Stories from the Orchard

Hello JOYSTICKERS! www.joystickclub.co.uk

A great weather day today maybe summer's upon us?

Good progress on the Seneca trailer mount and welded frame this week.

David O and Steve screwed 6 MGB engine mounts ( Summit Motors!) from

the cockpit supports to the wooden frame we made last week. Then the sq steel

tube we were given from RM Trailers was used to make up the frame.

See photo of Steve in action!

The 13th Roxeth scouts from the" poorer end" of Harrow arrived on Friday evening and Alan H , our stalwart scout exec., gave them a welcome and safety airfield brief before Graham Perry's seamless talk on how aircraft fly and why passenger jets are designed the way they are.

We then left them to settle down in the orchard over night, it rained!

Steve Midson was on hand all day Saturday doing his amazing teaching session building foam gliders and rubber powered models while explaining flying controls etc. These were test flown in a hangar, amazing .

The weather fcst. was poor after midday so we briefed for a 0900 T/O with pilots John Michie, Ron Micham (new volunteer!), Mike Potts and Mark Green taking the first 5 out of 12 scouts around the local area for 20-25 mins. Ron was very willing to fly all day so it came to him to carry the last scout leader aloft between showers after lunch in his yellow RV7.

Alan H did the log recordings while our Sussex rep. David Goddard and helpers David O and Mike Diggins were in the hangar upgrading the Tomahawk to "moving map display std" ....I.e. Installing a surplus modem to enable an iPad running SkyDemon to track our youngster flying the XPlane sim. It works beautifully. Quite a pleasure listening to Martyn Rowlands (exATCO) being vectored towards Lee on Solent by MD (ex ATCO) when his scout was " unsure of his position" in the local area!

We're now looking for a smaller iPad. or tablet for a better fit in the cockpit?

All the scouts had flying practise through the afternoon and today.

Simon O'Connell was also "volunteered " for a chat on film making with aircraft over at the Black a Hangar. He turned out to be a natural presenter and was excellent putting across to the scouts the ways CGI and old airframes can be made to be what they're not quite! If we can we'll have a JSC visit as soon as he has time .

Today was a little slow getting going, in some way attributed to WLACs Summer Party

and the leaders having to be on patrol near the Vodka stand!

A gentle morning with AH waving yellow bats and JM stimulating others in the T'bird.

Some explorer scout leaders from Cheddington (why should that make me chuckle?) came along for a look see so they may be with us in June next.

Thanks to all who gave their time, pocket money and expertise to make the weekend such a success, magic!

Latest calendar under Calendar tab.

Desperately need more for the HOGROAST June 10th 1830 £15 only .

If the weather's good we'll remain outside, if not it's in the Bar .

David Coe and his mate Bob will entertain us with guitars and vocals and Keith Old will be along playing his accordion, all very good aero-club musicians.

Only 40 so far, need 65 to break even!

Please check the calendar and any one with spare tine who would like to help at any of the events please let me or David Oswald know.

Cheers

M

Dahlias are up,