Historic Flying Limited's current restoration project, its Mk T9 two-seater Spitfire IAC-161, is making good progress. Its first flight after a total rebuild is expected in late February or early March 2004. It is almost ready to rest on its wheels, with both wings in place and cockpit systems being installed. Its freshly-built Merlin 66, overhauled by Universal Airmotive of Chicago, will be installed shortly.
When airworthy, IAC-161 will go into service with HFL and sister company Aircraft Restoration Company (ARC) as the final rung in the ladder of a unique warbird pilot training programme developed by ARC.
John Romain of HFL said: "For some time we've been working towards setting up the world's finest warbird pilot training programme. Flying a high-performance and rare warbird such as a Spitfire is a tremendous privilege and hugely rewarding, accessible to only a few. It demands good training and progressive conversion to minimise risk and maximise the rewards. When IAC-161 joins the flightline we will be able to take 100-hour PPL's through tailwheel conversion on our Chipmunk into complex and high-performance aircraft with our Harvard. The next and vital step on the way to soloing a Spitfire has been almost impossible before this - time in our dual-control Spitfire."
All training will be carried out by instructors working to military standards of performance, which will stand their students in good stead whether in a warbird or a modern aircraft.
IAC-161 is being fitted with a digital data acquisition system from Pi Research for monitoring aircraft performance and recording flight data. The system can also record video from each flight, with feeds from three miniature cameras on board. The video will be used for passenger mementoes and training purposes.

(photo: Peter Arnold)

A flight in the Grace Spitfire (ML 407) is about 2500 squids, and there is a two year waiting list, best hurry up and get unsubtle Hagar

Ozzy

Bulldog schmuldog, get up in a Chippy. The ultimate madmans plane

There are still a few places that you can log time on the Moth (ah de Havilland and their magnificent machines ).

Ozzy

I'm looking forward to seeing this plane on the flightline at Duxford next year. Just two years ago we only had two airworthy T-9's in the UK and with one example returned to the air last year and IAC-161, that figure has now doubled It would be nice to see this plane and ML407 together again after both served with the Irish Air Corps.

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Brensec. I could do this in a Harvard at my local airport today if I wished. I might try it one day myself but I wouldn't put that in the same class as doing it in a Spitfire.

I think you said you've already had a trip in a Spit. I think most people here envy you. This is one of my few remaining life's ambitions unlikely ever to be fulfilled.

PS. The outfit from your link IS the one at my local airport - Shoreham. I see that Harvard flying round here almost every day in the summer months. To tell the truth I usually hear it rather than see it. They're a tad noisy & the sound is quite distinctive.  

PPS. If that price list is current, 1 hour (50 minutes airborne) in the Harvard would cost £450. The last time I was in Florida I think a similar trip in a P-51 cost something like $750 US. Compare this with Ozzy's estimate of "2,500 squids" for probably 30 minutes in a Spit. This would most likely have doubled by the time I'd saved that amount of cash. However much I would like it there's a lot more I can do with that sort of money.

Last summer there was a restored B-17 in the area and I could have spent $400 for a 30 minute ride.