BBC2 The Real Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

[stodge]

Don't know if anyone read Antony Woodward's marvellous book Propellerhead about microlight flying? BBC 2's prestige doc series Wonderland is broadcasting a 60 minute film based on his book next Monday Jan 23. Called The Real Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines it follows three teams - including Woodward - in the 2011 Round Britain Rally. Lots of fun and a real hymn to the pioneering aviation spirit!

Do watch if you can. Woodward is as madcap and gloriously enthusiastic about flying as he was in the book. (I should add that I produced it (ahem!) as part of my day job - flying a C172 being what a I do with the rest of my time!). More details at Home (http://www.walkergeorgefilms.co.uk)

Cheers,
Stodge

[Dave Gittins]

Read it years ago so it makes the programme a must see.

Actually the book is mentioned today in another thread http://www.pprune.org/6969677-post43.html

[peterh337]

Surely any film properly based on that book would be an 18 ? :)

[riverrock83]

Just saw a trailer:
BBC News - Racing round Britain in a microlight (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/16658211)

And I thought mid-air refuelling was only something the military did... I suppose it beats adding ferry tanks but it doesn't seem the safest to me.
Can I buy a checklist for this procedure?
I hope for his sake (or the people below) he never runs into turbulence!

[007helicopter]

The Real Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines: A Wonderland Film at TVGuide.co.uk UK TV Listings Guide (http://www.tvguide.co.uk/detail.asp?id=114151799)

Worth a watch but pretty scary stuff imho

can probably find on iplayer

[007helicopter]

PS On right now 9.00pm Tuesday 23rd Jan, scary Dad trying to talk his son into flying across the Irish Channel.

[PompeyPaul]

Not doing GA much good. Making them look like awful risk takers.

Standard of airmanship is absolutely appalling.

[floppyjock]

PompeyPaul

You got the post in before i did.

We know its putting the Mircolighters in a bad light but the general public wont see that and we will all get tarrred with the same brush.

Floppy :ugh:

[Roff]

Looks great, can you fly in IMC ?
How much is it per hour?

[percy prentice]

Nice to see the sky scooter brigade promoting aviation.

[007helicopter]

I am not knocking Microlights generally as it looks a lot of fun in the right hands, but the attitudes of some of these guys is frankly - shocking.

Looking like a disaster waiting to happen

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Jesus;

42 minutes in and describing the aircraft as "extremely overweight."

Where is Vince of Dundee fame? Lets face it he made microlight pilots look a f***ing menace, the 2 guys in the Thruster make them look worse!

I've had a lot of fun in microlights, a lot safer than a motorbike for a similar price, I suppose it would be bad TV not to concentrate on the eccentrics. Admiration to the guy who missed Cape Wrath by 15 metres, even my FMS equipped £15m "office" can't do that!

SND

[fisbangwollop]

even my FMS equipped £15m "office" can't do that!



O yes it can!!...I have seen a few Gross Nav errors filed on £15m office's in recent years!!:cool::cool::cool:

[rusty sparrow]

I enjoyed watching it - but I'm glad my wife didn't. She worries enough about flying being dangerous.

[Noah Zark.]

As floppyjock & PompeyPaul have said, everyone in G.A. will get tarred with this brush. Incredibly bad airmanship on display. I wonder if the CAA were watching?

[Sir Niall Dementia]

FBW;

Sometimes I look at it and what it is doing and think "I wish I really believed in this lot!" Do you remember the guy who mistakenly entered the wrong lat/long on the old style system (new waypoint, not yet in the box), went half way up an airway, then turned round and went back the other way? I believe the interview with his Chief Pilot involved neither coffee, biscuits or a chair, followed by a serious chat with some ex-coppers who worked in a big office in Kingsway at the time.

At least the guy who went to Cape Wrath in the programme appeared to have properly studied the weather and knew where it was most workable.

How's the boat?

SND

[stiknruda]

Well, I must have watched a different programme to the majority of posters.

I saw a fun account of getting Anthony W involved in an around UK Air Rally. I don't recall seeing it billed as a series of flying lessons or a study on airmanship.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought that the three featured crews all came across as very likeable - though I'm sure the 16yo Irish lad will be a bit embarrased at the whinger he came across as.

It seemed to make aviation affordable and if that gets a higher foot-fall through flying clubs it can only be a good thing.

Stik

[Roff]

Stik, I agree.. What is wrong with people on here?????????????

[poetpilot]

OK, critics, name and identify the incidences of bad airmanship, rather than slagging it off in generic, Daily Mail terminology.

Either that or go and take up chess (but for goodness sake, please wear a yellow jacket).

Absolutely brilliant film, showed the human side as well as the adventurous spirit that is so lacking in the rest of our PC and Hi-Viz society these days.

Well done to all concerned in its production.:D

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Well, as always the fine balance is between:

Rule 1 - AEROPLANES BITE FOOLS

and

Rule 2 - ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?

You also have to bear in mind that the programme makers perhaps had an agenda that was inherent in the title.

[Old and Horrified]

Poetpilot.

How about:

Overweight take off;
Not keeping good look out;
Marking the map incorrectly;
Flying through cloud;
Syphoning petrol from a jerry can on the back seat (in front of the hot exhaust)
Flying while clearly medically unfit;
and generally being a danger to anyone else who is unlucky enough to be flying anywhere near them.

[PompeyPaul]

OK, critics, name and identify the incidences of bad airmanship
Guessing where the destination airfield is and putting a random dot on the map so you are lost 5mins after take off?

