Fermanagh Seaplane Festival 2011

[Cameraman]

Thanks Reggie

Great shots and a good mix of aircraft. Twin Cats begorrah!
Glad to see the bike made it!

Cheers
Tony

Hi Tony,

cheers buddy.

Regards

Reggie

[Cameraman]

So Reggie - do we get your 'take' on the elevator damage to N9767 visible in the last photo?

Hi David,

well I reckon it was a combination of really bad luck and a bit of bad judgement! The aircraft landed well short and water taxied for what seemed to be ages (I'm guessing well over ten minutes). The port engine was smoking and appeared to be running literally at an idle setting and both engines were closed down well away from the mooring near to your Cat. The first service boat was very quickly on scene but then had difficulties. A second boat appeared to be dispatched and also had difficulties. In the end the strong breeze briefly took control before the French Cat crew could do more and the result was the coming together. It was a real shame that one thing lead to another and so on.

Regards

Reggie

PS an email is en route to you as requested.

[DavidLegg]

So Reggie - do we get your 'take' on the elevator damage to N9767 visible in the last photo?

Hi David,

well I reckon it was a combination of really bad luck and a bit of bad judgement! The aircraft landed well short and water taxied for what seemed to be ages (I'm guessing well over ten minutes). The port engine was smoking and appeared to be running literally at an idle setting and both engines were closed down well away from the mooring near to your Cat. The first service boat was very quickly on scene but then had difficulties. A second boat appeared to be dispatched and also had difficulties. In the end the strong breeze briefly took control before the French Cat crew could do more and the result was the coming together. It was a real shame that one thing lead to another and so on.

Regards

Reggie

PS an email is en route to you as requested.

Thanks Reggie:

I understand from other eye-witness reports that the landing was at a rather higher than normally recommended speed and resulted in more than one 'arrival'. Thereafter, and after taxiing, the crew shut down both engines without any clear sign of what would happen next. Result - nature took over with the inevitable expensive and embarrassing outcome. Perhaps the moral of the story is that, unlike with small floatplanes where the pilots seem to shut down and leap out to grab the adjacent buoy as standard practice, it is not a great idea to switch off your power on a large flying boat without being attached to something pretty substantial first.

[Cameraman]

Hi Tony,

PM's the way matey

[DavidLegg]

Hi Tony,

PM's the way matey

Agreed

[DavidLegg]

Hi Dave and Reggie

Horrified to hear about damaged Cats. Can we discuss here - or is PM preferable?

Cheers
T

Only one Cat btw.

[Cameraman]

Hi Tony,

I just love Beavers but the best I've ever seen is the one that the staff at the Aircraft Restoration Company have restored at Duxford. It started it's life out as a very tired ex AAC work horse and came out as a beauty. I'll post some images when I have time over the weekend. She's not on floats but she's stunning!

Regards

Reggie

[makemyday]

hi,
i take a flight with the yellow/green twin bee at scalaria i see also both catalinas, one at scalaria, the french at hahnweide

whats damaged, one of the catalinas? whats happened, people involved? oder only "metal" crashed?

give me more...

[Cameraman]

hi,
i take a flight with the yellow/green twin bee at scalaria i see also both catalinas, one at scalaria, the french at hahnweide

whats damaged, one of the catalinas? whats happened, people involved? oder only "metal" crashed?

give me more...

Hi makemyday,

please PM me

Regards

Reggie

[Cameraman]

Hi Guys n Gals,

just an update to let you know that the French Cat's still there!

Here's yesterdays report from Julian (who we met at the event and took some images of his daughter for him and is a BBC journo!)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15451497

Regards

Reggie