Spitfire pleasure flights.

A friend of mine purchased a flight in PV202 some years back, if I remember correctly it cost her £1500 for about 20 minutes. Not sure how they got around the regulations though!

positive thought

Firstly, I can count four airworthy Spitfires in the U.K. right now.

Spitfires are ex-Military aircraft. There was never a civil variant created. The CAA has stipulated that ex-military aircraft must be operated on a “Permit” as opposed to a “Certificate of Airworthiness”. There are different rules for Permit aircraft e.g. They cannot be flow on instruments, they cannot be flown at night and they cannot be flown for financial gain. This is putting it briefly – others may prefer to add more detail.

So the only way to go for a “joy ride” is to share the cost exactly 50/50 which some operators are prepared to do or to do charity flights which have strict rules too.

Why not simply sponsor a flight and then be invited along as a non paying guest or book the aircraft for a display for coastal birds and be invited along as a non paying guest,where there is a will theres a way,you could even purchase a tempory ownership share making you a part owner which gives you entitlement to fly and after the flight the ownership share dissolves there are a number of legimate ways around this.

I would pay £1500 for a flight in a Spitty and a waggle of the wings!!! (Sorry Stuart!!). I loved my Mustang flight this year and the B17 last year, would need to lose some weight tho’ for TE308!!!

As far as I am concerned, £1500 is worth the memory it will leave me with. The run and break in the Stang was outstanding with g levels I had only ever experienced in fast jets.

Stuart

You said ‘instructors’…they sit in the rear.

Mark

Not in “Spitfire Ace”, which is the definitive training video, as far as I’m concerned !!

I was thinking more of the seemingly empty front cockpit…

Stuart

You said ‘instructors’…they sit in the rear.

Mark

I guess if you’re lucky enough and know the right people, you can get yourself a flight in a UK based two-seater (including the ARC machine), as the videos below prove:

Paul

You really can take an instant dislike to some people:D 😀 .

Honestly that chap looked like he had the ride of his life and would never forget it, I am off to sit in a corner now and turn a slightly darker shade of green;) .

Regards,

John.

I remember reading in one of last years FP’s an article on some of ARC’s Spitfires, and it mentioned talk of the possibility of the CAA introducing a category which allowed fare paying passengers to fly in Warbirds such as their TR.IX (PV202/IAC 161 whichever you prefer), as is the case with the Thunder City jets.ul

The CAA will allow the T.9 Spitfire for example to be used for conversion training as part of a defined training programe. They will effectivley give a temporary relaxation of the permit rules to allow such flights but this is something which the operator has to apply for and prove that the person under instruction fits the appropriate criteria. It is not to allow passenger flights but to allow the aircraft to be used for the purpose it was designed for.

I remember reading in one of last years FP’s an article on some of ARC’s Spitfires, and it mentioned talk of the possibility of the CAA introducing a category which allowed fare paying passengers to fly in Warbirds such as their TR.IX (PV202/IAC 161 whichever you prefer), as is the case with the Thunder City jets.

I can’t remember if they had proposed it and actually had talks with the CAA, or it was just a suggestion, but the argument for it seemed pretty sound to me. I think it makes perfect sense, and hopefully would open up opportunities for other Warbird and Historic aircraft operators who’s aircraft are on a Permit To Fly. And of course make it easier for your average Joe to experience a flight in a valuable piece of history! Whether it will ever happen I don’t know, but I’d like to think that the CAA would at least look into it and discuss the feasibility with owners/operators.

As a side note, one interesting thing the article did mention was that their two-seater can carry a heavier passenger (up to 260lbs) in the backseat than most of the other airworthy TR.IX’s, due to an adjustable bob-weight being fitted on the elevator circuit, as originally fitted to the IAC machines. This helps make it less sensitive in pitch and more like a single seat IX when two are on board.

I guess if you’re lucky enough and know the right people, you can get yourself a flight in a UK based two-seater (including the ARC machine), as the videos below prove:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf54M3Hdmhc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAYOOefRPR0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3utjY5M_-vw

Cheers

Paul

Based upon the prices for Harvard/Tiger Moth flights, I would think that very few enthusiats would be able to afford the £1000+ that even a short Spitfire jolly would be likely cost. So from my view point the licensing of Spitfires for fare paying passengers would be purely accademic.

Steve.

