G-VFWE

No “probably” about it.

Who else could offer you hints and tips on the optimum position for your flaps and speed brakes as you taxi in? They should give him an honorary pilots licence.

I 100% agree – what a man!! Does he never take a day off work?

Now I know John does read our messages as he told me all about the forum in the past, so watch out Mr. Walter, I may be returning to the Weald in the near future!

Martin

No “probably” about it.

Who else could offer you hints and tips on the optimum position for your flaps and speed brakes as you taxi in? They should give him an honorary pilots licence.

Ah, John! Probably the best refueller in the world.

Well even a JP could get from your parking spot to the bowser at North Weald without running out couldn’t it Trinny?

John looks after us very well, he always taxies the bowser round to us! As it happens though, some bozo in a Baron did have a serious attempt at running us out of fuel on Saturday before we’d even left the ground. As a long-time Baron pilot, I have never witnessed anybody take so long to complete their checks before departing.

Well even a JP could get from your parking spot to the bowser at North Weald without running out couldn’t it Trinny? It was a good “do” though. I was there on the Sunday and really lusted after the SF 260 in Bolivian Air Force markings.

Maybe some pilots can do more than others…

Lighten up Ian. I don’t recall you sitting with us in the Chipmunk. (That would have been memorable) Second guessing a pilot’s flight planning on the basis of no information at all is a dumb thing to do.

We had a great day out, we didn’t get to Keevil, we acknowledged the problems associated with pre-ordering fuel at events like G-VFWE. Not a lot more to say really is there?

Perhaps chosing a location like Keevil with its attendant fuel issues wasn’t the smartest of moves. Air Britain had no such problems this Saturday at North Weald…

Ian. One of the points of what Trinny is saying is that we were enjoying Kemble so much that we felt no need to continue to Keevil. We could very easily have done it, we just chose not to.

Having once heard the organisers of G-VFWE say something along the lines of “not another ruddy Chipmunk” it has lost it’s sparkle for me.

So far, touch wood, I have always managed my fuel very efficiently and it is not an issue, just a huge disappointment when you cannot get where you had hoped to.

Sadly, the onus will always be on the event organiser to make their event as pain-free as possible to fly to. Pilots can only do so much.

Well – a lot of pilots did manage to get their slow aircraft with small endurances there for the event – are you trying to say that there was nowhere to refuel and carry on to Keevil?
As for the organisers they did a thankless job for a great day out for many aircraft and pilots.Many thanks to them.
Maybe some pilots can do more than others…

Trinny: I could not have put it better myself. Thank you.

The organisers of G-VFWE are obviously stuck between a rock and hard place when they order, and pre-purchase fuel. A few days of bad weather leaves them with a bowser full of AVGAS and a dent in the finances. Spectacular weather on any one day runs the risk that they will sell out, disappointing those who arrive in slow old aircraft with small endurances.

What Ian doesn’t recognise in his reply is that many of these aircraft are so slow and come from so far away that making enroute diversions to pick up fuel would risk an arrival so late as to shorten the day and lessen its attractiveness. Much better to be able to fly in direct and benefit from a decent period of time on the ground.

In our case, we ended up going to Kemble for fuel, and enjoyed the experience so much that by the time we had finished eating, there was no time to fly around to Keevil and then onwards to home base.

I don’t think our day was any the poorer for missing out on Keevil, nice as it would have been to support a good cause. Sadly, the onus will always be on the event organiser to make their event as pain-free as possible to fly to. Pilots can only do so much.

It was agreat day on the Sunday but it was certainly no place to be arriving if you wanted fuel and I don’t think you need to be a rocket scientist to know that 1: Fuel will probaby run out as it is a “disused” field so supplies will be trucked in, 2: The waiting in line for it…
Maybe an en-route stop prior to Keevil might have been a good idea??

Oh yes.
Please note that the refueller at Duxford goes home at 5pm and I got there 1 min late, so that did not help on the way back either. I’m going to buy an in-flight refuelling VC10 to follow me around.

Fuel at Sywell is 24/7. So if you are ever passing and running low, (even out of hrs!) pop in and fill up. all you need is your trusty Credit card and away you go 🙂

Apologies Agcat I thought the tractors were there in 2007 but re-reading your post it’s this year of course. I share your hopes that they don’t do too much damage as Hullavington was super-smooth for the last G-VFWE.

HULLAVINGTON AND TRACTORS

Ozplane: Given that the tractors are doing their stuff later this month, one can but hope that the mess they make will notcarry over into next May. Regards.

Not sure why you didn’t come on to Keevil after you’d fuelled up at Kemble (or vice versa) Janie? Was it the thought of the mayhem in the circuit which was being very well advised by the guys in the “Tower”.

After refuelling the aircraft, I refuelled myself and was having enough fun. I didn’t feel I needed to go. As for the idea of “mayhem in the circuit”, I actually thrive on that. That was the only thing I missed.

We should be OK Agcat, as G-VFWE is moving back to it’s “normal” date of mid-May which should keep it clear of the “Tractor Boys”.

SMOOTH GRASS AT HULLAVINGTON – PERHAPS NOT!

Ozplane’s predictions of smooth grass as far as the eye can see for G-VFWE at Hullavington next year may not come to pass. I understand that during June 2006 the airfield at Hullavington is the venue for the Great British Tractor Challenge. This event is planned by the vintage tractor buffs to get together no less than 2006 tractors of all shapes and sizes, each coupled to a plough or some other cultivating implement. To set a world record for the most tractors and implements working in the same field at the same time, for inclusion in the Guiness Book of Records, all these tractors have to chugg around at the same time ploughing, cultivating, getting bogged down or whatever tractors do best. I hate to think what state the airfield will be left in – ruts, furrows and a mangled moonscape no doubt.

Do tell me I’ve got it wrong.

Perhaps I should have a little slice of humble pie tonight to go with my tea. Believe the main customer for the fuel on the Sunday was the pleasure flying Devon as remember hearing that you could only get fuel up to a certain time and then it was the Devon’s turn.

By no, you are right, we wouldnt have been able to go to Keevil at any other time, we all had a book to read and we met people that all shared a common interest – grass was still in a bad condition though.

Martin

Come on chaps. The organisers of the G-VFWE get us in to some airfields that are usually off-limits and if you are so inclined it’s free and you get a free book as well. The fuel caught them out but then there was a huge uptake on the Sunday and where would you get resupplies on a Bank Holiday Monday? Not sure why you didn’t come on to Keevil after you’d fuelled up at Kemble (or vice versa) Janie? Was it the thought of the mayhem in the circuit which was being very well advised by the guys in the “Tower”.
I look forward to Hullavington next year which is dead smooth grass everywhere, always assuming they didn’t make too large a loss this year.

Standing right infront of a taildragger isnt really the place to be is it (over to the left was what I was always told).

And on the inside of a turn when necessary. 😎

I think I’m rather pleased I missed the event, having heard the grim stories.