9th December 2005. Hawker Hunter Aviation at Scampton today made this announcement: "HHA were today granted approval by the Civil Aviation Authority Management Committee to operate their BAe Buccaneer Aircraft (G-HHAA / XX885) on the UK civil register. This is the culmination of almost five years worth of effort and in excess of 3250 man hours of design verification work. This does not include any engineering work on the aircraft at all! As such it will be the first Complex category aircraft to fly in UK airspace and is a testament to the excellence of the HHA engineering and operational team. Major overhaul work and lifed component replacement on the aircraft will commence shortly, with a first flight target currently envisaged for 2006."
Really looking forward to seeing this great plane fly again. The S1 version could carry more payload than a Phantom and could go faster at low level. It's perhaps one of the most stable low-level jets ever made.
I know South Africa are already operating one (along with Hunters and Lightnings) but it's a breakthrough for the UK because of its 'complex category' classification.
