Keeping the stick back and weights on the tail might have helped surprised it did not go on its nose !!

😮

It would have been sensible to sit in the aeroplane, to keep the tail down. Crikey, its even got an electric start, so why risk that lovely prop.

If outside the cockpit, a simple bungee or even the harness tying the stick back is absolutely vital in an aeroplane of that weight. Any more throttle on the start-up and it WOULD have nosed over!

Obviously I’m being incredibly thick here, but why is it that a Shackleton can’t fly in the UK? when a Lanc, and B17 can; its nothing like a Lightning, or a Harrier, etc.

Sadly, under the current European community EASA regulations , the Shackleton would have had to carry massive third party liability insurance, based on its weight, totally disproportionate to the level of risk.

At a guess, this would mean an annual premium of something over £30,000, maybe as much as £50k. On top of all the other costs.

That means there is absolutely no chance of it ever covering its costs on the airshow circuit – let alone covering the costs of its crossing the Atlantic.

It’s obviously proving impossible even for the aeroplane to operate viably in the less restrictive atmosphere of the USA.

I think we should complement Mike Collett for hanging in there so long – and for finding a solution that will at least ensure this great aeroplane’s future survival – even if not flying.

But next time your MEP needs electing, remember the dumb legislation that he or she passed that is resulting in this sort of thing happening to so many great aircraft!

I was a regular visitor there in the early 1970s.

Flew my first cross-country to there from Teesside. It seemed a long way at the time!

Also did my first parachute drops there in 1974/5, sleeping in the old Northern Parachute Centre Valetta “clubhouse”!

Sadly I can’t find any pics of the then resident aeroclub Victa Airtourers, or the Valetta, or the DH Rapide that languished in the hangar after nosing over. (I was once offered it for free if I’d only take it away!)

Here are a few to mull over though. Taken at the Sunderland Airshow in I think 1974. No captions, you can make your own guesses and comments!! 😉

‘Boring’ aircraft, great flight.

No such thing as a boring aeroplane when it lets you enjoy something like that! 😉

I doubt that the “Clapperboard” series was committed to any easily available form of videotape, although its surprising what the archives may hold!

However if you can find a copy of Derek Piggott’s book “Delta Papa”, there’s quite a lot written about Villa Rides, Blue Max and Mag Men – plus a lot more – A cracking good read!

The light doesn’t really do it justice – its not really pink!!

A new addition to the Guinot team??? 😀

:

Congrats on the thousand!

I’ve only got up to 358 – a large proportion of which are apologising for the rest!!:o