[Sir Niall Dementia]

Poetpilot;

See post 8. Describing the aircraft as overweight is not just stupid, but poor airmanship because:

A: It is illegal to fly overweight (It means flying outside the limits set out in the POH)
B: Flying overeight negates the insurance (See A above)
C: Flying overweight is in fact plain stupid due to potential stresses on the machine, not knowing how it will behave in the event of an engine failure, or what have you done to the stall speed/VNE.

Poor planning and getting lost in the first 10 minutes was funny, but poor airmanship never the less.

I wonder what the BMAA made of the "fuel transfer system."

However I would love to have taken part in the competition, the other pilots made it look fun, I suppose the focus on how dangerous it is to fly microlights made better TV.

SND

[stiknruda]

I had a sleep this afternoon, so £uck it - I am going to bite:

Guessing where the destination airfield is and putting a random dot on the map so you are lost 5mins after take off?

So lost he found his point of departure, without crashing and dying! Wow!!

Overweight take off;
Not condoning it but did not hear this said

Not keeping good look out;

In a frigging open cockpit microlight at a TAS of 60kts?

Marking the map incorrectly;

Define incorrectly. I'll bet you that the way I was taught 30 yrs ago is different to your way! My way works for me!!

Flying through cloud; Didn't see that


Syphoning petrol from a jerry can on the back seat (in front of the hot exhaust)

R M-H is a stalwart of the BMAA. But let's be clear here, the fuel is in FRONT of the exhaust - the a/c is moving forwards, the exhaust heat will be travelling aft! Go figure!!

Flying while clearly medically unfit; Poetic licence - one of them obviously held a current licence and I doubt it was AW.

FFS - it was a telly programme - not a CAA authorised guide to perfect microlighting!

What about bolting cameras on to the airframe and smoking in the hangar??


I have grown so weary of Pprune's perfect pilots' propensity to piss me off, I rarely post.

[007helicopter]

The guy who went to Scotland and came 6th looked a hell of an experienced & determined microlight Pilot so the 5 before him must be very competent.:ok:

The TV crew clearly picked the losers right from the start and the focus was on them for the entertainment and drama.

I would not let a child of mine fly with either of those other two guys :eek:

[stiknruda]

You'd probably not want your kids to fly with us either!


3k3AjDCNA-A

[Sir Niall Dementia]

007;

I would have liked to see what the first 5 achieved; as for the guys in the Thruster, I wouldn't want to fly with them, but I bet a night in the pub would be fun.

I was VERY impressed by whinging 15 year old calling traffic to his dad with distances as well as bearings, dad has taught him some useful aviation skills there.

Stik is probabaly right and a few people will try microlights as a result, I can't help feeling that concentrating on the first 5 would have made a totally different programme that would have made people realise that in fact microlights are good, solid aircraft with amazing capabilities, I own a group A 2 seater which is often left for dead by modern microlights, and if domestic management would allow it I would probably trade for a good modern machine.

SND

Stik: I'd let you fly any member of my family, I've seen you fly and am as jealous as hell of your aeroplane. (I'd say the same for R M-H as he took me on my first flight in a weightshift a long time ago) I think from this thread that people are disappointed that pilots allowed themselves to be shown so poorly, all flying is good, but the media concentrate on the eccentric ends of any sport, that's what makes good TV, sadly

[007helicopter]

Stik, nice video, if they wanted to go then I would have no problem, just so long you'd had enough sleep..

if they wanted to fly with the 2 guys or the Irish fellow I think I would at all costs try and prevent them.

BTW I say kids, youngest is 21 so at the end of the day up to them.

[007helicopter]

Over Everest; home (http://www.flymicro.com/everest/index.cfm)

The web site of Richard Meredith Hardy, the guy with beard who flew to Scotland, I would say a real adventurer.

[Whirlygig]

As my good friend Senile Dementia says ...I suppose it would be bad TV not to concentrate on the eccentrics.

It's a TV programme; it's not reality. The events that were shown will have been carefully edited to make good TV; not to further the cause of GA flying, not to show microlights are safe and cartainly not to show things as they happened.

I watched it and enjoyed the programme. However, being aware of the tricks that a production team can make (who remembers James May in airship over Norwich??), I took it all with a pinch of salt.

Would I fly with them? On the strength of the programme, no. On the strength of meeting with them and chatting about their real knowledge and ability (as I would for any complete stranger), yes.

Cheers

Whirls

[percy prentice]

Well, I must have watched a different programme to the majority of posters. You must have been watching Dave or nodded off again during the programme Stick & missed all the naughty bits :)

[007helicopter]

It's a TV programme; it's not reality

Whirls, it was a sort of reality, as in reality TV about a microlight competition?

Virtually 50% of TV seems to be reality xyz because it is cheap to make when no actors are paid.

[Whirlygig]

It's reality only in that a series of events were videoed in real time. There, the link with reality ceases. I could take any number of edited highlighted of an individual's life and, on the one hand make them look like a super-hero, or on the other, make them look like a complete twonk.

Years ago the adage was, don't believe everything you read; now, it's don't believe everything you see on television.

Cheers

Whirls

[BWBI]

Hey Guys lighten up! it was fantastic TV and the best flying prog I have seen in ages! I doubt if Jo Public was concerned about all the critics we have about their flying. You have to just see it for what it was a jolly good adventure and what an achievement by most in different ways!

I bet the flexi wing people will get an increase in people coming through the doors as a result! which is more than can be said for the fixed wing progs which make flying out to be too costly, difficult and seldom fun!

But there again perhaps that is the way it really is and us Hobby Pilots should wise up get some real flying under our belts! Flame torches at the ready!

