In this month’s edition:

• Rally Photos – Richard Griffiths
• Flying from a Wheelchair
• Down on the farm – Tony Palmer

Rally Photos

If you managed to get to the rally, you will know what a success it was. The weather played ball and over 800 aircraft made it in. I got there on the Sunday afternoon and here are some of my photos presented as a slide-show. If you would like a higher resolution version of any of the pictures, please get in touch.

There was one stand that did not have a particularly high profile so visitors may have missed, that I though was worth highlighting. It was for a small start-up community interest company, NUNCATS, developing an ‘electric sky jeep’. (No idea where the company name comes from!) It is run by an enthusiastic young couple, Tim and Helen Bridge, based at Old Buckenham Airfield. The idea is to develop a sustainable transport option for undeveloped areas of the world. Before you dismiss this as pie in the sky, their uses case for a very short-haul electric aircraft (30 minute flight time) is actually compelling. Taking a midwife 30 miles by air makes a lot of difference when the alternative is several hours in a Land Rover over unmade roads. They have an eminently practical approach to the development with, as far as I could see, sound engineering backing it up.

If this peaks your interest, have a look at their website: www.nuncats.org for more information. You can even contribute to their Crowdfunder!

Richard Griffiths

Flying from a Wheelchair

Finmere based pilot Russell Pinder, is paralysed from the chest down. He posts on YouTube as ‘That Wheely Plane Bloke’, and here he shows how, with organisation he can prep and fly his aircraft completely independently. Where there’s a will….

Down on the farm 37 this month 9/21

Klemm L25C G-ACXE

The fuel tank filler cover plate is now finished and it turned out very simple in the end by positioning the hinge a bit higher which saved having a raised section to clear the filler its self and still having the contents gauge fully visible from the rear cockpit. The edges were set down by differing amounts to contact the wing skin around the periphery of the plate. The panel is held down with a ¼ turn fastener as used on tonneau covers i.e. no bits to loose in the grass!

Fuel tank cover plate G-ACXE

DH82C 5084

The Tiger went for its second gathering of Moths at Old Warden (last year it was cancelled).

Moth being refuelled at the Old Warden Moth gathering

LAA rally 2021

BristellUK had a stand at the show and I know I saw a fair number of you stop by for a quick chat, I personally thought it went well with I believe about 800 arrivals. I attended the lecture on the new 600kg Microlight category and had more questions than answers at the end. We are going ahead with A8-1 approval to import ready-made planes into the UK.

Bristell UK stand at the LAA rally

Biggin Hill hanger tour

When I had a ride in the Biggin Hill Hurricane last year a trip around the hanger was in the package but it could not be done at the time due to Covid. So Brian Mann, Phil Trangmar, Tony Berryman, Jim Copeman and myself went up last week for the trip which was 90mins in length and was enjoyable and interesting.

The Messerschmitt BF109 was last flown in 2019; the DB604 engine is back in Germany with Mercedes Benz having a rebuild and they have another on a stand in the workshop.

They do have a technical hanger tour which lasts 3 hours and if priced at £149 for those that want a bit more information.

The Spitfire in the picture was from the Museum in Malta.

One of two flying Messerschmitt BF109 in the world (last flown 2019)

Spitfire in desert colours rebuilt for Malta

Goodwood revival meeting 2021 in next month’s newsletter

Lesley and I are contemplating having a “POPUP” flyin next month at Palmersfarm once we get a few days of stable weather forecast. We will give a few days’ notice at best and it will be a cake/scone and hot drinks and will probably be mid-week. I will get Richard to send it out via this email list.

Tony Palmer

Events

• Club night, Wednesday 6th October, 7:30 pm, Swiss Cottage, Shoreham!
• Possible ‘pop-up’ mid-week fly-in at Palmers Farm this month (depending on the weather). Watch your email for notification.

For the latest list of events, go to the Events page on the Strut website.