Busy times and quiet times

These past few days have been very quiet.
I was loaned a book "THINK LIKE A BIRD, An Army Pilot's Story", I went back to the teenage book worm I once was and so I read it within two days; it was a very good read.
I should be booking my Stress ecg, and not leave it to the end of the three months in which I must do it. At the moment I do not want to part with the large sum of money this will cost me, especially as I do not have money coming in.

I'd love to do something with this aeroplane.

I was invited to go flying with Trevor in the Luscombe and so we flew from White Waltham to Sandown.

Sandown IOW has a replica of the Blue Steel rocket that was developed and tested on the Isle of Wight, and then launched from Australia.
Of course space rockets should be inspected by the Intergalactic Spacecraft Authority and so inspectors such as the one pictured here turn up to do this.

There was a Fly-In at West Tisted the day before, and it was still Notam'd on Sunday.
I phoned and was invited to drop in if I wanted to. There was tea and cake to be had.

England's ground has a lot of history buried in it, and this often shows through by way of crop marks.
Silchester is just east of the Aldermaston zone, and west of Reading.

Trip to Wales

I was asked if I would help to renew the Permit to Fly for the Jodel Mascaret at Pembrey in Wales, and so I loaded tools into the CR-V and started for Wales.
It's a long way and so I decided to stop near Bath and have a beer with David who is over from Bangkok.
I stayed at the Old Mill Hotel at Bathampton... It's not the best of places, cost me £54 for the night, and then £10 in the morning for the car park...
Across the river is the Bathampton Mill Pub, food on the higher cost side, but good.

In Llanelli I picked up Rich from his house, together with his tools, and chocks made by my brother in the 1980's.
Kenneth made a set for Caroline Grace's Spitfire as well.
We spent a few days working on the Jodel, and preparing it for inspection after which I stayed an extra night and we took the aeroplane up overhead Pembrey for it's test flight after the Danger Area became inactive in the afternoon.
Then I drove 187 miles back to Guildford.

Firs Farm Fly-In

It was 14:52 local time when we arrived at Firs Farm after flying from Popham. There was still some of the hog roast to be consumed.
There's a bad taste in my mouth following the crash of G ATAU and the subsequent burning of its remains on the Guy Fawkes night bonfire. This was my first Condor, and there was a lot of my history in it, and now it was cremated.
I see that G AYZS, another Condor, is based here. Again a lot of my history as fifty years ago I flew this Condor from Blackbushe Aero Club whilst at the same time I maintained it as I worked for Arthur Bartholomew at Bushe Aviation.

The Fly-In at Firs Farm was a pleasant affair as we chatted to fellow 'old timers'...

Staying Fit in Guildford

Keep fit.

It is essential to stay fit, and so I walk into Guildford often and get my step count up.
I last flew on Tuesday in the Piper Cub: ten circuits.
Today's flying has been cancelled and so I am doing this quick update. I was originally aiming to go to Breighton, but there's a thirty knot wind up there and it's gusty windy here in Guildford. Still doable, but likely a longer bumpy ride so it's rescheduled to Wednesday.

Thai Festival

I went to the Magic of Thailand Festival yesterday, and it is on again today.
I made a donation to my Buddha, I was born on a Sunday.

Thai smiles, food, and fun to be had at the festival, £6 to enter.