Aircraft General Discussion

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

I'm lead to believe that NEW PYB Catalinas are being built ? Noel.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Noel,
https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2023/08/catalina-aircraft-to-build-new-versions-of-famous-wwii-seaplane/

[Andrew JohnstonParticipant @andrewjohnston13878]

Busy day today! The usual Spitfires flying over, but an hour ago the Catalina rumbled past the bungalow at about a 1000ft. Shortly afterwards, as i was about to start cutting the front grass, the Lancaster flew over at 600ft, heading for Duxford.

Andrew

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

A spitfire from Shuttleworth was clearing the pipes out this morning and at 500ft as well as he circled our village.

Martin P

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

The only notable aircraft I have seen in the past few weeks is a powered glider. I think it was the same one on two different days but it could have been two just coincidently passing the same point a few days apart.

Martin C

[Michael HorleyParticipant @michaelhorley72278]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 17/08/2023 15:15:40:

Busy day today! The usual Spitfires flying over, but an hour ago the Catalina rumbled past the bungalow at about a 1000ft. Shortly afterwards, as i was about to start cutting the front grass, the Lancaster flew over at 600ft, heading for Duxford.

Andrew

My Sister sent me a message earlier to look out for the Catalina. She and her partner are heavily involved in it's upkeep. I am not far from lakenheath and the planes were buzzing about at the time so I didn't expect to see it.

[DrDaveParticipant @drdave]

I visited the BBMF hanger at RAF Coningsby recently.  Well worth a visit.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I was at Coningsby when the overhead heating was being installed in the hangars, the red piping that can be seen in your photo. This was not done for the comfort of the groundcrew but because it was beneficial to the aircraft and so overall cost of maintaining them dropped by more than the cost of the heating. When they were installing the heating in number 3 hangar we shared number 4 hanger (this one) with the BBMF as they had less aircraft in the eighties.

Our phantoms were in the far end and where this photo was taken from the Lancaster was up on jacks in flying position, that is with the wings not drooping due to gravity. It was having the wings re-skinned. As a result I was able to sit in all the BBMF aircraft they had at the time for a good look at them and sit in the various seats of the Lanc with the exception of the rear gunner. I wish we had had digital cameras then for a few good selfies.

We had a visit from my son with his wife and sons in August and went to a medieval event at Tattershall Castle followed by a visit to the BBMF then on to the Woodhall Spa Tea Room before heading home.

Martin C

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Yes, worth a visit.

Been there a couple of times for business. Done some design and certification work for them on a couple of aircraft.

Robert.

[JAParticipant @ja]

I visited Coningsby about forty years ago for work. Tornados were operating from there. I cannot remember why I went there but three of us did the journey to and from there in a day, across country from Bristol.

JA

[Andrew JohnstonParticipant @andrewjohnston13878]

Heard something slightly unusual doing aerobatics this afternoon. Superficially it looked a bit like a Spitfire but didn’t sound anything like a Merlin or a Griffon. Definitely a big radial engine. The aircraft had invasion strips so that confirmed it as the P47 Thunderbolt from Duxford.

Andrew

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

News is coming in of a spitfire crash landing just outside of RAF Coningsby. A fuzzy photo shows the fuselage is mainly intact so hopefully no fatalities.

Martin C

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Did hear that the pilot was OK

Rob

[Grindstone Cowboy]

On Grindstone Cowboy Said:

Did hear that the pilot was OK

Rob

Regretfully not.  A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “It is with great sadness that we must confirm the death of an RAF pilot in a tragic accident near RAF Coningsby today.”

I do wonder if it’s wise to fly rare heritage aircraft.  They have a high accident rate here and in the USA.   Great to see them in the sky, but I’d be content to see them intact in a museum, or being revved up on the ground.

Napoleon’s armoured coach was captured at Waterloo, but lost forever when Madame Tussauds burnt down in the 1920s.   When it’s gone it’s gone.

Dave

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Thanks Dave, just came back here to update my post 🙁

Seems it was one of the BBMF Spitfires.

Rob

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Singapore airlines – air turbulence “dropped 178 feet in 5 seconds”.  Wow, that is approx 2000ft / min or 23MPH ?? What is the fuss about, until you read that it went from negative G and back to positive G in such short time, or have I got it wrong again ??

Bob

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

I missed SOD’s erlier post. I think you answered your own question Dave. The aircraft could be destroyed in a hanger fire as well as a flying accident.  It is also entirely possibile the MK365 will be rebuilt.
A spitfire in a static disply is a very poor relation to one roaring overhead.

Robert.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Bob,you are correct it was the sudden reversal that forced people and objects fron the cabin roof back down to the seats, floor and other passengers.
This is why you should ALWAYS have your seat belt on when seated.It does not have to be tight.

Robert.

[mike TParticipant @miket56243]

Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau’s initial report, citing information extracted from the flight data and cockpit voice recorders; “The vertical acceleration changed from negative 1.5G to positive 1.5G within 4 seconds”.

Commercial passenger aircraft only need to be designed to withstand 1G negative to 2.5G positive, so that particular aircraft actually exceeded it’s design requirement by 50%. Will it fly again??

Mike

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

A good engineer will not design to only just meet the requirement, there will be some degree of over engineering to allow for the effects of age and unexpected events. The time to worry would not be when it exceeded its design requirement but rather when it exceeded its design specification.

Martin C

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Errrr isn’t there a term we use called “Factor of Safety?”

Regards  Ian.

[Andrew JohnstonParticipant @andrewjohnston13878]

Did my first aerotows since September yesterday afternoon. My new bionic eyes are amazing, I can clearly see other aeroplanes and gliders at distance without glasses. I flew the tow plane solo a couple of weeks ago for a few circuits so that I was up to speed on handling skills and legal to carry passengers.

Only hiccup was that the microphone in my headset seems to have died, so will have to buy a new headset.

Andrew

[Andrew JohnstonParticipant @andrewjohnston13878]

Currently cutting the grass at the front. The Red Arrows have just flown directly overhead on their way to Duxford. Can’t have been much over 500ft; but I’m only 10nm from Duxford in a straight line, so 2.4 minutes to run in to the display at 250kts.

Andrew

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I saw the Red arrows fly past later than you at a height of only a couple of hundred feet and not fully formed up in a display formation. They were on their way back to Waddington according to this afternoon’s itinerary and were less than 1km away from my house based on their published route.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I note the launch of the Boeing starliner capsule had to be aborted. Perhaps they are worried about the door falling off.

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