Tracey Curtis-Taylor (Merged threads)
Danny,
the Stearman I used to instruct in 10-15 years ago had the starter switches only in the back so that's where it was flown from when solo and where I sat with a stude who was inexperienced on type. I've only got a sample of one but assumed they were all like this.
HFD
the Stearman I used to instruct in 10-15 years ago had the starter switches only in the back so that's where it was flown from when solo and where I sat with a stude who was inexperienced on type. I've only got a sample of one but assumed they were all like this.
HFD
Last edited by hugh flung_dung; 15th Oct 2016 at 12:50. Reason: Typo
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Fast Taxying ?
HFD (I like it !) and all the others,
I seem to have started something here (ah, the beauty of PPRuNe !). But for the Avoidance of Misunderstanding (where have I heard that phrase recently ?), I can only affirm that, when our Instructors flew all our Stearmans solo up to Tampa (out of the path of an approaching hurricane), they all sat in the front.
Including one who, taxying fast down the line, floated six feet off in the air ! (never saw that happen before or since)...
Danny.
I seem to have started something here (ah, the beauty of PPRuNe !). But for the Avoidance of Misunderstanding (where have I heard that phrase recently ?), I can only affirm that, when our Instructors flew all our Stearmans solo up to Tampa (out of the path of an approaching hurricane), they all sat in the front.
Including one who, taxying fast down the line, floated six feet off in the air ! (never saw that happen before or since)...
Danny.
I do note that, on her infamous "Wiki" site, that whilst totally unsupported and unsubstantiated assertions of her own prowess are protected without verification, quoted press statements that counter these claims are dismissed .
Apparently the mods there make their own subjective and negative assessments of the validity of open press reports, whilst allowing sole source and supportive "PR" spin to be included unchallenged,
Apparently the mods there make their own subjective and negative assessments of the validity of open press reports, whilst allowing sole source and supportive "PR" spin to be included unchallenged,
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Oh well that clears the whole matter up,end of storey,finito,close the thread,we've all got egg on our faces....over and out.
I wonder why good old Ewald didn't clarify things a year ago then all this argy bargy could have been avoided.
I wonder why good old Ewald didn't clarify things a year ago then all this argy bargy could have been avoided.
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Ahem!
It just gets better, doesn't it? .. 'Everybody's stupid except us', they say.
Who wrote that for you, Ewald?
I think I can have a pretty good guess.
"Damage Control .. please report to your stations!".
Aside from anything else, that is not your writing style, mate. .. Silly boy.
.
It just gets better, doesn't it? .. 'Everybody's stupid except us', they say.
Who wrote that for you, Ewald?
I think I can have a pretty good guess.
"Damage Control .. please report to your stations!".
Aside from anything else, that is not your writing style, mate. .. Silly boy.
.
Last edited by Stanwell; 16th Oct 2016 at 01:10.
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I wonder when Ewald wrote this disclaimer,why has he taken so long to come out I wonder?
With all that experience it makes you ask the question why Ewald had to be in front at all and why he was there on the day they landed in Sydney?
The mystery deepens or is it just more smoke and mirror PR BS.
With all that experience it makes you ask the question why Ewald had to be in front at all and why he was there on the day they landed in Sydney?
The mystery deepens or is it just more smoke and mirror PR BS.
Last edited by Pilot DAR; 16th Oct 2016 at 01:20. Reason: correct typo
Tracey Curtis-Taylor has earned the acknowledgement and awards given to her.
as the certificate clearly says -
"For her Solo flight from the UK to Sydney Australia"
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Yes, I know, farsouth.
Reading the contents of that statement (supposedly under Ewald's hand), I had to step outside to breathe in some fresh air.
Makes you wonder, doesn't it.
Take, for example, Tracey's triumphant arrival at Sydney International with Ewald obviously in the front seat.
Prior to that they'd stopped over, as planned, at the RAAF base, Richmond, just some 60km (as the crow flies) short of
the final destination, Mascot.
