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Project Updates Much is new in "Vimy world" March 2005 The Vimy Flies Again! October 2004 The Engines Have Been Mounted May 2004 Vimy Atlantic Crossing Update April 2004 Clifden, Ireland Visitors September 2003 New Propellers July 2003 Vimy Atlantic Crossing delayed March 2003 July through November Project Update 30-Nov-01 Vimy to be Heard in Star Wars 15-Nov-01 Vimy Grounded by BMW 18-July-01 Vimy Stops in Mesa, AZ for Maintenance 17-July-01 A Visit to the Vimy 10-Jun-01

Vimy Update — March 2005 Much is new in “Vimy world” Vimy flies gloriously with its new Canadian engines as Mark, John and Peter continue with break in, debugging and familiarization. Exciting new members have joined the Vimy team. We welcome: Steve Fossett, who hopes to add the Vimy Atlantic project to his long list of record setting endeavors. Steve and Mark Rebholz will pilot the Vimy, hopefully this June, on its St. John’s Newfoundland to Clifden Ireland “Alcock & Brown” memorial flight. Steve's record setting activities may be seen on his web site at www.fossettchallenge.com. Thursday, March 3, 2005 1p.m. PST Steve successfully flies solo around the world - the first ever. Congratulations Steve! Stuart Radnofsky of Project 100 Communications Ltd of the U.K., has been engaged to pursue Vimy sponsorship and additional funding. Stuart will liaison with Jenny Moseley, Vimy’s long time friend and staunch supporter to whom we owe so much – we look for great things from this team (Stuart may be reached at stuart@project100.com or view Project 100’s web site at www.project100.com). This additional funding and sponsorship is being sought for a fuller and more encompassing promotion of the historic recreation flight. Bob Dyer has joined the Vimy team as our resident “philatelist” – (our “stamp” guy). Bob, now retired in Petaluma California has a long involvement in stamp collecting and is an ardent fan of “Alcock & Brown” and their historic flight, having researched first hand, in St. John’s Newfoundland, several articles on the famous flight. You may review his excellent article on the Vimy web site. Article Link. Bob will be working with the Vimy team to organize a celebratory mail pouch for the Vimy to carry to Ireland much as Alcock & Brown did in 1919 with the first transatlantic airmail. Bob may be reached at nrdyer@comcast.net. Colin Lewis of Swansea, U.K. is another philatelist, and associate of Bob Dyer. He is an expert in Newfoundland postal history, and is establishing contacts with Irish Post, the Clifden Chamber of Commerce and the Irish Airmail Society. All this is being done to take care of the celebratory mail when it arrives on Irish soil.  Colin may be reached at colindelewis@hotmail.com. Ian Wilson-Dick from Kent, England, visited us in Novato with his two sons and with much enthusiasm has offered his assistance on several aspects of our proposed transatlantic project. One, is a possible attempt at securing and delivering a long overdue “Alcock & Brown” letter from the Prime Minister of Newfoundland to King George the VI. With some luck, and with all the appropriate approvals, we hope to have the Vimy land at or near Windsor Castle in England and deliver the letter personally to the Royal family! Please see Ian's website at: http://nwilson.users.sonic.net/ian. Updates: John LaNoue and the Vimy team work to complete final modifications to the Vimy necessary for the transatlantic leap i.e. fuel bladders, engine cowlings, drag reduction etc. etc. etc. John hopes to have these complete by mid to late March with a heavy shakedown schedule to occur immediately thereafter i.e. first two weeks of April. Detailed planning is commencing on mapping out the California to Newfoundland routing for Vimy’s Newfoundland staging. Resources, weather and time permitting the preferred routing is to proceed from California to Victoria, the capitol of British Columbia and then eastward across Canada, in a memorialization of the WWI Battle of Vimy Ridge for which the Vimy was named. This cross Canada journey, would be welcomed throughout Canada, since Canada lost so many of her sons in this sad but necessary battle for freedom. Failing a transcanada routing the Vimy will find its way to St. John’s Newfoundland through the U.S. to Toronto and through the maritimes to St. John’s Newfoundland, or by the shortest flyable 'Great Circle' route. In all cases, arrival in Newfoundland is targeted for late May, early June. The transatlantic attempt itself will be made as soon thereafter as weather, logistics and aircraft permit. If an Atlantic attempt is not possible this spring / summer, the Vimy will 'over winter' in Newfoundland and try again in June of 2006. Stay tuned for more news and updates. In the meantime send money, sponsors, friends, relatives, your first born, project ideas, introductions, articles etc. etc. etc.

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