Flying High in Practice Aerobatic Routine

On Saturday 18th April Ian Harvey-George (Goodwood Flying School Instructor) took me for a 16 min practice routine to help me acclimatise to the g-forces that will be sustanined on my body over the challenge weekend. Flying in G-IZZZ a Super Decathlon we practiced at between 2000 and 4000ft and pulled a maximun of 4.5g. We performed a Loop, Barrell Roll, 4 point Roll, 4 leaf Clover, Outside turn, Vertical Roll into a Stall Turn, 1/2 Cuban and a Reverse 1/2 Cuban.

Thankfully the experience was an enjoyable one and helped me to get the correct mind set for the 13 flights that will take place this weekend. I would like to make a personal thank you to all the team at Goodwood Aeroclub, Steve, Dieter, Ian, Simon, Tim, Jeanne and Margaret who always give me a warm welcome and its always a pleasure to go along to the Club whatever the weather.

To find out more about Goodwood AeroClub click here.

QBE Insurance onboard as a Sponsor

QBE Insurance have confirmed they will sponsor the event to help cover some of the costs involved with the challenge.

QBE Insurance Group is one of the world's leading international insurers and reinsurers, headquartered in Sydney, Australia. QBE’s European Operations, which accounts for almost 40% of QBE Group turnover, is a leading specialist in London market and European commercial lines business. QBE offers considerable diversity to the broking community; active in both the Lloyd’s and company market. QBE operates eight product-focused underwriting divisions: - casualty, QBE Re Europe, property, motor, marine & energy, specialty, aviation, all of which have the ability to write on both Lloyd’s and company market paper; and British Marine, the P&I specialist. In addition to the London market, QBE operates from seven UK-regional centres and has a presence in 16 European countries.

Thank you to Jerry Flaxman and all involved at QBE Insurance for their support and helping the challenge maximise its full potential.

Kemble and Compton Abbas Roadshows

Over the last weekend I conducted two of four roadshow events to promote the Aerobatic Challenge Weekend. I visited Kemble Airport on the 21st March and Compton Abbas Airfield on 22nd March and the weather was glorious and sunny. Raising awareness of the activities of fly2help was just as important as the Challenge itself and we had plenty of people to chat to about both. Thank you to the kind generosity of those who we spoke too we raised a further £200 plus.

This weekend I will be at Shoreham Airport 28th March and Goodwood Airfield 29th March.

Thank you to all those who helped out at the weekend. Mandy from fly2help, Clive Hughes and all the team at Compton Abbas, the staff of AV8 at Kemble and to Jez Hopkinson team leader of the Yakovlevs (pictured above with myself).

Justyn Gorman Aerobatics donate an RV4 Flight

Justyn Gorman has confirmed his participation with a flight in his RV4. The RV-4 was designed in the United States by Richard Van Grunsven, and first flew in August 1979. Van’s has been supplying kits for the RV-4 for almost twenty years, and it has become one of the most popular kit aircraft in the world. Somewhere between 900 and 1000 examples have been flown in countries all over the globe. There are around 20 or so in the UK at the present time.

The RV-4 is a two seat tandem configuration. The seating is compact, but comfortable. The RV-4 is designed to be flown from the front seat only, but there is a stick and rudder pedals for the rear seat passenger to take basic control of the aircraft. Justyn uses a self contained smoke system, which can be fitted quickly in place of the rear passenger seat for shows. Justyn’s RV-4 is fitted with a 5.4 litre, 4 cylinder, 160 hp Lycoming engine and a constant speed propeller for enhanced performance.

Thank you to Justyn for adding another new type for the challenge. For further information on Justyn and his displays click here.

To donate to the challnege please go to my justgiving page.

G-BZFR Extra 300

Trevor Beadle has confirmed participation with his Extra 300L (G-BZFR) which is based at North Weald Airfield.

Trevor will provide a transit flight including a few Aeros on the way from Headcorn to RAF Halton on the Sunday morning of the Challenge Weekend.

I would like to thank Trevor for his kind donation and indeed I look forward to the opportunity of being flown in a very colourful aircraft.

The Blades FINALE

The Blades have now confirmed that they will provide a singleton aircraft as the finale to the fly2help - Aerobatic Challenge Weekend.

