BN2 Banner towing over london

[noisy]

...right now. haven't seen a banner being towed since I was a kid. Wow. that is cool. It appears to be a yellow & white aircraft and it's towing an advert for P***** washing powder. Where is it based? who owns it?

[Megaton]

Think I know. Will text the owner and get back to you...

[KitKatPacificuk]

Can't remember the reg but it's sat at Denham at the mo.

[neils]

Reg G-BCWO owned by George Cormack based at Cumbernauld.
It will be operating out of Denham on Saturday 28th,expertly flown by me!

[noisy]

Hi neils,

Saw you to my south when i was doing circuits at EGTR on saturday - nice work if you can get it!

N

[TopBunk]

Neil

Saw you near the Chelsea ground Saturday pm flying at 1000ft (from TCAS) whilst on approach to LHR 27L.

Can you please enlighten us to your operational plans should you have an engine failure over densely populated London? Do you have sufficient power on one engine to continue the banner towing operation or do you have to drop the banner? I presume CAA authorisation is required and has been approved for this operation.

[Flash0710]

Yeah Top Bunk,

Surely if i were planning to do a spot of black market banner towing i too would choose to do it over the capital:hmm:

F.:E

[reynoldsno1]

I should imagine it puts a strain on the T v D equation for a BN2.....

[BN2A]

Not if it's only towing the banner, and nobody else is inside...

Ah... The greatest ever aircraft...

BN2A :ok:

[PPRuNe Pop]

I am very curious about this thread. I have some reservations about it and I speak from a strong background. Firstly, I have in excess of 1500 hours on the BN2A. Secondly I did a flight over London on 27th September 1979 for the purpose of dropping 10,000 leaflets for the charity Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association. Lord Lichfield dumped the leaflets from the aircraft and David Bailey and his friend Cecil Beaton were at the charity show in London to raise money by selling their photographs for the Association. It was highly successful.

The CAA were very difficult about it at first and refused to give us permission. After a lot of lobbying they gave in and insisted that we maintained 1500' and kept contact with Heathrow, which of course we did. The row after the drop was short lived but Westminster City Council wanted to know who would pay for cleaning the streets of London!

However, the CAA would have to give permission for a banner flight and I rather doubt that 1000' would be approved. An engine failure over London would be a tricky problem - not insurmountable - but tricky with a banner and 500' would be a cushion that might well be needed. I have no experience of banner towing on the Islander but I can imagine the problems. As to permission it seems that the question is being avoided - I just have to wonder why!

[neils]

Yes it is good work Noisy, though precious little towing in the twin. Mostly in the 182. The weather, as you know was, wonderful, if not a little thermic.
I'm new to the Islander but I would have to agree with BN2 regarding its qualities. I've just been towing in Scotland, with the twin, in conditions that would have phased a lessor aircraft. Happy flying. Neil

[Airbanda]

Wow PpPop, thanks for that. I remember he leaflet raid but when I mention it folks think I'm mad.

Saw the Islander circling from staff canteen in the Royal Courts of Justice. Being a young enthusiast I bolted my chips and dashed outside to watch from the Strand. Thought for one awful moment as the bundle of leaflets exited that the a/c was breaking up, then the package dispersed and they began to flutter down like giant snowflakes. Took forever to reach street level and i
rather think I took a bollocking for big late back from lunch!!.

Memory plays some tricks though, was convinced the appeal was for the Vietnamese boat people.

Any other examples of airborne leafleting outside wartime propaganda?