East Kirkby. Good food, excellent museum with Lancaster Just Jane, and good practice routing through the MATZ from Barton.

To quote from Popham's own website:


"Runway 21 (right hand circuit 800ft QFE)
Long, narrow, and a steady up slope, sometimes boggy at the threshold end in winter but altogether smoother than 08/26.

The general aircraft manoeuvring area is very poor in parts,"

So yes the runways are narrow, and not the smoothest. Quite a lot of PPLs fly from 1000m+ of tarmac! So as well for them to be aware.

No disrespect intended to Popham but for someone at/around my level of experience, as the OP is, it is definitely more challenging than the standard grass field.

Umm, okay I have no vested interest in Popham, but if 900x25mt grass runways don't constitute a 'standard grass field' I don't know what does!

But that's just my opinion, sorry.

Aboyne. Now that IS narrow!:E

You get a cup of tea and a cake with your landing fee at Sandtoft. Haven't scanned what everyone else has put but if it's park and ride you want Cambridge has park and ride just outside the airfield. Bit dear to land at Cambridge (£25 last time I went) but worth going early to have a full day in Cambridge.

Good caffs at Sherburn, Fenland, Leicester, White Waltham, Sandtoft, Breighton at weekends.

Also Cosford aerospace museum is worth a visit, very good caff/restuarant there, don't know what the score is for 'civvy' aircraft flying in there though.

Elvington museum is excellent and has a good restaurant. You def need PPR there as they have events on the runway.

Sleap I have been told is very good and has some sort of aircraft wreck museum there open at weekends.

What about Derby?
 

Derby is often overlooked as a challenging flight venue but look at the numbers! I have seen quite a few come in a little "hot" and then go around (which should be done early due to the obstructions especially on warm windless days). :eek:

Maybe its because I learnt at Tollerton, but tail wheel and short stripping is a very rewarding set of skills. Paul Jones and his Cessna 140 are being a fun combo to learn with. No café but a cup of tea and some rewarding conversation with proper aero nuts is usually on offer... :ok:

28/10 is short and has wires in 28 approach and trees on 10. 23 is longer but has taller trees on approach. I have landed on 17 (unlicensed) which has power lines on approach, still a Piper Pacer has a suitable sink rate power off!


SG, :D

How did you get on?
 

Hi Matty,

Just wondering which you chose in the end. I'm planning on doing a coastal circuit clockwise from the south east in the summer, and am thinking:

Lands End/St Mary's - Caernarfon - Belfast/IOM - Skye/benbecula/barra?? - Kirkwall/Dornoch (shame twatt is closed, that would be good for the logbook!) - Skegness/New York - Stapleford (home airfield)

Any thought appreciated.

I had a lot of fun doing this...

FLYER Forums ? View topic - Shoreham to Shoreham via Scotland

Update on the hours building!
 

Finished the hour building back in June, took 8 months in all to reach the 100 hours P1, not as fast as I would've liked, but bearing in mind 4 weeks of those 8 months my airfield was closed due to water logging in December!

The airfields I visited in order are:
Liverpool, Tatenhill, Caernarfon, Sandtoft, Sherburn, Campbeltown, BAE Warton, White Waltham, Kemble, Carlisle, Leicester, Wellesbourne, Shobdon, Welshpool, Bodmin, Perranporth, Crossland Moor, Gloucester, Shoreham, Headcorn/Lashenden, Coventry, Oxford, Haverfordwest, Manchester International(only for a low app/ILS), Cumbernauld, RAF Mona, Newtownards, Gamston, Sturgate, Netherthorpe and Leeds-Bradford.

Memorable trips being:
-Coventry - Where I met Buffalo Joe of Ice Pilots sat down for lunch with him, then he showed us around the hangars at Coventry and around the aircraft.
-Bodmin/Perranporth - Where I had gin clear weather all the way down from manchester to the tip of Cornwall.
-Midlands tour - Where I landed away at Leicester, Wellesbourne, Shobdon and Welshpool all in one day.
-Newtownards - As it was my first water crossing.

Best cafes (in order):
White Waltham, Leeds and then Gloucester.

If anyone is interested I have a few videos on my youtube channel from some of the trips - mikecharlie794 - YouTube

Currently not long into my studying with Bristol now for my ATPL theory, thanks for all the suggestions of airfields to visit, hope these give someone else a few ideas of where to go!

