3rd September, 2010 – a glorious day.

First of all, my sincere apologies for the total absence of information during the last 36 hours. I landed at Southend around 1200Z on Friday and set about preparing for Steve’s return and reception. I set up my new lap-top to monitor Steve’s progress from Majorca homewards. The batteries just lasted until he was on the ground and from then on I was too busy with the welcome home which 100 or so well-wishers, 2 Spitfires, 13 RVs and a handful of GA aircraft gave Steve.

I know many of you are awaiting factual information concerning Steve’s times and the records. Here are the facts.

I have all (original or faxed copies of) the RAeC (Royal Aero Club) take-off and Landing Certificates for the flight, signed by ATC in all cases.

Take-off Southend was at 0438.05Z on 31st August, 2010.

Landing at Cape Town was at 1544.01Z on 1st September, 2010.

Take-off from Cape Town was at 0320.26Z on 2nd September, 2010

Tower overflight at Southend was at 1553.54Z on 3rd September, 2010

In the times shown the figures after the decimal point are seconds NOT decimals of a minute.

So where does that leave Steve?

First of all, I am assuming (until the RAeC confirm it) that in stating record times seconds are rounded up or down according to whether they are more or less than 30 seconds. The importance of this is relevant to Steve’s arrival at Southend. Rounding up his time puts his overflight arrival at 1554Z. For the time being I am using 1554!

Secondly, I telephoned the RAeC as Steve was on his run in to Southend to obtain their confirmation that a time overhead was acceptable for the record rather than a landing time and they confirmed positively. Because we knew at that stage that there would be minutes in it we radioed to Steve to go for the overhead pass rather than the landing, and had the pleasure of seeing his RV scream over the tower at 400 feet.

Thirdly, I have not yet had time to check whether a record has to be beaten by a certain percentage in order to qualify; we weren’t in advance expecting such a close run thing!

Using the above times and the rounding up here are the flight times.

LONDON-CAPE TOWN

Alex Henshaw 1939 39 hours 23 minutes

Chalkie Stobbart 2009 36 hours 15 minutes

Steve Noujaim 2010 35 hours 6 minutes

CAPE TOWN – LONDON

Alex Henshaw 1939 39 hours 36 minutes

Chalkie Stobbart 2009 36 hours 35 minutes

Steve Noujaim 2010 36 hours 34 minutes

LONDON – CAPE TOWN – LONDON

CAPE TOWN – LONDON – CAPE TOWN

Alex Henshaw 1939 4 days 10 hours 16 minutes

Chalkie Stobbart 2009 3 days 15 hours 17 minutes

Steve Noujaim 2010 3 days 11 hours 16 minutes

So Steve has taken the London – Cape Town record, and the London – Cape Town – London record. Three cheers for Steve.

For the northbound Cape Town – London flight it looks as if he will have beaten Chalkie by 1 minute! But will he have beaten his RAec/FAI record for this flight? I doubt it.

I won’t here go into all the frustrations that Steve experienced with Algerian, Spanish and French ATC which reduced a one-time healthy lead to this nail-biting finish and the inevitable debate that will follow concerning Chalkie’s time having been a landing and Steve’ a fly-over. This will no doubt consume much time and beer.

And Steve must tell his own tale of a very testing and at times very dangerous three and a half days of intensive and utterly exhausting flying at the end of which his admiration for Alex Henshaw and his incredible 1939 flight is undiminished.

For me it has been a unique experience and a privilege to work with everyone who helped to make this flight a success. As we all go back to our everyday lives after a week of sheer excitement, drama, worry and elation I hope that, like me, you are left with one enduring sentiment – admiration for Steve. He dreamed of doing it and he did it.

Martin Barraclough

Project Co-ordinator