This is the thing; no, it isn't. It's trivial, given the money and support team.

Don't know Kat, I've sat in the Maule which I imagine has similar speeds to the Stearman for multi day, 500 mile legs with both pilots and non pilots in the right seat and regardless you're mentally and physically knackered by the end of the day.

In fact, it is a most serious matter, much beyond the deceit of the solo/alone flight itself.

Artemis are allegedly a multi billion dollar investment firm, allegedly, riding on the thermals of deceit. That has far more serious ramifications I would have thought.

Generally, bona fide sponsors, run shy from this type of behaviour, as seen in recent months/years by dope users.


EDIT* I am unsurprised by Sam's stance on this. They have their own integrity in the wider picture to preserve without being accused of being a conspirator to the deceit. Who could genuinely blame them.

I also notice how the BWPA are remaining tight-lipped on this at the moment.

Jay Sata

You keep pointing out in various threads that Tracy Curtis-Taylor's flights were not solo and that her claims are very misleading.
No-one has disagreed with you.

Instead of continuing to preach to the converted, why don't you and/or Sam Rutherford try to get newspapers interested?
Every British newspaper has a website with contact details for sending stories/news items. I assume newspapers around the world have the same facility.

You could include a link to the National Post item.
Canadians may, as Pilot DAR says, be proud of the National Post but it has a small circulation. If bigger news organisations run the story it will reach many more readers.

Could someone point me at a web site claiming that she was solo?

Apart of course from people on pprune claiming that she claimed it etc.

So it boils down to SOLO or ALONE. Alright it's pretty obvious she wasn't solo but was she alone? The guys name sounds a bit Tuetonic, he could have been a right anti social, humorless dullard devoid of any personality.

'Seems convincing to me! Heliport's and GtE's posts sum it up nicely. Now, if she'd said she was alone in the cockpit, maybe things would be a bit different ;). Or, perhaps there were no flying controls in the other cockpit....

It would be nice to think that our peers, particularly those who know they are in the public eye, are active in their efforts to prevent misunderstanding.

My very first flight in a powered aircraft was alone in the cockpit of a Tiger Moth. I was twelve years old.


That has to be award worthy, surely. I'll get onto the LAA. I want a Gong.

Yeah its simply that the media don't understand the difference between
"alone in an open cockpit" and
"alone, in an open cockpit"

I've flown across the Atlantic "alone in seat 39A" but not
"alone, in seat 39A"

To say that TCT is not deliberately misleading anyone is silly - she may be grammatically correct, but I don't beleive the choice of words and (lack of) punctuation is not deliberately intended to mislead.

Incredible achievement with just two, sometimes three support aircraft, one of them a shadowing helicopter and unlimited finance.:D

It is also educational to look at her highly professional website Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker where the home page referring to the crash states 'Tracey and her passenger Ewald Gritsch'

The trip to Australia is described as 'flying with basic period instruments'

And the extensive picture gallery shows an empty front cockpit and I fail to see any mention of a second pilot.

I am struggling to reconcile this with substandard journalists misunderstanding press releases and slips of the tongue in interviews and lectures. If she has the money or connections to go on this sort of jolly, good luck to her - I would love to do so - but please dont besmirch the memory of grater aviators from the past. I am sure she would have just as much publicity were she not to deceive people so one has to ask why?

I guess the answer is that flying solo to Australia is not an easy task doing it the way Amy Johnson did it.
Like a lot of reality tv players these days she seems to enjoy basking in the glare of publicity.

It is not just the national and international media that has failed to see through the PR smokescreen.


In March Pilot magazine chose to list her alongside some of the all time greats in women's aviation at a time when there was already plenty of online discussion over her claims.

10 outstanding women from aviation history - Features - Pilot
To list her alongside Amy Johnson,Amelia Earheart ,the first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova and Sheila Scott is a travesty.

No mention there of Dianna Britten who in 1995 became the first woman in history to claim the title of British Aerobatic Champion. Or Eve Jackson who flew a microlight from the UK to Australia in 1986 a long time before the luxury of GPS, iPads and mobile phones.

I can forgive the mainstream press when they make errors in reporting aviation matters but flying magazines have a duty to get it right.