Better late than never
 

Well here I am in 2018 reading a post that was last commented on in 2013. Thought it was a great read finding out about interesting airfields to visit. I now have my license and planning to visit some of those mentioned. One that looks interesting in Lockyears is Vallance by-ways which is on my list for this year.

Does anyone know of a maintained list of the best airfields to visit? Shame this thread went quiet

nice website for small airstrips..

Airfield Cards

I wouldn't advise taking anything but an Islander or similar into Foula; have you seen what the runway surface is like?

Roserrow
 

Have been to Roserrow a couple of times, treasure writing those landings in the logbook. Talk to someone that's been there before, the chart is deceptive, but a wonderful visit!

https://www.thepointatpolzeath.co.uk...5/Airfield.jpg

+ 1 for Roserrow.

Lovely spot and having on-site facilities ideal for Flamping. We stayed a couple of nights last July . The road crossing the strip is higher than the strip by about 10 to 12 inches so it would not be a good idea to cross it above taxy speed. Also any road traffic should stop before crossing but we noticed that many people don't bother to stop or indeed look for aircraft.

Watch out for the big hole in the runway just east of the intersection. One of the few times my tendency to land left of centre was a good thing. :ok:

The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden is an excellent museum for aviators with the adjoining Swiss Garden for passengers more interested in the finer things in life. Restaurant on site. Shuttleworth | The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Aerodrome, the Swiss Garden - a great visitor attraction!

If you plan ahead you can even get married whilst you're there!

+1 for Shuttleworth, one of my favourite fly to destinations. I'll also put a shout in for Fadmoor, just north of Kirkbymoorside in N. Yorks. An interesting farm strip with very steep gradients, it's in Pooleys. About a 20 minute walk to the Royal Oak at Fadmoor.

Good luck with Valance. If it's still open. I have an acquaintance who took a PA32 in there. He didn't take it back out.


This guy did better.

'Is this on film? Including the commentary?' :) Priceless.

The "Airfield Cards" link in post51 got a Norton warning as a "known malicious malware site".

Thanks for the warning, @Maoraigh, but I do not think it is serious. I have been visiting this site for at least two years, both from home and from work, never got a warning, and never came to harm (that I am aware of). And at least at work the PC's are well defended.

Flew in to Weybourne last weekend. That was quite a challenge with the odd shaped runway profile. First attempt didn't go so well and I was exposed to the turbulence over the hill at the end while climbing back out. Pretty interesting final over the sea and anti aircraft guns! Took off down hill with the wind behind me, which was rather fast - never again. Next stop was Cromer which was easy, nice cafe.

I love Weybourne, been in three times with my C150. First time I completely stuffed up the departure (up hill towards the hill), despite the headwind it was a sweaty palm moment. I learned from that - the other twice I landed uphill, took off downhill. The added benefit is flying over the anti aircraft guns.

Not a strip for the faint hearted or those who aren't used to STOL and grass.

I was passenger in to Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome in Aug 2016 and it was a very worthwhile visit. We visited in a Reims FR172 and it coped easily with the runway. According to their website it is closed to visiting aeroplanes at the moment, which I think is due to weather and the immense amount of rain we have had, but they hope to have good news soon.
The Cafe provides very good cafe grub, and you are sitting inside an old WW1 building. The museum is very good and we were able to wander around the hangars.
Well worth a visit

There is currently a limit of 350 movements a year at Stow Maries. There is a planning application to increase this to 4,200 movements per year but this is strongly opposed by some residents

https://www.essexlive.news/news/resi...flight-1114060

Travel a little further afield
 

This is a dream. Having to increase your hours is a wonderful opportunity, many of us would love your problem.
Think further afield, yes the Hebrides are wonderful. But why not go a little further to Ireland. GA is quiet, the skies are yours. The food is superb, particularly around Sligo Kerry, Cork and of course Dublin.
Other opportunities would be to head over to the continent. Stopping for cheap fuel on the Channel Islands. France and Spain offer great places to fly to. Whatever you do enjoy this wonderful opportunity that you have.

As with all things to do with aviation Horatio B, I believe there are a few objectors making a lot of noise but most locals are fairly ambivalent towards the increase.