety Agency may put very light jets through
additional scrutiny, adapting requirements beyond those of basic certification
and addressing an aircraft's specific performance envelope and complexity.
Considering that the Eclipse 500 VLJ can cruise at 41,000 feet, but has no
spoilers to facilitate an emergency descent, EASA has suggested that it may
devise regulatory requirements to address that and other issues -- regardless
of the 500's (or another given aircraft model's) acceptance by the FAA. Such
requirements may include tougher testing for software or hardware used in
advanced heavily integrated avionics suites often found aboard VLJ designs,
tougher checks for backup electrical power, and perhaps a requirement for
demonstration of more precise navigational capability that may include a
requirement for Mode S transponders. Eclipse is hoping for EASA certification
of its Eclipse 500 by late 2009. EASA seems to be setting the stage for the
potential introduction of some additional hurdles.
- Vulcan Update
The Vulcan bomber with the registration of XH558 restored by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust completed a
successful test flight on 16th April, at RAF
Cottesmore.Please make a donation now to ensure the Trust is able to keep XH558 flying.
See the Vulcan fly HERE
Flights resume after airport sale
Shoreham Airport in West Sussex has reopened after being sold off to a related company.
The Erinaceous Group which had owned the airport went into administration on Monday 14th April, with debts of a quarter of a billion pounds.
Flights were grounded because of fears the insurance might no longer be valid.
Albemarle Shoreham Airport Limited, which bought the Erinaceous Group's interest on Tuesday, said it was committed to regenerating the airport.
The firm, which already owns the commercial buildings at Shoreham, said the acquisition reunited the airport into single control.
A spokesman added: "Albemarle remains committed to the regeneration of the airport in accordance with the vision of the joint owning councils, when the airport was originally sold in June 2006.
"The airport reopens for business immediately and we are delighted this has taken place within one day of it going into administration."
Flights to Cannes and Deauville in Normandy left Shoreham at 1445 BST and 1500 BST on Tuesday.
The Erinaceous Group appointed KPMG administrators and trading on the stock exchange was suspended on Monday.
About 30 businesses operate from the airport site, including SkySouth airline, flight training schools, small private jets and some commercial transport.
- Are You Space Worthy?
While our newest space adventure won't officially qualify you for a
suborbital space flight, it will give you a pretty good idea if you have the
right stuff for space. Using the same sophisticated simulators used to train astronauts
and fighter pilots, we'll test your senses (and your stomach) in ways you never
imagined. We've found a way to deliver a suborbital flight experience that
doesn't require you to leave the atmosphere...or even the building. Here is an opportunity to go to the National Aerospace Training
& Research (NASTAR) Center in Pennsylvania
for an intense two-day introduction to space flight. You'll receive detailed classroom briefings and centrifuge and
altitude chamber training before completing a simulated suborbital flight. Think of this adventure as a "suborbital flight with training
wheels" or "Disney's Mission Space on steroids". The introductory price of this two-day Space on Earth
adventure is $4950 + accommodation and airfare. The first program for
individuals takes place November 29th & 30th. Groups of six or more can
pick their own dates. Use the Contact form for more information
You run five miles a day. You're at the gym more than the
curly-haired kid that sits behind
the front desk. You eat your fruits and vegetables. You may think you could
easily handle the physical and psychological demands of a flight to space, but
would you bet £150,000 on it?
The Most Memorable Aviation and Space Records of 2007
Ballooning
The temperature had just warmed to -27°F (from the record-low that morning of -29°F) as Richard Jaworski launched his AX-5 (32,000 cubic foot), hot air balloon from Grand Forks, ND, on February 4, 2007. Suspended from the balloon in only a sleeping-bag harness, he flew through the night and landed in the next day in Page, ND, breaking the record for "Duration" at 23 hours, 11 minutes. He beat his own record of 13 hours, 12 minutes, set in 2006.
Launching from Greeley, Colorado during the night of November 14, Troy Bradley flew over 47 hours, covering a distance 824 miles, landing in Madison, Wisconsin. His flight in a homebuilt, 16,000 cubic-foot Roziere balloon beat the previous record of 572 miles set in 2005.
