Tracey Curtis-Taylor (Merged threads)
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It migh be good sport to " wind up" the "tribunal" and "lynch mob", which many have been doing, as they continue to bay for the blood of TCT, but in my opinion it's wrong to criticise the integitity of three organisations for providing awards on the basis of a "non solo flight" for a flight which was not flown solo! By all means criticise the media for posting "solo" because they didn't really understand, and the silly Australian who stuck a "solo" certificate in her hand on arrival, when clearly she wasn't. Also blame TCT for not correcting the media - she has apologised for that. None of that can be laid at the door of HCAP, The RAeS or the AL.
Last edited by terry holloway; 3rd Jan 2017 at 21:43. Reason: Typing errors!
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and the silly Australian who stuck a "solo" certificate in her hand on arrival
We must not forget the non-aviation sites that have suffered a TCT presentation and clearly demonstrates to me that the source of all the solo malarky came from her.
I posted these two links in a previous comment (#1480) but it seemed to get buried.
The WI would not report on anything that did not happen, as it happened, so it would be fair to say that TCT was promoting her flight as a solo effort. I note with a chuckle that they held a raffle that night; 1st prize - a flight with TCT, 2nd prize - TWO flights with TCT. ;-)
I posted these two links in a previous comment (#1480) but it seemed to get buried.
I stumbled across this https://www.thewi.org.uk/become-a-me...pinney-theatre
The summary has the following to say:
Northamptonshire County Federation of WIs' Annual General Meeting [october] 2014
Spinney Theatre, Northampton
Delegate's report
This year NCFWI returned to Spinney Theatre, Northampton, to hold its Annual General Meeting. The speaker was Tracey Curtis-Taylor, the intrepid pilot who flew alone over Africa in a1928 bi-plane on a journey of over 8000 miles. We were also honoured that our National Chairman, Janice Langley, joined us for the evening, along with local dignitaries, local Federation guests and above all, our fantastic members.
and the actual delegates report... https://www.thewi.org.uk/__data/asse...2014.docx#2014 NCFWI Delegate's report ...expands a little more :
The guest speaker was Tracy Curtis –Taylor , a truly inspiring woman. She spoke about her epic solo flight in a restored bi-plane from Capetown in South Africa to the UK recreating the journey of Mary Heath in 1928.She told about her adventures along the way over war torn African countries and plans to write a book about it. Her next challenge will be to fly to Australia copying Amy Johnson’s journey in 1930.
I wonder where the WI got the impression it was conducted "alone" and "solo"
The summary has the following to say:
Northamptonshire County Federation of WIs' Annual General Meeting [october] 2014
Spinney Theatre, Northampton
Delegate's report
This year NCFWI returned to Spinney Theatre, Northampton, to hold its Annual General Meeting. The speaker was Tracey Curtis-Taylor, the intrepid pilot who flew alone over Africa in a1928 bi-plane on a journey of over 8000 miles. We were also honoured that our National Chairman, Janice Langley, joined us for the evening, along with local dignitaries, local Federation guests and above all, our fantastic members.
and the actual delegates report... https://www.thewi.org.uk/__data/asse...2014.docx#2014 NCFWI Delegate's report ...expands a little more :
The guest speaker was Tracy Curtis –Taylor , a truly inspiring woman. She spoke about her epic solo flight in a restored bi-plane from Capetown in South Africa to the UK recreating the journey of Mary Heath in 1928.She told about her adventures along the way over war torn African countries and plans to write a book about it. Her next challenge will be to fly to Australia copying Amy Johnson’s journey in 1930.
I wonder where the WI got the impression it was conducted "alone" and "solo"
... and everybody got the whole solo thing wrong on the second flight too despite the best efforts of all involved 
...... who would have thought that everyone on the planet could get it so wrong twice ! It's like listening to Trump - what do they say now, post-truth
...... who would have thought that everyone on the planet could get it so wrong twice ! It's like listening to Trump - what do they say now, post-truth
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@Terry Holloway;
I left this thread a while ago because it was getting repetitive and boring, but then your claim re-piqued my interest.
