In answer to your question...Yes:ok:

So what do you find impressive about it MaxR? I find it unimpressive because of the very fact I do know what is involved. I was very closely associated, not as a participating crew member, with a successful 1971 round the world speed record attempt, and also the 1969 London - Sydney air race (Bonanza A36). Same pilot in both cases, with different second crew member.

You can have any opinion you like, however when you start to broadcast that opinion, freedom of speech does not excempt you from slander, or in this case libel.

Whether you are right or wrong will indeed be relevant, should the other party decide to take action against you.

Jay - Why's this all so important to you? Is it really such a big deal?

JAFO...to answer your question......

I will tell you why in two words.

The Truth.

If you don't want to read about it go elsewhere.

Over 22,000 views and 178 posts here on pprune suggest there is interest in this.


If this had been a man trying to pull off a similar Walter Mitty stunt would we be so forgiving?

Could a couple of guys from the UK get sponsorship from the British Council to empower men in in India via their fly in and fly our appearances and staying in high end hotels?

How do a few stand ups for the press and pictures of a selection of well connected women in the Middle East or India "empower or inspire" local women?


Surely Dave Sykes achieved more in his microlight genuine single paraplegic flight from the UK to Australia than this charade?

Please check out his website and how he ended up in a wheelchair.
The Pilot

Someone else can do the sums but I reckon the Spirit of Artemis cost north of £500k and the rest to do the trip.

For those of you who do not like this discussion then I suggest you go elsewhere.

The one person we all want to hear from is Tracey:ok:

I don't think she will be along here anytime soon with copies of her log book and flightplans.

I would be equally content to hear from Ewald - if this whole subterfuge is as we believe, he's every bit as culpable as she is - it's just his profit is money rather than glory presumably.

G

If you do not know who she is or have any constructive comment to add please go elsewhere.

SilsoeSid

Your statement is very twentieth Century to scare people off or shut them up. Today, in the twenty first Century people are much wiser what they say. It's true to say that on the evidence presented, airpolice is quite safe and, I concur with his findings.

That said, I would have thought that 'if' any legal action was to come about, it would be by way of an injunction to shut people up and let the music play on.


J.A.F.O

"Is it really such a big deal?"


Well, if we are slowly getting conditioned by everyday politics on TV with the blatant lies and deceit, and accept that is ok, then I guess not.

On that basis, I then guess that many Crown Courts will soon be disbanded at the same rate as public lavatories, when it's decided by the converted that they are no longer a public requirement.

I am still totally bewildered and gob smacked that a hedge fund investment company [regulated by the FSA] is part of all this, with their name clearly visible on the fuselage.

It looks probable that Amanda Richardson's genuine attempt to replicate Amy Johnson's solo flight to Australia was seriously disadvantaged. It must have made it much more difficult to find sponsors for a flight which, in the eyes of the PR fed media, was already successfully under way. The point that the only comparable bits of TCT's flight to that of Amy Johnson was the route and the fact that she was a woman has been entirely missed by the media.

Perhaps, once TCT's flight has been trashed by the same media, Amanda will be able to sell her attempt as a GENUINE, unsupported SOLO flight in an aeroplane that as is close to the original that makes no difference.

Just to make it absolutely clear that in order to be considered a Shuttleworth Collection Pilot, you have to have flown a Collection aeroplane, in an airshow. If anyone can find a picture of Tracey flying in any of the Collection aeroplanes, they'll be expert photoshoppers. Tracey is no more a Collection Pilot than the wonderful Peter Teichmann or the energetic Mark Jeffries; all are visiting display pilots who put on displays in non-Collection aeroplanes.

No axe to grind just flagging up the truth in the hope more genuine candidates can really "emulate Amy Johnson" to quote Tracey.

With a bit of luck and some decent sponsorship maybe Amanda Harrision can really do the job in around 21 days. (No I do not know her or have ever met her)

Now back to some more facts. If you were faced with a sea crossing from East Timor to Darwin over a distance of 390 nm would you carry as a front seat passenger;

A) Another fuel tank and maybe a raft?

B) A tv producer or researcher to let them enjoy the trip?

C) The owner of the aircraft who rebuilt it,is an engineer and also a multi thousand hour flight instructor?