Now, one might have thought that Ewald might have had the clues to transfer to the Cessna Caravan to permit Tracey
at least the appearance of the "Solo Aviatrix" doing that final hop all by herself.
No?
Tracey was afraid she'd get lost on a fine sunny day, perhaps?
(Those Garmin 430s can be so unreliable, y'know.)
I'd say so. She's managed to do that before - on her own turf, even.
I think that certain people within the LAA, the HCAP and the RN a need to have a real good look at themselves.
.
Reading the contents of that statement (supposedly under Ewald's hand), I had to step outside to breathe in some fresh air.
Makes you wonder, doesn't it.
Take, for example, Tracey's triumphant arrival at Sydney International with Ewald obviously in the front seat.
Prior to that they'd stopped over, as planned, at the RAAF base, Richmond, just some 60km (as the crow flies) short of
the final destination, Mascot.
Now, one might have thought that Ewald might have had the clues to transfer to the Cessna Caravan to permit Tracey
at least the appearance of the "Solo Aviatrix" doing that final hop all by herself.
No?
Tracey was afraid she'd get lost on a fine sunny day, perhaps?
(Those Garmin 430s can be so unreliable, y'know.)
I'd say so. She's managed to do that before - on her own turf, even.
I think that certain people within the LAA, the HCAP and the RN a need to have a real good look at themselves.
.
Last edited by Stanwell; 16th Oct 2016 at 03:25.
"Yes, Tracey Curtis Taylor was the sole pilot on all her expedition flights"
There's that word again! So Ewald's piloting skills (and licences) magically vanished every time he stepped into the front seat?
I think the interesting thing about this statement is not the questions it purports to answer, but the questions it avoids answering.
Of course, there is one aspect that is absolutely and entirely accurate:
"These articles and internet comments are all based on the misleading and wrong information of a single person."
Correct. That person is Tracey Curtis-Taylor.
There's that word again! So Ewald's piloting skills (and licences) magically vanished every time he stepped into the front seat?
I think the interesting thing about this statement is not the questions it purports to answer, but the questions it avoids answering.
Of course, there is one aspect that is absolutely and entirely accurate:
"These articles and internet comments are all based on the misleading and wrong information of a single person."
Correct. That person is Tracey Curtis-Taylor.
The version on that page is longer than that posted above - did it get longer?
I thought I would waste a little more of my time responding in a fraction more detail...
At the bottom are my thoughts following your 'answers' here:
1. Yes, the Spirit of Artemis is an original Boeing Stearman B75 built in 1942, powered by an upgraded version of the original engine, a 300HP Lycoming built the same year. The airplane had been fully restored in 2012/13 by my company, 3G Classic Aviation in Austria.
Like the airplanes of the early pioneers of aviation, the Spirit of Artemis is equipped with additional fuel tanks for long range flights over water, desert, jungles, etc. But as it does not have the range to cross the Pacific or Atlantic it was shipped across these two oceans, just like it was done by many aviation pioneers on their expeditions in the 1920s and 30s.
.
2. Yes, this Boeing Stearman airplane is owned by Tracey Curtis-Taylor, who commissioned the restoration in 2012.
.
3. Yes, the Spirit of Artemis is a basic stick and rudder airplane, like in the old days of aviation, no autopilots, artificial horizon or modern IFR equipment installed. The only up-to-date addition is a radio, transponder and GPS. This is a legal requirement for flying into controlled airspaces, like around international airports. Naturally this had not been a requirement in the early 1900s.
.
4. Yes, all the expedition flights were performed by basic VFR navigation, following rivers, roads, railroads, coastlines, etc, at low level. Although the GPS served as a backup these flights were not performed IFR or on instruments.
.
5. Yes, Tracey Curtis Taylor was the sole pilot on all her expedition flights. She has more than enough flight-experience as well as piloting and navigational skills to perform all of these flights on her own.
It was never planned to copy the historic flights in every detail or to break any historic records, but to celebrate the achievements of the pioneers of aviation by retracing their routes in a beautiful biplane from this era (where politically possible).
