Fairey Gannet XT752 Court Ruling

Having learnt lessons from many years of consuming and arranging services, I totally agree with Fox VC10s post. If, post purchase, ANYTHING out of the ordinary occurs that results in phone calls/correspondence/conversations, make a record of it, names, dates, times etc – a pain though it may be.

It’s great to connect with an operator on the forum, and we look forward to seeing the Gannet in the UK Shannan:) Listening to a Shuttleworth audio recording of some years ago, the sound of a Double Mamba is particularly distinctive, and with that paint job the aircraft will make quite an impact.

Shannan

I feel you are very brave writing publicly on any forum after what was probably such a traumatic time. I think that you where possibly somebody caught in the middle and perhaps possibly a little naive personally.

Anyway this situation, I fear, will appear again and again in another format sooner or later due to the willingness of people to make a quick buck off the backs of others and ****** the consequences, I think the verdict is fairly clear on that.. Mates rates dont last long when things go pear shaped, then you find out who your true friends are and the vultures appear.

To everyone – Get everything in writing and keep things as simple as possible! If it costs a little more, you may benefit in the long run anyway.

Good luck with the Gannet – a particular favourite!

Hi Shannan,

I echo everyone in welcoming you and applauding your efforts in returning a Gannet to the skies. Just to ask the question regarding co-operation with the XL500 team at St Athan again. Are you in contact with them in a positive sense and is there any suggestion that parts you believe to be yours have ended up with them (one would assume through no fault of their own)?

I totally agree. 🙂

Unfortunately its a story I think we will never know the full facts . What is maybe more important in view of the effort and determination is to focus on the future for the machine and how you wish to share her and what people can do to help her remain in her element.

Like I said before my goal is to get her back to the UK for at least one season. It would be my pleasure to share her with everyone. That is my end result. I have also told my team that no matter what when we are presenting her we will meet and greet everyone. You will not find people with high egos who come strutting out of the aircraft and keep themselves at arms lengths. My team will be there shaking hands, signing autographs and taking pictures with everyone who comes to see her. This isn’t an ego stroke for me.

I love seeing the joy in people’s eyes when they come into the hangar and see her for the first time. When I see this I know that I have done something right.

The Gannet is suppose to be positive, fun and exciting. I want to share that with everyone…well most everyone.

Yes I have struggled and yes I have fought really hard for all of this and no I am not this horrible person that everyone likes to think I am although it makes for a good story.

It is really unfortunate that Mark Petrie and Ray Middleton ever thought they could do this and get away with it. Has anyone every asked them why? What was the pupose? What was there end result. Would they have accomplished what I have? Would they have shared her? Or would it just be another ego stroke?

There is so much of the story that is untold that I have decided to start up a website which hopefully will be up and running soon. It will be the untold story of the Gannet. I will start from the beginning to the end. I will post every piece of documentation, letters, emails and some threatening to myself and my team and that point in time you can than decide on what to believe. I will not leave anything out.

Welcome GG if you can get her over here I for one will love to see her.

Looking at the court case I would be suprised if they are not!

As others have said Shannan I welcome you to the forum 🙂

Just out of interest are you in contact with the guys down at St Athan in Wales who are restoring Gannet AEW.3 XL500 to airworthy status? Although I’m sure many would love the prospect of seeing Janet (the T.5) and the AEW.3 flying together, it also offers an opportunity to share info / spares etc with a like minded group!

Rob

Best of luck, GG!

P

Thank you all!

We are very excited to be bringing her back to Osh Kosh this year, please stop by an say hi and have pics taken with her.

We have been asked to do a few other shows around the area that will be announced once final details are ironed out.

My goal is to get her back to the UK for a season. In order to do this there is alot of planning and would mean that we wouldn’t be doing airshows in the USA. Again, that is my goal. I got this far why not keep going. 🙂

I’ve been looking forward to seeing the Gannet at Air Expo in a couple weeks, Shannan! I think the last time I saw it was 2001 at the Anoka airport, and previous to that, at one of the old St. Paul air shows (probably ’96, shortly after Wally got it flying). Its fantastic to have it back in the area and flying again. ; )

:highly_amused: Will it be at Legends 🙂

No, sooner or later, I’m sure someone will have a question. In the meantime, and aside from all politics, many congratulations on a great job in getting it back in the air. Personally, I always expected it to leave Goose Bay as ingots.

Bruce

Thank you.

I hope I haven’t silenced the forum. 🙁

Thank you!

🙂

Welcome to the forum Shannan!

Hello,

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Shannan Hendricks (or Odone in the UK) proud owner of the Fairey Gannet XT752.

I thought I would join the conversation with regards to the Gannet and let anyone know that if they have any quesions I would be happy to answer unless I can’t due to ongoing legal issues.

How on earth did you interpret that my comment suggested that one should fly an unrestored aircraft? If you read all of It there is no suggestion that those involved did not know what was in the containers and what their intended purpose was. They put that to one side [ get It ] and squabbled over relatively small amounts of money. The storing of the containers In the first place with no mention of rental payment sounds like a favour to me.

Its very simple really, the containers were held as a favour and the persons providing storage in the end got fed up or changed their minds, and It co-insided with the owner running into financial difficulties. So they took steps to get their money. The original worthy plan to restore the aircraft being put to one side.
No one in the case seems to come out very well.

How anyone can read the full court judgment and say, “Its very simple really…” is beyond me. Where does one get this inside information about, “held as favour” and “fed up or changed their minds”? What do you know that the judge did not know?

And the “plan to restore the aircraft being put to one side.” Where does that come from? Who in his or her right mind would fly an unrestored aeroplane across the Atlantic? The Gannet had been “restored” to flying condition in the States, and the containers of spares were for longer term support.