Buccaneer given permission to fly again in the UK
Discussion
Before I get too 
tonight I just read this (couple of weeks old news though) on www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk
9th December 2005. Hawker Hunter Aviation at Scampton today made this announcement: "HHA were today granted approval by the Civil Aviation Authority Management Committee to operate their BAe Buccaneer Aircraft (G-HHAA / XX885) on the UK civil register. This is the culmination of almost five years worth of effort and in excess of 3250 man hours of design verification work. This does not include any engineering work on the aircraft at all! As such it will be the first Complex category aircraft to fly in UK airspace and is a testament to the excellence of the HHA engineering and operational team. Major overhaul work and lifed component replacement on the aircraft will commence shortly, with a first flight target currently envisaged for 2006." What brilliant news - congratulations to all at HHA - can't wait to see the Last British Bomber airborne again!
tonight I just read this (couple of weeks old news though) on www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk 9th December 2005. Hawker Hunter Aviation at Scampton today made this announcement: "HHA were today granted approval by the Civil Aviation Authority Management Committee to operate their BAe Buccaneer Aircraft (G-HHAA / XX885) on the UK civil register. This is the culmination of almost five years worth of effort and in excess of 3250 man hours of design verification work. This does not include any engineering work on the aircraft at all! As such it will be the first Complex category aircraft to fly in UK airspace and is a testament to the excellence of the HHA engineering and operational team. Major overhaul work and lifed component replacement on the aircraft will commence shortly, with a first flight target currently envisaged for 2006." What brilliant news - congratulations to all at HHA - can't wait to see the Last British Bomber airborne again!
Fantastic news!
ISTR that in exercises certain countries crews were heard to brag about low flying - till the Bucc crews came in to the mess with photos of their undersides!
Incredibly tough arcraft (built for carrier ops) and sadly underrated - except I suspect by their crews. Be great to see one flying again.
ISTR that in exercises certain countries crews were heard to brag about low flying - till the Bucc crews came in to the mess with photos of their undersides!
Incredibly tough arcraft (built for carrier ops) and sadly underrated - except I suspect by their crews. Be great to see one flying again.
Great news indeed chaps. I'm not a great aircraft expert or anything but I do so like to see them fly rather than be a static exhibit and the Buccaneer has a long and great history. Aren't I right in thinking that they were of late used as the laser platform for the smart bombs?.....
petros said:
Buccaneers have been operating in this country for a long time, they are known as Road Safety Partnerships now.
Ahhh don't think so...the Blackburn Buccaneer was renound
for becoming more dangerous the slower it was flown. Cleaned
up and above 300kts was where you were (apparently) safer.....
..so much so that they would then go an look for things to ram.
Fantastic to look forward to seeing one flying in the UK again.
On a second note chaps, does anyone know if there is still a Canberra flying? I'm sure I saw one circling the village of Burtonwood one evening....oh! about 3 weeks ago,Friday it was, in dark colours .....distictive, even from miles away. Old style broad wings with 2 slim jet engines.
I was driving at the time and saw it first at some distance away, it caught my eye as being unusual and that it was circing in a counter clockwise rotation above the village. the normal turning point between Burtonwood and Warrington for Speke is clockwise...
Has I got nearer, it did seem to be a Canberra in dark colours though I couldn't give it my full attention due to driving, Guessing....I'd say at 1500ft?
For you aero types I hope it's of some interest...
>> Edited by 8Pack on Monday 2nd January 01:53
I was driving at the time and saw it first at some distance away, it caught my eye as being unusual and that it was circing in a counter clockwise rotation above the village. the normal turning point between Burtonwood and Warrington for Speke is clockwise...
Has I got nearer, it did seem to be a Canberra in dark colours though I couldn't give it my full attention due to driving, Guessing....I'd say at 1500ft?
For you aero types I hope it's of some interest...
>> Edited by 8Pack on Monday 2nd January 01:53
8Pack said:
On a second note chaps, does anyone know if there is still a Canberra flying? I'm sure I saw one circling the village of Burtonwood one evening....oh! about 3 weeks ago,Friday it was, in dark colours .....distictive, even from miles away. Old style broad wings with 2 slim jet engines.
I was driving at the time and saw it first at some distance away, it caught my eye as being unusual and that it was circing in a counter clockwise rotation above the village. the normal turning point between Burtonwood and Warrington for Speke is clockwise...
Has I got nearer, it did seem to be a Canberra in dark colours though I couldn't give it my full attention due to driving, Guessing....I'd say at 1500ft?
For you aero types I hope it's of some interest...
air atlantique ( www.airatlantique.co.uk/ )are operating one at the momement, its in the prototype colours, which are dark. they are planning on getting a second into the air for the 2006 season.
>> Edited by 8Pack on Monday 2nd January 01:53
Eric Mc said:
There are at least three privately owned preserved Canberras flying in the UK plus three still operational with the RAF.
MMmmh! Thanks Eric Mc, I noticed this circling from many miles away, mainly due to it's direction of flight because I know that the normal direction there is "clockwise" for Speke, then the circling and as I got closer, the shape.
He circled the village several times before I got underneath him, I wonder if he has the photo recon equipment still installed? Rates re-evaluation maybe? It seemed strange that he was circling so consistantly and so slowly......MMMMmmmh! Spies in the sky from the past eh?
Oh! I don't know.....Maybe I'm paranoid.................
Depends on who operates it. The RAF ones are definitely still stuffed to the gills with top secret recce gear.
The "blue" one recently acquired by Air Atlantique was the one training version remaining with the RAF. As the Canberra will be withdrawn from active service fairly soon, all pilot training on the type has now ceased. Therefore the last remaining trainer was declared surplus a few months ago and sold to Air Atlantique.
The "blue" one recently acquired by Air Atlantique was the one training version remaining with the RAF. As the Canberra will be withdrawn from active service fairly soon, all pilot training on the type has now ceased. Therefore the last remaining trainer was declared surplus a few months ago and sold to Air Atlantique.
Eric Mc said:
Depends on who operates it. The RAF ones are definitely still stuffed to the gills with top secret recce gear.
The "blue" one recently acquired by Air Atlantique was the one training version remaining with the RAF. As the Canberra will be withdrawn from active service fairly soon, all pilot training on the type has now ceased. Therefore the last remaining trainer was declared surplus a few months ago and sold to Air Atlantique.
MMmh! don't think it was blue Eric, ..........for your info, just a darkish colour.
Just to give you a further description.....wings were at 90 degrees from the fuselarge. Of the older wide parallel type for some distance until 2 slim jet engines protruding fore and aft of the wing, outboard of that the wings were tapered. The vertical rudder appeared to be short by modern standards. I'm pretty sure that what I saw was a Canberra....
>> Edited by 8Pack on Monday 2nd January 10:31
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