26 May 2016
+ VIDEO Skytyping – writing messages in the sky with smoke trails from aircraft – could be on its way to the UK after a successful first test flight by the Yakovlevs Aerobatic Display team earlier this week. Just one small problem – skytyping is illegal in the UK due to an obscure 1930s anti-propaganda law.
Nevertheless, Jez Hopkinson, MD and lead pilot of the Yakovlevs, is delighted with the first demo which required special permission from the Department for Transport to go ahead. Flying in a tight line-abreast formation, five of the team’s Yak 50 and Yak 52 aircraft typed test messages in the sky earlier this week, overhead their home base at Henstridge Airfield, Somerset.
“It’s a big day for us,” said Jez. “The culmination of six years work.
“We were confident it would work – we just didn’t realise how well it work first time out! With the weather finally clearing yesterday at around 18:00, providing us with the required blue sky backdrop to type against, we launched and completed three successful Skytyping passes overhead the airfield, and we are thrilled with the results.”
What does it mean? Is it a message from aliens?
Skytyped messages are created by five aircraft flying in a line abreast formation, producing smoke trails controlled by a computer to create words.
Skytyping was pioneered by legendary barnstormer Andy Stinis in the 1950s. In those days he used an ingenious, automatic ticker-tape system. Skytyping has been a feature in American skies ever since.
Following extensive lobbying with government, earlier this year the DfT finally provided the Yakovlevs with permission to trial Skytyping in UK skies, under the understanding that what was typed wouldn’t contravene aerial advertising laws.
“It’s been a massive challenge to get this far,” said Jez. “We were delighted to finally get permission from DfT to trial Skytyping in UK airspace, after years of lobbying. While we will enjoy touring the world with our new Skytyping system, we remain determined to get permission to type in the UK as well and hope to be typing in home skies soon.”
