Aero Expo [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums

Whirlybird

7th Jun 2007, 19:49

muffin,
I'm driving anyway. I've been flying long enough to know that if you really, really want to get somewhere in the UK, then you drive - sad, but true. My student doesn't know that yet, which is why he wants to fly there on Sunday, and thinks from the forecast that it will be a good day. Well, it might, but the Midlands is liable to have its usual fog while the rest of the country basks in sunshine, so I'm not relying on it.

Fly Stimulator,
Hope to meet you, and I've replied to your pm.

1d2d3d4d

7th Jun 2007, 20:13

I've got a ticket and was thinking of going on Saturday. Working tommorrow, flying (hopefully) Sunday. Probably going by bike.

Chris

Sir George Cayley

7th Jun 2007, 20:38

I'm told the CAA will be there in force (brave chaps):ok:

I think I'll mosey over and ask a couple of difficult questions:eek:

Mode S and GPS spring to mind.

How will I recognise you Ms Whirly?

Sir George Cayley

silverknapper

7th Jun 2007, 20:42

Hoping to come down from Inverness. Driving definitely not an option!! Fingers crossed.

Whiskey Kilo Wanderer

7th Jun 2007, 23:25

Hoping to get there tomorrow, must remember to cancel the 11:55 slot booking. Doesn't look flyable.

Whirlybird

8th Jun 2007, 05:59

George Cayley and others,

Look for a shortish woman with shoulder length blonde hair, wearing navy cargo pants, a light blue BWPA T-shirt, plus helicopter brooch and earrings...jeez, I hope I don't look as weird as that sounds!

Why don't we all try to meet at 2.30pm at the Gasco stand, where I'll be helping with the pre-flight challenge (find the pre-flight defects) for some of the time.

See you!

Whirly

IO540

8th Jun 2007, 09:03

If the weather lives up to the naff forecast, the stuff on the ground better be interesting... and covered up.

chevvron

8th Jun 2007, 10:06

One visitor from France diverted to Farnborough already.

Fly Stimulator

8th Jun 2007, 10:51

It is still looking a bit grey in the Wycombe web cams at www.bafc.co.uk/wd/wx5.html (http://www.bafc.co.uk/wd/wx5.html)

Brooklands

8th Jun 2007, 13:15

Whirly,

I'm going to be there on Sunday. I'll keep an eye out for you.

Brooklands

fusian

8th Jun 2007, 14:08

Hi, i'm heading down on the train on Sunday, I'm a PPL student, it would be good to meet fellow pilots or PPL'rs...

Anyone want to meet?

fusian

8th Jun 2007, 14:49

Whirley, where you heading down from? I'll be heading over from Derby.

Rod1

8th Jun 2007, 15:39

I am driving over on Sunday if anybody in the Derby / B on T area wants a lift.

Rod1

ultimatepro63

8th Jun 2007, 18:26

I'll be there on the Sunday if things work out my way ! :}

Whirlybird

8th Jun 2007, 18:40

If I go on Sunday, I'll be flying down with a student. I drove down today, as there were a number of people I wanted to see, and I wanted to make sure I actually got there...you can never be sure when you're flying. It was OK, but pretty quiet - probably not surprising considering it's a weekday and the weather wasn't really flyable. I left before the forecast rain hit (if it did), and if it did rain, I don't know how they'd have got all the cars out of the car park, which was muddy anyway. Otherwise - a bit to see, most of the usual stands, quite a few aircraft...but if there was anything spectacular I missed it. And I met a PPRuNer or two. But as I said, very quiet.

If you want to meet up Sunday, I suggest someone else arranges when and where, as I'm not that hopeful about it being flyable. But if I do make it I'll try and meet you all.

Sir George Cayley

8th Jun 2007, 20:48

Missed you:bored: I too drove today as it was defo not suitable for VFR!

I thought the whole setup was excellent. Met a load of peeps I know and introduced myself to some I didn't. My new special freind is called Roger and is something big in the PFA:ok:

Catering was good and the hot brown liquid I bought actually tasted of coffee.
I found the a/c stands more than willing to let me sit/play/interfere with thier kit, thought the chap with the TBM850 seemed a tad nervous I might break something.

Fellow Yorkhireman, Ivan Shaw (yes positive) was cock-a-hoop at receiving EASA type approaval for his Liberty, which don't half lookey likey a tri-gear Europa.

As for Cirrus and C'lumbia: it's gonner be a hard decision if ever the numbers come up on the lottery;)

All in all It's worth the effort if just for the Bimbo on the Flymap stand. How does she walk in those heels all day?

Oh, and the chaps and chapesse (Hello Jo) on the CAA stand were disarmingly pleasant, knowledgable and helpfull. Damm, couldn't bring myself to give them a hard time:= One of them is even a PFA member - whatever next?

