CORRESPONDENCE

Stubbins Bartlett Aerodrome, Stubbins Bartlett, Nr. Wilking Magna, Cav. 30th June,1957.

DraR Srn, Commander H. C. N. Goodhart raises an interesting point in his letter (this month's popuLAR rrvlNc). The accepted methods of charging flying time need revision and I thought that readers might like to hear how we charge.

My group, the Stubbins Bartlett Co-ownership Private Pilots, Student Pilots and Amateur Constructors Aviating Group, are operating a system which we have called the 'One-shillingat-a-time-seems-less-than-f.2-in-one-go'. This arrangement has proved very satisfactory and our Niddleton Nurge has to have its meter emptied several times a day.

On the instrument panel there is fltted a shilling slot meter, a contents counter and a red light connected to a small bell. The pilot who hires the machine takes with him as many shillings as he feels he is likely to need and these he places in a convenient pocket readily accessible in flight.

When a coin is inserted, the ignition is automatically turned on and the engine ready to start. One shilling lasts one and three-quarter minutes (our rates are low since we service the Nurge ourselves) and five seconds before the ignition is cut, the red light blinks. In the event of the engine having already stopped due to other circumstances, the bell gives audible warning. To prevent the ignition running out during take-off, a slide is fitted above the slot and part of our pre-flight vital actions is to see that there is another coin in this slide ready to be pushed in. Bent or damaged coins are rejected into a tray at the side.

Our system works very well indeed and one member, Ernie Dilthe, flew from Stubbins Bartlett to Bembridge for only 18s. He explained that he allowed the machine to glide between coins and only used the ignition to regain altitude.

In response to requests from our more impecunious members, we plan to fit a 6d. slot as well which will provide just over threequarters of a minute of ignition.

Charging as we do for ignition only means that there is never any arguing about the odd five minutes and I advise other groups-Pay as you Fly.

Yours faithfully,

CHRISTOPHER DREDGING, Hon. Sec., S.B.C.O.P.P.S.P.A.C.A.G.

Policy And The Reader

Several people have said that they feel popuLAR FLvING is getting too technical. Perhaps it is. We are of the opinion that the salvation of British private flying is going to lie in the home-built ultralight aeroplane and consequently that articles such as the flrst-class series 'Amateur Aircraft Constructor's Guide' are absolutely invaluable. We are here to serve you, though, and if you would like to see something different, write and tell us. In particular, if you have any interesting stories, historical incidents, or reports of your activities, please send them in. Photographs are always most welcome. The history of the light and ultra-light aviation movement has never been well-documented; with your help we can write our history as we make it. Tell us what your Group is doing; every other Group wants to know. Above all, please do all you can to increase our circulation. Buy as many copies as you possibly can; give your friends a year's subscription for Christmas. Only by. getting a sound, working circulation can we hope to attract the advertising which is our life-blood and without which no magazine, however deserving, can hope to survive.

Popular Flying, JulylAugust, 1957

July 12-13

Jloly 27Aug.5

Aug. 18-25

A:ug.23-25

Sept. 2-8

Sept. 14-15

Sept. 19-22