Murray/Bodill Round the World
Thread Starter
Mrs Murray, would it be too much to ask if you could bear this forum in mind, add it to your 'favourites' and type a few lines every so often. Getting info like that fresh from the 'front line' would be unique to say the least.
All eyes are on you....................keep the ball in the middle
All eyes are on you....................keep the ball in the middle
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So who's machine is it?
Sponsored.....?
Theirs?
Someone elses?
Who pays for the trips to the factory and the HUET training and the fuel and all the equipment?
I would love LOVE to do this but unfortunately I do not have endless pockets of cash.
Can someone elaborate??
Sponsored.....?
Theirs?
Someone elses?
Who pays for the trips to the factory and the HUET training and the fuel and all the equipment?
I would love LOVE to do this but unfortunately I do not have endless pockets of cash.
Can someone elaborate??
Thread Starter
6. What happens if the helicopter goes down in the sea? We will probably die. It sinks very fast, unlike a fixed wing plane a helicopter does not float on the surface. We have both completed the Dunker course at the Royal Air and Naval Base at Yeovilton, UK so at least we know what to expect and what to do. But the odds aren't good. We have a life raft, jackets and beacons but we would only have 3 mins to get into the life-raft.
Do trips like this get insurance cover, if so....how much would a premium like this cost
Good web site.............................
The Original Whirly
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Good website...and fantastic thing to do!
Jeffa and Colin, go for it and the best of luck. Don't listen to the criticism (not that you are!). As you say, there will always be those who criticise. Some are jealous...I am too, but at least I don't pretend it's something else. Some think all of life is supposed to be lived in security and legislation restricted boredom; well, they can do that if they want, but we don't all have to. Some are especially threatened by a woman, especially an "older" woman, who has both money and guts - because women in particular aren't supposed to have either!
I think it's great that you're doing it, and I just wish I could come along too!!!!!!
Jeffa and Colin, go for it and the best of luck. Don't listen to the criticism (not that you are!). As you say, there will always be those who criticise. Some are jealous...I am too, but at least I don't pretend it's something else. Some think all of life is supposed to be lived in security and legislation restricted boredom; well, they can do that if they want, but we don't all have to. Some are especially threatened by a woman, especially an "older" woman, who has both money and guts - because women in particular aren't supposed to have either!
I think it's great that you're doing it, and I just wish I could come along too!!!!!!
Reckon they will try for any other firsts at the South Pole?
Thread Starter
Whirly, at times you really are like an old woman...you go rabbitting on and on and on and on about oppressed females.
The boat for the feminist movement left about ten years ago!
Chill out love, we're not all misogynists on this forum.
Remember, behind every successful woman in this world... is a man.
In this instance, Jennifer is flying to the poles, and her husband is walking there, to make sure she knows where to go
The boat for the feminist movement left about ten years ago!
Chill out love, we're not all misogynists on this forum.
Remember, behind every successful woman in this world... is a man.
In this instance, Jennifer is flying to the poles, and her husband is walking there, to make sure she knows where to go
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from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Helicopter pilot to take on challenge
FORT WORTH
Helicopter pilot to take on challenge
FORT WORTH
- Jennifer Murray looks with delight at the shiny red helicopter sitting in a hangar at Bell Helicopter. It's a sweet ride worth about $1.6 million. But it's where Murray will take this helicopter that makes her smile.
Murray has set records as the first woman to pilot a helicopter around the world, in 1997, and the first woman to fly a helicopter solo around the world, in 2000. Now, Murray, 63, will attempt her greatest challenge yet -- to fly around the world via the North and South Poles. The trip will take about 5 1/2 months and will span 30,000 miles through extreme weather conditions.
"It's a huge challenge, and there aren't that many great challenges left to do," she said. "This is the big one."
Murray and co-pilot Colin Bodill, who are both from the United Kingdom and have flown together several times since meeting in 1998, have spent two weeks training at the Bell Helicopter factory in Fort Worth to get accustomed to their new helicopter. The Bell 407 was chosen for its power and ability to fly at high altitudes, which will be necessary in the extreme weather conditions on the trip.
"In the polar region, you've got weather that can change dramatically without warning," Murray said. "It's very remote, and help is quite a long way away. "And there aren't any hotels in Antarctica."
