Kermit Weeks – TP-40N Test Flight

It seems that a number of posts here have been about the AT6 rudder lock incident. I am curious as to Kermit’s side of the story, and will ask him when I see him next. I will post his response.

Good idea Praz, I look forward to hearing his response. If he wants to talk to someone about the lousy response from his ground crew, then I’d be more than happy to talk to him about it. Let me / us know what he says.

AT6 Rudder lock incident

It seems that a number of posts here have been about the AT6 rudder lock incident. I am curious as to Kermit’s side of the story, and will ask him when I see him next. I will post his response.

The last check you do is ‘controls-full, free and correct’, that should have shown it up. However, the point of a walkround is to find things like this.

I’m sure that when it came to turning the aircraft on the ground, then it would have been clear to Kermit that something was wrong.

😮 we hope

Please correct me if I’m wrong but how would you go flying with a rudder lock in? Take off straight ahead? Did he get in and start taxing with the lock in? Would the rudder be also locked? How do you do your checks when you go flying in your Harvard, get the ground crew to do the walk around or insist on doing them yourself? Do you check your Aircraft if the ground crew have OK’d it?

I dont want to turn this into a “the day Kermit tried to fly with the control lock in place” thread, but as you’ve asked, I will answer for you.

The control lock was left in place after Kermit and his passenger were strapped in and engine running. Like I’ve said in earlier posts, the main problem was actually trying to convince his ground crew that the control lock was in place. The comments they made were nothing short of ludicrous despite the fact that they could clearly see it. Personally, I would always check the aircraft myself, and wouldn’t rely on someone else to do the walk around. The fact has to be that if Kermit had done a walk around then he would have seen it as part of the rudder inspection. I’m sure that when it came to turning the aircraft on the ground, then it would have been clear to Kermit that something was wrong.

That was day I saw Kermit try and go flying with the control lock in the rudder (10th march 07 to be precise) of his T6!!!!!!!!!!!! 😮

Please correct me if I’m wrong but how would you go flying with a rudder lock in? Take off straight ahead? Did he get in and start taxing with the lock in? Would the rudder be also locked? How do you do your checks when you go flying in your Harvard, get the ground crew to do the walk around or insist on doing them yourself? Do you check your Aircraft if the ground crew have OK’d it?

Wizard Show, Fokker Tri Plane clip

Came across this video clip on Youtube from Kermit’s show, “The Wizard Of Orlampa”. It’s about the Fokker Tri plane he owns. Thought it would be of interest here.

Been A While

Any new news on Kermit or his collection. I heard he bought and is restoring some planes recently that were about to be sold for scrap metal. Anyone know about this?

Kermit Weeks buys war plane collection

I heard that Kermit Weeks purchased a large collection of war planes from a film studio in Los Angeles. The collection had something to do with the old Twentieth Century Fox studios stock of planes used for their famous WW1 and WW2 movies. Does the poster or anyone else have any info on this. I know that he bought a collection several years ago from a film museum out there, but is this something new. Thanks.

He is also human, and that means that he makes mistakes. We all make mistakes, and I can tell you, that despite your admirable defense of Mr weeks, on that sunny day back in March 07, he was going flying with a control lock in the rudder. There are two issues here. One, is that of the groundcrew… please don’t tell me that comments like “he always flies with that in” and “It lifts up automatically in flight” are defendable. I was there. Telling these two guys that I also fly vintage aircraft, and they dont fly with control locks in. Why do you think that they ignored my concerns? Please dont tell that this was good practice on anyones part? And just for the record, this wasn’t Mr Weeks warming up the aircraft… Both him and his passenger with both strapped in, engine running. But, while you’re defending Mr Weeks, can I tell you his response when another member of the public asked him if he was about to go flying with a control lock in?… “Well, I’d have soon realized when I started to taxi” – FACT. I was there! – Maybe he was having a bad day, but does that sound like good flight safety to you?

