To quote a quote:
There was one specific, principal aim in mind: to promote aviation to many thousands of youngsters, especially women, across the globe for whom flying is a distant, even unknown or seemingly unachievable activity.
I think TCT got this about as backward as possible! She and her team flew at least two rather expensive to operate aircraft, through parts of the world where they were hardly visible to anyone for vast distances, burning through immense amounts of money, costing an R44 it's life, and a fortune to repair the Stearman - how much was spent on all of that?
Or, take all that money, and give it to the HCAP instead, and ask them to spend it wisely, and as broadly as possible, to get as many pilot wannabes into the sky, and scholarship some of the better ones.
TCT could then go on the talking circuit, saying that X number of people went for their first flight, and Z people were offered a scholarship, and she was proudly selling real estate to pay for the flying she wanted to do locally for her on entertainment.
I've been thinking about some comments here saying TCT has been jeered enough. Well some accident pilots have had a tough ride in the threads, and what they did was a one time
accident (maybe error in judgement) not multiple deliberate
deceits! The accidents are bad, and cause us to speculate on the pilot's skill and caution, but we've never discussed an accident pilot doing it deliberately (German wings and Egypt Air copilot actions notwithstanding). We have discussed TCT misrepresenting facts repeatedly, and then expending effort to cover it up, and redirect criticism, rather than admitting wrongdoing. Those were no accidents! And, those actions had the affect of diverting generous donations away from young people ho might get a step up, into expensive self serving flying.