Henshaw Challenge: Success! (Now includes photographs)
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Do we have any idea about times as yet? Has he beaten the sa -> uk leg record?
If I didn't have the wife's gran visiting I would have loved to join the welcoming commitee
If I didn't have the wife's gran visiting I would have loved to join the welcoming commitee
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Well, we flew over to Rotterdam to see him arrive, and it was fantastic! What an achievement! It was tremendously exciting to see the plane, and realise that just a few hours before it was all the way down in Cape Town. Didn't identify any forumites, but met a lot of great people nonetheless!
All the best Charlie, for your return leg - I sincerely hope to meet you again some day!
All the best Charlie, for your return leg - I sincerely hope to meet you again some day!
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Congratz Tim (and your wife) on a great site which makes this whole experience that much more exciting as we track Chalkies position...
Glad to see he arrived safely in UK, may he get some good sleep and best of luck for the return journey.
Now if only I could track my UPS parcel like that!
See ya back in CT!
Glad to see he arrived safely in UK, may he get some good sleep and best of luck for the return journey.
Now if only I could track my UPS parcel like that!
See ya back in CT!
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Was great to see Chalkie arrive safely, and he was met by an army of very visible enthusiasts! ZU-CLC went in for some TLC (a wash, new oil, new plugs, new filter, and fixing a comms issue) and then to fill that b-e-e-e-g ferrytank with blue go-go-juice for the return flight.
Go Chalkie, proud day for us South Africans
Katamarino, was good to meet you, and glad to hear you made it safely back to NL
Blue skies
:- P
Go Chalkie, proud day for us South Africans
Katamarino, was good to meet you, and glad to hear you made it safely back to NL
Blue skies
:- P
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By my calculation Chalkie has probably broken the record (one way) but I do not have accurate times and distances, nor does the FAI have the speed for the CT-Lon leg.
The FAI Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) - Aviation and Space World Records has the speed for London-Cape Town as 244.88km/h and the round trip London-CT-London as 243.74km/h
The rough distance is 9671km and the approx time for Chalkie was 36hrs 35 min giving a speed of 264km/h
Does anyone have the actual take off and landing times.
Chalkie was carrying a FAI approved GPS logger so we will have accurate times when the track is downloaded.
The FAI Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) - Aviation and Space World Records has the speed for London-Cape Town as 244.88km/h and the round trip London-CT-London as 243.74km/h
The rough distance is 9671km and the approx time for Chalkie was 36hrs 35 min giving a speed of 264km/h
Does anyone have the actual take off and landing times.
Chalkie was carrying a FAI approved GPS logger so we will have accurate times when the track is downloaded.
Last edited by Tiger Bob; 9th May 2009 at 20:25.
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Chalkie touched down at 1139Z - breaking the record from Cape Town.
Taxiing in
With Dennis Parker, head of Chalkie's UK team
Acknowledging the cheers
Welcomed by Alex Henshaw Jnr
Welcomed by Air Cdre Rick Peacock-Edwards on behalf of Guild of Air Pilots
BTW .....
I asked Alex Henshaw Jnr what he thought of the view of some that his father's records should have been allowed to stand, or that breaking them in a modern aircraft with modern avionics doesn't really count .........
I left Chalkie heading off for a sleep - saying he he didn't feel tired. I suspect that changed the moment his head hit the pillow!
Provided a comms problem is fixed, he will set off for Cape Town at 0000Z
FL
Taxiing in
With Dennis Parker, head of Chalkie's UK team
Acknowledging the cheers
Welcomed by Alex Henshaw Jnr
Welcomed by Air Cdre Rick Peacock-Edwards on behalf of Guild of Air Pilots
BTW .....
I asked Alex Henshaw Jnr what he thought of the view of some that his father's records should have been allowed to stand, or that breaking them in a modern aircraft with modern avionics doesn't really count .........
"I disagree. I'm pleased pilots are trying to break my father's records, and I believe my father would be. He knew his records would be broken one day. It's easier in some ways now but more difficult in others, and it's still an enormous feat for a solo pilot in a single engine aircraft.
I think it's good that Chalkie has limited himself to 200 hp but, apart from that, you can't recreate how things were 70 years ago. I don't think breaking the records in a modern aircraft in any way diminishes what my father achieved in 1939. That still stands. This is different. It just reflects how aviation has progressed since then.
I'm pleased Chalkie's efforts are drawing attention again to what my father achieved. It had been forgotten, which is understandable. Many people weren't born when he did it; I wasn't myself.
I think it will boost people's interest in General Aviation, and hope it will encourage other pilots to try."
I think it's good that Chalkie has limited himself to 200 hp but, apart from that, you can't recreate how things were 70 years ago. I don't think breaking the records in a modern aircraft in any way diminishes what my father achieved in 1939. That still stands. This is different. It just reflects how aviation has progressed since then.
I'm pleased Chalkie's efforts are drawing attention again to what my father achieved. It had been forgotten, which is understandable. Many people weren't born when he did it; I wasn't myself.
I think it will boost people's interest in General Aviation, and hope it will encourage other pilots to try."
