Latest news with #aviators
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Telegraph
Abandoning a multimillion-pound stealth jumpjet in India isn't a good look
Shipborne aviation is a tricky business even in peacetime. Landing a helicopter, even though it can hover, on a ship, is by no means simple – especially if it's not a big ship. In my old life, watching a 13-ton Merlin helicopter land on a heaving frigate flight deck at night, with literally feet to spare between the rotors and the hangar, made me glad the pilot got paid more. Landing a fixed wing jet, even if it's an F-35B and does also have a limited ability to hover, on a ship, is always very difficult and involves quite a lot of danger. Even the US Navy, masters of all things carrier aviation, can still learn the hard way. A US carrier recently made a hard turn under missile attack in the Red Sea. An F-18 was being towed by tractor on deck, with sailors driving both the tractor and the jet: as the ship heeled, both began skidding unstoppably towards the deck edge. The sailors managed to jump out, but the fighter and the tractor both went into the sea. This stuff is hard. My feeling of being glad the aircrew get paid more didn't last. In too many cases it isn't true over time: aviators and mine clearance divers in the Royal Navy, both of which groups receive extra pay, both have the same joke. 'We don't get paid more, we just get paid faster.' If the weather is really bad, even at a normal air base or airport ashore, things get worse. If you're trying to land that helicopter or fixed wing jet in bad weather at sea, they get hugely worse as the thing you are trying to land on is rocking and rolling and the deck is wet and slippery. It's much worse still at night. This was the situation now more than two weeks ago, when a pilot from 809 Naval Air Squadron was attempting to get an F-35B fifth generation stealth fighter back aboard the carrier HMS Prince of Wales. The weather was simply too bad, and – as is not unheard of in peacetime naval aviation – the decision was taken for the jet to divert to an airfield ashore. Ships may send out their aircraft without any diversion option – often there is simply no friendly place to land, for instance during pretty much the whole of the Falklands campaign – but especially in peacetime we try to have a backup plan. The F-35B got on the ground safely at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on the southwestern tip of India. But it then developed a fault which is yet to be fixed, and the jet is still sitting there, cutting an increasingly forlorn figure. It's now been long enough for the 'you can't park there mate' quips to have been and gone, replaced with memes from the local tourism industry about why 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave'. This situation doesn't really surprise me. Two things always got my particular attention in my old life during the rigorous pre-flight briefings. As captain of the ship, I was the man who decided go or no-go. The first thing I didn't like was if there was no diversion-to-shore option. The second second was if the aircraft was going to have to shut down once feet-dry (ashore). There isn't a huge amount you can do about the first other than keep a beady eye on the weather forecast and make sure the deck remains clear throughout, but the second one always made me nervous. In my mid-career we had a Lynx helicopter, a small and usually reliable aircraft. But it didn't like starting up on someone else's patch. Wherever possible the pilot would keep the engine running, perhaps for a long time, so as not to take the risk of winding up stuck ashore. Planning and executing sorties from sea is therefore something that needs to be practiced until you are blue in the face, then practiced some more. It's one of the reasons that HMS Prince of Wales, her escorts and some 4,500 people are far away doing what they do. You can only simulate, wargame and train so much; eventually you have to get to sea and pressure test all the moving parts for real. Doing it at distance from the UK teaches lessons too. It's the only way you can learn and then build in resilience for combat operations. Hopefully all this paints a picture as to why this F-35 is now stuck in Kerala. Jets are not cars – they are complex and they break down. Sometimes they can't be fixed with what you have on the ship, or what you can fly ashore in a helicopter. In this case, it sounds like the jet developed a hydraulic issue of some sort. I'm not a pilot but I have been around maritime aviation long enough to know this is a defect that rarely ends well. We will need the investigation to know for sure why that jet went 'feet dry' and why it is still not returned either to the ship or the UK. The safety of the aircraft and pilot would have trumped potential embarrassment or politics. And with Kerala within range, they took the decision to land there. On