Jet Aircraft
Flying from Jacksonville to Los Angeles on July 10, Gulfstream G150 pilots Michael Jarrett and Harold King set the East-to-West Transcontinental speed record at 506 mph. The 4-hour, 15-minute flight beat the previous record (for jet aircraft weighing 19,842 < 26,455 lbs.) of 468 mph set in 1999.
In a new record class created by NAA exclusively for Very Light Jets, Don Taylor flew an Eclipse 500 from New York to Atlanta on October 7, at a speed of 393 mph. The 1-hour, 55-minute flight beat the previous record of 318 mph, set just two weeks earlier.
Soaring
After being towed aloft from Ely, NV, Steve Fossett and Terrence Delore flew a Schleicher ASH-25-Mi sailplane over a triangular course of 1,250 kilometers (776 miles) at an average speed of 92 mph. Their flight on July 13 beat the previous record of 89 mph, set in 1987.
Flying along the Appalachians in Pennsylvania, Dale Kramer flew his Rolladen-Schneider LS8 sailplane a distance of 987 miles on April 5. This record for Free Three Turnpoint Distance beat the previous records of 866 miles and 891 miles, set in 1993 and 1994.
Space Flight
Under the command of astronaut Pamela Melroy, NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery docked with the International Space Station on October 25. This 23rd shuttle visit to the space station was the longest yet, lasting 10 days, 21 hours, 52 minutes. The previous record for Total Duration of Flight of Spaceships While Linked was 8 days, 21 hours, 53 minutes, set during STS-102 in 2001.
Parachuting
Jumping from five "perfectly good airplanes" over Lake Wales, Florida, 100 parachutists descended under open canopies to build a diamond formation. This Largest Canopy Formation, set on November 21, beat the previous record of 85-persons set in 2005.
In a head-down orientation, sixty-nine parachutists joined together during freefall in the skies over Ottawa, Illinois, on August 3. This Largest Head Down Formation beat the previous record of 53-persons set in 2005.
Aeromodeling
After winding the propeller 2,200 turns, William Gowen launched his rubber-powered model airplane inside a hangar at Lakehurst, NJ. After climbing to approximately 180 feet, the model slowly spiraled to a landing after being airborne for 21 minutes, 49 seconds. This flight on June 30 beat the previous duration record of 20 minutes, 25 seconds, set in 2006.
- Prince William is awarded his RAF Wings - April 14th
Prince Charles,
accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, bestowed the awards at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, in his
capacity as Air Chief Marshal. Flying Officer Wales,
training with the RAF since January, was one of 25 graduates to receive their
wings. Prince William, a
graduate of Sandhurst military academy, will
undertake a similar attachment to the Royal Navy. The Prince of Wales also
awarded trophies to graduates who have excelled in various aspects of the
flying course. He and the duchess also
met flying instructors, graduates and their families. They were later viewing
a display of various aircraft, including the Chipmunk T10 trainer plane in
which Charles himself learned to fly almost 40 years ago. Prince Charles trained
as a jet pilot at Cranwell in 1971. He completed his
helicopter training three years later. Like his father, Prince
William entered the armed forces after leaving university. Wing Commander John Cunningham the Chief Flying Instructor at RAF Linton On
Ouse, where Prince William spent five weeks training on the Tucano T1 plane,
took Flying Officer Wales on his final handling test: "He was surprisingly good," he said. "It's a credit to
William that he worked very hard, he worked every hour he had spare and also
mixed in with the boys well and took part in sports with them too. "There's naturalness to his piloting skill. For someone in five weeks
to show that kind of skill really shows that he's a natural." Flying Officer HRH William Wales was fast-tracked through the RAF's six
month pilot training course in just four months. He graduated from Sandhurst Military Academy
in December 2006 and has maintained his Army commission with the Household
Cavalry. Prince William flew his first solo flight with the RAF in a Grob Tutor
training aircraft just nine days after beginning his training. He then trained
on the faster Tucano T1 plane at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire and his
final placement was at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire,
where he learnt to fly the Squirrel helicopter. Wing Commander Cunningham, who was at today's graduation ceremony and had
helped develop the Prince's course and supervised his training, added: "William had a go at everything the other guys normally do. He did
formation runs, night flying, low level, target runs, tail chasing and he led
formations as well as being a wing man. And he performed all these to a high
standard. "I flew him at the end of the course and it was a pleasure for me to
fly with someone with such natural skill."
