More 'solo' claims on her facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/birdinabiplane/
One Pilot Explains Our Deep Desire To Fly
In order to respect the power and ingenuity of modern day aircraft, you have to look to the past.
When female pilot Tracey Curtis-Taylor landed in Sydney, Australia after a 14,600-mile journey flying solo from the U.K. in a vintage open-cockpit biplane earlier this year, the first thing she said was "I need a drink!"
And who could blame her? The treacherous journey was far from easy. It took about three months in total and Curtis-Taylor encountered countless obstacles along the way. Not only did she fly through thick fog in Romania and dust storms in Saudi Arabia, but at one point she found herself surrounded by birds of prey over Pakistan. Eagles, buzzards and vultures swarmed around her. She knew that if one got into the engine it would prove fatal for both her and the bird.
Luckily Curtis-Taylor survived and made it to her destination safely. Her bravery is truly astounding. Trace Dominguez got a chance to catch up with her at this year's Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire, England where she told him all about her vintage plane, a Boeing-Stearman named Spirit of Artemis.
A plane like this is "probably the best flying adventure in the world," Curtis-Taylor told Trace. She explained that they're almost like art more than they are machine -- an art that should be preserved because it's starting to die out.
Curtis-Taylor said she often encounters aviation students that don't know how to fly planes like these and she thinks it's quite a shame. "I think this generation needs to be reminded ya know, that civil aviation was based really on people like me getting into wooden-fabric airplanes," she told Trace.
That's the important thing to remember: aviation as we know it today wouldn't have been possible without people like Tracy Curtis-Taylor, her piloting skills, her passion, and her incredible bravery.
-- Molly Fosco
Perhaps someone can email this reminder from TCT ( UK ppl with around 1650 hours) to the Light Aircraft Association, the Air League and indeed the Honourable Company of Air Pilots so they get their collective heads around the issues these days of hands on solo flying.
A plane like this is "probably the best flying adventure in the world," Curtis-Taylor told Trace. She explained that they're almost like art more than they are machine -- an art that should be preserved because it's starting to die out.
Those Honourable Company of Air Pilots member who sit down to the wonderful awards dinner in six weeks time need to embrace the problems highlighted by our intrepid "Aviatrix and Inspirational" pilot.:ok
Curtis-Taylor said she often encounters aviation students that don't know how to fly planes like these and she thinks it's quite a shame. "I think this generation needs to be reminded ya know, that civil aviation was based really on people like me getting into wooden-fabric airplanes,"
She of course omits to mention that it helps if the guy who built the aircraft is sitting in the front seat and is a 20,000 hour commercial pilot.
Take a bow for the HCAP,Air League and Light Aircraft Asssociation ...Mr Ewald Gritsch.