landing and since then, the Indian authorities have been providing first class support where needed and perimeter security. Conspiracy theories that they could reverse engineer the technology are incorrect and the jet is safe. Having said all that, our international relations with India are complicated just now. There is always a political element to these things. Personally, I would have moved heaven and earth to get that plane fixed and either back to the ship or back to the UK, for three reasons. First, it minimises embarrassment which is there, no matter how we wish it wasn't. Second, it reduces our dependence on India, which will always come with a political price-tag. Third, and most importantly, because we should train as we mean to fight. We should have simulated needing that jet for combat tasking right away and pressure tested every system, including the Treasury, to make it so. I would have also communicated loud and clear what the plan was to minimise both doubt and further embarrassment. Instead there has been silence from the British government. For me it feels as though we have not been aggressive enough in the rectification of the jet or at least its removal from India. On the plus side, none of this is new. In 1983, a Sea Harrier pilot operating off Portugal found himself unable to locate HMS Illustrious and then got so low on fuel that landing ashore was no longer an option. Rather than eject and lose the aircraft, the pilot decided to land on the container ship Alraigo, with or without their permission. The landing was good, though the Harrier did slide backwards off the container it was on, suffering some damage. Red faces and salvage claims swiftly followed, though it should be noted that the jet returned to service and was later converted to the FA2 standard. Aviation emergencies at sea are not new and they are always complex, expensive and occasionally embarrassing. This one in India is no different.
Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
The best men's designer sunglasses to shop in 2025
Summer is sunglasses time, of course. And while we are great fans of the classics — and who doesn't look good in a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers (as sported by Tom Cruise in Risky Business), American Optical Original Pilot aviators (as issued to the crew of Apollo 11 in their survival kits), Persol 714s (see Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair) or Vuarnet Legend 06s (thank you, 007, in No Time to Die) — there are new styles that are worth exploring. Some of the best models come care of collaborations, creating characterful mash-ups. The first that caught our eye, so to speak, is the Ray-Ban x Lenny Kravitz partnership, which has produced a 'reverse' version of the US brand's famous aviators. This style was designed in 1937 for American pilots and has become a classic. Last year Ray-Ban decided to play with it and introduced a concave lens in place of the usual convex one. Kravitz clearly enjoys the idea of reimagining the aviator: 'It's about breaking boundaries, embracing individuality and seeing the world from a new perspective through those innovative lenses.' The models come in black, chrome and a limited-edition gold version, and etched discreetly on the top of the left lens you'll see the musician's signature. • This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue But if lens bending strikes you as a little out there, why not try a pair of Sunspel x Cutler and Gross shades? A British maker of elegant luxury casualwear for men, Sunspel was founded in 1860 and to this day manufactures T-shirts in its factory in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. The brand is all about quality, simplicity and a certain type of no-nonsense Britishness. It has, for example, made a couple of collections with Paul Weller, which were a modern take on sporty mod knits. Sunspel x Cutler and Gross Dark Turtle sunglasses, £395, Enter the Sunspel x Cutler and Gross sunglasses collaboration, a marriage made in British minimalist design heaven. Cutler and Gross is about a century younger than Sunspel, founded in 1969 by Graham Cutler and Tony Gross, who met while studying to become opticians, and its sunglasses are now handmade in Italy. The brand has developed a model for Sunspel with an acetate frame in dark brown, black or pewter with matching tonal lenses, a tapered temple with diamond-shaped rivets and a heavy brow line that gives it an air of old-school cool. At the other end of the British sartorial spectrum sits Huntsman of Savile Row, established in 1849. A dive into this tailor's ledgers reveals a host of stylish customers: Clark Gable, Paul Newman, Lawrence Olivier, Gregory Peck and Dirk Bogarde — and more recently the film director Matthew Vaughn, the creator of the Kingsman franchise for which Huntsman served as inspiration and location. (Incidentally, Cutler and Gross has an eyewear