Test flights

Good Morning Canada! 

We woke to a freezing cold sunny day with minus 16 degrees!

After a hefty breakfast home-cooked by our lovely land lady Lois, we set off back to the hangar.
By lunch time the temperatures had 'warmed up' to minus 5 and Betty was pulled out into the sunshine for a test flight.

We invited two young engineering lads to join John on the flight, whilst Roger and I watched her getting started. The old lady certainly had to puff a lot as she tried to get her engines running.

Eventually John taxied her out to the runway and took her for a 15 mins circuit. All seemed well, so it was time to fill her up with Avgas which put a big hole into Phil's pocket. In the meantime Anne had walked nearly 10kilometres to the airfield.

All set to go, the team retreated to the B&B for paperwork preparations like filing flight plans and arranging the entry into the US. It's now time to put this PC down and relax over a good glass of wine and some cheese!

Here's to another great 'on the beech' trip! cheers!

Gearing up for the big adventure

Arriving from half around the globe, John Herbert and his wife Anne from South Africa via Hongkong, Allie from Myanmar and Phil and Roger from London, the team celebrated reunion at an nice Italian restaurant in the small town of Stayner in Ontario, Canada.

The village of Staynor, High Street

inside the hangar, Betty with cowlings off

Roger had worked hard during the last days despite severely harsh weather with snow blizzards and freezing cold temperatures below zero whilst John had struggled till last minute to overcome the bureaucracy of re-validating their licences.

Roger concentrating on his work

Luckily the sun came out and temperatures climbed to a bearable but still cold plus 5 degrees.
It was great to see our 'old lady' again and she looked in good shape. Well, that's from outside but there are still a number of glitches to sort out. John and Roger quickly took to the job and wouldn't even stop for a cup of warming tea.

Chris and Melaya Horsten chatting to Anne

Finally Melaya and Chris Horsten arrived and it was definitely time to retreat to warm up and have some lunch in the airport cafe.

engine runs and tons of snow

John at work in the cockpit

Hopes were high to get her flying this afternoon, but then the engineering team decided that she wasn't yet ready and poor Betty was pulled back into the hangar.

Betty being towed back into the hangar by Chris

At this point the 'press and media' team took the chance to retreat to our lovely B&B 'The Gables' to do some urgent computer and back up work.

Plans for tomorrow's tasks and the onward journey into the US were made over a fish and chips and burger dinner (and a few glasses of wine) at the 'Friends pub' in town.

She has to wait for another day to spread her wings!

THE COUNT DOWN!!!

The COUNTDOWN IS ON!

Today the teams are flying around the globe to meet up in Toronto.

John Herbert and his wife Anne have left South Africa already a day ago and are making their way eastbound via Hongkong whilst Allie is on her journey westbound returning from 6 month work in Burma. Phil is drowning in paperwork and will be meeting Allie in Heathrow.

Roger in the meantime has been working extremely hard over the last few days: He has been trying to sort out missing spares, replaced the drag leg, mended a flap tracking system whilst finding new engine oil. Let’s hope he gets the ‘old lady’ in good shape ready for first engine runs and test flights on the 18^th! 

If the weather holds and the aeroplane is in good shape then we hope to set off on Monday for Lebanon/New Hampshire to collect our balloon from Brian Boland (let's hope he hasn't replaced our folding basket with a boat, picnic table or a wheelchairs instead! For those who don't know Brian: Brian is the world's most creative balloon manufacturer and there is hardly a subject that hasn't been tried to substitute a conventional balloon basket!)

We will hopefully be running a flight tracking system as soon as we get going and I will post the link.

So, keep fingers crossed for the weather and everything else that’s needed!

For now, enjoy reading another publication by Richard Paver, this time in 'Aeroplane monthly': 

New article by Richard Paver in Air Classics magazine

Air Classics - a well known and very popular American Aviation magazine - is featuring the Beech in its latest edition. Written and composed by Richard Paver, aviator and passionate photographer, Richard flew in formation alongside 'Betty' in Andrew Holman-West's Yak as he shot this stunning front cover shot of our Beech. Thank you Richard and Andrew for your very kind contribution!

Enjoy the read here or visit this link to the online version:

Air Classics

Latest updates and a new video

Hello everybody,

time is literally 'flying' now! The team has had a busy couple of weeks of preparations, a lot of headaches and worries and there is still tons to do - but things are moving forward!

We are making progress with organizing spares and sending Roger out to Eden Vale to run pre-flight checks on the Beech whilst pilots John and Flippie are working on the routing and the more detailed logistics. Phil has returned back to Bristol a few weeks ago and is sorting out most of the necessary paperwork and various flight permissions. Allie is still holding out in hot Burma and helps with contacts and various other matters.

John's wife Anne and Flippie's wife Maryna will be joining our tour for some time and we are very much looking forward to having them with us on this exciting new journey.

The plan is to meet up in Canada, Toronto, Eden Vale on the evening of the 17th of March and start with test flights and checks on the 18th and 19th before a proposed departure southbound on the 20th. So keep fingers crossed and please follow us here on this blog!

In the meantime enjoy watching this great video about our previous expedition:

Trans-Atlantic Expedition

New video about our Trans-Atlantic Expedition!

Preparations are in full swing for another incredible adventure by Beech and Balloon!

Watch this film documentary edited by Adelaide Alce to relive the excitement of our Trans-Atlantic expedition:

on the Beech video by Addy

'ON THE BEECH' in the Caribbean - new plans, new adventures ahead!

'ON THE BEECH'

 IN THE CARIBBEAN 2018

At last we should be living up to our aircraft's 'nose art' when we hopefully reach the Caribbean islands in March/April 2018. 

The route includes some of Latin America after an initial stretch down the US east coast via New York and Kittyhawk.

 South African friends and pilots John Herbert and Flippie Vermeulen will be sharing the flying and we are very much looking forward to meeting them again. Please note that this time, due to the much shorter sectors, we  should have at least one spare seat for anyone who would like to join us and share direct costs.

 Meanwhile the Beech will be prepared by ever-supportive engineer Roger Shepherd assisted by Chris Jacobs of Central Aero, Canada. 

Start date is set for 20 March departure from Hangar J at friendly Edenvale Airport, Ontario. we pick up our lightweight Cameron O-56 balloon from winter storage with Brian Boland in New Hampshire before heading south. These are two potential routings prepared by John Herbert.

Watch this space!