CD's Report
Whilst Swansea Airport has two
and a half runways and several cluttered aprons, Elvington has but one
runway, the length of which exceeds the total of Swansea’s two and a half,
and an apron measuring 50 (fifty!) totally naked acres. And whilst Swansea
has an arrivals lounge, departures lounge, check in desks, car hire,
customs, bar, restaurant, control tower, sheep and a fire service ~ each
with its own supporting cast of pretty girls ~ Elvington has a damp wooden
shed and a shaven headed ex soldier.
But as Swansea Airport is probably the worst location for an aerobatic
contest (and – unless you are in the market for sheep or pretty girls ~
anything else for that matter) Elvington is probably the best.
For whilst some of the equipment at Swansea might be destined for a museum,
Elvington has its own immaculately maintained and professionally managed
Yorkshire Air Museum, with its excellent cafeteria, spotless toilets, and
spectacular exhibits, mostly manned by twinkly eyed old gentlemen.
Ironically, the Nathaniel Alony Trophy was originally contested in South
Wales to generate publicity for Swansea Airport, but after several events
were aborted the contest had to be relocated. Vice Chairman Tom Cassells
arranged the first Elvington contest (The Icicle) in 2000, but its then
total lack of facilities precluded further use until this year. Now that the
basic essentials of a briefing room, fuel and toilets are in place it is the
ideal location, not least because the absence of a phone precludes any
complaints from whingeing neighbours!
Arrivals and registration happened on Thursday 6 May, with briefing of
Unlimited and Advanced pilots at 0800 on Friday. First flight rolled at
exactly 0900 and the sixth just an hour later when low cloud stopped play.
But we had finished the Unlimited Q, and technically “had a contest”. Four
boring hours later the cloud rose seemingly abruptly (I hate it when He does
that!) and by commendably expeditious flying by every pilot three more
groups were flown, so that by the 1800 curfew each pilot had flown the “Q”
(=known) and the “free” (= pilot’s composition). We had a full contest and
an interim result.
MET having been unduly pessimistic all week proved to be right on Saturday,
with cloud never rising above 1000’. Still we briefed at 0800, … and at
1000, and at 1200, but at 1400 prospects were no better so the contest was
abandoned without the six hardy intermediates pilots having flown at all. A
pretty girl ~ this time Miss Ashley Gleave from the judging line - presented
the awards to the winners listed elsewhere.
Thanks were made to the organisational team ~ Chief Judge Steve Green,
Scorer Jen Buckenham, Airfield Operator Steve Roper and Contest Director
Eric Marsh - and our pilots flew off into a narrowing gap between grey and
green.
Eric Marsh
Contest Director
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