Unfortunately, my Europa recently left the side of the runway and the undercarriage got bent as a result :( Even more unfortunately, it was me at the controls when it happened :{

The repairs to the Europa are being combined with a 50-hour check and a Permit renewal, so it will be a little while before it's flying again. Still hoping to make it to Compton Abbas, although there's a chance that I will be relegated to either a Cessna or else arriving by car - it depends how long we have to wait for parts to arrive, and how long it takes to complete the work after that.

Well, I'll see you all there one way or the other! :ok:

FFF
--------------

Still 1 spare seat at Shoreham.

FFF - I think that's what's referred to as an Arrival, rather than a Landing. ;) Shame you didn't get any photos.

SW

Hope to be there guys/guyesses. One word of warning....
On 26 if the wind is from the South be VERY aware of the curlover from the trees on the Southern side. I understand there was an accident there last year due this, and I came out of there yesterday with a 12-15 kt wind only and the turbulence and control difficulties were bad bad bad. Just be aware of it and all will be well....otherwise a lovely field, with a lovely atmosphere, lots of visitors by road with families for lunch and gorgeous ladies behind the restaurant counter. Don't forget the "Blue Max" Museum too.
This is also another of those airfields, like Cromer, which is an absolute blood.y sh1tty place to spot...especially approaching from the South/Southwest/Southeast..... even fromt heEast...come to think of it...it is just plain difficult to see. It has a strobe on the tree line on the South Side of the field, which MAY help. Avoid Madonna's pad....she diinae like hairyplanes.!!

Taildragger,

If you fly a taildragger Cessna, I suspect that I watched your T/O yesterday and wondered what you were doing. Ten minutes later I followed you and found out. Very interesting.

Still, it can be even more interesting landing on 08 in similar conditions - be very prepared to use power in the final stages of the approach and flare.

P1

back to the top......

Candidate for a "sticky"?

Give us a few days to sticky it. I have only just finished spring cleaning up at the top and want to admire it for a while.. ;):}

I've booked myself in, but also have a date at Dunkeswell that day and also it's the Henstridge vintage fly-in, which I feel one ought to support, so don't know if I will make it. Will try, though.

David

Northern Highflyer can't make it, so anybody else up for a cost-share in a Robin from Sherburn? I'm quite happy to take a non-pilot and do all the flying, or to pick somebody up close to the route (Sherburn - Wolverhampton - Gloucester - Bath - CA)

Sorted out work (that is have to be on-call until 1130) and congressional approval so that just leaves the weather to get sorted.

FD

I won't be able to make it as I'm going back to work for 28 days tomorrow :ooh: :mad:

....unfortunately I've had to back out aswell, due to a family commitment (made all 4 other Pprune Fly-in's so far, so muchly disappointed :{ :{ )

Hopefully Brooklands will still be there if he can find someone to share the trip.

knobby,

Unless I get any last minute rotary students (instructing is taking priority right now), and chance you could pick me up at Sleap? I can get to Wolverhampton if necessary, but Sleap is easier.

Whirly, sorry I've just agreed to take a student from Sherburn who I've been meaning to fly with for a while, otherwise I'd have been glad to. If he changes his mind, you'll be the first to know. Sorry again.

WX permitting, I will have a seat going from Fairoaks, if anyone is interested.

SD

I still need a lift.:{ Despite being able to fly all sorts of aircraft, and theoretically having access to them at three airfields, I simply cannot get hold of anything for a full day...and it's a long way to Compton. Happy to share costs - and flying if you like - if anyone can pick me up at Welshpool, Sleap, Hawarden, Liverpool, or Wolverhampton.

I'm gonna buy my own aircraft....soon!!!!!!!!

BRL if the Phillips Speedtwin is at Compton, please, please, please take pics from all sides and post them here.

Any info you can get on it would be gratefully received by me and a few others.

LnS Check your pm's........
I am just about to e-mail Malc to see if they will be there after sorting out the new wing for it. I will let you know soon.

were any Pruners taking part in the aerobatics last weekend ? very impressive considering the windy conditions.

Managed to get a few pics of Pitts/Extra/Cap etc - they will be online somewhere soon.

Met is looking good for the weekend, get plogging Speedy... :ok:

Unfortunately the Chipmunk is in bits at the moment, so I'll have to withdraw.

