Oh yes, it IS perfectly legal and all done with the CAA’s blessing and encouragement. However…….

My view was that if you have no previous experience on similar types, or even have some tailwheel experience, 1 hour on a Tiger Moth, 40 mins on a T6 and 40 mins in the T9 Spitfire will not get you anywhere near a standard where you are an instant ‘Spitfire Pilot’… As a taster, then yes…Maybe hands on during upper air work but not even touching the take off and landing….Hence my query about the insurance angles…. When I was, ahem, getting my bum in warbirds, a minimum of 50 hours P1 in a T6 was required before they would even think of insuring you.

I guess for those with money to burn, yes, you can tell ya mates down the golf club you’re a ‘Spitfire Pilot’, but until you’ve flown it solo, and slipped the surly bonds, you ain’t anywhere near it..

However, I wish them well.

I hear an hour on the Tiger, 40 minutes on the Harvard and 40 minutes on the Spitfire…

Sounds like a ‘ride round the block joyride’ dressed up as ‘flying training’ to comply with a recent change in rules. Shame it’s not open to everyone to experience it….

I wonder how much their insurers are charging to insure it all..?

PS. I also think it’s a grand idea…

Stangman: “Kent Police said it took only 10 minutes to fly across the English Channel into the county, which has about 120 public and private airfields. ”

Newforest: I am sure that Plod or the BBC meant ‘country’!

I reckon they are spot on with COUNTY. The Police, Special Branch & HMRC know more than people think about the location of airstrips in their manor.

Without counting private helipads, I know of about 60 airfields and private airstrips in Kent. There’s 2 private helipads in my village alone!!

BlueNoser352

I’m sure you also be pleased to hear that, while everyone was watching the Royal wedding, a lone P-51D Mustang paid tribute to the fallen airmen and the ghosts of Bodney aerodrome by performing some flypasts and rolls overhead the long deserted airfield..

CAA Exemption I believe…:D

The use of ‘factory built’ Rollason Turbulents is the key….

Mike was indeed Hanger Foreman, sadly he passed away last year, didn’t know Morris myself, but think you may mean Morris Jefferies.

Sorry to hear about Mike Fry. I worked with him at Southend for a number of years 🙁
The guy you allude to is/was Maurice Jackson. He was at Harvest Air together with Brian Sims..

Hirth Akrostar, D-EOIG….

Looks like Biggin Hill

Red Arrows display over the seafront was definitely 1978. Me and my brother caught the train down there and stood on the pier to watch it..