Be very very carefull!! Ian is a great bloke, but also a very tall and fit one! I will never know how he managed to fit in a Lightning cockpit at all!

Hi Howard

Thanks for that, and yes we will be at the Aeroboot as always. As I said, this is a year long thing for us, but Cockpitfest is an important date in our year, and we are looking forward to it already.

Thanks again,
Ritch.

To avoid any lasting physical or mental damage to any of us, if you could just ask the question for us it would be appriciated!

I will say that it is a totaly non aviation charity (unless you count the Glenfield Hospital Helipad!), and it would be restricted to a collection box and possibly an explanitory note beside the cockpit when open to the public. No off the cockpit collecting at all, and no compulsery donation to enter a cockpit.

And I will be happy to have an armed guard placed next to the box if required, so long as he stops pointing his gun at me!!!!

But, should the answer be a no, I will drop the subject and come along as normal, so no bother there.

Keep up the good work.
Ritch.

Howard

For once these are seriuos questions for you re the fest!!

Aviation in general and Cockpitfest in particular has over the years brough both Max and myself a great deal of fun (a good deal at your personal expence!!) So this year we have decided to do something a little differently. Through out 2014 WZ869, our little Chipmunk cockpit section will be an official sponsor of the Leicester Hospitals Charity http://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/aboutus/leicester-hospitals-charity/help-us-raise-funds/ and in particular the Childrend Heart Unit at Glenfield Hospital.

Over the years we as a family have much to thank the University Hospitals of Leicester for, so it seem fitting that we give them a little support in return. So, at various events through out 2014 we will be displaying our little treasure, and displaying our support for the charity. This will basicaly meen we will be asking for a few coins in a collection box from those who might wish to support us, whilst having a bit of fun sitting in the old girl.

I now wish to ask two qustions of you, First is this going to be OK with the Museum? we don’t want to cause any problems with this. And second, if you are OK with it, and if any other of our friends at Cockpitfest would like to join in with helping us, we can also supply them with collection box’s!!!!!!!

In return, we will try to be good boy’s this year and not put you in any physical danger (as we have in past years!!!!!).

Let me know your views,
Ritch and Max.

Yes, just double chacked, it was a Viscount 800, ex Oman Air Force. went through EMA in 1978 whilst I was an apprentice at Field’s. I think this one went through BMA though and not Alidair.

Back then Field’s BMA and Alidair where processing Viscount from all over the world, brilliant times, and the Viscount was my alltime favourite airframe to work on. I even moved from Dan-Air to BAF to get back working on them instead of the awfull Bae 146!!!

Google 3D-ACM, there are some great photo’s of her on the net.

I think it may have been 700 srs, 3D-ACM Graham.