In this month’s edition:

• Breaking News: Van’s Aircraft in Financial Difficulty
• Down on the farm 58 last month 10/23 – Tony Palmer
• Go back in time to Croydon Airport in the 1920’s
• Just 5 months left to get £250 out of the CAA
• Last Month’s Talk: Blay Whitby on The Aviation History of Blackpool

Breaking News: Van’s Aircraft in Financial Difficulty

Something of interest/concern to a number of members. See the company announcement, posted 27th October here: vansaircraft.com/2023/10/business-announcement-from-vans-founder-dick-vangrunsven/

Down on the farm 58 last month 10/23

Klemm L25C G-ACXE

On the Friday pm the 6th October I received a telephone call from Andy Draper at the LAA asking if we wanted to test fly the Klemm at the weekend and if so he would speed up the Prop paperwork and send it that afternoon by e mail. I had said it was all too late, that the test pilot (Tony Berryman) had gone on holiday and the runway would probably be flooded for the winter when he came back. I texted Tony to say it had been approved but too late and then he came back to say he was not flying out to the Tuesday and could test it on Monday the 9th October. The weather gods were with us as it was destined to be sunny, light winds straight down the runway from the SE. So back to the LAA and got them to send by email ASAP. Before the afternoon was finished I had received it from Andy and Francis.

Jim and I signed the paperwork and I got Phil Tranmar to inspect it Saturday and sign his life away. We got the plane ready for the Monday.

Monday dawned with the weather as advertised, ie CAVOK 24 deg C and about a 4 kt wind from SE. Tony arrived, signed the form as pilot and we discussed the plan. We had the new prop to test i.e. climb rates, cruise and maximum speeds and to make sure it did not over rev in the climb at full power (3600 rpm for 1 minute and 3200rpm rated power i.e. constant).

1^st flight:- Solo with 40 litres of fuel in main tank and 19L in header. Started with a bunny hop to check everything was working (we had fitted the iridium plugs in all positions). That hop showed it had a pretty short take off run. Then the real thing and it went up a lot better than it had ever, climb rate 750-800 fpm. Some stalls etc. and lots of handing checks.

2^nd flight:- Dual with Jim on board as ballast and observer. Climb rates recorded etc.

We completed the hours needed plus about 30 mins for luck and called it a day as Tony still had to pack for a flight to Mauritius early next day.

Tony had spent some of his holiday time writing up the report etc and on his return we all got together and agreed the submission and I sent it away ASAP.

On the Wednesday we removed the Hercules prop, put it into its box and sent it back to the factory for final painting.

Rebuild of a 1949 Percival Prentice P40 by David Bird

The Percival Prentice G-AOPL was converted to civilian use in 1964 by Aviation traders Southend. It was sold in 1967 to two South African pilots who flew her down the old flying boat route to South Africa. It was then put on the South African register ZU-EUS.
David Bird bought the Prentice from a local museum in Pretoria in 2001. In 2006 he returned to the UK with the Prentice in a 40 foot container and it has been in storage since.

David has a second Prentice which he bought from Barry Parkhouse for parts. He rang me about the project earlier this year and came over for a chat. We discussed the weight, power and performance. As it was not supported by its manufacturer I suggested that it would comply with the LAA requirements. So I rang Francis Donaldson while he was with me who said that it would be OK under the LAA rules. David joined the LAA the next day and started to do a ground up restoration, every rivet and every nut and bolt to be changed.

Below the very back end of the fuselage being rebuilt, top and bottom pics.

Meetings and events over the coming year

We have two strut trophies which I have on the window ledge waiting for a suitable candidate; please nominate a club member for something outstanding.

November strut night: Film show

December strut night: Xmas dinner

I have booked a slot for us at the Old Tollgate Hotel in Bramber for the 6^th of December at 7.30pm. We will be having the 2 course dinner which is priced at £27.95. Paid up members will have the first £20 paid for by the strut and they will have to pay the balance of £7.95 and if they take a partner they will have to pay the full amount i.e. £27.95, the reason is that we have used up the surplus that we had. Below is a list of paid up members who qualify for the £20 discount. Please advise by 15^th November if you are coming and if you are bringing a partner.

• A Palmer
• D Grint
• Farry
• Gerry Dawe
• Don Lord
• Chris Simpson
• Mike Thomas
• Richard Griffiths
• Chris Foss
• Adam Blinch
• Tony Berryman
• Ken Manley
• Richard Acton
• Paul Griffin
• Dave Scott
• Phil Tranmar
• Bob Gilchrist
• Dave Gore
• Kevin
• Adrian Brook
• Phil Laycock
• Tony Batchlar

Tony Palmer

Go back in time to Croydon Airport in the 1920’s

The video above is from a fascinating collection produced by Roger Potten, aka: Archive Sketcher. He is reconstructing, in computer generated video, the two Croydon Airports during their glory days in the 1920’s, together with very detailed models of aircraft of the time. The work involved must be taxing and the detail is truly amazing (see the rocker valves in action in close-ups of engines). It deserves to be more widely appreciated.

The full collection of videos can be seen here: youtube.com/@archivesketcher2365/

Just 5 months left to get £250 out of the CAA

The Electronic Conspicuity Rebate Scheme will be closing on 31 March 2024.

You can get a 50% rebate on the cost of an EC device, up to a maximum of £250. Approved kit includes installed transponders and carry-on kit such as PilotAware and SkyEcho

Full details here: EC Rebate Scheme

Last Month’s Talk: Blay Whitby on The Aviation History of Blackpool

The October Strut Night had a talk from Blay Whitby on the aviation history of his home town, Blackpool. Blay previously gave us a talk on the R.101 back in 2016. He is a local private pilot and currently an instructor on the PerryAir Lancaster simulator at Shoreham.

Aviation is not usually the first subject that comes to mind when someone mentions Blackpool. However Blackpool was the site of the first official public flying display in Britain in 1909 and went on to find space for two busy airports during the 1930s and 1940s. During World War 2 the Blackpool area was the centre for more RAF training operations than anywhere else in UK and a shadow factory produced 2,584 Wellington bombers there. In the 1950s the factory produced Hawker Hunters.

That Blackpool was the site of so much early aviation activity begs the question, why there? Blay explored the social history of Blackpool, as a ‘Wakes Weeks‘ destination for workers in northern mills. The airport (consolidated from previously separate airfields) was a ‘municipal capitalism’ project in the 1930’s, designed to attract more affluent middle-class visitors throughout the season.

But right back in the early days of aviation there was a connection. In 1904, Sir Hiram Maxim (he of the machine gun fame) an early aviation experimenter, constructed his ‘Captive Flying Machines’ on the Pleasure Beach; an attraction intended to fund his attempt to fly a measured mile. A sort of roundabout with gondolas suspended on chains, the riders were originally intended to be able to control the gondolas through aerodynamic surfaces. However, even then ‘elf-n-safety stopped that and Sir Hiram lost interest. However, it’s still there giving rides over 100 years later!

This has been a very brief overview of Blay’s talk that had much detail of the politics and social history behind development of the various airfields there. If this peaked your interest for a visit, here’s a link to the current airfield’ details: blackpoolairport.com

Events

This month’s Strut evening is on Wednesday 1st November at The Longshore, Shoreham. Tony is presenting a ‘Film Show’.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Christmas Dinner on 6th December at the Old Tollgate Hotel in Bramber.

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