I commend it to the house:D

Sir George (God my legs ache) Cayley

gpn01

8th Jun 2007, 21:02

I'll be popping over on Saturday (five minutes drive away for me) and might spend time helping out on the Booker GC stand (stand B17) or looking after the Duo Discus glider outside (if it's not raining). Do come along and have a chat....I can extol the virtues of flying a machine that 'burns' fuel at zero gallons per hour whilst cruising at 60kts+ and a VNE of 135kts.....and you can point out that I sometimes end up in a field several hundred kilometres away from where I started!

Gary

Astral_Flyer

8th Jun 2007, 21:27

Hi Whirly & Co

I will be along on Sunday... Hope that you are going to be there Whirls. I have heard so much about you..

I'm also a short blonde lass... I will be wearing a bright pink(ish) top with silver earings. So I will be noticeable big time. :) ... .

Will you be wearing your helicopter brooch and earrings if you come Whirls?

Anyone else that wants to chat to me. Feel welcome to do so. I don't bite! :}

Patricia

Whirlybird

8th Jun 2007, 21:42

No earrings if I'm flying; they dig in with a headset. :{

OK, when and where shall we all meet? I have a slot for 11.50, so won't actually get on to the site till after 12.

chevvron

9th Jun 2007, 08:02

Red Arrows Flypast at Naphill (RAF High Wycombe) btn 0825 and 0845 UTC today.

scooter boy

9th Jun 2007, 20:52

Please don't get me wrong about this, I am delighted that the UK is having an aviation do this year (other than Helitech) and good on those who arranged it but...

I was about to book a slot then checked the runway length - 735m (with minimal wind) leaves me little leeway for landing my Mooney and I can't be bothered to hand fly all the way up from Cornwall in my R44.

A different field with a published IAP and a longer hard runway would certainly have made the show more attractive for me.

It might also have made the show accessible to other types that need more runway such as VLJs.

SB

Astral_Flyer

9th Jun 2007, 21:18

Whirlybird - I will be arriving at around 1230 ... I don't know the layout or the best meeting point.. I will certainly be recognisable with the bright top..

Any suggestions accepted :)

Astral

smarthawke

9th Jun 2007, 23:05

Scooter Boy

There is an M20J based at Booker and it doesn't seem to have a problem operating from there off the hard and another one comes in for maintenance no probs.

Pilotdom

9th Jun 2007, 23:16

Eh, they can get a PC-12 in to booker and your worried about getting a mooney in?

Whirlybird

10th Jun 2007, 06:48

Looking at the TAFs, I think the chances of us flying in are slim, but I'm off to the airfield to meet my student, so we'll see. If I make it, let's try to meet at 2pm at the Gasco stand (outside in one of the tents); do their preflight challenge while you're waiting. I'm wearing navy cargo pants and a checked top with bits of embroidery.

DBChopper

10th Jun 2007, 11:38

735m (with minimal wind) leaves me little leeway for landing my Mooney and I can't be bothered to hand fly all the way up from Cornwall in my R44

Blimey - it's a tough old life isn't it! ;)

ultimatepro63

10th Jun 2007, 14:31

All in all was great. Saw the mammoth cessna caravan and the huge pc12. Was intresting to see most of the aircraft from piper and cessna. The woman at the British Airways hangar was very helful and friendly. :ok:

Katherine Alexandra

10th Jun 2007, 15:13

Short blonde woman, about 40?
I have been reliably informed (by the other half, and also lorraine, who was doing booking in/taking money etc for BAFC) that there were only 30 planes in all day on Friday (and only 4 wanted refuelled) so I'm not surprised if it seemed quiet!
Pity that the battle of britain memorial flight (lancaster and a spitfire, I hear) couldn't make it over but, at the time, Wycombe was too busy with mostly departing ac...and the viz was decidedly dodgy!
All in all though, yesterday was a good day to go. Although I hear it didn't start well...one of the early ac in to Wycombe went off the runway (06 I believe). Some interesting moments too...I'm assuming anyone else who was around heard about the dog left in the car? :ugh:

silverknapper

10th Jun 2007, 19:58

What was the outcome of the poor dog? I heard it on the PA system but didn't hear anything else. Poor thing, must have been 25 deg outside never mind stuck in a car.

Katherine Alexandra

10th Jun 2007, 20:55

As far as I'm aware, it was ok...I know they didn't have to smash the car window as whoever's car it was had left it unlocked. Maybe the North Weald guys left it with someone? I didn't hear about whether they'd found its owner, certainly!

stevfire2

10th Jun 2007, 21:43

dogs were ok, left with ventilation and water, under the watchful eyes of security. no word about their a:mad:e owner(s) though.

