Wow, thats pretty cool news. Hopefully see it at Cosford next year due to the proximity. Fingers crossed.

This is great news. Good old Air Antique. Well done Charlie.

I'm not sure but I thought Air Antique already had a Canberra. I know they have a Meteor but I haven't seen it yet.

PS. This makes two. http://atlanticdhg.com/AACF/CanbA.htm
They also operate a Meteor NF.11, Venom FB.50 & Vampire T55. Also two Shackleton M.R.2, WL790 based at the Midland Air Museum, Texas in airworthy condition & WR963 at Coventry in ground running condition. Maybe that will fly again one day. It's becoming quite a collection. http://atlanticdhg.com/AACF/Aircraft.htm

Lets hope this is going to happen, would love to see the canberra in flight,

i know this is about the canberra but Air Atlantique are currently trying to get the flying Shackleton brought back over to the Uk for the Airshow circuit..... not sure on the progress of this though, would be great to see the shackleton and the lancaster in formation.......

Nemo........

Quote:


I presume this is the Shackleton over in South Africa? It's a crying shame that the only airworthy Shackleton, Buccaneer AND Lightnings are all in South Africa. Yes, the Shack and the Bucc served with the SAAF, but not the Lightning! We need some airworthy aircraft on home turf!

According to the Air Antique website it's at the Midland Air Museum in Texas. Read my earlier reply.
Quote:

What is the problem with afterburner in civilian hands then? Is there a more complex way of operating it, or just the fact that we don't want any forests going up in flames?

I would have thought you would be able to restrict/limit/disable/whatever the afterburner on an engine...

Quote:

I believe its partly to do with noise and speed, but also to do with how busy the sky is round the UK. But maybe Doug or Charlie can better answer.

Quote:


Aye, it is indeed. It has been airworthy in the states since the late 90s, and is a former RAF AEW varient (tailwheel) unlike the SAAF MR.3 (tricycle undercarriage)...

To be fair, if anything more potent than what ever is allowed now was operated in civilian hands, the CAA would have to do a lot of regulation with regards to who flies them. Military pilots spend 2 or 3 years learning how to handle and operate fast jet aircraft on a regular basis, so it would be hard to justify allowing a non military pilot to fly a very high performance jet on what would probably be very rare occasions. Currency on complex types would be a major issue.

The airspace is also becoming more and more congested with regional airports appearing left, right and centre, with associated airspace... and the free airspace is quite often used my military aircraft (East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Vale of York, North Wales, SW England...)

Correct me if I am wrong but if a rouge Lightning went on a rampage around the skies, I dont think there is anything in the airforce which could keep up with it, I think Typhoon has a simmilar top speed, but is not as quick to it. Of course the Lightning would be out of fuel long before it got anywhere. But still.

Quote:


To be fair it wouldn't be able to do much anyway but run out of fuel...

Quote:

Good points. Although it's disappointing I have to agree with the CAA. I also suspect the insurance would be way beyond most civil operators & indeed the air display organisers. That situation is bad enough already.

Well, it wouldn't be a LIghtning without afterburners. More like a Damp Squib.