Tracey Curtis-Taylor (Merged threads)

[Cessnafly]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjB2dT6q_jPAhUhCcAKHatMCGEQFggcMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftimkellycommsconsul tant&usg=AFQjCNFkzzbxb6Mq2ayoMdoBY8-5BWk49A



Calm, accountable and analytical freelance consultant with a passion for strategy and content

CORE CAPABILITIES:

- Creation and implementation of communication budgets and strategies for global brands
- Proven track record in structuring rights, then activating and integrating sponsorships
- Editorial direction with an eye for creating newsworthy content across all channels
- Well developed understanding of corporate values, brand identity and sponsorship assets
- Strong background in leading and inspiring multichannel and multinational media teams
- Excellent interpersonal skills with senior management, clients and stakeholders
- Fluent French and Spanish, with a global perspective on communication objectives
Experience

Managing Director
Tim Kelly Media Limited
October 2007 – Present (9 years 1 month)Greater New York City Area
Based in New York & London
Independent and flexible consultant providing strategic support for agencies and stakeholders engaged in global sponsorship activities, with a particular focus on sport/adventure properties

ONGOING PROJECTS:

April 2015-Present: Consultant for Aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor, managing PR, marketing, communications and sponsor relationships for Great Britain to Australia Flight



Hmmm. Not looking good, is it.

[rog747]

I think she's dead in the water now -
how can she recovery her dignity from this let alone think she can possibly sue anyone - and sue for what!
she needs to go away quietly and perhaps start eating large dishes (huge) of humble pie

as i said before she had me fooled and I have played with big aeroplanes since 1972

i totally supported her ventures and was excited she was doing these flights which i thought in my mind were going to be solo recreations

of course i knew she had a film crew and support crew along at certain points but for me definitely i thought she was alone in the slipstream doing the legs - seems all a sham -

had i sponsored her i would want my donations back

[Mike Flynn]

"Wherever she stopped en route she seized the opportunity to meet communities,educate young people and inspire women and girls"

Mother Teresa in a Stearman.

Tim Kelly managed all the PR.
He got Boeing a lot of publicity.
I wonder if this picture is displayed in the Seattle boardroom?
http://www.flyingmag.com/sites/flyingmag.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/stearmanenews.jpg?itok=OZ4bWGXC&fc=50,50

[Cessnafly]

View Tim Kelly's professional profile on LinkedIn. ... Management of sponsorship strategy and sponsorship media relations for Artemis Investment Management:



Google reveals the above in the search bar.

Artemis Investment Management was on his LinkedIn profile Jay. It appears to have recently come off. Wonder why.


I'm hearing whispers of a Dick Turpin.

[WeeJeem]

Sorry about that, wiggy ;)

Incidentally, does anyone have any thoughts/insight as to what that "technology failure" was on ?

Was it the radio? Was it the transponder? Was it the GPS?
Or maybe it was the iPad?

Say, what? iPad? What iPad, Weejeem? There was no iPad. I think you'll find that the "only up-to-date addition is a radio, transponder and GPS"
(Source (http://www.stearman.at/Statement_SR.html))

Nope. I'm sorry, Weejeem, but I think you'll find that it was all done with "old fashioned aviation gadgets, except for a GPS device and an iPad". So there was an iPad. And a GPS. But no radio or transponder.
(Source (https://www.instagram.com/p/BEdm-VDOE6Z/))


Ah, I see.
Actually, no, I don't.
Both of me is confused.

[MoateAir]

Technology failure?

Probably the intercom.

[Sam Rutherford]

Whilst my complaint has always been about the veracity of her statements, I have obviously been very, very careful to only state that which I know to be absolutely, and demonstrably, true.

Not good to stand in a glasshouse and throw bricks, etc.

I am, therefore, intrigued to know what legal action she has in mind.

It would, though, open up the opportunity to see both her, and Ewald's, logbooks - which could prove illuminating.

[B70]

Amongst all the usual sycophantic twaddle on the BiaB Facebook page, some negative comments are now starting to appear - this hasn't happened before; or, if it has, they have been removed very quickly. The BiaB PR team must be working overtime trying to keep their heads above water on all of the social media fronts in addition to press, tv, and radio.

[clareprop]

The BiaB PR team must be working overtime
If they have any sense, I would think the PR team are running away as fast as possible.

There is actually a very good link in one of the comments to the Daily Telegraph quote from Oct 2015 where she says something along the lines of 'yah-boo to the military, I'm flying around the world on my own now'. Unfortunately, it's hidden below some other comments so the faithful probably haven't read it.

[robin]

Whilst my complaint has always been about the veracity of her statements, I have obviously been very, very careful to only state that which I know to be absolutely, and demonstrably, true.

Not good to stand in a glasshouse and throw bricks, etc.

I am, therefore, intrigued to know what legal action she has in mind.

It would, though, open up the opportunity to see both her, and Ewald's, logbooks - which could prove illuminating.
If TC-T does call in M'lud for some sort of recompense, she might look at what happened here. Clue: It didn't end well

BBC News | UK Politics | Aitken's downfall complete (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/364174.stm)

[WeeJeem]

Quote:
The BiaB PR team must be working overtime
If they have any sense, I would think the PR team are running away as fast as possible.
:8


I'm not sure that legging it is an option. See, here's the thing:


Tim Kelly
ONGOING PROJECTS:
April 2015-Present: Consultant for Aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor, managing PR, marketing, communications and sponsor relationships for Great Britain to Australia Flight
[...]
May 2008-Present: Management of sponsorship strategy and sponsorship media relations for Artemis Investment Management:- Advising senior management on sponsorship rationale, activation and integration
- Ensuring visibility and media returns around title sponsorships in Ocean Racing (sailing), Ocean Rowing and other adventure activities, including the acclaimed title sponsorship of Walking with the Wounded and Cape Town to Goodwood
- Strategic management of all related media budgets, suppliers, content and partners
- Implemented successful personal sponsorship of Olympic Equestrienne Zara Phillips


and here's the thing :)


Mike Tindall
Former Rugby player for Gloucester
[...]
October 2015 – Present (1 year 1 month) Brand Ambassador
Artemis Investment Management


and here's the thing For the uninitiated, Zara Phillips' mum usually goes by the name of Anne, Princess Royal and most people would probably recognise her grandma (namely Queen Elizabeth II).

And since she got married, she's also known as Mrs Tindall, wife of former England rugby player Mike Tindall.

And if anyone was looking for a Navy connection, Zara's step-dad is Vice-Admiral Timothy Lawrence (Rtd).

And grandma's first cousin - Prince Michael of Kent - is an Honorary Vice Admiral in the RNR.

Which makes Price Michael of Kent her (Zara's) first cousin twice removed.

That's him on the right of the picture below, standing in front of a plane that I can't quite see the name of, and talking to a pilot who's name escapes me.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/10/02/06/2CF92B2D00000578-0-image-a-203_1443763677772.jpg
Complicated, innit?

[rugmuncher]

T-C-T has made a serious error in judgement in how she prepared and followed up with the whole "event".

Q & A with Tracey Curtis Taylor - Features - Pilot (http://www.pilotweb.aero/features/q_a_with_tracey_curtis_taylor_1_4051082)

"If you hadn’t been flying solo, who would have been your ideal co-pilot?

Although this was primarily a solo flight, certainly at the outset, I often took members of the crew and sponsors with me in the Stearman for reasons of expediency or indeed just so that they could share the experience."



The more you delve into her egotistical life you find she is the archetypal "Walter Mitty".

All I ask is that she hands back her "honorary" awards (RAF Wings, RN 2 1/2 ringer uniform, degrees etc.)

[hoodie]

All I ask is that she hands back her "honorary" awards (RAF Wings...)

Has she actually been given an honorary award that permits her to wear those wings?

I had got the strong impression from this thread that (unlike the RN uniform) she hasn't, and that she wears them "just because". :rolleyes:

[rugmuncher]

Has she actually been given an honorary award that permits her to wear those wings?

I had got the strong impression from this thread that (unlike the RN uniform) she hasn't, and that she wears them "just because". :rolleyes:
Haven't read anywhere to see when she WAS awarded them, but was giving her the benefit of the doubt.

I suspect she has no right to wear them.

She's a sick Bird and needs help.

[deefer dog]

If you ever have trouble sleeping and have a strong desire to :yuk: you really should listen to TCT in the following interview which was recorded by the BBC.

BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Live, Former Spice Girl Mel C and aviator Tracey Curtis Taylor (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03wgpyd)

It all kicks off at 42:35 when TCT is introduced along with the other studio guest Mel C.

At 47:10 mins she explains that the ATC controller at Entebbe didn't know his left from his right...later TCT acknowledges the compliment paid to her for her bravery with a modest "thank you"...and then soon after she responds to questions about the incredible danger she faced in Egypt. (This really is :yuk: making listening).

At 52:25 mins our poor girl explains that she couldn't even join the ATC (cadets)...."I've paid for all of my flying whereas my contemporaries have had it all paid for by the taxpayer." She continues with how she was "trained by military pilots," and then at 54:00 she fails to correct the interviewer when he states that she was "alone in the skies with Africa spread out beneath you." :=



I'd chucked up too many times before I got to the end...someone else will have to do it.


PS. Lying by omission: Also known as a continuing misrepresentation, a lie by omission occurs when an important fact is left out in order to foster a misconception. Lying by omission includes failures to correct pre-existing misconceptions.

[B Fraser]

Who exactly are "her contemporaries" ? There are plenty of female instructors and CPL holders who paid their own way. As for being trained by the military, I thought her whinge was that she could not be trained by the military ? If she means that she had an instructor who was also serving or ex military then "so what". Many of us can lay claim to having been taught by a former military pilot, myself included. I was taught aero's by a former Nimrod display pilot and his lovely wife was my main instructor.

Never in the field of bluffing has so much been made out of so little.

[tubby linton]

The Royal Navy honorary commission has a time limit on it apparently

[The Old Fat One]

Sorry Sam, but one cannot help but hope she is deluded enough to drag this into court. I just listened to the BBC track as provided by Deefer Dog...the lady clearly has a mental issue once someone sticks a microphone near her. As I said previously, she is quick to take aim at both feet and open fire. Keep chucking her the rope...

Over the sea I was flying at or below 10 feet :eek::eek::eek: over breeding whales.

er... anyone from the CAA got a view on boasting and/or lying on national radio about what would be a gross act of flying indiscipline, especially as the she is (according to a significant number of her facebook sycophants) an inspiration to children?

As to WeeJam revelations...I'm not surprised...what to do next, that is the question I'm facing now.

[sharpend]

Statement from Ms Taylor:

Curtis-Taylor said, “I have stated publicly previously (11 June 2016) that I am deeply disappointed at the comments coming from a particular source making false assertions that my flight expeditions should have been executed as solo flights and that I have claimed them as such. I have previously stated they were not ‘solo flights’.

Really?

[noflynomore]

So my question is has anyone done it without major sponsors,funding and fame?

Jay, I can't see what fame has to do with it but only relatively wealthy people own aircraft in general.
You have to be unusually comfortably off to afford to give up work for the duration of such a long trip.
You'd have to be considerably more that relatively wealthy to afford the massive costs involved in an avgas fuelled flight to Australia (modifications, visas, agents' comissions, fuel, dash, landing fees, bribes, handling fees, facilitation fees, hotac, bungs, food, presents etc) plus cope with repairs and or maintenance en route.
You'd then need to either double your costs by flying home again or be wealthy enough to risk selling the aircraft in Oz - or not, depending on the market.

OK, some might fund it by selling the family home and ending largely penniless at the end like some round the world yotties do but that isn't the usual way.

If only the wealthy did the adventurous stuff in the past there's a very good reason for it. Big expeditions are very costly, and naturally if you're well connected your route via the Empire staging posts was made easier. Nowadays it takes wads of $$$$ that won't fit even remotely the average person's pocket.

[clareprop]

June 11 2016 was the very first time she stated the flights weren't solo. Since then she has produced 'statements' nearly every month but they still don't explain why since 2014 she had stated she was alone, kept inferring she was alone and didn't trouble to correct media statements that purported her to be alone. She keeps referring to these statements in her rebuttal as if they magically make everything clear but as they are only four months old, they are meaningless.

[topradio]

As we know the nub of the problem is that word solo. What made the feats of historical famous female aviators great was that they conducted their flights on their own. If they hadn't been solo we may well not know who they were today.


Now in all the press releases before the trip it is stated that it was going to be a solo flight and it was this little fact that made the expedition special. If from the outset it was publicised that she would have another pilot with her and a well resourced support aircraft following behind the jaunt would have hardly merited a mention in specialist aviation press let alone the national media.


Once it was decided to change the terms of the flight in such a significant way TCT and her PR team should have immediately issued a statement correcting what the objective of the trip was. But there is not a mention of this and of course no corrections were made when the press published incorrect details as they had received no information to the contrary.


This little PR trick has been perfected by politicians in recent years. I first noticed it with PM T Blair, he would announce some popular new policy and it would be lauded in the press and he would get great acclaim for his dealings with the matter. Then a couple of years later you would realise that he had never carried out the actions he had promised. If the press noticed and questioned why, the politician would simply say that he had been thwarted by the judges or the EU or some other excuse. Meanwhile he had benefited from the good publicity his policy announcement had generated.


Welcome to the modern world based on PURE SPIN

[Stanwell]

Ahem!
"Over the sea, I was flying at 10 feet or below over breeding whales".

As had been suggested elsewhere, this woman needs help.
Quite aside from any aviation safety and regulation issues...
A quote from a typical and internationally agreed Government Wildlife Management regulation:

"There are also restrictions on the height that aircraft can operate around whales. Fixed wing aircraft should fly no closer than 300 metres (1000ft) from a whale."

[sophi]

Statement from Ms Taylor:

Curtis-Taylor said, “I have stated publicly previously (11 June 2016) that I am deeply disappointed at the comments coming from a particular source making false assertions that my flight expeditions should have been executed as solo flights and that I have claimed them as such. I have previously stated they were not ‘solo flights’.

Dear Tracey, You clearly believe that you are dealing with idiots here, or otherwise this statement was designed to bolster support from within your diminishing fan base. Obviously you are disappointed (you got caught) but nobody is suggesting that the expedition should have been executed as a "solo" venture, even though you had advertised it as such. The reason that this farce is being played out is because (1) you claimed it would be carried out "solo," (2) inferred later that it had been carried out "solo' and then (3), when the facts became clear, you attempted to deflect criticism by redefining the meaning of "solo."

You appear to me to be an intelligent lady, but the writer of your PR statements appears to be on a different planet, or possibly deranged. Who writes this stuff?

[Mike Flynn]

The answer to that question is Tim Kelly Media.

If you ask me he has made a mess of this for his client and the sponsors.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Two comments from the radio article, one of which may be quite telling.

She accuses the Entebbe ATCO for turning her into restricted airspace, may I remind her that it is the PILOTS responsibility, not ATC. My instinct tells me that this just might be one of those limited occasions where Ewald was not up front; I cannot see him not knowing what was around him. Can anyone verify if this was at the end of one such "solo" legs; if so then it certainly outlines one of the reasons for EG "holding her hand" so to speak.

She mentions something about engine failure and how she would land on a road if necessary. Really? Seeing as she wasn't even capable of landing on the remaining runway at Winslow. By her own words she was at 50ft having accelerated and climbed normally.
Can anyone confirm just how much runway should have been in front of her? (I think I saw something about this earlier)...OR... was there more to the crash that we are not being told. Was she perhaps flying to impress.

Just a thought or two.

[tubby linton]

Winslow Arizona (KINW) has two runways of around 7000 ft but it is almost 5000ft amsl. This might have caught a few people out but having flown previously flown through Central Africa there should have been some awareness of density altitude.
http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20160511X13726&ntsbno=WPR16LA106&akey=1

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Winslow Arizona (KINW) has two runways of around 7000 ft but it is almost 5000ft amsl. This might have caught a few people out but having flown previously flown through Central Africa there should have been some awareness of density altitude.
http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20160511X13726&ntsbno=WPR16LA106&akey=1
Thank you TL.

So given a density altitude of about 7,223 feet and a pressure altitude of 4,757 feet.
A 300hp Stearman, two POB and an assumed full fuel load, just how much runway would have been ahead of her as she lost power at 50ft in a normal climb?

Would any sensible pilot, given the conditions, elect for mid-point departure? (I would doubt it)

Would you expect this to end in nothing more than a brown-trouser moment, or would it result in some let's-save-the-day heroics avoiding power-lines, which I estimate to be a further 2500ft away to the right of the climb-out lane.

[noflynomore]

It seems that even Wikipedia has had enough - the banner across TCT's page is threatening deletion "according to Wikipedia's deletion policy.

How the mighty have fallen!

[Stanwell]

"How the mighty have fallen."
I'm afraid that TCT was only ever a 'legend in her own lunchtime'.
That news does, however, give me a little faith in an organisation that I'd supported.

[Right Hand Thread]

Having read this thread from Post #1 and followed the entire, sorry saga from Day #1 I have refrained from commenting thus far. Frankly the evidence is there for all to see as far as the solo claim is concerned, likewise the laughable suggestion that TCT warrants an award for navigation.

What I will comment on though is her being held up as a shining example. Having not only read and heard her tales of derring-do on various media and heard her speak first hand I think her tales deserve closer scrutiny. Others have already commented on this but several things strike me when reading my own notes from one of her speeches.

….when I flew over Israeli airspace we were met by another Boeing Stearman on the Haifa coast, flying the Tel Aviv coast at about 50 feet. Now when they say that males can’t multi-skill……uh…y’know in general…uh….here’s the pilot of this other Boeing Stearman….so…. we lock in to…..he’s in close formation he’s doing barrel rolls around me he’s got his head down he’s doing all the radio control, eight different control zones through Israel and he’s got his head down doing all the radio and all the time he’s got his mobile phone out the side filming me so we go over Tel Aviv over the temple of Jerusalem at 200 feet spiralling down into the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the Earth, 1200 feet below sea level and we flew this biblical coast like flying into geological history, pre-history, this biblical landscape flying the cliffs, glowing cliffs off the wingtip from here to here and we spiralled down and flew in formation at about 15 feet... I used bold to highlight the use of the term "we" and her claim to have been allowed to overfly possibly the most sensitive site in the Middle East. I'd need to see compelling proof of a clearance to believe that. While relating the low-level flight over the Red Sea TCT claimed to have flown along some cliffs "...less than half a wing-span from the rock face...".

Victoria Falls, one of the great landmarks of Africa…. Normally they stack the traffic up to about 12,000 feet….the falls are about 2000 feet above sea level but they stack the traffic up to 12,000 feet all the operators, helicopters, microlights and I’m a kinda transient pilot just coming through……… talking to one of the local pilots y’know what he says it’s off season if you time it and get there about lunchtime there’ll be nobody else in the area fill your boots. So here I am flying to Victoria Falls and I come roaring up the Zambezi valley …..you could see the falls in the distance just a cloud on the horizon, it’s called smoke falls and I come roaring…….nobody in sight……..a few buzzards over…..do several circuits around them at 200 feet….it was absolutely breathtaking…..y’know it’s one of the great sights……we had GoPros all…to film it. The airfield is about three miles away, I hadn’t appreciated the proximity and when I radioed in they said ohhhh you should be at 4000 feet I said no, no just at 2300 feet they said well you should be at 4000 feet I said well I said I’m at visual range please just clear me I’m at visual range and I can come in to land……baboons racing up the runway of course the last thing you want to hear as a pilot is ‘Report to the tower’. Sort the aeroplane out, we’ve got crew……..met by a large black man….controller…and he said you know I…I….I…..y’know and he just sat there and, and fulminating and he just said, he just said “You’re dangerous and he said this sort of thing might be very well in Britain but here in Zambia we have safety regulations”.I have heard her tell this story three times but the quote above is exactly that, a word-for-word account. What struck me during the telling was her utter dismissal of the ATC officer. I also found it appalling when she cofessed...

