Although Keith Sissons is no longer flying displays, he remains actively involved as a member of council of the Historic Aircraft Association.

I can understand the frustration of “Stan Smith”, regarding the pre-war de Havilland types. However he must appreciate he is in a rather small minority of operators

For the vast majority of private owners with de Havilland Tiger Moth and Chipmunk and those with SAL Bulldogs too, the move to a Permit to Fly will offer a significant reduction in bureaucracy and cost of being tied into EASA or CAA paperwork and ‘approved’ parts supplies.

For those operators, such as flying schools wishing to continue to operate those aircraft on Certificates of Airworthiness, it may mean that less users will be left chasing the ever-diminishing pool of CAA-certified parts.

Private owners will be increasing able to use, after due inspection, either original parts which no longer have the correct paperwork or to arrange with LAA Engineering to approve the manufacture of new parts to appropriate specifications. The rigidity of CAA and EASA seems set never to allow this.

The number of private owners who are both willing and able, under control of LAA inspectors, to carry out routine maintenance on aircraft such as Tiger Moths is huge. Just as with other classic types such as Austers and Stampes which have also moved onto LAA Permits in the past year, it will I hope more aeroplanes flying and fewer sitting in the back of hangars.

Meanwhile, this book might come in handy too! :diablo:

Ah, tailwheel then.

The only one left on the aeroplane by all accounts….

Pilot is a friend and I am delighted he, if not the aeroplane is OK.

Having chatted with him I can support Propstrike’s hypotheses.

A Mustang emulating Ray Hanna- looks like Duxford as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm9K95nEMCQ&feature=related

Clucking bells (or similar!)

The aircraft being flown by Ronald Gilman, who later was a senior BEA and British Airways Captain. He also later restored an Avro Cadet and was the first Chairman of the Vintage Aeroplane Club.

After an operational tour on Beauforts and instructing on Blenheims at Bicester, he was given the job of creating an aerial film unit. He took part in many “interesting” low-level sorties, mainly with Bostons.

The Eindhoven footage was probably shot from a Boston, the initial low level footage is shot in the vicinity of Princes Risborough and the Chilterns ridge and shows Chinnor cement works. I wonder whether he ‘blagged’ a Blenheim V from his old OTU at Bicester for this and or the navigation exercise?

Aeroplane Monthly recorded some of his memoirs in the early 1980s, and his book “The Shiphunters” is recommended reading!

There’s also some post-war footage of Gilman at http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=47460

Ive just got back from Reno. I was about 150yrds from where Galloping Ghost crashed. It had been a great day up until then. I could see thar it wasnt going to clear the stands, but luckly it didnt catch fire. A very sad day.

Dave

Welcome home Dave. Just bl**dy glad you weren’t 150 yds further on!

A very sad day, as you say.

S.

I suspect there is a PR lesson here, in that a carefully worded, authoritative comment would have ended (most of) the idle speculation!

I suspect the decision regarding future displays in 2011 will be influenced by the difficulty in integrating a new or returning member into the team at such a late stage in the season.

Don’t forget that the team starts its training phase in January, and normally then spends the best part of three months getting ‘up to speed’.