Provided a comms problem is fixed, he will set off for Cape Town at 0000Z
FL
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 9th May 2009 at 20:52.
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Fab pics!!! Flying Lawyer, thank you 
The quote from Henshaw junior would make a useful intro to the book don't you think?
Thank you also to Woof for the link to the Avcom website
I was keeping an eye on the wx, from home and on various met websites, and couldn't believe just how pleasantly the UK welcomed Chalkie - considering the fairly 'orrible windy stuff that's happening further north!!
Hope C has managed some good quality sleep and that his return flight is un-marred by Presidential matters and delays in refuelling
The quote from Henshaw junior would make a useful intro to the book don't you think? Thank you also to Woof for the link to the Avcom website
I was keeping an eye on the wx, from home and on various met websites, and couldn't believe just how pleasantly the UK welcomed Chalkie - considering the fairly 'orrible windy stuff that's happening further north!!
Hope C has managed some good quality sleep and that his return flight is un-marred by Presidential matters and delays in refuelling
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Well done Chalkie and best wishes for the return leg!
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FL and all fellow Brit aviators,
As a Sefrican - I want you guys across the waters to know that I acknowledge the graciousness/humility of Mr Henshaw Jnr in the quoted text. I give you a huge 11/10 Sir.
Yes we all know the world has moved on and we are attempting record breaking feats with newer technologies and with that many will argue it is almost unfair. The fact that this record has stood since 1939 is testimony to the amazing grit and "balls" Alex Henshaw had.
However, this record (as I type)is still being challenged - the show isn't over until the fat ladie sings . . . . . Go for it Chalkboy!
As a Sefrican - I want you guys across the waters to know that I acknowledge the graciousness/humility of Mr Henshaw Jnr in the quoted text. I give you a huge 11/10 Sir.
Yes we all know the world has moved on and we are attempting record breaking feats with newer technologies and with that many will argue it is almost unfair. The fact that this record has stood since 1939 is testimony to the amazing grit and "balls" Alex Henshaw had.
However, this record (as I type)is still being challenged - the show isn't over until the fat ladie sings . . . . . Go for it Chalkboy!
Last edited by Horace Blok; 10th May 2009 at 05:30.
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Good morning all and especially Tim!
Well done for increasing the amount of info on the flight!
Like a good wine, this challenge improves as time goes by!
Well done for increasing the amount of info on the flight!
Like a good wine, this challenge improves as time goes by!
Last edited by vanHorck; 10th May 2009 at 09:05.
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Horace Blok
Thank you. I was interested to know what Alex Henshaw's son thought. Absolutely right, IMHO.
Chalkie's attempt on the records will also help strengthen links between aviators in the UK and SA, which is another very good thing.
Just a quick question -
Are you the same Horace Blok who was navigator of Pelican 16 which force landed in the Western Sahara at night en route Cape Town-UK?
(I know Derrick Page. He helped the Guild of Air Pilots organise the Henshaw Commemorative Dinner in Cape Town in February.)
Tudor Owen
Thank you. I was interested to know what Alex Henshaw's son thought. Absolutely right, IMHO.
Chalkie's attempt on the records will also help strengthen links between aviators in the UK and SA, which is another very good thing.
Just a quick question -
Are you the same Horace Blok who was navigator of Pelican 16 which force landed in the Western Sahara at night en route Cape Town-UK?
(I know Derrick Page. He helped the Guild of Air Pilots organise the Henshaw Commemorative Dinner in Cape Town in February.)
Tudor Owen
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Warnings of CB's en route, stormscope U/S still?
AvCom • View topic - Record Flight Cape-London-Cape ZU-CLC
AvCom • View topic - Record Flight Cape-London-Cape ZU-CLC
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Some stats .....
Flying time 09:53:13
Average speed 185kts
Top speed 223kts
Brazzaville - Kano
Flying time 05:35:00
Average speed 188kts
Top speed 213kts
Kano - Algiers
Flying time 08:38:31
Average speed 179kts
Top speed 218kts
Algiers - Southend
Flying time 06:12:38
Average speed 188kts
Top speed 225kts
Flying time 05:30:28
Average speed 170kts
Top speed 237 kts
.
- CAPE TOWN - SOUTHEND
Flying time 09:53:13
Average speed 185kts
Top speed 223kts
Brazzaville - Kano
Flying time 05:35:00
Average speed 188kts
Top speed 213kts
Kano - Algiers
Flying time 08:38:31
Average speed 179kts
Top speed 218kts
Algiers - Southend
Flying time 06:12:38
Average speed 188kts
Top speed 225kts
- SOUTHEND - CAPE TOWN
Flying time 05:30:28
Average speed 170kts
Top speed 237 kts
.
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Hi Flying Lawyer - as Buckaneer says -
I thought of Chalkie when he crossed the Sahara - it is almost 15 years ago when we had our accident - but lets not digress - keep our eye on the ball - as I type Chalkie is almost in Kano.
I thought of Chalkie when he crossed the Sahara - it is almost 15 years ago when we had our accident - but lets not digress - keep our eye on the ball - as I type Chalkie is almost in Kano.