...when we were leaving the Falls I looked up and saw the airfield only three miles away....I was shocked by its proximity....I hadn't appreciated how near it would be..So not only did she take someone's word that it would be acceptable to fly at low-level into an aera where there are high levels of traffic with very specific procedures but she also had not taken the time to study the charts for the airfield.

Then the Entebbe incident where she/they infringed a no-fly zone.

Two hours later we’re going flying into Entebbe. We’re on final approach and they say to me we’ve got an airliner coming up fast behind you just orbit, orbit to the left and give way and I’m fine, I’ve only got a top speed of 90mph so Iook round oh okay and once again we didn’t have the charts and I orbit left which took us over sort of part of the city and there below is a fabulous paladial (sic) mansion so did some sightseeing…..sight the traffic coming in, coming in to land……”Report to the tower” so here we go again. So this time we are met by the military police and they sit me down, they hand me a brochure with 9/11 on it. “Look at that, airliners fly into buildings” because what I’d done was fly over the presidential palace, I’d flown all over a prohibited area. I didn’t have the charts….the air traffic controllers didn’t flag it up…..so I’m looking at the brochure and I sort of said, I said “Hang on a second have you seen my aeroplane? It’s a wood and fabric…do you really think this constitutes a threat to Ugandan national security?” But really three hours and they threatened to impound the aeroplane and arrest me and I said, I said y’know what? Fine. Do it. It’s gonna be embarrassing not only embarrassing for me but for you if you really want to make an international incident of it.Again, my bold. Once again that attitude of smug superiority toward an official who has (quite rightly) chastised her for breaking rules. But what this particular quote highlights is her claim elsewhere that this was the fault of ATC. In other versions (and to this one to a degree) she suggests that ATC vectored her into the prohibited area yet her she clearly states that she "...did some sightseeing..." while again admitting to not having the appropriate charts.

Are HCAP still happy to give their awards to a pilot of this calibre?

[canopener]

I have to admit that there have been some really articulate,intelligent and entertaining posts made since the LAA AGM outcome.It will certainly be interesting to see how the HCAP meeting goes today.
I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I've got to thinking about TCT's recent behaviour,specifically, since her first attempts of damage control on 11 June 2016.There has been a concerted effort since then to try and mitigate the BS spouted by both her and the PR team,weasel words,redefining solo flight,introduction of the term"sole pilot",etc. Could it be that the SPONSORS have actually had enough and called in their support or more specifically their Moolah.This would explain the threats of legal action and the seeking of damages because I don't think our intrepid aviatrix would have the means to repay the large amount involved as it's all been spent.When your back is against the wall it's time to get nasty.......just a thought.

[pilotmike]

@stanwellAhem!
"Over the sea, I was flying at 10 feet or below over breeding whales".

As had been suggested elsewhere, this woman needs help.
Quite aside from any aviation safety and regulation issues...
A quote from a typical and internationally agreed Government Wildlife Management regulation:

"There are also restrictions on the height that aircraft can operate around whales. Fixed wing aircraft should fly no closer than 300 metres (1000ft) from a whale."
A disgraceful act of gung ho arrogance, stupidity and ignorance, if true. The Stearman is a very noisy aircraft, especially when at high power, and at such close range this will very likely have deafened the whales, permanently. So how would they then navigate, Tracey, as they don't have GPS to assist them? What on God's earth was the thinking behind subjecting these unsuspecting creatures to such an onslaught of assaults on their senses?

Everything I read about, and particularly attributed to have been said by, this woman does nothing whatsoever to endear me to her or her claimed cause.

From all the evidence, particularly the recent quoted boasts about her dealings with authorities in other countries after having flouted their laws and regulations, they all appear to be giving the same message: two fingers to the lot of you, I just don't care what damage I do whilst having my bit of fun!... but woe betide anyone who dares to tarnish my reputation.

Barry Tempest appears to have it spot on when he said:I think she is a boastful lady who needs bringing down a peg or two.

I truly hope HCAP re-examine the evidence, have a really serious think about the message they will be sending by endorsing her for her airmanship, and do the correct thing.

[Piltdown Man]

I must say, her Wiki page needs a fast internet connection to keep up with the changes. It's nothing like it used to. It almost (almost) reads like what actually happened rather than what TC-T and/or her PR team would like us to think happened. But that is at 22:25Z on 26th October.

But I have a question, what does TC-T have to do to get the mob off her back? The old fashioned methods of burning at the stake and ducking in the village pond have been prohibited for a quite a while. I ask because the end appears to be in sight. Her revised cake recipe and recent poor press has tarnished her brand. As unprofessional and as hopelessly over-exaggeratingly as she has been, I believe that if she is given a clear and easy way out she might take it, even if just to save her as yet un-released (& probably unsold) film and her speaking income.

Her threat legal action has to be hollow. Only a thumping win will restore her credibility but the chance of that happening is close to zero. A court case will end up with even more public humiliation. Will she be sensible and take an easy way out?

PM

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

If the HCAP MM goes ahead then the best thing TCT can do is to graciously decline the award.
If she thinks losing the LAA BW award is embarrassing, imagine having a second one rescinded; it would be disastrous, whereas demonstrating a little bit of integrity, humility, and some respect for her peers might just do her reputation a little bit of good.

[Mike Flynn]

I understand it is confirmed TCT is not attending the Honourable Company of Air Pilots awards Banquet.

It is very unusual for a recipient of a major award not to attend.

HRH Prince Andrew ,the Grand Master, will also not be attending.

[megan]

Given your post Jay I just had a look at the HCAP site and can find no mention of TCT. Poor search skills on my part, or ........?

[Mike Flynn]

Here is the citation from the HCAP site. Importantly it describes Ewald as the co-pilot and states it was not a solo flight. That of course is the point we have all been making for many months.

Between October last year and January this year, Tracey Curtis-Taylor led an aviation expedition from the UK to Australia, retracing the route flown by Amy Johnson as tribute to her, and evoking the pioneering spirit of that era, but with a very different purpose or objective for the whole undertaking. Unlike Amy Johnson’s flight this was not a solo flight and it was sponsored by Artemis and Boeing as part of a promotional endeavour to encourage females into aviation. Tracey's team consisting her co-pilot and engineer, Ewald Gritsch, flying with her in the Stearman biplane, and film-crew in a Cessna Caravan chase-plane throughout the expedition, together with back-up and logistics support team, were all there with 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. The entire expedition was filmed for a documentary and will show, better than can be described by any citation, how this outreach to youngsters in the Middle East and Asia in particular was achieved.

This was a singularly spectacular and successful advertisement for women in aviation, worldwide. Whether young women witnessed the flights directly, or indirectly by following social media or press campaigns, many will have been inspired by this ‘bird in a biplane’. In many of the countries en route and where Tracey and her team stopped-over, refuelled or put-on demonstration flights, a woman driving a car is almost unheard of, let alone flying a plane. Consider the impact that seeing a woman in the cockpit had on many of those young, impressionable women.

The Master’s award recognises Tracey Curtis-Taylor’s work in raising awareness of science and technology in general, and aviation in particular, amongst young women across the world. In recognition of her role as leader of this aviation expedition, and all it achieved, Tracey Curtis-Taylor is awarded the Master's Medal for 2016.

[Stanwell]

Thanks for that, JS.
So .. the HCAP have now pruned it down to just what a shining example she is to young women, hmm?
Other women pilots might have differing views on that.

p.s. The phrase "clutching at straws" comes to mind.
.

[Mike Flynn]

This paragraph is pure spin.

This was a singularly spectacular and successful advertisement for women in aviation, worldwide. Whether young women witnessed the flights directly, or indirectly by following social media or press campaigns, many will have been inspired by this ‘bird in a biplane’. In many of the countries en route and where Tracey and her team stopped-over, refuelled or put-on demonstration flights, a woman driving a car is almost unheard of, let alone flying a plane. Consider the impact that seeing a woman in the cockpit had on many of those young, impressionable women.

No mention of young men being inspired by Ewald.

None of this explains the deliberate attempt to edit him out of all press coverage or accept the solo certificate from the Australian Women Pilots Association.

[clareprop]

HCAP are trying to save face but still missing the big point which will come back to haunt them: She and her team fooled the media and public into thinking both flights were solo and that is what she will be remembered for. It will be very interesting to see how the press receive the news...

Female pilot starts epic solo flight to copy Amy Johnson - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/11904577/Female-pilot-starts-epic-solo-flight-to-copy-Amy-Johnson.html)

[Mike Flynn]

It has been suggested the HCAP members could vote to rescind this award at
the AGM next year.

[clareprop]

They really are all getting themselves into a tailspin now.

HCAP:
Tracey's team consisting her co-pilot and engineer, Ewald Gritsch, flying with her in the Stearman biplane
Ewald:
Yes, Tracey Curtis Taylor was the sole pilot on all her expedition flights.But I did NOT act as a pilot nor as a flight instructor on these expedition flights.
TCT (for the avoidance of doubt):Specifically, he did not fly my aeroplane instead of me during any of the flights comprising the Africa, Australia or US expeditions.

The press will have a field day with that.

[BEagle]

Jay Sata wrote:I understand it is confirmed TCT is not attending the Honourable Company of Air Pilots awards Banquet.

My information is that neither will she be attending the Trophies and Awards Banquet tonight, nor will anyone at the banquet be accepting the award on her behalf.

This does not necessarily mean that she has declined to accept the award - it's simply that she will not be at the banquet.

[megan]

Nice to see Ewald has had a promotion to co-pilot. Does that now mean TCT was not the sole pilot? And what's more, she was not alone? Websters are going to have to update their dictionary quick smart.

[mary meagher]

I see that James Allen wrote the Pilot story about TCT, which was published on line on October 21 this year. Wonder if he has any comments or revisions?

[Cows getting bigger]

All rather embarrassing for HCAP. I don't particularly care about TCT as an individual; I do care about well established and credible organisations such as LAA and HCAP finding themselves having to squirm. Even the latest release plugging the 'women in aviation' bit is massively subjective, "many will have been .... consider the impact..", without any hard evidence of achievement worthy of greater recognition of the scores who have done something similar.

Did the trip "raise awareness"? What did it "achieve"? Did she really "lead" the expedition?

They're in danger of digging an even deeper hole.

[Mike Flynn]

The wiki entry now lists this.
In 2016, the Honourable Company of Air Pilots awarded Curtis-Taylor its Masters Medal for her work in "raising awareness of science and technology in general, and aviation in particular, amongst young women across the world".[27][28]

No mention of "co-pilot Ewald Gritsch.

I the wiki listing is up for discussion on possible deletion. Given her flights were not notable
nor is her career is there justification for retaining it?

It appears the mysterious MurialMary created the page.

This from the discussion on deletion.
source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Log/2016_October_26#Decision_News_Media
I created this article because Curtis-Taylor was in the news (in reliable sources) over a period of time and her story was interesting to me. I wanted to read an article about her, but as there wasn't one, I started one. According to the GNG this is exactly the type of subject WP biography articles represent - people in the news, in independent and reliable sources, over a period of time. I can't see any valid reason to, as Hillbilly requests, "ignore the GNG" because she has been embroiled in controversy. As Veritasaviator points out, the controversy is quite complex with allegations and evidence on both sides, and it's likely she will be in the news for a while because of it - which again means that she as a subject meets the GNG. MurielMary (talk) 07:04, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

MurielMary Well, it's certainly become an interesting subject! Leaning towards your argument, with the HCAP award now stating she did have a co-pilot on board (the opposite of both Curtis-Taylor and Gritsch's recent statements) would you consider the controversy is beginning to overtake the activity and maybe that should be part of the introduction to the page ? Veritasaviator (talk) 07:27, 27 October 2016 (UTC)
Dear Veritasaviator, let's move questions regarding the article's emphasis to its talk page. This AfD page is intended to discuss whether the article should remain in WP or be deleted. Regards Guffydrawers (talk) 07:45, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

Delete With the HCAP award statement proving Curtis Taylor did not make these flights either solo or sole, I agree with Hillybilly & Veritasaviator suggestions, that there is no real achievement by Curtis-Taylor shown given she had a co-pilot, backup aircraft, satellite communication links, navigation equipment and a logistic company behind her. Dozens of people fly similar routes in light aircraft, microlights and paragliders every year without such support. http://www.trike-expeditions.com/CapeToCape/Olivier_Aubert/olivier_aubert.html 5.133.8.125 (talk) 08:14, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

Please familiarise yourself with the GNG of WP (the General Notability Guidelines for article subjects). Whether Curtis-Taylor's flights were solo or not is irrelevant here. The question is whether she is the subject of ongoing media coverage in independent reliable sources over a period of time. For comparison, someone like Kim Kardashian has arguably achieved nothing in her life but has a very busy, highly read and popular article on WP. Achievement is different to notability. MurielMary (talk) 08:21, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

[pilotmike]

Despite searching hard, I cannot find any answers to Sam Rutherford's question on 16th October 2016:I now have a question for Ewald:

After the Stearman hit the parked R44 only 6 weeks before the Australia trip - can you let us know how closely you followed the FAA propstrike requirements? I've been wondering for a while, particularly considering that the engine failed +/- 6 months later.

Ewald might also be able to answer how the wreck of Artifice was miraculously rebuilt so quickly after T C-T smashed it up. Did it have anything to do with happening to have spare airframes available, meaning minimal effort to transfer a constructor's plate across, possibly?

As an enthusiast's forum, there is a large audience who'd be fascinated to learn more of how such a total rebuild can be done so fast. Just how was Artifice ready for the next show and into the media shots again in unbelievable time?

[clareprop]

This is where you go to have your say on whether the page should be deleted or not - just look for the 'edit' link at the top:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Tracey_Curtis-Taylor

[spekesoftly]

I should have asked this question months ago but who was Bill Woodham and why have the LAA got a Navigation Award in his memory.

Did you ever find out? (Apologies if I've missed the answer elsewhere)

[Cessnafly]

On Wiki, the Goodwood helicopter incident says it was a 'damaged R22'
I thought it was a written-off R44
Any AAIB report to substantiate the helicopter being written-off?


The Stearman also looks totally written-off from the photographs :confused:

[rugmuncher]

Nice to see Ewald has had a promotion to co-pilot. Does that now mean TCT was not the sole pilot? And what's more, she was not alone? Websters are going to have to update their dictionary quick smart.
Statement from Ewald himself says he did NOT fly.
Statement - October 2016 (http://www.birdinabiplane.com/statement%20-%20ewald/)

Oh what a tangled web.



Maybe it's time they change the site name to Bird-and-a-Bloke-in a BiPlane.

[spekesoftly]

I see that James Allen wrote the Pilot story about TCT, which was published on line on October 21 this year ......

Please can you help with a link to that article? (No luck with searching so far)

[longer ron]

Cessnafly - R44 - AAIB bulletin below

AAIB Bulletin: 12/2015 N56200 EW/G2015/08/10

ACCIDENT
Aircraft Type and Registration: Boeing B75N1 Stearman, N56200
No & Type of Engines: 1 Lycoming R680 piston engine
Year of Manufacture: 1943
Date & Time (UTC): 17 August 2015 at 1115 hrs
Location: Goodwood Aerodrome, Sussex
Type of Flight: Private
Persons on Board: Crew – 1 Passengers - 1
Injuries: Crew - None Passengers - None
Nature of Damage: Damage to propeller and tears in left wing
Commander’s Licence: Private Pilot’s Licence
Commander’s Age: 53 years
Commander’s Flying Experience: 1,430 hours (of which at least 350 were on type)
Last 90 days - 16 hours
Last 28 days - 9 hours
Information Source: Aircraft Accident Report Form submitted by the
pilot
The aircraft was parked outside a hangar, in an area where construction works were ongoing
and temporary buildings had been erected in preparation for an event. The pilot boarded the
aircraft and started the engine, before beginning to taxi. After moving off the aircraft turned
through 90° to go between buildings towards the runway. The width of the area between the
buildings was insufficient to allow the turns necessary for the pilot of a Stearman to see the
area ahead. The pilot saw one helicopter parked ahead on the left, and another on the right,
but could not see directly forward, and the propeller and nose of N56200 contacted the front
of a Robinson R44 helicopter which had been parked between the other two.
The pilot of N56200 immediately realised that there had been a collision, and shut down
the aircraft, she and her passenger vacating it without difficulty. The helicopter was not
occupied, and no injuries resulted, but its cockpit was destroyed. The collision could have
been avoided if the pilot of N56200 had ensured that the area into which it taxied was clear
of obstructions, either by observation, or the use of wing-walkers or marshallers

[Cessnafly]

rugmuncher, whilst none of us here have any evidence to the contrary of Ewald ever flying the Stearman on those jaunts, honestly, truthfully, hand on heart, can you really believe that a 20,000 hr pilot, the engineer himself, never flew that aircraft. Sorry, for me, on the balance of probabilities, I would say that he did fly that aircraft ON those jaunts at various stages.

...and I think any one of us here as her co-pilot would have done the same.

[rugmuncher]

rugmuncher, whilst none of us here have any evidence to the contrary of Ewald ever flying the Stearman on those jaunts, honestly, truthfully, hand on heart, can you really believe that a 20,000 hr pilot, the engineer himself, never flew that aircraft. Sorry, for me, on the balance of probabilities, I would say that he did fly that aircraft ON those jaunts at various stages.

...and I think any one of us here as her co-pilot would have done the same.
C-fly, That is my opinion too, his statement contradicts totally what they are trying to portray now.

She's be caught lying and embellishing her story and "living the dream".

Its now time for her to wake up and face reality.

It's quite clear she wasn't able to follow through with her primary responsibilities as sole pilot on the "adventure" and \Ewald had to step in and take over these roles while she was swanning around enjoying all the media publicity and all that goes with it.

She's a fake and she needs to do the honourable thing.

[B Fraser]

The key words on my first solo certificate are "without the presence of an instructor". Even when on subsequent training flights, the instructor may not have handled the controls at any point however all pilots will recognise that verbal input still counts as tuition or assistance. Such assistance may be as little as keeping a look out or pointing out that a check item has been missed however assistance is assistance irrespective of whether it was verbal or manual.


No amount of weasel words will make that fact disappear.

[Cessnafly]

rugmuncher, I totally agree with all you say.


"She's a fake and she needs to do the honourable thing."

Yes, and I don't understand why the Honourable Company of Air Pilots would want to be associated with this scam that has been portrayed to the world media.

I suspect more to this story will unfold in due course.

The Honourable Company will be handing out awards like toffee's at this rate....every time a female airline captain comes across the cabin intercom and says "good morning, this is your captain speaking" she has just brought awareness to 200 - 400 passengers of a female in aviation.

[sophi]

Tracey has previously spoken about what she ate during her flights, and yoghurt was mentioned as an example. Does she really expect us to believe that she didn't ask Ewald to take control for a while? And what about the RT? Did Tracey do this herself at all times during the flights...do we have access to any tapes?

And how does "sole pilot" or "alone in the airplane" stack up with HCAP's statement of Ewald being a "co-pilot?"

Whichever way it goes at the HCAP's presentation their award to her is now playing out like a slow motion plane crash. Reading of the statements they have issued to date in chronological order makes good text for a farce.

[DownWest]

Having posted a few times early on when I thought this was simply about flights to OZ by solo pilots with not much back up... I just watched as it became apparent that Jay was out to expose TCT. What unravelled has been fascinating and it is the usual truth, that it is the cover up that gets you, not the original 'mistake'

Way back, the question I wanted to see answered was; What happened to the solo bit? and one can only assume that abilities might have been a bit overclaimed and it only became apparent that these were a problem after the Africa flight commenced. I would heve loved to have sat in on THAT meeting.
But how the PR team thought they could pull it off in the world of 'tnet really makes one gasp. Then do it again to OZ...
DW


Oh, and about infringing palace airspace. Back in around '80, some friends did this in Morroco. Bit murky and radio problems, they thought it was Casablanca, not Rabat. They flew over the palace twice, a complete no-no. Forced down by a military a/c, they spent a couple of days in the slammer, before their story checked out. The base commander told them, as they left, that they would have shot them down straight away, except they were going so slowly, they doubted it was an attempt on the King, who was not at home anyway.
And this was way before 9/11.

