Flying From Barton
Good heavens Poet and PPPP, what a trip down memory lane you have sent me on. I nearly did a PPL at Barton in about 1991 (up to qual XC) 'til the cash ran out and remember the place with great affection.
Old Gum BOIL features in a few hours in my book (152s were never good loadlifters) and was the last beast I flew there when I came into funds again in about 1998. Mike Partakis was the last instructor I flew with there, although I have fond memories of flying with Phil Dean, Phil Greenfield and even John Casson (and a few others who don't come to mind so easily).
I wholly agree about the short field stuff but I don't think mixing seriously with the heavy metal .. as I did when I did my PPL "again" at Luton .... does any harm at all (other than to the pocket with the waits at the hold or the orbits on base leg over Luton FC's ground while the big boys form an endless stream from distant places). It certainly smartens up the R/T when you have to use 3 frequencies before take off !
I hope - despite the increasingly commercial problems of dealing with Mcr CC - Barton carries on forever.
On a sad day for the world in general and aviation in particular, I needed cheering up.