I would choose answer A.

However look at this video and who do you think is in the front seat?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR07GzLr8BM

Jay,

I'm sufficiently happy with my skills, that A would definitely be my choice!

Same here India Four Two.

The ABC in Australia have egg on their face.

Darwin reporter James Dunlevie filed this story when she had just landed in Darwin not noticing there were two people in the aircraft.
Adventurer Tracey Curtis-Taylor's England-to-Australia flight a homage to aviation pioneer Amy Johnson - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

He admitted to me in a phone call yesterday they missed Ewald Gritsch sitting up front

And his colleague in Sydney Stephanie Dalzell also failed to notice two people on board the 'solo' flight when it landed to a grand reception at Sydney.
Stephanie emailed me this reply when challenged over her report.

Single handedly? How did she know that when she failed to see a guy in the front seat?

How hard is it for some one to ask "who is he".

Just waiting for the ABC to get back to me.

I did see a map of her flight, though can't find it now, which showed she made landfall and landed at an airport to the west of Darwin, thence made the flight to Darwin. On the map here she suggests Kununurra, and note Darwin doesn't get a mention. What is there to believe?

Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker

Dili - Kununurra is 471 nm, just a tad further than the 390nm Dili - DN.
I don't believe Kunners is a designated first port of entry for Customs, Immigration and Quarantine purposes either.
Methinks the pretty map is for the consumption of the masses rather than a realistic operational representation of the actual route being followed.

CC

Seems she landed in Darwin, then went to Kunners.

Be interesting to see how Vorderman gets on. Is Red 8 still going with her?

Technically, I have been taught aerobatics by a former RAF display pilot in a warbird.


Ok it was a lovely old Chipmunk but that type has been used on spy flights to take photos of Soviet army exercises. Does that count ? I don't know of any instances where a Harvard has ever been in harms way but others will be able to comment. For the record, I was solo in my cockpit, he was solo in his. (I was marked as "above average" in my training records but my good friend was probably being extremely generous.)

Alright she's a bull****ter, but flying the 90 MPH Steaman across 400 miles of open sea is pretty ballsy and the landing wasn't bad either.

I don't think that anybody suggesting that what she did was trivial - it's being strongly proposed that what she did was significantly less impressive than she is claiming.

G

I'm sure most of us would have a bash (and succeed) if we had the time and the money/sponsorship.

I am much more impressed by Dave Sykes.

Flying a Stearman over 400nm of water is ballsy yes, sitting in the back behind the owner, builder, instructor is not quite so ballsy. Who put it on the ground? Who poled it all the way there for 4/5 hours?
If I were him and given the choice of what to carry in front of a soppy tart that had already chewed up an aircraft while taxiing, it would be me.
Looks like the biggest ego trip since the rise of Stegosaurus.

p84, You say:
Yes it is and, judging from some of your posts on this site, I think that some of your flying is pretty ballsy too. But from my own pathetic XC experience I know that it is much easier and less stressfull to do it when accompanied by an experienced pilot with whom you can chat about things that come up even though you are the agreed PIC. To me the essential requirement of being SOLO is being ALONE.

Not really sure why some are so worked up about this. So she is full of ****, no different from most flying club bars. Methinks a bit of green eyed monster in some cases.

It really does not make one iota of difference to any of our lives, it does give oxygen to her publicity nothing more!!

Such is life..... :)

I just cannot believe that a high profile sponsor would have knowingly gone along with this stunt, I really can't.

As for the awards, with what we have now seen, I now suspect that they did know, but just turned a blind eye, otherwise we would have seen some statement by now stating the award/s have been retracted, awaiting for a genuine candidate to come along.

Can I ask why the pilot flying this aircraft always seems to be sitting in the rear cockpit rather than the front?

I can see that the forward view and towards the ground is quite obscured in either position, but I might have expected the pilot actually flying the plane to be sat in the front seat.

I'm sure there's a reasonable answer.

Its normal for this aircraft. Its actually a lot easier to fly or more specifically taxi from the rear seat as you are sat further back so when you fish tail it you get a wider and lower view. They are a lovely aircraft to fly, I have a few hours ferrying them around and they always put a smile on my face!!!

