CD's Report
The magnificently variable
British weather clashed once again with the magnificently variable British
aerobatic pilots to provide a challenging, but ultimately very successful,
Tiger Trophy meet at Sherburn-in-Elmet.
The dominating factor, as often, was what the
BBC politely calls 'changeable' weather and which might more accurately be
described as a series of frontal systems, moving (or not) rapidly across the
country, enshrining the North/South divide in ways rather less permanent
 than
the difference in beer prices. Thus it was that the only two southern-based
pilots who had an uneventful trip North were those who were sufficiently
far-sighted, and perhaps sufficiently unemployed, to fly up Thursday
evening. Many valiant attempts were made to transit north on Friday, but all
bar two were doomed to failure under a rather murky cold front that became
somewhat static on a line from Penzance to Gamston.
By contrast, Friday afternoon in the Vale
of York, north of the front, was sunny and warm with a reasonable wind
straight down the Beginners box. Thus, with Graham Hill et al planted on the
threshold of 29 and with the grass 24 runway as the main axis, all those who
had arrived for the Beginners event flew in wonderful conditions, but by now
have probably forgotten all about it. The highest score was achieved by
Michael Burton in a T67, but well done to all who took part and so lost
their aerobatic virginity, so to speak.
Friday afternoon's stillness was
also punctuated by occasional short trips by Corinne Dennis in BOXH, tracked
by various ground-based and on-board cameras, to provide an entertaining and
well-edited news piece on BBC Manchester's Look North programme during the
6.30 local news bulletin. Well done Corinne for something of a PR coup.
Saturday morning the weather in the
south was better (well, a bit) and there were several new arrivals,
including Mark Jefferies to double the field at Unlimited. Peter and Stephen
arrived in STUA after a night stop at Turweston, while Wixie eventually got
through in the 10C, so a respectable field was assembled for the unfolding
contest.
We started flying the Tiger Standard
sequence at nine o'clock and succeeded in flying about half a dozen before
having to break a bit for the arrival of the first tellings of another cold
frontal passage. But this time the weather was moving fast. By one o'clock,
after an early lunch for the Judges, flying restarted and then went through
to completion of the Tiger proper at about 4 pm. With Advanced completed,
Standard pilots were holding the top three places on percentage, David
Jenkins led in G-LAZA, followed by Neil Bigrigg and Stephen Madle flying
Pitts S2As 'UL and 'UA. Then Tom Cassells launched in his CAP 232 and
stormed around a technical Unlimited sequence in fine style, just pipping
everyone else to win the big Esso Tiger trophy.
With some flying time still left,
and the weather still clear, several Standard and Intermediate pilots took
the opportunity to fly the newly-revealed 2005 Known Programmes as though
they were unknowns, under the scrutiny of Graham and Ian Scott who kindly
sat out on the judging line for another 90 minutes. This bonus flying was
followed by the presentation ceremony, a few rapid departures, and then some
more serious eating and drinking by those staying over until Sunday. Special
thanks are due to Sherburn Aero Club in general, and CFI John Cross in
particular, for excellent hospitality throughout and for letting us do our
thing at their lovely airfield. Roll on, and in, 2005.
Alan Cassidy, CD
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