Thread Creep Halesland
Whilst the 'system' swims around in a sea of very thick custard we can do well to remind ourselves why we are so 'annoyed' at the way they 'broke' a fine operation.**
Halesland was one such 'gem'.
Very much the 'baby' of 87/621 School at Weston Airport it emerged to become a well used site for Cadet advanced flying and later schools summer deployment.
By modern standards it was 'limited' but its location and the ability to get a 'C' in a Prefect was in itself a real jump from flying the circuit at your normal base.
Even the drive to the site was fun and the unspoiled scenery quite spectacular;via the 'back way' through Burrington Combe.I seem to remember the ATC would not allow cadets to be driven via the more direct route as the hill was considered rather steep for the brakes of the day.
One took 'rations' for the day and for 'scouts' like myself it was back to organising cooking and meals.
Many times there would be a local shepherd up there huddled in a simple shelter (we would supply him with tea) and i well remember getting a ticking off for giving him a hot drink.
The main kit was T21/Prefect and the occaisional Swallow.
On my first visit there was a BRAND NEW V8 winch up there which was not used as we had the MB twin drums by then.
Halesland weather could give you sunburn or hypothermia,and it could change very quickly.The field 'undulated' to the point that taking up slack would show up the gullies with the cable becoming a bridge.
This was the real spirit of the ATC in action;operating from a 'field' that had no resemblance to our normal base yet Cadets would be popping off in the Prefect after a few trips in the T21.The site was vacated when the glass ships arrived however the civvy club who are now resident seem to get along ok and have 'improved' the runs to cater for the later machines.
Happy memories of mega 'fry ups' when the weather clamped and i still wonder where that 'new' V8 barrage balloon winch went !
**I am not blaming the 'system' for the demise of Halesland, but merely suggesting this was just one example of how well the the system ran without an excess of paperwork, and how capability ruled the day.