gapilot vans RV7 quick build kit
My Flying 2002.
April 2002 - the weather is far better than last year. 14th and Sue comes along to the fly-in at North Weald. Robert has finished his RV6 (white/blue opposite) and he takes me for a ride... Performance with a capital P!! The following weekend (20th) and the weather is still nice so we all fly out to Skegness. Sue comes along, Robert and bill take the RV6 and later Mike comes along in his Yak52. The following weekend I also visit the Thurweston fly-in (21st April).

At Clacton
2002 is going quite well for flying. May comes along, 10 flights - for just weekend flying that's not bad!.
Skegness
Skegness.
I make my first visit to Fairoaks, just in the Heathrow ATZ, its a lovely airfield and I approached from Woking. Nice weather and I found the airfield easily. I made the trip on a Friday making use of all the services and talking to everybody for practice! This proved useful on the way home as there was some rain clouds around.
The following day I made another visit to Meppershall to drop an aircraft off with Peter G. Meppershall is a small private strip near Henlow. The approach across the fields makes you think you are far to low, however I had been warned and made a tidy landing at the end of the runway - which slopes down hill!!
Stuck in a queue North Weald
Northweald
Next was Aerofair 2002 at NorthWeald. You need a slot time, so I arranged one for Friday and Robert accompanied me. What a flight that was I, arrived at Ware and called up in time for my slot. It was BUSY! So I had to hold over Ware for 20minutes!!! But with people being held away from the ATZ this made the approach and landing easier for such a busy day. The departure was as bad, the taxi way had 8 aircraft in front and 12 in the distance behind at one stage. With Provosts jumping the queue saying they were getting low on fuel - well we all would at that rate... I waited 20minutes!
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Jo after her first flight - Keyston
Jo's First Flight
Peter had always told me about a great place to visit called Keyston. There is a farmers strip with a lovely pub located 5 minutes down a track in the village. So one Sunday (May) when I was flying with my girlfriend Jo. I said "Hey look there is a nice pub down their, do you fancy a drink". She naturally said yes. But was somewhat surprised when I then said "OK there is a good field we'll land there!!!!" Little did she know I knew exactly where I was landing - a small farm strip!! Later Jo did confess she thought I was joking until I was almost on the ground! "I thought you can wind me up all you like, but then I realised you were not joking" she said.
The following week we went to Skegness together, after the trip I was filling out my logbook and found I was just short of 200 hours, so we got up early, and flew around local landmarks and sights. Enjoying the extended Jubilee weekend - and I got my 200 hours (3rd June)- with Jo.
It's PFA time..... 2002. I have never camped with my airplane before, so I packed up Evy and headed for the PFA Rally at Cranfield.
Clacton
Jersey, Skegness & Clacton.
July arrives and Robert wants to go flying in his RV6 - long trip. So I suggested Jersey, I had never been and he hadn't either! So 13th July we headed of from Peterborough to LeTouquet (well Robert doesn't like long water trips). At LeTouquet we called Jersey and found the weather was fine so by 14:40 we were landing in bright sunshine on Jersey (Click for Jersey pictures).
With such nice weather Jo and I fly to some costal airfields. We visit Skegness and Clacton (opposite).
After Clacton I took Jo to Sywell(Northampton) for her first visit. The restaurant/bar/club house is art deco and she really enjoyed the visit.
Jo in Evy - Hanger Sibson
Sywell
August starts well, Sywell (again - Jo likes it there!), and I go to Calais with Richard.
The weather seems good. So Jo and I and take a week off work. The plan is to go to Antwerp, Reims then Jersey in EVy. However we manage to choose the worst week in August!!!! We revise our plans to just LeTouquet but the forecast is rain and mist, so instead the following day we decide to go to Shoreham - but turn back as the weather is not great!!!!
September - and the nice weather is back. So Jo and I fly down to have a look at Farham, then visit Fairoaks.
Steve Boswell
September.
Ali and Steve come for a visit, so Sunday I take them for a quick spin in Evy.
September - The weather is fine, Jo and I visit Fenland for the Precision Pilots competition. See my new Flying Photo-Album for the pictures.
Another 'first'. Jo and I wanted to visit her sister who lives in Chirencester. Kemble airfield is 10minites away and the weather report is good. So we head out of a very dull Sibson and land 55minutes later at a very sunny Kemble (Kemble pictures).
Aleix
Aleix, Kemble
September ends with the Popham Aero-Fair (pictures in Flying-Album), Jo really enjoyed the day and wrote a nice article for 'Today's Pilot" flying page. It appeared in the January 2003 edition - but with my name on it!
October arrives, last year I had reached exactly P1 100hrs on my birthday. So I was keen to build time and see how many hours I had gained over the year. However the weather limited my flying. I reach my birthday with 164.7 hrs P1, that's 64.7 hrs in the year. Not so bad for a weekend flyer.
November and December. Family & business commitments but mostly rotten weather put pay to my flying! Just one flight in December!! .
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