NEW GROUPS

The Executive Committge welcomes the following new groups enrolled during the last month'

Group No. 167--The Canuck Flying Club operating an Auster J.4. from Grostenquin, Near Metz, France. This Group is a training group with membership restricted to Royal Canadian Air Force Personnel.

Group No. 168-The R.A.F. Waddington Group formed to build a Luton Major and to train members to PPL standard.

Group No. 169-The Conningsby Group operating a Leopard Moth from Conningsby' This is a private flYning group.

Group No. l70-Brooklands Flying Group operating from Ringway with a Cessna 172'

Group No. 171--The Southwell Air Touring Group operating a Miles Messenger from Tollerton, Mike Gani, moving light of the Sherwood Flying Group is in on this somewhere'

Group No. 172-P.F.A. Group l7Z is the name and no nonsense, operating a Taylorcraft.

Group No. 173-The Tipsy Flying Group, the first U.K. Group formed to build the P'F'A' approved Tipsy ultra light single seater' Neil Harrison, moving spirit behind G-AOTK is behind this one to operate from Newtownards'

Group No. 174-The FK Flying Group activated by Denis Nahum who entered the Bleriot monoplane in the Daily Mail Race' This newly rebuilt Messenger prototype G-ALAP, also provides recreation for P.F. eCitor when escaping from H.Q. bumf.

Group No. 175-The Manchester Ftying Club operating an Auster and building a Luton Major under leadership of John Cowap'

Group No. 176-The R.A.F. Chivenor Group, keen types operating a Miles Hawk Trainer ex Lincoln GrouP.

Group No. 177-The York and District Group, all the paperwork is done, now to find an aircraft !

M.P.M. FLYING GROUP

by ROY MILLS

Another year has almost gone, and once more it is time to let you know that we are still going strotg, and to tell you of our year's activities.

lfhe year began with three of our members obtainiirg their assistant instructors ratings, and leaving the group. This forced us to become virlrally non-operational, and with the faithful Tiger up for sale, the end of the group was well in sight. However, just when all seemed to be over but the shouting, a Magister came up for sale with a new C. of A., and with a couple of new members, the group restarted.

Once we got KKR going round the houses at Elstree, we soon found more members, and put the M.P.M. Flying Group back on it's feet. Our membership is now 9 and in the nine months since KKR was put on the strength, we have done 183 hrs. flying.

One of our members, Toni Trent has got his commercial licence, and is now panting after the instrument rating. Roy Mills (yours truly) obtained his radio rating and it is hoped that other members will soon do the same.

A precautionary landing by the Hol. Secretary (Roy Mills again) and Frank Anderson put paid to the Group's no claim bonus, and to the Maggie's antics for a few days, but a new prop., starboard wing and undercarriage has put KKR back on top of the world, and a good 10 m.p.h. faster, much to the pleasure of the throttle bending fraternity in the Group.

Radio, navigation lights, generator and a few more dials in the cockpit are envisaged for t'he near future, and if we find a few more members, who knows, perhaps a stable mate for KKR.

By the way, last year we gave an open invitation to. other groups to visit uS-so far, we have had no takers, but the invitation is still open, so how about it ?

Populu Flying, MarchlApril, 196O

Them There Bustards

P.F.A. GROUP I11.

by E. OWEN

As we approach the end of our third year of operations, we can review the past with some degree of self-satisfaction, and the future with relative complacency. For the record, since we formed in August 1957 we have flown over 50C hours on our Tiger G-ALND, achieved 12 first solos and brought 8 students to P.P.L. standard. This latter figure, hcwever, is slightly biaseC since certair of our members had eerlier flying experience but, nevertheless, we have our own two prize babies who had never held the pcle before they put their muCdy size lO's in our cockpit.

From the servicing side we completed renewal of our 3 year C. of A. last April (59) and November saw the refitting of a Gipsy Major which should give us a further 3 years running at our present rate before it's time expired. Our second string (bag) G-APMM, ex. R.A.F. DE. 419 and which is being completely refurbished, saw only little progress last year due to our servicing commitments on the other aircraft. However, both the fuselage and mainplanes are now in the process of being recovered and flnal reassembly should commence within the next two months, (P-s-s-tanyone got a Gipsy Major going cheap). Financially, like all similar groups, we are broke but having finally paid the Kemsley Trust Loan we are not unhappy.

Our story, no doubt, is similar to that of many other groups but in the hope that it may stimulate the interest of the casual reader of P.F. to have a go, let's recapitulate. It begins in early 1957 with a small number of impoverished civil servants and then underpaid Service mea at Boscombe Down. The rising costs at the commercial flying clubs had reached a stage where even a baulked landing meant a visit to the Bank Manager for an overdraft and general discussion soon estab- llsheC that there was a sufficient number of enthusiasts within the Establishment to at least "warrant an investigation into the practicabil:ty of operating a light aircraft flying club for the benefit of Ministry of Supply personnel at the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down." Permission of the Air Commodore Commanding wes sou-ght and readily given, but it was sooil realised that it would be impracticable tr opelat: the club at Boscombe Down. Flying of experimental aircraft at week-end and in the evenings would have immediately put'an embargc on our activities and also the vast areas oi imitation Portland stone would have created havoc on our landing gear. In addition, dospit: the size of the airfield the amount of grass area free from obstruction, e'9., football prtchl:, radar gear, etc. and sufficiently near tc the hangars to preclude a taxying cross c:untry was very limited. As a result we had tr look further afleld.

