Stuart wasn't ever 'SATCO' Fairoaks but WAS senior FISO/Deputy Airport Manager, this being after he had a 'falling out' with Doug Arnold in about 1977 and was his second 'stint' at Fairoaks. Years later back at Blackbushe (he was headhunted back to be Airport Manager again under Phil Cardew who was Airport Director/Chief Pilot BCA when BCA bought it off DA), his FISO licence had lapsed but CAA said if he passed an Air Ground Radio practical exam, he could use it again so I went over and did the test, (I was and still am an authorised A/G Examiner) and he got the licence back!
I thought the Pups at 3CAC were great. I only flew G-AZCP as the other one had landed in a field in mid 1976 and was never returned to use. People called them 'underpowered' but it's my firm belief it was just switching from a C150 with the same power/weight ratio, the Pup had a smaller wing area and took a bit longer to unstick. In the air there was a world of difference; you had to 'fly' the Pup more but its control response was far superior.
When Tim Steggles checked me out in it, (I was hoping I would get Ellie Messer instead as she always wanted to take me up and show me some unusual attitudes!) he said 'well you took to that easily'.
I remember when it spun, it seemed you were 'over the vertical'!
Last edited by chevvron; 8th Dec 2011 at 11:14.