” After all these years that 743 has served at Boscombe, second only to Harvard KF183, I would have hoped that somebody in authority at the airfield, would have had the foresight to have realised that this very important and unique trials aircraft should quite rightly be presented to the excellent BDA Museum at Old Sarum, so that it can preserved inside a hanger for future generations to view.
It has been reported that the aircraft is going to the Boscombe Apprentice School. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. May I be allowed to look into my crystal ball and predict that in a year to eighteen months time she will be cut about with various panels and installations removed, their destination…….taken home as souveniers or chucked in the scrap bin.
It’s not all doom and gloom though, My crystal ball also reveals that in 4 to 5 years time, some bright spark in authority at Boscombe will realise the importance of the aircraft, and suggest that the remaining carcass of 743 should be donated to the BDA at Old Sarum. By which time of course, as we all know, it will be too late.”
All rather poor and ill-though out comments unfortunately.
The aircraft is being maintained as a first/second-line training aircraft. The electrical/avionics systems integrity is being maintained in a serviceable condition. Airframe systems are not being broken into – only functioned for rigging experience and maintenance of that system. As we own a number of props and engines these are changed on a servicing schedule that aligns, as does the rest of our activities, with national industry standard level three qualifications. Basically the good old Basset provides valuable training for our second year apprentices before they move to placements in the hangars. Check us out.
http://www.besomebody.qinetiq.com/Pages/default.aspx
Scrapping items or taking them home as souvenirs might be how you did your training, it is certainly not how we run one of the best aircraft apprenticeships in the country these days.
Sign In