[Haraka]

The implication being that it was a stage along Tracey's 'Solo flight around the world' :)

[Cessnafly]

New entry to Wiki

Awards and recognition[edit]
In 2016 the Honourable Company of Air Pilots awarded Curtis-Taylor its Masters Medal for her work in "raising awareness of science and technology in general, and aviation in particular, amongst young women across the world".[27]


At this rate, the Police Federation may consider her for an award too....for raising awareness to deceit and misrepresentation. :D

[clareprop]

This gives you some idea of the 'editing' (some might call it censorship) that takes place on the Wikipedia page. From the 'Talk' section:

I removed the two references to accidents in the article as neither is particular notable or would be worth a mention here. We dont usual mention non-notable accidents in biographies. Neither accident was fatal nor did it damage anything of note but my removal was reverted on he ground that the aircraft were worth a lot of money - not a normal consideration in wikipedia. Suggest that these be removed again, thanks. MilborneOne (talk) 09:20, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

I agree that they are non-notable and should be removed. In fact, higher up on this page there is a previous discussion about this same point, in which another editor (Guffydrawers) states that the accidents are non-notable and should be removed. I will remove them based on our three "votes" to remove. MurielMary (talk) 09:30, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

[Piltdown Man]

On that basis, I should have received many awards for my efforts over the years. How do I apply? Do I collect two special tokens from my cornflakes packet and write in 25 words or less as to why I am deserving? Or do my friends have to get 10 signatures and fill in a form? Or do I not move around in the right circles to be eligible?

PM

The award is a bit rich considering the TCT's self confessed hatred of technology, her lack of scientific or technical background, her flagrant disregard for (aviation) law and piss-poor air(woman)ship. But she's good at crashing!

[BEagle]

Unlike Amy Johnson’s flight this was not a solo flight and it was sponsored by Artemis and Boeing as part of a promotional endeavour to encourage females into aviation. Tracey's team consisting her co-pilot and engineer, Ewald Gritsch, flying with her in the Stearman biplane, and film-crew in a Cessna Caravan chase-plane throughout the expedition, together with back-up and logistics support team, were all there with 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. The entire expedition was filmed for a documentary and will show, better than can be described by any citation, how this outreach to youngsters in the Middle East and Asia in particular was achieved.

So this was basically a commercially sponsored documentary film project, with the Stearman pilot being supported by a comprehensive, well-heeled back-up team?

For outstanding courage or devotion to duty in the air, the Honourable Company of Air Pilots Master's Medal may be awarded to any person in aviation, at any time, for an act or other achievement in aviation considered worthy of the Medal, as soon as the facts of the event are clear. This is intended to be an immediate award, made at the discretion of the Master and on the advice of the Trophies and Awards Committee.

:hmm:

[Cessnafly]

"This is intended to be an immediate award, made at the discretion of the Master and on the advice of the Trophies and Awards Committee."


Say no more.

Charities & Organisations - Prince Michael of Kent (http://www.princemichael.org.uk/charities-and-organisations/)


....scroll down...under the aviation banner.

[B70]

"Say no more."

Anyone found the link yet to Pompey Poly?

[pilotmike]

On the subject of Ms C-T's crashes into both helicopters and unbeleivably - the ground - and the repeated censorship of them from her Wiki entry, prolific Wiki editor (censor of bad press for Ms C-T) states:Neither accident was fatal nor did it damage anything of note

It certainly was 'fatal' for the R44 which is listed as destroyed by Ms C-T's bad airmanship and carelessness. As for not damaging anything of note, some might argue the toss about the R44, but now Ms C-T's reputation as an aviator and even Artifice itself are being grouped together and classed as not being "anything of note" by the very censors who appear determined to big-up Ms C-T and her (over?)claimed (under?)achievements.

What an amusing own goal!

[rugmuncher]

"Say no more."

Anyone found the link yet to Pompey Poly?
This one?

Revealed: honorary graduates for 2016 | UoP News (http://uopnews.port.ac.uk/2016/07/11/revealed-honorary-graduates-for-2016/)

[B70]

"This one?"

Thanks, yes, but I was meaning who was the sponsor? How did P Poly learn of TC-T's outstanding feats? Who informed them? Who 'sponsored' the Hon PhD? Did the TC-T PR dept have anything to do with it? Was P Poly that desperate?

[noflynomore]

Although she's certainly got some dedicated people covering up the truth every time it pops up on Wiki I doubt the Honourable Company will find it so easy to evade the opprobrium that will attach to them if they really do award this charlatan for making a commercially sponsored movie on wimmens "outreach" (altogether now, Aaaaah!)
The Master in such organisations is not supposed to be seen to be wrong and no doubt it is a very big deal indeed (internally) to rescind such a major award but burying their heads in the sand will only make the sh*t gritty when it fills their eyes, nose and ears.
The meeja has seen the truth and the word of TCT's LAA disgrace is on the pages of the broadsheets so if the HC does go ahead and make the award the meeja is just going to savage them for being out of touch/out of line puppets of royalty, the wealthy and the well-connected which is adverse publicity a Guild just does not need in this irrationally contentious day and age.

I sincerely hope Officers of the Guild read these pages and advise their Master of the huge damage this award would make to their reputation as a reliable, impartial and above all an honest organisation not only among the public, but especially amongst pilots themselves. The very last thing the Guild needs is to be cast into disrepute amongst it's very bedrock, the average working pilots.

For the sake of your reputation in the Aviation world, Master, rescind this award no matter how painful the process because I assure you the merciless battering you will receive from the meeja if you do not will attach a rotten stink to the Guild and its reputation that will be vastly more painful and damaging and take years to ameliorate.

[piperboy84]

I'd expect that Boeing will use the excuse that their centennial year celebrations are ending as a justification to exit stage left from this debacle, Artemis is a different story. Princess Anne's daughter and her rugby player hubby have had a pretty good long term gig as "rent a royal" brand ambassadors for Artemis and must be furious at Uncle Philly for bringing TCT and her traveling circus into the fold to essentially piss in their own well with all the bad publicity she has brought with her. Artemis seem to like the Royal association so will keep it going but will quietly suggest to the Zara & Co. to ditch the source of the distractions and bad press.

[Midlifec]

More CAP than HCAP by the end of the day then, what on earth goes on behind closed doors down there ?- the whole TCT saga is one of lies, misrepresentation, obfuscation and spin. What on earth is there in all of that which can be considered Honourable. Tonights the night and she isnt going to show because she has quietly been asked not to, why oh why would that be the case if the great and good at HCAP were absolutely comfortable about the award......... if a worthy excuse is needed to change tack then perhaps a quick trip to the engravers for the name Hoover to be engraved would be far more acceptable than the consequences of blindly steering down the current route (Other worthy names are available). Surely the ordinary members can bring some influence to bear before the AGM .

[mary meagher]

Spekesoftly, I'm sorry, I can't locate the Pilot story possibly by James Allen regarding TCT, I could have been mistaken, and if so I apologise. Did anybody else read such a posting, I thought it had been dated 21 Oct this year, but I have often at my age been wrong....

[Art E. Fischler-Reisen]

I sincerely hope Officers of the Guild read these pages and advise their Master of the huge damage this award would make to their reputation as a reliable, impartial and above all an honest organisation not only among the public, but especially amongst pilots themselves. The very last thing the Guild needs is to be cast into disrepute amongst it's very bedrock, the average working pilots.

Be in no doubt, this has been done (see further back in the thread). However, you will note that there is no mention of the word solo in the citation.

As another member of HCAP (with almost forty years of aviation as a professional military and civilian pilot and many times more hours than the "highly experienced" Ms. T C-T) I personally feel the award should not have been made, for what is in effect just another "reality" TV show. The "artistic license" in the anecdotes used by Ms. T C-T do not convince me that she flew this a professional manner and two fairly major accidents to the aircraft where she was "sole pilot" cannot be ignored, especially as the first was entirely avoidable, or should have been.

However, the "rank and file" of HCAP do not get to vote on issues regarding The Master's Award; it is what it says on the tin.

[PA28161]

I think looking back, we have to accept TCT's BBC Goodwood to Cape Town et al for what it really is, entertainment, like the Apprentice and Bake-Off. Not a factual documentary of any substance but a highly edited piece of worthless theatre usually appealing to the lowest common denominator of viewers.

On the subject of cheating/prevarication, I'm sure we all have a Walter Mitty character in our flying clubs/schools. I know we have at least one at our airfield.

TCT has done a great disservice to flying and the true heroes and heroines of aviation that went before.

[Mike Flynn]

Forget wild theories. I hear the truth is much simpler.

It centres on the loyalty of the current Master to the previous Master. (Avoiding embarrassment to him.)

The original letter from the previous Master, Sqn Leader Chris Ford,is completely different to that penned by the current Master, Captain Peter Benn,who was responsible for the latest citation.
He also issued an interim citation (which is different to 1 and 3) to a tabloid journalist some months ago.

Here is the original once again with no mention of ' Co-pilot Ewald Gritsch. I understand very few people inside the upper eschelons of HCAP have seen this letter as I presume they do not wander the grubby streets of Pprune.

http://s21.postimg.org/jbyeh9ip3/image.jpg

[Cessnafly]

There was a guy who was heavily taken in by her. He says so himself.
He even drove down to Goodwood on New Year eve on a late winters afternoon. He says so himself.

See 0.02 onwards to 0.38 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgKMm9Zw-LY


You haven't convinced me Jay.

[B70]

And .....

I know that my maths isn't what it used to be, but did I count two heads in that Stearman? Maybe TC-T has been picking up hitch-hikers again?

[Cessnafly]

Discount that factual evidence B70.

In fact, even discount the headline which you read about the 'epic solo' on that clip too.

It's all a deceitful commercial scam, labelled up with some glossy awards to make the tin look good.

[rugmuncher]

Some back peddaling and damage limitation exercises going on over at the Light Aircraft forum.

View topic - Tracey Curtis-Taylor | Light Aircraft Association (http://services.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4873&start=120)

(Seems only fair to reference them as everyone else is referenceing PP.)

TCT needs to make a public statement about recent revelations. Perhaps dig into HER well lined pockets and make a donation herself to some of the charities she was meant to be supporting with her sham of an adventure under the guise of Bird-&-Bloke-In a BiPlane.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

I am going to try and find the link with Portsmouth Uni and TCT, and how she came up for an honorary Doctorate.

Searching their pages (all public on the web) I chuckled at this bit about the Board of Governors:

The Board observes the seven principles of public life:
Selflessness
Integrity
Objectivity
Accountability
Openness
Honesty
Leadership

I wonder how many of those boxes TCT ticks.

Source: What does the board do... About us | Board of Governors | University of Portsmouth (http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/boardofgovernors/aboutus/)

For the avoidance of doubt I am not questioning the integrity or principles of a fine University or its staff. Simply highlighting a difference perhaps in standards between it and its new Honorary Doctor.

[Haraka]

Interesting to see the almost logarithmic escalation in viewing statistics over on the Wiki site, post the LAA announcement. The evident now near hysterical editing frenzy can also be tracked easily on the revision history visible under "View History".
It looks like this site is heading for a very limited future existence .

[JW411]

Since there seems to be an undercurrent running in this thread about possible influence, is it of any interest to remind ourselves that Prince Michael of Kent is also Grand Master of The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons?

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

I believe there may be a link with Portsmouth Uni and TCT via Tim Kelly.

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/timkellycommsconsultant

Quote from linkdin Director of Communications
VELUX 5 OCEANS RACE
October 2007 – September 2011 (4 years)
- Direct management and control of the media and marketing budget, totalling €2.6 million, on behalf of the title sponsor of 9 month round-the-world yacht race
- Conception and implementation of the global communications strategy and brand visual identity, overseeing selection and direct management of the media team
- Editorial lead in all audiovisual, written and photographic content, as well as management of digital profiles (websites and social networks), global press relations and developing traditional print materials, including newspaper supplements/magazines
- Executive Producer for 9 x 1 hour documentary shown on Discovery Network worldwide
- Final evaluation showed the race delivered in excess of €200 million global media value
- The close relationship with the title sponsors saw an integral role in activating the sponsorship, ensuring rights were delivered and developing brand guidelines
- The global nature of the events saw me manage sponsorship rights for additional stakeholders (host cities, partners), including winning new sponsors (e.g Maersk Line)

VELUX 5 OCEANS partners up with the University of Portsmouth (http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/150291)

[Right Hand Thread]

Portsmouth Poly were warned about this. I know, I wrote to them.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Portsmouth Poly were warned about this. I know, I wrote to them.
Would you care to share what was written to them? Did you get a reply?

I am sure Jay and Sam would be interested (I know I am :ok: )

[piperboy84]

My good friend and pilot Brad Van Liew competed in and I believe won one of the Velux 5 "Around Alone" races. I'll ask him about the PR team on that project.

[B70]

Looks like you might have found it, SWB. 'Oh what a tangled web we weave..........'

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Looks like you might have found it, SWB. 'Oh what a tangled web we weave..........'
That is bloody spooky B70, as I was typing my post I actually said to myself those exact same words. :eek:

[9 lives]

I read with interest, the action taken by the LAA, and I think positively for them for it. I am not a member of the LAA (wrong side of an ocean), however, they do represent me - I am a pilot and aircraft owner, so in the broad interpretation, I represent general aviation, and so do they.

As such their decision corrects an error which was made, and restores faith in pilots/owners in the broad sense. When one in our group brings disrespect upon themselves, they bring a small amount upon us too. We are entitled in a small way to defend our general reputation, and to express disapproval when one of us violates our reputation.

I note with interest that in the last few days, of 2008 Olympics athletes who were retroactively stripped of awards due to their deception:

6 More Athletes Stripped of Medals From 2008 Olympics | NBC4 Washington (http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/sports/Six-More-Athletes-Stripped-of-Medals-From-2008-Olympics-Beijing-398728001.html)

I read that the accused athletes were guilty of only one or two cases of deception, not the multiple cases which TCT has obviously presented to the public. So, I think it entirely reasonable that TCT not receive an undeserved award now, so that it does not need to be rescinded later.

We pilots make our pastime more honourable by not tolerating dishonour in our ranks, be those ranks the LAA, or pilots worldwide, or the HCAP, who also represent me as a pilot.

[Jonzarno]

It seems to me that HCAP have rather painted themselves into a corner:

Either they go ahead and keep changing the citation until they find some formulation that can act as a fig-leaf to justify the award, no matter how implausibly; or they withdraw it and upset an important and "prominent" part of their constituency.

In short they have to decide between doing what they almost certainly know to be right, and what will keep The Nobs happy.

Sadly, it looks like they lack the courage to do the former and, as a result, will lose all credibility with a major part of the community they claim to represent. I'm not a member but, if I was, I would definitely resign over this.

To the HCAP committee deciding on this award: if any of you is reading this, look at yourselves in the mirror and ask yourselves if this award really reflects what HCAP is meant to represent. REALLY?

[tubby linton]

The HCAP will either have to acknowledge that they have made a serious error of judgement and potentially embarrass their patrons or if they wish to retain some of their professional standing reverse their decisions. i would bet that they go with the former and lose any form of credibility within the international aviation community.
I have often thought about joining the HCAP after thirty years of professional aviating but I will now not bother.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

I'm confident that I am not alone in thinking that it is too late for the HCAP to save face.

Their refusal to step away from the liar a lot sooner than today will be their downfall.
No, you are alone...



...but others are with you.;)

[clivewatson]

Tubby,

If they reverse the decision tonight to award her I PROMISE to do one flight completely naked. Not a pretty sight I admit, but I'll do it in front of witnesses FOR SURE.

Tracey Curtis Taylor is undoubtedly a pilot of questionable ability. Accounts of her experience, flight training, and previous exploits are long on claim and short on evidence. By her own admission she has demonstrated a total disregard of accepted airmanship standards, rules of the air, international procedures and compliance with ATC instructions. Her claimed exploits demonstrate that she is a potential danger to those who may find themselves sharing any controlled or regulated airspace with her. As to the question of whether or not she had a valid licence to fly her Stearman previously, I don't yet know and will not make any claims - but I am looking into it.

Tracey. My name is Clive Watson. I'm a professional pilot. Your legal team may contact me by email addressed to [email protected]. I will respond.

[tubby linton]

The FAA airman database yields the following-

Personal Information
TRACEY CURTIS-TAYLOR

Address is not available
Medical
No Medical Available.
Certificates
PRIVATE PILOT(FOREIGN BASED)
Date of Issue: 9/23/2013
Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT(FOREIGN BASED)
Ratings:
PRIVATE PILOT (Foreign Based)
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
ISSUED ON BASIS OF AND VALID ONLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY UNITED KINGDOM PILOT LICENSE NUMBER(S) GBR.FCL.PP.3365 94H.A.
ALL LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE UNITED KINGDOM PILOT LICENSE APPLY.

GRITSCH EWALD
Date of Issue: 9/23/2013
Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT(FOREIGN BASED)
Ratings:
PRIVATE PILOT (Foreign Based)
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
ISSUED ON BASIS OF AND VALID ONLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY AUSTRIA PILOT LICENSE NUMBER(S) AT.FCL.4555.
ALL LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE AUSTRIA PILOT LICENSE APPLY.

[The Old Fat One]

SWB,

I've thought for a while the University of Portsmouth is fertile ground for opening things up.

First, they are a public sector body and therefore subject to the Freedom of Information Act

Freedom of Information Act 2000 | Freedom of Information Act 2000 | University of Portsmouth (http://www.port.ac.uk/accesstoinformation/freedomofinformation/)

Second, they will have Students Union. Students Unions (general) have a history of getting involved with discredited honouray awards.

Constructing an email including the words:

nepotism, royal family, big business, celebrity cult, post-factual politics, quasi-legal intimidation, social media, the BBC, investment companies, global multi-nationals etc etc (my word, such a lot of ammo)

Should get them nicely wound up.

[clivewatson]

Thanks Tubby, I was simply wondering if TCT may have flown the Stearman on any international flights before Sept 23rd 2013. Or perhaps Ewald may have done, although it seems that he and her obtained their FAA licences at the same time. Just thinking.

[The Old Fat One]

I've been digging around using Google to tie in TCT with Artemis with a view to getting the FCA involved if Artemis are out of line with the advertising which is subject to FCA compliance. In fairness to Artemis, they seem to have cut the cord...I can't find any direct reference on their websites.

However, I did stumble over this...

SPIRIT OF ARTEMIS ? THE PROFIT BIRD IN FLIGHT | LIBERTINE LONDON (http://www.libertinelondon.com/2013/09/spirit-of-artemis-the-profit-bird-in-flight/)

Note the wording:

We were down at the Goodwood Revival Festival last week to bid farewell to pilot Tracey-Curtis Taylor before she embarks on a solo flight in her open cockpit plane – Spirit of Artemis – from Cape Town to Goodwood.

I'm not sure who Libertine are, or if it is worth following up, but the internet is a big beast, so i thought i'd post it in case it helps.

[tubby linton]

Clive it used to be easy to obtain a US licence, and it has been a number of years since I last followed this route. You simply made an appointment at a FSDO and took your current foreign licence and medical and a temporary airman certificate was issued. This was basically worthless commercially until you took a flight test with an FAA designate examiner. There is also a requirement with the FAA licence to undetake a biennial flight review to keep the licence active.
Current FAA rules-
https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/foreign_license_verification/

[Jonzarno]

In an attempt to inject a little levity, whatever the rights and wrongs: somehow this thread reminded me of the scene in the splendidly politically incorrect film Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, where the Japanese pilot has just arrived for the race having allegedly flown solo (should that be "sole"?) to England from Japan and is being interviewed by a reporter.

