In this month’s edition:

• Strut Christmas Dinner Photos
• Norwegian Spitfire Foundation Video
• FASVIG Gets Interim Funding

Strut Christmas Dinner

Some photos from the event on 6th December 2017 at the Old Tolgate, Bramber.

An enjoyable evening; many thanks to Tony Palmer for organising it.

Norwegian Spitfire Foundation Video

Just came across this rather poetic and poignant video of a Spitfire displaying in unusual colours.  Another of the aircraft in the video lives at Goodwood.

The NSF website is at: NorwegianSpitfire.com

FASVIG Gets Interim Funding

The Future Airspace Strategy VFR Implementation Group has just announced that it has received interim funding for three months from the FAS Facilitation Fund (controlled by the CAA and commercial air transport sector).  It had previously received support during 2016 and 2017, and bid again to further professionalise its operation.  This time the support was only for three months, with a provision to consider further support.

There was some controversy on social media when this was announced, along the lines of “he who pays the piper ….”  However, serious analysis of and engagement with the regulation of this incredibly complex industry does need professional support, and that need to be paid for somehow.

FASVIG’s work so far at holding a banner for our sort of flying has been impressive.  It deserves our support.

Breaking News!

2017 was the safest year for Commercial Aviation

No jets crashed in passenger service anywhere in the world. There were two turbo-prop crashes with a total of 13 deaths (one in Australia on New Year’s Eve), but those aircraft were under 5,700kg, the threshold applied in the report from Dutch-based aviation consultancy To70.  More details in Simon Calder’s article in the Independant.

What is even more remarkable is that this is apparently all due to Donald Trump!  From his Twitter feed today: