Group News

Air Touring Group

We start this month's Group News with the contents of a letter from Chris Roberts of the AIR TOURING GROUP of Burnaston House, at Derby Airport, who points out that the group is now no longer operating from either Rhoose or Exeter. Many membsrs will no doubt remember the handsome piece of Tiggery which did well in the concours at the Cardiff rally. Chris writes:-

'As you know we operate a Tiger Moth with Taxi Tiger cockpit conversion but still having full dual controls and this canopy conversion we can more than recommend, it makes for mighty comfortable Tiger flying in all weathers and a real boon in winter months. (Rollasons are the people to contact re this mod., they are very helpful.) Also the Tiger has no strakes or slots so plus the canopy mod. this makes it nonaerobatic (but she loops and rolls just the same).

Popular Flving, Novemberl December, 1958

'AIl of our flying to date has been cross_ countries and so far the Tiger has proved itself to be very economical and it enjoys ltself no end in our British low cloud, rain, mist and high winds. It never knows who it is going to haie for company at night, e.g. cows, horses, bulls, chickens. So far we have had to use about .ight different fields due to weather and have used tivo fields for full-time operation. This is where the Tiger is on its own, she goes up like a prestwick Pioneer. So in eight months operations we have done 140 hrs. This is not high compared with the training groups, but we have onlyiwo pilots. our snags to date have been one set of contact breakers go (of all things en route toJersey), one tail-skid spring and shoe change (as we iruO to operate off a runway_only aerodrome for a few months).

'For cross-country flying we find it pays in time and fuel to cruise at high revs., gi"irg 90 plus m.p.h., about 7 g.p.h. Most .r^ *.- do seem to have a head_wind component.

'We have managed to operate in fairly high winds with the Tiger much to our surprise, ,pIo 30 kts. This entails me always being tt *ing_tip walker and ballast downwind, buiit,, atways I sweat until in the hanger. By the *uy u.ryon. who knows the whereabouts of a 24 gall. Tiger tank for sale, please contact us: Mrs. C. Rober"ts, Air Touring Group, clo Burnaston Ffouse, Derby Airport, Derby., f,'akenham Flying Group

The FAKENHAM FLYING GROUP, of which surely Mr. Gillie potter must be a member, sends us news of a , fly_in ,, so those who like November weather note the address where E. McAully, their Hon. Chairman can be con_ tacted, it is: 20, King George Road, Fakenham, Norfolk. Telephone Fakenham 2052. The aerodrome concerned is Little Snoring, Faken_ ham. News of the fly-in has gone out in forthright style and stresses the important poin t that we must have more gettings together among P.F.A. types. McAully,s missive starts:_

' Greetings Fellow p.F.A. Types, 'This communication may be like a missile from outer space but in case our address conveys

Popular Flying, Novemberl December. 195g the impression of Sleepy Hollow ,, and that we may be ready to hibernate for the winter let me put you straight on that point right away_ truth is, most of our flying is done during ihe Winter months, and now, after a year of opera_ tions, our Group has recently completed our own Club House and obtained a Club Bar Licence.

'Yes, We're going to have a fly_in get together at Little Snoring on the week_end of the l4th_ l6th November. Call it a Rally if you wish but we intend it to be a little different to the usual Rally.

'Our considered opinion up here is that there is not nearly enough liaison between p.F.A. Groups and due to this we are not getting the benefits of each other,s experience urJ .o_ operation; and though we are pleased to attend and enjoy R.A.C. Rallies when we can, we do feel that the average p.F.A. flier is not rnade of money and often finds the usual Rally a bit pricey when the cost of the journey also has to be considered.

'To get to the meat of this letter then_this is what we propose. In the fervent hope that we might start a pattern for similar p.F.A. Rallies we have decided to offer a week_end,s entertain_ ment to the first 40 members of p.F.A. who accept our invitation to stay with us in Norfolk on the week-end 14-16 November. For an all-in cost of Two pounds we will provide meals and accommodation, a Dinner on Saturday night, Transport, Hangarage_well, everything except Beer and petrol and these latter i.qril sites will be available at rock bottom prices to our visitors. For those who are unable to come before the Saturday we will adjust the attendance fee to 30 shillings. Here,s the difference_ wE,RE NoT oN THE MAKE, wE,VE PAID oUR BILLS ANo wE'nE IN FACT pREpARED To LosE A BIT To SUBSIDISE OUR TDEA THAT OUR MOVEMENT WOULD EXPAND ENORMOUSLY IF THIS IDEA CAUGHT ON.