Reporter:

Excuse me, sir. May I have a word with you?

You must've had a remarkable journey. Ten thousand miles, wasn't
it? Did you fly it all?

Japanese Pilot:
Of course!

First I came by mule train to Yokohama, then by ship to Vladivostok to catch the Trans-Siberian Express.

Reporter:
Good heavens!

Japanese Pilot:
From Moscow, overland to Paris, then to Dieppe, where I took the cross-channel ferry to Folkestone.

Reporter:
Quite a remarkable journey.

Japanese Pilot:
But at Folkestone I boarded my machine and flew all the way here!

Four miles!

Reporter:
Amazing!

Sadly, the film does not make clear if he won an HCAP award for this..... :p

[N727NC]

We have, amongst our number, a very highly respected ex-Master of GAPAN - the organization that only recently became HCAP. Indeed, the transition took place in his time. While clearly much that goes on at his level is not for Pprune, perhaps Flying Lawyer could explain what legal and decent options are available to HCAP.
Apart from conniving in a falsehood and accepting awards that she knew to be unearned, we have dishonestly wearing emblems to which she is not entitled, a number of flagrant breaches of Airspace regulations in countries to which she was a guest - and a record on film of her boasting about such breaches and also denigrating other Aviation professionals, not to mention gross abuse of beautiful, harmless whales. The failure to taxi properly in the vicinity of other ac, using the normal precautions - such as a marshaller or wing walkers - adds to a toll of poor airmanship. As we are now confident that the Africa and Australia flights were both commercial enterprises, one might also consider them to be abuses of the privileges of a PPL.
Come to that, does the CAA have a view on the appropriateness of her holding even a PPL - equivalent behaviour on the road might well lead to one's driving licence being withdrawn?

[Meikleour]

This post was moderated out.

With regard to the HCAP award to T C-T it seems that saving "face" is more important to them than how they are perceived by the rest of the professional aviation community. I believe they do run very nice dinners though!

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

I mentioned this earlier AirPolice.
If you click on the link in your post and scroll down about half way there is this bit of text: A full list of award winners can be found by click on this link (sic)

Click on the word link on there and it takes you to this page
https://www.airpilots.org/file/2365/pr-list-of--award-winners-2016.pdf

Odd that there is a song and dance on the main pages but she now only gets a mention in that pdf. I did wonder if the award had been withdrawn and the pdf is just an old uncorrected document. I guess we will know for sure once the attendees have sobered up and find their way to a keyboard :\

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Who knows what the machinations going on in the background will lead to. I do know the HCAP pages have been that way for a while. My spirit was bolstered when I read that
a) she would not be attending, and
b) no one was going to collect it in her stead.

Post #2204 by BEagle.
But...
As BEagle says, it doesn't necessarily mean the award has been declined, just that she won't be there.

SWB

[9 lives]

Trying to hide her award on their website... seems odd to me. Like they are ashamed of it, almost

Should she win the award, will she hide that fact on her website?

[Mike Flynn]

The wiki page is being edited all the time.

This was removed by someone and then restored by MurialMary.

With her aeroplane, the Boeing-Stearman "Spirit of Artemis", she was on static display at the Royal International Air Tattoo and the RNAS Yeovilton Air Days in 2013, 2014 and 2015, at the Goodwood Revival / Glorious Goodwood, in 2014, at the 2015 Dubai Airshow and the 2014 and 2016 Farnborough International Airshow.

How on earth standing alongside a parked aircraft at an airshow warrants wiki text boggles me.
What is more amazing is the above is listed under Career!

It also lists her occupation as pilot and flying instructor. She only holds a UK PPL.

The site is up for deletion if enough people vote for it to be removed.

[Right Hand Thread]

SWB.

To answer your first question about Portsmouth Poly they merely acknowledged receipt of my message. Nobody there referred to the content ie, the (then) controversy surrounding her claims.

As for HCAP they issued a written announcement in the program at tonight's dinner. It was only for the attendees to browse and not read out.

"The Master's Medal
TRACEY CURTIS TAYLOR
Between October last year and January this year, Tracey Curtis-Taylor led an aviation expedition from the UK to Australia, retracing the routeflown by Amy Johnson as tribute to herand evoking the pioneering spirit of that era, but with a very different purpose or objectivefor the whole undertaking. Unlike Amy Johnson's flight this was not a solo flight and it was sponsored by Artemis and Boeing as part of a promotional endeavour to encourage females into aviation. Tracey's team consisting her co-pilot and engineer, Ewald Gritsch, flying with her in the Stearman biplane, and film crew in a Cessna Caravan chase-plane throughout the expedition, together with back-up and logistics support team, were all there with 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,. The entire expedition was filmed for a documentary and will show, better than can be described by any citation, how this outreach to youngsters in the Middle East and Asia in particular was achieved.

This was a singularly spectacular and successful advertisment for women.....blah blah blah....following social media....birdinabiplane (irony)....woman in a cockpit....consider the impact (irony again)......".

Spin worthy of a dervish.

[rancidrabbit]

Having read most of the stuff on here please could I save you all a lot of further anger and upset and try to summarise the position?

You can then all stop going round and round (and round and round ad infinitum)

1. she originally intended to fly solo but due to outside circumstances had to change her mind
2. some lazy journalists erroneously used the 's' word
3. she has sought to correct this at every opportunity
4. she was awarded a badge and wears it on her flying suit
5. she is female
6. as a result of her hard work she has some great sponsors
7. she has a high profile
8. many people find her inspirational
9. she's upset a bloke called Sam

er, that's it! Easy isn't it?

[India Four Two]

The site is up for deletion if enough people vote for it to be removed. Jay,

I saw this surprising and interesting development too! Click on the thumbnail below.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracey_Curtis-Taylor#cite_note-2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracey_Curtis-Taylor#cite_note-2)

You can go here to view or participate in the discussion on deletion:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Tracey_Curtis-Taylor

[Stanwell]

In my ever so humble opinion..
The Wikipedia page should be allowed to remain.
Why?
Because, in spite of the concerted efforts of the 'MurielMarys' of this world to create a thinly-disguised hagiography based on
demonstrable falsehoods, the truth will eventually out.

There are at least two other people who've involved themselves in this sorry saga whose respective Wikipedia pages do them no credit.
They've received mention on this thread before.

I think it was a certain JC to whom the following line was attributed:
"Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are."

.

[wiggy]

Rancidrabbit

Having read most of the stuff on here please could I save you all a lot of further anger and upset and try to summarise the position?

...........

1. she originally intended to fly solo but due to outside circumstances had to change her mind
2. some lazy journalists erroneously used the 's' word

Don't blame the messenger - journalists used the 's' word because her and/or her team continued to use the "s" word, or "alone".

3. she has sought to correct this at every opportunity

No she doesn't - listen carefully to many of the radio interviews mentioned earlier in the thread. Have a look at the wording on the certificate she was presented with on arriving in Sydney...did she protest she wasn't solo and hand it back?


4. she was awarded a badge and wears it on her flying suit


If by that you are referring to her military flying badge would you care to tell us why she was awarded such badge and who awarded it to her...or did she just think it looked good and stuck it on her flight suit without a second thought? I appreciate if you are not an aviator you may find it hard to understand but to many wearing that brevet when not entitled is regarded as a much bigger sin than embellishing a CV. A bit of research will show you such badges are only awarded to individuals at the conclusion of several long and arduous military flying training courses. T CT has frequently makes a point of saying she couldn't join the military so the question remains - why is she wearing said badge?

9. she's upset a bloke called Sam

Can't speak for Sam, but Tracey has annoyed lots of professional aviators, both men and women.....and many of the latter probably do a better job of inspiring women every time they go to work and walk through the terminal/aircraft cabin or talk on the PA than Tracey does at one of her road shows.

er, that's it! Easy isn't it? Yes it was, I hope you'll find responding to those points honestly just as easy.

[Stanwell]

Ahem..
Wouldn't 'rancidrabbit' be the same brand-new crusader under a new identity who came on here some weeks back
with the following, (not to mention suggesting that contributors to this thread were jealous misogynists):
1. Tracey is female.
2. She is attractive.
3. She is successful.
4. She is personable.

Hmm?

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a worthwhile response from this 'new member', wiggy.


Just had to add a p.s. .. Quote .."Having read most of the stuff on here.." .. Please don't make us laugh, rr .
.

[piperboy84]

So we're focusing on "outreach" and beating the drum of encouraging or helping underprivelged youth, particularly girls in poor or 3rd world countries. TCT's "charitable" trips were completed years ago, just how many individuals have Boeing and Artemis (both billion dollar companies) gotten into aviation related career paths , training or scholarships through Tracey's ambassadorial efforts? Surely that will be the true measure of the success of the expedition not some loosey goosey notion about lighting the spark of aviation in some poor kid who can do nothing about it without resources and assistance. Please don't tell me this smug woman thinks she is doing underprivelged kids a huge favor swooping in for a photo op and a smarmy speech on her favorite topic (herself) then takes off into the blue yonder or 5 star hotel thinking she's done her part.That would not be charitable or helpful but rather deceitful and perhaps cruel.

Edit to add: I challenge her or her supporters to name one kid from a poor country, just one! that got a PPL or a science/ aviation related education as a direct result of her lavishly funded expedition.

[Jonzarno]

In reply to your post:


1. she originally intended to fly solo but due to outside circumstances had to change her mind
2. some lazy journalists erroneously used the 's' word
3. she has sought to correct this at every opportunity


Indeed? Here is a picture of her "correcting" it....

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s480/john_fischer3/IMG_1210_zpsj8puhetf.jpg

(Sorry mods, but I need to repost it in order to make this argument!)


4. she was awarded a badge and wears it on her flying suit


Assuming that you mean the RAF brevet, can you tell us when and by whom it was awarded?


5. she is female


Perhaps her greatest achievement!


6. as a result of her hard work she has some great sponsors


I suspect some or all of them may be regretting that now.....


7. she has a high profile


She certainly has!


8. many people find her inspirational


She has certainly "inspired" a lot of people on here. I should think the owner of the R44 she wrote off also feels especially inspired..........


9. she's upset a bloke called Sam


And just about every pilot that has commented on her "achievements".


er, that's it! Easy isn't it?


Yep!

[B70]

RHT

Re: the HCAP statement – if that is literally what was stated, then the person who wrote it should have known that the chase-plane used in the UK to Australia trip was a Pilatus Porter (Turboporter?) and not a Cessna Caravan.

TOFO

Asks “I’m not sure who Libertine are…..”

Libertine, I believe, is a market-support company specialising in brand creation and support. LIBERTINE LONDON | THE FREE-THINKING AGENCY (http://www.libertinelondon.com) They work with Artemis and produced the ‘Profit Hunter’ campaign. That brand image is very much in line with the ‘Out of Africa’, ‘latter-day Indiana Jones’ image favoured by TC-T.

It is quite possible that Libertine was also involved with the UK to Australia flight because they received a thank-you in the BiaB Newsletter 6. Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker (http://www.birdinabiplane.com/news/newsletters/2801/) The newsletters disappeared fairly quickly and are no longer accessible via a tab on the BiaB site; for the time being, however, they exist somewhere in the ether.

[Mike Flynn]

B70
Re: the HCAP statement – if that is literally what was stated, then the person who wrote it should have known that the chase-plane used in the UK to Australia trip was a Pilatus Porter (Turboporter?) and not a Cessna Caravan.


I think the current Master at HCAP and last years Master must be a bit weary having penned three citations for TCT.

They obviously got their press releases mixed up.

Judging by the accuracy of past press releases re TCT this is understandable:O

My sources tell me the current Master Captain Peter Benn was determined TCT received the medal to the point of threatening to resign if he was opposed.

Where this leaves Boeing with their solo statement that misled the worlds press remains to be seen.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

That statement of thanks also mentions the Mail on Sunday as a media partner.

TCT has claimed that she has no control over what the press have written, basically they, and we, have misunderstood. So why is it that in January 2016, after she had completed the UK to Sydney jollybobs, were her media partner STILL reporting her as an "intrepid solo pilot"? At the very least I would have expected not to see the word solo; at best, some acknowledgement that she was "not alone", "not on her own" or "not solo".

Tracey Curtis-Taylor lands down in Sydney after 93 day biplane flight | Daily Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3392178/Tracey-Curtis-Taylor-lands-Sydney-93-day-biplane-flight.html)


TCT et al: The story that is spun just does not stack up to the slightest scrutiny.
To give you the benefit of doubt it may be difficult to get published articles corrected but it certainly is not impossible. Where we have sought clarification from various newspapers we have e-mailed and received very prompt replies. Copies of these e-mails are available.
Show us where YOU or YOUR TEAM made any attempt to correct the errors. I don't mean since that statement on the website in June that waffles about the SOLE pilot rubbish, I mean from far earlier in the Cape to Goodwood flight.
My gut instinct tells me that NO such attempts have been made.
I would pay a lot of money to see Claude Littner (off the Apprentice TV show) go through your CV: now that would be a programme worth watching.

[wiggy]

rancidrabbit needs to be mindful of the old saying "if in a hole, stop digging".

If she/he had kept stum this would have been a quiet morning on Pprune (the bespoke site for aviators :ok:) as it turns out there's even more ammo been made available for the supposedly "lazy" jurnos.

BTW Tracey, if you are reading this and that was you....if you do just one thing - do yourself a favour and ditch the military Brevet, regardless of who gave them to you......

[Stanwell]

Anybody have news on how the HCAP banquet went?

[ExRAFRadar]

Sorry for quoting such long text but given all this support I'm sure I could have done the flight 'Solo'. Dont have a PPL but I seem to do OK on Flight Sim and did get a few jollies in the Chinook.
From here : Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker (http://www.birdinabiplane.com/news/newsletters/2801/)

Firstly, I would like to pay particular tribute to my crew: Ewald Gritsch, whose company 3G Classic Aviation not only restored the Stearman, but who has worked tirelessly to provide full technical support of the flight. It wouldn't have been possible without him.

My huge thanks to our crew for their dedication and endless goodwill - chase plane pilot, Markus Loeschenkohl, and cameraman, Matthew Wainwright.

To Tim Kelly, who has done a masterful job managing the expedition media and communications; Mike Grey of White Rose Aviation for his fantastic service and support with all of our flight permissions and clearances along the route; and to Christian Schopf and his team from Fly to Sky for providing our support plane, the wonderful Pilatus Porter.

Most significantly, my heartfelt thanks to my principal sponsors, Boeing and Artemis Investment Management for giving me the wings to fly Africa and around the world to Australia; with further support from ExecuJet, GIC Re of India, KM Dastur, Singapore Airlines, the Taj Hotel Group, Jeppesen, Livewire Digital, Cobham, Inmarsat, Pol Roger and our media partner, the Mail on Sunday. A special thank you to all the British Embassies, High Commissions and GREAT Campaign teams around the world who have supported us throughout the flight. And this flight would not have happened without the unparalleled support of HRH Prince Michael of Kent, Judy and Hugh Chilvers (Amy’s family), Michael Loveridge, Sir John Rose, Mustafa Koc, Ho Ching, Derrick Gunning and Dame Diana Rigg.

There have been so many fantastic supporters behind this project over the last 12 months, so I would also like to thank a number of people: the Royal Navy (and especially First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas), the Royal Air Force (especially Chief of the Air Staff Sir Andrew Pulford and RAF No1 Squadron), the Royal Navy & Royal Marines charity, the BWPA, IAWA and AWPA, RAF Akrotiri, Bryn & Craig, the RAF Meteorological Service (who have provided us with weather reports for most of the route), the Israeli Civil Aviation Authorities, Libby Bahat and ‘Avner the Ace’, Avi Barber, Prince Hamzah and Princess Basma of Jordon, SkyDive Jordan, Sultan Prince Salman of Saudi Arabia, Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud, the Pakistan Air Force and Princely Jets along with Ghouse Akbar, Engro Corp and Habib Bank, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, the Indian Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force and Professional Helicopter Services at Uluru.

Thanks also to TAG Farnborough Airport and Graham Williamson, Rob and Chrissie Millinship, Graham Talkes and Nadia, Lynne Custance and Nick Adams, Mark Brandis and the Libertine team, David Freeman and Tom Chandler, Lee Brady and Diamond Jet Detailing in Dubai

[robin]

So a good solo (oops, sole) effort, then

[pilotmike]

Might I respectfully suggest that she now considers starting to name-drop to further her cause (self promotion?), in case she's in danger of using up her own precious supply of oxygen?

[Mike Flynn]

Looking at that long list can anyone hazard a guess at what it all must have cost?

Could the money have been better spent on flying scholarships?

Did Boeing and Artemis get their money's worth given this picture?
http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/10DA7/production/_89713096_hi032969972.jpg

The question now is where does this leave TCT?

Trying to pick up where she and Ewald left off having wrecked Boeing's centenary stunt?

Perhaps regaling a few old codgers with one of those cruise ship talks mid afternoon to a handful in the audience?

I doubt there will be any more sponsorship money for future events.

The whole saga has turned in to a PR disaster.

The Spirit of Artemis sits in a hangar at Farnborough instead of flying around the UK.

HCAP have put her on a pedestal alongside Time Peake and the press are sure to revisit this.

[deefer dog]

I have a question. On 1st October 2015 TCT set off from Farnborough in a blaze of publicity on her epic trip to Oz. She took off all by herself, alone in the airplane and then apparently flew to Le Touquet before continuing to Charleville in France.

FAB to LFAT is a mere hop of only 120 nm, and a direct flight from FAB to Charleville is only 226 nm - hardly a challenge for a Stearman with extra tanks. Charleville is a customs and immigration airfield also.

I wonder why Tracey stopped off at Le Touquet...or maybe that's where Ewald joined her? Would anyone know?

[Haraka]

All of Tracey's own newsletters around the Oz trip make tedious, but revelatory reading
This from her first:
I leave on October 1st, which is fast approaching as we have just under 100 days to go, and although we are in a great position in terms of planning and preparation, for a trip of this magnitude there is still lots to do. My beautiful 1942 Boeing Stearman, Spirit of Artemis, and I, will have to navigate 13,000 miles across 23 countries to make it from one end of the world to the other which is quite some expedition to organise.

[deefer dog]

Sorry, it looks like I missed that the wind was across the RW at Le Touquet, so where did she land immediately after departing from FAB, and when did Ewald join her?

[clareprop]

Er...hang on a minute. Where has that newsletter come from all of a sudden?

It's dated 28th January 2016 and has a 'New' tag against it meaning presumably, it's just been published. In fact, using wayback.com, it would appear that the 'news' icon on the birdinabiplane menu has been absent since at least 7th March this year and has now suddenly popped back again.

So, retrospective editing has taken place to miraculously make it look as if TCT was saying it was a jolly old joint effort all along - just like it says in the HCAP bumph.

When will they learn you can't lie on the internet?

[Mike Flynn]

In reply to deefer's point it is worth revisiting the Daily Mail story of July 1st
'Solo' flying poster girl is brought down by claims that she had co-pilot | Daily Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3670873/Amy-Johnson-ain-t-Solo-flying-poster-girl-brought-earth-claims-pilot-flew-just-four-36-round-world-legs-own.html)


Watch the video, where Prince Michael helps push the aircraft from the hangar.
She clearly states it is a journey she is embarking on and does not mention others.
Nor does Ewald appear.
At the end of the trip Ewald is once again spirited away while she makes her address to the waiting media.

Clearly in my opinion a set up to fool journalists in to thinking it was all solo.

And talking of journalists it is only fair I now reveal apart from having a PPL A and H for north of 30 years I am also a retired ex BBC and Reuters journalist.

