A Walt in court...
Those of you who have read Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K. Gann will remember the chapter on a pilot who was engaged as a pilot on a new commercial airline in the immediate post war years without being asked to show his licence. Only after a display of spectacular ineptitude lead to an immediate flight check was it discovered that not only did he not have an ATPL (or equivalent) but did not even have an instrument rating. Makes you wonder how many are still flying similarly unqualified.
Must've changed the rules since I was 'demobbed' in '98; in my day there was a rule that VRT Officers were not to carry a sword under any circumstances.
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What happened was he pleaded not guilty to the alleged thefts. Due to the seriousness of the charges and the value of the items recovered from his lockup, it has been passed to Chelmsford Crown Court for trial. The PTPH is in early May and a full trial date will be set then. Obviously he might well change his plea, but at the moment he is looking at taking the long road!
It's good though as he certainly now has some interesting explaining to do
FB
It's good though as he certainly now has some interesting explaining to do
FB
In 1971 I carried a sword as O i/c GoH at a Beds/Cambs/Hunts Wing annual parade at Henlow. Mind you, until a year or so previously, as a regular, I had commanded the GoH at RAF Watton
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I carried a sword too, albeit as a Regular. Once commanding the Guard of Honour for AOC's, and once for my wedding. I wore no medals on either occasion 
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He might look a right mess in uniform, but he isn't a 'Walt' and has probably done more for the benefit of the Air Cadets than PTFN and the screwed-up gliding 'pause' has.....
I would have got a 'clasp' to mine if my WingCo hadn't sacked me at the age of 51 just because he was jealous of me flying with the Air Cadet microlight operation which he himself had used to get his PPL(M)!
Those of you who have read Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K. Gann will remember the chapter on a pilot who was engaged as a pilot on a new commercial airline in the immediate post war years without being asked to show his licence. Only after a display of spectacular ineptitude lead to an immediate flight check was it discovered that not only did he not have an ATPL (or equivalent) but did not even have an instrument rating.
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...which is why flying an aircraft without a licence is a serious criminal offence but pretending to have been in the military when you haven't is (usually) just evidence of sad loserdom.
Is the "Walt" thread title really accurate? It seems his RAF GS and BBMF connections were about the only bits on his cv which were more or less true, and rather than being a Walt, he used his genuine RAF connections, ID card, flying clothing and station access to hoodwink aircraft owners to gain the use of their aircraft.
Is the "Walt" thread title really accurate? It seems his RAF GS and BBMF connections were about the only bits on his cv which were more or less true, and rather than being a Walt, he used his genuine RAF connections, ID card, flying clothing and station access to hoodwink aircraft owners to gain the use of their aircraft.
Last edited by ShotOne; 22nd May 2017 at 08:59.
