Jetblu

ITV REPORT 7 January 2016 at 5:36pm
British pilot Tracey Curtis Taylor days away from completing 13,000 mile solo flight
British adventurer Tracey Curtis-Taylor is only days away from completing an epic voyage from the UK to Australia in a vintage biplane.
ITV News presenter Mark Austin reports :



Having spoken with ITV yesterday regarding their misrepresentation, they said as far as they were told, it was a solo flight and they had absolutely no idea whatsoever that she was accompanied by a 20,000 hour pilot.

They further confirmed that TCT had not been in touch with them to clear this 'misunderstanding.'


Jay Sata


I did not realise that TCT was THAT far 'connected' to Prince Michael. Whilst the deceitful scam can be visually seen, felt and smelt, I all honesty you are now pi**ing in the wind, because such injustices are common place at that level, which is just normal day to day business for them.

You may recall the irony with David Cameron's speech a few weeks ago with the Queen present stating that China was corrupt.

Anyway, in relation to the sponsors, a little bird told me that TCT took centre stage with Boeing at Farnborough 2016 in her usual position
with a microphone in hand looking for her captive audience.


Boeing stock price tumbles on fraud report - Flightglobal
https://www.flightglobal.com/.../boe...report-421846/
11 Feb 2016 - Boeing's stock price is flirting with setting a one-day decline record on 11 February after a morning news report linked the company to a fraud ...

stevelup

The best thing to come out of this sorry saga to date is the extremely amusing 'Spirit of Artifice' - I've lost track of who came up with that, but congratulations whoever it was. It is quite brilliant.

Jay, your constant bashing of Ian Seager is becoming seriously tiresome now. He couldn't be further from 'establishment' if he tried. Perhaps it's time to give that a rest now?

Saab Dastard

For the avoidance of any doubt:

No more references to Ian Seager, Flyer or the Flyer forums will be permitted.

Posts breaching the above, or whinging about the decision, will be removed and the poster(s) banned from the thread.

FINAL WARNING

Please note - this is purely a PPRuNe decision, this is not in response to any request or threat of legal action.

PPRuNe Admin

Jetblu

Above the clouds


Yep, your second image pretty much describes the exacting details I was told.
I am also told that she does not care about what others think of this. It was said that if 'others' did not think she was worthy of the recognition, they would not not have given it. It was said that she really believed that, and the 'actual truth' was just a minor inconvenience which would be short-lived.

In relation as to why we have not read about the facts surrounding the TCT debacle in any press, other than the Daily Mail may become more obvious.

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Danny42C

How about the "Royal Warrant" on the side of "The Spirit of Artifice" ?

Mike Flynn

Here is a picture of the 'rebuilt' Spirit of Artifice arriving at Farnborough a couple of days ago. It appears there is someone in the front seat as usual?

[IMG]

Stanwell

Thanks for that pic, JS.
It clearly shows me that the Royal Navy/Marines Charity fund decal below the "GREAT Britain" Union Flag is no longer applied.
Now, I wonder why that would be. .. Hmm?
I hope I don't have to spell it out.
.

Mike Flynn

Sorry to disappoint you Stanwell but it is still there.
The airframe and engine look like it has just emerged from the factory.

Three props and and two shockloaded engines in under a year. There must be some sort of award for that plus a Masters Medal awarded for two different reasons.
[IMG]

Stanwell

Oh well - I could only hope that at least one particular Royal had woken up to the scam.

Anyway, it just goes to show that Tracey's a careful pilot.
Not only does she have an instructor with her at all times - but those inconvenient 'parking dings' simply buff out each time.


On another level .. That pic now shows where Ewald puts the extra fuel tankage. One question answered.
Still leaves a question about the CG, though - that would seem to be a fair amount of mass forward of the normal.
Then, the Lycoming 680 itself is about 60lbs heavier than the Continental 670 - plus, there's the extra weight of that prop.
Tracey's make-up kit in the rear compartment MUST be weighty.


When you've finished running around with the baggage, Ewald, would you mind coming on here and answering a couple of purely technical questions?

.

Jetblu

"It appears there is someone in the front seat as usual?"

C'mon...TCT only took her engineer, complete with a hydraulic tool kit, and for no other reason, you understand.

We were chatting this afternoon. None of us could think of such a blatant deceit with much controversy in aviation for the last 25 years or so.
Well done that woman.

piperboy84

I've said it before and I'll say it again (all swindelling and pilot issues aside) that is without a doubt one beautiful looking aircraft, the prop and engine are works of art and a marvel of engineering. Kudos to Ewalt for fixing it back to the standard it is. I'd love to have an hour or two of that in my logbook. She's a lucky gal.

Danny42C

jay sata (#903, pic #6),

Shows prop in full "coarse" mode (cylinder "back" - closed - and bobs in) to which it will always revert on normal engine close down when oil pressure zeros on last few rotations, even though cockpit lever is set at "fine" (for landing - you will need full power at once for a go-around).

When engine started (and control at "fine"), oil pressure restored, cylinder moves forward and bobs come out as prop goes back to fine, and will stay there until control moved to "coarse".

