What is clear is that all of the sponsorship would have been raised based upon the flight(s) being SOLO. Would there have been the same enthusiasm to throw money into a non-solo, less glamourous venture?
This raises a few important questions:
- When exactly did the sponsorship requests begin?
- When was it decided that it would not be a solo flight?*
- Why was the solo aspect dropped?
- Were the sponsors informed of this material change? If so, when?
- Why was it felt necessary that the front seat would be occupied for the vast majority of the journey by Ewald?
- Why, many months after the return to the UK was TCT perpetuating the solo aspect?
Care to answer these questions Tracey? An updated statement would suffice.
* It could still have been solo and have the support/film plane alongside. Although this diminishes the risk and loneliness factors, the flight would still qualify as being solo.