The Don Henry & Air Squadron Trophies - 2008

And then the cloud base started to “sort of lift” and someone reported “really good weather elsewhere” ……. and moving our way ……… after looking out of the window I spied a little raised base and blue bit and asked Gary Ferriman to go give it a go …… after 4 requests later (and it has to be said he had a fair point when looking up at it from the ground) ….. Gary got airborne for advanced …. …. and when once up his call over the radio basically said “well maybe it can be done but don’t look north or ahead or down as there is no horizon or ground – just South is sort of any good”. He came down describing the flight as challenging and not one for the Boys, just the Men – fortunately for us this Politically Correct (or Incorrect is it, not sure?) statement did not matter as Corrine’s mount had not arrived. One after the other each of the advanced boys … sorry men ….. went aloft with a few breaks and restarts – Ron Allen felt that IMC aerobatics was an interesting test to deal with and Steve Madle, was it, debated whether he really was a man or boy and where WAS that cheese anyway? – and with the viz improving for the latter few; by 19.00 Simon Abbott and Paul Tomlinson had finished the last flights – and at this point who was in the lead? – none other than the gallant Gary F who had the worst cloud base and horizon to deal with!

A quiet night down the Pub with Ben Ellis and Rachel Worth (well until the Rock band came on at 21.00) was followed by a beautiful dawn at 05.00 which held during the briefing – and by commencement of flying at about 09.30 with an acceptable stable cloud base. The pace was kept up all day with a couple of breaks and concerns over build up of cloud – someone gave me a lecture on cloud formations which was fascinating at the time but can I remember it now? We worked our way through the Frees at both levels. Unfortunately the 2 beginners cancelled-out (cloud base not up to their minimum) and flying finished with the Intermediate Apprentices, a couple of which were carried out over London at the remarkably respectable time of 17.00 with bluey skies.

The final positioning is fully listed below – but the Don Henry was carried away by old man Cassidy with Paul T and Gary F taking 2nd and 3rd place. Given that yours truly had failed in ensuring the medals were at Compton the winners made do with motorised model aeroplanes (which actually went down quite well – Gary was using his before the presentations were over). The intermediate Free was won by David Jenkins with Randall Hockey and Stephen Hipwell following on for Silver and Bronze medals – sorry aeroplanes – and the Air Squadron Trophy had the same 3 but with Randall pipping David at the post. We were fortunate enough to have representatives from the Air Squadron on hand to present the awards – they added a bonus with a little cash promised for the lucky 3.

A big thank you to Phil Atley as Chief Judge, Rachel Worth for scoring and numerous other Judges and scribes. Special thanks to Ian Scott & Ben E for their advice during the day and last but certainly not least to all the Pilots who took part …… I had fun ….. see you all next year.

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore
BAeA Contest Director