Around the world in a Spitfire
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
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Plenty of other elderly aeroplanes undertake lengthy adventures, probably with nothing like the support. A New Zealand registered Comanche 250 landed at Wick yesterday from Reykjavik, the couple flying it are undertaking a leisurely round the world tour... the aircraft is perhaps twenty years younger than the Spitfire, probably done at lot more flying and perhaps without the benefit of a major rebuild.
I think It's a great endeavour and wish them very well.
I think It's a great endeavour and wish them very well.
Join Date: Apr 2008
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IT'S simply a marvellous marketing wheeze. I can only wish them the best of luck and hope it all runs like clockwork - their sponsors do have watches to sell after all.
Somewhat pathetically the project main website doesn't even announce they have taken off but does provides an elaborate video to promote the 'Pilot Watch' collection. Their 'top of the range' model is yours for just over 11k. I would have to buy one 'on tick' - as it were!
Apart from that, as someone else once said of a similar exercise, it's all really rather point to pointless . . .
[Where are they now, maybe 'weathered in' at Lossiemouth, the 'escort' OY-THP seems to have U-turned. Who knows, no one is tellin'!]
Somewhat pathetically the project main website doesn't even announce they have taken off but does provides an elaborate video to promote the 'Pilot Watch' collection. Their 'top of the range' model is yours for just over 11k. I would have to buy one 'on tick' - as it were!
Apart from that, as someone else once said of a similar exercise, it's all really rather point to pointless . . .
[Where are they now, maybe 'weathered in' at Lossiemouth, the 'escort' OY-THP seems to have U-turned. Who knows, no one is tellin'!]
I noticed the same logo on Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in Hungary.
Well, they got airborne at Lossie and then came back.
Landed safely after about an hour- weather in the Faroes maybe?
Think this trip might take them a while......
They must have made a policy decision not to do low passes or anything entertaining when arriving or departing their many en-route airfields.
Landed safely after about an hour- weather in the Faroes maybe?
Think this trip might take them a while......
They must have made a policy decision not to do low passes or anything entertaining when arriving or departing their many en-route airfields.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
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Fareastdriver, you naughty person!
Nomad, possible that neither Steve Brooks or Matt Jones have a DA so low passes are verboten?
Nomad, possible that neither Steve Brooks or Matt Jones have a DA so low passes are verboten?
If it ever entered my head to risk my spitfire (!) by flying it around the world I certainly wouldn't be tempting fate any further by indulging in unnecessary aerobatics along the way.
You can hardly compare this with a Commanche. A Spit isn't a tough, simple plodding spamcan with a bulletproof aircooled engine, its a tetchy, high-maintenance, rather delicate, extremely complex machine with pneumatics and a highly complex short-life supercharged watercooled engine.
Of course I wish them well but wonder at the wisdom, let alone the purpose of this venture with such a historicaly valuable and unsuitable aircraft.
You can hardly compare this with a Commanche. A Spit isn't a tough, simple plodding spamcan with a bulletproof aircooled engine, its a tetchy, high-maintenance, rather delicate, extremely complex machine with pneumatics and a highly complex short-life supercharged watercooled engine.
Of course I wish them well but wonder at the wisdom, let alone the purpose of this venture with such a historicaly valuable and unsuitable aircraft.
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Horsham, England, UK. ---o--O--o---
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Treadi.
I'm sure you are right.
But a visual approach, followed by an overshoot is not very taxing to pilot or aircraft.
These derring-do pilots are clearly being very cautious, but then we live in risk-averse times........
Apparantly the reason it's silver is to ease its passage across borders- civvy marks for the same reason.
They could have saved a lot of money by doing it on Microsoft FS.....which probably would make little difference to the outcome, unless they banjo the real one of course.
I'm sure you are right.
But a visual approach, followed by an overshoot is not very taxing to pilot or aircraft.
These derring-do pilots are clearly being very cautious, but then we live in risk-averse times........
Apparantly the reason it's silver is to ease its passage across borders- civvy marks for the same reason.
They could have saved a lot of money by doing it on Microsoft FS.....which probably would make little difference to the outcome, unless they banjo the real one of course.
Join Date: Dec 2000
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They have made it to BGKK ( Greenland )
Paxing All Over The World
That promo is really High Quality b*******! After each hole, you have to suit up, put the dome on and special gloves. Then reverse the sequence 1 minute later? You'll spend more time suiting than saved! 
You can also be sure that your fellow golfers are REALLY going to appreciate how quiet that machine is ... they ensured you never heard it, close up at lift off. Still, some boys get to play for a bit until it get's shelved..
You can also be sure that your fellow golfers are REALLY going to appreciate how quiet that machine is ... they ensured you never heard it, close up at lift off. Still, some boys get to play for a bit until it get's shelved..
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Back on thread...
G-IRTY has cracked on this evening and just arrived at Kangerlussuaq on Greenland's west coast, making up a bit of time for the weather delays at Lossie and Reykjavik. I assume they aim to cover the 350 odd miles to Broughton Island tomorrow, weather permitting. Then the next leg to Iqaluit perhaps, less than 300...
G-IRTY has cracked on this evening and just arrived at Kangerlussuaq on Greenland's west coast, making up a bit of time for the weather delays at Lossie and Reykjavik. I assume they aim to cover the 350 odd miles to Broughton Island tomorrow, weather permitting. Then the next leg to Iqaluit perhaps, less than 300...