As Flood said, it’s for mounting the camera/lens combo on a tripod. It adjusts the centre of gravity so that you don’t have something that is front heavy, and therefore liable to slip downwards. It also puts less pressure on the lens mount.

Dependant on the lens, it is removable. I have one for another lens and it has only been affixed a couple of times – I tend to not use tripods.

The only flares I snapped that weekend you were wearing mate!

Actually, I didn’t see much of the flying on the Saturday at all. I was too busy enjoying myself with the 609 crowd. I saw a bit on the Sunday, but was more content being with Kev, Moggy and Ashley here and there. I was still reeling from the events of Friday and Saturday, and couldn’t really appreciate the flying due to my mind drifting. My fault, I hasten to add, not Mr Greys!

I’ll be there both days again this year. That speaks volumes. Cracking and unmissable. Plenty of time to look at book stalls in the morning, then put your feet up and enjoy.

But, anything can be improved, and though it is minor to ‘whinge’ I would make the following little points.

1. Space out the aircraft a bit on the flightline walk, and perhaps angle them slightly / park them closer. Also, increase the length of the flightline so that we can actualy see all of the aircraft parked there.

2. Have a ‘slow’ part of the flying, with the ‘unsungs’ – the Austers, Harvards (not slow, but you know what I mean), Tiger Moths, Storch, you know, the ones that aren’t so glamourous but were still vital, and are still available and interesting.

3. A 2 minute silence either before or after for the real ‘Flying Legends’.

4. Most important of all. Hand over the catering to those folks from Mildenhall…………….!

Have you cross-posted on the AFM forum? They like a nice cup of tea.

Number 6? Is that as high as I get? My God.

So, what do you want to talk to me about?