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The Loop Beginners Event #2 - 2010 |
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CD's Report The Will It, Won’t It Question ..... As I write this on Sunday morning I see nothing in the blue sky apart from a few inviting clouds, a view which doesn’t reflect the previous week during which hopes were raised and  dashed.
And no, I am not thinking of the General Election although at
 times
I felt very much as I imagine the candidates did as the results rolled in.
At least on Saturday we were able to come to a firm, if unfortunate,
conclusion in a short space of time, no party negotiations for us!
We had a very gratifying number of entries
for the Leicester LOOP event this year – a record 24 made up of pilots
wanting to fly with an instructor and those flying solo for the first time
in an aerobatic box. The high number really is a reflection of the worth and
popularity of these events. Such a number of entries presented a challenge
to get through on the day compared to the normal BAeA competition, due
mainly to the sharing of aeroplanes and instructors by up to four pilots.
However it was an eminently achievable target given the support
Entrants and organisers duly assembled at
Leicester early on Saturday morning to be greeted with a 500ft cloud base
and intermittent rain. Given the possibility offered by the East Midlands
TAF that this would clear in time to run the event, Registration and
Briefing duly went
Frequent recourse to weather information during the morning, particularly the rain radar graphics, led to the decision to cancel the event at 1pm. All the alternative options that had been discussed in the previous week required at least some window of weather opportunity and this was simply not available – a great shame given the large entry and the efforts that had gone into the event. My thanks to all the entrants who turned
up and those pilots and instructors who stayed in contact during the morning
from their home bases. All the entrants are encouraged to enter another LOOP
event later in the year or, if signed off to fly solo, to 'break the ice'
and come to one of the BAeA's Beginners events. The next
The list of people who supported the event
is a long one; I’d like to single out a few in particular. Phil O’Donoghue
for his advice from the instructor perspective and for his efforts in
organising the instructors for the day, Nick Buckenham for his help from the
CD angle, Lynne Westnage who ably helped me in the briefing and was to run
the judging team. From Leicester Aero Club thanks go to the Committee who
were very positive in holding this event at Leicester, John Pugh for his
flexibility in agreeing changes to various airfield operations from the
norm, and James Fearn, Rob Biddles and Rob Lees who were prepared to spend
the day refuelling and running the r/t for the day. There were many others
from Leicester and the Association who helped behind the scenes and my
thanks go to all of them. |
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of
the Leicestershire Aero Club and fellow members of the Association. The only
potential problem event on the horizon was the weather
which,
with over a week to go, began to look as if it might not cooperate. Regular
checking of weather websites did raise my hopes with an indication that
there would be a window of opportunity for the event. The fickleness of the
British weather and its inability to match forecasts has happened at many
events in the past so there was all to go for.
ahead
with the understanding that a final decision would be made around lunchtime.
The next few hours were good illustrations of pilot camaraderie in
the
bar and the willingness and ability of Associations members to teach and
entertain. Nick and Graham pulled together an excellent impromptu box flying
and judging tutorial which included making the model training aeroplane used
by the Leicester instructors adopt attitudes previously unknown to it (and
it was returned in one piece!). The feedback from all the entrants on this
was overwhelmingly positive and greatly appreciated.
LOOP
event is at Little Gransden (19th June) followed by the final event of the
year at Sleap (24th July). The next BAeA Beginners event is at Sleap on 5th
June.
