Good airfield to visit for persons not particularly into flying
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Good airfield to visit for persons not particularly into flying
I have recently joined a group and hence am freed from the tyrrany of renting with the associated high costs and inability to have the aircraft for more than a couple of hours.
I would like to celebrate by taking the wife somewhere nice for the day. Places I have been previously are Duxford, Retford, Leicester, Gloucester, Sywell (and Old Buck but that's just down the road anyway!). All are good airfields but don't offer much to someone without an interest in aviation.
About 2 hours flight time from Norwich and a nice day out for the non-pilot is what I'm after. Suggestions?
I'm equally happy with grass or tarmac (rough or smooth!) and the aircraft is a C172 so should be able to get into most places.
I would like to celebrate by taking the wife somewhere nice for the day. Places I have been previously are Duxford, Retford, Leicester, Gloucester, Sywell (and Old Buck but that's just down the road anyway!). All are good airfields but don't offer much to someone without an interest in aviation.
About 2 hours flight time from Norwich and a nice day out for the non-pilot is what I'm after. Suggestions?
I'm equally happy with grass or tarmac (rough or smooth!) and the aircraft is a C172 so should be able to get into most places.
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Texel EHTX is maybe an hour from Norwich. Land, have lunch at the airport restaurant, rent bicycles, go to the beach or a nature reserve, have dinner in one of the harbor villages, stay the night at the airport hotel and fly home the next day.
Only problem will be that of that hour, about 55 minutes will be over water. Unless you go via Dover/Calais, but then you might be looking at three hours flight time or so.
Only problem will be that of that hour, about 55 minutes will be over water. Unless you go via Dover/Calais, but then you might be looking at three hours flight time or so.
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Sandtoft........visit the trollybus museum.
Denham.........20 min walk to the station and 30 min to the centre of London.
Le Touquet.......Perard's if you like Fish to eat.
Saaffend..........for the the sea front & Rossi's ice cream.
Membury.........two hard runways if Draycott farm is waterlogged
Isle of Man....... Historic castles, historic steam & electric railways, various Motorsport events held on closed public roads. ( don't go TT week unless you want to join me & 60,000 people drinking too much beer).
White Waltham....... Just because its a nice place & also a short cab ride from Windsor.
Denham.........20 min walk to the station and 30 min to the centre of London.
Le Touquet.......Perard's if you like Fish to eat.
Saaffend..........for the the sea front & Rossi's ice cream.
Membury.........two hard runways if Draycott farm is waterlogged
Isle of Man....... Historic castles, historic steam & electric railways, various Motorsport events held on closed public roads. ( don't go TT week unless you want to join me & 60,000 people drinking too much beer).
White Waltham....... Just because its a nice place & also a short cab ride from Windsor.
Last edited by A and C; 30th Jan 2013 at 20:04.
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Thanks for the suggestions all, (specially A & C who has obviously read my question re: Draycot in another thread 
). Some interesting ideas there, haven't been abroad yet but definitely on the list although will probably go with a more experienced pilot first time around. Texel sounds like an interesting alternative to Le Touquet which is usually greeted by rolling eyes when mentioned (father in law likes that one though!).
Isle of Man. Great idea, always wanted to go there and has the added bonus that I can then really impress by indulging in my steam railway fascination!
Got a good list of places to check out now, further suggestions welcome though!
). Some interesting ideas there, haven't been abroad yet but definitely on the list although will probably go with a more experienced pilot first time around. Texel sounds like an interesting alternative to Le Touquet which is usually greeted by rolling eyes when mentioned (father in law likes that one though!).Isle of Man. Great idea, always wanted to go there and has the added bonus that I can then really impress by indulging in my steam railway fascination!
Got a good list of places to check out now, further suggestions welcome though!
Last edited by Sensible Flyer; 30th Jan 2013 at 20:34.
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Welshpool.
An easy walk into the town itself, and a rather nice castle and grounds to visit.