Hence my dogged determination to get to the bottom of what has been the most amazing story I have ever encountered.

I have not heard a peep from her lawyers but if it goes to court the result will be interesting to say the least.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

BOOM

Watch this video chaps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc

Main part that will be of interest starts at 8:05 , listen very carefully at 9:45

Out of her own smug chops spew the words "...contacted me after I came back from Africa on my SOLO flight from Capetown back to England at the end of last year"

She then repeats the SOLO word again at 11:20. ..." that is what really drove my flight <pause for effect> SOLO from Capetown to England".

Seems this was at Herne Bay 20 September 2014.

[tmmorris]

Suggest someone downloads and archives that video (use Keepvid or similar) before she gets it taken down...

Maybe one of the people she has threatened to sue...

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Suggest someone downloads and archives that video (use Keepvid or similar) before she gets it taken down...

Maybe one of the people she has threatened to sue...
Did that before I posted on here :ok:

[SpeedbirdXK8]

A Wing and a Chair - Solo flight to Oz - David Sykes

[Cessnafly]

"I have not heard a peep from her lawyers but if it goes to court the result will be interesting to say the least."

Just be careful Jay.

This is very much an 'outreach programme'

It's been designed as an 'out of reach' programme from the likes of the normal working class of people to do anything about it.

They have used the media to their advantage. It's worked to some sort of degree because Joe Bloggs still believes it. They will watch the film and come away again believing it.

Sure, the LAA are a grassroots flying organisation run by 'normal' guys.
It's obvious something could be done at this level.

Once you move inside the city, large institutions are 'out of reach' with the 'normal' guys, and just do their own thing irrespective, generally saluting with two fingers if you don't like it. That's the way it has always been and will not be about to change. Some 'players' even have a finger in each pie.
Understand? ;)

[Mike Flynn]

Well spotted Satco.

I can have a lot of fun with that in court:D

This whole saga centres on well publicised solo flights that never were solo.

Had it been public from day one that this was just another reality programme in the making no one would have cared a hoot and there would have been little or no publicity.

We certainly would not be wasting our time on here.

TCT claimed to be emulating two pioneering women aviators from the early days of long distance flying.

Both flew alone and unsupported in British built aircraft.

TCT has had massive funding and support and is now backtracking on her claims that her flying was event was meant to be solo.

She also implied it was difficult to find a similar aircraft of the period to fly in Africa despite many examples of the DH Tiger Moth still flying there.

Of course DH are not still around to provide sponsorship but Boeing are and their centenary was coming up. Could that have influenced the choice of aircraft?

An aircraft from WW2 and far removed from the small DH?

I am not some individual with a private grudge. I had never heard of TCT until I read about her on this site late last year after she left the UK.

I have no interest in her apart from revealing the truth.

I am not, as described in her press release ,an "associate" of Sam Rutherford.

I have never spoken by phone to Sam Rutherford or met him.

As I stated earlier I am a retired journalist hence my digging out the facts.

And the facts of this story revolve around one simple word that means so much to all of us who faced it.

Solo.

[Jonzarno]

Busted! :ok:

Perhaps someone should email that link to HCAP?

[clareprop]

Well done Satco!

Suggest that is sent to the press. It's already been sent to wiki.

The actual clip that Satco identified is quickly reached by clicking here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc&feature=youtu.be&t=9m40s

[fairflyer]

Always intrigued by the ratio of the funds raised in sponsorship/donations to finance these flights round the world versus the eventual funds allocated to the selected charities concerned. Whether TCT, Amelia (Rose) Earhart - the Pilatus PC-XII one, Polly Vacher, whoever, the costs of those 'round the world' expeditions versus the money raised for the charity concerned always seems a bit out of whack. Got an opinion on what would be a sensible ratio? Of that raised, 60% towards costs, 40% given to charities? Nowhere near I suspect, probably more on the 'raising awareness of X/Y/Z' front and there's barely any cash involved for that entity.

[Snyggapa]

according to her webpage in 2015

"The Cape Town to Goodwood flight took two months to complete with 38 stops. Tracey was supported by a second aircraft; a Cessna Caravan provided by Phoenix Aviation of Nairobi, which carried a logistics manager, an engineer and a four-man film crew."

so the engineer was carried in the support plane. If he'd have stayed there there probably wouldn't have been quite so much kerfuffle?

https://web.archive.org/web/20150204202055/http://www.birdinabiplane.com/operations/

and here, again in 2015 so after the event

"In preparation for her solo flight across Africa"

https://web.archive.org/web/20150204202055/http://www.birdinabiplane.com/operations/

and still here

Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker (http://www.birdinabiplane.com/kiev/)


all these mentions of "solo flight" were long after the event

[deefer dog]

Her flush is now truly busted.

Hey Tracey, do you remember Jonathan Aitken by any chance? Like you he felt aggrieved when the newspapers accused him of lying. He also threatened to take legal action against his accusers and then following this now famous statement, he did:

'If it falls to me to start a fight to cut out the cancer of bent and twisted journalism in our country with the simple sword of truth and the trusty shield of fair play, so be it. I am ready for the fight,' he said.


And just as SATCO has brilliantly highlighted here, the truth was finally revealed.

Well done SATCO. It must have been an horrendous and vomit inducing task listening to hour after hour of her BS, lies and misrepresentations.

[Chesty Morgan]

Nice find SATCO!

[deefer dog]

Also looks like she didn't actually fly at the Herne Bay display either.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Also looks like she didn't actually fly at the Herne Bay display either.
The Stearman is in this video flying at Herne Bay. No date.

See 13:00. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2vgTpgqfGs
One occupant,

C2vgTpgqfGs

[Mike Flynn]

She mentions using Maypole as a staging post in Satcos video.
Welcome to the Maypole Airfield Information Centre (http://www.maypoleairfield.com)

I think the Stearman was based at Goodwood at that time so a simple flight across Sussex and Kent.

[strake]

Commendable research Satco :D

So, are we going to open a book on when the fifth 'Clear and Unequivocal' clarification statement will be made on the birdinabiplane website?

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Thank you all for the tremendous support, I should like to thank my manager, my family and my friends who have been an endless support over these past three hours....yadda yaddda yadda

I can see how fame and adulation can affect someone to the point of believing their own lies.

I wonder how the vote would have changed if the video HAD been shown at the LAA AGM. I too wait with baited breath to see the next fascinating installment in this mockumentary.

[ShyTorque]

If someone is retrospectively altering published material that might be used in evidence in court, and trying to hide the fact that it has been altered, surely that is a different ballgame altogether. I do sincerely hope this episode is not about to go down that sorry route.

[WeeJeem]

Here's a wee picture to ponder on a Friday afternoon.

It's still WiP (obviously!), but already makes for interesting viewing. If anyone has anything they feels might not be out of place here, whether it is a person, organisation or relationship (eg Libertine just arrived on the graph today, and I haven't had time to put the links in yet) please post it up or PM it to me.

As a good law-abiding citizen, please PLEASE! include at least one (preferably two or more) references to the info provided.

For example, Libertine state here (http://www.libertinelondon.com/2013/09/spirit-of-artemis-the-profit-bird-in-flight/) that

Posted by Libertine (http://www.libertinelondon.com/author/admin/) on 18 September 2013 (http://www.libertinelondon.com/2013/09/spirit-of-artemis-the-profit-bird-in-flight/) We were down at the Goodwood Revival Festival last week to bid farewell to pilot Tracey-Curtis Taylor before she embarks on a solo flight in her open cockpit plane – Spirit of Artemis – from Cape Town to Goodwood. The expedition, which is recreating the journey that pioneering female aviator Mary Heath made in 1928, is being sponsored by Artemis.
We’ve spent the last few months working alongside Artemis, Tracey and the team to design the branding of the plane. When considering the branding, we needed to make sure we struck a good balance between brand visibility and making sure the plane still maintained it’s authenticity.


Hence, we can add another piece or two of who claimed what when :ok:

(Incidentally, the heavier arrow-header lines are where a reasonable person - looking at the relationship between them, as described by the persons and/or entities involved - might expect money to flow.)
If the image is too small to read, right-click and "view image" in its own window, you can then zoom in to your hearts delight.
http://i.imgur.com/2uKATZB.jpg

[Canute]

WeeJeem

You seem to have missed the Pentavarit....?

[clareprop]

WeeJeem

I think this will help with your dotted line from Marshall. :ok:

Bird In A Biplane Limited in London, SW15 4LF (http://www.bizdb.co.uk/company/bird-in-a-biplane-limited-07763562/)

[clivewatson]

A lot of commendable work going on here to establish the truth and expose TCT as liar who finds the temptation to exaggerate her claims irresistible. Brilliant work SWB.

Now what was it she was quoted as saying to the Sun newspaper earlier this week?

“I have never sought to mislead anyone about the way that my flights were undertaken."

“It is clear from what I say about the Africa flight and subsequent expeditions that they were not solo flights and that I was accompanied by a support crew.”

Crystal clear Tracey.

[pilotmike]

Ms C-T's Wiki page keeps listing her entire Career section around being at a few display, mostly as a static entry. No matter how often these incorrect claims to be a career display pilot are removed, presumably for her own benefit to prevent any chance of her being blamed for claiming to have flown either illegally or indeed if untrue, these claims keep being reverted back as her Career section.

The CAA section on Display flying has the following to say:
Display pilots
Before you can perform at an approved flying display you will need a display authorisation. This requires you to undertake an approval flight for a display evaluator.

Renew a display authorisation by filling in and sending us form SRG 1302.
To upgrade a display authorisation please use form SRG 1300.
For an initial application for a display authorisation please see Flying Displays and Special Events: A guide to safety and administrative arrangements.
Check the cost in our Scheme of Charges.
Guidance for display pilots
Guidance on forms and charges is available in our quick reference guide
You now need a behavioural and attitudinal fitness assessment.

As there is video evidence of Artifice being displayed at the Herne Bay Air Disply, I wonder how her "behavioural and attitudinal fitness assessment" went, given this claim apparently attributed to her "Over the sea, I was flying at 10 feet or below over breeding whales".

I also wonder what height minima she was operating to and what other requirements there were for her Display Authorisation, which presumably was issued for participation in this disply.

By the way, did anyone manage to capture the quote posted a few days ago, apparently of Ms C-T boasting to an audience about some of her airmanship faux pas and subsequent threats to officials who reprimanded her and almost arrested her for breaching their airspace regulations? It seems to have gone, which is a pity.

[Lafyar Cokov]

I would have thought that the flying by the Stearman in the Herne Bay video above wouldn't be classed as a display for Display Authorisation purposes and would probably be classed as a 'fly past' which wouldn't require a DA - I stand to be corrected!

[The Old Fat One]

Pilotmike

It's not attributed to her...it's out her own mouth. Her interview starts at about the 42 minute point. I think some of the other stuff you are looking for is on there too.

BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Live, Former Spice Girl Mel C and aviator Tracey Curtis Taylor (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03wgpyd)

Whatever angle you come at this from (as a previously fully qualified sea survival instructor, you can guess my views) more and more it points to what I might sympathetically term, "a total absence of professional airmanship".

another poster has made a more detailed comment on this abstract at #2191 (page 110) and raised similar concerns to you, you might want to review his/her post.

But yes, I would expect by now that red flags are starting to fly in the inner bowels of the CAA.

[pilotmike]

Thanks for confirming various things for me, The Old Fat One.

As I had only read a transcript (post 2191 as you rightly said) and hadn't heard the original recording, I was being very cautious to allow for the possibility of a mis-transcription or misquote. You wouldn't want to be caught lying after all - just imagine the playful ribbing you get here!

[Marchettiman]

Weejeem, congratulations, a very well researched and presented flow chart.

This link (see the article about the Air League reception), may fill your remaining vacant box.

http://marshallgroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/teamwork-aut-2012.pdf

[BEagle]

I know that this was 4 years ago, but this might be of interest:

The Air League Annual Reception was held in the very prestigious surroundings of St James’s Palace on Thursday, 31st May hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh, who is Patron of The Air League. Marshall of Cambridge is a very strong supporter of The Air League
and a number of employees attended the Reception. Robert Marshall, Chief Executive Officer of Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Ltd and his partner Tracey Curtis-Taylor, together with Steve and Beverley Fitz-Gerald, were presented to Prince Philip at the beginning of the evening on the arrival of Prince Philip in the Throne Room at St James’s Palace.

[robin]

Quelle surprise..

She certainly has been milking her contacts. You don't get the sort of help and support she's had without it.

[G-KEST]

A "flypast" at any air display which needs CAA authorisation is a display item and does require the pilot to hold a current display authorisation.
The requirement for a DA applicant to have an acceptable "behavioural and attitudinal fitness assessment" is a fairly recent innovation by the CAA GA Department.
Hope this explains a couple of points.

[highcirrus]

Hmm. The ongoing saga takes another byzantine twist with the revelations that Tracy C-T and Robert Marshall are/were apparently “an item” and were co-directors of Bird-in-a-Plane Limited for a two year period. Fascinating.

[Right Hand Thread]

TCT/Marshall is very old news and was mentioned way back in this thread I believe.

An enquiring mind might want to know why she was.......why she left Old Warden. Y'know, that place where she wasn't a display pilot.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Agreed RHT, it is old news. I don't advocate digging into anyone's personal background.
The focus should be on her fanciful aviation claims, her demonstrated lack of airmanship, her disregard of rules and her questionable career embellishments.
What she does in her private life should remain that - private.

[Mike Flynn]

I hear from sources that a female journalist is writing a story shortly due to appear in the Times or Sunday Times.

It appears to focus on Tracey claiming she never told anyone her flights were solo...
It will also place some emphasis on her "outreach" programme.

Perhaps she had not gone back throught all the press cuttings.

Katie Archer,Telegraph Group Compliance Officer recently defended one of the papers
journalists for stating TCT had said she was solo.
The article, written by Nicola Harley, was:
Female pilot starts epic solo flight to copy Amy Johnson
Part way down the page we see a body of text in quotation marks and attributed to the pilot Tracey Curtis-Taylor.
"When I was younger I was told by the military that I couldn't join because I'm a woman, and now look at me - I'm flying to the other side of the world on my own."
Tracey Curtis-Taylor

Thank you for your recent communication to The Telegraph.
Further to your enquiry, I have liaised with the journalist who has confirmed that they are the exact quotes.

Yours sincerely,

Katie Archer
Editorial Compliance Executive

Telegraph Media Group

Can someone raise this story with Katie?

Tracey Curtis-Taylor: from Cape Town to Cairo in a Forties biplane
On New Year’s Eve, aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor landed after an epic 9,000-mile solo journey, inspired by the glamorous adventurer Mary Heath’s pioneering flight in 1928

By Claire Cohen7:00AM GMT 11 Jan 2014
I’m not entirely sure what to expect of a pilot who’s just landed in the middle of a waterlogged West Sussex airfield having flown halfway across the world in a Forties biplane, Spirit of Artemis. But Tracey Curtis-Taylor is unfazed.
“It was horrific,” she cries cheerfully, as she leaps from the open cockpit in the pouring rain. She is derring-do personified: “Basically, we overlooked the fact I’d have to cross the entire continent of Europe in winter. I thought I was going to die in a French airfield.”
After eight weeks and 9,825 miles, Curtis-Taylor, 51, British-born but raised in Canada, has completed her epic adventure: a re-creation of Lady Heath’s 1928 record-breaking flight from Cape Town to Cairo. The route took her through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Egypt – before finally touching down at Goodwood in West Sussex.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/10560546/Tracey-Curtis-Taylor-from-Cape-Town-to-Cairo-in-a-Forties-biplane.html

Claire wrote that story as if she was there. However despite the headline she missed the fact there were two people on board.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vMjBuu10l2w

The story also contains this line.
Curtis-Taylor is a professional aviator...

Impossible on a private pilots licence or am I missing something?

[clareprop]

Jay Sata

I guess she wrote this before the video surfaced.

Bird in a Biplane swoops on claims she didn?t fly solo | News | The Times & The Sunday Times (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bird-in-a-biplane-swoops-on-claims-she-didn-t-fly-solo-k6pgp2crk)

She has been accused of lying about being the sole pilot on her flight from Cape Town to Goodwood, amid false rumours that her male engineer was her secret co-pilot. “Amy Johnson, she ain’t,” declared the headlines.

Ms Curtis-Taylor, 54, said she was stunned that, 75 years after Johnson’s death, she has had to defend herself against the old trope that behind her own considerable achievements, there must have been a man.

“They’ll have me flying a handbag before I’m finished — or a broomstick. They are spiteful, envious, armchair critics. I flew the plane. I was in command. No one else. To suggest I have hoodwinked the public, deceived all my sponsors, the media, everyone, is just disgraceful. How do I even do that in an open cockpit? It goes against all natural justice.”


Ms Curtis-Taylor said she wanted to honour the achievements of Amy Johnson, the famous aviator
GETTY IMAGES
Not only would her male passenger have been sitting in the wrong cockpit to fly such a vintage aircraft, it can now be revealed that the main source of the claims was her former logistics manager, Sam Rutherford, an ex-Sandhurst officer who was asked to leave the expedition after falling out with the crew.

Part of the reason she suspects Mr Rutherford of waging a campaign against her is that she forbade him from flying her plane, a restored 1940s Boeing Stearman, because he didn’t have enough experience. “I never let him near it, and he hated that,” Ms Curtis-Taylor said. She added that the accusations, and slurs on social media, come from “a very small handful of people”.

She admits she could have done more to correct misleading reports that made liberal use of the phrase “flying solo”.

“I wish we’d sorted that misreporting out but I can’t do everything all of the time,” she said.

Asked if the critics had tarnished the success of the trip, she said: “They have Shanghaied it. It’s horrible and vicious. These people do not wish me well. In the golden era of aviation, it was the girls who stole the show.

“Their toughness, their stamina, is incredible to me. Now I’m living through some of the criticism and sexism they were up against. That was the one bit of their story we’d hoped to omit.”

Even after flying around the world in her fifties, she said she had to laugh when she was described in one report as a “former waitress from Canada. I just love that. When Amy Johnson flew to Australia, you know what she was dubbed as? The typist from Hull. Here we go again.”

Her celebrated journey, retracing the record-breaking flight of Mary Heath, the first person of any gender to fly solo from Cape Town to Cairo, was the subject of a BBC4 documentary, The Lady Who Flew Africa: The Aviatrix.

The pilot said the criticism she received was “horrible and vicious”
JACK HILL/THE TIMES
She was supported by a camera crew in a light modern aircraft, and made well-publicised stops to pick up various passengers, including historians, conservationists and sponsors. She did the same on her next trip, following the famous flight path of Amy Johnson, who became the first woman to fly solo from the UK to Sydney in 1930. This time, the passengers included Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark and Princess Reema bint Bandar al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.

She estimates she was alone in the aircraft for about 10 per cent of the time, with guest passengers for 20 per cent and with Ewald Gritsch, her Austrian engineer, for the rest.

“When we’re filming, flying low over places like the Bagan temples in Burma, it was Ewald’s job to look out for hazards, wires, cables, cell towers, temples. I was the one flying the plane.”

Mr Rutherford claims that basic instrumentation in the front cockpit means it is theoretically possible for Ms Curtis-Taylor to have passed the controls to Mr Gritsch for parts of the journey, although he admitted he had no evidence this happened.

He told The Times: “Clearly I wasn’t in either of these cockpits, it’s a bit like asking what goes on in a room, where no one can see. But hours and hours in any aircraft, let alone an old one, is hard work. It’s very difficult. If you have an experienced passenger, who can take the controls, why wouldn’t you? There’s certainly an element of if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck . . .”

Mr Rutherford insisted that he did not leave the expedition early. He denied being motivated by sexism or jealousy.

