Date: 4/5/2015

Time: 11:35 - 12:00 (10:35 - 11:00 GMT) & 13:20 - 13:45 (12:20 - 12:45 GMT)

Aircraft: EuroFOX - G-UFOX

Brimpton

I went to the Microlight Trade Fair at Popham on Saturday, but did not fly - just a nose-around and meet up with friends. The weather forecasts have been changing on a near hourly basis. However, Jac suggested a flight on Monday (bank holiday), fortunately I am available (unfortunately, Ian isn't) and the weather looks OK. Colin has work in the evening, so it isn't going to be a long one. When I get to the airfield, once again I have to park in the middle of the field as there is the classic car show and autojumble going on. When I see C+J, they suggest Brimpton - they have their free landing voucher, but mine is at home - drat!

After prep, I warm-up and then head round to the line. We had agreed to meet here, but really, there are just too many people around to do that, so I decide that I had better take off. Fortunately I hear their radio call, so they won't be long. As they often do on busy fly-ins, they are using different runways for departure and arrivals. I join the queue and line-up on 26, hit the throttle and take-off. The ascent is relatively steep, there is a bit of a crosswind and it's a little bumpy with the thermals, but no bad. I climb up to the west (to avoid the busy area) and wait for Jac. I do a bit of a large orbit and then spot their climbout. Fortunately I can use my height advantage to easily catch up. I follow them in loose formation up past Hannington, but then bear left for a low(ish) pass over Greenham Common, to leave some space between us and give Jac time to land. I then join downwind for 25 (no overhead joins at Brimpton), then round onto final. It's a good landing and I only have a tiny backtrack to the parking entrance.

We go and sign in (unfortunately he won't trust me on the voucher issue, so I have to stump-up the £7.50 landing fee) and have some tea and a chat. After putting the world to rights, we have to make our way home. I tell the others that I may want to have a bit of a play on the way home, so don't wait for me. We backtrack to the threshold of 25 and then I takeoff behind Colin. Climbing up, I head towards Greenham for some fun. I start with a clearing turn then try some lazy eights which I haven't done for a while. Then some tight turns and general messing about.

After enjoying myself, I then head back to Popham and join overhead for runway 21. On final I notice that there are many departing aircraft and they are making their way down the taxiway. Passing them on the taxiway would be difficult so I decide to land long, to get past them to reduce the taxiing time on the runway. Better get it right as there are many people with cameras up this end - needn't have worried as it is another good one.

After washing the plane down, I have a look around the nice cars before helping break down the Airbourne show stand before going home.

Another short but lovely flight.

 

 

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