Beach Landings
Grew up in Southport, knew the beach pilot, Frenchman named Giroux ( Gyro ! ) operated a Fox Moth for many years, 4 seat cabin which carried his dog from the hangar to the public landing area, open cockpit for pilot behind. 5 bob trip around Blackpool Tower was too much for me, he suffered a crash landing and replaced the aircraft with an Auster.
Now in N.Z. - joined an approved rally to land on the beach near Raglan with my 45 yr. old VW powered Turbulent not long ago. VW always a bastard to start, so decided that I wouldn't stop the engine - just in case the incoming tide beat my Armstrong starter - but as I was stationary felt the engine vibration giving me a decided sinking feeling so decided to keep moving until it was time to go. Good fun tho', which is the only reason to fly now.
Left hand side of the long thin bit that forms the very top of New Zealand is the so called 90 Mile Beach, and is used for tourist buses too, aero clubs occasionally get together to land en masse, never done it there, but got a commission to look for turtles on the beach one day, good excuse for low flying, trouble is the N.Z's have a habit of fishing using a kite to take a line far out to sea, so only low fly when the wind is blowing from sea to land !
Last edited by ExSp33db1rd; 18th Jul 2008 at 10:55.