Do you have any information from HCAP, The Air League and the Royal Aeronautical Society to corroborate your statement?
And seeing as you appear to be so well informed, which flight under the "bird in a biplane" banner, or in TCT's own name, was ever advertised in advance as being one that would be flown from the outset as dual effort?
Thanks for reinvigorating my interest - and the thread!
I left this thread a while ago because it was getting repetitive and boring, but then your claim re-piqued my interest.
If they were referring to HCAP, The Air League and the Royal Aeronautical Society "he" might have pointed out that their awards were given out for a flight which was not flown solo, and which was advertised from the outset to be a flight with someone in the other cockpit.
And seeing as you appear to be so well informed, which flight under the "bird in a biplane" banner, or in TCT's own name, was ever advertised in advance as being one that would be flown from the outset as dual effort?
Thanks for reinvigorating my interest - and the thread!
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It migh be good sport to " wind up" the "tribunal" and "lynch mob", which many have been doing...
) and keeping knocking back your increasingly vacuous rebuttals.Right now you are doing The Bird in a Biplane no favours whatsoever.
Not sure you are doing much to promote The Air League either.
Keep it up though...it's good entertainment.
"It was in her blurb for the trip and on her web site."
Actually, I don't think it was 'advertised in advance'. Please, show us these links, this "blurb"...
You've made a very strong claim, we'd like to see the supporting documents for it.
Thanks, Sam.
Actually, I don't think it was 'advertised in advance'. Please, show us these links, this "blurb"...
You've made a very strong claim, we'd like to see the supporting documents for it.
Thanks, Sam.
Tabs please !
The fact that the media got it wrong and assumed that it was a solo flight
Mr Holloway Sir,
Can you explain why
- Ewald was photographed in the cockpit (hiding his face) when TCT arrived in Sydney.
- Subsequently, 50% of the flight crew decided to shun everyone who laid on a reception, presumably at some considerable expense ?
- Ewald has never been seen (AFAIK) waving at the cameras.
- Ewald has never (AFAIK) engaged in "outreach".
- Similarly, Ewald has never (AFAIK) given an interview.
- Artifice Investments funded a dual endeavour but chose not to mention it ?
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Terry Holloway:
It migh be good sport to " wind up" the "tribunal" and "lynch mob", which many have been doing, as they continue to bay for the blood of TCT, but in my opinion it's wrong to criticise the integitity of three organisations for providing awards on the basis of a "non solo flight" for a flight which was not flown solo!
It migh be good sport to " wind up" the "tribunal" and "lynch mob", which many have been doing, as they continue to bay for the blood of TCT, but in my opinion it's wrong to criticise the integitity of three organisations for providing awards on the basis of a "non solo flight" for a flight which was not flown solo!
The smoking gun?
I've followed this fascinating thread, mostly vicariously, although I seem to remember contributing at some stage.
I was at a loose-end this evening, so I thought I would use the Wayback Machine to look for early versions of TCT's website, searching for confirmation of Terry's "advertised in advance" claim.
What I found contradicts Terry's claim. Here's the text from the earliest archived version I could find (4 February 2015) of the Operations tab of the Bird in a Biplane website (my bold and blue re-colouring):
https://web.archive.org/web/20150204...om/operations/
The Cape to Goodwood flight took place in 2013, and the website was claiming it was a solo flight more than a year later, in 2015.
By the time of the next archived snapshot on 23 March 2015, the Operations tab is no longer present in the website's menu, but unfortunately for TCT's PR team, the Operations HTML code, containing the same text, is still present in the archived versions of the website, until 8 June 2016, after which date, someone must have noticed and deleted it.
I would appreciate it if someone could check and confirm the dates. The way that the Wayback Machine website works is a bit confusing at times.
I was at a loose-end this evening, so I thought I would use the Wayback Machine to look for early versions of TCT's website, searching for confirmation of Terry's "advertised in advance" claim.
