Vickers Vimy Replica to Fly North Atlantic – Pilot Steve Fossett
On June 14, 1919, Alcock and Brown became the first aviators to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. This was the first crossing of the Atlantic in one day.
Eighty-six years later, a replica Vickers Vimy is being prepared at St. John’s International Airport, Newfoundland, Canada to re-create this famous flight to Clifden, Ireland.
The open-cockpit, twin-engine biplane will be flown by aviation adventurers Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholtz. This is the same California-based Vimy replica that retraced flights from London to Australia, and London to South Africa over the last decade.
The Vimy left California on May 19 and arrived in St. John’s the evening of Thursday, June 9.
This story is national news in Canada, but Europe has been slow to hear of this upcoming adventure. Spread the word!
Ken Swartz
Toronto Aerospace Museum
http://www.torontoaerospacemuseum.com
For more information, see four Vimy websites:
Vimy Atlantic web site, includes daily updates, photos and news clippings from trip across USA and Canada, air to air photos over Toronto … etc.
http://www.vimy.org
National Geographic Vimy web page (will be uspdated soon): http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/vimy/index.html
Toronto Aerospace Museum web page (Vimy visited YZD for one week)
http://www.torontoaerospacemuseum.com
Steve Fossett’s Website
http://www.stevefossett.com
By: taylorman - 18th July 2005 at 10:28
It should be a very special archievement…
By: BlueRobin - 18th July 2005 at 10:15
Why though did it get relatively little publicity in the media?
By: steve rowell - 17th July 2005 at 13:22
What a huge relief that they made it across safely, and what a fantastic achievement.
Yes a great effort, but what next for Steve Fossett? i’m sure the man has a death wish!!
By: Arabella-Cox - 4th July 2005 at 12:11
What a huge relief that they made it across safely, and what a fantastic achievement.
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 3rd July 2005 at 19:46
As I may have said over on Historic
I AM REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THIS
By: Charlielima5 - 3rd July 2005 at 18:19
The Vickers Vimy finally crossed the Atlantic and landed today at Clifden, Ireland, at 17.04 local time! What an incredible achievement for this superb replica aeroplane to have re-created all three record-breaking long-distance Vimy flights of 1919-1920 – very well done!
By: Mpacha - 28th June 2005 at 09:53
No video’s or books then?
By: Charlielima5 - 28th June 2005 at 08:54
I seem to recall the 1999 flight was covered in some detail by ‘Aeroplane’ and National Geographic’ magazines.
Meanwhile, I hear the Vimy made a test flight around St John’s yesterday, so we can assume the vital spare part was delivered and fitted OK.
By: mmitch - 27th June 2005 at 19:49
Regarding press coverage. Todays ‘Daily Mail’ has a page article on the original flight and the modern attempt. The Daily Mail offered the £10,000 prize for the first non stop flight that Alcock and Brown won.
mmitch.
By: Mpacha - 26th June 2005 at 22:55
I have another question, whilst the first Vickers Vimy Replica flight had much coverage(Books, video etc.) I’ve yet to see anything on the second flight to Cape Town? Does anyone know of any??
By: Steph - 26th June 2005 at 21:26
>I have a question: why does it seem that when talking about crossing the atlantic, it’s always about Charles Lindbergh in 1927, supposed to be the first man to cross the ocean and not about Alcock and Brown then?
>Is it because Lindbergh was the first to do it solo? Or maybe from West to East?
Ah, found the answer to my question: Lindbergh was indeed the 91 st person to cross the Atlantic but he was made famous for doing it alone, establishing a speed record in the process.
Steph
By: galdri - 25th June 2005 at 15:19
If they are going to do this flight without any modern navigation equipment, then flying through the night makes a lot of sense. It makes it a lot easier to get a decent position fix with stars and sextant. Flying on a magnetic heading during the night will not be any more difficault than doing it during day, and they wont see any features to navigate by on the sea anyway (day or night!)
By: Propstrike - 25th June 2005 at 11:04
Seemingly the Vimy will have ‘ no modern instruments on board ‘ for this monumental flight. I am all for authenticity etc etc, but if I were taking this trip, I sure as hell would have a GPS smuggled away, just in case. Sixteen hours holding a magnetic heading, through the night as well. Eeek !
I wonder if a transponder counts as an instrument?
By: Charlielima5 - 25th June 2005 at 08:38
Check out this: http://www.clifdenchamber.com/vimywatch.htm.
It certainly looks – from this press release of yesterday – like they will be flying overnight with an ETA in Clifton of approx 0600-0700 on Monday. Exciting stuff!
By: Propstrike - 24th June 2005 at 19:50
Website says they are looking at a Sunday am departure.
They can’t be flying through the night (can they ??) so to land at last light in Eire would give them until 9.30 (ish). Good luck chaps !
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June 13, 2005 at 4:50 pm