Hangar Chat Club news

Aeronca Club Tour: 26-29 August
Aeronca 'gaggle' cements
Anglo-French relations

AT our launch point, Bembridge, we assembled 5 Aeroncas, 1 Citabria, 1 Stinson 108, 1 Pietenpol Aircamper and 1 Jabiru, and set off in open formation to Cherbourg and arrived in time for lunch. While refueling the nine aircraft, we discovered a leaking fuel tank on the Pietenpol so it was left at Cherbourg. Still in our ‘gaggle’ formation we circumnavigated the serene Mont St Michel, over-flew the strangely isolated aerodrome of Avranches, before pressing on to Flers. As we erected our tents the President of the Flers Aero Club and others arrived to open up the facilities and ferry us to a restaurant. Next morning, after cooking breakfast for our crew outside the clubhouse (we bring most of what we need with us!), it was a stream takeoff and our target was Chartres. A 2.5-hour pit stop and the ‘squadron’ lifted off for the south of Paris where we carefully negotiated the TMA, and Etampes and Moret airfi elds. Our night stop was Le Plessis Belle Ville, a WWI and II aerodrome. Sunday morning was spent doing a little local flying and socialising with our hosts before the Aeronca team headed west along the narrow corridor around the north of Paris. The views of the Eiffel Tower, La Defence, Montparnasse and Charles De Gaulle airport were magnificent. The final night stop was Bernay, Normandy, and the most memorable flight of all was on Monday morning from Bernay to Cherbourg over the evocative 1944 invasion beaches. – Pete White.

International De Havilland Moth Rally
19-12 August
Woburn Abbey

THE annual Moth Rally in the beautiful setting of Woburn Abbey was extended for three days to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the de Havilland club and the marking of the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII. Saturday saw the first of the de Havilland and vintage aircraft arrive, followed by a landing competition and in the afternoon an aerobatic competition. Pilots from 18 countries and 130 aircraft arrived to enjoy the weekend. One of the highlights was the arrival of the Vickers Vimy replica. Sunday afternoon saw 1000 veterans and guests enjoying food and drink part funded by the Home Front Recall Scheme, and the day was rounded off with a flypast and air display. Web: www.dhmothclub.co.uk

PFA Young Aviators Day
27 August
Sandown
THE 1st Young Aviators Day

was staged by the Isle of Wight PFA Strut and the IOW Flying Club, based on the American Young Eagles events. The idea is to enthuse the next generation with flying and aeroplanes. Twenty Young Aviators aged 12-16 got to look around an aeroplane with the pilot, an explanation of the cockpit and controls and then had for a 20-minute flight.

Vintage Piper Day
3-4 September
Leicester

THIS was the Vintage Piper Aircraft Club’s first twoday event for years and a resounding success, thanks to Leicester Aero Club. High spot of the weekend was a dinner in the clubhouse hosted by Malcolm Fountain. Low cloud didn’t stop a total of 26 airplanes arriving on Saturday with a further 10 on Sunday. – Roger Peperell

PFA Fly-In
21 August
Bembridge

NO fewer than 142 aircraft made it to this event, ranging from a Cessna Cardinal from Perranporth to a Dragon microlight that appeared to do everything at 40mph from neighboring Lee-on- Solent. Local strut member Norman Smith displayed his recently fi nished Cricket Mk4 autogyro and others included a replica FW 190 homebuilt,Jodels and Luscombes.

Hawaiian Evening
28 August
Cambridge

HAWAIIAN shirts, leis and grass skirts were compulsory and 85 guests enjoyed a selection of Chinese and South Pacifi c food along with some deadly cocktails, and fi nished with live music. £120 was raised for one member, Ian Woodroffe, who will be running the New York Marathon for two local charities.

Soloflight Open Day and Fly-In
4 September
Humberside

£1830 was raised — profits will go to the Glen Stewart Flying Scholarship Charity. Nearly 1500 visitors, 50 of which were taken for a free flight, enjoyed the day. Thanks to the Airport, 63 visiting aircraft took advantage of a free landing, including a Yak 50 and a Jet Provost. Web: www.soloflight.co.uk

ON THE FLY

SLOANE RANGES
Sloane Helicopters is bidding farewell to CFI & Chief Pilot Mike Bowden who is leaving the company at the end of October to head up Helicopter Adventures, Florida. Joe Moore will be taking over as CFI.

EX-BATS SUCCEED
Border Air Training’s Kath Howe recently passed her CPL ground exams and is well on the way to becoming an instructor. Other ex-BATs include Simon Wonacott who has moved to BA’s B777 fl eet, Andy Winter is with DHL fl ying 757s, Frank Johnstone fl ies a BAe 146 for Flybe, and Nell Melrose is with FRA flying King Airs.

PEMBREY PULLS 'EM
Around 60 people went to the annual Vintage Aircraft Club’s Anglo-Irish Fly-In on 26-29 August at Pembrey. Web: www.vintageaircraftclub.org.uk

MINE'S A PINT!
Enstone Flying Club holds a get-together called ‘Pilots in the Pub’ at The Crown in Church Enstone, on the 1st Thursday of every month. All students, members and partners, both current and prospective, are welcome and can take advantage of a special £6 menu.

NOT SO FARAWAY
A glorious weekend saw 88 aircraft of all types arrive at Farway Common, a strip 3 miles from the coast, for the Devon PFA Strut’s fl y-In on 20-21 August at Farway Common. More at: www. devonstrut.co.uk

BRIMPTON BRIMS
Brimpton’s late summer fly-in on 21 August was a huge success with a constant stream of aircraft visiting ‘one of the best rural airfields in England’. Alan House, who operates the strip, had both of his restored Piston Provosts flying.

NYMPH ARRIVES
A little-known Britten-Norman Islander variant, the prototype BN-3 Nymph, was on display at the B-N fly-in at Bembridge on 3-4 September. David French built the folding-wing Nymph in 1969 when he worked for B-N, and the aircraft is now owned and maintained by his own company, Vectis Aviation, based at nearby Sandown. The event was to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Islander — B-N have a base at Bembridge and operate the airfield — and Islanders and Trislanders of all sorts flew in.