Did I see a Tipsy Nipper.......

[kevmusic]

......over Strood, Kent, heading North, at 1200 today (Sunday)? Not too many of them about and if it was, it's the first one I've seen in the flesh, as 'twere. :)

[ChampChump]

Kev, there are several that get to various fly-ins in the Sarf.

One was at Henham Park today.

17 on CAA register, if it helps...

[patowalker]

Jan,

Before you ask, Sarf means South. :)

[Jan Olieslagers]

And I was so proud of my good control of the English language... but I've been learning by leaps and bounds in the few months I've been around here, I never imagined there was so much left to be learned.

Not sure it's going to help much when I take the English Language Proficiency check, though.

[DX Wombat]

Jan, if your spoken English is even half as good as your written I'm sure you will be fine. :ok:

[stickandrudderman]

And just to add to Jan's confusion, I saw an inebriated juvenile recently!;)

[patowalker]

Jan's English seems impeccable to me.

It is no wonder. I used to attend meetings in Brussels and they were conducted in English, which I thought was for my benefit. I later learnt it was to keep the peace between Flemish and Walloons. :)

[kevmusic]

Many moons ago I was my friend's best man for his wedding to a Dutch girl. I can attest that the average Dutch person's command of English is on a par with our own, at all stages of inebriation! (Just the adults, though)

[patowalker]

The Tipsy Nipper is Belgian, not Dutch.

[Jan Olieslagers]

... which goes to say the designer was certainly Belgian, and most were made in Belgium, too. But a good many were built in the UK, at Slingsby's in North Yorkshire.

The Dutch are neither there nor here, indeed.

[kevmusic]

Patowalker, you may find yourself at the wrong end of the stick, if I may. I know that E. O. Tips was Belgian (as will most on here, Im sure) but the wink was tipped to a good Dutch friend here about some colloquial English........then off we all ran with it, into realms of Dutch-related stuff.

Sorry to sound pedantic, but needs must.

[shortstripper]

Champchump ... Were you at Henham? I was there too and would have said hello if I'd know. I'm certainly going next year as it was a great day out!

[patowalker]

Kevmusic, it was not my intention to enlighten you.

This discussion started about an aircraft and drifted into the language skills of someone who might not want to be mistaken for a Dutchman. Saying the Tipsy Nipper was Belgian ... Oh forget it, I can't expect others who have not spent years working Belgians and Dutchmen to understand my twisted logic. :)

[kevmusic]

Ah, the joys of the internet! :rolleyes: I think I see your drift now, patowalker, sorry if I misunderstood. :)

But you're right - thread drift seems to be a sad fact of life, these days..........

[DeeCee]

I didn't see a Tipsy Nipper, but I saw a TBM20 mentioned several thousand times on PPRune..........

[sugarcube]

Not sure it's going to help much when I take the English Language Proficiency check, though
Before you do take it, you may want to ask around where to go. I hear there is quite a difference in the quality of examinators.

[Jan Olieslagers]

I heard the same, and am quite unsure where to go. I had considered France, in the hope they'd be less demanding there as they have (hmhm) less of a tradition in foreign languages than ourselves. In France or elsewhere, suggestions welcome!

[Jan Olieslagers]

thread drift seems to be a sad fact of life, these days..........

Yep. And being keen on language(s) is a good recipe for triggering it. I must obviously become even less conspicuous about this fascination I have, along with several more...

[patowalker]

Jan,

You should take your language skills test in England, where your level of English will be properly appreciated.

Donald
(still drifting)

[kevmusic]

England, where your level of English will be properly appreciated.

You sure about that, Donald!? :eek:

[patowalker]

Well Kevmusic, I say that because a monolingual Colombian once gave me 4 out of 5 for English. :)

I think most people here, including FIs, appreciate the achievement of foreigners who speak good English.

[ChampChump]

Shortstripper, I was there in Temporary Champ. First stop was the ice cream van, for a double-sized prize after the somewhat challenging conditions. :)

CC