Bell Helicopter Vice President Tom Hendricks, left, talks with helicopter pilots Colin Bodill and Jennifer Murray recently while the pilots were in Fort Worth preparing to fly this Bell 407 around the world via the North and South Poles.
On Oct. 22, the duo will leave New York, taking off from the Liberty Heliport. They will fly down the East Coast, through Central and South America to the South Pole, where they hope to land Dec. 17 -- exactly 100 years after the Wright brothers' first flight.
Then, they will head to the North Pole via the West Coast of the Americas and complete the journey in New York. Their trip is funded mostly by corporate sponsors. Images from the trip will be available on their Web site -- www.polarfirst.com -- which they hope will be used by students to learn about environmental conservation.
"We're doing this with the World Wildlife Fund," Murray said. "We'll be visiting World Wildlife sites and visiting with scientists and biologists and running a very active Web site with a prime focus toward schools."
Before coming to Fort Worth, Murray and Bodill had other training to prepare for the trip, which has been two years in the making.
In the United Kingdom, they underwent what Murray called "the dunker course" -- learning what to do if they have to make an emergency landing in the water. The training involved dropping them upside down in a small capsule into a tank of water so they could learn how to escape from the cockpit of the helicopter underwater. Murray described it as horrid.
"And just as you're feeling good about it, they turn all the lights out on you and it's pitch dark," Bodill said.
They also traveled to Alaska during the winter for a wilderness survival course. The temperature was about minus 53 degrees Fahrenheit.
"You take a tea bag and put in a boiling cup of water and in 30 seconds it's a block of ice," Bodill said. "That was quite interesting, to say the least."
Murray said the hardest part of preparing for the trip is leaving her family. She has already said goodbye to her three children and will say goodbye to her husband in New York.
She said this is her last great helicopter adventure, but her co-pilot is not convinced. "I've heard that before," Bodill said.
Murray has set records as the first woman to pilot a helicopter around the world, in 1997, and the first woman to fly a helicopter solo around the world, in 2000. Now, Murray, 63, will attempt her greatest challenge yet -- to fly around the world via the North and South Poles. The trip will take about 5 1/2 months and will span 30,000 miles through extreme weather conditions.
"It's a huge challenge, and there aren't that many great challenges left to do," she said. "This is the big one."
Murray and co-pilot Colin Bodill, who are both from the United Kingdom and have flown together several times since meeting in 1998, have spent two weeks training at the Bell Helicopter factory in Fort Worth to get accustomed to their new helicopter. The Bell 407 was chosen for its power and ability to fly at high altitudes, which will be necessary in the extreme weather conditions on the trip.
"In the polar region, you've got weather that can change dramatically without warning," Murray said. "It's very remote, and help is quite a long way away. "And there aren't any hotels in Antarctica."
Bell Helicopter Vice President Tom Hendricks, left, talks with helicopter pilots Colin Bodill and Jennifer Murray recently while the pilots were in Fort Worth preparing to fly this Bell 407 around the world via the North and South Poles.
On Oct. 22, the duo will leave New York, taking off from the Liberty Heliport. They will fly down the East Coast, through Central and South America to the South Pole, where they hope to land Dec. 17 -- exactly 100 years after the Wright brothers' first flight.
Then, they will head to the North Pole via the West Coast of the Americas and complete the journey in New York. Their trip is funded mostly by corporate sponsors. Images from the trip will be available on their Web site -- www.polarfirst.com -- which they hope will be used by students to learn about environmental conservation.
"We're doing this with the World Wildlife Fund," Murray said. "We'll be visiting World Wildlife sites and visiting with scientists and biologists and running a very active Web site with a prime focus toward schools."
Before coming to Fort Worth, Murray and Bodill had other training to prepare for the trip, which has been two years in the making.
In the United Kingdom, they underwent what Murray called "the dunker course" -- learning what to do if they have to make an emergency landing in the water. The training involved dropping them upside down in a small capsule into a tank of water so they could learn how to escape from the cockpit of the helicopter underwater. Murray described it as horrid.
"And just as you're feeling good about it, they turn all the lights out on you and it's pitch dark," Bodill said.
They also traveled to Alaska during the winter for a wilderness survival course. The temperature was about minus 53 degrees Fahrenheit.
