Fancy a Thunder City jet?

The Thunder City planes were seen outside yesterday, but back in the hangar today.

The picture can be seen on my S.A. forum and was taken by one of our members http://www.internationalflyerz.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=22166&p=55319

The CAA would never allow a Lightning to fly and warned both Thunder City and the SA CAA about their safety concerns.

If you have a spare hour, pull up the accident report and have a read. It makes interesting but shocking reading. It will prevent any Lightning flying again anywhere.

Rgds Cking

Well, they have allowed the Lightning to fly again. On Wednesday afternoon 13 January Mike Beachy Head took the T5 up for a 25 minute flight around the Cape Peninsula…..hopefully many more sorties will follow.

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Thanks everyone.

Yes, I did read the report at the time but I don’t remember all the details, just that it was some occasionally-eyewatering stuff. I was more wondering whether attitudes/rulings from one Aviation Authority would be adopted by others around Europe similar to my line of work, where the approval (or otherwise) of one state’s Notified Body is generally accepted by other member states.

Getting back to the aircraft, I notice that they claim to be up-to-date on all technical instructions, serviced, etc. Again, from what I remember of the report – I would be wanting a second opinion before I climbed into one, just in case it was ‘High in Shergar’!

Alas, Mr. Abramovich left his wallet in his other jeans, so for me the point is moot.

The CAA would never allow a Lightning to fly and warned both Thunder City and the SA CAA about their safety concerns.

If you have a spare hour, pull up the accident report and have a read. It makes interesting but shocking reading. It will prevent any Lightning flying again anywhere.

Rgds Cking

The CAA has never made a secret about there problems with the Lightning series, it’s tenderness in certain areas was well known and fully understood, but even so suffered a number of losses while in service due to known problems, As such some might say the airframe had design flaws from day one but which airframe does not.

The published information was passed onto the SA authorities at the relevant time and if you do actually take the time to read the accident report in detail some of these factors came together with a lack of care and attention to cause the loss of the aircraft and it’s pilot. it was a defective airframe that should never have been allowed to fly on that day until rectified, sadly no one stepped up and said ‘No’ at the time.

Bravo24 is right they were happy days, plus XL573 is still airworthy in the UK.:dev2:

Go to your insurers for a quote for your Lightning and just hope that they don’t have access to the internet !

The CAA would never allow a Lightning to fly and warned both Thunder City and the SA CAA about their safety concerns.

If you have a spare hour, pull up the accident report and have a read. It makes interesting but shocking reading. It will prevent any Lightning flying again anywhere.

Rgds Cking

:rolleyes: Not quite…

oh my gosh I went to Thunder City with Dad in 2001, we found it by accident whilst on a holiday visiting my SA relatives we soooooo nearly paid to go up in the Lightning!!!! loved their black paint schemes

Hunter XL613

Looking at this thread it is interesting to see what became of my old a/c.

When they came up for disposal i purchased two Hunter T7s that were lying at Shawbury XL573 and XL613.

Total cost £1755 each plus VAT.

Happy days!!!!

Wouldn’t bother – I’d donate them to the The Lightning Preservation Group along with suitable hangarage (QRA barn or two) – rather see them back in the Uk on the ground than being shredded for fizzy drinks cans….

Am I correct in recalling from the discussion of the Lightning T5 accident that the CAA would not countenance an airworthy Lightning in the UK? If so, would that also extend to the rest of Europe under the usual sort of EU bilateral shenanigans?

The CAA would never allow a Lightning to fly and warned both Thunder City and the SA CAA about their safety concerns.

If you have a spare hour, pull up the accident report and have a read. It makes interesting but shocking reading. It will prevent any Lightning flying again anywhere.

Rgds Cking

More chance of buying a ‘budget’ Lasanne with 100% beef in it than the CAA allowing a Lighting to fly!

Am I correct in recalling from the discussion of the Lightning T5 accident that the CAA would not countenance an airworthy Lightning in the UK? If so, would that also extend to the rest of Europe under the usual sort of EU bilateral shenanigans?

Now, if I find a few million quid down the back of the sofa after Mr. Abramovich drops in for a beer, that Hunter T8 looks nice! 😀

Oh for the money to buy the lot….

Lightnings, Buccaneers and Hunters up for sale again. Bids to be in by 31st March.

http://www.go-dove.com/en/event-15794/Thunder-City-Aircraft-Company-Historical-Military-Jets/lots

Rob

any further word on the fate of the jets?

any further word on the fate of the jets?

I was always under the impression that not all the aircraft belonged to Thunder City and that they existed as a maintainance operation for some.

Thats great news,

Do you know if the aircraft have been sold, or have they been made airworhy again to try and help with selling the fleet?

Either way, its great to know that there is still an airworthy Buc flying today!

THunder City jets at Airshow

A Thunder City Hunter and Buccaneer will be part of the Overberg Air Show on 21 April.

See : http://flyin.org.za/program.htm

This really is good news….who knows, seeing a Lightning flying again may not seem to be that far fetched at all.