What a lovely evening
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,681
Likes: 10
From: Just South of the last ice sheet
What a lovely evening
Yesterday reminded my why I love flying.
Got home from work relatively early as the M4, M25, M1 combo was working well. Hooray. Checked the TAF for the wind and for once it was right down the North - South runway which is important when it's light and warm. Hooray Hooray. Nipped off to the airfield and found only one Tiger Moth in front of the Auster. Hooray Hooray Hooray. Got Annie out of the hangar and filled her up with what now seems cheap AvGas at £1.00/l inc'l VAT.
Being a good girl she started on the first swing and we bimbled off. Fluttering around North of the Luton zone doing stalls and steep turns I espied a Tiger Moth low down picking his way between the hamlets. He knows the area I thought and watched him all the while resisting the temptation to swoop down behind him going takatakataka... The Moth landed on what looked like a lovely strip with a nice hangar at the end next to the house. Ah, my retirement dream.
A few more steep turns, stalls and PFL's later I trundled back into Luton zone, did a few circuits with the last landing being near perfect (no, of course nobody was watching!!). Parked up and looked at the old bird silhouetted by the glorious sunset in front of the windsock hanging limply as if tired from yesterday's crosswinds. Marvellous.
Back home for chicken breast pan fried in garlic with a nice salad and a drop of vino. Lovely day all around.
If you can afford to fly 30 hours a year you can afford a share in an old taildragger or even a whole one. Get out there and buy one. NOW
Got home from work relatively early as the M4, M25, M1 combo was working well. Hooray. Checked the TAF for the wind and for once it was right down the North - South runway which is important when it's light and warm. Hooray Hooray. Nipped off to the airfield and found only one Tiger Moth in front of the Auster. Hooray Hooray Hooray. Got Annie out of the hangar and filled her up with what now seems cheap AvGas at £1.00/l inc'l VAT.
Being a good girl she started on the first swing and we bimbled off. Fluttering around North of the Luton zone doing stalls and steep turns I espied a Tiger Moth low down picking his way between the hamlets. He knows the area I thought and watched him all the while resisting the temptation to swoop down behind him going takatakataka... The Moth landed on what looked like a lovely strip with a nice hangar at the end next to the house. Ah, my retirement dream.
A few more steep turns, stalls and PFL's later I trundled back into Luton zone, did a few circuits with the last landing being near perfect (no, of course nobody was watching!!). Parked up and looked at the old bird silhouetted by the glorious sunset in front of the windsock hanging limply as if tired from yesterday's crosswinds. Marvellous.
Back home for chicken breast pan fried in garlic with a nice salad and a drop of vino. Lovely day all around.
If you can afford to fly 30 hours a year you can afford a share in an old taildragger or even a whole one. Get out there and buy one. NOW
.
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,878
Likes: 83
From: UK
I was ground-bound, but there were a couple of chaps obviously enjoying themselves (tail-chasing etc) in a couple of Yaks in the vicinity of a large former cruise-missile base in West Berks.
It was nearly dark before they gave up.
It was nearly dark before they gave up.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
From: UK,Twighlight Zone
I could not agree more, sublime evening. Got home from London early so wandered around to Spanhoe and got the plane out. No wind and clear skies. Smooth take off on our Northerly runway followed by a 90min bimble down to Gratham and back to Rutland before a fuel stop at leicester. Back to Spanhoe to one of my smoothest landings in ages.
Home for a glass of wine.
And tonight I hope to repeat it!
Home for a glass of wine.
And tonight I hope to repeat it!
Gnome de PPRuNe
Joined: Jan 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 15,200
Likes: 1,202
From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Viz across London from Shirley Hills (viewing point east of Croydon) was amazing - on way from work to pub and had pair of binos in me bag - panning the view eastwards from Heathrow (T5 and the new ATC clearly visible) I spotted a hot air balloon that must have been 30 miles away to the north, probably in the vicinity of Watford - all three of us could then JUST make it out with the naked eye!
All this and a Turner-esque sunset... followed by some beer!
Fantastic evening, wish I could have got airborne!
All this and a Turner-esque sunset... followed by some beer!
Fantastic evening, wish I could have got airborne!
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 700
Likes: 0
From: 5 nM S of TNT, UK
I tried to do the same on the way home from work but the b*****y aeroplane just would not start. Tried everything and finally gave up with the battery nearly flat. Usually it is an excellent starter so it's a cowls off and dive in with a spanner session at the weekend. Weather was excellent though with the breeze straight down the runway.
