embarrassing jubilee flypast
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
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Swordfish River Pageant Flypast
I would like to assure the OP that we at Royal Navy Historic Flight did everything we could to ensure the Swordfish was ready and available for the River Pageant.
When the Swordfish carried out its post winter maintenance check test flight in May we discovered a major oil leak after landing. On investigation it was discovered that there were some major issues with the engine which resulted in a ground up rebuild of another engine with 3 weeks to run to the Pageant. The engineers worked tirelessly night and day (including the weekend) to ensure the Swordfish was ready in time and we finally managed to have it ready by the Wednesday before the Pageant.
When it was apparent on Friday afternoon that the forecast for Sunday was going to be poor we elected to fly the Swordfish to Biggin Hill on Saturday to ensure that it was as close to London as we could reasonably get it in order to achieve the flypast. The Swordfish is day/VFR only and we didn't want to be in the situation where the weather was good enough for the flypast but not good enough for the transit from Yeovilton.
On the day itself the weather was poor to say the least and at the time the aircraft were due to launch the cloud base at Biggin Hill was down to 200ft. There is no way we could reasonably be expected to carry out a flypast in those conditions. Even the Rotary Wing element in the Diamond Nine were unable to launch as I’m sure you can imagine the implications of having 9 helicopters plus 2 airborne spares going IMC at the same time in the London Control Zone!
I can assure you nobody was more disappointed to not be able to conduct the flypast than the particpating crews. The public only get to see a 30 second flypast. For the crews it involves months of preparation, planning and paperwork to get the clearances to do it. When the clearances have been received, hours of briefing, flying and debriefing for every practice.
It must be remembered that Swordfish LS326 is the only flying example in the world right now (I believe the Canadian one is grounded again) and therefore needs to be looked after carefully in order to preserve her for future generations to enjoy.
I think Fleet Air Arm Pilots would be more likely to turn in their graves if we had have damaged the only airworthy Swordfish through stupidity.
I can assure you that every time I fly LS326 I feel the responsibility of flying such a rare aircraft very keenly and if there is the slightest hint that something isn't right then I will elect to land as soon practicable rather than risk damaging the aeroplane. Spares are extremely difficult to come by so we have to maintain and preserve everything we have.
We are only custodians of these machines, they belong to the nation and need be treated with the greatest care and respect.
RNHF is not fully funded by the RN and we operate on a shoestring, we therefore rely on charitable donations made to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust in order to keep our aeroplanes airworthy for the public to enjoy.
If you wish to continue to see aeroplanes like the Swordfish remain airworthy then I can commend you to join the Fly Navy Heritage Trust in order to preserve these wonderful aeroplanes for current and future generations to enjoy. For further information about RNHF please visit our website www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk there is also a link to our FB page with all the latest news on it.
I hope that answers any questions as to why we 'wimped out'.
Regards
Simon Wilson
When the Swordfish carried out its post winter maintenance check test flight in May we discovered a major oil leak after landing. On investigation it was discovered that there were some major issues with the engine which resulted in a ground up rebuild of another engine with 3 weeks to run to the Pageant. The engineers worked tirelessly night and day (including the weekend) to ensure the Swordfish was ready in time and we finally managed to have it ready by the Wednesday before the Pageant.
When it was apparent on Friday afternoon that the forecast for Sunday was going to be poor we elected to fly the Swordfish to Biggin Hill on Saturday to ensure that it was as close to London as we could reasonably get it in order to achieve the flypast. The Swordfish is day/VFR only and we didn't want to be in the situation where the weather was good enough for the flypast but not good enough for the transit from Yeovilton.
On the day itself the weather was poor to say the least and at the time the aircraft were due to launch the cloud base at Biggin Hill was down to 200ft. There is no way we could reasonably be expected to carry out a flypast in those conditions. Even the Rotary Wing element in the Diamond Nine were unable to launch as I’m sure you can imagine the implications of having 9 helicopters plus 2 airborne spares going IMC at the same time in the London Control Zone!
I can assure you nobody was more disappointed to not be able to conduct the flypast than the particpating crews. The public only get to see a 30 second flypast. For the crews it involves months of preparation, planning and paperwork to get the clearances to do it. When the clearances have been received, hours of briefing, flying and debriefing for every practice.
It must be remembered that Swordfish LS326 is the only flying example in the world right now (I believe the Canadian one is grounded again) and therefore needs to be looked after carefully in order to preserve her for future generations to enjoy.
I think Fleet Air Arm Pilots would be more likely to turn in their graves if we had have damaged the only airworthy Swordfish through stupidity.
I can assure you that every time I fly LS326 I feel the responsibility of flying such a rare aircraft very keenly and if there is the slightest hint that something isn't right then I will elect to land as soon practicable rather than risk damaging the aeroplane. Spares are extremely difficult to come by so we have to maintain and preserve everything we have.
We are only custodians of these machines, they belong to the nation and need be treated with the greatest care and respect.
RNHF is not fully funded by the RN and we operate on a shoestring, we therefore rely on charitable donations made to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust in order to keep our aeroplanes airworthy for the public to enjoy.
If you wish to continue to see aeroplanes like the Swordfish remain airworthy then I can commend you to join the Fly Navy Heritage Trust in order to preserve these wonderful aeroplanes for current and future generations to enjoy. For further information about RNHF please visit our website www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk there is also a link to our FB page with all the latest news on it.
I hope that answers any questions as to why we 'wimped out'.
Regards
Simon Wilson
Last edited by RNHF_PILOT; 9th Jun 2012 at 17:25.
Join Date: May 2001
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Glad someone like you (and all the others) is looking after these historic aircraft Simon.
I am sure if anything had happen the lady herself or at least her husband would have had words to say.
I am sure if anything had happen the lady herself or at least her husband would have had words to say.
