FrankPilot

The 1930s/1940s Boeing 307 Stratoliner pioneered several aviation firsts & records, including being the first-ever pressurised airliner. Largely forgotten, perhaps because only 10 were made, it had a very successful civil & military aviation career. Come see some of the highlights of that career. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

In October 2024, a Cessna is flying with a pilot, undergoing a Commercial Pilot Licence flight test, along with an examiner. A Jabiru is flying from a different airport, with some other Light Sport aircraft, on a social flight. The pilots, aircraft & weather are all OK. What could possibly go wrong? Hope you Like & Learn. Cheers.

Cpt Bill Lancaster (1898 – 1933) made several famous post-WW1 flights, none more so than from the UK to Australia with a woman nick-named Chubbie. Although both separately married, they fell in love. While together, she accepted a marriage proposal from another, & a love-triangle ensued. The other died from a bullet to the head & a trial followed, but Lancaster was acquitted. An attempt at a record-breaking flight, to restore his reputation, & provide money for him & Chubbie, ended in disaster. Come see how it all happened. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

In Jan 1944, 23 young men faced the most perilous fight of their lives. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 6 of those pilots & 22 Corsair aircraft were lost in one of the worst air disasters in US Marine Corps history. Although the incident took place during the most furious phase of the Pacific War, not a single plane was downed by enemy action. They were victims of bad weather, technical difficulties, poor planning &, most of all, careless command & control. Hope you like. Cheers.

Ms Harriet Quimby (1875 – 1912) was the 1st women in the USA to gain a pilot’s license, & the 1st women to fly solo across the English Channel. She was a beautiful, high-profile feminist, journalist & playwright, & a powerful advocate for aviation & for women in aviation. She died tragically in her Bleriot XI monoplane at an airshow. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

Canadian George Beurling DSO DFC DFM (1921 - 1948) was the top fighter pilot Ace in the brutal Battle/Seige of Malta in WW2, & Canada’s top WW2 Ace. He was a superb Spitfire fighter pilot. He survived many crashes, but died tragically in an aircraft crash in 1948. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

In November 1946 a USAAF C-53 Skytrooper aircraft crashed in bad weather onto the Gauli Glacier in Switzerland. The subsequent rescue of the 12 on board was the world’s 1st alpine air rescue & made headlines around the world. The aircraft later disappeared deep under thick snow & ice. With glacial changes (melting etc) the crashed aircraft began to re-appear some 70 years later. Hope you enjoy. Cheers. NB: Smithsonian RL footage https://dai.ly/x6sn4hs

Come see the exciting, but sad, history of the Bede BD5J jet aircraft featured in the James Bond “Octopussy” movie. If you have enough money to purchase the kit, & time & expertise to build it, you can still get yourself a modern, improved version! Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

During WW2 a DC-3 fleeing the advancing Japanese in what is now Indonesia, was approaching Broome, West Australia, just as Broome was being attacked by Japanese Zeros fighters. The DC-3 was shot down & landed on a remote beach. As well as 12 people on board, the DC-3’s cargo included a small packet of diamonds worth millions of dollars. Come see what happened to the survivors & the diamonds. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

This is a true story of flying in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the 1970/80s. Come follow the story & try your hand in MSFS at landing at the incredible airstrips mentioned in the story (most of which are available as freeware, or as payware from Orbx). The story was taken from a book of PNG flying stories which is available online for free from the Australian National University – just Google “and then the engines stopped”. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

At the same time in the 1950s that alpine aviator legend Hermann Geiger in Switzerland was developing aircraft snow skis & alpine flying techniques (see my previous video) Henry (Harry) Wigley was doing much the same in New Zealand. Come learn about Wigley’s story. Hope you enjoy – if so, please Like & Subscribe for more of the same. Cheers.

Hermann Geiger (1914 - 66) was a famous Swiss alpine aviator based at Sion Airport, Rhone River valley, Switzerland. Mainly in a Piper Super Cub, he pioneered techniques for high-altitude/glacier supply & rescue flights, & made thousands of such flights himself, saving hundreds of lives, all without any aircraft accidents. Come learn his largely unknown story. Hope you enjoy. Cheers.

Anyone know what’s happened to the Mutley’s Hangar flight simulation website and forum? Seems to have disappeared. Cheers.

In Nov 1963 President Kennedy (JFK) was assassinated. In Jul 1999, his son, JFK Jr, was piloting a small aircraft which crashed into the sea during a night flight. Also on board were his wife & her sister. All 3 perished. Come see the circumstances of the crash &, if you are a pilot, hopefully reinforce your own flying safely skills.

The Fairey Aircraft Company Swordfish was a particularly successful WW2 naval aircraft. The 1st Fairey Company airfield, the Great Western Aerodrome, later became London Heathrow airport. Come learn about the interesting history of the Swordfish, & enjoy some real-life footage at the end. Cheers.