Microlight swarm over the Channel this weekend
 

Just a quick warning to anyone planning to be anywhere between Headcorn and Abbeville this weekend that there will be a very large number of microlights in the air in that area.

There's an attempt to beat the record for the largest mass crossing (currently 120 I think) as a centenary of flight celebration.

They are all setting off from Headcorn on Saturday afternoon and most will return on Sunday. Speeds will vary from around 50 knots to about 120. Many of the pilots will be making their first international trip, so it might be wise to keep a very good lookout if you're off to Le Touquet this weekend.

I shall be taking part, though circumstances dictate that mine will be a particularly heavy microlight usually known as a PA28 :(

See www.wingspan2003.co.uk/event.htm for details.

And now the NOTAM...

NAVW: FROM 03/08/22 13:00 TO 03/08/23 17:00 H5760/03 D) 22 AUG AD ARRIVALS 1300-1800HRS. 23 AUG AD ARRIVALS 0600-0730HRS. 23 AUG AD DEPARTURES 1500-1700HRS. E) AUS(MIL REF)03-08-0659/AIS 3204/DG MICROLIGHT ACFT FLY-IN/OUT. INTENSE MICROLIGHT ACFT ACTIVITY WI 3NM RAD PSN 5109N 00038E(LASHENDEN/HEADCORNE AD,KENT). UP TO 200 ACFT MAY PARTICIPATE. OUTBOUND RTE. DEP PSN 5109N 00038E(LASHENDEN/HEADCORNE AD) - PSN 5109N 00052E (ASHFORD,KENT) - PSN 5110N 00122E(DOVER DVR)- THEN X-CHANNEL TO PSN 5052N 00135E(CAP GRIS-NEZ). VFR THROUGHOUT AVOIDING CAS. - NON-PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUESTED TO AVOID RTE BY 2NMS EITHER SIDE- OF TRACK. F)SFC G)6000 FT AMSL

We don't mind being invaded this way. It actually looks like a very nice initiative.

Suggested places for lunch (should Abbeville become too crowded):

- St Valery, between Dieppe and Le Havre. Very nice restaurant onsite. Was known as the original "lucky Strike" camp during WWII with more than 150,000 troops (they still have pictures of it in the restaurant)

- Bernay (my home airfield): good stuff at the "les Helices" restaurant. I recommend the "pave d' andouillette aux pommes". It's great but you don't want to know what's in there!

Bernay is indeed a lovely spot. I stopped there in March on the way home from a weekend in La Baule and had an excellent lunch, made all too brief by the short days at that time of year.

I didn't realise that there was another PPRuNer in residence there - next time I'll let you know I'm coming!

Yes, e-mail me next time you are flying down this way.

It might actually be interesting to organise a PPRUNE fly-in to LFPD.

Skua is another PPRUNER who is a regular at Bernay.