St Michael's is Bust

Oh well the weather gods won this round...again. With the St Michael's round now being moved to slightly later in the year (instead of Oxford) maybe just maybe we will get the weather we need this time.

St Michael's or Bust

Well its that time again. Its the St Michael's round of the BMAA National Comp and the weather for the weekend is looking less than perfect unfortunately.

I think I could get there OK but its the getting back that concerns me at the moment, potential heavy rain and gusts of 30mph+ make for far from ideal circumstances.

It will be a pity if St Michael's has to be cancelled again particularly as for once I 'm actually free on the dates. I've wanted to do some flying around the Lakes etc for 3 years now and there always seems to be something preventing it, weather, work, family commitments etc.

Oh well if it does get cancelled at least some of the route planning won't have been in vain as I should be able to use some of it for when we have a crack at the Round Britain Rally in June....better start preying to the weather gods now.

The sunset looks lovely but the clouds less so. Oh well I guess the decision will be taken early tomorrow so lets hope that the forecasters have got it badly wrong!

Oh its Cold @ the field

Quick trip over to the field on Wednesday with a view to flying over to Goodwood or possibly Rochester but as soon as I arrived I could see that this was unlikely.

The forecasters had predicted that the wind would pick up as the day progressed and for once they were spot one....bugger.

Although the wind was pretty much straight down 06 it was averaging 10 knts plus with gusts almost up to 20knts. One brave sole who had arrived early and gone up for a quick local reported that although it had been OK on the ground (at that time) the winds were 090/35+ @ 1000.

After a good long chat with Keith and David I decided to call it a day after quickly checking over the planes security etc and quick check in the trailer.

Oh well you can't win them all.

2012 - Another Year of Blue Sky Thinking

Well the weather over the Christmas period was pretty poor so no flying there but within a week of the New Year (after some of the strongest winds for a decade or two) things had started to improve.

With all the various service works and inspections completed & with a little bit of arm twisting Les agreed to G-CEDI coming out of hibination a little earlier than normal. By the 8th of Jan I'd managed to take her for her maiden flight of 2012 and since then have manged to get out and play on a couple of further occasions including a lovely circuit bashing trip to Headcorn (sorry for overusing the radio Mr controller).

In addition to the above I've also managed to squeeze in another flight in Rob Grimwoods Eurostar (G - CGZY) up at Plaistows in preparation for my Assistant Instructors training course which I'm due to start in Feb. Please check out my other blogs for the story on this one.

2010 - Mainly in pictures - Part 3

One of the flying highlights of 2010 was undoubtedly my first and so far only trip across to France.

This had been in the offing for some time and it was great to eventually get it ticked off.

G-BSOR approaching Cap Gris Nez

Lovely French beach and not a soul in sight!

G-BSOR flying low over the French countryside to the south of Le Touquet airspace

G-CEDI on final approach to 02 @ Abbeville airfield

G-CEDI & G-BSOR on the ground @ Abbeville

2010 - Mainly in Pictures - Part 2

2010 was a great year and on occasion I even took the pictures to prove it.

G-CEDI & G-BSOR on the ground at Compton Abbas after the first leg of the day's intended route

Now that's a nice looking aircraft.

How says roads don't have an impact on the environment.

After leaving Compton Abbas we headed off to Spamfield @ on the IOW. Spamfield usually takes place on the same weekend as the IOW music festival.

Newport & the festival site Festival site in close up

On to the Spamfield event @ Sandown airfield (now almost closed) on the IOW. This is pretty much the biggest gathering of microlights in the UK.

Spotty or what....................................................................Very colourful

Its a Shadow with attitude, you have got to appreciate the irony!

On the other hand this shiny aluminum offering really does have attitude!

Coming back across the water to the mainland you get the chance to fly over am amazing selection of bays, coves and inlets around Hayling Island, Thorny Island, and Chichester Harbour

2010 - Mainly in pictures - Part 1

Thought you might like to see some of things we did and saw while puttering about in G-CEDI in 2010.

Flex wing on the ground at Colemore Common on a very cold January morning in Jan 2010.

Mount Caburn fort - just to the East of Lewes

G-CEDI reflected in a rainbow ring - I believe this is called a Brocken Spectre

Les & I had the great privilege this year of being able to take part in the first ever Wootton Bassett microlight flypast. We were in the 2nd wave of about 48 aircraft. It was a great privilege and a worthy cause...well done to the organisers and everyone who took part. The rally point was Kemble airfield which has a massive tarmac runway with a eastern threshold that was long enough to easily accommodate nearly 50 machines!

Aircraft moving out to start lining up for the departure of the 2nd wave

You realise just how small our machines are when you see them up close and personnel to the likes of this 747.

With nearly 50 aircraft flying in quite close proximity there was plenty of opportunity to get some air to air shots

End of part 1, lots more to follow.