viscountA neat, wry, observation on life, with which I concur; but if taken apart and examined is fundamentally flawed.
First it confuses ‘knowledge’ with ‘intelligence’. Certainly having children increases parents knowledge as they too have to re-learn long forgotten tasks, say long multiplication, over again and expose themselves to situations and places like museums that they would not otherwise revisit. On the other hand (providing I recall my education theory of 40 years ago correctly) I.Q. mathematically inevitably reduces with age, as age is taken into consideration in the computation of test results and producing the IQ score.
I still do like the life observation though!
viscountThe war memorial sculpture to the bomber crews at Lissett. I first came across this by accident while house hunting on a winters day with moody evening skies, but even on a bright day is evocative. Little of the airfield, now a wind turbine farm survives, but the memorial is different and effective, well beyond the usual bland brass plaque inlaid into local stone. I cannot pass without stopping and reflecting on the bravery of those bomber crews, well before my time. Inland side of the A165 between Beverley and Bridlington.
There are several WWII bomber station control tower restorations, some with associated volunteer museums – not my field, others may chip in.
Don’t overlook the collection of the Real Aeroplane Collection at Breighton (several miles north of M62 J37 Howden). Best on a fly-in or event day as they usually fly some of their older aircraft. They have an annual membership scheme, which includes airside hangar access – for a one off non-event day visit try an e-mail in advance and promise a small donation for a ‘one-off’ visit – do express an interest in access into the restoration workshops, as I suspect from the OP that could be where your interest lies.
Lots of active friendly GA airfields eg Sherburn in Elmett, Lindley Hill/Beverley, Bagby etc. Gliding sites at Pocklington and Sutton Bank. Recently passed into civilian ownership is the former RAF airfield at Topcliffe, if airfield architecture is an interest, might be worth an e-mail to the new airfield owner. Yorkshire is a big County!
viscountTo reply directly to the question asked, then undoubtedly the grounding of their aircraft by the British following the total loss of an aircraft on first flight in Spain is why ZM400 remains at Kirkland AFB.
Now that Airbus have released the findings of the investigation into the Spanish crash, with the blame (as I non-technically understand it) placed on engine control software incorrectly installed. Presumably Airbus and the operating Air Forces have now worked out how to ensure that existing aircraft can be re-flown safely. As far as I am aware the RAF have two delivered (ZM400 and ZM402) with ZM402 noted on training around UK airfields on 8th May before grounding. Presumably both will be checked and tested before returning to flight once cleared to do so. In many ways only a month grounding following a disastrous crash could be considered quite a short period. Think back to how long it took to get Concorde cleared for flight again (although the cause of the problem was very different).
viscountYou identify the issue with selective quotes extremely well and make my point superbly, thank you.
viscountA highly selective quote post from ‘TomcatVIP’, with a link that does not (now appear to) include the full press account.
There are plenty of reports elsewhere on the net with a fuller account of the Airbus announcement regarding the initial outcome of the report of the A.400M crash. One such being:
Outcome does not reflect well on Airbus testing regime, but does clear the airframe design and build.
viscountWokka Bob, yes that is actually my list, the same one as linked to a few posts up, from the north west air news forum. Seems like we are going around in circles here, but I would welcome the opportunity to cross-check mine with another. The list makes more sense formatted into columns, but the code isn’t the same on both forums, as I tried posting it here before linking it !
The rider to the list is not included above, stating:
42 aircraft are listed, but the organisers state 43 (later amended to 44) attended, so did aircraft leave early, or arrive later, or
did I keep on passing some without seeing (or photographing them!)? There was also another, “18671” (WP905/G-BNZC), in RCAF wartime
yellow towards the back of one of the Shuttleworth collection hangars, but was not a participant so clearly does not count (or does it?).
viscountDoes ‘TomcatVIP’ indeed expect us mere mortals to actually understand his last paragraph?
Repeating engine issue = get it back on the ground as fast as you can, not continue calmly to original destination as planned. To me your experience is not an engine related problem. After all it most be aviation rule number one, engine power loss/fluctuation, land it as soon as you safely possibly can, you cannot just ignore it.
I reckon two possibilities, or maybe a combination of the two. Firstly, noise abatement applied heavyhandedly. The feeling of sudden quiet, combined with de-acceleration and apparent sink can be rather unsettling in the cabin, but whenever I’ve experienced this the flight crew have either provided prior warning or quickly come on the intercom to explain the situation. Should only happen once in the flight though while still low enough for noise to be an issue.
Alternatively, being a factory fresh aircraft, the proximity alarm (TCAS) set over sensitively, commanding a stop to the climb due sensing potential collision risk with an aircraft above. A simple nose down would ‘balloon’ the trajectory through the path of the other aircraft, a reduction in power countering this with sink. Even so the crew should have informed the passengers that the smoothness of the climb-out had been interrupted by TCAS overide. On a similar theme ATC may have asked for flight level to be held several times during the climb due to conflicting traffic above. The autopilot/electronic flight systems have commanded a decrease in power to halt the climb-out and hold altitude and also to prevent the aircraft accelerating in level flight on climb-out power . Cannot say I’ve experienced this myself though, just an idea.
