Hey H
What iinvaluable footage! The more so that I could strangle some of the mightier-than-thou within the CAA in about 19-mid seventies. Separate thread about Skeeters (now grounded) refers on the disposal of spares (HUGE quantities LOL) from the late Francis Chamberlain's estate; the point is this. Francis and I had worked together in and out of the Army, Middle East, Africa and Scotland over a period of many years. He bought a Skeeter Mk12 and registered it G-SARO as befits its heritage. I attended to the total strip and rebuild - and the 'negotiations', in themselves pretty strenuous conversations as I recall, with the Counter Aviation Authority to try and secure a Private Category C of A. Pushing water uphill would have been easier. In the end, if we were EVER to fly this machine we would have to settle for a Permit - NOT the original intention at all.
The reason? CAA refused to countenance an application for a C of A on the grounds that one had never been issued and that the aircraft would have to have a full Type-Certificate appraisal (which would have cost ££££1000s and taken me to an early grave, if not retirement). And then here you come, 35 years later, with all the evidence I need to commit legal homicide whilst under the influence of severe provocation and frustration in equal measure.
I am enormously grateful. The stumbling block with whom I had to deal was a real
ole . It appears that I may well beat him to that big bar in the sky, in which I shall run up the biggest tab imagineable. Then St Peter can ask him to get his BIG cheque book out at the entrance gates
Since he is still around, living in happy retirement in Sussex somewhere I understand, I intend to secure his e-mail address and wreck his sublime smugness once and for all by clipping this Pathe film, and requesting an apology. Then I can get on with packing for that great journey happy in the knowledge that 'every LAE will have his day', if you will forgive the adaption of an old adage.
Earl, Savoia, Dennis et all sorry for a bit of 'Fred Slippage' here, but I just had to comment. Made my day, I'll have another VERY LARGE glass of red wine then............ hic! Cheers ~ VFR