Quite right I suspect, lets face it, the publicity machine generated far more positive publicity for the sponsers than a few wingers on a flying forum!!!

We get hoodwinked all the time by the media these days, this is nothing new. Its only the fact that it grates on a few people on a forum that its got any life. The argument that its had loads of responses and views is irrelevant, its actually a small group of posters making comments and the views are just the normal refresh as mostly the same people check in and see whats going out of a bit voyeurism!!

Thank you.

Also with tandem aeroplanes it's most usual to put the pilot in the seat furthest from the permitted CG range - then the aircraft can be set up for that, and occupancy of the seat closest to the CG range makes little difference to handling.

G

Editor’s note (June 1, 2016): An earlier version of this story suggested this was a solo flight. It has now been updated to clarify Ms Curtis-Taylor was the only pilot to fly the vintage bi-plane, but she had a support team of engineers travelling with her in a separate aircraft, as well as a camera crew, who would sometimes sit in with her
.That's cleared it all up then. Move along.

That statement is contrary to the factual evidence seen and heard here, isn't it.

The only thing I can evidently see moving along are the cover-ups to the whole debacle, but that just may be another figment of my imagination. :)

Genghis the Engineer (your #232),
Did 60 hours on them in 1941 at Primary School with the US Army Air Corps in Florida. As you say, the instructor was always in front, the stude behind (dual and solo) for the reason you give.

There was no ASI in the back - we were taught to fly by "attitude" and feel. As hardly any of us studes had been off the ground before, we felt no pain (what you've never had, you never miss). Did us a power of good.

Somewhere recently I asked Stanwell if the (original) Continental radial engine had been replaced by a Wasp Junior with a two-speed prop (looks like the power plant from a Vultee BT-13 trainer). Can you throw any light ?

Danny.

Not a clue I'm afraid - my knowledge here is more general about taildraggers of that era, than specific about the Stearman, which I've never had anything to do with.

G

Yes, Danny.
The P&W R985 400-odd hp, 9cyl Wasp Junior has been a common and approved retro-fit .. replacing the original 220hp 7cyl Continental.
A photo on TCT's website shows the Stearman in question wearing what appears to be a Wasp Junior* fitted with a two-speed prop.

We've a Continental-powered Stearman which operates locally down here.
I'd been for a flip in it (just as front-seat pax, I regret to add). The front cockpit in that particular one had just basic instrumentation.
The rear was comprehensively equipped.
ISTR we cruised at around 2500ft at a bit under 90kts.
I took a photo of the respective panels at the time. .. Now, .. it's around here somewhere...
Anyway, I want one!


*EDIT: Just looking at that pic again, I wonder if it could be a Lycoming R-680. Is anybody able to give a steer on that one?
.

Me too!. I've done about five hours in a Continental-powered Stearman in NZ. Lovely aircraft - like a Tiger Moth on steroids, but with better ailerons and the luxury of brakes!

Regardless of the controversy surrounding TCT's claims, I have to admire anyone who does seriously long flights in one, particularly in the rear-cockpit, which is subjected to the full downwash of the top wing.

On its registration certificate it gives the engine as a W670 series built by Continental.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_R-670

Single engine over water? Many an aviator spends/spent thousands of hours over water, single engine, supporting commercial endeavours. My case off shore oil, and often wondered how good Mr. Lycoming had done his job when looking down as wave tops were whipped into spume by winds at times 60 knots plus.

Thanks for your trouble, megan.
The engine pictured on the Stearman on the TCT website isn't a Continental R-670.

At a quick look, I'd originally assumed it to be a Wasp Junior, that being the most common retro-fit.
Looking at the relatively small pic on the website a little more closely, though, it now looks to me to be more like a Lycoming.
The pushrod-tube mounts at the crankcase end would be the clue there, I think.

Anyway, just an interesting diversion. :ok:


BTW, it'd be interesting to hear of your over-water jobs relying on just one of Mr Lycoming's products.
.

The accident report from her crash into the R44 says Lycoming R680 piston engine.1,500 hours in Bass Strait in Bell 205 (UH-1H to military types) plus assorted time, probably 600 hours or so, in Westland Scout, OH-58 and Bell 206.

It's a 300hp Lycoming 680 radial.