Whats easier to fly.. Nimrod or Hunter?

Well, I’d have thought the Hunter – nice harmonised power assisted controls 😀 A bit different though if you happen to end up in manual reversion, particularly in the landing phase 😉 Been a few accidents due to manual reversions, and particularly mishandling one-way or both-way restrictions after flying in manual.

I guess you need to speak to someone at Shuttleworth for the truth about the Nimrod.
One thought though, could the Nimrods’ reputation come from the fact that it was flown off carriers in often tricky conditions?

All the aircrew I’ve ever spoken to have spoken highly of the Hunter being a “pilot’s aeroplane” and such a delight to fly… I reckon that speaks volumes for the experience of fast jet pilots, but I know nothing of the reputation of the Hawker Nimrod – so it’s going to be a biased opinion from me I’m afraid?

Sorry guys.. perhaps i should of mentioned that the Nimrod being ‘a bit of pig’ statement was apparently from a current display pilot… and not one on a carrier op.!

That’s a good point. Tricky conditions is often wildly understating the case in carrier ops. Carrier pilots have my respect in full. Imagine if you will trying to land in a crosswind (since the introduction of the angled flight deck) on an airfield which is trying to run away from you, remembering that your touchdown point may be moving vertically and/or horizontally or both by about 20 feet. I reckon that would concentrate the mind and get the adrenalin flowing nicely.

true, and you can always spot a navy jock at a land base from a mile off, from their short hefty landings, followed by the big groan from the ground crew, as the fatigue meter goes off of the scale!:D

That’s a good point. Tricky conditions is often wildly understating the case in carrier ops. Carrier pilots have my respect in full. Imagine if you will trying to land in a crosswind (since the introduction of the angled flight deck) on an airfield which is trying to run away from you, remembering that your touchdown point may be moving vertically and/or horizontally or both by about 20 feet. I reckon that would concentrate the mind and get the adrenalin flowing nicely.

I’ve not been lucky enough to fly either type, but I do have time on jets (JP) and on a big engined tail dragger with an airscrew (Harvard) and biplanes (Tiger Moth). I’d suggest neither is easy but the problems are different. Operating a jet requires systems management expertise and the ability to think ahead of the aircraft but pure flying is relatively straight forward.

Big engined prop types require more pure flying skill and are more tricky in their handling, especially in the take off/landing phases but their systems tend to be much more straight forward, especially in the case of something such as the Nimrod.

I guess you need to speak to someone at Shuttleworth for the truth about the Nimrod.
One thought though, could the Nimrods’ reputation come from the fact that it was flown off carriers in often tricky conditions?

Have they or are they getting one ?