The Blades are the UK’s hottest formation display team and the world’s only globally accredited aerobatic airline, who consist of 4 of the country’s most accomplished aerobatic pilots, and have all served as front-line fast jet pilots and Red Arrows in the Royal Air Force. With a combined total of over 25,000 hours they have flown in the most challenging of single seat aircraft. It is with this wealth of experience that The Blades continue to impress celebrities, aviators and the public alike.

The Team fly the outstanding, high performance 2-seat Extra 300 LPs, turning harder and tighter than anyone else, making their award winning 12 minute display a breathtaking collection of opposition passes, gyroscopic tumbles and close formation manoeuvres that have never before been seen.

Brand new during the 2008 display, Blades 1 and 4 attempt to defy the laws of Aerodynamics by flipping the Extra ‘end over end’ whilst still in formation in the Twin Tumbles. Blades 2 and 3 have also spiced up their routine with more head to head knife edge passes, breaks and stalls but that’s not it… Blade 4 is planning to have something secret up his sleeve… this is one not to be missed!

A huge thank you must go to Kat, Chris, Andy and the Team for their kind donation and indeed invaluable help and support. For further details on The Blades click here.

To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page

Plane Heritage

Plane Heritage have kindly donated a transit flight from Goodwood Aerodrome to Shoreham in Tiger Moth G-ADXT.

Originally produced as a development of the well-known Gipsy Moth, the Tiger Moth went on to become one of the world's most famous training aircraft. During the Second World War it provided the majority of RAF pilots with their elementary flying training.
Following the war, many found their way into the hands of civilian flying schools and even today they are in use as training aircraft, giving pilots much needed experience on tail wheel aircraft.
Plane Heritage's, Tiger Moth is one of the oldest still in existence, being built in 1935, and is lovingly maintained to the highest standards as required by the Civil Aviation Authority.
For more information on G-ADXT, visit the Flying Aircraft section of their website.

Thank you must go to Tom, John and Tony at Plane Heritage for this kind donation.

To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page

Facebook - Spreading the word

I have now joined facebook to give a more personal view of the fly2help -Aerobatic Challenge Weekend. With daily and weekly updates on various aspects of the challenge including details and images on fundraising, Open Days, Road shows and indeed the physical challenge.

Please visit me on facebook, join in and become part of the fly2help - Aerobatic Challenge Weekend group which has now been set up. You will see photos of me in training to bulid up my physical stamina and see the sheer pain on my face as I try to get fit.

Click here to join facebook.

To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

The Real Flying Company

The Real Flying Company have confirmed their support by donating a flight in a Stampe SV4c based at Shoreham Airfield.

The aircraft was built in Morocco in 1947 and served with the French Air Force training school at Carcassonne. During this time "1139" led a charmed life for the most part, being selected by the Commanding Officer as his personal communications aircraft. After twenty years of service, it was de-commissioned and sold into private hands, given the French civilian registration of F-BANE.

In 1970 the aircraft was sold to the famous Rothmans Aerobatic team and brought to the UK registered as G-AYCK. The team operated "CK" as the number 2 aircraft in their 4-ship display routine, during which time it was flown by several famous aerobatic pilots such as Neil Williams, Manx Kelly and Iain Weston.

Sold again in the mid-1970s to private owners, "CK" was put into storage in 1980 following damage in an accident at Crowland Airfield. In 1991 the aircraft was bought by Cathay Pacific 747 Captain John Graham, who had it completely rebuilt by Classic and Vintage Aircraft near Southampton, a superb restoration which took four years. John kept "CK" in Jersey until reluctantly selling it to the Real Flying Company at Shoreham in April 2003.

Robb Metcalfe will pilot the aircraft for the challenge. No stranger to flying classic aircraft Robb himself is the owner of a Bowers Fly Baby 1A aka Junkers C1.

Many Thanks to Lisa and all the team at The Real Flying Company.

To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

Flying High with Ultimate High

Ultimate High the Kemble based advanced flying training school have donated an Umlimted Aerobatic Flight in a high performance aerobatic Extra 300 with pilot Mark Greenfield.

