[JAFO]

So,

To quell any rumours about the Yarksheer Super Cub, he is a local operator - just spoken with him, I know him well. Yes he is operating commercially doing photography of hospitals and hospital developments and abiding by the current rules and advice.

Lucky bugger.

[Dave W]

@SteveX, if a screenshot was to show the registration of an aircraft then we'd not want it posted.

In the screenshot in Cub's post earlier the registration was not identified.

@Trent772's recent post explains nicely why we don't want to enable identification on these forums: It could easily have been insinuated that the pilot was somehow doing something wrong, and yet it turns out that the opposite was true. Many of us will have seen on other social media that those flights had attracted considerable negative comment in the absence of any actual knowledge of what was going on. We don't want that kind of finger-pointing on here.

[seanxair]

So,

To quell any rumours about the Yarksheer Super Cub, he is a local operator - just spoken with him, I know him well. Yes he is operating commercially doing photography of hospitals and hospital developments and abiding by the current rules and advice.

Don't suppose he needs any help? Or a private strip to use further south if required??

[Lefty]

I get the feeling that they have been 'making hay' whilst the sun shines, and there's little or no CAT to disrupt. Normally such a King Air over Princes Risborough at FL120 for hours on end would be a PITA. Can't say I blame them.

We were sat on the grass yesterday evening watching that King Air, clearly visible above Reading / Wycombe / Maidenhead - then looked him up on FR24.

[Dusty_B]

Skywatch flight, which sounds both legitimate and commendable

Great.
But it would be nice if the first port of call for such cargo flights could be contracted out to the commercial companies that are trying to maintain a cash flow and keep operations going. While many businesses can furlough staff, an organisation that is tightly crewed for 24hr operations can't lay people off. It is frustrating to see business being taken away by well-meaning private individuals who are under-cutting legitimate operators.

[ak7274]

I assume there is no undercutting. Sky watch will be paying their own costs and certainly won't, can't charge. A lot of their aircraft are permit.
They will be doing it for pure altruistic reasons, not to undercut commercial operations, therefore no charge to the Superhuman NHS

[Waveflyer]

Great.
But it would be nice if the first port of call for such cargo flights could be contracted out to the commercial companies that are trying to maintain a cash flow and keep operations going. While many businesses can furlough staff, an organisation that is tightly crewed for 24hr operations can't lay people off. It is frustrating to see business being taken away by well-meaning private individuals who are under-cutting legitimate operators.

Hardly realistic in the present circumstances.

[Rob P]

I think I saw somewhere on social media that Ms Vorderman has been flying essential supplies for the NHS.

Rob P

[gasman]

I think I saw somewhere on social media that Ms Vorderman has been flying essential supplies for the NHS.

Rob P

Fake news

[Paul_Sengupta]

There are a lot of private providers "undercutting" commercial ones at the moment, for example the hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who are 3D printing PPE equipment for NHS/care workers.

[Hooligan]

Looks like a Typhoon tanking off an A330 over the North Sea a few miles off Mablethorpe - often see the tankers and the fighters out there but not actually doing a bit of business together.

[Rob P]

Fake news

Actually incomplete news rather than fake, I don't read stuff like that closely.

So I have fixed it for you

I think I saw somewhere on social media that Ms Vorderman's aircraft has been flying essential supplies for the NHS.

Rob P

https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-new ... est-update

[kanga]

I assume there is no undercutting. Sky watch will be paying their own costs and certainly won't, can't charge. A lot of their aircraft are permit.
They will be doing it for pure altruistic reasons, not to undercut commercial operations, therefore no charge to the Superhuman NHS

Just received this statement from Skywatch colleagues

"Local Pilots from UK Civil Air Patrol provide air support in the battle against COVID-19



An ex Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm pilot from Lytham was back on the frontline of a different nature as he put his skills and light aircraft to use in the national battle against CoronaVirus.



Paul Stone, 53, recently joined UK Civil Air Patrol, a national charity that comprises pilots, observers and supporters who are organised to provide complementary air support to UK agencies. For COVID19 they are offering their fleet of aircraft for logistic support across the country.



Responding to a short notice tasking, Paul flew his RV7 from Blackpool to Oxford Airport to collect a vital component and then onto Beverly Airfield, near Hull, in order to provide urgent logistic assistance to a ventilator manufacturer. From phone call to completion of delivery, the task was completed in three hours thirty minutes.



“It has been an incredible piece of teamwork” said Paul, a test pilot and former Director Flight Operations at BAE Systems. “Today would not have been possible without the exceptional support from Eddie Clare at High-G, Blackpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Doncaster Air Traffic Services, Oxford Airport and Colin Hazel who opened his grass runway at Beverley Airfield at such short notice.”



With the minimum number of people required to prepare and fly the planes, using the UK Civil Air Patrol fleet of aircraft is a cost efficient and effective way of supporting the COVID19 emergency effort, complementing the role of military and other specialist aircraft that are in high demand during these unprecedented times.



Paul added, “I think this provides the Government with another solution on how to transport smaller loads around the country at pace.”. "

.. and this was in response to people tracking the flight on FR24 and challenging its justification

[Cub]

Kanga. This reads to me like a useful and very valid press release detailing the activities of one particular pilot, volunteering and contributing his time and effort via SkyWatch. I am not sure it was produced merely to placate some spotters watching an app?

Certainly, knowing Paul well, he wouldn’t give a flying (anything) about what a grunt with an app thought, anyway.

Shame he couldn't do it at night in the Lysander (Another story)

[Talkdownman]

Looks like a Typhoon tanking off an A330 over the North Sea a few miles off Mablethorpe - often see the tankers and the fighters out there but not actually doing a bit of business together.

Yes, they have been having lots of fun today on Towline6!