February 2026

In this month’s edition:

  • Down on the farm 86 last month 1/26 – Tony Palmer
  • Mike Biddulp’s Proctor added to our website Projects page
  • Flying Safely in the Winter
  • CAA Publish Wave 2 on Changes to Pilot Licencing

Down on the farm 86 last month 1/26

Klemm L25C G-ACXE

The Klemm cylinder number 6 was back replaced just as the runway had dried out and I rolled it. We flew it on 7.1.26 to check it out and it behaved without fault and the very next day the heavens opened up and it has hardly stopped raining since. I checked online and it appears we have a hosepipe ban still!!! And apparently the Arlington reservoir is only 84% full !!! How?? Yesterday the river Cuckmere was as high as I have seen it since 2002 and an Auster on floats would make sense (if the water stayed and it stopped raining).

The runway and our road in the for ground, it would make sense to take off and land on 04 as there was about a 4 kts water current.

Prentice G-APPL VR189

No movement, we have purchased the paint for the respray and will get on with it once the Klemm is done. It’s going to be stripped, cleaned and receive a coat of 2 pack etch primer followed by a coat of silver and may get a coat of matt 2 pack clear lacquer. The RAF colours will then be added.

Beagle Terrier G-ATDN TW- 641

The tail vertical and horizontal surfaces are getting the once over. I melted a 10mm hole in every panel and then checked every tube inside for any corrosion and found none so far. Circles of fabric have been installed with white cellulose and then silver and then new camouflage matt brown and matt green added as required. Some of the paint on the top surfaces have cracked due to the sun over the years but when it is stripped back the polyester fabric is as new. I have repainted it as above only where it needs it as I would like to keep the original patina, you just cannot reproduce it, the ageing looks perfect.

Deanland airfield 7.1.26

Aviation Books

An ex LAA member Graham Pocock got in touch and donated 4 books to the strut. If anyone wants any of the books and think they will use them (as opposed to selling them on ebay) please get in touch. I will bring them along to the Febuary strut night.

See front page of books below

Next club night Febuary 4th 2026 at the Longshore by the airport roundabout

Please, PLEASE can we have club members come up with things to do this year!!! Maybe organise trips out to museums, flyouts, someone to do an interesting talk?? [See article below for one suggestion.]

I have booked Paul Smiddy who wrote MOONLIGHT CRUSADERS, Tangmere was the base for many of these flights. This engrossing history explores the creation, development and actions of the Special Duties squadrons, which carried spies, political figures and much more.

Tony Palmer

Mike Biddulp‘s Proctor added to our website Projects page

Strut member Mike Biddulph got in touch to suggest an activity later on this year; a fly-in to Great Oakley Airfield to see progress on his Proctor III LZ791 G-AKEX rebuild. An excellent idea, so watch out for a date. Mike also sent me extensive details on what is an epic project. I’ve added this to the Strut Projects page at: Mike Biddulph’s Proctor III

Flying Safely in the Winter

I should really have included this in the December edition. The CAA’s Winter Flying Safety Sense Leaflet (SSL 03) is a very comprehensive review of the issues and very well worth a read. It can be downloaded here: SSL Winter Flying. Better late than never, though it may not be relevant to those of us based on grass strips at the moment!

CAA Publish Wave 2 on Changes to Pilot Licencing

The results of the consultation on ‘Revalidation of single engine ratings’ is likely to be the main topic affecting most of us. The upshot is that “[The CAA] will progress with the amendments to the refresher training flight to ensure an appropriate standard of flying is displayed.” So whilst your biennial training hour is not a test, it sort of is. It will make the potential issue of the instructor refusing to sign your logbook a bit clearer, though work to define an appropriate standard of flying is still to be done.

You can read the full document here: Consultation responses on proposed ‘Wave 2’ changes to pilot licensing and training simplification

Events

Next Strut ‘Club Night’

Wednesday 4th February 2026, 7:30 pm at The Longshore, Shoreham

For a full list of events go to the website Events page.