What I found contradicts Terry's claim. Here's the text from the earliest archived version I could find (4 February 2015) of the Operations tab of the Bird in a Biplane website (my bold and blue re-colouring):
Tracey’s Africa flight saw her cover nearly 10,000 miles
from Cape Town to Goodwood in an open cockpit
vintage Boeing biplane, the Spirit of Artemis.
The 1942 Boeing Stearman was fully restored by 3G Classic Aviation in Hungary during
2012/13. It has a 300hp Lycoming 680 radial engine; is fitted with extra fuel tanks in the top
wing for increased endurance, has a top altitude of 10,000ft and a cruise speed of 95mph.
The Stearman was dismantled and shipped from Europe to South Africa in September 2013
and re-assembled in the Execujet facility at Cape Town International Airport, ready for take-off
at the beginning of November 2013.
The Cape Town to Goodwood flight took two months to complete with 38 stops. Tracey was
supported by a second aircraft; a Cessna Caravan provided by Phoenix Aviation of Nairobi,
which carried a logistics manager, an engineer and a four-man film crew.
In preparation for her solo flight across Africa, Tracey was invited to join a 3 man Russian crew
ferry flying an old piston engined Antonov 2 biplane from Kiev to Cape Town. The aeroplane
was donated by Utair for humanitarian work in South Africa and supported by ExecuJet.
The route took the crew across northern Europe and down through Spain over the Straits of
Gibraltar to Morocco; south through Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Gabon, and on down the west
coast of Africa.
The flight arrived in Cape Town on 20th of February 2013 having taken three months to complete
the journey which covered over 20,000km over 15 different countries, used over 85kg of maps
and flight charts, and had two enforced halts over several weeks in Port Harcourt and Cabinda
with visa and fuel issues.
from Cape Town to Goodwood in an open cockpit
vintage Boeing biplane, the Spirit of Artemis.
The 1942 Boeing Stearman was fully restored by 3G Classic Aviation in Hungary during
2012/13. It has a 300hp Lycoming 680 radial engine; is fitted with extra fuel tanks in the top
wing for increased endurance, has a top altitude of 10,000ft and a cruise speed of 95mph.
The Stearman was dismantled and shipped from Europe to South Africa in September 2013
and re-assembled in the Execujet facility at Cape Town International Airport, ready for take-off
at the beginning of November 2013.
The Cape Town to Goodwood flight took two months to complete with 38 stops. Tracey was
supported by a second aircraft; a Cessna Caravan provided by Phoenix Aviation of Nairobi,
which carried a logistics manager, an engineer and a four-man film crew.
In preparation for her solo flight across Africa, Tracey was invited to join a 3 man Russian crew
ferry flying an old piston engined Antonov 2 biplane from Kiev to Cape Town. The aeroplane
was donated by Utair for humanitarian work in South Africa and supported by ExecuJet.
The route took the crew across northern Europe and down through Spain over the Straits of
Gibraltar to Morocco; south through Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Gabon, and on down the west
coast of Africa.
The flight arrived in Cape Town on 20th of February 2013 having taken three months to complete
the journey which covered over 20,000km over 15 different countries, used over 85kg of maps
and flight charts, and had two enforced halts over several weeks in Port Harcourt and Cabinda
with visa and fuel issues.
The Cape to Goodwood flight took place in 2013, and the website was claiming it was a solo flight more than a year later, in 2015.
By the time of the next archived snapshot on 23 March 2015, the Operations tab is no longer present in the website's menu, but unfortunately for TCT's PR team, the Operations HTML code, containing the same text, is still present in the archived versions of the website, until 8 June 2016, after which date, someone must have noticed and deleted it.
I would appreciate it if someone could check and confirm the dates. The way that the Wayback Machine website works is a bit confusing at times.
That text disappeared less than 3 hours after it was first posted on THIS thread - I kid you not! If someone has the time it was remarked upon (on this thread) at the time - a direct correlation between an allegation/observation and an attempt to clean up the damage.
