Average Joe a Warbird Display Pilot?

[Barnstormer1982]

Hi folks,

I've just watched another programme about the Duxford air show and wonder what kind of guys actually get into the lucky position to fly displays in P-51s, Spitfires and all the other smokin kinds of a/c.

The few guys who do that I've heard of (and the one guy I personally know) all have military backgrounds with 1000's of hours, and as I had an incredible portion of misfortune doing my medical at the AF, I will never get there (as I did not get the medical for FJ and found a flying career in mil airlift not sexy enough to discontinue my civil studies and to be cut out of my dad's will in consequence).

Is there a certain route a PPL can pursue in order to fly a Mustang one day anyway? Flying 100s or 1000s of hours on Chips and Harvards and accumulating a considerable amount of platinum credit cards was the plan I had made up. Any chances of getting into a WW2 fighter cockpit by doing so?

[A and C]

A lot of the guys flying warbirds are ex-military but this is not the case all the time as the warbird movment is starting to realise that fast jet time is not relivent to flying a high powerd piston engine taildragger.

A new breed of airshow pilot is starting to fly the warbirds , these people have flown things like the Cap 20 or the Extra 300 a far better trainning ground for a Spitfire or Mustang than flying a Hawk.

Please dont get me wrong I'm not slagging off the ex-fast jet guys they are at the top of the profession when flying fast jets but it is not posable to step from fast jet to warbird without going via the modern high powerd taildragger.

At one time the military had a lot of taildraggers albeit low powerd ones but now most military pilots will not have flown even the DHC-1.

[Sunfish]

Just go to the States and you can get a Mustang endorsement. Doesn't mean you are any good though.

[DB6]

As well as Chippies and Harvards etc, join BAeA, fly in aerobatic competitions, win Standard, Intermediate, Advanced and Unlimited and wait to be asked!

[ozplane]

I believe ARC at Duxford were hoping to address this issue by providing a course which ran Chipmunk, Harvard and 2-seat Spitfire. Logical really. It would run something like the article that Charlie Brown wrote in a recent flying magazine. I would guess it would be implemented when the Irish 2-seat Spitfire gets it's engine back. Suggest you contact them when the Lotto win is secured.

[Barnstormer1982]

I did not think of what A and C said before, but there might definitely be a move away from the FJ topguns, which is exactly what I wanted to hear.

Think I will get involved in Aerobatics and join the German equivalent of the BAeA once I am back in Germany and my student budget permits.

About the lottery win: I am studying towards it. Progressing slowly, but progressing...:E

[MLS-12D]

This question is regularly asked and answered. See:
"Warbird Flying - What Does it Take?" (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=90170&highlight=warbird)
"Warbird Flying" (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=144701)
"Warbird Flying" (different thread) (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81959&highlight=warbird)
"Warbird Hire" (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=136852&highlight=warbird)
"A Job like Ray Hanna's?" (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45986&highlight=warbird)
"How do you Get to Fly Warbirds?" (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36536&highlight=warbird)

ozplane, can you provide a better reference for the Charlie Brown article you mentioned?

[G-KEST]

Well you really have received some great advice here and there are many excellent warbird pilots in the UK who have not come from the ranks of the FJ's. Peter Kynsey, Brian Smith, Paul Bonhomme, Alan Wade, Stuart Goldspink, Taff Smith, Lindsey Walton, Clive Denney and Brian Brown to name but a few. Most have graduated through the aerobatic fraternity and all have shed loads of tailwheel experience in high performance aircraft like the Pitts.
Alternatively you could win the lottery.
Perhaps, in view of my background, I should use a handle "Barnstormer 1963" 'cos thats when we kicked off the circus.
Cheers,
Trapper 69
:ok: :cool:

[MLS-12D]

If you fly in Germany, you might try getting in touch with Walter Eichorn, who flies T-6s and Hans Dittes' Hispano Buchon (D-FEHD) ... he might be able to provide you with some advice.

[Barnstormer1982]

I did not think of contacting the Eichhorns yet since that somehow feels like a garage rock band sending U2 a mail saying "Hi guys how did you get where you are now", doesn't it?

Might try it anyway!

[MLS-12D]

I do not personally know Walter Eichorn, although I have friends who do.

I have been told (take this anonymous double-hearsay for what it is worth, i.e., not much) that Walter has an outsized ego. Assuming that to be the case, it doesn't necessarily follow that he wouldn't respond positively to a politely worded request for advice. In my experience, many people find it quite flattering to be asked for advice (as opposed to asked for actual assistance).

At any rate, as you already have time on the Chipmunk, you have made significant headway towards flying the heavier iron, and I don't think that it is unduly presumptuous of you to ask for advice regarding the next steps on the ladder ...

Good luck,

MLS-12D

[Barnstormer1982]

Roger, Wilco.:E

[MLS-12D]

Anyone seeking opportunities to fly warbirds in the UK might find helpful this (non-exclusive) list of operators (http://www.ukwarbirds.fsnet.co.uk/warbird_operators.htm).

[proplover]

One of the more recent limitting factors for budding new Spitfire\P51 pilots is................Insurance. If they dont like the look of you you wont get in. As stated above relavant experiance, a clean record and having a warbird operator take you under there wing is essential.
Large wads of money are essential as you need to get the experiance yourself eg All aspects of Chippy & Harvard flying, the Crazy Horse FULL graduation training plan, other taildraggers, aerobatic types. Furthermore be willing to muck in with the rest of the team who proberbly arent all pilots but have proved themselves with their dedication to these machines - NOBODY likes the prima donna "......but Im a pilot, I dont clean squashed flies off the prop". If its ok for Charlie Brown to clean up its ok for you!

[MLS-12D]

The cost of insurance is so high that many (most?) warbirds fly without hull coverage.

Good advice re the perils of the prima donna approach.

P.S. The following international ist of commercial warbird operators (http://www.warbirdalley.com/fly.htm) (pay-as-you-go) may be of general interest.