[poetpilot]

I'm only posting 'cos I don't want you to think I've posted a contentious post and not answered it. But Stik and the others have made the arguments I would have put forward, so no point in labouring them.

As TV programmes on aviation go it was;

1. Informative
2. Human
3. Fun
4. Reasonably accurate
5. Hammed up a bit for the entertainment value.
6. Not anorakky.

Thinking about the many other completely rubbish aviation progs shown (who saw that absolutely awful "10 scariest landings" garbage last week ? groan... then this one was pretty damn good. If it put anyone off by way of promoting the raw adventure and spirit of the sport, then those people would not have really been right for the sport anyway.

The reality is that most micro schools/clubs I've had dealings with (and I now run one myself) promote the adventure side whilst balancing it with professionalism in training and mentoring. The sport is as safe (if not safer in some regards) as GA, and in many respects mirrors the pro GA approach, regulating itself (since the late 80s when it got a grip on itself) pretty well. If it didn't I'm sure the CAA would have hammered it before now.

[AnglianAV8R]

Light hearted entertainment, taken with a generous pinch of salt to allow for the inevitable literary licence ;) Not necessarily representative of the microlighting community, but certainly did show that some flying is still relatively affordable and FUN.
Apologies for shouting but some people on here obviously missed that aspect as they're too busy exercising their (assumed) superiority genes :rolleyes:

Stiknruda... Thanks for your balanced input :ok: My regular passenger is looking forward to the trip with you that he won.

[Monocock]

Reading the first page of this thread made me realise that some people need to get a life, ASAP.

The programme was great and full of 'let's embellish that a bit for good viewing' moments. It showed microlighting in a positive light and summed up nice the lack of snobbery that exists when you have a large fraternity of dedicated people who are not just out to outdo each other....:rolleyes:

[hum]

Great Programme :-)

Heroes all..

Love the bottom line on RMH's website everest page, a quote from George Mallory:

What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for.

[fisbangwollop]

Sir Niall....there was also the well known airline not many moon's ago that was crossing the Atlantic on a route 56N 020W 56N 010W....finger trouble had them input an extra zero for the 10W co-ordinate.....so yes as the flight crossed 20W it started a turn back to 100W.....after regaining the situation and outside radar cover the crew said nothing.....they were found out though as they entered Scottish airspace and once again under radar control they were now behind the aircraft that they should have been ahead of!!!

So as we say these £15m offices are fine as long as their is now human interaction!! :cool::cool::cool::cool:

And as for the boat I am boat less at the moment.....maybe another year or two before I join the sailing ranks again. :cool::cool:
Regards FBW.

[mary meagher]

I thought the programme was absolutely spiffing!

To follow the story of 3 completely different entries into this amazing competition has to inspire others to take up flying for fun, which as hum reminds us, should be our real reason for Private Flying! a lot of pundits on this thread are taking themselves entirely too seriously.

Most of all, I admire that Irish Dad; he is a hero to his son. He didn't pressure the lad unduely, and he carried a GPS, made sensible decisions throughout, and when he saw his passenger was not happy, took off the pressure and spent the rest of the tour relaxing altogether. How many "top gun" amateur pilots give similar regard to their suffering pax?

[yawningdog]

Give the Irish kid a break. He was the bravest of all of them, no contact with the controls, freezing & wet, and most importantly he was dealing with a phobia/post traumatic stress caused by a previous crash that his father was involved in. Also, I didn't see anything wrong with his father's flying.

[fisbangwollop]

What concerned me more than the flying was when Richard Meredith's wife was being interviewed in her kitchen.... did you see the state of the electric whisk on the wall behind her!!! Manky or what and to think she may use it to whip up a triffel one day!!!:cool:

[FirstOfficer]

Unfortunately only realised the programme was on during the late stages. However the bit I watch was like :ooh::uhoh: those strong winds and rain on a microlight, and the father and son landing... :ooh:

Enjoyed the bit I watched, very nice views, I must get myself a gopro camera :O

[fisbangwollop]

For those that missed it.......
BBC iPlayer - Wonderland: Series 4: The Real Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines: A Wonderland Film (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01bfczz/Wonderland_Series_4_The_Real_Magnificent_Men_in_Their_Flying _Machines_A_Wonderland_Film/)

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

It was just brilliant! Poet and Stik have posted the views I would have, so I won't repeat them. But some of you need to lighten up a bit. Flying is supposed to be fun! And for many of us, it is!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/GZK6NK/VinceinG-BCSLres.jpg

[jecuk]

Was amusing but dodgy flying skills on display. Anyone heard of a go around? Competition or not it looked very dangerous to me.

[Meldrew]

I like sweeping generalisations, so here goes. Most journalists and tv programme makers need to keep the fear factor regarding aviation, particularly "Amateur" fliers. (How dangerous, shouldn't be allowed etc inferences) Its what their editors want to see. Most non specialsed journos don't know much about anything scientific,( they did media courses) I have nearly always been disappointed by the way aviation is portrayed in programmes. However, I though last nights programme was produced in a fun way, it had some interesting human stuff in it and the onboard camera material was, for the most part, great to watch. Like other contributors I would have like to see some material about the guys that came at the top.

[neilgeddes]

What was in episodes 1 & 2 ? I missed those.

[shortstripper]

I thoroughly enjoyed it! I wasn't going to even bother watching to begin with as the "real" in the title put me off (most programmes with that precurser seem to put down the original film/exploit/programme/ect).

I thought it showed the fun side of flying and I think it more likely to attract than repel new entrants. Ok it was a bit gung-ho in places, but that's what's needed to make good telly. If it concentrated on the more efficient machines and serious pilots I bet it would have been boring - certainly to me!