Mr Gritsch dismissed the claims as “absolute nonsense. People are talking about things they don’t understand. You can’t start the engine in the front. All the flying is done by the pilot in the rear, as is normal in vintage aircraft. It’s quite simple — Tracey did all the flying, and all the organisation. She was the leader. Without her, the flight wouldn’t have happened. People are just assuming a female is not as capable as a man. That’s very sad.”

He added: “If I wanted to fly a vintage aeroplane, I have five at home.”

For anyone new reading this and thinking she has been hard done by. TCT first claimed she flew solo, then, when she was called out on that by Sam Rutherford, she said she said that she never claimed she flew solo but actually flew 'sole'. Now she is blaming the media for saying she flew solo when she didn't. Maybe the clip underneath is why the media and the rest of us are so confused...:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc&feature=youtu.be&t=9m40s

She's no Lady Mary Heath or Amy Johnson. As she describes herself, she's 'just a Bird in a Biplane'. And with that, I'm not going to spend any more time following her twisted story.

[wiggy]

Interesting photo at the start of the piece, which was a remarkably poor choice given the presumed thrust of the article...are there no stock photos of TCT actually alone in the aircraft?..Of course the untruths and muddying of the water starts immediately, with the caption.

Tracey Curtis-Taylor in her 1940s Boeing Stearman. As with other vintage aircraft all of the flying is done by the pilot in the rear


yep,........the chap in the front seat in the photograph, was only ever a crewmember...

as for the the snippet of text...."sexism"..who would have thought she would have claimed that....last resort for some when they end up under pressure and on the back foot.

Edit to add: clareprop , thanks for the full text.

[pilotmike]

Here's some of the background chat between the overzealous Wiki editors who like to censor out anything that doesn't make Ms C-T look like a shining star. In their ignorance, they are very dismissive and rude about pilots on this forum discussing subjects which we are knowledgeable about, but at least they finally begin to admit that they have been seriously misled by their favourite source of 'facts' - the British press!
Hi HbH, Thanks for your edits to the article on Tracey Curtis-Taylor. Unfortunately the article is a battleground for some aviation buffs keen to assert their view that the subject is an imposter. Whatever the truth may be, hard documentary evidence for the assertions is lacking and the detractors should show restraint until they can prove their claims to WP standards. It's somewhat suspicious that some contributors have contributed to no other articles, but let's hope reason prevails. Best wishes Guffydrawers (talk) 16:56, 1 October 2016 (UTC)

Cheers, Guffydrawers. Yes, you're quite right. I thought I'd join that particular forum to see what was what and explain myself...the strength of feeling is a little disconcerting - they're so frightfully keen - and many seem to have a raging "hate-boner" for Tracey. It's an interesting situation where the normally reliable publications somehow got the wrong-end-of-the-stick, and despite their reputation, the Mail appear to be correct here (though I doubt they needed much persuading to run such an attack piece). Some people at the forum have suggested that I'm part of her PR team. Well if I was, I'd be recommending she push hard for deletion - she's not particularly notable and they *will* eventually get a reliable source to cover the "controversy", leaving her bio as little more than a character assassination. An AfD would be tricky with all those (erroneous) sources, but I share your hope that reason will prevail! --Hillbillyholiday talk
However, at least by 26th October 2016, finally the penny had dropped for these flat-earth types who can't bear to think a newspaper, or even themselves could be duped, and a 'lady' might tell a few porkies for fame or profit:
Hey John, fair play for trying to sort out this article. Looks like we've a real dogfight on our hands. After talking to some of the people involved, I thought it best to step aside, but kinda regret not nominating it for AfD when I had the chance. The original "solo" flight which earnt her the dubious distinction of a WP entry has been shown to be non-notable, so her "notoriety" now seems to rest on the stripping of her LAA award. I think one could argue this is a BLP1E situation, do you think the article stands a chance of being deleted still? --Hillbillyholiday talk 18:14, 26 October 2016 (UTC)

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that angle. Good point, let me think about it. --John (talk) 18:18, 26 October 2016 (UTC)

Yet now that the very proof they were talking of, Youtube evidence of her lying about flying solo, was posted on Wiki to prove the point late last night, one of those very same censors, 'John', deleted reference to that video evidence within minutes! They really can't bear to hear inconvenient facts that get in the way of a good story. Proof, if ever it were needed, that Wiki is patrolled and censored by some very narrow-minded and dictatorial types. Thank goodness PPRuNe has allowed the truth to be made public, blow by blow, thanks to careful moderating by pilotDAR amongst others. Wiki should wake up and see the difference.

On another subject, what is the mysterious story that Ms C-T appears to be tempting investigation of with her snippet "I thought I was going to die in a French airfield"? Was it another boast about other bad airmanship such as the busting airspace, flouting regulations, low flying, buzzing breeding whales etc. that she boasts of?

And when she states "“When we’re filming, flying low over places like the Bagan temples in Burma, it was Ewald’s job to look out for hazards, wires, cables, cell towers, temples. I was the one flying the plane.”" does she not realise just how silly she is being advertising such dangerous flying and bad airmanship? Given both the crashes she had, anyone unfortunate enough to be subjected to such dangerous flying that buildings, wires and cell towers became real hazards would be desperately looking out to help try to stay alive! If she subjected me to that, I'd have taken control, or insisted she landed straight away. When Ewald crawled out of the wreck of Artifice in Arizona, I bet he wished he'd kept tighter control. By all accounts, as she insists it was her flying, she very nearly killed him.

[Jonzarno]

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I would be interested in a reasoned response from the lady herself to just three questions:

1. What is the reconciliation between Ms Curtis-Taylor's well documented claim to have flown her african flight "solo" (Please see the video clip published earlier in this thread in which she personally makes that claim) and her subsequent public statement that the flight was not solo?

2. Given the above, what was she doing in the picture of her published earlier in this thread standing in front of a huge picture claiming she had been "Alone in an open cock-pit [sic] plane"?

3. By what authority, and with what qualification, does she wear RAF wings?

If you, or Ms Curtis-Taylor, can provide sensible and satisfactory answers: I am sure that most if not all of her critics would be silenced. Certainly I am prepared to be convinced.

I look forward to hearing..... :ok:

[Mike Flynn]

Ewald says we are all spouting rubbish.

Mr Gritsch dismissed the claims as “absolute nonsense. People are talking about things they don’t understand. You can’t start the engine in the front. All the flying is done by the pilot in the rear, as is normal in vintage aircraft. It’s quite simple — Tracey did all the flying, and all the organisation. She was the leader. Without her, the flight wouldn’t have happened. People are just assuming a female is not as capable as a man. That’s very sad.”

So why have a man in the front seat? It would have been better received with two women.

The point is she paraded in front of the world's press claiming to emulate two historic solo flyers.

She clearly left Cape Town with those intentions but after a few solo flights in South Africa Ewald climbed in the front seat one morning and there he stayed.

These so called solo flights involved a cast of dozens of people and I suspect somewhere around £2 million in overall costs.

The least she could have done is to fly alone in the Stearman and we would all be applauding her.

By not doing that she was no longer "emulating" or "commemorating" those historic flight but just trying to fool the press and public.

[strake]

Mr Gritsch dismissed the claims as “absolute nonsense. People are talking about things they don’t understand.

Is that just Mr Tempest (Head of General Aviation Operations-CAA (retd), who 'doesn't understand' or the 123 pilots of the LAA who voted to rescind her award for claiming she was solo?

As far as talking about things not understood, Mr Gritsch, maybe we could have your comment on this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc&feature=youtu.be&t=9m40s

[Piltdown Man]

Just a little question: We are constantly told by the lady herself that the reason these trips took as long as they did was because of her extensive "outreach programme". But to date we have had to suffer hour after hour of cringeworthy "me me, look at me" type speeches but I don't think we have seen one "outreach" clip yet. Surely there must be one somewhere, presumably inflicted upon some deserving bunch of desperately poor Third World 'wimmin' and girls, extolling the virtues of maths, physics, engineering and informing them as to how they too can fly (solo) around the world, if they try hard enough and push us greedy men out of the way. After all, everything else appears to have been released. Or is that very few of these "outreach" events actually occurred and all her sponsors really wanted 'an in' to the right sort of people at the events she did speak at for other purposes? Or have I misunderstood something else?

PM

[Cessnafly]

"Mr Gritsch dismissed the claims as “absolute nonsense. People are talking about things they don’t understand".

Surely he cannot be serious:confused:




"You can’t start the engine in the front. All the flying is done by the pilot in the rear, as is normal in vintage aircraft".

Peddling this carp to Joe Public is one thing, but most of the informed here know different Mr Gritsch. - other than start the engine, EVERYTHING can be done from the front seat - any instructor will tell you this.


"It’s quite simple — Tracey did all the flying, and all the organisation. She was the leader".

Hmmm.


"People are just assuming a female is not as capable as a man. That’s very sad.”

People are NOT assuming your engineered philosophy at all.
People know woman are just as capable, but this one is a trickster, isn't she.


"He added: “If I wanted to fly a vintage aeroplane, I have five at home.”

Explain to us how you can fly five at once?

[pilotmike]

"He [Mr Gritsch] added: “If I wanted to fly a vintage aeroplane, I have five at home.”

Explain to us how you can fly five at once?
I don't think that was his point; more likely his comment is referring to only having five left instead of six after that miraculously quick 'rebuild' of the Wreck of Artifice. Or did he really manage to rebuild that complete wreck in impossibly short time?

Would Mr Gritsch care to visit these pages to enlighten an appreciative audience that would love to learn from a master how such meticulous work can be done so unbelievably fast? I am copying India Four Two's post of 14th July to illustrate the point I am making:
Quote:
In UK, US and AUS, that I know of, you can effectively "restore" something around the maker's plate and have it certified as the original aircraft.
Also in Canada. Many Beavers are apparently "name plate" restorations

Quote:
... the open cockpit vintage biplane was containerised and shipped to Hungary where a remarkably efficient and speedy rebuild was completed.In less than six weeks the Spirit of Artifice is back in the air (8/7/16) and turns up at Farnborough on the 12/7/2016.
It can't have been a very difficult rebuild.
Ewald has "suitable spares"
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/india42/7A56DB46-42CC-47BA-A182-2A869B41B8B5_zpscmyujvzr.jpeg

If you thought you had double vision seeing two pilots where we were promised there was just a solo pilot, check your vision again with this!

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Well, I was going to hold off until Monday but now, having read the dross in the TIMES i have written to them and pointed the Editorial Team in the right directions.

One thing that struck me was the playing of the SEXISM card. No sexism from me, any pilot who made such claims of unimaginable skill would fall under the spot-light, irrespective of gender.
The main SEXIST aspect comes from TCT herself; Did she not consider how derogatory the BIRD-IN-A-BIPLANE moniker looks.
Were there other catchy titles considered too?
I think "Doris-in-a-double-wing" or "Strumpet-in-a-stringbag" might have run a close second and third.

In 2005 Helen MacArthur ( A TRUE inspiration to women) sailed single-handedly around the world, she too was lauded with justifiable awards (including the Honorary Lt Cdr rank). Imagine the furore if she stepped off her boat at the end, closely followed by a fellow sailor and boat engineer! Just for the record Tracey, she did her venture ALONE / SINGLE-HANDEDLY / SOLO (for the avoidance of doubt), and still managed to further the cause of women adventurers.

You have probably set it back 30 years - what people see now, and what they will see in the very near future is that you have lied about what you were doing, you have mislead sponsors, you have manipulated the media, and the accolades received have been based on a charade. Are you still sure this is how you want women to behave to achieve their goals?
You then try to deflect the blame onto others. The scurrying re-writes of web-pages and media statements are testament to this... Sorry chuck, but them's the facts - all of which can be verified and will certainly be produced in court if necessary.

Just to save time and effort, and so it is not lost in the myriad of pages, here is what I found in post #2299

Watch this video chaps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc

Main part that will be of interest starts at 8:05 , listen very carefully at 9:45

Out of her own smug chops spew the words "...contacted me after I came back from Africa on my SOLO flight from Capetown back to England at the end of last year"

She then repeats the SOLO word again at 11:20. ..." that is what really drove my flight <pause for effect> SOLO from Capetown to England".

Seems this was at Herne Bay 20 September 2014.

[Mike Flynn]

Where did those two Stearmans come from?

[Checklist Charlie]

To use the cooking show terminology

"Here's one (or two) I prepared earlier".

CC

[PA28161]

Has anyone, yet, read Terry Holloway's (Vice Chairman, The Air League) letter in Pilot magazine? (December issue). Sycophantic or what!!

[noflynomore]

Containerising an aircraft in Arizona and shipping it to Hungary certainly wouldn't leave much time out of 6 weeks for even a large team to conduct a rebuild. I'd guess you'd not have the shipment delivered in less than 2 weeks and that would be miraculously fast. You'd then need almost instant access to all the other components you needed, plus time to rig, paint and flight-test it. Not to mention the hordes of engineers to do the work.

Anyone in the freight forwarding business know how long these things take? I can't imagine you'd get it boxed and trucked to a US dockside in less than 4-5 days. Then you've got to find a ship ready to go to a suitable European port, then clear customs and truck it to Hungary. Quite a trip.
I suppose if EG has a stable full of Stearmen they could have been used as Christmas Trees but even so, quite a feat. I can think of a quicker way but it wouldn't be fair to suggest it without a shred of evidence.

On the motives for having EG on board so much of the time I wouldn't be surprised if the Caravan was so overloaded, even by African standards, that they pretty much had to "lose" someone into the Stearman. A Grand Caravan has a theoretical payload of about 1500Kg. 5 pob with bags = 500Kg. Four hours of fuel plus a reserve = 500Kg. And the remaining 500Kg won't go far at all with film gear, let alone spares for both aircraft, oil for the Stearman (and that extra fuel they wanted to tanker sometimes. Heaven knows how they ever did that.

btw, why did TCT quit flying at Old Warden? Are we missing something?

[Cessnafly]

I suspect EG had seen her flying/airmanship and suspected that he would need back-up aircraft to support the gig SOLO, OR, fly with her.

As he said, "I have 5 more at home."

[Stanwell]

A couple of observations, if I may..

"People are talking about things they don't understand."
The problem is, dear Ewald, that not everybody out here is gullible public.
Unfortunately, there are some that understand only too well what has been going on.

I drew the attention of my niece, a clinical psychologist, (and a PPL too, BTW) to the posts of our newest member's offerings of
her "professional opinion" of contributors to this thread. (EDIT: Now deleted, I see.)
She just shook her head and left the room laughing.
.

[Right Hand Thread]

...why did TCT quit flying at Old Warden? Are we missing something?

Let us just say that she did not leave entirely of her own accord and is not exactly missed there.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Is there a way of finding the registrations of the aircraft Ewald owns?

[zimbo565]

Anyone in the freight forwarding business know how long these things take? I can't imagine you'd get it boxed and trucked to a US dockside in less than 4-5 days. Then you've got to find a ship ready to go to a suitable European port, then clear customs and truck it to Hungary.

"A few weeks" according to Ewald's site (http://web.archive.org/web/20161029114933/http://stearman.at/Expeditions.html) (link is to today's version of the site as saved to the Wayback machine):

A few weeks after the crash the Spirit of Artemis arrived in our maintenance base in Hungary.....a sad moment, but big motivation for everyone of the team to get it flying again, possibly in time for Farnborough 2016......

Between these pictures are many night and weekend shifts, all in all several thousand workhours, by a dozen of our engineers.....

Less than two months after the crash the Spirit of Artemis is reborn a second time!

[Mike Flynn]

I would imagine the wreck was flown airfreight back to Hungary.

The most valuable part, the serial plate, would fit in your pocket.

Does the pallet below the Stearman suggest air freight?
https://s17.postimg.org/hvb6f8rxr/image.jpg

Not much of the original airframe here.

https://s9.postimg.org/lrl43yxyn/image.jpg

[zimbo565]

Is there a way of finding the registrations of the aircraft Ewald owns?

FAA Registry shows the following for 3G Classic Aircraft Inc

31068 5291 PIPER J3C-65
5323N 75-5809 BOEING E75
5527N 75-5361 BOEING B75N1
56200 757813 BOEING B75N1
5729N 75-8232 BOEING E75
59GD 2186 RYAN AERONAUTICAL ST3KR
9478H 75-6833 BOEING B75N1

but who knows what he has lying around in Hungary, his site shows 9 'new' Stearman available:

1. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 07, A75N1 (PT-17)
2. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 24, A75N1 (PT-17)
3. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 32, A75L300
4. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 38, D75N1.. (PT-27)
5. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 53, B75N1.. (N2S-5)
6. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 58, E-75 ... (PT-13D)
7. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 78, B75N1.. (N2S-3)
8. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 82, E-75... (N2S-5)
9. Boeing Stearman, Model 75, SN 75 - 85, E-75... (N2S-5)

[pilotmike]

@PA28161
Has anyone, yet, read Terry Holloway's (Vice Chairman, The Air League) letter in Pilot magazine? (December issue). Sycophantic or what!!

What - you mean Marshall Director Terry Holloway?:

Marshall director Terry Holloway joins e-Go as Chairman - News - Pilot (http://www.pilotweb.aero/news/marshall_director_terry_holloway_joins_e_go_as_chairman_1_46 45186)

e-Go! - now there's an aircraft that would suit Ms C--T's style down to the ground. I really must refrain from mentioning 'down to the ground' in case it gets mistaken for a reference to the Wreck of Artifice in Arizona.

Care to post the text of the letter here for everyone to enjoy?

Another link for the flowchart of who pays / dates / promotes / markets / sponsors / bigs-up / defends who which was posted a few pages ago.

Sadly, 'liketohelp' can't be added as they departed so swiftly after just 3 posts and within less than a day of joining PPRuNe just to share their pearls of wisdom.

[zimbo565]

“When we’re filming, flying low over places like the Bagan temples in Burma, it was Ewald’s job to look out for hazards, wires, cables, cell towers, temples. I was the one flying the plane.”

Eh?

Kinda thought that was the pilot's obligation, not the "engineer's".

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Thank you Zimbo. I can do some digging now I have that info.:ok:

Having looked at the images on Ewald's site I can add the following to the timeline.

The image of the wreck of N56200 in the airmail-route hangar USA was taken 12 May 2016.
The image of the wingless wreck was taken 17 June 2016
The image of the rebuilt fuselage was taken 26 June 2016
The image of the rebuilt aircraft was taken 8 July 2016 - image cannot be the first one of the rebuilt aircraft though as the one of its first testflight was taken on 7 July 2016.

I can discount date setting errors between the images as they were taken using the same camera.

By my reckoning from wreck to rebirth was no more than 20 days. 17 june to 7 July.

Make of that what you will. I am not qualified to say if those timings are reasonable or not.

[Aeronut]

Eh?

Kinda thought that was the pilot's obligation, not the "engineer's".

Add stationary helicopters to the list of things to avoid. ;-O

[Cessnafly]

It's not that straightforward airpolice.

That same 'solo' misrepresentation has been spouted by her at other [what she would call] 'outreach' 'inspirational' speeches.

Many of us have heard it in other places other than in that YouTube clip.

I concur, it's all quite distressing.

Wasn't there a Chris Huhne and a Vicky Pryce that conspired just once over a frivolous speeding fine.

Just thinking about the implications here with manufactured deceit, proven lies and the connection with a multi million pound investment company.

TCT says that she has gone to the Metropolitan Police. This hasn't probably done her any favours once they investigate.

Striking similarities to the Huhne and Pryce case which came back to bite.

[ShyTorque]

Follow the money?

As the flights were undertaken by a PPL holder, no money will have changed hands except on a cost sharing basis.....will it?

[pilotmike]

I'm sure I can't be alone in wanting to find answers to the following questions:

1) What was the incident where Ms C--T claims to have almost died on a French airfield?

2) What was ever done about the shockloaded engine on the Stearman after it was used to destroy the R44 at Goodwood?

