STRUTS 4 U

Struts 4U

by Anne Hughes

The record for the most members attending any LAA Strut meeting must surely go to the Suffolk Coastal Strut. In January, the Strut hosted a GASCo Safety Evening and over 600 people joined for the online event. Mick Gill presented the programme, and one of the speakers on this occasion was Steve Slater, which helped to give the evening a ‘family’ feel. The key points, under the titles of Human Factors, Loss of Control and How Safe are You? also included the use of ‘Threat and Error’ management, in connection with the risk of mid-air collision. Usefully too, we were reminded to plan, plan and plan, and take into account the ‘startle’ effect and the fast reaction needed to respond to the unexpected.

Inadvertent complacency, distraction, currency and recency are things that can affect us all, and this was a really useful evening, with thanks to SCS for hosting the event. At the end of the evening GASCo were able to ‘sign the logbooks’ of attendees using a link.

If you would like to see some of the slides used in the presentation, please visit www.gasco.org.uk and click on the Return to Flying Course at the bottom of the home page. A recording of the webinar is available: https://tinyurl. com/1t6qyqjf. Continuing on the theme of safe flying, Neil Wilson, Chairman of the Wessex Strut wrote:

“For our monthly January meeting we arranged a Zoom event with Jon Roper, the Marketing Manager of Trig Avionics, presenting on Electronic Conspicuity. Jon spoke about the advantages of seeing and being seen electronically, which many of you may have read about in some Ian Fraser’s articles on this subject in earlier editions of Light Aviation. Jon also explained about Safety Integrity Level (SIL) and how it affects which ADSB ‘out’ transmissions were ‘seen’ by other ‘in’ recipients – SIL 1 providing the preferred arrangement for Europe. I think everyone found the presentation not only interesting but it was successfully aimed at a level so it wasn’t too technical but had enough content to cover those points for people who knew more than the basics. Some good questions were posed to Jon at the end as well, I’m sure helping many who are considering electronic conspicuity but Main We were sorry to hear from David Millin that Terry Case, who set up Farway Common Airfield in East Devon in 1985, had passed away. This lovely airfield is a popular used fly-in venue and Terry will be missed by us all.

Photo: Sophia Smith.

Above Paul Gibbs enjoys the aerobatic capabilities of his unique SAH-1. Right RIP Terry Case, 19 June 1926 – 8 January 2021.

are unsure of which system to adopt. In all, we had 68 people from not only the Wessex Strut, but also Bristol, Devon, Andover Struts, and others.”

Meanwhile the Devon Strut’s Zoom meeting for January was on the subject of Wisdom and Experience in predicting

Weather Windows for Pilots, addressed by well-known aviation weather forecaster, Simon Keeling. His talk focused on making the most of opportunities to safely fly in between weather fronts, as well as other generally useful information in forecasting and understanding weather systems. It was very useful for helping make weather decisions safely. West Midlands Strut publish Simon’s up-to-date forecasts on a regular basis on their Facebook page.

Oxford Strut enjoyed the company of Steve Slade for their February Zoom meeting. In the 1970s, a serious car accident left Steve without the use of his legs. He decided to fly adapted microlights and learned to fly through the Douglas Bader Scholarship programme. He has owned a Rans Coyote for the last 21 years and his talk took us around the world with his flying adventures. Destinations included Turkey, the Kiev to Odessa Rally, the Orkneys and the Scillies. He has won many awards including for the First World Air Games, the Guinness Book of Records for most circuits in an hour (102), and has raised thousands of pounds for Help the Heroes. His achievements are staggering, and his stories made a fascinating presentation. On a different theme the Highlands and Islands included an interesting article in their newsletter under the title Say Again Aircraft Type… Paul Gibbs reported that he often heard that radio call in transit in his Trago Mills SAH-1.

There only ever was one of these aircraft built, although three of the later FLS Sprint variants, based on the same design, were also built. Paul wrote, “You might remember the fuss made about the development of an all-new British light aircraft in the early to mid-1980s. Flown and displayed at three consecutive Farnborough airshows, and taken on an extensive British tour, as well as overseas trade fairs as far as Dubai, the SAH-1 built up quite a following. The prototype was registered as G-SAHI, and the type named SAH-1, after its designer, Sydney Arthur Holloway. She emerged ready for her first flight in August 1983. With links to Bodmin and now to the Highlands, the aircraft has an interesting history.”

Despite the recent lockdown restrictions, the Struts are continuing to turn challenges into opportunity, and host a very varied programme which is available for a wider audience.

