BUNKER SHOTS

Hi Bruggen

Where were the bunker shots taken – Buchan?

Additional Locations

The Friday route was planned to be:

From White Waltham, via Upavon, Dunkeswell and Eaglescott to Yeovil. However, the weather seems to have trashed that plan.

The Saturday route was planned to be:

From Yeovil via Shobdon, Chetwynd and Sealand to Derby. By mid-afternoon today my contact was still at White Waltham amid pouring rain and thunderstorms. However, there was some hope of being able to sneak round the back of the storms and get to Yeovil this evening. Not sure if they managed that.

The Sunday route is as stated above.

10 Sqn to Disband?

According to a post on another website it was announced in the last 24 hrs that 10 Sqn is to disband later this year and three more 10s are to be scrapped. Confirmation anyone?

I should learn to type faster than mmitch!

Deltair are the people to talk regarding Gipsys as they are the type certificate holders for the engine.[/QUOTE]

Not strictly true ref Deltair holding a Type certificate for the Gipsy series. Deltair has a “Type Responsibility Agreement” – see British Civil Airworthiness Requirements, Section A5, for a meaning of this – which is something less than holding the Type Certificate. This is actually the root of the problem. The CAA therefore have no design organisation to turn to and underwrite any technical solution to the AAIB recommendation.

That means that the CAA must take responsibility for any solution – and the CAA is not noted for taking responsibility for anything sensible! People are working on a solution but it could be difficult to get an answer acceptable to owners as well as the CAA. I understand that the next meeting of interested parties with the CAA is likely next month.

VFR Exemption??????????

Good news Trapper.

Must say that I cannot see that excuse for a Government we have now allowing any form of exemption from charging unless it is writ in the Euro rules. I therefore think the above 2MT VFR exemption will come to nothing here in the UK. That said, perhaps for the next three weeks we do not have a Government and something could be squeezed through!

Derek Whitehead

I was fortunate to have a guided tour of the Bucc production line at Brough and the flight test centre at HOSM with Derek Whitehead as my host. He said that he was happy as pie flying the Bucc down to ground level – literally! However, he said that the Phantom was a different kettle of fish and below 100 ft it had to be treated with respect. Obviously the bloke in the St Athan Phantom had never met Derek!

AirSpace Contractor

Understand the contractor is Laing O’Rourke – they have done a number of big projects like this over the years. It was Laing that designed and built the so-called “Gaydon” hangars for example, as well as building many airfields during the war. Not sure who the architect is – no doubt they will put up a big sign in the near future.