That Helicopter! It's Mine!
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2003 3:32 am
I was shocked and pleased to see THE WASP (formally known as G-WASP) displayed as the website's display icon. I bought the machine from Nigel Minchin almost a year ago (24 April 2002). I am looking forward to putting a lot of hours on it. Unfortunately, right now I am in Vasteras, Sweden, and it is with Stephen Payne-Roberts in Rugby, England, because it has that thrust bearing problem and it rides real ruff.
I liked the way THE WASP looked like an insect. When I bought the machine from Nigel Minchin, in England, I was told by the U.K. C.A.A. that I could not keep it on the United Kingdom "G" registration (G-WASP) unless I was a UK citizen or legal resident. Do you believe everything you hear from government authorities? I did.
It turns out they (the UK CAA) were wrong. All European Union residents can own boats and aircraft registered in other EU member states. BUT I found out their mistake too late. I thought about registering it as an "SE" which is Sweden, where I live, but then I started finding out about the EU rules and mime would have been the first B2-B registered here which would have been a real pain.
I also found out that I could register it as an American Citizen to the "N" registration and still fly all over Europe on my American Ticket, and so the G-WASP has become N2052Y. I am painting over the "G-" and writing the word THE instead. That way I get to keep the color scheme and it becomes THE WASP. (And now you know the rest of the story
)
Once (IF) I get the machine flyable, I plan to fly it home to Sweden from England. The English Channel should be only about 20 minutes of open water and there will be some island hopping over Denmark.
I am glad Nigel Minchin let me know this site existed. I hope it becomes a productive and useful site. It has already helped me with the thrust bearing problem.
I liked the way THE WASP looked like an insect. When I bought the machine from Nigel Minchin, in England, I was told by the U.K. C.A.A. that I could not keep it on the United Kingdom "G" registration (G-WASP) unless I was a UK citizen or legal resident. Do you believe everything you hear from government authorities? I did.
It turns out they (the UK CAA) were wrong. All European Union residents can own boats and aircraft registered in other EU member states. BUT I found out their mistake too late. I thought about registering it as an "SE" which is Sweden, where I live, but then I started finding out about the EU rules and mime would have been the first B2-B registered here which would have been a real pain.
I also found out that I could register it as an American Citizen to the "N" registration and still fly all over Europe on my American Ticket, and so the G-WASP has become N2052Y. I am painting over the "G-" and writing the word THE instead. That way I get to keep the color scheme and it becomes THE WASP. (And now you know the rest of the story
)Once (IF) I get the machine flyable, I plan to fly it home to Sweden from England. The English Channel should be only about 20 minutes of open water and there will be some island hopping over Denmark.
I am glad Nigel Minchin let me know this site existed. I hope it becomes a productive and useful site. It has already helped me with the thrust bearing problem.