Dakota for Metheringham?

I think you completely misunderstood. What i mean is that the team clearly know what they are doing.

Anyone involved in servicing flight etc will have experience. There’s no way they will let idiots work on her.

I hope that comment was not aimed at me , if so perhaps you can qaulify it. All I did was offer help with any aspect and that includes my experience keeping Daks airworthy too.

Lets just wish the team luck. Its a wonderful museum but i didn’t realize there is enough concrete to taxi?

FabricFan is not an idiot. They have clearly had idiots involved so far so why presume that will not continue?

Anyone involved in servicing flight etc will have experience. There’s no way they will let idiots work on her.

I have just started a thread regarding a DC3 I have just restored to static in India So i fully understand the complications. If I can offer any advice and help to the principles involved please feel free to PM me

Sorry Dave it is a very simplified overview with plenty of If’s and But’s. The aircraft is capable of flying again and nothing will be done to jeopardise that prospect while she stays at Metheringham. If the money is raised then up she goes, If the money isn’t raised then she will enjoy her retirement being well cared for and continually maintained for public access. The very next step is to stop the rot and get a roof over her head ASAP.

I suppose KG651 is in exactly the same state and position as just Jane NX611. She is in a place where she will be well looked after and her return to flight is very much achievable but will purely depend on a sound fundraising stratagy. The key point to remember is that she last flew as recently as 2000, her paper work is in order and she is a G Registered aircraft which makes her one of only a few Dakotas capable of flying passengers.

Its what the next chapter in her life will bring that will be the most interesting as the Transport company has damaged a fully airworthy major component which is going to lead to a massive repair bill to return it to the same condition it was in before the journey.

I think this is a little bit of an oversimplification. The aircraft has not flown in 15 years and has not been G registered since 2003.

…a locally raised team of volunteers can carry out the many cosmetic husbandry type jobs that do not need to be supervised.

The thought of letting volunteers loose, unsupervised, on a potentially (and recently) airworthy aircraft fills me with absolute horror. 🙁

Phil, the engines currently fitted are scrap. As we know, aircraft need plenty of work to get them flying and it’s not going to happen overnight. Ground running is an achievable first step to fire up the systems and raise funds. Just please don’t ask about a time frame, Metheringham is a small but enthusiastic museum, that has stepped up to the plate to help secure a brighter future for KG651.

No it’s not folded but unfortunately the lack of fund raising opportunities, public access and increased airfield fees hindered their progress. Metheringham has offered the original Transport Command team a boost. As an already established Charitable trust, the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre can assist with their aims making the project more eligible for public funding options and various grants. The aircraft will also be fully accessible to the public in the very near future and a locally raised team of volunteers can carry out the many cosmetic husbandry type jobs that do not need to be supervised.

I suppose KG651 is in exactly the same state and position as just Jane NX611. She is in a place where she will be well looked after and her return to flight is very much achievable but will purely depend on a sound fundraising stratagy. The key point to remember is that she last flew as recently as 2000, her paper work is in order and she is a G Registered aircraft which makes her one of only a few Dakotas capable of flying passengers.

Its what the next chapter in her life will bring that will be the most interesting as the Transport company has damaged a fully airworthy major component which is going to lead to a massive repair bill to return it to the same condition it was in before the journey.

Bit confused by the newspapers link. Says plans are to hopefully offer taxi runs. Thought plan was to return it to flight

So has the Transport Command project folded?

A firm of specialist movers with plenty of experience in aircraft movements was employed and a team of Dakota qualified engineers dismantled and reassembled her. Every precaution was taken but unfortunately accidents still happen. Apparently it hit a yellow and white bollard that had previous been hit. The plastic cover was laying in the hedge bottom leaving only a single hard to spot steel post sticking out.

Sadly the section of the A17 mentioned earlier has become more difficult to negotiate since the traffic calming measures were introduced a few months back – glad it wasn’t like it is now, when NAM moved the Viggen in the opposite direction!

I hope that the insurance gets sorted out quickly to allow for an effective repair.

Does G.AMP0 survive? I lost track as Air Atlantique have saved so many!

A firm of specialist movers with plenty of experience in aircraft movements was employed and a team of Dakota qualified engineers dismantled and reassembled her. Every precaution was taken but unfortunately accidents still happen. Apparently it hit a yellow and white bollard that had previous been hit. The plastic cover was laying in the hedge bottom leaving only a single hard to spot steel post sticking out.

Its loaded a long way over to one side -what a pity for her to be moved around so much and get damaged in hopefully her last move.

Very disappointing news and the Engineers have assessed it and now it’s down to the hauliers insurance to sort out.

That is some nasty damage on an aircraft meant to be restored to fly. Looks repairable though could be an economical write-off if commercially done.

The 40kt winds behaved themselves but unfortunately a hidden post on the A17 has caused some considerable damage to the Centre section which the lorry hit near to the Beckingham ranges. Very disappointing news and the Engineers have assessed it and now it’s down to the hauliers insurance to sort out. Seems to becoming a trend, bending Dakota’s on road moves. The aircraft has been reassembled at Metheringham minus the wings and engines until the winds die down.

http://m.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/pictures/pictures-28192936-detail/pictures.html

The wings left North Weald this afternoon. The fuselage and centre section are due out around 0800 tomorrow (Tuesday). They are already loaded on the trucks.

Did it make it alright? Not the best of days to move a heavy aircraft by road during these winds…