WF.

If you see this come and say hello
http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...ges/btch4a.jpg

Mike

Looks as though I may not make it. I can't seem to find anybody who wants to fly with me :{ :{

Brooklands,

I'll fly with you. Unfortunately I'm not on your route. :{ Oh well, I guess it'sgoing to be a non-flying weekend. :(

Hey Evo, were are plogged and ready for action. All done on the plog and the chart, just gotta stick the wind calcs in over a cuppa at the clubhouse in the morning.

That doesnt include any changes you may decide to make due to my incompetence.....

gard dammit......

See ya in the morn..

Speedy:ok:

Nice reg Mike, is that a handling thing or an owner thing?

;)

Speedy:ok:

Neither, she's very well behaved (well, most of the time)

See you tomorrow

Mike:D

Weather up North is pretty crappy. About 1500M in mist, ceiling 500ft. We're right under that front that's been sat there for over 24hrs now with no change, so don't expect us any time soon. Still, it's forecast to get better....

B*gger - i've got to leave at 2 to give the aeroplane back, was hoping to meet a fellow 2160 fan... :(

As an aside, just checked the NOTAMs and ... got EGHR, EGHA and twelve useful en-route NOTAMs (and one about North Sea operations... :) ). Well Done Mike, Rustle et al., you've dunnit :ok:

Well, we nearly made it. Left Goodwood at 12 in the hope that Compton's 500-700ft cloudbase would improve as TAF'd, and got as far as Stoney Cross before bad viz, rain, lowering cloud and rising ground made us divert to Bembridge and the Crab & Lobster ... where we had blue skies and light winds :confused:

Oh well, better to be safe than sorry. Hope others made it OK...

...and gammon egg and chips :)

Just got back from Sherburn after a day of local flying. Didn't want to risk the poor weather this morning and it wasn't slated to impove until early afternoon (as it did) so would have had to leave soon after getting there. Did many others make it?

Still had a great days flying - saw some great aeros by some French guy who's a world champion or somthing in Tom Cassells Cap 232 at Bagby. Visited Eddsfield in north Yorkshire - most friendly airfield I've ever been to - would make a great fly-in venue (they have bbq pits under the trees and even a caravan with bunks for pilots overnighting). Visited ex WWII field at North Coates and then finally got to go to Skegness and land in the middle of a campsite - kids and dogs all over the runway and kite-flyers on short final! My most surreal aviation image to date - a tent pitched right on the runway threshold with a fat woman in a pink bikini stood outside doing the ironing! Honest!

Anyway, wish I'd got to the fly-in but a good day anyway. Perhaps next time.

You missed a good day. I think 8 of us made it. I arrived at 12:40 to find Saab Dastard already there together with Singapore Girl and Mr & Mrs Helen D, Kolibear arrived later with others who will no doubt fill in their names later.

There was a very smart Tiger Moth giving rides. One passenger seemed to thoroughly enjoy the aeros, which included a good long mult-turn spin.

Weather was so good we had to move the tables out of the sun. I took Jenni, who has been told to give up dangerous sports (Motor Racing) and is thinking of taking up flying. She has had one trial lesson so I let her fly most of the way there.

Will try posting some pics later.

Mike

Welll, FFF & I made it, eventually :) unfortunately eveepee blew us out as she had to work, much to her disgust :(

I left North Weald at 9:30 and routed BNN & Wycombe to pick up FFF at White Waltham. We departed west into good weather and after Boscombe failed to answer our calls, flew over Chilbolton and into lowering cloud at Salisbury. At this point we decided a divert was in order & dropped into Old Sarum for tea and lunch. The weather improved and we were soon on our way again. After a short flight we arrived at Compton, the approach to 26 reminds me of Elstree as the ground slopes up towards the threshold giving a false indication height.

HelenD & Mr HelenD were there, with Saab Dastard & friend, Mr & Mrs mcross and another pair of ppruners whose names I forget, sorry!!. We had a really good time, FFF claims the record for the cheapest round ever - 5 pints of water & a Coke! There were many interesting aircraft flying about, A Yak 52, a Robin and a pearlescent Rans.

