Running Taxiing Sea Harrier

[PanzerWomble]

The restoration company Jet Art Aviation have restored another Harrier up in Elbvington Yorkshire. . Won't fly in the UK but may find a new owner overseas . 

 

 

[ScottsGT]

Video started and I was like “Wow, that Harrier sounds like a diesel truck idling.” 
 

Why won’t it fly in the UK?  Too modern for private ownership?  How do they get it out of the UK then? 

[PanzerWomble]

3 hours ago, ScottsGT said:

Video started and I was like “Wow, that Harrier sounds like a diesel truck idling.” 
 

Why won’t it fly in the UK?  Too modern for private ownership?  How do they get it out of the UK then? 

Civilian Aircraft Authority won't give it a cert of airworthiness to fly in the UK , nor will not be covered b y a private pilots license . Most ex military jets are "banned" as considered too dangerous for civilians . Some older trainers likes Gnats and Hunters , but nothing supersonic or considered "complex" ...which a Harrier certainly is . Jet Art Aviation sell them as non airworthy museum exhibits , which they are in the UK ( and you can taxi them all you like)  , although if you imported it to the the US and convinced authorities that you could maintain and fly it safety no doubt it would get a cert of airworthiness. There's an ex USMC pilot Art Nalls , with 1000's hours on harriers that operated one for a while . Assuming of course they didn't consider it an arms export . Despite being a nanny state , the crash of a Hunter at Shoreham airshow a few years ago has put a dent in what is allowable in the UK , in the same way that the EE Lightnings in South Africa at Thunder City were grounded. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Clunkmeister]

I expect the US, Canada, or South Africa would certainly allow it to fly. The big issue would be pilot training.

That Hunter crash was most tragic and unfortunate.  Mr Hill was acquitted, but I assume he’ll never fly again?

[PanzerWomble]

3 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

I expect the US, Canada, or South Africa would certainly allow it to fly. The big issue would be pilot training.

That Hunter crash was most tragic and unfortunate.  Mr Hill was acquitted, but I assume he’ll never fly again?

For sure - Pilot training is the biggie given the uniqueness of a Harrier. 

Not so sure about South Africa . As you may already know Thunder City ( Mike Beachy Head ( now dead)  flying  Lightnings and Buccs) was closed by the SAFAA because they had been extending the maintenance periods on key safety parts, to the point where 50 year old components that were meant to  be replaced we just ignored as no one was making the spares anymore. This all came out after the Lightning crashed and the ejector seat failed to work, leading to the sad death of the pilot . The restored Vulcan that was flying in the UK ceased flying for much the same reason , spare parts and the lack of them . 

No so sure if the US will be selling anyone all the cheap spares it got when the UK sold it's entire Harrier fleet to them for twenty bucks. 🤔