Echoes of a past life.
A few days ago, dear friend Suzann, sent me an item about a wonderful new light aircraft. (It was Su and Don who invited me to Mexico in December, 2007 that resulted in me and Jeannie meeting!)
Before I explain what Su sent me, allow me a few moments of nostalgia.
I have a gliding (sailplaning in US speak) log book that has the following entry at the top of page 1:
Flights 1 & 2. June 7th 1981. K7 dual seat glider. Rattlesden Gliding Club, Suffolk. Winch launch. Total flight time 12 minutes.
Those flights started a love affair with flying.
I have a powered-flight log book that has the following entry at the top of page 1.
March 3rd, 1984. Cessna 150. Reg: G-BGAF. Capt: Martin Lowe. Ipswich Airport – local flight 1325 – 1355. Exercises 4,5.
I continued glider flying, becoming an instructor along the way, until my last flight, flight number 1,424, on the 19th December, 1992; again from Rattlesden.
I continued power flying until the 4th August, 2008, a short time before I left the UK to be with Jean in Mexico. My last flight was in a Piper Super Cub, registration R-151, a flight of 1 hr 40 mins from Kemble returning to Watchford Farm, where the Cub was based.
My son, Alex, shared my love of flying as a young man and is now a Senior Captain with a British airline.
Anyway, all of which is a rather long preamble to this.
What a fabulous aircraft! The relevant website is, unsurprisingly, the Air-Cam site.
(Come back on Monday for some more recollections about flying the Piper Super Cub!)
Learning from Dogs 
Wow! That brought back some fond memories. I learned to fly at Norwich airport in the 90’s, and got to know some small strips in Norfolk and Suffolk along the way. Got to fly some interesting singles after that, including my husband’s Stearman for a few years. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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My pleasure! Now the Stearman is an aircraft! Fancy writing a guest post? 🙂
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I’m not sure I have much of interest to say really. I could do questions and answers though! I tend to turn my flying experiences into stories. Did you see ‘First Solo’ I blogged on 1st. March?
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No, I didn’t! Want to reply to this with your blog site link?
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Don’t know how to do that! But here’s the address :
http://rachaelheap.wordpress.com/ 🙂
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That works! Looks like a nice place to browse. Will do when I have a little more time.
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I came back to this as I clicked like from my phone… And have to say Gliders I grew up with flying overhead in the Derbyshire Peak District.. And remember when about age 12 one doing an emergency landing in a nearby farmers field… The pilot broke his leg and we were his rescuers so to speak as some ran to tell their parents to ring for help… what a day that was… of course as soon as the help arrived we were ushered out of the field.. LOL… But the pilot was ok… that was the main thing… but his glider was not so lucky.. 🙂
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Was that the Camphill Gliding Club at Great Hucklow? Or more formally known as the Derbyshire and Lancashire Gliding Club?
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Yes it was Paul.. 🙂 🙂
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Do you know of this place.. its was only a few miles from where our village was..
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I’m pretty sure that I have flown there. Or as sure as this aged brain is these days! 😉 I’ll try to remember to go through my log book before the end of the day. And someone’s up late!
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Yes just finishing up here.. up early in the morn and then a few days off work.. So trying to catch up with many today as I will be enjoying the garden and walks.. as we have promised some spring like weather…
Its beautiful countryside and must have been a picture to fly over..
Enjoy the rest of your day Paul and I enjoyed my catch up.. 🙂 Night..night..
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Hello Paul.. all the very best ex, 1234 lol
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Martin, what a wonderful surprise this morning in Oregon to read your comment. How are you? Where are you? What are you doing these days (if not retired)? Drop me an email with your contact details. Would love to catch up.
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Hi Martin. many years ago, shortly after I acquired Suffolk Aero Club you lent me an attractive little book called “The Perils of Flight” by J. Xaudaro. I would like to return it to you and in the meantime, I do hope that life is being kind to you. Paddy McKay
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