"You take a tea bag and put in a boiling cup of water and in 30 seconds it's a block of ice," Bodill said. "That was quite interesting, to say the least."
Murray said the hardest part of preparing for the trip is leaving her family. She has already said goodbye to her three children and will say goodbye to her husband in New York.
She said this is her last great helicopter adventure, but her co-pilot is not convinced. "I've heard that before," Bodill said.
Last edited by Heliport; 12th Oct 2003 at 19:18.
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Jennifer Murray planning her next venture
Woman to Try for South Pole by Helicopter
By MICHAEL ASTOR
Associated Press Writer
November 19, 2003, 5:06 PM EST
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- After setting one record for flying a helicopter around the world, a 63-year-old amateur pilot said Wednesday she expected to become the first person to fly a helicopter to the South Pole next month.
Jennifer Murray made her comments during a stopover in Rio de Janeiro -- about one-fifth of the way along in an unprecedented attempt to fly a helicopter around the world via the South and North poles.
If Murray succeeds it will be her third aviation record.
In 1997, she won a spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in a helicopter. Her flight raised $100,000 for Save The Children, an American nonprofit helping orphans around the world.
In 2000, she gave aviation history another milestone -- becoming the first woman to fly a helicopter solo around the world -- without an autopilot.
Murray and co-pilot Colin Bodill, 52, hope to reach the South Pole in their cherry red Bell 407 helicopter on Dec. 17, the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first powered flight. They began their 32,000-mile journey in New York on Oct. 22 and hope to return by April 14.
Murray said when they tried to register the South Pole flight as a possible aviation record, the World Air Sports Federation told them they didn't believe it could be done.
"We wouldn't have set out if we didn't think we had a sporting chance of getting back. I have a brand new one-day old granddaughter and I have every intention of getting back to see her," said Murray, a grandmother of four.
Bodill said he believed advances in aviation technology have made the flight possible, but he acknowledged the challenges -- heavy winds, ice crystals and flying in the cold thin air at high altitude.
Helicopters "don't operate well at high altitudes and flying to the South Pole means flying at 10,000 feet over 600 miles," Bodill said.
The U.S. Antarctic Program, which operates Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole, uses cargo planes to fly staff and equipment in from the coastal bases.
The pair had fuel drums dropped at various points along the way to allow for refueling and they have their own search and rescue team ready should they experience any problems.
Murray was born in Providence, R.I., and moved to England with her family as a youngster. Bodill is from Nottingham, England.
She began flying at age 54, after her husband purchased a share of a helicopter but didn't have time to learn to fly it.
The pilots will make 160 stopovers on their journey to spotlight the conservation work of the World Wildlife Fund.
During their stopover in Rio, they planned to visit a program to save the endangered golden lion tamarin monkey at the Poco das Antas nature reserve, about 80 miles outside the city.
source
and another similar report
By MICHAEL ASTOR
Associated Press Writer
November 19, 2003, 5:06 PM EST
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- After setting one record for flying a helicopter around the world, a 63-year-old amateur pilot said Wednesday she expected to become the first person to fly a helicopter to the South Pole next month.
Jennifer Murray made her comments during a stopover in Rio de Janeiro -- about one-fifth of the way along in an unprecedented attempt to fly a helicopter around the world via the South and North poles.
If Murray succeeds it will be her third aviation record.
In 1997, she won a spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in a helicopter. Her flight raised $100,000 for Save The Children, an American nonprofit helping orphans around the world.
In 2000, she gave aviation history another milestone -- becoming the first woman to fly a helicopter solo around the world -- without an autopilot.
Murray and co-pilot Colin Bodill, 52, hope to reach the South Pole in their cherry red Bell 407 helicopter on Dec. 17, the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first powered flight. They began their 32,000-mile journey in New York on Oct. 22 and hope to return by April 14.
Murray said when they tried to register the South Pole flight as a possible aviation record, the World Air Sports Federation told them they didn't believe it could be done.
"We wouldn't have set out if we didn't think we had a sporting chance of getting back. I have a brand new one-day old granddaughter and I have every intention of getting back to see her," said Murray, a grandmother of four.
Bodill said he believed advances in aviation technology have made the flight possible, but he acknowledged the challenges -- heavy winds, ice crystals and flying in the cold thin air at high altitude.
