Closing of the 2010 Season





Here we are Friday night, the wind has been blowing at 40mph for the last 15 hours and the weekend looks like a combination of wind and rain, with just enough space on Saturday morning for a flight of 45 miles to Old Sarum for brunch, luvvie!

2010 has been a a notable season, it did not start too well with Martins death but we did manage a few epic flights. Aberdeen to Glen Forcer was one of my favourite's, coming home to Glenforca was just wonderful and the flying did not disappoint, the only down side was a full hotel! We managed to get away to the Isle Of Man via Northern Ireland and what a wonderful experience that was too...

Phil and I competed at Popham, and enjoyed every aspect of the weekend, and so next year we will try another two or three competitions now that we have discovered the best combination of Pilot and Nav!

Again this year I failed to get any real momentum under the formation flying idea, perhaps next season!

As yet we have not crossed the water to France, that is planned for the last fly out of the year to collect Champagne 16th or 17th October if this weather keeps up we will be in for a good weekend!

I organised a fly in at Thorny Island this year that raised over £1150 for SSAAFA which was a personal highlight, great fun too see 150 aircraft and people, making new friends across the divide Microlight - LAA - A Licence.

My flying has changed this year, some of that is because I changed it as a result of the environments I found myself in and other elements are effected by others, however overall I would say it changed for the better. Better life decisions, better safety decisions and different flying ambitions.

So whats happening next year? Well we are working on plans to celebrate the centenary of a military organisation all a bit hush hush but watch this space! The Thorney Fly in we hope will be given the go ahead and of coarse Fly UK! There are two microlights to deliver to GAP and two Competitions Planned. Tally ho! Roll on 2011 Season ;-)

DAY ONE - Thorney Island - Sywell Nothampton

Saying good bye to the kids today was tough, its become a language of goodbye they have had too much of this week. They said good bye to some innocence (difficult circumstances) this week at School but worse still Bethany & Emily's best friends Mia & Yvonne are moving out to America, there Dad is VP of something for GKN and on a 3 year project to Dallas. The good byes last night were painful to watch. As a parent one's instinct is to try and protect your kids from any hurt, however there are times when that's not possible, nor desirable, as they take one more step in growing up.

Freedom Comes in Many Form's

Tonight we are at a coarse on how to update a Joomla web site. The Hampshire Microlight new site is written using this! How is that freedom? Its freedom for me because for the last 4 years I have been updating the Hampshire web site, solo. I knew it was a bind , but not how much until I sat with Dave, Paul & Sandra and they took over the load.

The next session will see 3 others trained by Andy at the Hayling Island Internet Cafe, followed by much discussion and organization, all part of the master plan to spread the load and more importantly let as many people as possible contribute to the life of the club.

Freedom through sharing might be seen as a loss of control or a blessed release.