Tracey Curtis-Taylor has earned the acknowledgement and awards given to her. Flying such a basic, historic airplane VFR all across five continents (not IFR on instruments and autopilot), is a fascinating adventure and achievement many would dream about. In contrast to the ones criticising her she just did it.
.
6. My role during the expedition from Cape Town to England was initially the reassembly of the airplane in Cape Town and the technical support during the expedition. Additionally I had to take over the flight planning across Africa at short notice, which was done together with the professional African pilots in our team and two major aviation companies. On the following expeditions I took over the tasks of supporting Tracey Curtis-Taylor with all the flight planning and logistics. Besides I am taking care of the technical needs of this airplane, the chase plane, supporting the ground handling, filming and ordering the drinks for the crews in the evenings.
Yes, like others I had the opportunity to enjoy a very special view on planet earth from the front seat of this open cockpit biplane. But I did NOT act as a pilot nor as a flight instructor on these expedition flights.
.
7. Yes, the flight-planning & logistics of our expedition across Africa in 2013 was problematic. This expensive and at best disappointing experience was the reason to do all the flight planning and logistics for the following expeditions by ourselves.
Perhaps some thoughts:
1. Then perhaps better to avoid calling it a 'circumnavigation of the world' as this could be, horror, misunderstood?
2. Not according to the FAA.
3. GPS is not a legal requirement, and you have three of them on the aircraft (though why you needed one in the front is odd as Tracey was the sole pilot?).
4. I think this statement can be treated with the disdain it deserves, I remember discussions where you (not Tracey) were insistent (absolutely insistent) on following beneath IFR airways whilst I was trying to explain how flying direct would save time and fuel. My background is helicopters (always pick the shortest route cos we're slow and fuel-hungry), yours is airliners - go figure...
5. "Sole" - careful with this one, you begin to sound as slippery as your client. The Africa flight was planned solo, the world was then told it had been done solo, it was not done solo. Australia was planned dual (sorry, I mean "sole"), then you told the world it had been done solo (ref award from AWPA in Sydney), it was not solo. Spot the problem?
6. "Did not act as pilot" - really? Not at any stage? Time to get back to the truth perhaps? Nor instructor? Tracey's biennials?
7. It was problematic, as the trip was not done as I was expecting it to be done! However it all went exactly on schedule with everything in place at every location as it needed to be. The two biggest issues were:
a. finding additional fuel in Juba when you incorrectly calculated the fuel needed, I had to buy an extra drum in emergency (this is a VERY big deal in South Sudan) and then we only used 17 litres from it (which followed my calculations but you knew better). Price per used litre (given that 183L had to be given away), about $180 if I remember right.
b. when we arrived in Sudan as aircrew, but unbeknownst to me the film company had requested a film permit. This caused a huge mess that I had to fix.
I now have a question for Ewald:
After the Stearman hit the parked R44 only 6 weeks before the Australia trip - can you let us know how closely you followed the FAA propstrike requirements? I've been wondering for a while, particularly considering that the engine failed +/- 6 months later.
I thought I would waste a little more of my time responding in a fraction more detail...
At the bottom are my thoughts following your 'answers' here:
1. Yes, the Spirit of Artemis is an original Boeing Stearman B75 built in 1942, powered by an upgraded version of the original engine, a 300HP Lycoming built the same year. The airplane had been fully restored in 2012/13 by my company, 3G Classic Aviation in Austria.
Like the airplanes of the early pioneers of aviation, the Spirit of Artemis is equipped with additional fuel tanks for long range flights over water, desert, jungles, etc. But as it does not have the range to cross the Pacific or Atlantic it was shipped across these two oceans, just like it was done by many aviation pioneers on their expeditions in the 1920s and 30s.
.
2. Yes, this Boeing Stearman airplane is owned by Tracey Curtis-Taylor, who commissioned the restoration in 2012.
.