Also, how can anyone criticise RMH unless they have comparable knowledge of flying microlights and breaking records flying them?

SS

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've criticised RMH many times - but know him and did it to his face. He's reciprocated a few times as well:} The reality is, he's a brilliant pilot and a competent organiser who has done stuff most of us simply couldn't contemplate.


In the meantime (and I've not watched the programme yet, hopefully tonight if it recorded okay), I'm willing to bet that a controversial and slightly manic portrayal of microlight pilots doing the round Britain will bring far more people into flying than any amount of serious "look how serious and safe we are" programming would be.

Personally I've wanted to enter this for years - somehow something has always got in the way.

Anybody up for entering this year - I think this might finally be my year!

Round Britain Rally (http://www.roundbritainrally.org.uk)

G

[BWBI]

Stik,

Brilliant video thanks for sharing. Obviously brought up on Flexi wing flying!

[maxred]

Yep, lighten up, it was a spiffing yarn. The father and son team were fantastic. I liked the human touch..

However, 5500 feet over Cape Wrath, in that:sad:

Looked full IMC at one stage also:eek:

Ive been on the back of one, at 3500, (some years ago), and it scared me senseless, so maybe above the clouds staring at the sun might well be the way to go.:ouch:

[mikesands]

I don't usually post on here, but the microlight egroup has highlighted this discussion on Pprune. When I started reading the posts I thought what a load of old farts, but by page 3 it seems to have become a balanced discussion. FWIW, I too would have liked to see at least some mention of the winning entries and how on earth they managed to push RMH into 6th place Although I guess a Eurostar is probably going to cruise almost 50% faster than his flexwing. It may amuse the GA brigade, but the BMAA forums are full of debates about over-regulation and hyper-safety considerations. So much so that many (well some) of us have gone entirely deregulated. We still need a licence to fly, and can still be prosecuted for breaching the licence terms, but we take full responsibility for our aircraft's safety - I've yet to come across any de-reg flyer with a cavalier attitude to this. Full marks to the participants in the RBR and to John Moore for revitalising the competition.
Mike Sands

[Matthew B]

I'm a microlight pilot sothis was a must see, but it left me seriously in two minds. Pictures taken from the air and of the aircraft were inspiring and I wish there had been more. But for God's sake when are people going to get away from this idea of a microlight being something made with meccano with a lawn mower engine strapped on? Two of those featured had Rotax 912 engines - one of the most reliable piston aero engines you can buy, from an Austrian firm that has been making them for decades now. You climb into 150 and you're sitting behind something that was old technology in World War 2. All of these aircraft have Permits to Fly issued by the respective bodies (BMAA or LAA) who operate under licence from the CAA. My own aircraft was built by Antonov engineers.

But what really worried me were the guys in the Thruster. The chap in the P1 seat was far from current. P2 was clearly not fit to fly and some of the landings they executed .... Well my instructors would have been shouting 'I have control' long before the first bounce.

I can just imagine quite a few youngsters and not-so-youngsters saying 'Love to have a go at that' and their parents/partners saying 'Over my dead body' as a result of seeing this. So we end up attracting mavericks and thrill-seekers which, if we're not careful, will cause even more misconceptions and prejudices. On balance, I wish they hadn't shown it.:sad:

[willy wombat]

I've never looked at this forum before. The only involvment with private flying I've ever had was ballooning (I have a long lapsed PPL B). My involvement with aviation has always been with the commercial side and I have seen enough inaccurate documentaries about commercial aviation to know to take what is presented on TV as "factual" with a pinch of salt. I thought it was a great programme and its made me google "microlighting in Sussex" so surely in that respect it was a success. I may just wander along to Deanland and take a look when the weather gets better.

[flybymike]

But what really worried me were the guys in the Thruster. The chap in the P1 seat was far from current. P2 was clearly not fit to fly and some of the landings they executed .... Well my instructors would have been shouting 'I have control' long before the first bounce.


As has been pointed out many times this was a programme made as much for entertainment as reality. It is just as easy to simulate alleged choppy flying conditions, hairy landings, Instructors who fly without a second thought to a bad back or even a token interest in flight planning, as it is to simulate alleged overweight aircraft, stress, and all the gung ho attitudes necessary to make a programme like this entertaining. I can't believe some people on here are naive enough to believe everything they see on the tele. Presumably they also believe what they read in the newspapers. It was piece of (absolutely excellent) entertainment that's all. Not a treatise on responsible flying Godammit!

[Craven Moorhed]

I competed in the RBR and also was on the team that organised it a few times. I'm sure it's planned professionally & safely today as when I was involved.
In the defence of the Thruster, I flew it for years & safely completed >700hrs. I did not, therefore, appreciate some of the comments at the start of the program about 'homemade' & lawnmower engines etc etc.
It's a great way to fly & the RBR is fabulous.
Shame the TV show had so many teeth-sucking moments which overall unfairly showed microlighters as gash.

[treadigraph]

My only complaint about it was all my bloody digital channels disappeared for 10 mins about three quarters of the way through (anyone else in the Sydenham transmitter area have that problem?).

Other than that enjoyed it and will watch the missing bit on iPlayer tonight.

[jecuk]

I thought the Irish guys came over well and the dad made some sensible decisions.

The solo chap seemed great but I was worried for him with the jury rigged mid air refuelling - risk of fuel spill onto his flight suit, ignition from engine etc...And I am not sure his aircraft is certified for VFR on top (although I think the UK rule on that is silly).

Most concerned about the other two actually.

On people commenting here I am afraid that if you put yourself up for something like that show you have to live with others commenting on how you are portrayed.

