Interesting or unusual planes?

[Mr Larrington]

[…] Her Majesty’s military tea was not of the highest quality, no matter who prepared it!

The military tea served up to us unfortunates at hours 03:00 by RAF Gan in September 1974 had, I think, been mashing since at least the Suez Crisis.  The Her Majesty in question may even have been Queen Vic.

[TimC]

[…] Her Majesty’s military tea was not of the highest quality, no matter who prepared it!

The military tea served up to us unfortunates at hours 03:00 by RAF Gan in September 1974 had, I think, been mashing since at least the Suez Crisis.  The Her Majesty in question may even have been Queen Vic.

Probably hadn't travelled far enough from its origin to have matured adequately!

[Tim Hall]

[…] Her Majesty’s military tea was not of the highest quality, no matter who prepared it!

The military tea served up to us unfortunates at hours 03:00 by RAF Gan in September 1974 had, I think, been mashing since at least the Suez Crisis.  The Her Majesty in question may even have been Queen Vic.

Probably hadn't travelled far enough from its origin to have matured adequately!

A grate frend of mine did some time wearing a Red Cap.  He is of the opinion that there is no such thing as a bad cup of tea. There are good cups of tea and better cups of tea.

[PaulF]

About a week ago, a jet flew into Stornoway airport. Logannair jet.

Since Logannair operate out of stornoway, that wouldn't be unusual, except that all the planes using Stornoway are turboprops.

Very odd.

Stornoway is perfectly capable of taking smallish jets. Loganair have 13 ERJ-145 jets, and had a number of ERJ-135s till last year. I used to regularly take C-130s into Stornoway, where the ATCO (Stuart) used to serve a very good cup of tea.

If you had to go all the way to Stornaway to get a decent cup of tea maybe you should have sacked the loadmaster?

Well, we had to go there anyway to let the Rock Apes throw Rapiers randomly around the Irish Sea. And, as I’m sure you’re aware, Her Majesty’s military tea was not of the highest quality, no matter who prepared it!

Fair point!

Were you allowed to leave the Rock Apes there and see if they could make their own way home?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Wikinaccurate claims they have a bunch of Embraer ERJ-145s, some of which were originally intended for the Glasgow–Stornoway route.  I suspect the Plague may have put their introduction on hold.

It was certainly one of those.

Jets don't seem suitable for this route, to my understanding, turboprops are more efficient at the low altitude + take off landing phase.
The routes out of Stornoway basically take off, climb to altitude, cruise for 10 min, then start descending.

They could have been tailor-made for electric flights.

No doubt you can point us to the 45-seater electric aircraft that Loganair could have bought instead of the ERJ145.

I thought the Es-30 was further ahead than it is.

The ERJ145 doesn't normally operate out of Stornoway, that's why it surprised me. They normally operate the Saab 340, which I've flown on multiple times.

[TimC]

I thought the Es-30 was further ahead than it is.

The ERJ145 doesn't normally operate out of Stornoway, that's why it surprised me. They normally operate the Saab 340, which I've flown on multiple times.

The Heart ES-30 is putatively projected to enter service in 2028. With a view to the normal extended timelines of aircraft development, realistically a prototype may fly by then. The technical issues that that prototype will reveal, coupled with the extreme caution aviation authorities will employ when considering certification of the aircraft suggest to me it'll be lucky to be in service by 2035. I suspect that, by then, the original developers will have gone bust and the project will be picked up by someone else if it has any genuine technical merit. It's also quite likely that other aircraft will have been developed by then that have taken advantage of more efficient battery and motor developments that Heart will have missed by being among the first to commit. Such is life.

The ERJ-145 is in Loganir's fleet to be used where and when it's needed. The Saab 340 is fairly heavily tasked, and if one goes tech the company will employ whatever else it has available. Stornoway is one of the less demanding airfields that Loganair services, so it's an easy choice if a substitution is necessary. I'm sure Jonathan will explain it in more detail if you ask him - he's very approachable! He's also a mate from our Virgin days, so by all means tell him I told you to ask.

Fair point!

Were you allowed to leave the Rock Apes there and see if they could make their own way home?

I certainly tried a couple of times!

[Mr Larrington]

Wikinaccurate also says they’re retiring their remaining Saabs, allegedly by “mid-2023”.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Wikinaccurate also says they’re retiring their remaining Saabs, allegedly by “mid-2023”.

I flew out on a Saab earlier this year.

It sounded like it needed retiring.
The cabin liners were almost shaking loose.

I think they are being replaced by ATR 42-500. I'm flying on Nov, so hopefully see if they are an improvement.

[Hot Flatus]

Two B1-B bombers flew over my house just now, presumably from US and heading west to Fairford to join the two already there.

They have been very frequent visitors this last 18 months

Normally only two, but four seems precautionary. Putting them in place in case the Israel conflict spreads to Iran I guess.

[Tim Hall]

Out for a walk today in the autumn sunshine on the South Downs, we were plodding across a field near Sutton (West Sussex) when there was the noise of engine. Moments later a biplane flew over , having just taken off from the grass strip in the adjacent field.



A swift bit of web based research tells me it's a 1934 Tiger Moth.

There's a note on https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-ACDA.html that says

I found this aircraft in 1974 and rebuilt it. I wrote an article on its postwar history that I could send a copy of if you wish including photos of the crash... in exchange for any photos you might have of her!

[TimC]

My Dad learned to fly on the Tiger Moth on Birmingham UAS in 1948. He always said it was one of the nicest aircraft he flew. Sadly, I've never been lucky enough to have a go.