3) What were the circumstances of Ms C--T's departure from Old Warden? Are the Shuttleworth Collection pilots not bothered by her claiming to have been one of them? "Right Hand Thread', a PM would be treated confidentially.

4) How was the Wreck of Artifice rebuilt in unbelievably quick time?

5) What DA allowed Ms C--T to display at Herne Bay, and indeed at any other airshows?

6) What provisions of Ms C--T's PPL allowed her to earn any money from any of her flying, either from the sponsors or as a Display Pilot as her supporters on Wiki keep on insisting?

7) Why did Mr Gritsch, as Ms C--T's acknowledged co-pilot she now admits, allow her to break so many regulations and laws, and allow himself to become party to those same breaches, even to allow her to crash the aircraft with him in it? As he was apparently responsible for flight planning, we now learn, should he not have controlled her more wayward departures from safe and legal execution of all of these flights?

8) As Ms C--T has openly boasted about her crass low flying over breeding whales, are any wildlife and conservation groups interested to investigate what appears to have been a disgraceful attack on the whales according to Ms C--T's own account?

9) After Ms C--T's apparently pompous and arrogant attack to defend herself from almost certain arrest after one of the many wayward gung-ho showboating events she has described in detail, which might have caused a diplomatic incident which portrays Britain and British subjects in a very poor light, were there any consequences from this incident of which she openly boasts?

Are there any investigative reporters / journalists about who might have the resources and interest to dig up a scoop from any one of these avenues of investigation?

[Right Hand Thread]

Look at the LAA membership numbers, look at how many went to the AGM, and how many voted by post on the recent motion.

And there is a thing.

The postal/proxy votes were known to the LAA committee (although not the rank and file membership) in advance of the AGM, they knew that the majority of those votes would force them to rescind the award.

The number of people attending the AGM was approximately double that in a 'normal' year and a large number of those people in attendance were TCT supporters.

Coincidence?

[Stanwell]

What a remarkable woman.
It seems that, in many places she's been, people have very clear memories of her - Ardmore, Old Warden, Goodwood, Sywell, Africa and Australia.
A truly inspiring character who's taught many people lessons they won't forget.

One question, though .. Has she yet received her HCAP Masters Medal in the 'plain brown envelope' ?

[hugh flung_dung]

Chaps and chappesses (and honourable mods, if any are listening), from what I have read it seems possible that this lady has been economical with the truth, may have exaggerated a few things, may have more to be modest about then she realises and may have damaged the cause she professes to be promoting ... but some of the frantic typings here are on the verge of being "a bit strange" and rather juvenile. If some people feel motivated to explore the veracity of statements then I wish you well, but there are professional ways of doing such things and the sort of appends we've seen here don't (IMnsHO) fall into that category.
I will now unsubscribe from this thread (having become subscribed when I commented on instructing in a Stearman) but I hope that those who remain will consider whether the approach they've taken to date will achieve the end they desire.

HFD

[hobbit1983]

Well said HFD.

[Pilot DAR]

Hello Posters,

Please let's keep information in the posts fresh and factual. Delving and investigating facts is okay, but let's keep the posts professional and on topic.

[B70]

Surely, by now, it has become obvious to all that this entire issue is about a marketing campaign – a joint venture between (principally) Artemis Investments and Bird in a Biplane Ltd. From this exercise, the Bird gets all the attention that she craves, and the Artemis brand is highlighted every time the ‘Spirit of Artemis’ is mentioned. A marriage made in heaven – almost.

It doesn’t worry me that the media, along with many organisations and institutions have been taken in, nor would I be too concerned if there were another dodgy entry to the honours list, after all, bigger rascals have already trodden those boards. However, I do seriously hope that history records these flights as no more than a bold, imaginative publicity stunt.

The best outcome now would be for TC-T to disappear quietly into the background whilst those who have been fooled take a deep breath, look at one another and shake their heads. I don’t envisage any legal action because witnesses would be called to court where such niceties as client-confidentiality go out of the window. Further embarrassments could be revealed and neither the sponsors, nor any of the big-names involved, would want that.

[Sam Rutherford]

From Tracey's latest:

Not only would her male passenger have been sitting in the wrong cockpit to fly such a vintage aircraft, it can now be revealed that the main source of the claims was her former logistics manager, Sam Rutherford, an ex-Sandhurst officer who was asked to leave the expedition after falling out with the crew.

We'll, actually not. With a student on board the instructor would sit in the front seat.

I wasn't fired (I completed my contract as planned) - she keeps repeating this despite it being incorrect.

Name and education are correct, I wasn't asked to leave the expedition and the 'fall out with the crew' was with very specific members!

Part of the reason she suspects Mr Rutherford of waging a campaign against her is that she forbade him from flying her plane, a restored 1940s Boeing Stearman, because he didn’t have enough experience. “I never let him near it, and he hated that,” Ms Curtis-Taylor said. She added that the accusations, and slurs on social media, come from “a very small handful of people”.

Complete fiction (again). I never asked to fly the Stearman at any time (and indeed, it wasn't part of my role on the expedition to fly anything). The only time this came up was when Tracey offered me flight a few months before departure (which I accepted). I even travelled up to meet her to fly but the weather was not suitable so the flight was abandoned.

The reasons I went public I have made clear from the very start - when she started getting awards for something she hadn't done and I suggested she politely decline them. She didn't, so...

I have never flown a Stearman, but with over 600 tailwheel hours (almost 3000 in total) I think I could pick it up reasonably quickly. But, to repeat, my job did not involve actually flying anything.

She added that the accusations, and slurs on social media, come from “a very small handful of people”.

Possibly, they'll be the well informed ones I guess... ;)

[Sam Rutherford]

I'll fine tune this over the coming days, but in short:


TCT: After announcing before the Cape Town flight that it was going to be solo, she has issued no less than FOUR different public statements about how the flights were flown (slowly becoming less solo until not solo at all).

HCAP: Have produced FOUR different reasons (all in public domain) about why she would be awarded the same Medal for the same flight.

Sam R: One version, one story, no changes at any stage. None.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

It is interesting how this has developed over the past months. Initially I believed TCT's version but only a slight bit of digging has revealed to me the truth.

Thing is Sam, had you flown the SofA then I guess there would still be an intact R44 and no crater at Winslow.

To those who are now stepping back from this.
Allowing this situation to go unchallenged is morally wrong. We can show she has lied but she continues to blame others, surely that cannot be right.

[Cessnafly]

Allowing this situation to go unchallenged is morally wrong. We can show she has lied but she continues to blame others, surely that cannot be right.

No, it isn't right SWB.

Unfortunately, dealing with those people in this top tier, such deceit and trickery is all part of normal in their usual working day.

It will never change.

The mockery is, they all operate under the banner of 'Honourable' and I guess they believe it.

[Canute]

Cessna etc

I think you need to stick to the main point.

She has won awards and public recognition for being a plucky solo adventurer fighting through adversity.

It turns out that she was not solo, wore wings she did not earn and had people to deal with the adversity.

These are things that I and many others are annoyed by.

Trying to link all this to some great conspiracy involving the great and the good I think will dilute the message and just make you easier to dismiss as the crazies that some of you are sounding like.

I don't care if she was unprofessional in an aircraft. So what? So she flew over whales. So she buzzed a palace or two.
She is a PPL. I expect PPL holders to be unprofessional, and in adventurers I kind of expect and respect it.

Trying to make out that everybody she knows is somehow any different from everybody else she duped is just class war crap.

[Cessnafly]

Canute, we have all stuck to the main point.

We are talking about a liar whom has misrepresented, rubbed shoulders with the top tier and has been awarded/acknowledged for such. Have I missed anything?

A law abiding PPL would not go about to deliberately breach such air navigation orders, and then boast about it in such an 'inspirational' glorified manner.

[Haraka]

I would be grateful if somebody here would post or give references to, the four differing texts and dates of the HCAP citations for TC-T's Masters award.

[Sam Rutherford]

I think Jay has them, but if I remember correctly they are:

1. The first letter she received from the then-Master, which is on this thread somewhere.
2. Public statement about it given to journalist David Jarvis.
3. Another letter (also on this thread I believe).
4. The final citation on the award when given last week.

Cheers, Sam.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

Interesting to see how the birdinabiplane media page has now included a link to the Times article from yesterday as "proof" that we are all wrong.

I like this bit “I wish we’d sorted that misreporting out but I can’t do everything all of the time,” she (TCT) said.

Sorry TCT, no misreporting as I see it. YOU were telling them you were solo or are you suggesting that we have all misheard your words, not once but twice in the same video clip from Herne Bay. Boeing were telling them you were solo in their Press Release. The purpose of a Press Release is to give the media the FACTS which they will then publish.

Based upon this some illustrious bodies have given you awards and accolades that you are clearly not worthy of. This brings them into disrepute and undermines all those who have earned their admiration.

p.s. lose those RAF wings please, I find it most offensive that you feel you are worthy to wear them - for the avoidance of doubt - you are not even close.

[noflynomore]

I'd just like to reinforce what Canute said about sticking to the main point

We'll do this cause no favours if we let childish and irrational arguments muddy the waters, emotional tosh such as deafening whales and parading overt class-bigotry or anti-royal prejudice serves only to make the author look blinkered and biased at best and taints the argument at worst.

TCT is treading a very fine line somewhere between wilfully misleading and the rare overt untruth. We won't beat the subtleties of her machinations by spouting tired clichéd slogans that merely display our prejudices or parading any of the more peculiar bees in our bonnets.

So far this thread has gone to an extraordinary length (120 pages) without significant thread drift or overt rancour. This must surely be a record for PPRuNe and something to be proud of. It certainly shows how united people can be in the face of promoting honesty and good practise in aviation.

Let's keep it there!

[Jonzarno]

Flynomore: Absolutely right! :D

[Mike Flynn]

I think we need to move on now.

We have established she was not alone in the Spirit of Artemis according to the Times article by staff reporter Lucy Bannerman on October 29th.
She estimates she was alone in the aircraft for about 10 per cent of the time, with guest passengers for 20 per cent and with Ewald Gritsch, her Austrian engineer, for the rest.

Bird in a Biplane swoops on claims she didn?t fly solo | News | The Times & The Sunday Times (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bird-in-a-biplane-swoops-on-claims-she-didn-t-fly-solo-k6pgp2crk)

Or to put it another way for 90% of the time she was not solo and Ewald was up front for 70% of the flights. Some solo flying!


We know that from all the pictures out there on the internet showing two up in the Spirit of
Artemis.

However the BBC,ITV, countless newpapers and media printed stories about these great solo flights "emulating" Lady Mary Heath and Amy Johnson.

Indeed these two famous record breaking solo pilots form the backbone of all Tracey Curtis Taylor's speeches and presentations.

She admits she could have done more to correct misleading reports that made liberal use of the phrase “flying solo”.

“I wish we’d sorted that misreporting out but I can’t do everything all of the time,” she said.
So the newspapers made mistakes? With very similar copy that appears to be from a press release?
The UK Daily Telegraph has already confirmed she was quoted correctly.

She was claiming to fly solo in videos such as Herne Bay. She implied in magazines and on the radio she was solo. She was part of a multi million pound promotional exercise with a dedicated PR man on the spot.

His name...Tim Kelly. Here he is in the background in charge of the press pack in Sydney as she receives a certificate stating SOLO from the Australian Women Pilots Association. ( now rescinded) Did he know as he smirked what the award said. Do bears do their stuff in the woods?
https://s22.postimg.org/7iflqbzr5/image.jpg

So how did the global media get it wrong?

Tim Kelly Media on behalf of Artemis and Boeing Aircraft Corporation issued press releases stating these were solo flights.

I feel it is now time to ask Tim Kelly Media Ltd,Boeing Aircraft Corporation and Artemis some leading questions.

Why the deception and on reflection did it work?

[Mike Flynn]

Boeing and Artemis spent millions on these stunts. Their PR department were out to get maximum publicity.
- Boeing sponsors solo open cockpit flight from U.K. to Australia.
Boeing Corporate Offices 100 N. Riverside Chicago, IL 60606 www.boeing.com
Abu Dhabi – Nov. 4, 2015 - Adventurous British female aviator Tracey Curtis- Taylor landed safely today at Al-Bateen airport in Abu Dhabi in her classic 1942 Boeing Stearman Spirit of Artemis. The experienced pilot set off on her intrepid expedition from the U.K. to Australia October 1, aiming to fly 13,000 miles across 23 countries.

http://www.boeing.com/resources/boeingdotcom/media/dubai2015/pdf/releases_local/FinalEngStearmanflight_UAEPressRelease.pdf



Time to forget about Ewald and TCT and ask serious questions to the sponsors?

[9 lives]

Sam R: One version, one story, no changes at any stage. None.

This theme is important to me. Those, who among these pages, have presented factual information, seem to me to have been pretty well substantiated by supplementing and cross referenced information. It seems that with a super opportunity here, TCT has not appeared to directly address the accusations, though rather weaseled and smurged words, and blamed the media for getting things wrong. While "following the money", I'm also inclined to follow the story which remains consistent.

Only by keeping this 'live' on PPRuNe can 'we' go some way to protecting 'their' reputations.

Well, really, "we" are protecting "our" reputations, not just "theirs". We are the aviation professionals who stand proudly behind our accomplishments, and do not claim unearned accolades. The same way we would not accept a pilot making claims of unearned experience with bogus pilot log entries, we do not condone accepting unearned awards.

On each occasion when TCT stood holding a microphone, wine glass or award, she knew exactly what she was there for - adulation, earned or otherwise. If she were not standing at the head of the crowd, accepting the accolades, the media would not be reporting it!

A PPL has the right to distinguish themselves as a pilot in any way they would like - except flying for hire or reward. Honourable PPLs respect the privileges of CPLs. I wonder if TCT sees reward in what she has done and claimed. I wonder if TCT regards presenting her occupation as pilot conveying the notion that she earns a living by flying planes.

We pilots have the right to stand up and be heard in our disdain for those falsely claiming accolades. Well done to the LAA for listening to their members.

So far this thread has gone to an extraordinary length (120 pages)

Yeah, that's got to be monumental, I think that TCT is permanently engraved in the annals of PPRuNe, and not in a good way. As I have said, TCT has not murdered anyone, so a whole lot of apologizing and stepping back could begin to unwind this debacle from her side. IMHO, there is no unwinding or stepping back needed on the part of those who have revealed the truth.

[Mike Flynn]

Time to chase the sponsors.

The man who heads Artemis is Richard Turpin. He agreed the whole Spirit of Artemis sponsorship deal.

Here he is on the Alamy website which is used by many newspapers and publications for stock photos.
Read the caption.

Stock Photo - Farnborough Airport, UK. 1st October, 2015. Adventurer Tracey Curtis-Taylor starts 13,000 mile solo biplane flight. Richard Turpin of Artemis and Spirit of Artemis © carol
http://c7.alamy.com/comp/F38DW0/farnborough-airport-uk-1st-october-2015-adventurer-tracey-curtis-taylor-F38DW0.jpg

Caption for picture below
Stock Photo - Farnborough Airport, UK. 1st October, 2015. Adventurer Tracey Curtis-Taylor starts 13,000 mile solo biplane flight. Tracey Curtis Taylor talks to Prince Michael of Kent ©

http://c7.alamy.com/comp/F38DTR/farnborough-airport-uk-1st-october-2015-adventurer-tracey-curtis-taylor-F38DTR.jpg

Now call me a cynic but those wings or RAF brevet sported alongside Prince Michael are not just any old
badge bought from an online pilot shop.

Here is Tim Kelly who was in charge of media and press releases for the above pictures and all the UK to Sydney publicity.
https://s21.postimg.org/xh5om4s4n/image.jpg

So we must have a few questions for 'Dick' Turpin at Artemis.
press enquiries, contact:

Ross Leckie, Director of communications
+44 (0)20 7399 6361
[email protected]

and Tim Kelly?

[email protected]

[Cessnafly]

I think you will find that it will be recorded as "a private matter between friends".

Certainly recorded that way under similar controversy on Wiki if you have a look.

[Mike Flynn]

I think the sponsorship of the Spirit of Artemis is a public matter as Boeing and Artemis are not private individuals.

The captions to my previous pictures and the Boeing press release clearly state that TCT and the Spirit of Artemis was embarking on or involved in a solo flight.

In addition the aircraft carried the Royal Navy logo and the RNRM charity logo.

[Mike Flynn]

I have just found this via the Alamy stock picture website.

The rebuilt Spirit of Artemis arriving from Hungary .

Stock Photo - The Boeing Stearman "Spirit of Artemis" flying at the Farnborough International Airshow 2016https://s15.postimg.org/j9srj6sez/image.jpg

Here is a close up....recognise the man in the front seat?

Looking at the two pilots which one is flying?
https://s21.postimg.org/ddcdinz53/image.jpg

[strake]

Looking at the two pilots which one is flying?

Impossible to tell but I'd hazard a guess..as normal, both.

[Stanwell]

I wonder how many UK taxpayers are aware that they've been generously contributing to TCT's ongoing scam, hmm?

It would seem that, if the prominence of advertising on the "Spirit of Artifice" is anything to go by, then Her Majesty's Government would be TCT's second largest sponsor, behind Artemis Investments.
Observers will have noticed the large Union Flag immediately below the front cock-pit(sic) topped with the message .."GREAT Britain".

Now, how did that come about, you may ask?
Well, an acquaintance of Tracey's, The Honourable(sic) Maria Miller, the now-disgraced former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in Cameron's cabinet, possibly thought it would be a good idea to dip into the exchequer to give Tracey a bit of a financial leg-up as well as some credibility.
Why?
"To inspire people to visit the country she (TCT) comes from", of course.
That was in November 2013 when the "Solo Aviatrix" scam was just gaining momentum.
No doubt those two girls had a good chat - it seems they have a few things in common.

Maria Miller was forced to resign from Cabinet for a significant 'fiddling of the books' and she was also in big trouble for attempted media manipulation.
The problems were that:
1). Even David Cameron and his establishment mates could not save her from the wrath of Parliament.
2). She tried on the media manipulation stunt with the wrong newspaper - The Telegraph.

So, taxpayers of the UK, I hope you're comfortable in the knowledge that your taxation contributions have provided Tracey (and others) with some pretty fair tuition in the darker arts as well as helping maintain her in the style to which she's lately become accustomed.
A sad thing is, Maria Miller hasn't, in the end, been able to edit and polish her Wikipedia page.
Perhaps Tracey could show her how.
.
Talking of sponsors, facilitators and patrons...
Above is a post of mine from July 13th of this year.
Nothing compared to the Artemis/Boeing sponsorships but, make of that what you will.


N.B. The detail of the above was drawn from Maria Miller's Wiki page.
.

[B70]

"2). She tried on the media manipulation stunt with the wrong newspaper - The Telegraph."

But, how much do you think Maria Miller spent per annum on advertising with the Telegraph?

[zimbo565]

Original award letter dated 13 January 2016 is on JS's post #2240 (http://www.pprune.org/9557943-post2240.html)

The 2016 Awards Booklet on the HCAP site contains the following: (https://www.airpilots.org/file/2405/awards-booklet-2016.pdf)
Between October last year and January this year, Tracey Curtis-Taylor led an aviation expedition from the UK to Australia, retracing the route flown by Amy Johnson as tribute to her, and evoking the pioneering spirit of that era, but with a very different purpose or objective for the whole undertaking. Unlike Amy Johnson’s flight this was not a solo flight and it was sponsored by Artemis and Boeing as part of a promotional endeavour to encourage females into aviation. Tracey's team consisting her co-pilot and engineer, Ewald Gritsch, flying with her in the Stearman biplane, and film-crew in a Cessna Caravan chase-plane throughout the expedition, together with back-up and logistics support team, were all there with 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. The entire expedition was filmed for a documentary and will show, better than can be described by any citation, how this outreach to youngsters in the Middle East and Asia in particular was achieved.