Helicopters "don't operate well at high altitudes and flying to the South Pole means flying at 10,000 feet over 600 miles," Bodill said.
The U.S. Antarctic Program, which operates Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole, uses cargo planes to fly staff and equipment in from the coastal bases.
The pair had fuel drums dropped at various points along the way to allow for refueling and they have their own search and rescue team ready should they experience any problems.
Murray was born in Providence, R.I., and moved to England with her family as a youngster. Bodill is from Nottingham, England.
She began flying at age 54, after her husband purchased a share of a helicopter but didn't have time to learn to fly it.
The pilots will make 160 stopovers on their journey to spotlight the conservation work of the World Wildlife Fund.
During their stopover in Rio, they planned to visit a program to save the endangered golden lion tamarin monkey at the Poco das Antas nature reserve, about 80 miles outside the city.
source
and another similar report
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Here's a link to their web-site with diary etc on it.
Polar First
Wish them both luck and I bet Colins glad he's not doing this one in the microlight
Polar First
Wish them both luck and I bet Colins glad he's not doing this one in the microlight
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right here we go,
I cannot see the point of doing challenges in innapropiate vehicles.
eg to the south pole in an R44, or round the world in a B407.
it is like proving you can drive accross the sahara in a mini metro, so what ! get a landrover I say
what next the first person to the summit of everest in flip flops !
am I the only person who thinks like this ?
I cannot see the point of doing challenges in innapropiate vehicles.
eg to the south pole in an R44, or round the world in a B407.
it is like proving you can drive accross the sahara in a mini metro, so what ! get a landrover I say
what next the first person to the summit of everest in flip flops !
am I the only person who thinks like this ?
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No Camp F, you're not the only one. We had a good discussion about this sort of thing some time ago and opinions were divided (in broad terms) between those who think such challenges show we still have people with a spirit of adventure and people who think like you.
Click here.
Click here.
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Good luck to this plucky lady.
Like many, I am in favour of these adventurers. Why, because we would still be wandering around in animal skins if it were not for those who seek to extend their skills and knowledge.
If it were left to the administrators in the health and safety brigade we would be wrapped up in sterile cotton wool, bored and brainless. Unless there is challenge to exceed, how do we know how far we can go?
Individuals have the right to be responsible for themselves and for those who are involved with them.
Safety in this adventure is a matter of assessing the risk and if it is acceptable to the crew then 'go for it'.
The lack of safe drinking water for multitudes of people is an horrendous problem. Maybe the Bush administration could crack this by donating 10 minutes of war activity costs to providing clean water.
But whatever, this flight is not just about the mechanics of the B407, it's about doing something to show that there are characters who can focus on doing something demanding and difficult. They may well, afterwards, take up the challenge to provide help to those less fortunate than themselves
WHAT IS THEIR PROGRESS SO FAR?
Like many, I am in favour of these adventurers. Why, because we would still be wandering around in animal skins if it were not for those who seek to extend their skills and knowledge.
If it were left to the administrators in the health and safety brigade we would be wrapped up in sterile cotton wool, bored and brainless. Unless there is challenge to exceed, how do we know how far we can go?
Individuals have the right to be responsible for themselves and for those who are involved with them.
Safety in this adventure is a matter of assessing the risk and if it is acceptable to the crew then 'go for it'.
The lack of safe drinking water for multitudes of people is an horrendous problem. Maybe the Bush administration could crack this by donating 10 minutes of war activity costs to providing clean water.
But whatever, this flight is not just about the mechanics of the B407, it's about doing something to show that there are characters who can focus on doing something demanding and difficult. They may well, afterwards, take up the challenge to provide help to those less fortunate than themselves
WHAT IS THEIR PROGRESS SO FAR?
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According to the team's website, Jennifer and Colin have just set a record for the first single-engine helicopter crossing of Drake's passage. Good for them !! Now where are the thermals...?!
Historic Crossing of the Drake Passage
09 December 2003
History has been made - the first crossing of the Drake Passage by a single-engine helicopter...
I have just received a call from ALE (Antarctic Logistics and Explorations) to say that they have just made contact with Jennifer and Colin who are rapidly heading south with 126 knot wind and clear weather in their favour.
