Spitfire flights
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: In a house
Saw this a couple of months ago. I think this is going to be on my list of things I should do before I get really really old. At least you can legally put this in your log book as opposed to having to do shady cash jobs or go to countries that may not necessarily have flight & maintenance safety on the top of the list.
Alex James flies a Supermarine Spitfire - Telegraph
Alex James flies a Supermarine Spitfire - Telegraph
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Hertfordshire
There was also this report of a flight in a two-seater Spitfire earlier in the year:
You don't sit in a spitfire - you strap the beast on! Ever wondered what it's like to pilot a Spitfire? Ben Griffiths fulfilled a childhood dream and found out | Mail Online
The Aircraft Restoration Company is one of the leading Spitfire restorers and operates the two-seater featured in this article.
Lunchmaster
You don't sit in a spitfire - you strap the beast on! Ever wondered what it's like to pilot a Spitfire? Ben Griffiths fulfilled a childhood dream and found out | Mail Online
The Aircraft Restoration Company is one of the leading Spitfire restorers and operates the two-seater featured in this article.
Lunchmaster
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,581
Likes: 0
From: flyover country USA
47 yrs ago - On a raffle, I won a ride in back of a P51H (N313H) . Yes, the only flying H in the world at that time. Impressions: In a 2G turn (60º bank), the nose barely creeps around the horizon. And when inverted in a hesitation roll, your shirt pocket empties to the canopy.
Since then, a very noisy ride in a B-25H "Barbie III" (N5548N). Yes, the only flying H in the world. An airplane with a fairly wide speed range to its credit, but bring your earplugs!
And - on a hot July 2008 day - a mercifully-drafty old airplane ride: B-17G "Liberty Belle" (N390TH) fresh out of rebuild. This ship was once an engine testbed for P&W (N5111N). Badly damaged in 1979 in Windsor Locks CT when a tornado picked up a parked Albatross and dropped it on the B-17. Beautiful workmanship evident in stringer splices in the aft fuselage!
Sadly, three years later this beautiful bird suffered a broken fuel line, inflight fire, & successful forced landing, but lack of firefighting access in a muddy field led to its total loss.
Since then, a very noisy ride in a B-25H "Barbie III" (N5548N). Yes, the only flying H in the world. An airplane with a fairly wide speed range to its credit, but bring your earplugs!
And - on a hot July 2008 day - a mercifully-drafty old airplane ride: B-17G "Liberty Belle" (N390TH) fresh out of rebuild. This ship was once an engine testbed for P&W (N5111N). Badly damaged in 1979 in Windsor Locks CT when a tornado picked up a parked Albatross and dropped it on the B-17. Beautiful workmanship evident in stringer splices in the aft fuselage!
Sadly, three years later this beautiful bird suffered a broken fuel line, inflight fire, & successful forced landing, but lack of firefighting access in a muddy field led to its total loss.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Newcastle
Flights
Just to make it clear anyone can fly in an ex military aircraft in the UK.
The problem comes from payment, if your happy to cough up for half the cost of the flight then some pilots would be happy to take you for a flight just so they get some time in the air as well but you couldn't pay for all of the flight however as has been noted within the next 12 months we will be allowed to operate commercially so expect the costs to go up a bit.
The problem comes from payment, if your happy to cough up for half the cost of the flight then some pilots would be happy to take you for a flight just so they get some time in the air as well but you couldn't pay for all of the flight however as has been noted within the next 12 months we will be allowed to operate commercially so expect the costs to go up a bit.
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 367
Likes: 1
From: South West UK
Spitfire flights
It was mentioned higher up the thread but the Boultbee Flight Academy is the only CAA approved Spitfire school in the world. They sell advanced training courses which include full briefings from highly experienced Spitfire display pilots (most of who are ex Military, test pilots, airline captains) and you fly Tiger Moth, Harvard then Spitfire. Check it out here...
Boultbee Flight Academy
As I say, fully CAA approved and legal!
3 Point
Boultbee Flight Academy
As I say, fully CAA approved and legal!
3 Point