You might take offense at me saying that “he or his crew is somehow uncaring of safety or proper flight procedures” (BTW, there are your words not mine), but if you’re going to defend his team, then please justify this whole episode to me. Put it this way Praz, if I were to come up to you and tell you that something wasn’t right with Mr Weeks aircraft before he was just about to go flying, would you make a point of raising it with Kermit, or just let him get on with it? I suspect you would raise it with him, and if that be the case, then you cant defend the two ground crew who, in my opinion let him down badly that day. Why they refused to listen to my concerns is beyond me… Like I said in my earlier post, I’m just glad that a 3rd came along and actually took notice of what i was saying…

As for not flying the P40 when the Tuskegee airmen were present… Whats your point? I’m not saying that they’re the cowboys of the sky. I’m saying that for some reason, his groundcrew didn’t want to listen to some British tourist, who just happened to know what he was talking about! (incidentally, my father was also telling them the same thing… 32 years flying in the RAF… I think he knows what a control lock looks like!)

Take as much offense as you like Praz… The whole this is undefendable…

That was well said. It shows the fallability of human nature. Remember SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT. Read that whichever way you want – the meaning is clear.

Thanks.

Hey Thanks,

Been a while. Were’d you go.

Are you posting any more videos?

Answer to feature79

I heard that Kermit has been helping Peter Jackson with parts and engines for his Dam Buster movie. Do you have any info on that?

Also, where are the other clips you were going to post?

Yes, Peter Jackson and Kermit are good friends and he has been “helping” Peter out a bit here and there with some parts and such. I believe Kermit has sent a plane over to him, and also some original building plans. Peter Jackson and his EFX crew have fabricated from scratch many of the planes to be used in the film. A number of them are full scale, highly detailed, non working props, made of balsa and fiberglass, which are being “pushed” around the sets. You wouldn’t know they were just props to look at them, they are that impressively realistic.

Will post more clips when I have clearance to do so.

Praz

Two Questions

I heard that Kermit has been helping Peter Jackson with parts and engines for his Dam Buster movie. Do you have any info on that?

Also, where are the other clips you were going to post?

I stand corrected.

And just for the record, this wasn’t Mr Weeks warming up the aircraft… Both him and his passenger with both strapped in, engine running. But, while you’re defending Mr Weeks, can I tell you his response when another member of the public asked him if he was about to go flying with a control lock in?… “Well, I’d have soon realized when I started to taxi”

Put it this way Praz, if I were to come up to you and tell you that something wasn’t right with Mr Weeks aircraft before he was just about to go flying, would you make a point of raising it with Kermit, or just let him get on with it? I suspect you would raise it with him, and if that be the case, then you cant defend the two ground crew who, in my opinion let him down badly that day. Why they refused to listen to my concerns is beyond me… Like I said in my earlier post, I’m just glad that a 3rd came along and actually took notice of what i was saying…

Take as much offense as you like Praz… The whole this is undefendable…

I have no reason to disbelieve you, and stand corrected on this. Kermit is an eccentric person, but to be cavalier about it, is truly undefendable.

Faults and all, Kermit is a good, genuine man with a deep love for preserving aviation history, who as you say, is human and makes mistakes.

Previous link to video was broken, now it works

I have to say beyond Kermit’s eccentricity and bigger than life personality, he is an aviator, and has been since he was young. He knows and respects aviation, and it’s history.

I take offense to those who’d say that he or his crew is somehow uncaring of safety or proper flight procedures. Kermit will alway warm up the plane he is to fly for flight of the day, then he goes and eats lunch. After lunch he flies. At that point he does all that is necessary to make sure the plane is ready and safe to fly.

Just last month he shut down the P40 featured in this video because the brakes were faulty. At the time, four of the remaining Tuskegee airmen were present, plus a film crew ready to watch them fly, possibly one last time. In spite of all these “special conditions”, Kermit and his crew would not let the plane fly.

