It is a perspex partition, which keeps it roasty-toasty cosy if you are flying solo, as well as preventing migration of FOD hazzard articles There is also small letter-box type drop down panel in the middle thorough which can be passed rude notes or in-flight rations.

We jabbering onlookers face a challenge almost as great as getting the Vulcan back in the air.

That is the challenge of expressing a single opinion, or making an observation on this project, whch has not been already been wheeled out five thousand times already, chewed over, spat out, tossed aside, dragged out again ad nauseam.

It’s a shame they are not restoring a balloon instead, at least we could have helped them with a plentiful supply of hot air.

It might be more interesting to examine the options as things currently stand (within the limits of our knowledge) and help to identify the best (or least-worst) outcome towards which the project could be steered.

Seeing this Pembroke, for me, is like the first cuckoo of spring- I know the season has started when I see it chugging past on its way to the first Duxford show, always the same route, usually about 9.30 over Chesham, as it tracks round to the west of the London TMA.

Marvellous ! I remember the 32 Sqdn Pembrokes grinding out of Northolt in the early 80’s, just about the last pistons to be seen there , apart from the odd Nordatlas.

We are very lucky that there are still some private enthusiasts prepared to spend huge sums to keep these machines in the air. Thanks, and long may it continue.

Just two flyers left now I think, this and the AA one at Coventry.

Here is a photo of her being run-up quite recently. Go the the Malta aviation Museum website for a video.

She still has the crease in the plywood decking that was there 10 years ago!

It will be great to see her flying again, and I hope they can find a bit of grass to operate off.

Flying always has been and always will be expensive, but that has not been an obstacle to thousasnds of pilots, and need not be to you.

I would suggest that the best you can do at present is look into joining the Air Training Corps, and you are just the right age. Your local squadron is (from memory) 240 at Southampton. You can expect to learn to fly gliders solo, and fly in RAF aircraft at NO Cost to yourself. Added to which, it is a very worthwhile thing to do, and you will probably make life-long friends and do many things you would not otherwise have even thought about.

Flying Scholarships are available, leading to PPL perhaps, and then……..

Best of luck.

I went to school with Peter Burkhill, and we both applied for BA at the same time ( 1988) . I lent him my copy of ‘Pilot’ with the article on the BA scholarship scheme, and he never gave it back !

So he gets in, but me,……. you can guess the rest:( 😉