British Aviation in Belize??
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Did two tours in Belize, in 81 and 84. On the 81 trip, we went up to Salamanca to play the Ghurkas at football and volleyball. There was only one pilot flying that day, and our WO had shotgun on the spare seat. While surfing the net the other day I typed in Ambergris Caye, and the place looks nothing like it did in 84. Obviousley it is due to the increase in tourists from the states, and there is a proper runway there now. I'm rubbish at judging distances, do any off you know how long the runway is, and what is the biggest aircraft to land there? Only ever landed there in Cessnas.
Last edited by Dan Gerous; 8th Jun 2011 at 20:32. Reason: dates mixed up
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Airport Characteristics
Lat/Long: 17.913936 deg N / 87.971075 deg W
Elevation: 4 feet (1 meters)
From city: Near San Pedro, Belize
Time zone: UTC -6
Max Runway: 3500 x 60 feet (1067 x 18 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
Cessna Caravan
Pilatus PC12 made the first international arrival after Customs installed.
Lat/Long: 17.913936 deg N / 87.971075 deg W
Elevation: 4 feet (1 meters)
From city: Near San Pedro, Belize
Time zone: UTC -6
Max Runway: 3500 x 60 feet (1067 x 18 meters)
Surface: ASPHALT
Cessna Caravan
Pilatus PC12 made the first international arrival after Customs installed.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SCOTLAND
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Gentleman,
I am currently writing on the HarDet of 1417 flight and I am chasing up the accidents that the flight endured. I am struggling to find information on the pilots who were sadly lost.
XV807, was lost on 14 July 1981 on a training sortie can anyone help me in finding the pilot's identity?
DISCLAIMER: I do not wish to write about a fatal crash without being able to name our dead. The history I am writing is about the people who served here and I wish to get the details right!
Thanks in advance,
Red
I am currently writing on the HarDet of 1417 flight and I am chasing up the accidents that the flight endured. I am struggling to find information on the pilots who were sadly lost.
XV807, was lost on 14 July 1981 on a training sortie can anyone help me in finding the pilot's identity?
DISCLAIMER: I do not wish to write about a fatal crash without being able to name our dead. The history I am writing is about the people who served here and I wish to get the details right!
Thanks in advance,
Red
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IIRC the Harrier pilot in question (Flt Lt John Clark) was detached in from IV Sqn Gütersloh. He was one of lifes good guys. It was a long time ago but my recollection is that he hit a jungle ridgeline that would have been hidden by a distant* horizon. Not sure what the BOI conclusions were regarding contributing factors but I dare say it is in the public forum somewhere. It was at a time when jets falling out of the sky was a common occurance; testiment if needed that our Flight Safety protocols of today are pretty good.
*Flight in Belize during daylight would pretty much always mean black visor down.
AL1. From the tinternet: Tailplane linkage disconnected and control lost - 1417F1t Georgeville Belize
AL2. (Wiki)
1 Dec 1975 XV788 Engine problems due to bird strike
26 May 1981 XW923 Belize River Loss of control during short take-off
July 1981 XV807 Georgeville CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain)
*Flight in Belize during daylight would pretty much always mean black visor down.
AL1. From the tinternet: Tailplane linkage disconnected and control lost - 1417F1t Georgeville Belize
AL2. (Wiki)
1 Dec 1975 XV788 Engine problems due to bird strike
26 May 1981 XW923 Belize River Loss of control during short take-off
July 1981 XV807 Georgeville CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain)
Last edited by Diablo Rouge; 25th Jun 2011 at 08:35.
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Flt Lt John Clark
Thank you Diablo Rouge for your kind comments regarding John Clark.
I'm not too able with computers but with the help of Google was doing a search about John and found this site. It's a sad anniversary for three of my former classmates who met premature ends in 1981.
I grew up in Lancashire and when I was 14 we moved house, so I ended up changing schools. You can imagine that I became the "newboy", and it presents some of its own problems.
We were at St. Mary's College, Crosby. Our form master was none less than Ray Boggiano who served in Lancasters in WWII.
