One of the ultimate flight experiences?
Discussion
I have often wondered about a Spitfire experience flight in a twin seater, but this really is in a different league. In Cape Town, there are the last four, flying English Electric Lightnings and for a big wedge of cash they will take you up in one.
https://incredible-adventures.com/capetown-space.h...
https://incredible-adventures.com/capetown-space.h...
Sadly it probably was... But they stopped in 2010.
https://incredible-adventures.com/cape-town-jets-n...
https://incredible-adventures.com/cape-town-jets-n...
Eric Mc said:
The latest I heard was that the Lightnings were being made ready for passenger flights again.
that would be amazing!!!! That said, however, I sure I read somewhere that they had a fatality (plane disintegrated) on a flight and it transpired their maintenance was 'patchy' (hope I'm totally wrong!!)DodgyGeezer said:
Eric Mc said:
The latest I heard was that the Lightnings were being made ready for passenger flights again.
that would be amazing!!!! That said, however, I sure I read somewhere that they had a fatality (plane disintegrated) on a flight and it transpired their maintenance was 'patchy' (hope I'm totally wrong!!)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwNuOkdFKXY
andyA700 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
Eric Mc said:
The latest I heard was that the Lightnings were being made ready for passenger flights again.
that would be amazing!!!! That said, however, I sure I read somewhere that they had a fatality (plane disintegrated) on a flight and it transpired their maintenance was 'patchy' (hope I'm totally wrong!!)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwNuOkdFKXY
On the other hand, according to a report I read. Pictures of the display show a fire in the region of the hydraulics equipment before the failure, which had been known to happen in RAF service, and examination of the wreckage attributed the ejection failure to a mechanical failure preventing the cockpit canopy from jettisoning. The cartridges for ejecting the canopy appeared to have worked, but the seat cartridges were meant to be set off by the canopy departing.
So dodgy maintenance but perhaps not as directly responsible for the tragedy as first appeared
Whatever happened to that Lightning being restored to fly in the US?
The Lightning in the States is progressing slowly. It taxis, looks good, and a team of Brits visit when they can to help out.
As regards Thunder City’s Lightnings, I hope Mike Beachy Head never gets close to operating them again. He pocketed huge sums of sponsorship money from Shell, cut corners on maintenance, and killed Dave Stock. Unforgivable.
I should think Brian Cox is still counting his blessings.
As regards Thunder City’s Lightnings, I hope Mike Beachy Head never gets close to operating them again. He pocketed huge sums of sponsorship money from Shell, cut corners on maintenance, and killed Dave Stock. Unforgivable.
I should think Brian Cox is still counting his blessings.
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All I can find is:
“ Thankfully, the news many have been waiting to hear, is that ZU-BBD, along with the other Thunder City airframes were purchased by Hangar 51 based in South Africa in late 2021, with the vision to return a few of them to the air once again for all to enjoy - hopefully, this will include one of the Lightnings!”
From: https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning...
“ Thankfully, the news many have been waiting to hear, is that ZU-BBD, along with the other Thunder City airframes were purchased by Hangar 51 based in South Africa in late 2021, with the vision to return a few of them to the air once again for all to enjoy - hopefully, this will include one of the Lightnings!”
From: https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/lightning...
Instructor at our gliding club flew them for RAF, hated it, bought himself out. Described it like driving a bus, under instructions from ATC all the time. Take off rendezvous with tanker, fly on heading to intercept Russian aircraft and escort away, back to the tanker, land.
I asked him what the procedure was if lower engine had a fire, his reaction was to pull his hands down over face as if pulling eject blind over face, said it all about a twin engine aeroplane with vertically stacked engines.
Still an unbeatable, at the time, aeroplane
How do you get life insurance for flying in these?
I asked him what the procedure was if lower engine had a fire, his reaction was to pull his hands down over face as if pulling eject blind over face, said it all about a twin engine aeroplane with vertically stacked engines.
Still an unbeatable, at the time, aeroplane
How do you get life insurance for flying in these?
Even when maintained & backed by the resources of Her Majesty's Government, this list doesn't make great reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_an...
285 in RAF service & 44 with the Saudis (including two-seaters).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_an...
285 in RAF service & 44 with the Saudis (including two-seaters).
Mercdriver said:
Instructor at our gliding club flew them for RAF, hated it, bought himself out. Described it like driving a bus, under instructions from ATC all the time. Take off rendezvous with tanker, fly on heading to intercept Russian aircraft and escort away, back to the tanker, land.
It's called 'peacetime'; enjoy it while you can. How on earth does he put up with gliding - no engine and going round in circles all the time?Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff