Plleeease DZ - get off your high horse, and give us a rest old chap.

Sorry in advance for (slight) thread-creep, but i remember a story from quite recently about a helicopter seen flying under a bridge somewhere in Scotland.

The powers-that-were at the time were unable to identify the miscreants, and i wondered if anybody here on pprune knew any more about it? I seem to remember it was a civil craft, possibly a Jet Ranger?

SAR used to (and possibly still do) regularly practise a lo-viz approach to Southern General hospital which brought them up the Clyde and under the Erskine bridge. Maybe this is the source of the rumour?

Bookend
I can't remember a recent incident but perhaps it was this in 2003?
Time flies. ;)
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Helicopter pilot's bridge stunt

The main span of the Skye Bridge is 250m wide and 40m high.
From the news article:
One of the Rotorheads regulars posted this -



I set up a forum poll. Results: _____________

A few weeks later, two Spanish pilots flew their light aircraft under the 54 feet high Ballachulish Bridge in the Highlands.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...lachone203.jpg They were interviewed by Police and cautioned.


Double Zero Same here.
Another very good pilot I knew died in his bed.


Originally posted by John Farley (quoting veteran reporter John Lawton speaking to the American Association of Broadcast Journalists in 1985):It doesn't always achieve that effect.
Worth considering before you post again? ;)

I rather suspect that if Alan Pollock were to have been reading this thread since its inception, and I rather hope he has, he would have been amazed by the variety of pontifications, hypothesising and general rubbish that has emerged from a wide variety of people who haven't been there, other than in Microsoft Flight Sim and Walter Mitty land, and whose postings lend more to modern justifications of the whys and wherefores of achievements of others than life on a front line squadron in the sixties and seventies.

He did it. Fact. If you don't like it, well just get over it.

Whilst it may go against the grain of the politically correct times in which we live now, if not then, I happen to believe that it was a blooming marvellous action. Well done Sir. I salute you. As one who was present at the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of The Royal Air Force at Abingdon in 1968, soon after Flt Lt Pollock's memorable flypast, I was conscious of his actions, but it was only in subsequent years that I saw the mediocrity against which he was protesting. Look around you people. Now.

Most of us haven't, nor will ever have the capability to do such a feat; marvel at his flying skill and fine judgement of the clearances on the day and, if this applies to you, go back to your cupboards under the stairs or, more specifically, your OO trainset and your box of tissues and stop boring the pants off the rest of humanity.

octavian

Well said Sir !!

767

I doubt that the fool will be able to resist - similarities with the comparison of an Essex girl to a 747 (nothing against Essex girls!).

jindabyne

I agree - maybe we should promise a holiday in Majorca !!

X767

My only "qualification" to have an opinion on this subject is that I have at least spoken directly to Alan about the incident. He's quite clear that he had no plans to fly through the bridge and his aim was to "buzz" the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall, because of the complete indifference which was being displayed towards the RAF's anniversary. The option of flying through the bridge presented itself as he departed from central London, and with only a few seconds to make a decision, he concluded that it was worth a go. He did indeed think that he might have lost the tail as he flew through but of course he escaped unscathed.

I understand people's concerns about safety, rules and so on, but I still think he deserves our respect and admiration for having the guts to forget about rules and regulations, and just go ahead and show some spirit. That is surely what the RAF is (or was) all about. The way he was treated after the incident serves to illustrate how the RAF and MoD had become populated with countless grey individuals who were more concerned with politics, rules, hierarchy and their own positions, instead of showing any support for a man who evidently believed in the RAF and the men he worked with, and who simply wanted to give the RAF some well-deserved headlines on a significant anniversary. Good on him say I. Wish there were more people like him.

Tim,

Totally agree.

