Lack Of Nav Aids In East Anglia
Hovering AND talking
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
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didnt someone build loads of airfields in east anglia,
Cheers
Whirlygig
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Navaids in East Anglia?
As someone has pointed out, quite a few airfields have been built there, and for the record an extended circuit around Cambridge will take you over Waterbeach, Oakington, Bourn, Bassingbourne, Duxford, mebbe even Six Mile Bottom.
To give you an idea of distance most of these airfields were accessible from Cambridge to a youngster on a bicycle for "Battle of Britain" open days.
Heaven forbid if VFE went flying in South Africa, my PPL Navex lasting 2 hours 40 minutes, went over 3 towns, because in 2 hours 40 minutes that's all we could find. For the South African brigade the route was Cradock - Colesburg - De Aar - Cradock.
There were no such things as Navaids, and there probably aren't now, but as long as you recognised "Compassberg" and "Martha and Mary" you were pretty safe in the Cape Province.
As someone has pointed out, quite a few airfields have been built there, and for the record an extended circuit around Cambridge will take you over Waterbeach, Oakington, Bourn, Bassingbourne, Duxford, mebbe even Six Mile Bottom.
To give you an idea of distance most of these airfields were accessible from Cambridge to a youngster on a bicycle for "Battle of Britain" open days.
Heaven forbid if VFE went flying in South Africa, my PPL Navex lasting 2 hours 40 minutes, went over 3 towns, because in 2 hours 40 minutes that's all we could find. For the South African brigade the route was Cradock - Colesburg - De Aar - Cradock.
There were no such things as Navaids, and there probably aren't now, but as long as you recognised "Compassberg" and "Martha and Mary" you were pretty safe in the Cape Province.
Not so N, but still FG
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Easy to navigate if you look for the smoke coming from the barbeque next to Stiknruda's strip (Cheers, Stik)
Perhaps it's just familiarity with the area, but I find the visual features in East Anglia pretty useful (except over parts of the fens). Most of the airfields, active or disused, have two or three good confirmatory features to allow positive identification, and the large roads and railways are distinctive if only by virtue of their rarity.
Perhaps it's just familiarity with the area, but I find the visual features in East Anglia pretty useful (except over parts of the fens). Most of the airfields, active or disused, have two or three good confirmatory features to allow positive identification, and the large roads and railways are distinctive if only by virtue of their rarity.
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VFE,
Glad you took my post in the humour that was intended. Nearly didn't post it for fear of being rounded on by an overly sensitive sort.
Like the idea of studying a chart with a cup of Yorkshire Tea. Spent many an hour doing that myself. Even better is to be served Yorkshire tea whilst actually using the chart, although that doesn't happen very often.
I find that if you're not moving very quickly (Lees than about 110kts), a quarter mil is very useful for VFR nav.
Glad you took my post in the humour that was intended. Nearly didn't post it for fear of being rounded on by an overly sensitive sort.
Like the idea of studying a chart with a cup of Yorkshire Tea. Spent many an hour doing that myself. Even better is to be served Yorkshire tea whilst actually using the chart, although that doesn't happen very often.
I find that if you're not moving very quickly (Lees than about 110kts), a quarter mil is very useful for VFR nav.
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FNG
That wasn't smoke it was steam! (or at least it was when I looked - not a smoked piece of carnivore grub to be found). My passenger insisted on being back on duty at Seething so I had to depart.
But Stik plse thank that nice lady for allowing us to bust her party and your neighbours for not shooting us down. Saw the Slingsby barelling from my house when I got home and the Pitts cavorting afterwards. I guess I left too early.
To the point of this thread - the eastern and northern parts of east Anglia don't want navaids. They have only just been forced to put in roads. The last thing they want is people flying those unnatural airoplane things above their heads!.
Actually in my part of the world the navaids are great - water below you you are too far north or east, few major roads and rail lines so you can't get the wrong one, and most of the airfields are friendly and they know where they are so you can always pop in and say hello.
That wasn't smoke it was steam! (or at least it was when I looked - not a smoked piece of carnivore grub to be found). My passenger insisted on being back on duty at Seething so I had to depart.
But Stik plse thank that nice lady for allowing us to bust her party and your neighbours for not shooting us down. Saw the Slingsby barelling from my house when I got home and the Pitts cavorting afterwards. I guess I left too early.
To the point of this thread - the eastern and northern parts of east Anglia don't want navaids. They have only just been forced to put in roads. The last thing they want is people flying those unnatural airoplane things above their heads!.
Actually in my part of the world the navaids are great - water below you you are too far north or east, few major roads and rail lines so you can't get the wrong one, and most of the airfields are friendly and they know where they are so you can always pop in and say hello.
Not so N, but still FG
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formationfoto, I must have just missed you. Was that you departing the strip as I was downwind? Was there a Slingsby in as well? I went and barrel rolled a black and yellow Bulldog a bit between the strip and Hardwick, at about six-ish, shortly before the red Pitts went off. Tons of meaty snacks available, and some very jolly and welcoming inebriated ladies of Stik's acquaintance, but I couldn't stay long as North Weald closes so unsportingly early.
Join Date: Aug 2000
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FF - you left far too early, we hadn't even opened the second firkin of Adnams!
FNG - Inebriated ladies - no my learned friend, they were s41tfaced! Though you did rather cause a commotion in your contour hugging black romper suit, I do believe that one of the more forward ladies of my acquaintance even offered you a tour of the bedrooms!
In an aside - I think I had 8 arrivals and departures excluding my quick sortie to aerobat at a country fayre. Some of the departures were rather spirited and most were aerobatic.
On Monday morning - a neighbour delivered a letter..... and my heart sank as I assumed that it was a complaint. Very pleased to read it and find out that they'd like me to take their son flying (looping the loop) for his birthday.
Relief was palpable!
Maybe do it again next year.
Stik
FNG - Inebriated ladies - no my learned friend, they were s41tfaced! Though you did rather cause a commotion in your contour hugging black romper suit, I do believe that one of the more forward ladies of my acquaintance even offered you a tour of the bedrooms!
In an aside - I think I had 8 arrivals and departures excluding my quick sortie to aerobat at a country fayre. Some of the departures were rather spirited and most were aerobatic.
On Monday morning - a neighbour delivered a letter..... and my heart sank as I assumed that it was a complaint. Very pleased to read it and find out that they'd like me to take their son flying (looping the loop) for his birthday.
Relief was palpable!
Maybe do it again next year.
Stik
Not so N, but still FG
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Glad I escaped with my morals intact. Please do it again, Stik. What with your do and the do up at Burnham, it was a most excellent flying and barbee weekend.
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Excuse me pinching this thread, but seeing as you're all East Anglia based.... if anyone is wanting beer/barbie/camping etc this weekend, there is plenty going on at Rougham Airfield in Suffolk. It's the Wings, Wheels & Steam country fair and fly-in, to which you'd all be most welcome.
Rougham Airfield
Rougham Airfield