156 Squadron RAF
The first pupil to greet me was John (D) Clark, and like you wrote he was one of life's good guys. He sat in front of me. He was in the school's AFC.
When it came to games days he was excused to go to RAF Woodvale, near Southport where he would go flying, along with Tony Larkin, who sat next to me in class.
We'd be playing rugby and we'd be listening for the sound of the Chipmunks and sure enough John and Tony we fly over and dip their wings.
John's partner at his desk was Peter Morris, who used to run cross country with me. The four of us were good friends.
We all left in 1972.
We occasionally caught up but 1981, yes 30 years ago, all three of them were killed in the space of a few months.
Tony, who'd also become a professional pilot, died in a helicopter crash in Indonesia I think, John went in July, and Peter slipped when he was walking up Mont Blanc in the August.
I still shudder when I think on it, but thank God I knew them, and I'll always be greatful for the welcome John gave me.
Best wishes
Brian
I'm not too able with computers but with the help of Google was doing a search about John and found this site. It's a sad anniversary for three of my former classmates who met premature ends in 1981.
I grew up in Lancashire and when I was 14 we moved house, so I ended up changing schools. You can imagine that I became the "newboy", and it presents some of its own problems.
We were at St. Mary's College, Crosby. Our form master was none less than Ray Boggiano who served in Lancasters in WWII.
156 Squadron RAF
The first pupil to greet me was John (D) Clark, and like you wrote he was one of life's good guys. He sat in front of me. He was in the school's AFC.
When it came to games days he was excused to go to RAF Woodvale, near Southport where he would go flying, along with Tony Larkin, who sat next to me in class.
We'd be playing rugby and we'd be listening for the sound of the Chipmunks and sure enough John and Tony we fly over and dip their wings.
John's partner at his desk was Peter Morris, who used to run cross country with me. The four of us were good friends.
We all left in 1972.
We occasionally caught up but 1981, yes 30 years ago, all three of them were killed in the space of a few months.
Tony, who'd also become a professional pilot, died in a helicopter crash in Indonesia I think, John went in July, and Peter slipped when he was walking up Mont Blanc in the August.
I still shudder when I think on it, but thank God I knew them, and I'll always be greatful for the welcome John gave me.
Best wishes
Brian
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Belmopan Aviation ltd.
Hi Guys,
Do you have some information about Belmopan Aviation ltd. ?
Do you know home's base and any opportunity to join the career as pilot ?
I didn' find any link about that.
I hope to receive a couple of information
Thanks
Do you have some information about Belmopan Aviation ltd. ?
Do you know home's base and any opportunity to join the career as pilot ?
I didn' find any link about that.
I hope to receive a couple of information
Thanks
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Flt Lt John Clark RAF
At the time of John's very sad accident, I was a crab driving an AAC Scout toward APC from Rideau I think when I received a call to divert to the crash site to assist and report. The crash site was very obvious as I drew closer and the trees were flattened sufficiently to allow me to land close by.
On my return to APC later that afternoon, I joined John's peers in the bar to drink to his life and times using his bar number to foot the bill as is tradition. We received a certain amount of abuse from the resident battalion for our lack of consideration for the departed and they left later in disgust. We however laid John's ghost and cherished his memory in a way that he would have been proud of.
I have many happy memories of Belize and was fortunate enough to fly both Scout and Puma during my several detachments there
Pedro
On my return to APC later that afternoon, I joined John's peers in the bar to drink to his life and times using his bar number to foot the bill as is tradition. We received a certain amount of abuse from the resident battalion for our lack of consideration for the departed and they left later in disgust. We however laid John's ghost and cherished his memory in a way that he would have been proud of.
I have many happy memories of Belize and was fortunate enough to fly both Scout and Puma during my several detachments there
Pedro
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Long Time Ago
As the title suggests - it's a long time ago but I seem to recall a certain Bionic Budgie pilot who went by the moniker of "Slats" had a rather quick return to the UK/Germany and a severe "hats on" with someone terribly senior for a rather low, fast and inverted pass down the runway - or did I dream it all?
