XS452 Airborne again in South Africa (EE Lightning)
 

Way to go. :D:D:D

View topic - Oh YES! Lightning XS452 flies again

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Likes his badges.

But not his safety equipment….

I am astonished that this has been permitted given the previous accident report.

Perhaps a pair of gloves would be more appropriate than the badges ...

Nah.....not required. The seat won't work anyway:eek:

Well I'm assuming it's been seriously looked at by the relevant authorities.

Having read the full accident report, they assumed that last time.....

Astonished they've been allowed to fly them again...... and I'll be even more astonished if they are going to be allowed to fly PAX flights in them again :eek:

For those who haven't read it, here it is....

http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20cent.../2009/8706.pdf

Oh, for God's sake, give it a rest. Don't you think it's great news that this Lady has been put back where she belongs; in the air? Frankly, scr$w you and your safety, holier than thou, "It shouldn't be allowed" hoop. If someone wants to fly it, who the hell are we to criticise? I would (fly it). And why shouldn't I? Oh, except for the fact that I can't fly a Lightning. But he can.

Right?

EDIT: Oops. Got carried away. Sorry, GR4T, we co-posted. It wasn't directed at you.

I agree Courtney! I would give my right arm for another go in the worlds finest! Good luck to them and more pictures please!

Now what's the number for staff travel so I can get to watch the action!:E:E:E

Does anyone know the background/lead up to this flight and who the pilot is?


The Sweep

Great news. You can't live surrounded by cotton wool all your life - you've got to take the odd risk, and this is one I'd definitely take if offered!!

BSweeper, Facebook pic link says

ShortFinalTV
Mike Beachy Head at the controls of his Lightning. — at Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town, South Africa.

Courtney

:D:D:D:D:ok:

Newt, without your right arm you couldn't fly the world's finest!;)

Of course I could!:}

But would you stop being a wa****r though http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ies/tongue.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ies/thumbs.gif

The CAA gave permission for ‘maintenance/test’ flights last year. MBH took the aircraft for a test flight yesterday. They are not allowed to fly commercially, this may come later, would be fantastic.

At least I still can Cuefaye! For someone of your years, I expect you gave up ages ago!:\:\:\

Sadly, not since 2004 mate http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...y_dog_eyes.gif

Nice too see this bird in the air again. Hopefully lessons learnt, engines turning and burning, fluid dripping onto the taxiway, NO GO !

if they didn't allow the Lightning to drip none would ever have got airborne........

Typical quote from a self appointed H & S policeman, The HSE themselves would be the first to point out that they are about safety awareness and NOT risk aversion, I would guess that in their eyes the accident report has merely pointed out an area or two (fuel coupling and ejection seat maintenance) where safety can be improved they are not about banning things and I assume that the CAA would work to a similar pattern (although anybody who can second guess the CAA is a better man than me!)

mikip, you are far from the mark.

The investigation was conducted by the SA CAA, not any self-appointed H & S policeman. I think their report is evidence based and if you have reason to doubt their finding please take the matter up with them. According to the SA CAA this was far beyond a fuel coupling and ejection seat issue - please see their conclusions.

I read the report by the SA CAA at the time of its publication. It was badly written, badly researched, and prejudiced. I have no connection with Thunder City other than as someone who has visited several times and who has considered a flight with them (until seeing the price!)

The TC website is only partially operational but their statement on the front page seems to bear out my thoughts.

Welcome to Thunder City

It seems clear that risks were taken and the result was fatal and tragic. Dave Stock was a much loved and highly respected person in his circles, but accidents happen all the time and hopefully each accident makes flying safer.

Seeing as the SA CAA report was released in mid-August 2012 that statement is now some 17 months old. I'm guessing, as the SA CAA link is still 'live', that they were unsuccessful with their court injunction to have the report withdrawn.

Not a problem old chap ...

A man of your calibre and experience ... twenty mins familiarisation and a quick check ride (Newt looking over your shoulder :E) on the Tangmere Sim ... jobs a good'en I reckon :ok:

Bl00dy good fun ... even with my meagre abilities ...

Tangmere EE Lightning Sim

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...ps22cf3de9.png

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...psc8a1a402.jpg

My briefing went something like ...

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...ps48c48ead.jpg

Even managed to land it :eek:

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...pse0e8c2c9.jpg

Best ...

Coff.

Does anyone actually know the full story of ZU-BBD being back in the air again ?

Is it hoped that it will appear at airshows again (it was apparently listed for a show last year, which was cancelled) ?

Or is it a series of test flights, to satisfy a prospective customer ?

It would also be interesting to know what restrictions have been applied.

While not wishing to join the flying prevention branch......

The accident report was damning of a whole list of fundamental inadequacies in the whole operation. Unless there has been a significant change of personnel and operating procedures there is no way anything like this should be allowed in the air.

Just a bit of fun? Who wants to live forever? Yeah, well try telling that to the parents when the next one gets parked in a school rather than in the bush.

I guess you are already a member of the flying prevention branch!

And you didn't even know it until now!:D:D:D:D

Real mature response there, along the lines of "you are either for us or against us".

I'm not going to pretend to say I understand the full ramifications involved in operating what is undoubtedly a fairly complex aircraft that, as the statistics quite clearly show, was a bit of a nightmare to operate when fully supported by BAe and had specialist-to-type aircraft technicians pouring over it routinely. What I will say though is that (in my ever-so-humble opinion) if only a quarter of what is alleged in the CAA crash report is true, then to have an aircraft like this operated by seemingly the same organisation as previously (nothing stated on Thunder City's website counters this opinion) is quite worrying.

I would dearly love to see a Lightning flying in the UK but there are very well-trodden and fairly well-understood reasons why we don't have them flying around over here. As much as many can poo poo such worries as "Health and Safety gone mad" or whatever such line spills from the gutter press these concerns are real and must be addressed.

Real mature response there, along the lines of "you are either for us or against

Actually it was meant as a statement of the obvious regarding the previous reply!

I feel sure that every effort has been made by the authorities and operators involved with this aircraft to ensure that any irregularities have been investigated and resolved before any clearance to fly again. Any reservations held by the CAA are not applicable in SA. Furthermore, popular interpretation of the Lightning being "a bit of a nightmare to operate" are largely over stated and based on accident statistics from another time.:=

In the back of my mind is how big was the back******. The Lightning if it had ever got a PtF in the UK would never been allowed to carry out revenue service, like any other PtF ticket holding aeroplane. I would be surprised if that frame has had the checks done that would have had to be done to an aircraft that had been sitting on the ground in this country. The operating company paid lip service to their AOC requirements last time, have they got in date perishable spares now and bang that will go bang when required?
It will be interesting if they did start advertising flight of a lifetime again, that would led me back to my first comment.