[oggers]

I enjoyed it :ok:

[flybymike]

And I am not sure his aircraft is certified for VFR on top (although I think the UK rule on that is silly).


At his reported altitude which I think was 5500 feet, he certainly had more than 5k vis and almost certainly more than 1500 metres horizontally and 1000ft vertically from Cloud. I am not sure what an aircraft certified for VFR on top is, or more relevant, whether there are any special microlight licence VFR limitations.
The only thing I found unbelievable is that the weather is ever as nice as that in Scotland....

[poetpilot]

No such thing as VFR On Top !

VFR rules above 3k feet and below FL100...

... in Class B, C, D, E, F & G airspace...

Cloud clearance 1000 feet vertically, 1500 m horizontally, min viz 5K.

Nothing different for micros.

He was certainly that in all the shots I saw (and I've now watched it twice). In all the shots, you can see ground, so he was not above solid overcast.

No-one in that programme entered and flew in cloud.


I'm really missing our old Thruster TST, which we sold in October. Wish we'd held on to it and rebuilt it now.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm really missing our old Thruster TST, which we sold in October. Wish we'd held on to it and rebuilt it now.

I can understand that, although with the demise of ours I'm going flexwing again.

I know somebody with an enclosed 1-off TST for sale, which even has carpets and a cabin heater. I tried to persuade our syndicate to buy it when ours died, but they weren't having it.

G

[007helicopter]

What was the model that the Irish guy was flying? it looked a very capable machine.

It looked a great father and son bonding time and I think the Irish guy had a heart of gold but I at times felt at the beginning there was a fair pressure on the son to go along, let alone having TV cameras adding to that pressure.

The Irish guy seemed to be out of his depth at times but that's how we all have to gain experience.

[Crash one]

The only thing I found unbelievable is that the weather is ever as nice as that in Scotland....

Are you serious?:ugh::ugh:

[Genghis the Engineer]

What was the model that the Irish guy was flying? it looked a very capable machine.

I'm pretty certain it was an Air Creation iXess.

A nice and very solid aeroplane to fly I recall, although not available new in the UK now. The Tanarg (http://www.flylight.co.uk/flexwing/tanarg.htm) is I believe the most modern version.

G

[7120]

Brilliant programme. R M-H must have 20l bladder or a "gadget" for that as well :p

Anybody know what make/type are the cams attached to wing tips cockpit etc.etc.?

[007helicopter]

A nice and very solid aeroplane to fly I recall, although not available new in the UK now. The Tanarg is I believe the most modern version.


Thanks Genghis, Certainly looks nice and interesting to note has an option for BRS Recovery Parachute in the event of midair or structural failure. (but thats another discussion)

I imagine in a microlight it would only be used in these type of events as it can be landed in a large variety of areas relatively safely with such a low landing speed.

[MadamBreakneck]

Was amusing but dodgy flying skills on display. Anyone heard of a go around? Competition or not it looked very dangerous to me.

Some more of the finishing aircraft here - including a go-around :-)
23-07-11 Round Britain Rally 2011 - YouTube
MB

[riverrock83]

R M-H must have 20l bladder or a "gadget" for that as wellI'm sure he could have taken his seat belt off, swivelled round, aimed and fired...
Might be a bit cold though!

[Crash one]

Especially on the downwind leg:D

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm sure he could have taken his seat belt off, swivelled round, aimed and fired...
Might be a bit cold though!

I'm probably made of far less stern stuff than RMH but I can think of very little that would persuade me to undo my lapstrap whilst flying a flexwing !

G

[jecuk]

I have to say that video restored my faith. Looked far more "conventional".

What are the more enclosed cockpit aircraft?

[Slopey]

Anybody know what make/type are the cams attached to wing tips cockpit etc.etc.?

There were certainly a few GoPro HDs iirc.

[Old and Horrified]

Gengis

Loosening lap straps? Watch the bit where Richard started trying to syphon fuel from the jerry can on the back seat.

[rans6andrew]

Good Game!

I would like to add a bit of info about the event and the many competitors who were not part of the film staging. We went (by road) to the briefing on the evening before the flying started (nice curry!) as, having read the Propellerhead book, I was curious about what the competitors were going to be asked to do. I had considered taking part but didn't fancy tearing all over the sky for up to 11 hours a day, my co-pilot was with me on that point. My idea of flying is a couple of hours in the air followed by a pee break and a coffee at a flying club. Perhaps the Irish chaps had the right idea.

Loosely, competitors were given a list of waypoint spread all over the country for which they accrue points for visiting. Someway points require a landing and collecting a stamp on a card, others require flying over within a small radius, some have a specific time window to pass over for bonus points. The aircraft were allowed to be airborne from 8am until 7pm on the Friday, from the start window position until 7pm on the Thursday and from 8am until the finish window position on the Saturday. The start window time slot (2 minute intervals) until the finish window time slot gave every competitor some some 28 hours to play with. Every aircraft was equipped with a GPS based tracking device (no display) so that way point scoring and flying hours could be checked by the Rally Control.

Somebody worked out that the shortest route around all of the points was about 2600 nautical miles. The points were "adjusted" by a factor related to the aircraft Vne for each aircraft, hopefully to level the playing field.

So, the winner of the 3 axis, non GPS class (a SkyRanger) bagged all but 2 of the waypoints. I think that he missed the one in the Scilly Isles and one on a Scottish island. Put the other way round, he must have averaged nearly 100mph, in a rag and tube microlight, for about 9 or 10 hours a day and at the same time figure out where to get fuel without delay, whilst darting all over the countryside (map, compass, stopwatch) finding waypoints. To cap it all, they had to turn up at the finish line within a minute of their allocated time.