Having stopped at Marsh and refuelled as fast as possible they are taking advantage of the weather window and pressing on towards Carvajal. The co-ordinates there are 67.45 and 68.54 so watch Blue Sky Network.
It has been a nervous time for us all but the Blue Sky tracker has worked like a dream and allowed us to keep a constant vigil on their movements
Historic Crossing of the Drake Passage
09 December 2003
History has been made - the first crossing of the Drake Passage by a single-engine helicopter...
I have just received a call from ALE (Antarctic Logistics and Explorations) to say that they have just made contact with Jennifer and Colin who are rapidly heading south with 126 knot wind and clear weather in their favour.
Having stopped at Marsh and refuelled as fast as possible they are taking advantage of the weather window and pressing on towards Carvajal. The co-ordinates there are 67.45 and 68.54 so watch Blue Sky Network.
It has been a nervous time for us all but the Blue Sky tracker has worked like a dream and allowed us to keep a constant vigil on their movements
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And it's hit the news!!!!
5:23am (UK)
Helicopter Gran Lands in Antarctica
A 63-year-old British grandmother hoping to become the first helicopter pilot to circumnavigate the globe over both poles has landed in Antarctica.
Jennifer Murray touched down to refuel at a research station on Monday after crossing the wind-swept Drake Passage that separates the icy continent from South America, the Argentine Air Force said in a statement.
Murray was expected to travel in her single-engine helicopter to another base on the Antarctic peninsula before attempting to push on to the South Pole in the next few days.
That trip nearly halfway into her journey will be rife with challenges, including heavy winds, ice crystals and flying at high altitudes.
Murray and her co-pilot, 52-year-old Colin Bodill, from Nottingham, hope to reach the South Pole in their cherry red Bell 407 helicopter on December 17, the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first powered flight.
They began their 32,000 mile journey in New York on October 22 and hope to return by April 14.
Their crossing of the Drake Passage – home to some of the most unstable and inhospitable weather on Earth – was the first in a single-engine helicopter, the Argentine Air Force said.
The Argentine military monitored Murray and Bodill’s flight pattern and kept three planes on alert as they flew over the rough and choppy waters speckled with icebergs.
For the South Pole trip, the pair had fuel drums dropped at various points along the way to allow for refuelling. They also have their own search and rescue team should they experience any problems.
Murray, who was born in Providence, Rhode Island, moved to England with her family as a youngster. Now living in London, she is seeking her third aviation record in an attempt to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.
In 1997, she won a spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the first woman to circumnavigate the glove in a helicopter. Three years later, she reached another aviation milestone – becoming the first woman to fly a helicopter around the world without an autopilot.
Murray only began flying nine years ago after her husband purchased a share of a helicopter but did not have time to learn to fly it.
The pilots will make 16 stopovers on their journey to spotlight the conservation work of the World Wildlife Fund.
from Scotsman.com
Congratulations to Jennifer and all involved.
5:23am (UK)
Helicopter Gran Lands in Antarctica
A 63-year-old British grandmother hoping to become the first helicopter pilot to circumnavigate the globe over both poles has landed in Antarctica.
Jennifer Murray touched down to refuel at a research station on Monday after crossing the wind-swept Drake Passage that separates the icy continent from South America, the Argentine Air Force said in a statement.
Murray was expected to travel in her single-engine helicopter to another base on the Antarctic peninsula before attempting to push on to the South Pole in the next few days.
That trip nearly halfway into her journey will be rife with challenges, including heavy winds, ice crystals and flying at high altitudes.
Murray and her co-pilot, 52-year-old Colin Bodill, from Nottingham, hope to reach the South Pole in their cherry red Bell 407 helicopter on December 17, the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first powered flight.
They began their 32,000 mile journey in New York on October 22 and hope to return by April 14.
Their crossing of the Drake Passage – home to some of the most unstable and inhospitable weather on Earth – was the first in a single-engine helicopter, the Argentine Air Force said.
The Argentine military monitored Murray and Bodill’s flight pattern and kept three planes on alert as they flew over the rough and choppy waters speckled with icebergs.
For the South Pole trip, the pair had fuel drums dropped at various points along the way to allow for refuelling. They also have their own search and rescue team should they experience any problems.
