Piper.Classique
29th Apr 2012, 15:06
In 1980 I was found at a vintage meet at Sutton Bank lying under an Auster trying to graunch the exhaust back on for long enough for it to do some aerotowing, by the man who was later to become my husband. He took me for my first winch launch in a glider, and a flight on the hill. This persuaded me that flying gliders as well as light aircraft was a good idea, and incidentally cost me a lot of money at various gliding clubs.
Since then I wanted to fly solo on their famous ridge, but what with moving to France and other things getting in the way it just didn't happen. Now, 32 years on, it has happened :D and in a K8, just to put extra fun on top.
I had to bring the Cub to England anyway for the annual, and thought that a couple of hours more each way to the Bank wouldn't be too much of a problem. Of course, I had to choose the worst fortnight for weather in the history of aviation, but......
I did it!
And got to fly the Rotax Falke, as a bonus. So, thank you to all who helped me achieve a long standing ambition, and who found space in the hangar for the yellow aeroplane and a bed for me at Lasham and Sutton Bank. Thank you Gamston for the weather diversion on the way north, and the engineers at Shoreham who sorted out a key for the Cub to replace the one I lost (please don't ask how I did that) and the security staff who found me a place to stay.
So, despite four days in Yorkshire waiting for a weather slot to return home, and three at Lasham, I had a great holiday, followed by the fastest ever flight from Lasham to home (90 knots g/s in a cub) in the one weather slot for VFR all week that happened last tuesday afternoon.
That really was time to spare, go by air but well worth it for all the lovely people I met. Oh, and thank you husband for staying at home and looking after all the animals.
Since then I wanted to fly solo on their famous ridge, but what with moving to France and other things getting in the way it just didn't happen. Now, 32 years on, it has happened :D and in a K8, just to put extra fun on top.
I had to bring the Cub to England anyway for the annual, and thought that a couple of hours more each way to the Bank wouldn't be too much of a problem. Of course, I had to choose the worst fortnight for weather in the history of aviation, but......
I did it!
And got to fly the Rotax Falke, as a bonus. So, thank you to all who helped me achieve a long standing ambition, and who found space in the hangar for the yellow aeroplane and a bed for me at Lasham and Sutton Bank. Thank you Gamston for the weather diversion on the way north, and the engineers at Shoreham who sorted out a key for the Cub to replace the one I lost (please don't ask how I did that) and the security staff who found me a place to stay.
So, despite four days in Yorkshire waiting for a weather slot to return home, and three at Lasham, I had a great holiday, followed by the fastest ever flight from Lasham to home (90 knots g/s in a cub) in the one weather slot for VFR all week that happened last tuesday afternoon.
That really was time to spare, go by air but well worth it for all the lovely people I met. Oh, and thank you husband for staying at home and looking after all the animals.