Thread Starter
India Four Two posted
It was just a few days later this appeared on the Bird in a Biplane site.
The Cape to Goodwood flight took place in 2013, and the website was claiming it was a solo flight more than a year later, in 2015.
By the time of the next archived snapshot on 23 March 2015, the Operations tab is no longer present in the website's menu, but unfortunately for TCT's PR team, the Operations HTML code, containing the same text, is still present in the archived versions of the website, until 8 June 2016, after which date, someone must have noticed and deleted it.
By the time of the next archived snapshot on 23 March 2015, the Operations tab is no longer present in the website's menu, but unfortunately for TCT's PR team, the Operations HTML code, containing the same text, is still present in the archived versions of the website, until 8 June 2016, after which date, someone must have noticed and deleted it.
Statement
I and the Bird in a Biplane Team believe it is helpful to respond to some commentary appearing in the
press about whether the flight expeditions undertaken in 2013-2016 were flown solo or in company.
For the avoidance of doubt, I have always been the sole pilot of Spirit of Artemis.
In planning the expedition through Africa in 2013 there was an initial hope of a solo flight in the
beautiful & original 1942 Boeing Stearman.
However, in the early stages of the flight this concept was intentionally and officially dropped as I
and the Bird in a Biplane Team brought our flight planning and logistics increasingly in-house and the
expedition evolved into a much bigger opportunity to extend the program with documentary filming,
an extensive outreach program involving different charities along the route and sharing the experience
of open cockpit flying with others.
I am deeply disappointed at the comments coming from a particular source making false assertions that
my flight expeditions should have been executed as solo flights.
They were not.
They are all about a collaborative team effort and celebrating the brilliant achievements of women
like Amy Johnson and Lady Heath who made history when aviation was in its infancy.
Tracey Curtis-Taylor
11 June 2016
I and the Bird in a Biplane Team believe it is helpful to respond to some commentary appearing in the
press about whether the flight expeditions undertaken in 2013-2016 were flown solo or in company.
For the avoidance of doubt, I have always been the sole pilot of Spirit of Artemis.
In planning the expedition through Africa in 2013 there was an initial hope of a solo flight in the
beautiful & original 1942 Boeing Stearman.
However, in the early stages of the flight this concept was intentionally and officially dropped as I
and the Bird in a Biplane Team brought our flight planning and logistics increasingly in-house and the
expedition evolved into a much bigger opportunity to extend the program with documentary filming,
an extensive outreach program involving different charities along the route and sharing the experience
of open cockpit flying with others.
I am deeply disappointed at the comments coming from a particular source making false assertions that
my flight expeditions should have been executed as solo flights.
They were not.
They are all about a collaborative team effort and celebrating the brilliant achievements of women
like Amy Johnson and Lady Heath who made history when aviation was in its infancy.
Tracey Curtis-Taylor
11 June 2016
Sam,
I should be asleep now, but your response intrigued me enough to search for the chronology, which is:
8 June 2016 - Last archived version of the Operations page with the words "In preparation for her solo flight across Africa ..."
11 June 2016 - The infamous statement: "... For the avoidance of doubt, I have always been the sole pilot of Spirit of Artemis. ..."
Note: for some reason, the statement did not get archived. It is still present on TCT's website, but you have to explicitly ask for it:
Statement - June 2016
11 June 2016 - Fly-by-Wife made an observation:
http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...ml#post9405629
27 August 2016 - The next purported archive of the Operations tab reverts to the 8 June archive. So sometime between 8 June and 27 August, the Operations HTML code was removed.
I should be asleep now, but your response intrigued me enough to search for the chronology, which is:
8 June 2016 - Last archived version of the Operations page with the words "In preparation for her solo flight across Africa ..."
11 June 2016 - The infamous statement: "... For the avoidance of doubt, I have always been the sole pilot of Spirit of Artemis. ..."