'We intend to combine the week_end with an open day for the local townsfolk and this will include various competitions for visitors in_ cluding aerobatics, etc. It is intended to get as many different types of aircraft to take part as possible and we hope to get at least three new types of light aircraft to attend and demonstrate.

'Given good support and clement weather (oh yes, the weather is often very co-operative in November you know) we believe you would enjoy your visit.

'Well that's the story then and if you think we're on to a good idea tell your friends about it and let us know as soon as possible if you wish to come. As I have already stated we can take 40 into our homes possibly more and then there is hotel accommodation in abundance at very reasonable prices for B. & B. for anyone not wishing to live 'o en famille " so, as ever, it,s a case of first come flrst served.'

Glamorgan Flying CIub

Our rally organising friends GLAMORGAN FLYING CLUB send news of their activities over the border and as the extracts from their News Letter show they did not just hire the local enthusiasm for the duration of the p.F.A. Rally.

Anyway, a circumstance of considerable significance has arisen since the last news letter so far as the Glamorgan Flying CIub is concerned, and that in the shape of Mr. Vernon Bernard who has joined us as Flight Operations Manager of Glamorgan Aviation Ltd., and chief flying instructor of the Glamorgan Flying Club. Mr. Bernard is a professional pilot with .all possible qualifications and a large and impressive background of flying operation to his name. He started with us on the l5th of this month and is busily getting down to re-organising the general set up of the Club and planning both the winter and the following summer season in terms of all our flying activity. We feel sure that all members will be delighted to welcome him, it means incidentally that there will be a full time instructor on duty at all times.

After a poor August, at least in the first three weeks, we entered September in what might almost be described in its context as a blaze of glory. For eleven whole days we didn't see a spot of rain and we have been subjected to what seemed like after the previous summer almost sub-tropical temperatures. The last week in August was flne and we were able to build up our August figure to 178 hours flying which is well in advance of anything else we have done and we have entered September with a fair back_ ground of hours already in hand. Unflortunately, at the end of this month the Autocrat VN will be due for a Check 5 so we will be losing that for three weeks or so. On the other hand, as pleasure flying will be dropping to its close the 5d will be almost exclusively available for Club flying as the Autocrat goes in.

Solos have included Andrew Miles and Ifor Lewis. Colin Shaw, Glyn Rees and Jim Callan are now the proud possessors of private pilots Licences.

Glamorgan Aviation Ltd., managed to get a scoop for the Western Mail recently. Hearing that a small tanker was ablaze off the Wesi Coast, they contacted the editorial department, and suggested that they send a photographer to the airport from where they would ferry him to the coast to catch some pictures of the tanker. rhis was duly done and a series of most inter_ esting shots appeared in the Western Mail the next morning showing the blazing ship settling gently into a tranquil sea with the sun setting in the distance.

Croydon Flying CIub

CROYDON FLYING CLUB, despite their setbacks have sent news which shows that the threats to Croydon residents are not being allowed to stop them flying and that they are prepared to take their coats off when misfortune kicks in their front door. Their scribe writes:

'The Quiberon " disaster,, in which both our aircraft crash-landed, left us at the beginning of June with nothing to fly. However, a quick deal was made with Rollasons, who sold us one of their rebuilt Tigers and agreed to let us use it and pay when the Insurance claim was settled, the Assessors having quickly agreed that our old Tiger G-ANRU was a write-off. Thus, we were flying again within three days.

'The Turbulent G-APKZ, which was being built for our Chairman, George Stewart, bt Rollasons, was delivered the next day (a Thurs_ day) and to complete the five hours test flying and fifteen landings required for the permit in time to get the aircraft released by the week_end, Georgc arranged to do it all in one go, with one .top Io check an oil leak and a second stop to ..ir.t.

Special permission was obtained from the Controller at Croydon (bless him) and the little Turbulent ground round and round Croydon circuit for over five hours and fifteen landingi in a wrnd gusting to 30 knots, cloud base rarely above 1,000 feet and vis. down to 1,000 yards in the squalls. A smart b1t of work by the Ministry in conjunction with Fitz. of Roilasons and "the permit was issued on the Friday. The Turbulent appeared for the Elstree Air Display on the Saturday and was then mad e avallable to all Club members at 30s. per hour.