I think there would be a market.
The Spitfire means so much to UK aviation fans…and even to the general public…in a way no other aircraft can match. (Fly a P-51 in America and people will say “neat” or wonder if it’s Tom Cruise, but not many will have tears in their eyes).

People in the UK love their overseas holidays…I’m sure there are plenty of enthusiasts who would be willing to forgo their annual trip to Spain or Orlando to fullfill their once in a lifetime fantasy of flying in a Spitfire (however, wives may disagree here:D ).

If I were that big of a Spitfire enthusiast I’d come up with the money. Sure, if you “know” people in the warbird community, you can eventually get a ride in something (not necessarily as Spitfire) …but what about the average punter…the guy whose granddad flew in the war and reads FlyPast, but doesn’t know Ms. Grace or anyone at TFC? In other words, people on the outside of the flight/VIP enclosures that some of us are lucky enough to be on the other side of.

It seems a very real shame these sincere and knowledgeable enthusiasts can’t be accomodated in the UK.

I was thinking more of the seemingly empty front cockpit…

Mark, was there no minimum height requirements for instructors then?.

🙂 The rear seat has full adjustment vertically, as the front seat.

The Nick Grace/Dick Melton modification, may be more aesthetic but the price is paid in reduced or minimal seat adjustment in the rear cockpit to fit under the slim line new canopy, which of course slides on the same rails as the ‘ugly duckling’ canopy.

Mark

Mark, was there no minium height requirements for instructors then?.

The real thing…again.

The Spitfire Tr.IX, as conceived by Vickers, has two fully functioning separate cockpits and can be flown from either.

The pupil, in Airforce training mode, would fly from the front with the instructor in the rear.

In this shot from the BoB film, by Tony Clarke, better not tell this chap in the rear seat that he is not experiencing ‘the real thing’. 🙂

Mark

But if any one isoffering who am I to say no…..Steve.

If you give the owners a GOOD reason (in their eyes) why you should have a free ride, they will be all over you like a rash. Easy!

Hi Mark,

No of course I haven’t, that sort of money probably like most people represents the bulk of my disposable income for a year! But if any one is
offering who am I to say no…..

Steve.

ML407 – The real thing

You only have to think back to the ‘Spitfire Ace’ TV programme and those on-board shots of Pete Brothers in the back seat to know it is… the real thing.

It bought a tear to many an eye, including mine.

Mark

If the former, I would disagree. Apart from not looking through an armoured windscreen, what is the difference?

I agree – if you have the opportunity to actually fly the aircraft for more than a minute or so it makes all the difference. If you get to do some aerobatics then all the better. This is the difference between flying a trainer Spitfire with full dual controls and just being ‘along for the ride’ say in a Mustang jump seat. Not that I would ever refuse either 😉

From the tone of the last few posts I think people are getting concerened about the cost being prohibitive, IIRC the flight in a Lightning at Thundercity is in excess of 6k and there seems to be a healthy supply of passengers.

I for one would agree that 1500 to 2000 would not be an over excessive amount to charge for a back seat in a Spit, and as for it being a second rate experience to actualy flying it solo then one should consider the costs of actually doing that!!!!.

I think that a back seat in one of the two seaters would be an experience that would be unrivaled in this country, the smell, sight, sound and feeling of being carried skyward in a spitfire would make even 2k sound pathe

John.

Don’t misunderstand me I would think that flying in the back would be almost as good as in the front, but actually being capable of controlling the A/C (and allowed to do so ) rather than the token “waggle” .

With regard to the one in the states ,I understand theres a weight limit of 14 stone ,which is strictly adhered to….. thats me out then!

I’ve been on the Grace spitfire waiting list for 5 years and heard nothing…

I feel a trip to the states coming on….

From the tone of the last few posts I think people are getting concerened about the cost being prohibitive, IIRC the flight in a Lightning at Thundercity is in excess of 6k and there seems to be a healthy supply of passengers.

I for one would agree that 1500 to 2000 would not be an over excessive amount to charge for a back seat in a Spit, and as for it being a second rate experience to actualy flying it solo then one should consider the costs of actually doing that!!!!.

I think that a back seat in one of the two seaters would be an experience that would be unrivaled in this country, the smell, sight, sound and feeling of being carried skyward in a spitfire would make even 2k sound pathetic.

John.