Katherine Alexandra

10th Jun 2007, 21:49

Aha, evening steve! I'd been hoping one of "you lot" would know...and I didn't have the energy to text mr. cooling! Glad to hear the dog was ok though...

Astral_Flyer

11th Jun 2007, 06:51

I managed to get to the Gasco stand at 14.25 ... Bit late I know... I did keep my eyes open for you Whirly.. The preflight challenge was good.. It took me a little while to get into the mindset of having to think that what I will find would be over the top, rather than the little things you might find normally.. I managed to miss the split pin on the main wheel! :ugh:

I had my number two son in tow.. He was a little sharper than me... He is on the way to gaining his commercial qualifications.. He wasn't impressed with the 'toy' microlights. He loathes them. But the Cirrus SR22 he really loved.

My number one son couldn't attend. He was on standby for the day. Such is the life of Cabin Crew... And no! He isn't gay! :)

Aviation certainly runs in the family.... As for the gathering ... The weather was with us. It had something for all and it was a very friendly welcoming atmosphere.. Although I did notice a few of the 'big boys' stands were abandoned... Which is a shame really. As I always say that today's enthusiast / enquiring mind, is likely to be tomorrows Pilot / Client / Employee / Employer. So it is worth talking with everyone and staying open. Strange things do happen.

Astral

Whirlybird

11th Jun 2007, 06:58

Astral Flyer,

I wasn't there. I left a party early on Saturday evening, had an early night, got up early to check weather etc. It looked pretty marginal, but I went down to the airfield, met my student, and we had a mammoth briefing - he's only done local navs so far, but wanted to do everything if he could. By then it was still very hazy with a 500 ft or so cloudbase. I phoned Wycombe, who reported about the same. So Chris drove to Wycombe, and I did what all flying instructors do on such days - hung around and had a good moan with all the other people hanging about looking at the sky.

But I've gathered from several people that it went well, and that there were more people than on Friday. So...maybe next year.

scooter boy

11th Jun 2007, 12:27

"There is an M20J based at Booker and it doesn't seem to have a problem operating from there off the hard and another one comes in for maintenance no probs."

Well good for them! and good for the PC-12 crew! Mine is an M20R (long body). I have been in to places with short runways before but would need to be pretty light to get in and out. I am also very spoiled having flown in to Oshkosh a couple of times and sun'n fun and been at Friedrichshafen this April and heading for Paris Airshow later this month.

I would need all of 700m and having 35m as a fall back is just too tight a margin for me - it's just my personal preference. I understand that Fairoaks (which has more runway than Booker) has had 2 Mooney overruns in the last few years (they told me after I landed).
With short (less than 800m for my Mooney) or grass runways I much prefer the chopper but there is no autopilot and over an hour each way would have been a little wearing.

I went to Polzeath instead on Sunday (with the family in the R44 landing at Roserrow). We did the Royal Cornwall Show at Wadebridge on Friday afternoon using the private landing site there so I have been pretty busy basking in the sunshine at this end of the country.

I hope the show was good.

Happy days

SB

IO540

11th Jun 2007, 13:00

There was almost nothing at High Wycombe that could not be seen at any other aeroplane show in the UK, anytime in the last few years.

Very very little changes in this business from one year (or even decade) to the next. At least 90% of the stuff there is exactly the same as it was when I started flying 7 years ago.

It's a good day out for kids, and to meet up a few people.

Aero 2007 (Friedrichshafen) was much bigger but the extra bits were mainly ultralights (hangars full of them) and the usual bizjets. Virtually all the R&D today is going into the non-CofA market. The range of certified GA piston planes is so small these days that you can walk around the whole worldwide product range in a few minutes. All that Cessna/Piper/Mooney have really done in the last many years is bolting in a G1000 - and it does look tacky indeed in a 1950s airframe when they haven't even bothered to re-shape the steam-gauge panel to take advantage of the smaller possible size. Cirrus and Diamond are relatively modern but everybody knows what those two have on offer; no need to go to an airshow to see an SR22 yet again.

I am suprised a Mooney has problems with 700m. Perhaps different models differ; there are a number of old Mooneys based at Wangen-Lachen (LSPV) which is 500m. My TB20 gets airborne in (optimally) about 300m at MTOW, tarmac, sea level, and 500m is fine.

Whirlybird

11th Jun 2007, 13:51

I much prefer the chopper but there is no autopilot and over an hour each way would have been a little wearing.

?????? In early R44s I'd be inclined to agree. But isn't it the Raven II you've got? I flew some people all over the place in one a few weeks ago - over three hours altogether. I hardly noticed I was flying; you only need about two fingers most of the time.

Oh well, I suppose it depends what you're used to...which in my case is long hours in the R22.