Excellent news WB, with licence issues alledgedly 45% down on two years ago GA needs all the new pilots it can get.

I am intrigued though, was this your first flight in 17 years, if so why did the instructor not supervise the pre-flights, especially if it was a type new to you?

You may be enjoying it now but just remember, someone, somewhere is tired of putting up with her nonsense.

And don’t forget when they put more up there is the obligatory

‘a few more’

as if we couldn’t see them.

I’m also a grumpy old git.

Flew past something similar a few weeks ago, it turned out to be one of those 14 foot airship like balloons that they sell in the science museum. Looked exactly the same as your pictures and they reach a reasonable altitude.

Some of the display aircraft normally operate from Seething (lighter stuff) or Norwich (BBMF, jets).
Might be an opportunity to see some of them without the crowds.

Will be interested to see the route of the BBMF on Saturday, now, where’s that battery charger.

Their website says the same formation is at Waterbeach as well, Notams say some time between 12:10 and 12:35 local at Waterbeach. They would take about 45 mins to route to Buck House through Southwold which wouldn’t really give them time. My guess is they will route Waterbeach direct to somewhere North East London (Stapleford area?) and then to Buck House from there.

Text of notam below, times quoted are UTC so add an hour for local, I would say 1 pm overhead Buck Palace with a later time if its all delayed of about 5 pm according to the full text. Hope this helps.

Ref: J2069/06A03
FIR: EGTT
Code: RTCA
Traffic: VFR IFR
Purpose: PIB entry Operationally significant for flights
Scope: Nav Warning
Lower limit (FL): 000
Upper limit (FL): 080
Centre and radius (nm): 5202N00003E068
Parent ICAO: EGTT
Start date/time: 17/06/2006 10:10 UTC
End date/time: 17/06/2006 12:35 UTC
Activity period: null
Lower height limit: 000
Upper height limit: 080

AUS 06-06-0035A/1536/DAPLC

HMQ 80TH BIRTHDAY FLYPAST. THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTION OF

FLYING REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER ARTICLE 96 OF THE ANO 2005

(MIL ACFT SHOULD COMPLY WITH JSP552 201.135.9) –

(NOTE – TO CATER FOR A POSSSIBLE DELAY THIS RESTRICTION IS IMPOSED

FOR 2 SEPARATE TIME PERIODS (SEE SEPARATE NOTAM). CANCELLATION OF

ONE OF THESE NOTAMS WILL BE NOTIFIED ON MORNING OF 17 JUNE).