Powered by a 300bhp Lycoming engine, the Extra300 is an ultra-light-weight, state-of-the-art, high-technology display aircraft. The carbon fibre wing is stressed to +/- 10g and the huge full span ailerons produce a roll rate in excess of 360 degrees per second. It also has breathtaking vertical performance. The Extra 300 is one of the leading aircraft types in the world of unlimited competition aerobatics.

I would like to thank Helen Tempest, Mark Greenfield and all the Team at Ultimate High for the fantastic support they have given to the challenge.

For further information on Ultimate High click here.

Yakovlevs

Jez Hopkinson team leader of the Yakovlevs Display team has pledged the teams support for the fly2help Aerobatic Challenge Weekend. The team flies Russian aircraft made by the Yakovlevs design bureau. These reliable and robust aircraft were designed for training and world class aerobatic competitions.

Leading the Yakovlevs is the world's most powerful Yak 52, known as the Super 52. This unique two seater aeroplane was specifically developed for the team. Following in close formation are three single seat Yak 50s. These world championship aerobatic aircraft were much loved for their sparkling performance, manoeuvarability and grace.

I would like to thank Jez and the team for their kind support they have pledged for the challenge.


For further information on The Yakovlevz click here.
To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

Goodwood Aeroclub support fly2help

Goodwood Aeroclub have confirmed their support with the flying schools 1943 Harvard T-6 aircraft. The North American T-6 Harvard, or Texan, was an advanced trainer aircraft for the allied forces in the Second World War. Pilots learnt to fly on the De Havilland Tiger Moth, for their basic training, before progressing onto the Harvard. Advanced training in air gunnery and bombing, were all carried out on the aircraft, before the pilot progressed on to the single seat Spitfire, Hurricane or Mustang.

It was at the Goodwood Fly-In and Air Display in May 2008 that I first met Mandy (fly2help) and the person who inspired me to do this Aerobatic Challenge in the first place. "I would like to thank Steve and Dieter at the Aeroclub for their kind support."

For further information on the Goodwood Aeroclub Click here.
To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

CAP10C

Further support and aircraft have now been comfirmed with the Tiger Clubs CAP10C based at Headcorn in Kent. Dave Evans will fly the CAP10C (G-CDCE) which was origianally built in 1973 by Avions Mudry & Cie as a CAP10B. The aircraft joined the Tiger Club fleet in May 2005 after being rebuilt to CAP10C standard.

Thank you to Dave Evans for donating his spare time for the fly2help challenge.

For further information on the Tiger Club Click here.
To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

TEAM GUINOT- Confirm Participation

Team Guinot are the first to confirm they are to participate in the fly2help Aerobatic Challenge Weekend, with a seat in the front of a Boeing Stearman Bi-plane. Based at the WWI airfield at RFC Rendcomb in Cirencester, Gloustershire, the Team are known on the Air Display circuit for their dazzling wingwalking displays. The Stearman, or Kaydet as it was also known as, was built in the United States in the 30's and 40's and was widely used as the country's primary basic trainer.

A huge thank you must go to Vic, Martyn and all the team for their kind help and support. To find out more about Team Guinot Click here
To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

Offical Launch at Kemble Open Day

The official launch of the Aerobatic Challenge will take place at the Kemble Open Day on the 13th & 14th September 2008. Kemble Open Day will try to recreate the atmosphere of the old RAF “At Home” Days that were common on most service stations up until the 1970's.To commemorate Battle of Britain Day there will be a small afternoon flying display.

Kemble is also the operating base for the fly2help charity and is a good opportunity to openly discuss the challenge and the charity's aims and future goals. A press and photo call is planned for the morning of the Open Day.

For further information on the Kemble Open Day Click here.
For further information on fly2help Click here.
To donate to fly2help go to my justgiving page.

The Challenge:- To fly as many Aerobatic Aircraft from as many different airfields over one weekend.

The main focus of the challenge will be to fly an aerobatic routine in as many various aircraft types as possable. During this challenge each aerobatic manoeuvre will be counted to have a grand total of manouevres by type and mount performed i.e. Loops 25, Rolls 32 etc. It is also planned to be able to cross the country and take in as many airfields that the challenge can be flown from.

The challenge is to take place from 5pm Friday 24th April 2009 until Dusk on 26th April 2009.

Stay tuned to find out the first aircraft types to take part and the plans for the launch of the challenge. Visit www.fly2help.org for more info on the charity.