Light Aircraft Association

Captin P has offered us the use of a strip near Hailsham – which is almost as far south as you can get. Looks nice, 400m etc (Deanland). My only concern is it may be too far south? Opinions please?

Rod1

Rod1 wrote:Captin P has offered us the use of a strip near Hailsham – which is almost as far south as you can get. Looks nice, 400m etc (Deanland). My only concern is it may be too far south? Opinions please?

Rod1

Erm - anyone in the middle of the country got a spare seat I could drive to?

Rod1 wrote:Captin P has offered us the use of a strip near Hailsham – which is almost as far south as you can get. Looks nice, 400m etc (Deanland). My only concern is it may be too far south? Opinions please?

Would like to come but too timid to try and get into 400 metres in the tommyhawk. One for you guys with whizzbang short field machines.

Although on second thoughts, having looked at the website for Deanland, they quote 500m which is more doable.

When we get a few suggestions I will try to set up a poll and we can vote on our preferred destination. Deanland looks lovely and I now plan on a visit in the summer, but as has been mentioned, it is a very long way from Aberdeen!

I can cope with 400 m ok, but in my machine. If you can get in, you can get out. Landing roll is about 100m more than t/o. My problem is mud, which will not be an issue in summer, but may be in April.

Rod1

welshman wrote:Leia, getting it in is not the problem ------------ my old mate always got in there, getting it out was always his problem (a Zenair 601 hds)

Without looking at the numbers I'm pretty sure I usually use less to get out than in. With only scrawny me aboard anyway.

That might, of course, have more to do with my (lack of) technique than the aircraft.

Leiafee
A Tomohawk is resident at the strip and operates no problems. The approaches are very good so you don't need to waste any runway.

Currently the strip reminds me of that film, "A River Runs through it". Wellys are mandatory. Still I'm sure it will stop raining one day.

welshman wrote:Leia, Get some good practice in close to home, have a chat with the boys on the little grass strip opposite Margam Abbey. 350 M one way only down hill out, uphill land quite exhilerating!The yellow Zenair that used to be in Swansea is based there, if you want a contact No PM me.

I keep meaning to have a fly over in that direction and try and spot that! I notice in the chart updates it's been added.

A very kind offer and I don't wish to appear negative but people will want to turn up with PAX, tents etc. 400 mtrs is just not enough for a lot of types. Too short will reduce attendance which is not the idea really. We do also need to accommodate PA38s 152s etc with more than one person as fly-ins are about taking mates. If it's grass then you are looking at 6-700mtrs for them full up. We want people to relax and enjoy themselves not worry if they will hit the fence getting out.

Also rather selfishly a strip that would allow some of us to fly back home again with our spats would be nice.

I take your point Steve, but we currently only have one suggestion. I will add Shobdon. Hard, long runway, in the Midlands and a good all round place to visit. Lets have some more.

Rod1

How about Hinton? Good long hard runway plus three grass strips (little-known secret as they are not marked in the flight guides). Free landings. Close to Turweston, so perhaps some LAA folk could be dragged along. Active LAA "cell" -- we even have a caravan! Cons: (i) parachuting and gliding on site, so careful, sensible airpersonship required to fly in -- but really not as difficult as it might seem. (ii) It wouldn't be a fly-in for me!

Aberporth is one option on the West Wales coast. It has hard and grass and a large ex officers mess if it rains. No controlled airspace for miles. No food at all but the town, pubs and even a beach are about 20 minutes walk away. People don't go there much because of the ranges and TRA but both are only mon-fri. They have been very welcoming when I have been there. I think they are just glad to see someone turn up.

I guess this poses a question. Do we go for strip with all the facilities like Shobdon then people can buy food and stuff or do we find somewhere with a nice location but bring all our own grub and cater for ourselves? I know the Luscombes do just that with some success at our strip.

Why dont we just have a BB get together at one of the many fly-ins already on? we dont seem to have a calendar on the webiste, but all we really need is a link to the Royal Aero club calendar anyway, so have a look there to see where to go.
You could start with the Wessex strut fly-in at Henstridge, which I think is Easter Sunday. Its usually a good one, friendly and reaonable food. I wont be there, but Im sure many people will already be going.
Thats a bit far south for some, but there are many strut fly-ins on around the country that we could join in.
Would also be interesting to visit Deanland too.
Other suggestions of friendly places good for a fly-in.
Fishburn, Breighton, Leicester, Shobdon (as already suggested) Sleap, Old Buckenham and of course Popham, they have at least one a month during the summer.