It would be interesting to hear from the editor why he chose to publish that item and perhaps what plans he has to correct it.

Sheila Scott, now there was a real genuine female solo wide world ranging aviator, a Brit to boot as well.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ythre_1971.jpg

From her website

I suppose the point is that the absence of any comment regarding Ewald is sneaky in itself. Certainly leaves a bit of a sour taste.

It is very noticeable that absolutely everything is about her as the pilot, and every statement she makes is about "I".

I can't think of any other instance where that's been the case - other people have had co-pilots / navigators / assistants / companions - but I can't recall any instances where there's been such apparently deliberate concealment that somebody else was there.

G

And don't forget Judith Chisholm who in 1980 took the solo London-Australia record (held by Jean Batten since 1934) in a single engined Cessna 210T which she dry leased never even thinking to claim it was hers'. She continued around the world setting many more records, a number of which still stand. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz9LdBC0ddE
Both Sheila Scott and Judith Chisholm flew SOLO, as did their pioneering predecessors, and without extensive and expensive accompanying technical support and publicity machines. In my view both of these ladies genuinely deserved the many accolades they received from society and their peers in the aviation community. They are the true inspiration to future female pilots and would have continued to be so had they both not succumbed prematurely to cancer.

Good job I confined my opinion exclusively to the lady and not her pathetic non achievement then.

Most of these big adventures, that generate reams of newsprint around the world,have always been the arena where the rich and wealthy get recognition in their social circle.

Balloon here,cross the Atlantic in a big powerboat there or perhaps climb Everest this morning while next week it is a trek to the South Pole.

The rewards come fast and loose from their various clubs and organisations as we have seen with Tracey.

Compare previous reciepients of the HCAP Masters award to TCT. How on earth, if you pardon the pun, can TCT be in the same class as last years winners.

Or the Air League award!

There is a deafening silence from the various GA key people,such as the magazine editors ,who would love to shut this thread down and silence people such as Sam Rutherford who places honesty and integrity above his commercial interests.

Sadly this whole debacle,far from promoting women in UK general aviation, suggests again the well financed and socially connected are still the winners.

I should say Steve Slater, CEO of the LAA, finds himself between a rock and a hard place.

He has the problem of justifying the Bill Woodham Navigation Award.

Given to Tracy who only flew four solo legs out of a journey of 44 on her claimed Africa adventure with presentations across the world.

Plus he is a liveryman of the HCAP and has publicly expressed doubt of the award of the Masters Medal to Tracey Curtis Taylor.
http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic....98714&start=15

On top of that he writes every month for Pilot.

I know a couple of key people in the UK media are delving in to this story and it only a matter of time before it appears in the national press.

Why have we never had a post on here defending her adventures from the hero herself?

In my opinion this hyper promoted woman does nothing to further GA or eliminate the public view flying light aircraft is only for the rich.

She's bloody good at self promotion but...
 

Her interview was interesting to say the least. If we think of a frequently used flying mantra, aviate communicate and navigate it was clear that she didn't always communicate and a Garmin 430 did the navigating. So that leaves the aviating bit and that hasn't always ended up too well. And in her response the question "What is it like flying alone?" you got the impression that she was alone by herself, everyone else was airbrushed out. So I truly wonder what she has achieved for women. It is a shame really because women are under represented in the air in general and in our flight decks in particular. Let us hope TCT's exploits don't put any off.

PM

If I can just expand this discussion is there an element of not questioning what was going on here because she was a well promoted woman.

Would we react the same if a man had engineered a situation where he had got a Light Aviation Association award,plus major peer recognition from the prestigious Honourable Company Of Air Pilots by sleight of publicity?

Dave Sykes is my nomination for a real genuine public award for a person who has overcome his disability and achieved a wonderful adventure flying such a small aircraft from the UK to Australia.

No big hotels,support team, flight following aircraft or high end hotels.

Dave is a real adventurer but sadly lacks the big sponsors. It would be interesting to see Tracey fly this in another microlight alongside him

http://www.polarflight.co.uk/images/...s/picture7.png

In my opinion the LAA and the HCAP have not been honest and upfront in trying to brush this sad affair under the carpet.