Eventually, we all decided that it was time to leave and FFF & I departed roughly NE towards Salisbury. Farnborough Radar left me open-mouthed with the amount of traffic they handled, but FFF assured me that it was normal. The Vis. was superb, we could see the Solent & IOW andWhite Waltham appeared on time and I left FFF there. The trip back to North Weald was uneventful, it was an afternoon to enjoy a easy flight back to base.

Big Thanks to FFF for helping me on my first trip to the west of London, I learnt a lot. But as he said to me, if he had to fly in Essex, he probably be as unsure as I was in his 'home patch'

Look forward to the next one and to seeing the photos.

Thoroughly good day -

Great seeing all who made it - sorry you couldn't get through EVO - it wasn't the weather really, was it - Solent wouldn't let you through. ;) We got there earlier or would have found the same crud as you did.

Left Fairoaks With Singapore Girl @ 09:10Z in reasonable weather, but found lowering but patchy cloud down around the S coast. Routed via Thorney & Hayling Island (where I enjoyed a great holiday 2 weeks ago) for some sightseeing then via Portsmouth to Beaulieu and Stoney cross.

Had to drop down to about 1700 on the QNH from time to time, and kept a careful lookout behind to check we weren't getting boxed in by the weather, but the cloudbase continued to hold up at around 1800 all the way to Compton.

With SG's excellent navigation and my excellent flying (ahem!) we made it to where Compton Abbas should have been, exactly on time - except it WASN'T THERE! :eek:

Some mean bu**er had moved it about 10 miles NE, or maybe it was NW. Or possibly SE. or W. So an interesting 10-15 minutes or so ensued while we searched for it - while dodging in and out of the base of the clouds.

Anyway, find it we did - just as well, I was dying for a pee!

Everything after that was great - good landing, good food, good company, good weather, lots of interesting aicraft coming and going in front of us. Bliss.

Oh, yes - FFF got in the world's cheapest round when he brought back 7 pints of WATER (and a coke) to the table. I'm sure someone has a photo of it - publish please!

Great flight back, no probs.

What a super day! :) :ok:

Thanks SG

SD

I had a great day arriving just before 13:00. The landing was very good. Could not find Mere though so I ended up south of Compton but we spotted the strobe OK. Mike Saab Dastard and Singapore gire were already there and we all had lunch before Koolibear turned up with FFF. The weather wasnt brilliant but it wasnt unflyable either. I diddnt get above 2000ft but I diddnt need to go below 1700ft either except while in the Southampton zone. It was great to see everyone.

Kolibear
You trying to get me into trouble? That was Jenni and my wife's called Jacqui!:uhoh:

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1567.JPG
Jenni, Singapore Girl and HelenD

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1568.JPG
Mr HelenD & Saab Dastard

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1569.JPG
The Swansea contingent, names please as my memory is :mad:

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1571.JPG
HelenD

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1573.JPG
The ladies looking at Kolibear expectantly??

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1575.JPG
It's a long way back to Swansea!

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1576.JPG
Ditto!

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1577.JPG
Couldn't resist this, SEXX with the BTCH!

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1578.JPG
FFF - "Show me the way to go home"

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1579.JPG
Kolibear's Pride and Joy

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1580.JPG
FFF and Kolibear

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1581.JPG
Going back to Wales

http://michael.cross20.users.btopenw...s/DSCF1582.JPG
New pilot!

The rest are on my film camera and will have to wait till I go to Boots.
If anyone wants prints e-mail me the address and I'll oblige.

Mike

Looks and sounds like a good time was had by all, even those who didn't make it :ok:

knobbygb you should have done a go around, got the camera out and got a pic of the ladie with the ironinbg board :E

I see the grub is still good at Compton judging by the scoff the Swansea lads are getting tucked into. Yum. Nice to see more civilised people from the Land of My Fathers with a nice civilised Auster!

PS why were you landing on a campsite :confused:

Apologies to those that were there yesterday. I did make it but could only stay for 10 mins, so I didn't get a chance to say hi :( Had to dash back to Bournemouth to return the plane.

Hopefully next time.

Simon

Nice to meet everyone and top up my tan! Good pix Mike, and good flying SD. (And good job we had enough fuel for the extra 15 minutes 'hold' at Compton Abbas! Those sick bags you thoughtfully brought along nearly found an alternative use...they are waterproof, aren't they?! :uhoh: )