Nuthampstead
NUTHAMPSTEAD: Military aerodrome later private airfield (Also known as ROYSTON?)
Note: Pictures by the author unless specified.
Military users: WW2: 8th USAAF 1st Bombardment Wing
398th Bomb Group
600, 601, 602 & 603 Sqdns (Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress)
Operated by: 1980s/1990s: Mr R B Tyler
2000: Nuthampstead Airfield Associates Ltd
Location: E of Nuthampstead, W of Langley Lawn, 4-5nm SE of Royston, 8nm NE of Buntingford
Period of operation: Military 1943 to 1954. Private from ? till today. In 1985 though, was still listed as disused. GA activity listed in 1977
Runways: WW2: 05/23 1829x46 hard 17/35 1280x46 hard
11/29 1280x46 hard
1990/2000: 05/23 700x35 grass
(On NE section of removed previous hard WW2 runway)
NOTES: In 1977 it appears that four aircraft were based here: PA-23 Apache 160 G-APZE and Aero Commander 500A G-ASIO of R.B.Tyler (Plant) Ltd, PA-24 Commanche 250 G-ARDB of TAK Aviation and Jodel D.150A Mascaret G-ASKL. Yet again, especially in the 1970s, another example of at least part of a famous WW2 aerodrome being kept alive mainly by business use. As said elsewhere this is a common occurrence and the GA fraternity owes a debt in this regard, but I don’t see it often acknowledged.
A PERSONAL MEMORY
The first visit to NUTHAMPSTEAD was in May 1993, with the Cessna 172 G-AXBH out of TOP FARM with my good flying friend Guy Browning. As I remember, as often as not very little was planned in advance, and sometimes we'd arrive at TOP FARM, look at the weather and the chart and then decide where to go. It was great in those days as, because we had a new fangled mobile phone - we could simply ring up for permission to visit on the spur of the moment.
My log book shows that on the 23rd May 1993 we flew first to CROWFIELD, then ANDREWSFIELD followed by RAYNE, and then to NUTHAMPSTEAD before flying back to TOP FARM. It is of course very tempting to look back with 'rose tinted glasses' but it does seem to me that there was a greater sense of freedom in those days, which was barely a quarter of a century ago. (This being written in 2017).
MORE PERSONAL MEMORIES
In August 1993, a friend helping out with an Air Cadet summer camp, invited me to fly-in - for which I was very happy to oblige with my very good flying friend Guy Browning. In the picture foreground is the very rare Putzer Elster B (G-APVF) which had also flown in from TOP FARM. Our lowly steed was the Piper PA-38 Tomahawk (G-BGWU), seen just beyond.
This was quite a special day for me as, for my 46th birthday treat, I had decided to fly in three aircraft different types (two entirely new and different) in one day. The first was an early start in a Colt 90A hot-air balloon arranged by my ever thoughtful wife, hence the idea to fly in three very different types. I have to say I loved this flight, and, could log it as a training sortie.
Initially nothing was available at TOP FARM, but David Morris then realised he had just brought a Tomahawk. "Will that do? If so check yourself out." This I did before Guy arrived and I then let him fly us to NUTHAMPSTEAD, a type he had never flown before. Hardly a problem of course as the Tomahawk was designed to be a docile training aircraft.
Leaving NUTHAMPSTEAD I flew to LONGACRES FARM to have a flight in a flexwing Quaser Q2. That was an experience I did not much enjoy, although I had total faith and confidence in my instructor. To explain, I would not be at all happy on a motorbike, (as a truck driver I know only too well how damned dangerous they are), and being sat on the aerial equivalent at 2000ft did nothing for my sense of well being. My problem of course, being quite irrational.
ANOTHER LESSON LEARNT
In August 1995 I was once again invited to fly-in to another ATC camp event. I declined as we, my wife and Guy Browning were going to Texel in The Netherlands. However, just for fun I said I would perform a low-level high-speed pass on the way to LYDD. It has to be said of course that a 'high-speed' pass in a Piper PA-28 Archer is a relative term, but wound up to around 150mph (below Vne) I thought it should entertain 'the troops'. It was, I have to say, a beautiful flying day in SE England with little wind and no low level turbulence at that time of day.
However, we found that we didn't have a headset for my wife sat in the back. And, both of us, Guy and I, completely forgot to brief her about the 'low-level' pass along the way. A BAD MISTAKE! For which I still feel ashamed.
Afterwards she told us that, although knowing she was about to die, the aircraft plunging steeply towards the earth and gathering speed, she actually felt very calm - accepting her fate. And this ability is I suppose, being not at all inclined to panic, (and being good at spotting navigation features and hearing correctly ATC messages), has resulted over the years in several pilots saying that she really is a first class passenger to have along.
VERY SOGGY
I well remember my third flying visit here. It was in April 1994 and there had been a lot of recent rain. I flew in with a PA-28 Warrior from TOP FARM to take a business client plus his relative for a local sightseeing flight. With so much extra weight the take-off on the boggy soggy runway seemed to take forever and I doubted we’d ever get airborne.
Then I remembered the technique of dragging an aircraft off into ground effect by adding an extra flap setting and then holding it there, flying just a couple of feet above the runway in ground effect, before gaining enough speed to climb away. Fortunately there was flat ground beyond the end of the runway, (no hedges or fences), and it worked! It is, I must point out, one thing to know the theory, and quite another to put it into practise for the first time without a very capable instructor.
But, I had so much respect for the people who had informed me, (bless them), that I felt quite confident to try it out. And, please remember, it was not usually my method to try such techniques with passengers on board. This said, if the technique had not worked almost immediately, there was, probably (?), just enough room to pull the power and stop. I certainly thought so at the time.
Geoff.W
This comment was written on: 2017-04-15 15:51:22I have many enjoyable memories of flying in to the annual August Nuthampstead fly-in. A sad loss, especially for the air cadets. A very enjoyable website, well done
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Geoff, many thanks for this mention. I shall keep it posted. Best regards, Dick
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