collaboration with Kingsman too.) Huntsman x EB Meyrowitz Grosvenor sunglasses, £1,350, Now the Savile Row tailor comes together with EB Meyrowitz, an optician that was founded in 1875 and has its roots in making eyewear for early motorists, mountaineers and aviators. Today EB Meyrowitz is based in the Royal Arcade off Bond Street and handmakes its frames. For Huntsman it has imagined some archetypical designs in acetate: an aviator, a teardrop shape, a rectangular style and a round one. It's a good selection designed to suit different face shapes, and each model oozes quality (witness the three gold pins on the temples of the Savoy and Grosvenor models). The tinted Zeiss lenses protect against UV and there is added back-coating to counteract the sun reflecting from the reverse of the lens into the eye. By Rosie Davenport Inspired by the silhouette of the iconic cat eye sunglasses worn by Bob Dylan on tour throughout the mid-1960s, this sleek black frame from Jacques Marie Mage features polarised lenses. The Los Angeles-based brand is also behind a collection of quiet luxury shades worn by the character Kendall Roy in the TV show Succession, which are made in a limited series of about 50 per model and colour. £1,580, Jacques Marie Mage at Harrods With its leather bridge detailing and signature screws, Cartier's Santos de Cartier pilot sunglasses are a great twist on the classic aviator silhouette with touches of distinctive details taken from the brand's bestselling watch design. £1,035, Cartier at Harrods Made in Italy, Ferrari's aviator frames have an understated sporty aesthetic in homage to the brand's rich racing history and are crafted from lightweight acetate. £584, Ferrari at Harrods The peachy tinted lenses on these Brunello Cucinelli gives the pair a retro twist, as do the chunky frames and oversized silhouette. £605, Brunello Cucinelli at Mr Porter Mr Porter's collaboration with the British eyewear brand Cubitts includes this pair of everyday frames. The rounded shape, tortoiseshell and brown lenses makes them particularly perfect for the sunny summer months. £150, Mr Porter
Forbes
07-06-2025
- Forbes
Hanging Gardens And Vines In The Castle: An Italian Dream Turned Into Reality
A view of the official presentation of the vineyard on the terrace of the castle. They have been sister cities since 1963, and one was named after the other. Despite being thousands of miles apart and one being renowned worldwide, the other has something that no one else in the world owns. What am I talking about? Cupertino (US, CA) and Copertino (Italy). The first, famous for being the capital of high tech was named after Saint Joseph of Copertino. He was a Franciscan friar born just in Copertino, and is revered as the patron saint of aviators, travelers and students. Many things connect these two places, but the small Italian Copertino boasts a treasure unique in the world. A vineyard on the terrace of a castle. Copertino is a picturesque town that has a magnificent fortress that was built in the 16th century. It is considered one of the most impressive defensive structures from the Italian Renaissance. Located in a famous wine region, the town also hosts a cooperative winery, founded in 1935 by some thirty wine-growers. This year, the 350 members who cultivate 400 hectares of vines are celebrating the first 90 years of their cooperative. The grapes are mostly local: Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Malvasia Bianca, Primitivo, and some international grapes that have found homes in these places for a long time. But there is also a particular variety of Negroamaro, the Negoramaro Cannellino, that is cultivated in a quite unusual place: the outside walkway of the castle. Actually, it's a kind of "back to the roots". In the past, the upper parts of the castle ramparts, walls, and communication trenches were used as hanging gardens, where people cultivated citrus trees, vineyards, and olive trees, useful in case of siege for the self-support of the inhabitants. Over time, though, as circumstances changed, the usefulness of those crops came to an end, and they were abandoned and then forgotten… Until 2013. The vineyard on the rampart of the castle That year, the Cupertinum cooperative president Francesco Trono submitted to the local authorities an original project: 'We had verified with the archival sources that in the past, the walkways were cultivated – explained Francesco Trono– and thus proposed to restore at least the vineyards in that place. They accepted our idea with enthusiasm.' Indeed, it is a one-of-a-kind project: it has no precedent either in Italy or abroad. "The 'vineyard on the castle' enhances the most original aspects of the culture and crops of Salento Copertino – Trono claimed - It is no by chance that the Copertino DOC bottles produced by our winery bear the castle's portal as their emblem on the label, while the Igt Salento bottles of wine are