Official Cape-to-Cape Event Registration

[PRB]

Well, I've been thinking about the Modern Era event, and I've been working on some deals for planes to fly. Flew over to Calvinia last week to meet up with a guy who knew some people who might have a couple of planes available. They guy I met with sent to to Vredendal to meet with his partners. If you haven't been there, well, just think of Obi-Wan Kenobi's comments about Mos Isley and you start to get the idea. So these guys said there were three planes parked by the control tower at FASX, and I could pick the one I wanted. I just have to carry a package for them. I thought that was very generous indeed. Now to decide which one...

[salt_air]

Got an idea Paul ...

How 'bout I take the 310 and then you only have to flip a coin.

Pretty good idea, huh?








Each one is thought provoking .... hmmm

[oldpropfan]

Looks like this'll put some hours in the log book!!! Throwing my hat in with the rest of the Golden Agers, hope I can make it to the end on time. After spending some time testing diff aircraft it seems like this one held up to my abuse the best:



Good luck to everyone,

Al

[buzzbee]

Another Spartan in the Golden Age category.

I enjoy flying the airplane and don't have a lot of time to look around for something new.

Cheers!

Buzz

[Willy]

Buzzbee, that's as good as reason as any. If you're going to fly one a long distance, make sure it's something you like to fly.

Oldpropfan, which trimotor is that?

[CavalierDuck]

Time for me to declare:

Pilot: Nick
Callsign: CavalierDuck
Category: Modern Age
Aircraft: Socata TBM 700

A lot going on in RL during the time of the event but this looks too much fun to miss so I'm going for the Modern Age to have the best chance of completing it!

At first I was weighing up whether to go with the Mitsubishi MU-2 or the Cessna Chancellor but that was before I tried the Socata TBM 700 - I'd never seen it before, this seems like a great freeware aircraft. If I'm going to be flying something for a long time it had better be something nice!



Good luck to all pilots! Hat off to those going for the Golden Age, maybe next year....

[oldpropfan]

Willy, it's the Pander S4. Was going to fly the Beech 18 but saw this in the back of the hanger and after some test flights couldn't resist.

[MM]

This Cape-to-Cape challenge seems too good to resist—there must be an angle here somewhere.

A man comes to London seeking his chance and sometimes it just hits you in the face. In the last few days, I was just reading the papers about air racing and the aviation writers kept quoting Alan Loughead's bit of wisdom, "It Takes a Lockheed to Beat a Lockheed." Well, guess I'd better find a way to get a Lockheed. (Wait. Come to think of it, there is no mention of how to beat a Beech, a de Havilland, a Douglas, a Northrop, a Percival, a Spartan, or even a FIAT.)

Well, as it happens I got a lead on a rebuilt Lockheed Model 12A Electra Junior. This particular plane dates from October 1936 and was owned by Continental Oil before crashing and having to be repaired by the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa during the Spring of 1937. Reportedly owned by a local oil driller, the aircraft became available and was ordered by an Australian businessman named Sidney Cotton for his photography company in London. He has had it painted an eggshell green—there is simply no accounting for tastes. At the moment, he is currently flying another Model 12 for his trans-European business flights. He has agreed to have the new ship entered in the Cup as a private entry and seems open to the publicity for his company Aerofilms.

....


This entry is a nod toward a most interesting man.

Australian Sydney Cotton (1894-1969) flew for the Royal Naval Air Service in WWI when he invented a cold-resistant "Sid cot" flight suit that was widely used by the military and civilians until the 1950s. After the war he returned to the family property in Tasmania (where pioneered the development of dehydrated soups), flew an aerial seal spotting service in Newfoundland, conducted rescue missions over Greenland and the North Atlantic, ran a patent introduction service, and dabbled successfully in the English stock market. In the early 1930s he helped develop and market a revolutionary color film for motion pictures and stills photography that sold under the name Dufaycolor. While the effort eventually failed (it was replaced by the more expensive but technologically superior Technicolor and Kodachrome), Cotton earned substantial capital gains.

By 1938 it was clear that the British government urgently needed aerial reconnaissance of German and Italian military and industrial centers. That year Cotton had started up a company making aerial surveys called Aerofilms, with offices in Wembley and flying from Heston. As one who regularly flew over Europe on business and thus having a natural "cover," he was offered the job by MI6 and accepted. ...

Cotton had been an unconventional individualist who was often right when well-placed opponents were wrong. Somewhat arrogant and conceited, he made powerful enemies easily, which cost him recognition and financial rewards. Yet, he was a man of considerable courage and energy, with a sharp mind and a flair for improvisation. In another age he would have made a splendid buccaneer.

A true hero for practitioners of aviation entrepreneurship ... such as Merc Air.

(If you are interested, please see the longer piece in the attachment.)

--

Aircraft: Golden Age Simulations Lockheed 12A G-AGTL. To be flown in FSX.
Pilot: Mike MacKuen (MM)

[RedGreen]

After going back and forth over which era to compete in and which plane to take, I've finally settled on entering the Modern Age race in the Rockwell 690B Turbo Commander. It's one of the older options in the Modern Day, but it should be no less effective at getting me where I need to go.

[spokes2112]

RedGreen,

1st off, may I call you duct tape? :-) Anyhow I must commend you on such a historical aircraft for the race. Seen the "Energy Management Maneuver" many times @ OSH . While the the rules are set, I would definitively ( if one could ) give a 1 hour bonus if you could do - engines out, an inversion, at any airport.

Excellent!

Roman

P.S. Follow this chart.

[PRB]

Got an idea Paul ...

How 'bout I take the 310 and then you only have to flip a coin.

Pretty good idea, huh?








Each one is thought provoking .... hmmm

Great idea! ... umm, ok wait...

I'm tempted to the take the Cessna. The little one. That would be "interesting", hehe. That MILVIZ 310 is a sweet ride, no question about it. All the goodies inside too, so I can't get lost! The Aerosoft DHC-6 is just fun. Plus I made that paint for it because I use to ride in the back of those planes, from that airline, when I was a bit younger! The Twin Otter is not much faster than the [little] Cessna though...

[PRB]

Nice Lockheed, MM...

[salt_air]

Nice Lockheed, MM...

Yes indeed Paul ... I have to second that!

Thread stacked up quickly before I could reply.




You guys may have outdone yourselves with this event.

A superb mix of both pilots and aircraft as well as what looks to be a fine collection of story lines when all is said and done.




Best of luck to us all!

[robert41]

The GAS Lockheed Model 12 was my first thought, but this event, set in the 30's, just had me going for something in GW3. The Heinkel, not real fast, not long range, but a great flyer. Will be a great time.

[salt_air]

The GAS Lockheed Model 12 was my first thought, but this event, set in the 30's, just had me going for something in GW3. The Heinkel, not real fast, not long range, but a great flyer. Will be a great time.

Got my eye on you in the Doppelblitz Robert ... took it out for a few "spins".

You'll have more to write home about when we get to Cape Horn.

I really appreciate all of the different aircraft in this event ... thanks for puttin' on the "show".

You will have an audience to be sure ... Good Luck Sir!