Training

New Sites

Having only one runway restricts the availability of training at Church Stretton, Shropshire and a strong westerly wind blowing over the trees, makes the take offs and landings a little interesting! But once airborne the views of the Long Mynd area are magnificent. Now that the Shropshire Tow group have bought  2 Puma Sprints, we only need some half decent weather to get back in the air. Congrats to Graham Elvis and Ian Love for recently passing their GFT's, now only need to finish off the exams to complete their licences.

 

Paul Smith and Kitfox at Long Marston

 

The largest site is at Long Marston airfield, Stratford upon Avon, where we have joined up with Freedom Sports Aviation and the Avon Microlight Club. With long smooth concrete runways, a control tower and bar and purpose built lecture rooms, we have all the facilities needed to run our instructor courses. The tarmac runway is certainly a boon through the winter period when everywhere else is soggy mud.

We have unfortunately had to reduce the amount of training done at our Ashbourne site. Situated on the southern edge of the Derbyshire Peak District, quite close to Alton Towers, this site offers flying over varied and scenic countryside, and some of the most visited National Parkland in Britain. The south westerly runway has grown to over 600 metres and the undulations of the surface are in for some severe battering - site owner Denis Salt has just acquired a 10 ton roller and is preparing the strip in anticipation of the arrival of his new Jabiru. Secure hangarage is available for three axis or flexi wing craft.

Weather

Not such a great year for weather in '2001, there was no great improvement during June and July as expected (or hoped for) and it all turned out rather wet!. When a nice day came along therefore we tend to make the most of it. For example Tuesday the 18th was one out of the book with no less than five Qualifying Cross Countries being flown! David Baker completed his two, Nigel Dea needed to store some fuel at his destination as the little single seat Half Pint only has a small fuel capacity, Paul Vallis visited his home town of Belper and Bill Holland enjoyed a pleasant evening flight to Lichfield. Congratulations to Mark Shiner, Helen Smith and Ron Mercer for achieving their first solo flights.

 

Dave Harris preflighting the Bantam at Pound Green

 

Aircraft Types

Our training craft are Pegasus flexwings manufactured in Marlborough. The 503 Rotax powered Quantum is the fleets newest and fly's beautifully. The latest Austrian made engine has got rid of the points and timing and uses a dual electronic ignition system for extra reliability. Fuel economy in these expensive times has also been improved. The inflight adjustable trim system now allows the craft to be flown at either economical and leisurely airspeeds, or I must get home it's starting to rain, wind whistling, eyes watering quite fast airspeeds.

 

Barry Foulds going solo in the Mistral

 

We do not have a club 3 axis training aircraft at the moment, but I have been teaching on some quite interesting and diverse privately owned machines. Based at Ashbourne are the French manufactured Mistral and the very popular Rans S6, whilst Stan Cornock from Sutton Coldfield, has just completed his license in a Shadow BD. Just finished training from Church Stretton is James Greenhalgh on a Bantam (imported from New Zealand). Roll on the Rotax 912, 4 stroke powered Skyranger - the first kit is expected to arrive at the beginning of April and we will be assembling it at Long Marston.

 

SkyRanger on display at the International Airsports Exhibition

 

We are always interested to visit another flying site, whether in the West Midlands or further a field. Please email to Simon Baker

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