We flew up to watch the finish (they filmed me landing! I was on the telly) and witnessed them arriving back. Nearly every one crossed the line within their time window. The landings were "interesting" because there was somewhat more crosswind than the film would suggest, the approach was over/around trees, grain silos and some telegraph wires onto less than 300 metres of grass. At the other end was a good sized hedge and a mobile phone mast and cabin. All good stuff to focus the mind.

I have to raise my hat to all of those that took part. One young lad, recently qualified, with his first aircraft flew the event solo. That's gotta take some balls.

There were no accidents or infringements as far as I know.

What was on the telly was entertaining but not really representative of most competitors experience of the event.

Free publicity though...........

Rans6......

[Pittsextra]

Looked hugely fun. I was surprised the regulations / organisers allowed the re-fuel setup as that is just asking for an eventual shunt when echo'd by other in years to come. I know airmanship is something to be serious of but actually when you can maintain a PPL with 10 hours in year 2 I'm sure if we filmed most GA pilots the film would look tame.

Anyway surprisingly my other half - who hates flying normally in regular stuff - is pestering me to get involved with this event in 2012, so it couldn't have been so bad (or maybe my flying is terrible?!!). Incredible and of course I'm not questioning it!

[maxred]

He was certainly that in all the shots I saw (and I've now watched it twice). In all the shots, you can see ground, so he was not above solid overcast.

No-one in that programme entered and flew in cloud.

Agreed PP, I commented that I thought he was IMC. I watched it again tonight with my son and in the shot I Thought was above cloud, I could see ground.

Apologies RMH.

I also have a great deal of reSPECT for the pilot and son act. Good viewing all round and actually portrayed flying as fun again.

RMH camping underneath the wing at Dornoch - very brave man.

[excrab]

Love the quote from Will in the pub " Out of everything I've ever flown... in the world...you cannot beat the basic microlight in flight...it might be a flying deck chair but it's total freedom...You've heard the expression free as a bird...well it's as free as a bird...and for me if I can't fly I'm not free"

How refreshing to see people actually enjoying themselves in aeroplanes. It bought back memories of summer evenings with nine non radio microlights in a 500 foot circuit and student pilots who could successfully deal with an engine failure in a flex wing on a first solo because they had been taught airmanship properly by instructors who understood the air and what was going on around them rather than worrying about GPS/COM boxes with instruction manuals like a small phone book, or the finer points of air law in the emptiest airspace in the UK, or flying a thirty year old spam can for £150 per hour.

They all had a good time, no one got hurt and I couldn't see any rules of the air being drastically broken. If you watched this program and really believe otherwise get down to the local microlight club, talk to an instructor, and have a go at it and put some fun back into your own flying.

Awesome. Best flying program I've seen for ages. Watch it if you haven't already.

[Ace Rimmer]

Shaggy - that is one mighty fine looking machine... but then I'm biased...never met a Spitmunk (or Chipfire) I didn't like...

BTW The prog I saw (allowing for journalistic licence) depicted a bunch of people having a great time - not sure I see anything wrong with that...

[BackPacker]

BBC iPlayer doesn't want me to show the show, since I'm from outside the UK. I can't get it to work through a proxy, and it's also not on one of the "other" movie download sites.

Anybody any ideas? Otherwise I've got to wait until well after midnight next Monday to see the repeat "live".

[Genghis the Engineer]

Set the video then watch it on Tuesday?

G

[patowalker]

BBC iPlayer doesn't want me to show the show, since I'm from outside the UK. I can't get it to work through a proxy, and it's also not on one of the "other" movie download sites.

Not surprising. In the UK we have to pay for the priveledge of watching TV and iPlayer.

[jecuk]

So as a postscript to my earlier negative comments I met some other pilots last night and while we all had some teeth clenching moments while watching, we all agreed the event and aircraft themselves look like great fun. So maybe after all it will encourage even existing pilots to try microlights. None of us were keen on anything other than the three axis aircraft though - Call us traditional!

[Genghis the Engineer]

Well I've been sufficiently inspired to put my entry in for this year's - 21-23 June. I shall most likely enter in a Mainair Blade, and have put myself down for the "gold" (no electronic navaids) category. Not sure yet if I'm going to have a navigator or not.

Anybody else?

G

[1800ed]

An enjoyable watch - had to take it with a pinch of salt however - Within the first minute of the program they mentioned that all microlights had notoriously unreliable engines, despite all of the engines in shot at the time having Rotax written on them. I thought they had a pretty good rep?

Either way, made me want to sign up and give it a go one day! Certainly looks like good fun :}

[Hoveronly]

I thought that the prog was really enjoyable. It portrayed the act of getting in the air as something which the ordinary guy could do and Im sure it will have fired many to have a second look at flying - surely that cant be a bad thing? It even has me considering changing code. Good for RMH, we need aviators like him! Hats off to the giy who persevered with his bad back and good job to the teenager who bonded with his dad - priceless!

[Pittsextra]

Anybody else?


Yep I've registered, also non-GPS.

[good finish]

Enjoyed the programme.
Frustrated by not been able to see how the winner did it.
For me flying is all about fun and adventure - and these guys were having some.

[gingernut]

Great viewing. Not sure about having a fag in the hangar:p

Many moons ago, pre ppl, me and 'r kid once had a dual flight with the guys from Barton.

Fantastic hour, still talk about it now.

[thing]

The guy with the shaggy beard was suitably restrained when he missed a turn point by 15 metres, and I think he was at 5,500' at the time.

[spekesoftly]

In the UK we have to pay for the priveledge of watching TV and iPlayer.