3. Yes, the Spirit of Artemis is a basic stick and rudder airplane, like in the old days of aviation, no autopilots, artificial horizon or modern IFR equipment installed. The only up-to-date addition is a radio, transponder and GPS. This is a legal requirement for flying into controlled airspaces, like around international airports. Naturally this had not been a requirement in the early 1900s.
.
4. Yes, all the expedition flights were performed by basic VFR navigation, following rivers, roads, railroads, coastlines, etc, at low level. Although the GPS served as a backup these flights were not performed IFR or on instruments.
.
5. Yes, Tracey Curtis Taylor was the sole pilot on all her expedition flights. She has more than enough flight-experience as well as piloting and navigational skills to perform all of these flights on her own.
It was never planned to copy the historic flights in every detail or to break any historic records, but to celebrate the achievements of the pioneers of aviation by retracing their routes in a beautiful biplane from this era (where politically possible).
Tracey Curtis-Taylor has earned the acknowledgement and awards given to her. Flying such a basic, historic airplane VFR all across five continents (not IFR on instruments and autopilot), is a fascinating adventure and achievement many would dream about. In contrast to the ones criticising her she just did it.
.
6. My role during the expedition from Cape Town to England was initially the reassembly of the airplane in Cape Town and the technical support during the expedition. Additionally I had to take over the flight planning across Africa at short notice, which was done together with the professional African pilots in our team and two major aviation companies. On the following expeditions I took over the tasks of supporting Tracey Curtis-Taylor with all the flight planning and logistics. Besides I am taking care of the technical needs of this airplane, the chase plane, supporting the ground handling, filming and ordering the drinks for the crews in the evenings.
Yes, like others I had the opportunity to enjoy a very special view on planet earth from the front seat of this open cockpit biplane. But I did NOT act as a pilot nor as a flight instructor on these expedition flights.
.
7. Yes, the flight-planning & logistics of our expedition across Africa in 2013 was problematic. This expensive and at best disappointing experience was the reason to do all the flight planning and logistics for the following expeditions by ourselves.
Perhaps some thoughts:
1. Then perhaps better to avoid calling it a 'circumnavigation of the world' as this could be, horror, misunderstood?
2. Not according to the FAA.
3. GPS is not a legal requirement, and you have three of them on the aircraft (though why you needed one in the front is odd as Tracey was the sole pilot?).
4. I think this statement can be treated with the disdain it deserves, I remember discussions where you (not Tracey) were insistent (absolutely insistent) on following beneath IFR airways whilst I was trying to explain how flying direct would save time and fuel. My background is helicopters (always pick the shortest route cos we're slow and fuel-hungry), yours is airliners - go figure...
5. "Sole" - careful with this one, you begin to sound as slippery as your client. The Africa flight was planned solo, the world was then told it had been done solo, it was not done solo. Australia was planned dual (sorry, I mean "sole"), then you told the world it had been done solo (ref award from AWPA in Sydney), it was not solo. Spot the problem?
6. "Did not act as pilot" - really? Not at any stage? Time to get back to the truth perhaps? Nor instructor? Tracey's biennials?
7. It was problematic, as the trip was not done as I was expecting it to be done! However it all went exactly on schedule with everything in place at every location as it needed to be. The two biggest issues were:
a. finding additional fuel in Juba when you incorrectly calculated the fuel needed, I had to buy an extra drum in emergency (this is a VERY big deal in South Sudan) and then we only used 17 litres from it (which followed my calculations but you knew better). Price per used litre (given that 183L had to be given away), about $180 if I remember right.
b. when we arrived in Sudan as aircrew, but unbeknownst to me the film company had requested a film permit. This caused a huge mess that I had to fix.
I now have a question for Ewald:
After the Stearman hit the parked R44 only 6 weeks before the Australia trip - can you let us know how closely you followed the FAA propstrike requirements? I've been wondering for a while, particularly considering that the engine failed +/- 6 months later.
Last edited by Sam Rutherford; 16th Oct 2016 at 04:54.
