McLean, Fenland, Don Henry & Nathaniel Alony Trophies, 2025 results
CD Report
Fenland airfield is quite unique. It’s surrounded by dykes and drains which might mean it’s technically on an island. It sits only 6ft above sea level so the QFE is the same as the QNH and it’s notoriously difficult to find, from the ground or the air. Everything looks the same as everything else! Things are easier now of course, with GPS/satnav etc. but when one does find this airfield, it’s well worth the effort. Two grass runways, plenty of parking and a cafe serving lovely lunches.
But we weren’t visiting Fenland for lunch, we had an aerobatic competition to get on with. So on Friday, 13th of June, 10 aircraft pointed their Lycomings at Holbeach St. John in Lincolnshire to contest 3 trophies in the British Aerobatics series of events.
The weather forecasts were all contradicting each other in the days leading up to the event, but everybody arrived, by air and road, and we were ready to launch into the opening briefing bang on time at 12:00. We were very grateful for the use of Fenlands static caravan, but they are not the largest of ‘buildings’ to fit about 25 people in. However, manage we did.
Now, one of the last things you’d want to find in an aircraft is that something is missing, if you see what I mean. If that missing thing suddenly reappears in flight and finds a new home, it could cause a restriction of movement of the controls, not good. Charlie Coode opened his turtle deck locker with his fuel drain/screwdriver thingy when he landed, then the pesky little blighter vanished (the screwdriver, not Charlie). A combing team were dispatched to the grass area where he had waited to refuel, but not a sign of it. So, logically, it must have still been somewhere in the aircraft. As you may see from one of the pictures, the Pitts looked like it was eating him as he searched every possible hiding place. It was found on the grass where he had waited to refuel. A little weather delay ensued before we got airborne but we were off and running by early afternoon. We wanted to complete one flight for everyone but time was pressing us and I was aware that Ray in the tower normally goes home at 17:00. However he happily stayed at his post till 18:15 to see us all safely back on the ground. What a trooper. Thank you Ray. Everyone had flown once. Target hit and end of day 1.
Day 2. Threw open the hotel room curtains, well I’ve used a little artistic licence there to be honest, and blue sky was the greeting. Great! However, it had rained overnight and that moisture had to go somewhere when the heat got going. Sure enough, the clouds started to build. And build! I took the decision to start the day with the more experienced Intermediate pilots when we did get a cloud base that we could work with, which we got about midday, but we’d lost the morning. The judges were served lunch on a silver platter at the judging line to preserve time, ok it was stainless steel, but the sandwiches looked top notch. With some great work from the pilots to keep things moving, we were able to let Intermediate have a second Unknown flight before we packed up for the day at 17:10. “Early finish for you lot” said Ray in the tower. End of day 2.
Day 3. As previously mentioned, Fenland, once you’ve found the place, has two runways, one North/South and the other East/West. Handy, normally. However, our performance zone or box, was to the west of the airfield, right slap bang in the way of the climb out from the runway that looks west. In past years we have either only used the N/S one or restricted departing aircraft from climbing above 500ft until clear of the box. This year, the management team had added Advanced and Unlimited levels to this event. They fly down to lower base heights which would be too close to the departing traffic to allow us to follow this procedure. The forecast wind direction for day 3 was from the west and reasonably strong. It became clear as day 3 approached that only using the N/S runway was not going to suit all airfield visitors. A new box location had to be conjured up to let everyone enjoy this lovely place and for the contest to continue in a safe manner. A new location was found and assessed but it would take the agreement of the airfield management and the CFI of the flying school to operate a non standard circuit to the north. In the event, they both readily agreed, so we had ourselves a new box and the judges had a new judging position, between a field of crop and a Lincolnshire drain. I can only imagine what the flying insects must have been like. Sorry folks. But midges were not their biggest issue, a sudden downpour was though. The paperwork, tablets, chairs, well everything really, got soaked, in seconds. I turned up with another stainless platter of triangular goodies which seemed to put a smile back on their faces, or was that a grimace, I’m not too sure.
I had set a target time of 15:00 to complete the flying by. With the rain interruption that became 15:35, so we were in the ballpark. Everyone had flown again on day 3. although we had lost 3 pilots who withdrew at various stages for various reasons, so that was 4 flights for Intermediate and 3 for everyone else. Pretty good going given some challenging conditions from time to time, thanks to the pilots for keeping things moving.
Ruth Scott had been hunched up in the back seat of a car at the judging position, inputting scores into the computer and even printing the pilots scoresheets there too, so there was very little to be done when the judges arrived back at base for the final time. Trophy presentation was announced and we gathered round to see Chris Brook get his gold medal for being the highest placed Unlimited pilot (he was the only one - shhh), Paul Elvidge took gold and the Don Henry trophy at Advanced. At Sports level, there were 4 pilots flying monoplanes and one flying a bi-plane, and yes, it was the bi-plane driver who won the McLean trophy, a very happy Thierry Schmidt de La Brelie posed for the camera, trophy in hand. Arjan Vlietman took the silver and Adrian Read the bronze, just one place ahead of his son Toby. Quite right on Father’s Day. Then onto Intermediate level and 7 pilots fought this one out and in the end, only 5% separated them from last to first, very impressive. The bronze ‘twisted’ it’s way home round the neck of Andy McKee, the silver went to the owner of the most flown, if not the most consistently started aircraft of the competition, Adrian Willis. The gold and the Fenland Trophy went to add to the collection of Gary Ferriman. Only 0.36% separated the top 3.
My thanks must go to everyone who helped. Tom Cassells and his team of judges and assistants who braved the elements. Ruth Scott for doing the scoring. Dom and Merlin for videoing the flights. But of course the pilots. They were very professional and expeditious when we needed it most.
We all had a great weekend. Great conversation, good banter, rotten jokes, but good times at a great airfield. So remember, if you ever find yourself ‘temporarily unsure of your position’ when flying into Fenland, you will not be the first, and you’ll certainly not be the last. And when you do find the place, remember to have lunch. You won’t regret it.
Thank you Fenland Airfield, one and all.
Brian McCartney
Contest Director