This was a singularly spectacular and successful advertisement for women in aviation, worldwide. Whether young women witnessed the flights directly, or indirectly by following social media or press campaigns, many will have been inspired by this ‘bird in a biplane’. In many of the countries en route and where Tracey and her team stopped-over, refuelled or put-on demonstration flights, a woman driving a car is almost unheard of, let alone flying a plane. Consider the impact that seeing a woman in the cockpit had on many of those young, impressionable women.

The Master’s award recognises Tracey Curtis-Taylor’s work in raising awareness of science and technology in general, and aviation in particular, amongst young women across the world. In recognition of her role as leader of this aviation expedition, and all it achieved, Tracey Curtis-Taylor is awarded the Master's Medal for 2015/16."

[Haraka]

Note the HCAP Master's Medal criteria for :For Outstanding Courage or Devotion to Duty in the Air

Outstanding Courage ?...... Devotion to Duty in the Air?

Yeah, sure.

Sorry, Tim Peake.

[bgbazz]

"Outstanding courage and devotion to duty in the air" ...I'm sure the only person who believes that crap, is Her Royal Selfness!

Tim Peake knows what he has achieved and deserves every accolade sent in his direction...a real and deserving person.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

I do hope for her sake that the pax flights were local sorties and not part of the "journey". Sorry to foist this one on you but watch the video linked here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwMFpbT9VT8

You don't have to watch all of it but listen carfully at 1:10 onwards. She utters the executive command "You have control" and Ian responds with "I have control". Fine if it was just a local sortie, not so fine if it was on one of the main legs.

As for the MM. I feel sorry for Tim Peake, I bet he is getting some right ribbing and banter in the Mess.
"Oi Peakey, I hear you have another medal; amazing what you can get these days just for forgetting to pack a hairdryer".

...and that is why the HCAP need to distance themselves from the "Braggart-in-a-biplane" - continued support undermines the worth of what is issued to those who deserve recognition. By distancing I mean taking direct and positive action, not skulking away hoping it will all blow over; it won't.

Given the evidence that has been presented and well researched, versus the fantasy dreamings of a modern-day Baron Munchausen. There are lots of similarities between TCT and BM, imaginative after-dinner speaking, and grandiose embellishments of unbelievable tales. However there is one subtle difference, Baron Munchausen's tales were satire designed to entertain and not to garner awards.

[deefer dog]

SATCO, you sure are working your way through a lot of TCT videos, and I'm worried what effect listening to all that BS and self aggrandisement might have on you?

Be careful old chap, there probably isn't a cure once you catch it.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

No need to worry mate. I have to do a fair bit of computer work so I just listen to the audio whilst working. As an ex-ATCO I have a finely tuned bulls%%% detector. :suspect:

I have to say though, I don't think I have ever in all my days heard an individual use the words "I", "Me" and "My" as frequently as she does. :yuk:

[Haraka]

Amusingly on her home page on the BiaB there is a now a prominent link to "This Reprint of an article from the Times which explains some of the facts of her epic journeys and how the media has been misinformed by certain people trying to damage her reputation."
By this device of course the Times readers' comments are sidestepped. . :)
Those who persevere to the "Media" section can still get through and read the piece in its entirety.

So in her HCAP Master's medal citation is included the statement:
"The Master’s award recognises Tracey Curtis-Taylor’s work in raising awareness of science and technology in general,

However the good lady when interviewed stated:

"I can’t bear technology – I know that it’s amazing to live in this world of instant communications, and obviously I couldn’t fly without some concession to modernity like GPS, .."

https://avauntmagazine.com/tracey-curtis-taylor

[Mike Flynn]

Times readers comments below.
Barry Tempest and Sam Rutherford get some stick fron one contributor.

Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed here.

10 comments
Newest | Oldest | Most Recommended

Michael Gibbs 1 day ago
The Boeing Stearman is a trainer aircraft with dual controls. Have the dual controls in the front cockpit of Ms Curtis-Taylor aircraft been removed?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75
RecommendReply


Mr Dog 1 day ago
"She admits she could have done more to correct misleading reports that made liberal use of the phrase 'flying solo'."
This is, surely, an admission to being somewhat economical with the truth. Having said that, Mr Rutherford does sound something of a cad.


Rupert Blackham 1 day ago
Tracey, please tell us,
How many legs on the Cape Town to Goodwood flight did you fly solo ?
(Solo being defined as you, and you alone, in the Stearman)
5RecommendReply

Saga Noren 2 days ago
Sheer spite on the part of the awful little spoiled brat that is the incompetent Rutherford and the disgusting women-fearing bully that is Barry Tempest. Tracy did an amazing and inspiring flight. She's got a team who were inadequate in their failure to overcome press misrepresentation (as in the Times earlier this week). SHE did all the flying. Chapeau, Tracy.
1RecommendReply

Rupert Blackham 1 day ago
@Saga Noren
Then why did both the Light Aircraft Association and the Honourable Company of Air Pilots rescind/ withdraw their awards if she was so amazing and inspiring (and solo !) ?
5RecommendReply

Peter Dawe 1 day ago
@Saga Noren Solo means unaccompanied, alone.
5RecommendReply

Ann Lyon 1 day ago
@Saga Noren Flying solo, that is, alone, is a very different business from having someone with you who can act as a lookout, help with the navigation (if not do it) and chat to you over the intercom so you don't feel lonely.

Please read Sir Francis Chichester's book The Lonely Sea and the Sky to find out what the pioneer solo flyers of the 1920s and 1930s had to cope with. In order to fly from New Zealand to Australia, Chichester had to invent 'aim-off' navigation. Having turned his Gipsy Moth aircraft into a seaplane, he had nothing but trouble with the secondhand floats he had used, and at one point was stranded on a small island making repairs for so long that the nautical almanac he needed to work out his sextant sights ran out and he had to make up his own (fortunately, Chichester was a formidable mathematician).

And despite what Ms Curtis-Taylor claims, the male flyers were just as much celebrities as Amy Johnson.
3RecommendReply

Iain Chapman 2 days ago
She obviously hasn't a clue what piloting an aeroplane alone means.
3RecommendReply

St Ranger 1 day ago
@Iain Chapman she did indeed pilot the aircraft alone as there are no other controls, what she did not do is fly solo.
RecommendReply
RDL 1 day ago

@St Ranger the Stearman has dual controls in both cockpits, the instructor or more experienced pilot would normally sit in the front seat and the student in the rear seat so either person can fly the aircraft.

[Brian Abraham]

the media has been misinformed by certain people trying to damage her reputationDo we, and most importantly, Sam, now have grounds to sue TCT for libel? :E

[Sam Rutherford]

I guess I'll not be getting a Christmas card from Saga Noren...

Tracey doesn't yet have to fear any legal action from myself, I have better things to do with my time! Whilst her comments about me remain unfounded/inaccurate they are more damaging to her than they are to me.

Whilst writing, I would like to thank those who are posting responses at The Times, on her FB page etc.

Safe flights, Sam.

[Stanwell]

Goodness me..
"The media has been misinformed.."
That would have to go down as the quote of the year from the TCT camp. Well done! :D

[Jonzarno]

It is good to see that Ms Curtis-Taylor is so committed to clarifying the inaccurate reports made about her. In an earlier post, I set out three specific questions that I believe go to the heart of the allegations against her:


I would be interested in a reasoned response from the lady herself to just three questions:

1. What is the reconciliation between Ms Curtis-Taylor's well documented claim to have flown her african flight "solo" (Please see the video clip published earlier in this thread in which she personally makes that claim) and her subsequent public statement that the flight was not solo?

2. Given the above, what was she doing in the picture of her published earlier in this thread standing in front of a huge picture claiming she had been "Alone in an open cock-pit [sic] plane"?

3. By what authority, and with what qualification, does she wear RAF wings?

If Ms Curtis-Taylor, can provide sensible and satisfactory answers: I am sure that most if not all of her critics would be silenced. Certainly I am prepared to be convinced.

I look forward to hearing.....



I have yet to see any response that directly addresses any of these questions.

[Genghis the Engineer]

So in her HCAP Master's medal citation is included the statement:
"The Master’s award recognises Tracey Curtis-Taylor’s work in raising awareness of science and technology in general,

However the good lady when interviewed stated:

"I can’t bear technology – I know that it’s amazing to live in this world of instant communications, and obviously I couldn’t fly without some concession to modernity like GPS, .."

https://avauntmagazine.com/tracey-curtis-taylor
I have to take an issue with this.

I was at Farnborough Airshow all week - I was in the middle of the zone where thousands of young people (and a few parents, teachers, MPs, and for that matter two astronauts that I spotted) were streaming in the name of learning about and popularising science. I'll freely admit that I was paid to be there, but there were dozens of young women and men who had volunteered. I gave talks, the two astronauts gave talks - Spirit of Artemis was parked outside, but of TCT engaging in any science outreach activities - not a sign.

Last week at Manchester Airport was "Into the Blue", the biggest Planet Science's outreach event ever held in Britain. Yep, I was there all week (and was paid to be there, I'm making no claims otherwise) - no TCT.

I see various twitter feeds on science outreach, and can recall absolutely nothing mentioning "come and hear from Tracey Curtis-Taylor about how girls can become scientists and engineers".

I just took a look at TCT's Wikipedia page there is no indication that she has ever walked-the-walk and actually obtained any science qualifications herself.

I'm on the books of the Science Media Centre, who spearhead a lot of the news related science outreach in the UK. I've never seen any mention of her there.

My wife is on the Editorial Board and a past president of the Women's Engineering Society - and has never had TCT engage in any of their activities.

The Royal Aeronautical Society is of course the world's leading promoter of aerospace careers. There is no evidence I can find that she has ever engaged with the "Women in aviation and aerospace group", there's no evidence I can find that she has ever presented herself for membership. There is evidence that she was hosted once by a branch in Australia where she claimed to have done her trip to there solo (Royal Aeronautical Society | Society News | Australian Division hosts Tracey Curtis-Taylor (http://aerosociety.com/News/Society-News/3958/Australian-Division-hosts-Tracey-CurtisTaylor) )

While Curtis-Taylor’s flight was basically a solo exercise she did have occasional VIP passengers, including a member of the Greek royal family and a Saudi princess. Australian Division corporate partners in attendance at the exclusive event included Qantas, Boeing, Airservices Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Basically, I think that the statement in support of the award is not merely misleading - it is an outright lie. She has done no significant work to promote science and technology, and she has made no attempts to become qualified in a science or technology field herself.

G

[Genghis the Engineer]

Yep saw that. I'm willing to accept that she has had the odd conversation with people along the lines of "flying is great, come do it".

Sorry, flying is flying, working in science and technology is something else altogether. A small number of gifted individuals do both - but as I said, I see no evidence that she has done anything whatsoever to "raise awareness of science and technology".

G

[Mike Flynn]

You need to ask Peter Benn.

He is the current Master of the HCAP and was determined she got a medal.

The Chris Ford citation was a joke.

Poor old Barry Tempest is getting some undeserved comments on her facebook page.

Dave Perkin
Dave Perkin Behind you on this Tracey. Not actually physically behind you, don't worry. Next they'll think I meant in the back seat and I'll be accused of taking the controls! ��
25 October at 19:02
Allan Friswell
Allan Friswell I hope you bankrupt that small-minded spoilt brat that is Rutherford. I hope too that something VERY unpleasant happens to Barry Tempest, the LAA's Resident Misogynist, a man so afraid of women, let alone successful women he wets his pants when he meets one. Tracy - you're a star. xx
29 October at 14:12
Richard Aylmer-Hall
Richard Aylmer-Hall Smacks of sexism and jealousy, these small-minded vindictive minnows can't take away what you have achieved.
8 · 25 October at 18:15
1 Reply
Josie Banks
Josie Banks Good luck dear girl. I have no doubts that you will come through this triumphant x
6 · 25 October at 18:19
Ben Smith
Ben Smith Sorry, but your latest statement still doesn't cut-it. You still appear in denial of THE FACTS. Another fact is [in my opinion] i doubt that you could even navigate around the London TMA SOLO in the same spirit as Amy Johnson, stick & rudder.
5 · 25 October at 20:42 · Edited
3 Replies
Tony ODowd
Tony ODowd Regardless of this awful action to discredit you in many ways you have dedicated your life and merit to the spirit of aviation. Many others may do the talk but not the walk.
2 · 25 October at 20:19

more at https://www.facebook.com/birdinabiplane/posts/1771531483102527

[Jonzarno]

It's interesting that all the FB comments quoted above attack, in a rather juvenile ad hominem way, the individuals who have called into question Ms Curtis-Taylor's claims.

None of them seems to have taken the trouble to research the established and clearly documented facts of the case, nor have they made any attempt to address them.

I say again: what are the answers to the three simple questions I asked?

[clareprop]

The simplest answer to all that vitriol is to reply, where possible with this link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc&feature=youtu.be&t=9m40s

Click on it above , then copy the link from your browser.

[noflynomore]

I can’t bear technology
Not a line that sits easily with these extravagant claims to be a science and technology ambassador, is it? Completely removes any credibility of such a claim, imo.
I'd always thought a Stearman an odd choice of transport for a science and technology ambassador anyway. Wouldn't a real one have used a Cirrus or similar?
Imagine the TCT Science and Technology festival tour bus arriving at some college for an "outreach" (aaah!) session in a 1930s Bedford bus...Credibility ten to the minus nine and falling, to misquote The Hitchiker's Guide.



obviously I couldn’t fly without some concession to modernity like GPS, .."
"Obviously" Not.
Not a line that sits easily with her claim to be a pilot imo. For shame, can't fly without GPS indeed. What a pathetic line.

Nor, "obviously" without an accompanying modern airways equipped flying truck and a bunch of accompanying movers and shakers.

Obviously.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

well, the plot thickens.
I have just been contacted by an investigative Journalist about a totally unrelated matter as part of my work.
I broached the subject of TCT.

She has now been briefed and has the links, brief history and asked some very pertinent questions - ones I duly answered honestly with factual evidence. Amazingly, she was more interested in this than the original reason for her call. :ok:

[hoodie]

The simplest answer to all that vitriol is to reply, where possible with this link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fujEzI94zAc&feature=youtu.be&t=9m40s

If anybody here has the skills to do it, I expect that editing that 1 hour-plus video down into just few seconds of the relevant "solo quotes", with titles at the beginning saying when and where would be a very useful tool.

The short video can then be used when responding to these claims, providing something that can be understood by anyone in a matter of moments.

[Jonzarno]

Sorry to keep harping on about this. I'm afraid I don't do Facebook so can't do this myself; but could someone take the three questions I asked earlier and put them on her page?

Either she will have the courage to answer them, or they will "disappear".

If she answers them directly and honestly, that should help clear things up; if they disappear, that is in itself an clear answer.

It seems to me that 90% of the controversy is covered by those questions and her reaction to them should make the situation clear to everyone, critics and supporters alike.

[SATCOS WHIPPING BOY]

I have the two key SOLO references from the Herne Bay day edited into one 15second clip. (2mb)

I cannot upload to here as MP4 is not permitted but can send via e-mail if you contact me via Private Message.
:ok:

[hoodie]

Suggest you put it on YouTube or Vimeo, then anybody can link to it easily.

[piperboy84]

Hey Sam , here's a link to TCT's Pilotweb interview about the quality of her crew

"How did you prepare for the journey?



It took another four years to pull all the elements together for the flight. This variously included sourcing a suitable aeroplane, raising serious sponsorship money and finding a film company to document the story. I had a very good project manager and a huge number of friends supporting me although I think they had private doubts about whether it would actually happen. With regards to the actual expedition, I had a support aircraft (a Cessna Caravan) and for the most part a fantastic team which included the chase pilot,[/B][/B] a logistics manager, an engineer and a four-man film crew."

[G-KEST]

Much amused by the comment from Saga Noren - "the disgusting women-fearing bully that is Barry Tempest." Disgusting...?? that is for others to decide but I think not. Women fearing...?? not at all, thoughout my 51 years of married life. Bully...?? never an attribute of mine (though I am fond of corned beef). Were I of a litigious nature I might just feel inclined to sue Saga Noren.
Cheers,
Barry Tempest
_________________________

Reading a bit further I noted a post from Allan Friswell
Allan Friswell "I hope you bankrupt that small-minded spoilt brat that is Rutherford. I hope too that something VERY unpleasant happens to Barry Tempest, the LAA's Resident Misogynist, a man so afraid of women, let alone successful women he wets his pants when he meets one. Tracy - you're a star. xx"
Now Allan I hope your wish is reciprocated. I am not and have never been a misogynist, or afraid of women (except when they are extremely annoyed) and incontinence has yet to affect me.

[rog747]

Sorry to keep harping on about this. I'm afraid I don't do Facebook so can't do this myself; but could someone take the three questions I asked earlier and put them on her page?

Either she will have the courage to answer them, or they will "disappear".

If she answers them directly and honestly, that should help clear things up; if they disappear, that is in itself an clear answer.

It seems to me that 90% of the controversy is covered by those questions and her reaction to them should make the situation clear to everyone, critics and supporters alike.


apart from her press release on 24 Oct posted on her FB page about her consternation of these issues she does not reply to any of the FB comments to this of which there are over 50 - many of which seem sycophantic but there are recent increasingly pressing negative responses against her which I am amused and amazed at have not been replied to or deleted


https://www.facebook.com/birdinabiplane/?fref=ts

[Sam Rutherford]

Given the very similar language and layout, I think we can safely assume that Saga Noren is actually Allan Friswell - this from his FB post:


Allan Friswell

I hope you bankrupt that small-minded spoilt brat that is Rutherford. I hope too that something VERY unpleasant happens to Barry Tempest, the LAA's Resident Misogynist, a man so afraid of women, let alone successful women he wets his pants when he meets one. Tracy - you're a star. xx

[rog747]

Given the very similar language and layout, I think we can safely assume that Saga Noren is actually Allan Friswell - this from his FB post:


Allan Friswell

I hope you bankrupt that small-minded spoilt brat that is Rutherford. I hope too that something VERY unpleasant happens to Barry Tempest, the LAA's Resident Misogynist, a man so afraid of women, let alone successful women he wets his pants when he meets one. Tracy - you're a star. xx
yes Sam i thought that too - is he a known LAA member? he does not much like B.T does he!

he has replied negatively to various posts on her FBook with some more rantings

[deefer dog]

Anyone recall this fighting talk as Johnathan Aitken unleashed his vicious counter attack on the Guardian newspaper who had dared to accuse him of lying?

'If it falls to me to start a fight to cut out the cancer of bent and twisted journalism in our country with the simple sword of truth and the trusty shield of fair play, so be it. I am ready for the fight.'

It was followed in pretty short order by his imprisonment, bankruptcy and complete humiliation. What's notable here is that he sued the Guardian when all they had done was expose him as a liar.

[Haraka]

That which is indefensible (e.g. "RAF" Wings & "Solo" proven statements) is being ignored.

Instead we are now, as predicted, getting increasingly wilder counter accusations being flung about, whilst frantically back pedalling and trying to divert the argument into, for example, an emotive "Wimmin' " issue. All of this in an attempt to gain the sympathy of those unfamiliar with the "actualité " .
It's a familiar path which generally leads to a greater denouement. We shall see.

[Mike Flynn]

In last Saturdays Times she accused the various newspapers,magazines and tv reporters as "misreporting" her solo claims.

She admits she could have done more to correct misleading reports that made liberal use of the phrase “flying solo”.

“I wish we’d sorted that misreporting out but I can’t do everything all of the time,” she said.

Everywhere you look on the internet Tracy it is you that claimed you were flying solo.

That is what the press reported and you are now trying to retract.

I wonder if the Royal Navy are aware of the fact that you never flew these expeditions alone?