Murray, who was born in Providence, Rhode Island, moved to England with her family as a youngster. Now living in London, she is seeking her third aviation record in an attempt to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.
In 1997, she won a spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the first woman to circumnavigate the glove in a helicopter. Three years later, she reached another aviation milestone – becoming the first woman to fly a helicopter around the world without an autopilot.
Murray only began flying nine years ago after her husband purchased a share of a helicopter but did not have time to learn to fly it.
The pilots will make 16 stopovers on their journey to spotlight the conservation work of the World Wildlife Fund.
from Scotsman.com
Congratulations to Jennifer and all involved.
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Why the discussion and opinions?
If I decide today to fly to my nearest airfield, it's no-one's business but mine, I'm sure you'd all agree. And if I plan a week's tour of Europe by helicopter, I doubt if anyone will have any opinions one way or the other as to whether I should do it...even if I happen to pick a route that's somehow never been flown before.
Jennifer and Colin have decided to fly round the world via the poles. And suddenly everyone has an opinion as to whether they should do it or not!
So at what point does a flight become public property, that everyone can stick their oar in and decide whether someone should do it or not? They want to do it. They're paying for it themselves. Yes, if anything goes wrong, it would involve other people, but that's equally true of any flight, including mine to the nearest airfield. Does that possibility mean that all recreational pilots should stay in their beds?
When I walked 5000 miles round Britain some 16 years ago, everyone had an opinion - I was mad, wonderful, doing it wrong, shouldn't do it at all, etc etc etc etc. I was too polite to ask all these people just what the hell it had to do with them?
Jeffa and Colin, you want to do it - that should be enough reason. Good luck with the rest of the trip.
Jennifer and Colin have decided to fly round the world via the poles. And suddenly everyone has an opinion as to whether they should do it or not!
So at what point does a flight become public property, that everyone can stick their oar in and decide whether someone should do it or not? They want to do it. They're paying for it themselves. Yes, if anything goes wrong, it would involve other people, but that's equally true of any flight, including mine to the nearest airfield. Does that possibility mean that all recreational pilots should stay in their beds?
When I walked 5000 miles round Britain some 16 years ago, everyone had an opinion - I was mad, wonderful, doing it wrong, shouldn't do it at all, etc etc etc etc. I was too polite to ask all these people just what the hell it had to do with them?
Jeffa and Colin, you want to do it - that should be enough reason. Good luck with the rest of the trip.
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Excellent news !
I've had the extraordinary privilege to have flown the original round-the-world R44 (after it came back and for a much shorter distance ! ). If anyone is prepared for such an exploit, it is this team.
Where would we be without the spirit of adventure shown by people like Jennifer, Colin and Q and - let's face it - by Orville and Wilbur almost a hundred years before ?
Go for it, Jennifer and Colin - God speed and good luck for the rest of the mission.
I've had the extraordinary privilege to have flown the original round-the-world R44 (after it came back and for a much shorter distance ! ). If anyone is prepared for such an exploit, it is this team.
Where would we be without the spirit of adventure shown by people like Jennifer, Colin and Q and - let's face it - by Orville and Wilbur almost a hundred years before ?
Go for it, Jennifer and Colin - God speed and good luck for the rest of the mission.
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Camp Freddie.....
No you’re not alone.......
Just check out the profiles of the dominate supporters....not career professionals......at least most of them.
And of course mother hen....no one really knows about him/her...!!!!
The dangers of this exercise are two fold......
Firstly, my Xmas will be screwed up when AMSA [Australian Maritime Safety Authority] calls me at 0300 and tells me that some "$$$ thrill seeker has screwed up [again], and would you please risk your career, your crew and your families security and go find the selfish idiots and winch them back to safety [as you did with that idiot Pommy guy and that French Tart (Twice)]"
Of course we will go...again
And secondly.....we had a similar whiz kid named Duck Smyth who thought he was Gods gift to aviation....he did some North Pole and round the world trip and he was classified by the non career professional aircrew as some sort of &^%$ knowledgeable hero....Great
The end result of that saga was that the Oz politicians thought he was a trusted authority.....and gave him a throne in CASA....well the disaster that followed is now well documented.