The R.A.F. Station, Old Sarum, was the next immediatg choice, but although the Air Ministry encourage the formation and operat,on of Service Flying Clubs as part of their recreational facilities, the presence of a civilian element within our club immediately introduced difficulties. After a period of correspondence between the various departmelts, a contract was at last agreed which defined the terms of rentage, limits of meinbership and insurance requirements. This was a rather frustrating period since the summer months were beginning to run out, but at least the paper mashers on both sides were satisfled and the agreement was signed. In this respect I should like to thank the Station Commander Old Sarum at that time, W/Cdr. Kentish, A.F.C., who was most helpful and of;ered every assistance.

Meanwhile, when the first light began to glimmer over the hill from Old Sarum the potential members were asked to dig deep into the tea swindle kitty for their first subscript-ons and an approach was made to the Kemsley Trust for a loan to purchase one aircraft. The choice of the aircraft was largely influenced by the ardent desire to commence flying as soon as possible, the large training programme that it looked we would have and the cost, both initial and maintsnaace. The obvious pick of the bunch was the Tiger and thus our search was directed along these lines. During this shopping spree amongst the fraternity we made many friends, in the corners of dusty, A.R.B. approved Nissen huts and palatial M.T.C.A. condemned hangars, and later when we were stuck for the odd spare they have proved steadfast and most helpful' For this we thank them. At last we found the right aircraft but our hopes were soon dashed, the Kemsley Trust Loan had not yet been approved, the dealer's wife wanted her summer holiday and could not wait for the lclly. The aircraft went elsewhere.

The days rolled past, we had our full quota of members, fast forgetting how to fly, an airfield to fly frorn, a promise of a loan but

Popular Flyins, MarchlAPril, 196O

no aircraft; well not at the right price, anyway. Our budding C.F.I. S/Ldr. Franklin, however, heard a buzz from a fellow pilot regarding a Tiger Moth in a hedge in a field near Winchester. Fortunately his next flight took him in this region ! ! He was able tc obtain the map co-ordinates of the location and a car sortie was made in that directior. Our impressions, gained from the air, was that aircraft was not in use, but an indignant owner soon put us right about its flying qualities. As chance would have it he was contemplating selling but, as yet, had not advertised. We were first in the queue and the price was too good to be true. However, subsequert to our visit he must have taken expert, and from our view ill-advised, opinion. On our next visit the price was more representative of its value, but we agreed and the t"XT1t"J'u'J,[*,

,,r0, 1es8, derivery date to Old Sarum, that old stalwart "Franky" Franklin and self up. In front of a welcoming committee of local dignitaries and the Press, all I can say is that I arrived; the landing was compared to that of a lame duck on wet ice. However, it was a start. The end of the summer of '57 and throughout 1958 we plodded on with the flying, the unstinting efiorts of Franky contributing greatly to our training programme. At one stage we lost an urdercarriage leg due to a combination of flying inexperience and the presence of a largc obstruction on the side of the airfield but, in general, our unserviceability time was not too great although the aircraft was beginning to look a little tired. As a result we decided to anticipate the C. of A. date and the aircraft was temporarily withdrawn in February '59. In view of ttre fact that we wanted a three year C. of A. we really went to town during this phase and gave it a good going over, including refabricing the fuselage. Eventually the job was complete, although it tcck somewhat longer than anticipat:d, and old G-ALND stood there in her pristine glory of silver and blue, gently spattered with the efflu-

Popular Flying, MarchlApril, 196O via of the attentive hangar starlings.

In order to re-awaken the latent enthusiasm of the non-working all flying soction it was decided to recommence flying by running a rally. This consisted of the usual short cross country, identifying unusual objects en route (unfortunately the couple moved during the day), spot landings and a flour bag bombing run. Alas, due to the over enthusiasm of one member who wanted to drop his flour bag to early, the poor aircraft and contestant landed covered with white distemper. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all and the bucket and mop gang soon gave the aircraft the necessary face lift.

Progress during the summer of 1959 was again good, the fine weather helping to boost flying. Two members pinched the aircraft and went jollying in Northern France for a week, eventually bringing the aircraft back covered in hotel labels, like a day tripper to Calais bag, and smelling faintly of cheap wine and Continentai cigarettes. These types have since been advocating converting the second Tiger to a Jackaroo, but I think that even our group would kick at the distracting scent of the boudoir in the glasshouse during solo cross country.

Then engine change I have commented upon and we are now looking forward to a summer's flying with quit? a reasonable and tidy aircraft. Our first club flying project will be another rally, (l am determined to win that engraved tankard), but we are due to run a beer and bun session to kick off the season and celebrate payment of the final instalment of the Kemsley Trust Loan, not the same week-end obviously. In closing I would like to disclaim some of the malicious gossip regarding our group name. It was chosen not because we were denied the use of our original rightful name, but solely because of the local associations of that bird in this area.

Good flying and call in and see us when you are down this way. Old Sarum is on the list of R.A.F. controlled airfields open to civvy usage.