(Temporary?) Retirement From My Vocation

The new medical rules for my age group include being sent to do a stress ecg if certain factors are not met.
In my case it was my BMI which is high, and so I need to correct my weight by losing another 6kg to get down to 69.7kg which is the top of the healthy range for someone of my height.
I have been as heavy as 80kg and in Thailand they said I was fat!, but in comparison with my peers I do not have anything like the gut many of them do.
Trouble with me is that when I stop eating enough my energy levels drop, and I fall foul of infection. So three weeks ago I had gastric flu, and then this past week I had a bad head cold.
On here I am supposed to write only positive things, and I try to think of positive things. Sorry!
The subconscious is responsible for one's health and the stress of worry with the Bill for the aeroplane, and the fact that nearly all of my resources are spent means that I suffer bad health effects.
The Labour Government has made it much more difficult for pensioners with pension credit for those on low income hard to get. I'm on a very low pension, unsustainable in fact, and so I applied for pension credit, but it seems I do not qualify for it.
All in all my present situation means not renewing my Class 2 medical for the time being, and therefore losing the ability to fly as a Class Rating Instructor and the minimal income this has the potential to bring in.
Instead I know that I must stop, get a job, and start to restore my resources, and this is not easy.

I test flew this L18 Cub around 40 years ago, and again this time.

This past weekend Popham hosted the British Microlight show with many modern microlight and very light aircraft on show.
Many new types are really light aircraft every much so as a Cessna 150, or a certified Jodel, Condor, Emeraude, and other classic types of aeroplane.
Unfortunately I was kept busy and so I did not take many decent pictures rather I socialised and drank tea.

Shocking bad airmanship.

I witnessed a serious act of bad airmanship that led to a bad landing and a damaged aeroplane.
The Sport Cruiser was on very short final when a Pitts Special pilot who was obviously annoyed committed an act of Air Rage. He flew close past the Sport Cruiser on it's right side at the same height, and then turned left across it's nose and zoomed upwards. The Pitts then turned to the right to pass overhead and rejoin the right hand circuit for runway 26.
I assume this upset the Sport Cruiser's pilot who then broke the nose gear during his landing.

Airmanship required the Pitts pilot to climb and go around and not to overtake an aeroplane close to landing, at low level, visibly close, and then cross in front of the aeroplane on very short final.

On Saturday I set Tom the task to demonstrate a flight through Southampton's controlled airspace to Beaulieu and onwards to the Isle of Wight.
Over the IOW we did some upper airwork and then landed at Sandown.

My 'final?' one hour with an instructor flight.

On the ground we sat down for a coffee, and Tom had a piece of their home baked cream cake... Not for me, I am all but starving myself these days.

The flight back provided a opportunity to do some instrument flying for which I gave Tom a briefing. I'd brought my Foggles for the purpose.

When we arrived back the breeze had increased from the north and the temperature had dropped. I was glad of my jacket and jumper.

The show had wrapped up for the night... What's happened? No BBQ, no after show socialising?
The next day was only a shadow of the busy Saturday, it was cold, and breezy, but still good flying weather. But those who do are most interested are of an aging demographic, and as such need to stay warm.
Recreational aviation is aging though the Europeans are producing modern new designs; who is going to buy them?
I'm so sad for England as we lose more and more the spirit of active participation in outside pursuits.
This is a serious country with people who live without the disposable income that enabled people like me, in regular jobs with regular incomes to learn to fly.

As for the Aircoupe, I have two people very interested in buying it, we'll see.
An alternative would be for group members to put in £1,500 as a loan to the aeroplane, repayable at £50/hour off the flying rate (30 hours worth), this would 'buy time' and relieve me of the stress I'm under right now. The aeroplane is sorted, and should be reliable. I'd hope for more than the mere 80 hours flown this past year.
We have waited over four weeks so far for new rudder cables, and when these arrive the bill will need to be paid.

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