[PaulF]

My Dad learned to fly on the Tiger Moth on Birmingham UAS in 1948. He always said it was one of the nicest aircraft he flew. Sadly, I've never been lucky enough to have a go.

A few years ago I bought my father a flight in one as that was what he’d also learned to fly in. Think it was these people https://www.aerolegends.co.uk/experiences/tiger-moth-experience/

He told the pilot he was still a qualified instructor so was given control for the whole flight

[Jurek]

My Dad learned to fly on the Tiger Moth on Birmingham UAS in 1948. He always said it was one of the nicest aircraft he flew. Sadly, I've never been lucky enough to have a go.

A few years ago I bought my father a flight in one as that was what he’d also learned to fly in. Think it was these people https://www.aerolegends.co.uk/experiences/tiger-moth-experience/

He told the pilot he was still a qualified instructor so was given control for the whole flight

That looks remarkably good value for money - in comparison to my flight in a Spitfire.

[Adam]

Out for a walk today in the autumn sunshine on the South Downs, we were plodding across a field near Sutton (West Sussex) when there was the noise of engine. Moments later a biplane flew over , having just taken off from the grass strip in the adjacent field.



A swift bit of web based research tells me it's a 1934 Tiger Moth.

There's a note on https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-ACDA.html that says

I found this aircraft in 1974 and rebuilt it. I wrote an article on its postwar history that I could send a copy of if you wish including photos of the crash... in exchange for any photos you might have of her!

I saw that land at Goodwood whilst cycling back home on Sunday.  Or a similar red Tiger Moth.

[Tim Hall]

Out for a walk today in the autumn sunshine on the South Downs, we were plodding across a field near Sutton (West Sussex) when there was the noise of engine. Moments later a biplane flew over , having just taken off from the grass strip in the adjacent field.



A swift bit of web based research tells me it's a 1934 Tiger Moth.

There's a note on https://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/G-ACDA.html that says

I found this aircraft in 1974 and rebuilt it. I wrote an article on its postwar history that I could send a copy of if you wish including photos of the crash... in exchange for any photos you might have of her!

I saw that land at Goodwood whilst cycling back home on Sunday.  Or a similar red Tiger Moth.

EXIF says I took the photo at 1611.

[Tim Hall]

A miscellany of static display aircraft at Tangmere Aviation Museum.



This is (possibly) the innards of an English Electric Lightning

They've got a Lightning Simulator. Not the full on feel-the-g-force-banking-and-turning job, but a screen that you definitely interact with as you fly around the south coast, buzzing an aircraft carrier in the Solent, from the comfort of a mock up cockpit, fitted with real parts.



Here's me ready to go. There's a museum volunteer hidden by my head, who guided me through it. He was very good, as he should be. Ex 74 Squadron RAF, over 2000 hours on Lightnings. He's flown the one they have on display. How cool is that?



About to attack The Needles

[ScumOfTheRoad]

"fitted with real parts"   I read that as fitted with real pants
Thort you were provided with a G-suit

[TimC]

A miscellany of static display aircraft at Tangmere Aviation Museum.

They've got a Lightning Simulator. Not the full on feel-the-g-force-banking-and-turning job, but a screen that you definitely interact with as you fly around the south coast, buzzing an aircraft carrier in the Solent, from the comfort of a mock up cockpit, fitted with real parts.



Here's me ready to go. There's a museum volunteer hidden by my head, who guided me through it. He was very good, as he should be. Ex 74 Squadron RAF, over 2000 hours on Lightnings. He's flown the one they have on display. How cool is that?

Sadly there never was a full-motion Lightning simulator. Or an any-motion simulator! And what we did have didn't have any visuals either. It was. much as you experienced, a cockpit sitting on a box of electronics (well, electrical gubbins - it wasn't advanced enough to be 'electronic') and an instructor sitting outside making strange noises and banging the side to indicate various bits breaking. The cockpit had obscure glass and you couldn't see out at all. And this level of technology came long, long after the aircraft entered service. My Dad's first flight in the Lightning (31st December 1959) was without the benefit of any dual time; just straight into the F Mk 1.

Who was the ex-74 dude?

[Tim Hall]

Trevor MacDonald Bennett.  There's an interview with him in the museum magazine here. Page 10.

https://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TT-Autumn-2022_merged.pdf

Really modest bloke and so helpful.

[Jurek]

All very cool.

[TimC]

I don't think I know him. I remember the Tiger meet he speaks of - I was in my last year of primary school at Leuchars when a French Super Mystere at that meet ploughed into a hill just a mile or two away. My dad was a flight commander on 23 Squadron at the time, and reformed 11 Sqn as OC when 74 moved to Singapore. Ken Goodwin, who Trevor mentions, was the station commander at Wattisham in 1971/72 when my Dad was OC 111 Sqn. Ken was an outstanding pilot, and a fine pianist. He was a regular visitor to Lyneham during my years there and unfailingly persuaded me to consume outrageous amounts of alcohol while he kept up an unstoppable monologue about those years!

[Jurek]

Anyone else going on to Flight Radar 24 today to track the first transatlantic airliner fly to New York fuelled by re-cycled cooking oil?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67548961
I wonder if they've sold many tickets for that flight....

[TimC]

There are no paying passengers on board.

[Jurek]

Ta for that, Tim.

[TimC]

You can track it here: https://www.flightradar24.com/VIR100/

The flight number is VIR100 if you want to use another tracker. It's due to land at 1:50pm Eastern (6:50pm GMT).