Old Sarum - Emily Arrives

So here is No2, going No1! It is quite a thing to be piloted by a person you once held in your hand! Emily was the larger of the twins, but at just over 4lbs when born at Taunton hospital 15 years ago, the first weeks of the twins life was spent in an incubator, under a sun lamp being fed condensed milk by tube and syringe. Her sister Bethany is also learning the skill of flying for the Duke of Edinburgh awards they are pursuing.

Sharing my sport with my kids is such a pleasure and privilege. The stakes are high; sharing anything you invest yourself in can be difficult. It matters how people handle things you take to be precious and important, the respect they show for what you care for matters. I should know I crossed that thresh hold again this weekend, by mistake and with an inquisitive fumble I broke something that was precious and important to a someone. The item was repaired quickly, however the lyngering affected on a friendship may take a little longer to completely bond though I am sure it will in time.

So sharing my love of flying with my kids puts me potentially on the receiving end and I feel a little vulnerable. As to Emily’s first lesson, straight and level a piece of Cake ;-) Well done Em.  

Sunday - Mark's First Flight

Hitching home from Sidmouth yesterday we were given a ride by Mark
from Honiton, his kids in the back of the van with a collection of push bikes! They were interested to see the Microlights and came across and took a closer look. Mark managed to come back in the morning for breakfast made up of caviar, crab and lobster on crackers washed
down with coffee!

A ride for a ride if your a fan of "not the 9 O'Clock news!" Marks first flight this morning in the back seat with Johnny, they flew the close and the Vally's of South East Devon. Now it's off to see The instructors at Somerset Microlights - Dunkerswell !!! Enjoy your first lesson Mark great to meet you...

We are off to a farm fly in at Treeborough a small farm strip north of Taunton (where my kids were born)

Tonight's plan if the weather plays ball we may be in Fowey Cornwall...

Fly UK - Day one Hayling Island - Sywell

Arriving at the hanger its blowie, its always is on the first day of FLYUK, I dont think I have ever left the south of the UK with less than 20mph winds! I overloaded the trike and took too much gear as usual so a re pack tommorrow in in order!

Flight tonight over Sliverstone was the highlight, of perhaphs a slighly dull bore through the skys to the start point.

Splashing when we landed, tent pitched and we are now at the Sywell Hotel, pie and beer, and free wireless!

You could see the broken branches

So what was the reason? We know what happened, but not why? A couple on route from Hertfordshire to Jersey hit the hill near to our Airfield, Nr Petersfield Hampshire, UK. Its a hill around 700 ft AMSL, the cloud was low and so he was flying in a valley heading to the coast, but why did he hits the hill? Was he flying IFR or IMC? Was he looking at maps or cockpit instruments? Did he know there was a hill close by? We will not know until the report is written, and we may know the what but not the why two thirty something people hit the trees on the hill, crashed and died.

Tonight I flew over the site in near perfect flying conditions and witness first hand the broken branches where the Aircraft, a Piper, first hit the trees. There is a line of broken branches, broken hearts and broken lives.

I feel sick, I feel like a voyeur, but I know what it feels like to be compelled to fly, just to be in the air.

Geraldine First Flight...

Sunday Afternoon - Southern Hampshire - Geraldine's first ever flight, "I would go again.." did the bug bite? I do hope so, there are simply too few female flyers..