I was fortunate enough yesterday to be invited to have a go in a Mk3 Jet Provost.
After 30 years of flying the small stuff I had never even sat in a Jet.
It was a fantastic experience. The ‘small’ JP is a real pussycat, effectively a ‘Piston’ Provost with a jet and tricycle gear.
To a ‘fixed gear fixed prop’ hobby pilot the plethora of dials, knobs and levers was quite daunting but all began to make sense after a good brief and some hands-on air time.
The thing loops and rolls beautifully – delightful ailerons and generally very sweet handling.
Whilst expensive to operate, my mount was a syndicated machine. It appears that fractional ownership is the only way to go with these things.
After a 50 minute chock to chock flight we had guzzled 420 litres of fuel – enough probably to keep a small house warm for most of the Winter.
If any of you out there get the opportunity, grab it! My only caution to the non-pilots is to keep the aerobatics to a minimum if you want to hang on to your lunch. The loops are big and the G sustained for longer as a consequence.
Anybody got a Hunter that wants some talking ballast who is happy to pay for the fuel? I am told that the Hunter is the machine.
HP
By: Manonthefence - 24th March 2005 at 14:13
HP
Will be around that weekend, give me a call and we can sort something out.
If things go according to plan I will be with Mr Patterson and his Sea Fury on the weekend of G-VFWE.
See you soon.
By: Hairyplane - 24th March 2005 at 13:42
JP3
Hi MotF,
Yes it was from North Weald. The other seat was occupied by somebody with squillions of hours on jets. A cool dude indeed that could have played a theatre organ in another life. I miiiight just get a go in the Mk5 or perhaps even a Strikemaster later this year.
I must say, the whole experience really did blow my frock up and I am busting to have another go.
The dilemna is that I dont really want to be distracted away from the heavy piston that I have set my heart on so, for the short term at least, I’ll stick (ish!) with my current fleet. Also, despite owning 4 planes, I dont actually get to fly very much these days, most especially in the Winter. In the summer, my vintage flights tend to last exactly 6 minutes…!
I’ll tell you more next month.
BTW – are you around on the weekend of the 2nd/ 3rd of April? We are doing some flight tests and might also need a toggie for an air to air from the Robin.
Could be fun.
Are you going to G-VFWE?
VBR
HP
By: Manonthefence - 24th March 2005 at 06:53
Cracking stuff HP, has it wetted you appitite for something more exotic?
Where did you fly from, North Weald?
By: Toddington Ted - 24th March 2005 at 06:44
Jet Provost Flight
Excellent Stuff! I hope you enjoyed it! My first trip in a JP was in 1971, I think! as an air cadet and yes, I was sick! Whilst serving at CFS at Scampton in the early 1990s I was fortunate to be able to fly in the Mk3 and the Mk5 (my Boss was the CFS Chief Ground Instructor but still had to fly regularly) and I recall doing a tour of Linconshire golf courses at 250 feet. Whilst I was at Scampton all the JPs were replaced by the Tucano, which are much less noisy in the air and don’t guzzle juice to the same extent.
The Hunter, a beauty and I hope you can get a trip in one. I had the chance of a trip in one at Yeovilton but couldn’t fly then because of an ear infection, pardon Doc? Blast!
By: Rocketeer - 24th March 2005 at 03:49
I was fortunate enough yesterday to be invited to have a go in a Mk3 Jet Provost.
After 30 years of flying the small stuff I had never even sat in a Jet.
It was a fantastic experience. The ‘small’ JP is a real pussycat, effectively a ‘Piston’ Provost with a jet and tricycle gear.
To a ‘fixed gear fixed prop’ hobby pilot the plethora of dials, knobs and levers was quite daunting but all began to make sense after a good brief and some hands-on air time.
The thing loops and rolls beautifully – delightful ailerons and generally very sweet handling.
Whilst expensive to operate, my mount was a syndicated machine. It appears that fractional ownership is the only way to go with these things.
After a 50 minute chock to chock flight we had guzzled 420 litres of fuel – enough probably to keep a small house warm for most of the Winter.
If any of you out there get the opportunity, grab it! My only caution to the non-pilots is to keep the aerobatics to a minimum if you want to hang on to your lunch. The loops are big and the G sustained for longer as a consequence.
Anybody got a Hunter that wants some talking ballast who is happy to pay for the fuel? I am told that the Hunter is the machine.
HP
JP is indeed fun to fly, did a few hours in a T5 back in 1991. You’ll love the Hunter….especially fun with powered controls unpowered or in an inverted spin
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March 24, 2005 at 3:38 am