Veteran pilot Tom Schrade is at the show drumming up support for his plan to fly his Sikorsky S-38 amphibious aircraft across the Atlantic in September to raise money for children's charity Wings of Hope.
The aircraft will be familiar to film goers as it appeared - piloted by Schrade - in the opening scenes of The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the late Howard Hughes. The transatlantic flight attempt will start in Minnesota in the USA and take in stops in Labrador, southern Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Faroe Islands, London, Brussels and Frankfurt, before arriving in Berlin.
British amphibian fans will be thrilled to learn that the team is to seek permission to land the S-38 on the Thames in London. "We don't have approval yet, but we believe we'll be able to get that permission," says Schrade, adding that the plans for the transatlantic adventure were hatched "only two weeks ago".
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He adds: "I think the biggest challenge will be for us to get good weather, to plan it properly and not be in a hurry."
The S-38 made its debut in 1928 and 111 were built, although none of the original aircraft survive. An ex-US Navy diver who began his flying career in 1976, Shrade's aircraft was constructed using the upper wings and tail booms recovered from a scrapped example, and other parts manufactured according to plans obtained from Sikorsky.
Schrade met Wings of Hope founder Frank Franke at a fly-in hosted by their mutual friend Barron Hilton, son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton and grandfather of celebrity socialite Paris Hilton.
Wings of Hope is inviting show visitors to make a donation to cover each mile of the 5,000 mile (8,050km) journey, or a particular segment. Sponsors will receive a commemorative certificate.
Source: Flight Daily News