Gloomy News from North Weald
I have just read the AAIB Report on the midair between the Yak 50 and the Cessna at North Weald earlier this year: <A HREF="http://www.open.gov.uk/aaib/dec00htm/gingr.htm" TARGET="_blank">http://www.open.gov.uk/aaib/dec00htm/gingr.htm</A>
This made for sobering reading, especially on the subject of circuit joins, r/t terminology and sky-sharing by standard puddle jumpers and energetic high performance aircraft. Those of us who fly to/from North Weald will, no doubt, often have joined the Circuit whilst some hot ship is doing its stuff below you or somewhere nearby. That's part of the fun of the place, and long may it continue, but, hands up: how often have we joined other than downwind, and have we always been 100% sure of where the rocketship had got to? Base joins from Willingale or from near Harlow, and straights ins, are pretty common (overheads are no-go because Stansted comes down to 1500 feet above the field). I'll go back to downwind joins now, although the Cessna in the accident had properly joined that way. If I get my Christmas wish and acquire a share in something sparkly, which may live at North Weald, I don't think I'll be in a rush to go run and breaking a lot.
I fly from North Weald a lot, and consider it my favourite airfield. I did not know any of the people involved in the tragedy and express my sympathy to their families and friends. The accident seemed to be the sort of thing which could have happened to anyone, given the particular combination of circumstances, some of which are peculiar to places with high aerobatic/warbird populations. I just hope that the accident is not used by those who seek to close the airfield for commercial gain.
Anyway, a report worth reading IMHO: definitely one of those "There but...." moments.