Note: for some reason, the statement did not get archived. It is still present on TCT's website, but you have to explicitly ask for it:
Statement - June 2016
11 June 2016 - Fly-by-Wife made an observation:
Still didn't stop you claiming it as a solo flight on your own website as recently as Feb 2015, a couple of years after "this concept was intentionally and officially dropped":
"Her solo open-cockpit biplane flight from Cape Town to Goodwood" - Feb 4 2015 snapshot.
"Her open-cockpit biplane flight from Cape Town to Goodwood" - current website.
"Her solo open-cockpit biplane flight from Cape Town to Goodwood" - Feb 4 2015 snapshot.
"Her open-cockpit biplane flight from Cape Town to Goodwood" - current website.
27 August 2016 - The next purported archive of the Operations tab reverts to the 8 June archive. So sometime between 8 June and 27 August, the Operations HTML code was removed.
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Satcos Whipping Boy
When TCT left Farnborough for Oz she was on her own;why?
Quite simply it was because ALL the media were there to see her off and explaining the second person in the aircraft would have been rather difficult at that crucial phase of the journey. A short, easy, hop across the channel to pick up her pax (out of sight of the cameras) and off THEY toddled to the southern hemisphere. The more it niggles me the more I wonder if she went Farnborough to somewhere more local to pick up her pax and then across the channel.
I would really really really like to get my hands on the GenDocs which should show who was in the aircraft and for which leg(s) of the flight TCT managed on her own (with chase plane either "chasing" or "leading").
When TCT left Farnborough for Oz she was on her own;why?
Quite simply it was because ALL the media were there to see her off and explaining the second person in the aircraft would have been rather difficult at that crucial phase of the journey. A short, easy, hop across the channel to pick up her pax (out of sight of the cameras) and off THEY toddled to the southern hemisphere. The more it niggles me the more I wonder if she went Farnborough to somewhere more local to pick up her pax and then across the channel.
I would really really really like to get my hands on the GenDocs which should show who was in the aircraft and for which leg(s) of the flight TCT managed on her own (with chase plane either "chasing" or "leading").
Its only what I have been advised and personally haven't bothered to look any further.
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It's easy to forget that PPrune is a "rumour network", and thus, however unpalatable the truth or any facts might be to some, it would appear that it would be inconvenient for that to distract a small number of individuals whose sole motivation appears to be to continue to discredit TCT. This negative thread continues to be very unpleasant about her, and also to anyone else who either speaks up for her, or attempts to point out the positive aspects of her two flights. I have personally felt both "aggression and venom", including in one very nasty and anonymous phone call. It therefore seems to me, from the aggressive language being used by some, that there will be no winners in "this game". Having put "my head above the parapet" I can now clearly recognise why TCT might not want to engage in any of these "tit for tat" exchanges, but that's up to her! For my part I have no further interest in repeating what has been said previously. I also don't like what I view from one or two individuals as very arrogant aggression, and I shall now take the advice of my very good and wise long term friend, Barry Tempest, who has suggested that I really don't need to be her "knight in shining armour". I am not her spokesman or representative, and I agree!
Accordingly, Happy New Year, safe flying to those of you that do so, and Goodbye from me to this thread!
Accordingly, Happy New Year, safe flying to those of you that do so, and Goodbye from me to this thread!
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@Terry Holloway,
Your efforts here during the past months to have been a deeply flawed attempt to defend the actions and claims of a proven liar, and those who were foolish enough to have been hoodwinked by her and her PR team.
Your latest assertions are quite frankly astonishing. I can only conclude that they were a futile last gasp attempt to defend the indefensible. Perhaps you now realise that you have made a fool of yourself. By all means bury your head in the sand, but thanks for giving the story more legs.
Your efforts here during the past months to have been a deeply flawed attempt to defend the actions and claims of a proven liar, and those who were foolish enough to have been hoodwinked by her and her PR team.
Your latest assertions are quite frankly astonishing. I can only conclude that they were a futile last gasp attempt to defend the indefensible. Perhaps you now realise that you have made a fool of yourself. By all means bury your head in the sand, but thanks for giving the story more legs.