dedicated to Squarciafico and Spinello dei Falconi, two noble families who lived in the castle." So, after many years, the vineyard returned on the communication trenches. In April 2014, they planted 100 vines of Negroamaro Cannellino, an ancient and early variety. The training system follows the oldest winegrowing tradition in Salento, the Apulian alberello, which calls for the vines to grow as isolated plants, without the aid of supports or palisades. It develops into a compact and lower form, generally not more than one meter in height. This choice allows the plants to make maximum use of the soil's water and nutrients resources, particularly important in the poor soils and arid climates typical of Apulia. Even the arrangement of rows is a reminder of the past: the vines are planted according to the quincunx, an order used by the Romans. A bottle of "Copertino Rosso Riserva" and the entrance of the castle. Today, this vineyard is regarded as the first and only vineyard on a fortress in the world, and the moment of pruning is always a time of celebration for the castle and the Cupertinum winery. Although the Castle is always open to visits, the vineyard can be visited only a few times a year, during moments of wine-tourism (such as "Calici di Stelle" in August) or cultural days chosen by the castle management. The wine made with the grapes from the vineyard is ready yet, unfortunately. Once they can produce it, it will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to support a land enhancement project. However, the headquarter of the Cupertinum winery is not far from here. If you decide to visit the wonderful Salento region and Copertino, I recommend tasting some of their wines. The full-bodied and fruity "Copertino Rosso Riserva DOC", made with Negroamaro grapes in purity, is a deep ruby red wine with an intense bouquet of blackberry, plum, ripe fruits, and a warm flavor with hints of almond and black currant. The mouth-watering freshness of their pink wine "Spinello dei Falconi Salento IGT Rosato", from Negroamaro grapes vinified in rosè, with its bright and charming coral color and flavors of cherries, redberries, and wild rose, is a great wine for summer dishes and carefree drinking. An authentic taste of old Apulia with a contemporary twist. Elisabetta Tosi
Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
How RAF pilots are facing down Russian threats on the Nato border
Soaring thousands of feet above Nato's Baltic border with Russia, British fighter pilots are acutely aware that one false move could trigger a global conflict. 'It would be very easy, if I waved, to fold up my hand into this [a middle finger], and then that goes out on the news and suddenly it's an international incident,' a plucky Royal Air Force pilot said as he described intercepting a Kremlin spyplane in his Typhoon jet. The flight lieutenant, 32, is among a handful of aviators from II (AC) Squadron who have been given the task of tracking down and deterring aircraft that encroach on alliance airspace. Speaking to The Times from the tarmac of Malbork airbase in Poland — about 50 miles from Kaliningrad oblast,
The National
07-05-2025
- General
- The National
Another US fighter jet falls into the Red Sea
A second US fighter jet has tumbled from an aircraft carrier into the Red Sea, an official said on Wednesday, just over a week after another plane went overboard. On Tuesday, an F/A-18F Super Hornet was landing on the flight deck of the USS Harry S Truman when the hook-and-wire arrest mechanism to slow it down failed, causing the aircraft to go into the sea. 'Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by the search and rescue helicopter attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11,' a defence official said in a statement. 'The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured.' The incident comes after another Super Hornet – which cost about $70 million each – fell off the Truman on April 28 when the crew that was towing it in the hanger lost control of the plane. One sailor sustained a minor injury in that incident, when a tow tractor was also lost overboard. Late last year, another F/A-18 operating off the Truman was lost after it was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser. Both crew survived that incident. And in February, the Truman itself suffered damage when it collided with a merchant vessel in the Mediterranean Sea near Egypt's Port Said. In addition to the lost warplanes and damage, a US official said last week that seven MQ-9 Reaper drones – which cost around $30 million apiece – had been lost in the Yemen area since March 15. The Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers operating in the seas around the Middle East. US forces have been bombing Yemen's Houthi rebels since mid-March. But President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the Houthis had ' capitulated ' and the US would stop bombing them.