TV licence not required for iPlayer (http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/playing_tv_progs/tvlicence)

[patowalker]

Thanks. I was frustrated when I couldn't use iPlayer abroad and thought it had something to do with the licence.

The BBC uses Geo-IP technology to identify where your are based on the location of your internet service provider (ISP). This ensures that only internet users in the UK can enjoy programmes on BBC iPlayer - you can read our advice to find out more about on-demand rights (http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/playing_tv_progs/online_rights).
If you download a programme to your laptop or a portable hard drive, you can watch this wherever you are in the world. However, you will only be able to download new programmes once you return to the UK.

[spekesoftly]

Otherwise I've got to wait until well after midnight next Monday to see the repeat "live". The repeat on BBC HD is at 00:30 on 30/01/2012. So that's after midnight this coming Sunday.
Just a heads up so you don't miss it! ;)

[AJAH]

The organisers drew a One Kilometer circle around the center (turning point) of Cape Wrath. Our intrepid aviator in fact missed the CENTER of the area by 15 meters. So he was One Kilometer and Fifteen meters from the turning point. Rules is rules !

[B4aeros]

I think that was just condensation in the camera lens.

[gpn01]

The only bad thing that I found about the programme is that it's made me want to have a go in a microlight! Up until now, as a glider pilot (which really is as close as you get to flying like a bird), I've always thought of microlighting as a boring way of noisily drilling a hole through the sky. The programme caste the sport in an entirely different light. Whilst it showed some of the muppetry that exists in all forms of aviation, it also showed some of the more fun, albeit eccentric, characters too. Richard struck me as one of those people we characterise as "a bit odd" but who obviously has a wealth and depth of experince way beyond the majority of his compatriots. The Irish pair provided a lovely TV storyline - dad & lad bonding, etc. In fairness to the son, I don't think anything he said was unreasonabe or whingey. I'd always prefer a passenger to tell they're not happy rather than them staying quiet about it. Even happier with the second set of eyes calling out traffic! His Father showed a great deal of aviator maturity too by listening to his son's concerns and making sure they had a good time.

Great TV, fun programme. Now where do I find a micolight strip West of London?

[Oldpilot55]

Some comments, which I say as an ex-microlighter...
microlight guys are far friendlier than their bigger brothers. They will always help you out when you are stuck.
The British Microlight team consistently wins the World Championships. This suggests to me that they are a professional and competent bunch.
The BMAA is very professionally run.
And finally I would far rather pay my TV licence than watch the drivel that the commercial channels put out. Who pays for the adverts, at the end of the day?

[BackPacker]

Managed to watch it through a UK-based proxy. The rerun on Sunday night is on BBC HD, which is not available here.

Lovely show. Quite a few eyebrow raising issues but they've been mentioned before. What struck me most was the seatbacks they were using in that Thruster. Plain old pieces of foam, probably ripped out of a couch or something somewhere. No wonder the guy had a bad back.

Okay, now where can I learn to fly a weightshift microlight somewhere around here? It seems like an awful lot of fun to do.

[patowalker]

Okay, now where can I learn to fly a weightshift microlight somewhere around here?

Microlight Aero Team Matteam microlight display team (http://www.matteam.com/)

Watch the videos.

[rusty sparrow]

It looked fun to me - got an hour in a weight shift booked for next Friday :)

[IanPZ]

I watched it, and was uncomfortable with some of it, and liked other bits. Given that I am currently learning in a microlight, it didn't really match my experience of most of the people I have met so far.

So, to be more specific, yes, I wish they had chosen to follow the people who won, rather than the people they did. Of course its hard to work out who would win before the race started, but when you look at who were in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, its no surprise, so they should have followed one of them.

Regarding Anthony Woodward, I have read Propellerhead, and I thought he was entertaining, and nothing different from what I expected. I think they tried very hard to "big up" the irresponsible nature of their flying, but it was TV drama, rather than real. I never saw anything too crazy from them, and getting lost....well, its a mistake, rather than irresponsible.

I was also not too shocked by the Irish dad and boy. Again, they bigged up the drama of him being frightened, and the "stress" between them, but that's TV, and a huge pat on the dad's back for recognising day one that it was too much for his son, and making it a sightseeing and "father and son" time, rather than a race.

The person who made me uncomfortable was RMH. I don't really care how experienced a pilot he is, how capable he is, or how idiosyncratic he is....what I care about is that he was held up as a leading light in the microlighting world, and then did some bl**dy stupid things, the main one of which was undoing his seatbelt whilst in flight. Being a student, I am happy to be corrected, but surely since the POH has seatbelt checks as one of the pre-flight checks, then taking it off 2500' up to turn around in your seat is illegal, no? It's certainly dangerous, and gives the wrong message, as far as I am concerned.

Anyhow, all the same, 2/3 aint bad, and I can't deny I enjoyed watching the dad and son get on.

Finally, to the person in London who was looking for somewhere, try Exodus Airsports, in St Albans. Not too far a journey, and the chief instructor there is the bloke who won the RBR. Friendly bunch too, and a good mix of both flexwing and 3axis pilots.

[mary meagher]

They have microlites at Enstone airdrome, 20 minutes by road from Oxford, in a northerly direction....

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

The person who made me uncomfortable was RMH. I don't really care how experienced a pilot he is, how capable he is, or how idiosyncratic he is....what I care about is that he was held up as a leading light in the microlighting world, and then did some bl**dy stupid things, the main one of which was undoing his seatbelt whilst in flight. Being a student, I am happy to be corrected, but surely since the POH has seatbelt checks as one of the pre-flight checks, then taking it off 2500' up to turn around in your seat is illegal, no? It's certainly dangerous, and gives the wrong message, as far as I am concerned.