The Headline Seeking Amateurs on the perheriry of professional aviation, have, and will continue to negatively influence the dedicated and lifelong struggle of professional and career aviators around the world.
Yes, its great to have some one pushing the envelope…..but this is just a PR $$$$ making exercise…and just stupid.
Let these daredevils fly with me in a Northern Oz summer with towering CB’s and weather to the minimums,[yet alone the CA guys weather] and see if their fragile little world is still as prepared to risk their ass’s as they impose on others]
Selfish, is all I can say.
Just check out the profiles of the dominate supporters....not career professionals......at least most of them.
And of course mother hen....no one really knows about him/her...!!!!
The dangers of this exercise are two fold......
Firstly, my Xmas will be screwed up when AMSA [Australian Maritime Safety Authority] calls me at 0300 and tells me that some "$$$ thrill seeker has screwed up [again], and would you please risk your career, your crew and your families security and go find the selfish idiots and winch them back to safety [as you did with that idiot Pommy guy and that French Tart (Twice)]"
Of course we will go...again
And secondly.....we had a similar whiz kid named Duck Smyth who thought he was Gods gift to aviation....he did some North Pole and round the world trip and he was classified by the non career professional aircrew as some sort of &^%$ knowledgeable hero....Great
The end result of that saga was that the Oz politicians thought he was a trusted authority.....and gave him a throne in CASA....well the disaster that followed is now well documented.
The Headline Seeking Amateurs on the perheriry of professional aviation, have, and will continue to negatively influence the dedicated and lifelong struggle of professional and career aviators around the world.
Yes, its great to have some one pushing the envelope…..but this is just a PR $$$$ making exercise…and just stupid.
Let these daredevils fly with me in a Northern Oz summer with towering CB’s and weather to the minimums,[yet alone the CA guys weather] and see if their fragile little world is still as prepared to risk their ass’s as they impose on others]
Selfish, is all I can say.
Thread Starter
Whirlybird:
I dont think Jenny and her pal decided to do this for a laugh!! You're looking at well in excess of a million pounds to run a project like this. And they certainly aren't millionaires of this league.
So the real reason is for charity and a sense of adventure. They get the latter through the former. Sponsorship (which is all over the web site and a/c) and PUBLIC MONEY pays for this, or didn't you know.
Now if I wanted to contribute to your round the country soiree for either of these two reasons, I can assure you, I would take a DEEP interest in what you are doing
THIS is why everyone is curious and that is why EVERYONE is entitled to pose difficult and awkward questions all the time.
Do you understand now?
Consequently, individuals are perfectly entitled to comment from both sides of the fence.
Personally, I happen to think [bearing in mind that this is a publicity stunt in drag] this is one of the better organised adventures that deserves to succeed, provided one accepts that it is still a STUNT.
Unlike the mickey mouse bumblings of her predecessor: Q and whoever.
PS: If you really really felt like that about your epic wanderings around UK Ltd; why didn't you do it quietly without telling a soul?
If you wanted peace and quiet you could have responded to curious enquirers by telling them you were just a 'rambler' doing a local walk. Why if you wanted privacy.....did you write a book on it
I dont think Jenny and her pal decided to do this for a laugh!! You're looking at well in excess of a million pounds to run a project like this. And they certainly aren't millionaires of this league.
So the real reason is for charity and a sense of adventure. They get the latter through the former. Sponsorship (which is all over the web site and a/c) and PUBLIC MONEY pays for this, or didn't you know.
Now if I wanted to contribute to your round the country soiree for either of these two reasons, I can assure you, I would take a DEEP interest in what you are doing
THIS is why everyone is curious and that is why EVERYONE is entitled to pose difficult and awkward questions all the time.
Do you understand now?
Consequently, individuals are perfectly entitled to comment from both sides of the fence.
Personally, I happen to think [bearing in mind that this is a publicity stunt in drag] this is one of the better organised adventures that deserves to succeed, provided one accepts that it is still a STUNT.
Unlike the mickey mouse bumblings of her predecessor: Q and whoever.
PS: If you really really felt like that about your epic wanderings around UK Ltd; why didn't you do it quietly without telling a soul?
If you wanted peace and quiet you could have responded to curious enquirers by telling them you were just a 'rambler' doing a local walk. Why if you wanted privacy.....did you write a book on it