Thu, May 31, 2012
Winston Churchill Was Aboard On Original Aircraft's First Flight In 1911
As First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill was one of the driving forces behind the creation of a pre-WWI seaplane dubbed "Waterbird." When the airplane made its first flight in 1911, Churchill joined Edward Wakefield, who designed and built the Britain's first seaplane, on board.
A group in England is now building a replica of the Waterbird, and hopes to be able to make a dozen sightseeing flights per year from the surface of Lake Windermere in the U.K. Lake District using the aircraft. But according to a report on the newspaper The Mail, there is still a hitch that has to be overcome.
In 2005, a group of activists successfully campaigned to have the speed limit on the lake set at 10 miles per hour. The move was, they said, intended to "restore the tranquility of England's largest lake." The Waterbird needs to reach a speed of 30 mph to get on the step and then airborne.
The group building the replica has asked the government to give them a waiver on the speed limit so that they can make their sightseeing flights, and the Lake District National Park Authority is backing the request. A spokesman for the national park says it could become a significant tourist attraction, and feels confident the waiver will be granted.
The original Waterbird made 60 flights before it was wrecked by a storm. Some of the parts survived until 1961, according to the UK newspaper The Times. The success of the aircraft is credited with leading to the formation of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. (Photo of first flight taken in 1911)
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]