Halfpenny Green 1973

[Willstatt]

Just trying to get some old contacts and names: I got my PPL via an RAF flying scholarship. I learnt at HG in summer of 1973.

My instructor was Bob Bradley, and there were various other outstanding instructors at the time. Mike Edwards was one (I think he's now passed away) The CFI at the time was another maverick type, but I've completely forgotten his name. Anyone here have any recollections?

I trained with a great group, but lost touch a long time ago. Two names I remember are Richard Berry, and John Belsey.

Anyone else on here do their licence there/that year?

Anyone remember who that CFI was?

Any jogs to my memory would be much appreciated!

Will

[Nige321]

Mackenzie-Blythe??

[Willstatt]

That sounds vaguely familiar. Were you there around then?

[Nige321]

I was in the Air Scouts...

I seem to remember Makenzie Blythe had tin legs - he was rumoured to have lost them trying to fly through a hangar...

You may remember Frank and Roger Flavell perhaps?

[Willstatt]

I think you're right. I'm sure now that it was Ray Mckenzie-blyth who was CFI when I was there. I remember too, the story about the tin legs from some sort of hangar prank... and he did seem to hobble around a bit!

I'm going to repost the thread in the 'where are they now?' section that I've just noticed, to see if that gets any more info.

Thanks for the memory jog!

Will

[Sir George Cayley]

My recollection of the Green was a fierce ATCO who was magnificently irascible.

Wouldn't let me take off as he'd closed for lunch and then sat in the Tower eating a sandwich.

SGC

[Pull what]

That would be Danny Wardobe-he never did like pilots! Alas what goes around comes around, Danny went to an ATC conference and died of a heart attack.

Mike Edwards became CFI and has sadly passed on. Other instructors were Phil Millington, Steve Francis and Dave Walsh

Not sure what happened to Bradley, he lived in Bewdley and he turned up at up Birmingham in the 70s early 80s and then started Sen Air at HG which became known as Senile Air. McKenzie Blythe had an argument with the hangar at Oxford.

If you are feeling nostalgic you can have a medical with Dr Lim in what was the original flying school offices beneath the tower.

[Sheko]

I did my flying scholarship there two years later, in 1975, and had Mike Stapp as an instructor. Happy long, hot summer days :-)