Free landings at Manch!!
We were due to Chippy down to Old Wardon today, but the weather this morning looked a tad unpromising; overcast at 4K (that's OK), but some lumpy low stuff at about 1000 feet. And the forecast was for a front moving down from NW later, possibly much later, but since we wouldn't get away from OW 'till around 6pm we decided not to risk it.
We were wondering what to do with our Chippy booking when someone mentioned that Manchester International were celebrating 100 years of flight. They had various attractions at the aviation viewing park adjacent to 24R, and were requesting any unusual or historic aircraft to fly in, free of charge, and park on the grass adjacent to the viewing park. Now normally Manch charges an arm and a leg in landing, parking, and handling charges, so consequently it is many years since I flew into there (used to do it a lot in the old days).
So we got ourselves a slot with air traffic, and launched (even the fact that our xponder is u/s didn't put them off!). A short hold at Sale Water Park, then onto a 2-mile final (staying high to avoid wake turbulence from the preceding biggie) and having been asked to land long 'for the photographers' we flew down 24R past a couple 75s and a Virgin 74 waiting to cross to 25L for departure. Lovely tyre-squeak 3-point landing up near the viewing park, and a 'follow me' to the grass. We were whisked around through the security gate in an airport 'people carrier' to the park itself, given 'aircrew' nametags and a free stopwatch, a cup of tea, and a Mars bar. Then we spent some time looking at the exhibits (including the Avro RJX, the last airliner built in UK, out of the Woodford factory and straight into retirement), a glider from Camphill, a Venom nose section, and lots of other stuff. Came time to go, we were whisked airside again, and shortly after departed for the hop back to Barton, 24R, early right turn.
This afternoon, I did it again, with someone else in the back seat (Manch won't do this often, if ever again, so I thought I'd grab it while it's going!). This time, as we taxied out for the return, we held on a taxiway to allow a Lufthansa Canadair to pass. "Very nice aeroplane, Sierra Lima", came the Teutonic voice from the Canadair. "So is yours", I replied (it was - but he didn't own his!). I'd managed to blag a departure of the new runway, 24L. The clearance had been originally for 24R .
Altogether an unusual and interesting day.
And yesterday I flew a 150HP Citabria for a bit, and chased a steam train. Two locos working hard, the white/range glow from the fireboxes clearly visible from above. So we did a strafing run (not too low, of course), and gave them a wing-rock!
Ah well. Work tomorrow :~(
SSD