He is also human, and that means that he makes mistakes. We all make mistakes, and I can tell you, that despite your admirable defense of Mr weeks, on that sunny day back in March 07, he was going flying with a control lock in the rudder. There are two issues here. One, is that of the groundcrew… please don’t tell me that comments like “he always flies with that in” and “It lifts up automatically in flight” are defendable. I was there. Telling these two guys that I also fly vintage aircraft, and they dont fly with control locks in. Why do you think that they ignored my concerns? Please dont tell that this was good practice on anyones part? And just for the record, this wasn’t Mr Weeks warming up the aircraft… Both him and his passenger with both strapped in, engine running. But, while you’re defending Mr Weeks, can I tell you his response when another member of the public asked him if he was about to go flying with a control lock in?… “Well, I’d have soon realized when I started to taxi” – FACT. I was there! – Maybe he was having a bad day, but does that sound like good flight safety to you?

You might take offense at me saying that “he or his crew is somehow uncaring of safety or proper flight procedures” (BTW, there are your words not mine), but if you’re going to defend his team, then please justify this whole episode to me. Put it this way Praz, if I were to come up to you and tell you that something wasn’t right with Mr Weeks aircraft before he was just about to go flying, would you make a point of raising it with Kermit, or just let him get on with it? I suspect you would raise it with him, and if that be the case, then you cant defend the two ground crew who, in my opinion let him down badly that day. Why they refused to listen to my concerns is beyond me… Like I said in my earlier post, I’m just glad that a 3rd came along and actually took notice of what i was saying…

As for not flying the P40 when the Tuskegee airmen were present… Whats your point? I’m not saying that they’re the cowboys of the sky. I’m saying that for some reason, his groundcrew didn’t want to listen to some British tourist, who just happened to know what he was talking about! (incidentally, my father was also telling them the same thing… 32 years flying in the RAF… I think he knows what a control lock looks like!)

Take as much offense as you like Praz… The whole this is undefendable…

In Kermit’s defense

I have to say beyond Kermit’s eccentricity and bigger than life personality, he is an aviator, and has been since he was young. He knows and respects aviation, and it’s history.

I take offense to those who’d say that he or his crew is somehow uncaring of safety or proper flight procedures. Kermit will alway warm up the plane he is to fly for flight of the day, then he goes and eats lunch. After lunch he flies. At that point he does all that is necessary to make sure the plane is ready and safe to fly.

Just last month he shut down the P40 featured in this video because the brakes were faulty. At the time, four of the remaining Tuskegee airmen were present, plus a film crew ready to watch them fly, possibly one last time. In spite of all these “special conditions”, Kermit and his crew would not let the plane fly.

I’m not sure what it was…Was it that they think this man is superior and therefore cant have made a mistake like that, or was it that he’s the boss and no one dared to pull him up?

You know, I have to agree with you on the dynamic between Kermit and his employees. I definitely saw some walking on egg shells around him, even some of the mechanics. Can you blame them though? They don’t want to lose their jobs. They get paid to work on and fly a very rare collection of planes. There aren’t many of those opportunities around. What’s the alternative, work for an airline that’s going under, doing the same work day in and day out. Anyway, most of the workers listen to Kermit when he’s around, and then go do things their own way, the right way, when he leaves.

Can you say “Pre-Flight”?!?!?! It isn’t just for stretching the pilots legs before the flight!

I have seen the P-51C fly over there. Very Cool!! Love that sound. Also watched the Fi Storch fly, or should I say, turn into the wind and JUMP.

It was pretty obvious that he hadn’t done a pre flight, which I thought was especially bad as he was taking a passenger with him.

But what annoyed me more what attitude of the people on the ground…

I’m not sure what it was…Was it that they think this man is superior and therefore cant have made a mistake like that, or was it that he’s the boss and no one dared to pull him up? Many an aircraft have boon lost because of that situation… Where no one wanted to tell the boss that he’s got it wrong. But to tell me that “He always flies with that in” and “It lifts up automatically in flight” – What a joke.

Can you say “Pre-Flight”?!?!?! It isn’t just for stretching the pilots legs before the flight!

I have seen the P-51C fly over there. Very Cool!! Love that sound. Also watched the Fi Storch fly, or should I say, turn into the wind and JUMP.