I'm not a member of the LAA, so I haven't an axe to grind either way... but reading the threads on here, on the LAA forum and on other places leaves me in no doubt that were I to be an LAA member I'd be voting against the reinstatement of this award.
How she can hide behind her ever-changing story of 'I never said it was solo', 'I was sole manipulator of the controls', 'sole pilot' etc. and blame it on the media, her web designers, etc. etc. etc. getting it wrong is beyond me. How she can spout on the LAA forum about not being given the right of reply, whilst spectacularly failing to answer the questions that are repeatedly put to her is just astonishing.
And then to go on about it all being due to misogyny? That's the biggest delusion she has going. It has nothing to do with that, it's got everything to do with the way that she's conducted herself.
In my opinion this whole thing smacks of her needing the award to further (or even restore?) her brand so she can strike some TV deals.
A feat of navigation? I'm only a 100hr PPL, but I'm pretty sure given the budget, support crew and an experienced pilot sat in the plane with me I could do that trip.
Not that gender should come in to it, but if we're looking at a role model for female pilots then you don't have to look too much further than Carol Vorderman, in my opinion. Absolute aviation geek and ambassador for the Air Cadets who actually seems to take that honour seriously and is frequently at various ATC parades, events etc. I think she was looking to do a 'round the world' trip the other year before some personal circumstances got in the way - I hope she resurrects that idea as I'd have enjoyed seeing that.
I'll be interested to see which way this vote goes, although I suspect I already know. This will possibly end up having the opposite effect that TCT was looking for...