Flying Officer William Wales, better known to many as Prince William and 24 other graduates have been awarded their RAF pilot's
wings - by the Prince of Wales.
He also plans to serve in the Royal Navy for a short period which,
along with his RAF commission, will give him the Services' full house that is
traditionally expected of a British monarch.
Unlike his brother Harry, he will not become a "career soldier", and is increasingly carrying out public engagements alongside his military duties. Click HERE for the video

- Three young pilots flew.......
..... a Cessna Mustang in a round-the-world speed record attempt and raised nearly $50,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey. Jared Isaacman, 25; Douglas Demko, 26; and Shaun Leach, 27, didn't manage a new record, but still had a successful journey.
Jared's support team have unofficially determined that
the total flight time was 84 hours and 5 minutes.
That means they missed the record by 1 hour and 11 minutes for the 22,000 mile trip through some 15 countries. The flight was hampered by the Russians who closed the Anadyr airport early and the Spanish and Belgium Air Traffic Controllers sorting out a "technical glitch."
More information about the Cessna Mustang can be found on our Aircraft page
Boeing has successfully flown the
world’s first fuel-cell-powered aircraft and it took its time
announcing it. The Diamond Dimona motorglider has flown three times
since February out of an airfield at Ocana, south of Madrid. The
aircraft took off on a combination of battery power and the fuel cell
but used the fuel cell alone to cruise at 3,300 feet and about 55 knots
for 20 minutes. “Boeing is actively working to develop new
technologies for environmentally progressive aerospace products," said
Francisco Escarti, Boeing Research & Technology Europe (BR&TE) managing
director. "We are proud of our pioneering work during the past five
years on the Fuel Cell Demonstrator Airplane project. It is a tangible
example of how we are exploring future leaps in environmental
performance." Click HERE to watch the YouTube video
- New links in Scholarships/Careers
- New Destinations & Info in Flying Visits
- New Additions on the Extras Page 4th April:

* Pilots and future pilots, go to the Extras page to see some amazing pictures that the ultimate pilot could have taken. You have to see them to believe them ...... Click F11 on your keyboard to see them full screen.
* Fly a Helicopter - it's not as easy as you think!
- FAA Plans Upgraded Aircraft Registration Requirements
The FAA maintains that more than 27,500 of the 240,000 active
aircraft registered have inaccurate information (an estimated 100,000-plus
currently registered aircraft are thought to be inactive and would not qualify
for registration).
The new provisions are expected to roughly halve the number
of inaccurately registered active aircraft. The FAA cites concerns from law
enforcement and government security agencies about use of private aircraft by
drug runners and potential terrorists.
Comments on the proposal are due by May
28 and can be e-mailed to the Department of Transportation docket website at dot.gov. Docket number is FAA-2008-0188, Notice No.
08-02.
- Pilot sentenced to jail for lying on medical application
Ronald Crews was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison and two years of
supervised release on March 20 after pleading guilty in 2007 to four counts of
making false statements to a federal agency, according to the District of
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office. Crews had made false statements to the
FAA about his diabetes and dependence on insulin injections. The charges resulted from an investigation into a February 2002 incident in
which Crews suffered a diabetic seizure while conducting an air taxi flight
from Vineyard, Mass., to Hyannis for Massachusetts-based Cape Air. One of the
four passengers on board the twin-engine Cessna 402 air taxi flight was a
student pilot, who subsequently took control of the aircraft, according to the
FAA’s aviation safety information and analysis sharing brief report. The student pilot, Melanie Oswalt, had the other three passengers restrain
Crews, who was incoherent and had pushed her aside while she tried to move into
the co-pilot seat. Oswalt landed gear up at Provincetown
Municipal Airport
in Provincetown, Mass.