' In just over a month, it has now flown over sixty hours, and twenty_seven different pifoi, have flown it, whose experience ranges from a Student Pilot with about twelve houis solo, to Commercial pilots with several thousand. Every_ one reports that it handles beautifully and the Club is getting a lot of fun out of it.

'As an aftermath to euiberon, the Insurance people decided to have the damaged Auster G-ANLU dismantled and brought Uact< by road. The thought of various foreign transport con_ tractors methods of handling our poor old Auster roused George Stewart and vic cottins to vorunteer to bring it back themselves.

Customs, who did not have anything in their book about lorries with aeroplanes orrit ._ unO the ensuing pandemonium oi Customs Officials shouting in bad English and our heroes shouting in worse French, was only exceeded by the Captain of the ferry boat tiying to shoui.u.n louder that he only wanted to leave on time.

'Another anxious moment occurred when backing the truck (now I5 feet high) as it aia not seem likely to fit the boat. More shouting and various comments by hoards of French Jrif"r, and it went into the highest part of the ferry with three inches to spare.

' The voyage (of three hours) was uneventfur, except that the French purser fell in tor. *iir, Vic. This rather shook our Victor, but he quicklf got over it, leaving the purser with a Urot.r, rleart.

' At Dover, they found a French damsel (com_ plete with littre red car) in distress at the customs and very gallantly smoothed her Aifficulties, George even drove her to London in her own :ur. This upped the .,entente cordiale ,, by at least ten points.

'Another all night drive to Rearsby and the aircraft was delivered to Austers at g o,clock on the Saturday morning.

'The whole adventure had taken just over five days.'

.

'All arrangements were made, a four tonner borrowed from Rollasons (do not know what we would have done without them) and the f.r;; bookings made, all within three days. J

'An epic drive to euiberon took fifteen hours, George and Vic driving by turn and only stopping to refuel (food, wine and petrol). The Austeiwal dismantled and loaded with the kind assistance of the Aero CIub de euiberon, and they set forth in pouring rain with a load that would neither go fast, round sharp corners or under telegraih wires. They report that the French ur. u..1, ui._ rninded, having been quite taken aback ut tfr. tremendous stir caused in every small town by the sight of an English aeroplane, on an English !r.y, driven by two obviouily mad Englishiren. They made the ferry at Dunkirk witrr minutes to spare, had a long argument with the French

Adur Priyate Flying Group

At the birthplace of Miles aeroplanes a lone Maggie is the equipment of the ADUR PRIVATE FLYING GROUp, based at Shore_ ham. Due to some bad luck with a defective undercarriage the group operations were delayed last summer pending ..plur.ment parts being obtained, and it was then possible for th; Secretary, Ron Mayes and another member, to be just in time for the Deauville Rally which was enjoyed despite the row and persistent sea mist.

While the group is essenti ally a private and family affair Associate -.-t.., would be welcome, and anyone interested is invited to contact Ron Mayes at 4, Gannon Road, Worth_ ing, Sussex.

The annual Rally of the Reseau du Sport de l'Air, that French organisation devoted to the furthering of amateur construction and ultralight flying of which our own Popular Flying Association is an equivalent, was held this year at the aerodrome of Saintes, which is situated between Cognac and Royan in Charente Maritime. The aerodrome is grass, with a length, on the longer of the two runways, of 1,200m. Petrol is available. The airfleld is the home of the A6ro-Club de Saintonges et Aunis, who were the hosts on the occasion of the Rally, and is situated alongside the main road into Saintes from Pons and Bordeaux, Route Nationale 137.

A number of British crews went to this Rally, including Maurice Imray, who travelled in Harold Best-Devereux's Auster, Dev. piloting; Norman Jones flew his Turbulent, accompanied by a Hornet Moth flown by " Fitz" Fitzmaurice with Margo McKellar; Neil Harrison of the T.K. Group took their very new and very handsome Turbi for its first long-distance outing. The author went with Mike Dible and his brother in Mike's Proctor.

There was a good deal of low cloud about crossing the Channel and Cherbourg, where we

Popular Flying, Novemberf December, 1958