Hey, Ian. Did it not occur to you that RMH, having overflown Everset in a microlight and done lots of other amazing stuff, might know what he's about when he undoes his seatbelt in flight?

Do you wear a yellow jacket when you climb the stairs in your house, just in case you might otherwise collide with the wife as she comes down (but only if she too isn't so attired?)?

Amazingly, some of us who've been flying for several decades have learned that you survive by assessing the risk, and making your own descisions. Else it's best just to stay on the ground.

[patowalker]

Did it not occur to you that RMH, having overflown Everset in a microlight and done lots of other amazing stuff, might know what he's about when he undoes his seatbelt in flight?

Yes, the latest RBR winner has got a very long way to go before even coming close to RMH. Because many of Richard's great flights were in machines powered by 2-stroke engines, before the advent of the much more powerful and reliable Rotax 912, I don't think anybody will match him.

Richard Meredith-Hardy, Microlight & Paramotor pilot CV (http://www.flymicro.com/cv.cfm)

I saw the finish of the Grand Course he won in 1991, by completing 2015km in 3 days in an Air Creation Racer 447. The crowd at Blois Onzain loved this eccentric Englishman, fluent in French, modest about his achievement and generous in praise of his (French) machine.

From the video, RMH obviously still sorely misses his good Angelo d'Arrigo and thinks the accident he died in was totally avoidable.

Obituary: Angelo d'Arrigo | News | The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/apr/01/guardianobituaries.mainsection)

[thing]

Just read d'Arrigo's obit there, never heard of him but thank God there are people like that in the world and how sad that he died the way he did. The sort of bloke you wish you had known.

[patowalker]

Yes, not the sort of bloke who would worry about undoing his seat-belt at 5000' either.

[funfly]

Interested to hear the range of comments. Personally, as am ex 3axis microlight flyer, I was at annoyed by the references to the unreliable 'lawnmower' engines when in fact Rotax are some of the most reliable around and highly respected. Also by portraying microlights seemingly made from a few bits of scrap iron and string when this is simply not a fact - they made it look too 'gung ho' for me and I don't think it did the Microlight community any favours. If anyone is attracted to microlighting by the portrayal of unregulated and dodgy flying then a few lessons will bring them into reality. Yes, I knew people who flew aircraft less than legal, without radios and doing all sorts of things, but the majority are fliers with reliable equipment and a safe and serious attitude to flying. I did however enjoy the program as a bit of tele and I suppose I have to accept that all people who live in London are not like those in Eastenders:sad:

[dont overfil]

Hmm. The seatbelt thing cast my mind back to a couple of instances where I have been flying in smooth air then WALLOP from nowhere.

At least it is hard to actually fall out of most fixed wing aircraft.

D.O.

[Heston]

people who flew aircraft less than legal, without radios


Lest anyone draw the wrong conclusion from this - its perfectly legal to fly aircraft without radios as long as flight is restricted to class G airspace and airfields that are non-radio.

H

[mary meagher]

The Wright Brothers never wore seatbelts. Alas, neither did Harriet Quimby.

[BWBI]

Anybody see the last episode of Earth Flight on BBC1 last Thursday night?

Thought the French Guy who flew his flock of geese from London City Airport with his flexi wing microlight as mother bird was fantastic! Hate to think what could have happened if he dropped the very large camera over the London outskirts!

There is a lot of very positive coverage of Flexi wings at the moment in the media pitty the weather isn't better though to encourage more would be flyers through the flying school doors!

[funfly]

people who flew aircraft less than legal, without radios
Lest anyone draw the wrong conclusion from this - its perfectly legal to fly aircraft without radios as long as flight is restricted to class G airspace and airfields that are non-radio.

Sorry, that was typographical, I was not suggesting that it was illegal to fly without a radio.
I would add that I have always been of the opinion (being an opinionated bugger) that the days when flying without a radio was considered safe are long past.

[thing]

I would add that I have always been of the opinion (being an opinionated bugger) that the days when flying without a radio was considered safe are long past.

Yes, I had an odd feeling the other day. I've had time off from gliding to do my PPL, night and IMC and now the thought of sitting in a glider just outside of controlled airspace and not listening to somebody on the radio seems kind of strange. Even though it hasn't bothered me for the last twenty odd years.

I suppose it's a bit like mobile phones, you managed quite well without them but now you feel half naked if you don't have it in your pocket.

[BristolScout]

I agree that aviation would be a duller place without amiable eccentrics like RMH but the inflight fuel transfer set my teeth on edge as he was probably contravening Article 137 of the ANO which is the catch-all about recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft.

[Genghis the Engineer]

people who flew aircraft less than legal, without radios
Lest anyone draw the wrong conclusion from this - its perfectly legal to fly aircraft without radios as long as flight is restricted to class G airspace and airfields that are non-radio.

Sorry, that was typographical, I was not suggesting that it was illegal to fly without a radio.
I would add that I have always been of the opinion (being an opinionated bugger) that the days when flying without a radio was considered safe are long past.

Certainly not by me, nor a great many experienced pilots.

Flying through most parts of the UK, without a radio, is legal and safe. There are occasions where you need a radio - but equally it does not stop mountains and clouds flying into you, if the engine stops it doesn't help very much either, and it doesn't tell you where you are most of the time.

Yes, a radio (and its best friend, the transponder) are jolly convenient tools, and make life much easier. In a few times and places they become essential (on the other hand most airfields will accept non-radio traffic so long as they know you're coming). But essential for safety? - no, not really.

G