13 September 2016
Pilot or navigator? Doesn’t seem to matter to Dominic Crossan (pilot, left above) and Roger Scholes (navigator) who won the recent King’s Cup air race staged by the Royal Aero Club at Shobdon Aerodrome. They won the same event last year, with Roger doing the flying and Dominic as navigator.
This year they were flying a Van’s RV-8 and won in a speed of 176.08kt. Last year it was a Slingsby.
A total of 13 aircraft took part in the race including a Lake Buccaneer amphibian. A handicap system takes care of disparity in aircraft performance so that it’s down to the pilot’s consistent flying.
The King’s Cup is one of the most prestigious trophies to win, dating back to 1922 when King George V established the event to incentivise light aircraft and engine design. The first race was an 810-mile contest from Croydon Airport to Glasgow and back after an overnight stop. Previous winners – whose names are engraved on the trophy – include Geoffrey de Havilland and Alex Henshaw.
The next and final race of the 2016 season is on 24-25 September at Alderney.