But, assuming that control is "fine", and prop stopped instantly on an impact, you would expect it (if reasonably intact) to be "fine" mode (cylinder "forward" - open - and bobs out) as it has no time to react to loss of oil pressure.

But if control was in "coarse" when it was abruptly stopped......?

No engineer, I, just operated a Wasp Junior with similar prop for 70 hrs, so stand to be shot down by a real expert.

Danny.

Mike Flynn

I have to agree he does a lovely job although his website boasts 12 licensed engineers so others deserve credit.

Such a shame that deception was built in to their voyages and he gets no public praise.


BigSky Stearman in the USA supply the wings.BigSkyStearman - Official Website!


His engines come from Radial Engines

Mike Flynn

Ewald has certainly done OK out of the Stearman project and her two accidents.

A couple of engine tear downs plus props and a complete rebuild.

I was tempted to put in a bid for the insurance wreck as is where is.

I am surprised the Spirit of Artifice was shipped from the US to Hungary for the restoration. Most of the parts come from the USA. I wonder how much metal bashing went in to the job. The paperwork and inspections etc must have been done in record time.

Rumour has it he is part of her social circle and well known to the very very top HCAP members but we don't see him in the pictures

If she was a bit more generous then a few more joint photo ops would do no harm.

I hope she tells those who attend her lectures what a key part he has played in her Aviatrix story.

9 lives

He was the "avia..." to her "trix"?

Mike Flynn

Let us not forget the original Daily Mail feature when everyone was led to believe she was flying solo and she got a magnificent send off including royalty.

Perhaps the Master of HCAP can use that in his award speech in the autumn? Or maybe the Daily Mail will dig it out once the award has been made official at the HCAP dinner.

It is not often members of the Royal Family turn out to wave bon voyage. Surely Prince Michael must have asked who is the bloke sitting in the front Tracey?

I have seen him somewhere before?

Or maybe Ewald was just dismissed as an oily servant getting the aircraft ready and stowing the bags

Prince Michael certainly has been very supportive. Not many UK private pilots get this treatment.

This was Jan 2015..long before the chauffer driven trip to Sydney.

http://www.birdinabiplane.com/news/

Senior Pilot

The posts over the past few days have brought this thread down to a standard unfitting for Jetblast, let alone Private Flying.

I am closing it until the forum moderators come on board and sort it out, an action I take with deep regret. Some of you have lost sight of all reason.

Saab Dastard

Thanks Senior Pilot, I have removed the most obviously offensive posts and re-opened the thread.

Please can we take a leaf out of Just a Minute, and refrain from repetition, deviation and (in our case) defamation.

Otherwise the thread will be closed again.

SD

Mike Flynn

I have only ever posted links to TCT and material in the public domain.

Perhaps some of my posts have had an element of innuendo but this is a rumour network.

I have tried to expose the truth without any agenda.

To put all my posts in context I have set out to undermine Ewald Gritsch and the very important part he played/plays in TCT's aviating exploits.

This whole thread is complicated for a new reader.

However the bottom line is TCT conveyed the message to the worlds press she was some how mirroring Amy Johnson and Lady Marh Heath.

That is a lie.

Tracey has never flown any long distance route alone.

I am happy to be challenged but she makes a big thing in the press about a woman flying alone.

Ewald Gritsch has been honest talking to the Daily Mail.
If she really wants to prove a point can I suggest she uses some of the Boeing and Artemis sponsors money to get herself a UK CPL and ATPL?

The fact she has to have a man up front in the Spirit of Artemis on all her voyages while suggesting they were solo does nothing to qualify her for a Masters Medal from the HCAP.

Aminta Hennessy is a true hero for aspiring women pilots.
Have we reached a stage where lies and deception to promote women in aviation are necessary?

I have many women friends who have flown airliners and other aircraft for decades.They behave like normsl people not fashionista's from decades ago.

Period clothes,a classic biplane and a lot of sponsors money does nothing to celebrate early women pioneers.

Wearing a flying suit and sharing space in a Stearman with the man who restored it does not forward or promote women in aviation as the current HCAP Master suggests.

He even has the arrogance to suggest that a wealthy woman flying a biplane sponsored by high finance somehow has the ability to inspire poor women in the Indian Subcontinent.

If the Honourable Company Of Air Pilots are happy to be taken in by this charade and give her the same medal as Tim Peake who am I to argue.

However as I write this 18 year old Lachlan Smart has flown alone from Australia to mid USA in just a few weeks on his genuine solo global flight.

Let us hope he gets a Masters medal as well

kghjfg

Where's the poster who was defending her and HCAP gone ? That's what I'd like to know.

I find it most odd that anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can defend HCAP. But apparently some can, and even people right here.

I also find it odd that HCAP don't mind that so many pilots now see them for what they are.

Sadly, the wider public think we are all like that. I do find myself explaining to people that not all pilots are arrogant twonks.

Thanks HCAP for promoting aviation in this way. Exactly what we needed.

Funny Story:
My young niece asked if the reason why some people write (sic) after HCAP is because HCAP are sycophants ! Funny that she knows the word sycophant, yet not the meaning of (sic) !