Strut details

Please check with your local Strut as meetings may be arranged at short notice. At this time, unless otherwise stated, monthly meetings are using Zoom and you are welcome to contact any Strut should you be interested

in the advertised talk, or to find out if meetings have been

arranged. With the vaccine programme being very effectively organised by the NHS, hopefully the possibility of face-to-face meetings is getting ever closer.

Andover Strut: Spitfire Club, Popham Airfield, SO21 3BD. 1930. Contact keith. picton@ntlworld.com Bristol Strut: BAWA Club, Filton, 1930. Room 4 or by Zoom. Contact: chairman@ bristolstrut.uk www.bristolstrut.uk Cornwall Strut: The Clubhouse, Bodmin Airfield. Contact Pete White pete@aeronca.co.uk 01752 406660 24 April – Wing Walking Day. Devon Strut: The Exeter Court Hotel, Kennford, Exeter. 1930. Contact: david. millin@sea-sea.com East of Scotland Strut: Harrow Hotel, Dalkeith. 2000. Contact: inrgibson001@btinternet.com 0131 339 2351.

East Midlands Strut: Please contact:

tonyrazzell2@gmail.com for meeting details a few days beforehand or to be added to our email circulation to get details automatically. We also have a Facebook group and upload recordings of some meetings where we have speakers. Gloster Strut: The Victory Club, Lypiatt Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2SY. Contact: harry.hopkins@talktalk.net 9 March – GASCo meeting via Zoom. Highlands & Islands: Highland Aviation, Inverness Airport. Contact: b.w.spence@btinternet.com 01381 620535. Kent Strut: Cobtree Manor Golf Club, Maidstone, Kent. 2000 (Currently Zoom). Contact: Steve Hoskins hoskinsltd@outlook.com 07768 984507. pilotbarry1951@gmail. com http://linsystrut.wixsite.com/website North East Strut: Fishburn Airfield. Brunch on the third Sunday of each month. 1130-13.30 at Fishburn Aviator Cafe. Contact: alannixon297@btinternet.com North Western Strut: Veterans Lounge, Barton, Manchester, 1930 for 2000. Contact: cliffmort@btinternet.com 07813 497427. North Wales Strut: Caernarfon Airport, Dinas Dinlle. HEMS Bistro Café 1300. Contact: Gareth Roberts gtrwales@gmail.com 07876 483414. Oxford Group: New Venue TBC. Second Wednesday each month Zoom meetings: Email for joining details. Contact: LAAOxford@gmail.com 10 March – Kiev to Odessa by Steve Slade (Part 2). Email for joining details. Redhill Strut: The Dog and Duck, Outwood, Surrey, RH1 5QU. Third Tuesday of each month at 1930. Contact: david@milstead.me.uk Shobdon Strut: Hotspur Café, Shobdon Airfield, Hereford HR6 9NR. 1930. Meetings (once lockdown completed) Second Thursday of month. Contact: Keith Taylor bushebiggles@sky.com Southern Strut: The Swiss Cottage, Shoreham-by-Sea. 2000. Normal meetings will resume on the first Wednesday of the month when permitted. Contact palmersfarm@sky.com Strathtay Strut: Scottish Aero Club, Perth Airport, Scone. Scone Clubhouse. Contact: keith.boardman@peopleserve.co.uk 07785 244146. Suffolk Coastal Strut: Crowfield Airfield

Clubhouse. 1900. Contact: Martyn Steggalls events@suffolkcoastalstrut.org.uk 07790 925142. 17 March – Zoom Meeting. Presentation ATA, Grandma Flew Spitfires by Richard Poad. 21 April Zoom Meeting 1930. Strut AGM, followed by General Knowledge Quiz. Vale of York Strut: Chocks Away Café, Rufforth East Airfield. Contact: Chris Holliday 07860 787801 valeofyorkstrutlaa@gmail.com www.valeofyorkstrutlaa.wordpress.com Wessex Strut: Henstridge Airfield Clubhouse. Contact neil.wilson@laa.uk.com 15 March Zoom meeting – Currie Wot, The Story of Airymouse by LAA CEO, Steve Slater. West Midlands Strut: Navigator Café, Halfpenny Green Aerodrome 1930. Contact: Graham Wiley westmidlandslaastrut@googlegroups.com Stuart Darby stuartdarby134@hotmail.com. or visit our website wmstrut.co.uk West of Scotland Strut: Bowfield Country Club, Howwood, PA9 1DZ. 1900. Contact: Neil Geddes barnbethnkg@gmail.com 01505 612493.

Youth & Education Support (YES) Graham Wiley: gw20home@outlook.com

Thank you to all Struts and clubs for getting in touch. If you have any stories, items you wish to share or updates for the calendar, please contact me at struts@ laa.co.uk