Spitfire Circumnavigation

[megan]

A trip of a life time. Wonder if TCT is providing advice and guidance?

https://www.silverspitfire.com/

[Checklist Charlie]

At least the chosen aircraft is a single seater, "for the avoidance of doubt".

Around the world, well, around the Northern Hemisphere anyway.

CC

[Squiffy Pussy]

A trip of a life time. Wonder if TCT is providing advice and guidance? :ok:

[The Ancient Geek]

The accepted rules for "around the world" say that you must cross the equator.

[Mike Flynn]

The accepted rules for "around the world" say that you must cross the equator.

Pretty hard going if you don’t.

[megan]

No need to cross the equator, the FAI rules - Aviation records take account of the wind circulation patterns of the world; in particular the jet streams, which circulate in the northern and southern hemispheres without crossing the equator. There is therefore no requirement to cross the equator, or to pass through two antipodal points, in the course of setting a round-the-world aviation record. For powered aviation, the course of a round-the-world record must start and finish at the same point and cross all meridians; the course must be at least 36,770 kilometres (22,850 mi) long (which is approximately the length of the Tropic of Cancer). The course must include set control points at latitudes outside the Arctic and Antarctic circles.

[canopener]

Why risk the loss of a rare and valuable antique for a publicity stunt.Yes I know the aeroplane doesn't know it's over the ocean or Greenland.....but Merlin's can self destruct.

[The Ancient Geek]

No need to cross the equator, the FAI rules

Hmm - I assumed the same rules as for the yotties.

[Katamarino]

What an adventure! That's going to be expensive...

[Tay Cough]

A valuable aircraft it may be but the last WW2 fighter to cross the Atlantic was Berlin Express last year, so while a rare event, a long range trip is not unique. There was also a recent 5000 mile trans-Canada epic by a locally based Vintage Wings Spitfire, flown by Dave Hadfield, brother of astronaut Chris.

Good luck to them.

[flyingfemme]

No reason it should be particularly difficult or expensive, assuming the donk keeps going. Avgas supply is probably the most challenging aspect but the route looks like they will have drop tanks to make the long legs, so there will be some flex in there.

[treadigraph]

flown by Dave Hadfield, brother of astronaut Chris

Chris Hadfield has also just been "checked out" on the Vintage Wings Spitfire.

Look forward to following this adventure and the best of luck to the team.

[Katamarino]

No reason it should be particularly difficult or expensive, assuming the donk keeps going. Avgas supply is probably the most challenging aspect but the route looks like they will have drop tanks to make the long legs, so there will be some flex in there.

It's the hourly cost of a Spitfire plus the very large amounts of expensive AvGas it'll need that I was thinking of, as well as support aircraft and team. Well over half a million I'm guessing. That might be cheap to some but, to someone like me who pays for my own flying, that's pretty expensive!

[Planemike]

Why risk the loss of a rare and valuable antique for a publicity stunt.Yes I know the aeroplane doesn't know it's over the ocean or Greenland.....but Merlin's can self destruct.

Hardly a unique artifact. How much of the airframe will be original? Risk a reproduction Spitfire, why not?

[treadigraph]

It's actually a fairly original Spitfire having gone to the Dutch AF after WWII, then used as a decoy, a museum at Delfzijl, and after restoration from a somewhat derelict state it joined the Aviodome museum. It's been in storage at Duxford for about 10 years after being acquired by Historic Flying.

[Planemike]

treadi...............

See what you have written. I was unaware of its history. So not exactly a "data plate" creation.
However the world is not short of airworthy Spitfires. If the owners want to risk it, let them.
As it is worth circa £ 2.50 million, suspect they take care of their "toy"...!!!

[treadigraph]

Not a dataplate restoration at all, almost entirely original I'd think. I totally agree, I think it's a fantastic undertaking.

European warbirds cross the Channel regularly and as Tay Cough points out, Berlin Express crossed the Atlantic safely last year, as did Miss Velma a few years earlier and Stephen Grey's P-51D back in 1980. In 1977 Tony Ostermeyer and a friend flew a P-51D both ways for a European holiday.

[TowerDog]

What is the range of a Spitfire anyways?
Seems like a silly stunt and logistic nightmare.
Somebody flew a Jetranger helicopter around the world a few years ago,
no idea why they did that either. ��

[Planemike]

Both flights were/are regarded as a "challenge". Why do folk climb mountains?? Because they are there....!!

[flyingfemme]

What is the range of a Spitfire anyways?
Depends on the marque; some had ferry range of 1500 miles. And I doubt they’d be on full military power for this particular trip!

[flyingfemme]

It's the hourly cost of a Spitfire plus the very large amounts of expensive AvGas it'll need that I was thinking of, as well as support aircraft and team. Well over half a million I'm guessing.
You’d be surprised how little some of these things cost, once the asset cost is stripped out. And one hopes they will still have a Spit at the end.
Around 2,500 gallons of avgas at a very variable cost - lets allow $15.00 a gallon. Insurance may be pretty steep but the pilots are very experienced and a sponsorship deal may be struck. Landing and handling will add quite a chunk but that depends where you go and the cheap route is not always considered in these cases. Overflight permissions vary wildly and an agent will be required for those unless you have a fulltime staffer who will take it on and drive themselves nuts. Hotac, of course, depends on the crew preferences.

Their choice is to have a chase plane and tv crew - that is not necessary and likely to cost more than the actual flight. Their choice and they may recoup something on sales of video.

Ground crew could easily be a person with good internet and experience and a satfone to hand............

At the end of the day these two guys have built their dream and are totally entitled to spend their money any way they want - but it is a choice. Could be done much cheaper.