I am not in the aviation industry, just thoughts as a passenger and I’m not an Airbus (or Boeing) knocker.
viscountListing of all I saw (but 2 short of the organiser’s claim of 44) listed, along with a number of photos on:
http://derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/18281/chipmunk-69th-anniversary-gathering-warden
A very entertaining event, I’m really pleased I drove down (even though it took me a little short of 5 hours to drive home in Bank Holiday Friday motorway traffic), not just for the array of Chipmunks, but the activity by the Shuttleworth aircraft, modern residents and visitors. Well done de Havilland Canada for making the first flight of the Chipmunk on what, 69 years later, would be a rare day of good weather in the UK! Seriously, I hope that ‘Janie’ will accept my thanks and likely all the several hundred enthusiasts and public gathered on the field to watch, and pass this thank you onto the organising team for their hard work. While I know this owners event was not organised for us, I really enjoyed the days activity at a beautiful location.
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viscountThe Air Britain publication ‘The British Civil Registers 1919-1928’, Peter Moss 1969 adds little, but does record that:
G-EBCB Avro 504K, formerly H221, no constructor’s number. Issued with a C of A 2nd May 1922 with Kingwill & Jones Flying Co. Withdrawn prior to C of A expiry on 24th April 1929, as marks were cancelled February 1929.
The same publication also rules out G-EACB as the full registration of the aircraft in the OP, a conclusion already arrived at by others.
G-EACB Avro 504K, formerly E1671, no construction number. Registered 9th May 1919 to A.V.Roe & Co. No C of A issued. Marks cancelled in September 1920.
viscountTitle line not absolutely correct as there is a NOTAM out advising of a pass down the River Mersey at 1350 on Monday 25th May by the ‘Red Arrows’ over the gathered Queens. They are operating from Hawarden to perform at the Llandudno seafront display at the weekend, then moving to display at Blackpool.
Now I’ve got to work out if that is Zulu or already converted to local time!
viscountTitle line not absolutely correct as there is a NOTAM out advising of a pass down the River Mersey at 1350 on Monday 25th May by the ‘Red Arrows’ over the gathered Queens. They are operating from Hawarden to perform at the Llandudno seafront display at the weekend, then moving to display at Blackpool.
Now I’ve got to work out if that is Zulu or already converted to local time!
viscountAs a matter of interest, as I will be arriving by road with camera, what time do the morning arrival ‘slots’ start?
Really do hope that our current changeable weather cooperates, as clearly a great deal has gone into organising this event.
viscountThe history given by Jennifer Graddidge in the 3 volume Air Britain 2006 ‘The First Seventy Years’ for c/no: 13901/25347 is:
43-48084 served as a C-47A, EC-47A, JC-47A then back to C-47A (units are given in the book, can copy if requested)
N638NA with NASA, Lewis, regd June 1961; Cleveland, OH (noted 1971)
N14MA, Mannion Air Charter, Detroit, MI regd 20 Nov 1973
Century A/L Inc regd June 1982 and cancelled March 1991
MOD Films
To Bangkok for use in a film in Vietnam
F-WZIG Permit 28 Sept 1991 to 15 Oct 1991 for ferry Da Nang to Manilla
RP-C1352 Avia Filipinas Intl Ic, Manila June 1993
C R Miller, Manila.
Damaged 1997 in taxiing accident at Manila
wfu Feb 1998
C M Aero Services, Manila in service 2001 as ‘25347’.
Vol 3 (amendments & updates 2011) adds: RP-C1352 noted derelict at Manila in Dec 2007 and again Sept 2009.
The entry for Mannion Air Charter of Detroit, MI states: Used four DC-3s (N12MA to N15MA) for charter work from 1972 until their sale in June 1982, also had earlier owned N88790.
The entry for Century Airlines, Pontiac, MI states: Founded in 1963 as Cryderman Air Service, name changed around 1980. Century Airlines used several DC-3s on charter work, as well as C-46s and Convairs. Last 3 DC-3s were retired in 1993. 15 DC-3 registrations are listed, including N14MA and N15MA.
Interestingly the index does not mention F-WZIH, but there are Dakotas F-WZIG, F-WZII and F-WZIR listed.
Might, or might not help your research – although being a Dakota the more research you do, the more confused you get!
viscountThe Jepperson charts on the net show Luqa, Malta’s 32 length at 11,627ft/3544m, which is some runway!
Holding point D is a quick taxi off the main apron, and is a little short of half way down the runway. From hold D to the 32 threshold is shown as back-track taxi.
For comparison your figure of 2276 metres of remaining runway 32 from hold D is more or less the same total length of runway at Liverpool John Lennon (Jepperson shows the 27 length as 7,497ft/2285m) from which Ryanair have flown to Malta routinely in the past. Liverpool as 12th busiest passenger airport in the UK is hardly in the class of a short field airport and their 2285m is considered more than adequate for even the furthest European destinations.
So why did the Ryanair crew opt to depart from holding point Delta? Certainly a time and fuel saving measure over making the back-track. Perhaps though, the 32 threshold was displaced due to work in progress and Delta to threshold unavailable. Certainly the crew will have computed the take off distances, air temperature/strength/direction, weights, speeds and margins before leaving the terminal and accepting a departure from Delta. I doubt that the crew viewed the take-off from Delta as particularly short, just as less than the full length.
I am not flight crew, nor a pilot, but have spent many years around airports and airliners.
viscountThank you. That rules out my photo collection as a likely source as I was in the wrong part of the UK in the 60s. So we are looking for someone who took lots of photos of Chipmunks at Teversham (Cambridge) and/or Abingdon (Oxford) throughout the ’60s and into the early ’70s so covering operation by 5 AEF, 6 AEF, London UAS and Cambridge UAS (although I would welcome confirmation that these were the bases of those units during the 60s). Both London and Cambridge UASs wore an attractive badge so if photographic evidence can be found I’m sure that the Australian restorers would be delighted, although reproducing the day-glo colour could present problems. The AEF aircraft often did not have a badge applied, although at times 6 AEF did.
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