An easy walk into the town itself, and a rather nice castle and grounds to visit.
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Sub-2 hours from near Old Buck for a non-aviation freak?
Lunch at The Pheasant at Keyston would seem to fit the bill.
Abroad: For later, but not too much later. It's not difficult at all, and there's way too much mystique about it. You don't need an experienced pilot to do it; just research the (not enormous) bureaucracy.
Lunch at The Pheasant at Keyston would seem to fit the bill.
Originally Posted by Sensible Flyer
...haven't been abroad yet but definitely on the list although will probably go with a more experienced pilot first time around.
Old Sarum
Old Sarum Airfield
Historic airfield in rolling countryside.
Walk to OLD SARUM (English Heritage) and step back into time.
Bus to Salisbury for Cathedral and lunch/dinner.
Stay o/night and go the long way back via Compton Abbas for another lunch/walk.Route back via Isle of Wight for the seaside bit.
Plenty of interest for the 'non-flyer'.
Weekdays non parachuting at OS.
Historic airfield in rolling countryside.
Walk to OLD SARUM (English Heritage) and step back into time.
Bus to Salisbury for Cathedral and lunch/dinner.
Stay o/night and go the long way back via Compton Abbas for another lunch/walk.Route back via Isle of Wight for the seaside bit.
Plenty of interest for the 'non-flyer'.
Weekdays non parachuting at OS.
Last edited by POBJOY; 30th Jan 2013 at 23:42.
Compton Abbas
Lovely airfield perched on a hill overlooking Shaftesbury and Blackmore Vale. Nice cafe with good food with great views. A short walk to Fontmell Down for even better views (beware - people walk their dogs here!) or a taxi into Shaftesbury to see Gold Hill (of Hovis fame) and the Abbey ruins.
Caution - one of England's high altitude airfields (811') - watch out for the density altitude
Sandown or Bembridge
A day overseas on "The Island". Lovely views en-route. A round-island tour is interesting - Ventnor, Needles, Alum Bay, Carisbrooke Castle, Osborne House, etc. Easy access to the beach or taxi to Osborne House.
PS I see Pobjoy added both places onto the end of his Old Sarum post - obviously, he has good taste!
Lovely airfield perched on a hill overlooking Shaftesbury and Blackmore Vale. Nice cafe with good food with great views. A short walk to Fontmell Down for even better views (beware - people walk their dogs here!) or a taxi into Shaftesbury to see Gold Hill (of Hovis fame) and the Abbey ruins.
Caution - one of England's high altitude airfields (811') - watch out for the density altitude
Sandown or Bembridge
A day overseas on "The Island". Lovely views en-route. A round-island tour is interesting - Ventnor, Needles, Alum Bay, Carisbrooke Castle, Osborne House, etc. Easy access to the beach or taxi to Osborne House.
PS I see Pobjoy added both places onto the end of his Old Sarum post - obviously, he has good taste!
Last edited by India Four Two; 31st Jan 2013 at 04:39.
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I too would highly recommend a day on the Isle of Wight, anyone that I've taken there has always come home feeling like they've been 'abroad' for the day with thee very short sea crossing, and there are some stunning views to be had by doing a lap of the island.
Bembridge is approx a 30 minute walk from the beach, although you can get a taxi, and Sandown has a bus stop right outside which will take you in to the centre of town in 10 minutes or so.
A couple of photos from several trips that I've made:
The Needles from 500ft.
Close up of the Needles.
The West coast of the island.
Short final for Sandown.
Bembridge from above.
Bembridge is approx a 30 minute walk from the beach, although you can get a taxi, and Sandown has a bus stop right outside which will take you in to the centre of town in 10 minutes or so.
A couple of photos from several trips that I've made:
The Needles from 500ft.
Close up of the Needles.
The West coast of the island.
Short final for Sandown.
Bembridge from above.