Perhaps 00 should read the fifth principle of PPruNe Forums

Some feel compelled to have “absolutely the last word” or “be vindicated” on a thread topic regardless of other posters views. This causes threads to become long and tediously repetitious and WILL cause its premature closure to the detriment of others.
We provide a forum for the exchange of rumour, news and views of matters aviation NOT a venue for the imposition of personal agenda. We will not tolerate this violation of individual rights.
We are the friend of EVERY PPRuNer equally on this forum without fear or favour, as we should be with each other, unless they breach the bounds of decency and civility. A difference of opinion in civilized company should not necessarily invoke or provoke instant hostility.
We are, like many, a little tired of the “if you cant see the rightness of my argument then I feel sorry for you, because I am trying to help you ” routine, and the “If you don’t agree with me you mst be an idiot/management/scab” has grown old as well. PPRuNe has no intention of allowing a brain-cell-challenged minority to derail important debates. Argue your point on the various issues in a civilized manner, accept that there may be different views from yours, and get on with it. Attack the argument and not the person. We will all then, at the very least learn something beyond mere polemics.

Well said Tim and X767! :D

This waffle, OO, is of your own making.

But, on reflection, is it really? I suspect that you're really one of us - you might even be Al himself. His sense of humour would be to tease us all, light the blue touch paper, sit back, and have a good chortle!

Come on old chap, own up!

On the other hand, if I'm wrong OO, you must be the fellow at the end of the bar whom everyone ignores.

At Last !!

And I know Ray would have wanted his name spelled correctly !

To those of calm influence; sorry Tim, but you have rather been singled out, and also to those armchair Top Guns and retrospective heroes including such luminaries as Fying Lawyer, Newt, X767, Jindabyne, Heliport and many others, I am sure that you would agree that this has indeed been a polarising thread.

We may stick our heads in our mouths (1044 on 11th Feb) but unlike some I don't believe that we inflict it or the risk of it on others. There are a number of things that (sic)we have got through to our skulls (1928 on 12th Feb); not least of which are courtesy and a respect for other peoples' opinions, something that was always there, even if we may not have agreed with those opinions.

I find it fascinating that the most persistent and, to my mind, aggressive, antagonistic and insulting posters on this thread has sought out the moderators to end this waffle (1928 on 12th Feb).

I hope they don't as it's always rather fun waiting for that last word from 00

I think your definition of "polit" says a lot about you !!

I note your age, if true.

"...that drove Al to carry out his daring manoeuvre"

Daring what may I ask????

Your previous comments say a lot about you too.

Yes - age accurate !

Thank you for your appreciation of my previous posts.

X767

Some extracts from the CV of one of the people our resident armchair pilot sees fit to dismiss as "armchair Top Guns" and "retrospective heroes":

Former RAF fast jet pilot, Squadron display pilot, Test Pilot for over 20 years, Test Pilot Tutor at ETPS, almost 9000 hours on over 120 types, and a highly respected civvy display pilot - for more years than I can remember.
Awards:
Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air - for operational flying,
Air Force Cross - for his work as a test pilot,
Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Derry & Richards Memorial Medal - awarded to "a test pilot who has made an outstanding contribution in advancing the art and science of aviation." (1999, first mil pilot to receive this prestigious accolade.)

As Octavian says, it is ironic that it's the most persistent, aggressive, antagonistic and insulting poster who is now calling on the moderators to "end this waffle."
I can see understand why our self-styled expert would prefer the thread to be closed, but it is quite good fun waiting to see what waffle he'll come up with next. :)

Gentleman, and ladies. You will note that there has been a major amount of real pruning. I apologise for that. But, the fashion in which some of contributions have been made is either farcical or way off topic. The incident happened many years ago. It is now a history topic and no amount of pontificating can change it, who would want to? Chuck Yeager used to tell, and it was there film enough to see, that he could low fly a P51 within a few inches of the ground from the tip of his prop. Time and time again. Some pilots have consummate skill to do things others can only dream of - some die in the attempt.

The thread is open again but only for a continued debate and no drifting please.

Enjoy!

PPrune Pop

Grateful thanks are offered to you, for removing some of the more toxic and ill-informed opinions that have detracted from this thread. LM's vituperative language in denigrating fellow pilots, and DZ's tedious observations about a feat that he could never really appreciate, are regrettable and will not be missed.
X767