No one was injured, and the airplane sustained minimal damage. After the February Cape Air incident, two more were attributed to Crews’
medical condition, and he was fired and lost his pilot certificate, according
to the Cape Cod Times. “It is imperative that pilots not lie on their medical application or
continue flying when they know they aren’t fit for flight,” said Andy Cebula,
AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. “While this incident is
extremely rare, it is a strong warning to all pilots.” While this case involved an air taxi pilot, general aviation pilots can
learn some valuable lessons. The FAA medical application form warns pilots about the consequences of
falsifying information: “Whoever in any matter within the jurisdiction of any
department or agency of the United States knowingly and wilfully falsifies,
conceals or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact, or who
makes any false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or representations, or
entry, may be fined up to $250,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or
both.” Had Crews disclosed his medical condition to the FAA, he would not have been
able to receive a first or second class medical certificate. Those who control
their diabetes with insulin injections can only get a special issuance third
class medical certificate and fly as a student, recreational, or private pilot.
Pilots who control their diabetes with diet or oral medication can get a first,
second, or third class special issuance medical certificate. “Don’t try to hide a medical condition from the FAA. It’s illegal, can end
your pilot privileges, and result in a hefty fine or jail time,” said Gary
Crump, AOPA director of medical certification. “There is hope that you can
continue flying—legally—if you have a serious illness that is safely
controlled. The FAA is issuing special issuance certificates for more
previously disqualifying medical conditions than ever.” As AOPA has previously reported, a pilot who had a heart transplant is back
in the air, and a pilot with multiple sclerosis still has her wings “Each year we help thousands of AOPA members with serious illnesses, even
cancer, get back in the air legally,” said Crump. “Before you give up on flying
or go to your next flight physical, talk to our medical specialists. We can
help.”
- SAFETY ALERTS (issued by the NTSB)
Controlled Flight into Terrain in Visual Conditions - Night time Visual Flight Operations are resulting in Avoidable Accidents. Read more HERE
- Leicester Airport is under serious
threat of closure...
... after the local Co-op and English Partnerships put forward
plans to develop the airfield and the surrounding green belt with a 15,000 –
20,000 house Eco
Town provisionally to be
called Pennbury. The scheme is one of more than 50 bids from around the
UK submitted to the Government, of
which 10 will be selected by the end of March 2008.
Leicestershire
Aero Club, which has been based at the airport since 1949 and can trace its
beginnings back to 1909, has 14 years left on its current lease. Leicester
Airport is the only licensed airport in Leicestershire and finding a new home in
the county for its 500 members, 30 staff and 80 home based aircraft, would be
very difficult if the airfield was forced to close. The airfield is home to a
thriving recreational community as well as a club run training facility.
Please sign a petition to register their objections on the Governments e-petition web site HERE
FAA "English Proficiency" DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL MARCH 2009
Effective
March 5, 2008, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
requires the following certificate holders who operate internationally
to have a certificate stating that the holder is proficient in the use
of the English language: The ability to read, speak, write, and understand English is already
a U.S. regulatory eligibility requirement; the FAA Registry began
issuing all new certificates with this endorsement on February 11,
2008. The U.S. has notified ICAO that it filed a difference that will
extend the U.S. compliance date until March 5, 2009, in order to
provide sufficient time for all affected U.S. airman certificate
holders to comply with the ICAO Language Proficiency airman certificate
endorsement requirements. Certificates that are ordered as regular replacement certificates will include the endorsement. You can order a replacement certificate on-line or by mail.
You will be asked to register with Online Services if you don't already
have an on-line account. Note that there is a $2 fee for replacement
airmen certificates. Airmen who request temporary authority or verification of their
airman certificate will not have the English proficiency endorsement
until the replacement certificate has been requested and the $2 fee
paid. If you have questions, you may contact the FAA Airmen Certification
Branch on 001-866-878-2498. For more information regarding ICAO English proficiency, refer to Information for Operators (InFO) 08012 at the FAA All InFOs page.