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Another vote for the Isle of Wight. The really good news is that the Crab and Lobster have reversed their decline and things are top notch again there. I've visited twice in the last couple of months and have been satisfied both times. 10 minute taxi ride or 25 minute walk from Bembridge, which also seems to be running just fine under the control of the gliding club.
Good Taste !!!
I 42, These are all places i visited in the first year of aircraft (Turbulen t) ownership, for non radio 'pits stop's'.Decades later i still return when needed for the odd B-Tow and they are just as nice as ever.They are some of the (reducing in numbers) places that you feel welcome,and relatively unspoilt by the yellow coat brigade. My list was not exhaustive**,and in fact i revisited D-Well last year for an op when my original planned base was w-logged.What a pleasure that ,and lets just hope they can continue to be there for future users.
We are lucky 'down west' but we need to be with our weather.
** Sywell and Kemble in the same league
We are lucky 'down west' but we need to be with our weather.
** Sywell and Kemble in the same league
POBJOY,
Turbulent - lucky you. I've always wanted to fly one, ever since I saw one at a Tiger Club display at Ramsgate in the 50s, but alas, I think I'm too big and heavy for that now. However, I know about "pitstops". I once did a 200nm ferry in a MotorFalke!
Excuse my ignorance, but what's a B-Tow?
**Sywell - the first stop in my qualifying XC. WW-Sywell-Kidlington-WW, non-radio if you can believe it!
Turbulent - lucky you. I've always wanted to fly one, ever since I saw one at a Tiger Club display at Ramsgate in the 50s, but alas, I think I'm too big and heavy for that now. However, I know about "pitstops". I once did a 200nm ferry in a MotorFalke!
Excuse my ignorance, but what's a B-Tow?
**Sywell - the first stop in my qualifying XC. WW-Sywell-Kidlington-WW, non-radio if you can believe it!
Turbulent & B-Towing
The Turbulent is a remarkable machine,with excellent control harmonisation,and fingertip response,which made it ideal for formation display work. They were not an easy aircraft to build properly,or keep to the design weight,but oh so delightful to fly,and a joy to own.
By utilising a VW engine spares were cheap,and an overhaul not a problem.
In fact i think we rather 'lost the plot' with some later u-light engines that seem very expensive with no better reliability.
People are fooled by their size,but they are a proper aircraft with a capable x-country performance,and zipping along at 100mph at 500ft en-route to somewhere is a great experience,and i did over 10 hours in one day on several occaisions.My 'regular' run was Redhill to Cornwall** (any time of the year) but i could have done with a canopy in the winter.
A minor constraint was not having a protected leading edge on the prop,so one had to watch the rain showers,(sorted later).
B-T = Aerial Advertising
** Not always successful,as the dreaded 'Okehamton Gap' would frequently pose an interesting situation with regard to cloubase,and even if one managed that Bodmin* moor could grab you,so several trips finished there* as opposed to L-end or St Ives.
By utilising a VW engine spares were cheap,and an overhaul not a problem.
In fact i think we rather 'lost the plot' with some later u-light engines that seem very expensive with no better reliability.
People are fooled by their size,but they are a proper aircraft with a capable x-country performance,and zipping along at 100mph at 500ft en-route to somewhere is a great experience,and i did over 10 hours in one day on several occaisions.My 'regular' run was Redhill to Cornwall** (any time of the year) but i could have done with a canopy in the winter.
A minor constraint was not having a protected leading edge on the prop,so one had to watch the rain showers,(sorted later).
B-T = Aerial Advertising
** Not always successful,as the dreaded 'Okehamton Gap' would frequently pose an interesting situation with regard to cloubase,and even if one managed that Bodmin* moor could grab you,so several trips finished there* as opposed to L-end or St Ives.
POBJOY,
Was it you who wrote an article about taking a Turbulent to a ludicrously high altitude?
B-Tow. I was thinking along the lines of a euphemism for the £100 hamburger!
Was it you who wrote an article about taking a Turbulent to a ludicrously high altitude?
B-Tow. I was thinking along the lines of a euphemism for the £100 hamburger!
