In this month’s edition:

• Down on the farm 76 last month 4/25 – Tony Palmer
• Using Mogas?
• Starwars – Life Imitates Art
• They Made Seaplanes in Brighton!
• Events
  • Visit to Stowe Maries Saturday 7^th or Sunday 8^th of June
  • Visit to Gatwick Aviation Museum May the 24^th – Engine Run Day

Down on the farm 76 last month 4/25

Klemm L25C G-ACX

We decided to change the oil scavenging system for the lower rocker boxes as they can only fill up and back up into the heads and spill back through the valve guides. We have installed drain connections at the lowest point of the bottom 6 rocker boxes and taken them to a catch pot, we see if it improves things. We also noted that when descending and side slipping the air passes past the gravity ‘U’ fuel tank breather and sucks out the fuel because the fuel level rises relative to the return line to the main fuel tank. I have constructed another type of breather with a vacuum breaker.

Prentice G-APPL VR189

No Movement.

Popham Microlight Show

I went to the Popham Microlight show on the Sunday which was the wrong day weather wise, it was glorious sun and low winds on the Saturday and windy and cold on the Sunday, hence very few arrivals on the Sunday whereas all the parking slots were taken on the Saturday such that they closed it for a period. See pics:

These are the new Groppo Trail importers and they are based at Chilsfold. They took over from Graham Smith who retired for Ill health recently.

Bristell NG5 accident in IOW

I am sure most people in the strut were aware that a Bristell NG5 had a bird strike at 300’ on take-off from Bembridge heading towards the sea. Landing straight ahead was not an option. Gerry ended up clipping a chimney which span the plane around, it dropped to the ground in a holiday park and it caught fire (as the chimney impact had damaged the wing tank) after the two occupants had walked away. The plane design and construction I believe saved them from worse injuries.

Next club night May 7th 2025

The club subscriptions will stay at £25 this year as it just covered the Xmas meal cost and will hopefully cover next year’s prices.

Please, PLEASE can we have club members come up with things to do this year!!! Maybe organise trips out to museums, fly-outs, someone to do an interesting talk??

Tony Palmer

Using Mogas?

I do, though I’d prefer UL91. This presentation gives a very through review of the issues though some details are specific to the USA.

A SkyDemon tip I just discovered, to find airfields serving UL91 and/or Mogas, under the ‘Mapping’ menu select ‘Find a Destination’ tick ‘Fuel Availability’ and then the fuel you are looking for. The map is then annotated with labels showing availability (not guaranteed, phone first) and price.

Starwars – Life Imitates Art

The combination of rapid developments in electric propulsion and dynamic control software has produced this extraordinary prototype. The developer Tomasz Patan at Volonaut claims it will do 124 mph. The video doesn’t show that sort of crazy speed, and it very sensibly doesn’t go above about 15 feet, but would you believe something human-carrying that small and electric powered would get off the ground at all! It is described as being an electric jet; presumably a ducted fan. That may have interesting possibilities if put in something with wings – and make surviving an engine-out more likely. Wouldn’t mind a cautious go on one though….

They Made Seaplanes in Brighton!

A bit of local aviation history that may surprise you. Back in the early 20th century, the Volk family, who ran the electric railway on the Brighton seafront, also made seaplanes in the Brighton Lanes. Here’s a 5 minute BBC audio program about it by historian Ian Gledhill: Secret Sussex: They carried them down to Brighton Beach

Events

Planned visit to Stowe Maries

We have pencilled in Saturday 7^th or Sunday 8^th of June for the visit. Here’s an email from the airfield with details for a visit:

If any guests would like to fly in, as opposed to drive, each pilot will individually need to book PPR on the number you called earlier today. They will each need a briefing and have their PPR confirmed. This cannot be done by proxy – each pilot must book individually, personally.

To get discounts on entry, confirmed seating and set menus etc you must make a booking of 10+ people.

 Of course, if you just want to visit the site and pay individually, then perhaps one of our Fly-ins might be the way forward? Check

Stow Maries early summer fly-in 8th June

Stow Maries late summer fly-in 27th September

Lets get +10 people to come!!! Paul Griffin will be coordinating this visit.

Planned visit to Gatwick Aviation Museum

Tony has arranged for the strut to visit Gatwick Aviation Museum on May the 24^th as it is a double engine run day. Doors open at 10.00 and engines runs start at 12.00

You go online and book your discounted tickets for the day and you will get an extra 10% discount if you use the promotion code SAVE10. Click here to book.

Please let Tony P know when you have purchased your ticket, preferably by the 20^th.

Next Strut ‘Club Night’

At The Longshore is on Wednesday 7th May, 7:30 pm.

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