The allegations that Sam Rutherford and I were working in collusion has now been removed from her Bird In A Biplane site and Facebook page.

I was taught by terrific lady instructor who went on to fly one of the world's most iconic commercial routes. I have also just returned from holiday and took Judy Leden's book "Flying With Condors" to while away the idle hours.


No prejudice here either.

Ditto. Like LeicesterH I am also not an instructor but I am a female pilot who has never encountered any kind of prejudice on here. I lurked for a very long time before Bird in a Biplane annoyed me enough to post and have simply never seen it.


I have always proceeded on the simple basis that we are all pilots.

Have to say that website is beginning to look a bit dated now. Promised 2016 speaking engagements never appeared, 'testimonials' seem to be from 2014 and the 'adventures' all stopped with the crash nearly a year ago. Once she was found out, I think it all finished.

This story caught my eye, I noticed the sponsor on the cyclist's shirt:

Around the world in 80 days ... on a bicycle: meet Mark Beaumont, the cyclist redefining endurance

Perhaps Artemis now prefers to sponsor more earthbound adventures, on a machine for which "solo" is pretty certain!

Hornet I think you are the only one commenting who sees this as a sexist issue.
Apart from TCT herself and the use of the disparaging slang "bird" in her business name.

I'd suggest if it had been a man leading people to believe they were solo and it then transpired there was another pilot in the front seat all along people would have reacted in much the same way.

If TCT had been a man there would never have been this much fuss about her flying exploits in the first place!!! The praise for her is similar to the amazed reactions I sometimes got when I flew my helicopter somewhere, landed...and people looked around for the pilot. The non-flying world may still be sexist - and often is - but this thread certainly isn't, and generally that goes for PPRuNe as a whole. And I've been posting here for about 18 years.

I am female also and not for one moment have I thought this thread was sexist. My attitude to flying was always a case of getting on with it - no special treatment because of gender. The odd bit of nonsense I encountered I ignored and rose above.
Like Whirlybird I have encountered sheer amazement in the non flying world when it was apparent I actually flew the plane. It was just funny really.

Many years ago I learned to fly at White Waltham when the late Joan Hughes was CFI, and she told me during the war when she was with the ATA, she delivered a Short Stirling four engine bomber and the ground crew asked her where the pilot was! They soon got used to lady pilots like Joan and Lettice Curtiss delivering these machines.

There used to be a very petite, young lady at Dunstable in my day (1965) who seemed to live for flying. In fact she was the only pilot who was light enough and could be trusted to fly the English Electric Wren at Old Warden.

One day she asked me to accompany her to fetch the Club tug back from maintenance. My job was to drive the car back:(. When we drove up to the tug the engineers immediately started telling me about what they had done and looked most surprised when I told them to address their comments to her.

I often wonder what happened to her. The last I heard was that she was one of the first female jet airline pilots.

I tell this story because the more we hear about adventurous and successful female pilots it makes TCT look more out of touch with reality.

What news from our "Aviatrix?
https://www.imageupload.co.uk/images...6/IMG_3674.jpg

Nothing as far as I can see. However this link takes you to a story that features Sam Rutherford and makes her criticism of him look rather petty especially when compared to her so-called 'achievements'.

BBC - Future - The plane so good it?s still in production after 60 years

Clareprop, I think Jay Sata is referring to the fact the BiaB site is stating the US flight will recommence in June - I did not know that. I know it had been discussed but no date had really been mentioned. The site also states TCT will recommence the flight from Winslow. Presumably sponsorship must still be available? Her Facebook page states the Spirit of Artemis will be returning to the UK for the air show season. Confused?

Agree with you regarding the article and Sam Rutherford.

According to the good lady herself on her Facebook site..
Tracey Curtis-Taylor
March 12 ·

The Sprit (sic) of Artemis wintered at 3G Classic Aviation in Austria/Hungary while I had been overseas for some time, missing most of the British winter. I will be bringing the bird back to the UK in a few weeks ..... ready for the next flying and airshow season. [/I]

Any sightings so far? (e.g. Shuttleworth today), before she shoots off to America in June to continue her epic journey in her beloved Stearman "Spirit ( or is that now Sprit?) of Artemis".

Thanks for the replies.

The BBC website pretty much sums up Sam Rutherford's qualifications for long distance logistics so I won't go there.

TCT still tries to promote the story she did all this flying alone. Even now she continues to peddle the global flight with no mention of Ewald as co pilot.

How it all pans out remains to be seen. Will it still be the Spirit of Artemis crossing the USA?

Jaysata Correct, I just flew a painfully slow taildragger from Santa Monica to Stuart Florida last month, with realtime weather on the IPAD, excellent enroute facilities and handholding from flight following it's not any type of accomplishment of note or big deal, just your average VFR flight albeit a long one.

Sounds like a nice flight Piperboy. Any chance you can post a new thread?
I would have been happy to fly P2 just for the eating and drinking enroute

It was Mexican beer usually Tecate or Dos Equis to wash down the carne asada or chimichangas for the first 3 legs thru Arizona, New Mexico and Texas then as I progressed into the south I felt I would be remiss if I didn't try some crawfish and grits in Mississippi, then it was back to the healthy stuff on reaching the Florida coast as I wanted to go down the beach and show off my six pack, unfortunately it appears I've lost the plastic thingy that holds it all together! Oh and there was 25 hours of listening to a lycoming while watching the magenta line all alone

For the avoidance of doubt :
alone
əˈləʊn/
adjective & adverb
1.
having no one else present; on one's own.
"she was alone that evening"
synonyms: by oneself, on one's own, all alone, solo, lone, solitary, single, singly; More
2.
indicating that something is confined to the specified subject or recipient.
"he is answerable to Parliament alone"
synonyms: only, solely, just, uniquely, exclusively; More

Great - you can never have too much dual time in your logbook.

Except when you claim on camera that it was "solo"........ :p