Tabs please !
If TCT is the owner of the aircraft then should the FAA not be informed ?
FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Inquiry
FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Inquiry
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If TCT is the owner of the aircraft then should the FAA not be informed ?
Tabs please !
In which case, the company owns the aircraft. She does not own the company AFAIK.
Last edited by B Fraser; 16th Oct 2016 at 08:33. Reason: typo
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In fairness: having an N reg aircraft owned by a trust or a Delaware company is normal if it is based abroad as it is an FAA requirement that the owner be an American entity. For example, that is the case with my N reg.
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For a while it looked like Sam and Ewald were the only two who were going to come out of this with their reputations intact.
Shame.
There goes Ewald's.
I would of expected a lot more integrity from a man of his standing.
Shame.
There goes Ewald's.
I would of expected a lot more integrity from a man of his standing.
What tosh from Ewald...... spouting the "Sole" pilot theme . He was onboard the Stearman a lot of the time , He is a pilot, therefore there were TWO pilots on board and TCT could not be the "sole" pilot
Thread Starter
Surely the term sole pilot can only be used when there is more than one pilot on board?
Otherwise it must be pilot and passengers.
Having said that I have never come across the term before.
Ewald has now stated...
Fair enough Ewald but the view would have been the same from the front of the chase plane. Why were you in all the pictures and why did you have to be in the front seat of the Spirit of Artemis on landing in Sydney. Why did you hide from the press at the end of the trip in that now famous Getty Images picture?
Flight planning and logistics are part of a modern single engined non commercial pilots task as well as those faced historically by Lady Mary Heath and Amy Johnson. Those women did it alone and were certainly not helped by a commercial male pilot and engineer.
On every flight I have ever made, as a private pilot over 36 years of fixed wing and rotary flying,the planning,logistics and piloting has been carried out by me alone. Flying in friends aircraft I have sat back,enjoyed the trip and let them do the work.
Airlines use the terms pilot flying and pilot not flying
To "emulate" Lady Mary Heath or Amy Johnson's expeditions accurately would require a De Haviland aircraft as near the period as possible to be flown solo as near the route as possible and under similar conditions. ie Unsupported and the 'sole' / solo pilot responsible for all aspects of the ground planning and airwork.
If we start using terms such as 'celebrate' then I can claim to celebrate the Wright Brothers every time I get airborne and I have 'emulated' Bleriot many times when crossing the Channel after a nice weekend in L2K
I won't bore you with stories of my trips where I survived the Bermuda Triangle
I have also often celebrated and emulated Igor Sikorsky but I am still waiting for BBC Radio 4's Midweek producers to get back to me.
Otherwise it must be pilot and passengers.
Having said that I have never come across the term before.
Ewald has now stated...
Yes, like others I had the opportunity to enjoy a very special view on planet earth from the front seat of this open cockpit biplane. But I did NOT act as a pilot nor as a flight instructor on these expedition flights.
On the following expeditions I took over the tasks of supporting Tracey Curtis-Taylor with all the flight planning and logistics.
On every flight I have ever made, as a private pilot over 36 years of fixed wing and rotary flying,the planning,logistics and piloting has been carried out by me alone. Flying in friends aircraft I have sat back,enjoyed the trip and let them do the work.
Airlines use the terms pilot flying and pilot not flying
Control of the aircraft is normally shared equally between the first officer and the captain, with one pilot normally designated the "pilot flying" (PF) and the other the "pilot not flying" (PNF), or "pilot monitoring" (PM), for each flight.
If we start using terms such as 'celebrate' then I can claim to celebrate the Wright Brothers every time I get airborne and I have 'emulated' Bleriot many times when crossing the Channel after a nice weekend in L2K
I won't bore you with stories of my trips where I survived the Bermuda TriangleI have also often celebrated and emulated Igor Sikorsky but I am still waiting for BBC Radio 4's Midweek producers to get back to me.
Last edited by Mike Flynn; 16th Oct 2016 at 12:42.