Flying the true Classic of all time
AN INTRODUCTION
Go to any aerodrome in the U.K. and the chances are that most people there will look down their noses at the most produced Cessna types, the 150/152, 172 and 182 models. Generally derided as being 'Spam cans'. Perhaps in motoring terms, similar in reputation, to, for example, the Austin Mini, Fiat 500, Morris Minor, Ford Mondeo, Volkswagon Beetle and so on. There are good reasons for such cars, and these Cessna types, being so popular. Not least being readily available, very reliable if looked after, spare parts plentiful, operating costs relatively cheap, etc, etc.
Needless to say, it does rather depend on how a 'Classic' is defined, and there are of course as many options and opinions as there are aircraft types which fit the bill. For my purposes, regarding the Cessna 172, it is all about production numbers, which I tend to regard as being a pretty good yardstick? First flown in 1956 and still in production, over 44,000 have been built.
Its 'sister' models, the Cessna 150/152 and 182 also have impressive production figures: 31,533 for the 150/152 (23,839 - 150s, 7,694 - 152s) and 23,237+ for the 182. The 172 and 182 remaining in production, at least by 2025. By comparison, for example, and also still in production, over 32,778 versions of the Piper PA-28 Cherokee family have been built, also as of 2025.
To get some kind of perspective, 20,351 of the 24 marks of Spitfire were produced, 13,000+ Douglas DC-3/C-47 variants, and 8,868 de Havilland DH82/DH82A Tiger Moths.
SOME BASIC ASPECTS OF THE STORY
I have to admit that it was more a case of the 150/152, 172 and to a much lesser extent the 182 adopting me rather than the other way round. (Actually also the case with the various Piper PA-28 versions). One of the main reasons for this being the case is that I did most of my training at Wycombe Air Centre at WYCOMBE AIR PARK on their Cessna 152s. Graduating to the 172 and 182 having obtained my PPL.
The other main reason is that I did a lot of my flying at short notice whilst travelling around, mostly due to work both as an owner-driver and freelance photographer/writer. Doing this it soon became fairly obvious that, by and large, my options would be to fly a Cessna. This being simply because there was one available, fuelled up and ready to go. Plus, if I wanted to do some aerial photography, having those high wings and usually a window I could open fully, made the job a lot easier.
Plus, I must add, have made many flights in 172s, and a few in 182s, being in the right hand seat. Often handling the controls, navigating, and/or taking pictures. From memory in, for example, Australia, France and Germany.
GETTING TO THE TRUTH?
Focusing on the Cessna 172, my favourite for aerial photography but also to a lesser degree for combining taking pictures with touring or just a bimble around for the day, I soon learnt that you really do have to understand the type to get the most out of it, and in this respect by flying with so many instructors in so many countries, I began to get the hang of it. In effect it is essential to divide the purpose of the flight into two basic categories. The Cessna 172 has four seats, and if wishing to carry four adults you really do need to make serious calculations, especially regarding weight and balance. Get it wrong and it will bite!
Also, if fully freighted, on a glorious warm summers day, operating out of a typical grass airstrip in the UK and Europe, here again - do the sums. It is I suppose, always a good idea to bear in mind that the 172 was designed to be, mostly, in the U.S.A., flown out of long hard runways. The temperature and the airfield elevation above sea level can quickly degrade performance. As can flying one on floats! I was told that the reason that, unlike the PA-28, that Cessna never offered a 180hp version, is that the difference is so marked - it would have harmed sales of the 182. Have no idea if that theory is correct, but having flown a 180hp version in New Zealand, there the most popular option, I can easily believe it.
The one over-riding consideration, perhaps, are the handling characteristics. Flies more like a truck - definitely not a sports car! The rudder and elevators are fine I would say, for the purposes intended mostly, but the ailerons do leave a lot to be desired. Mind you, if the rudder is also used when turning fairly sharply, it much improves the situation.
SOMETHING OF A REVELATION
Bit by bit, getting to know the type - and this is something you won't hear too often - the Cessna 172 can be a very good short-field performer. For example, with two on board and half-tanks, I had no hesitation about flying into a 400 metre grass strip. Even in summer with calm wind conditions. The main aspect being to get the speed pegged and stable before crossing the threshold. And, that should be 55 knots. Certainly not 65 knots as is generally taught. Once had a discussion with a young instructor many years ago who insisted this was way too slow! Really I said, so why in the pilots handbook, is the best angle of climb 55 knots?
Generally speaking I could land and stop in about 150 metres with minimal braking. At 65 knots it will tend to float, and float and float. By around 300 metres when taking off, it will be nigh on flying itself off. Needless to say, this is on a flat field with short dry grass. Other considerations can normally be resolved by making a call before departing, like, is the grass dry or wet? How long is the grass? Any other advice available, etc.
And also, before I forget, flying older 172s with 40 degrees of flap, really are the 'bee's knees'. You can make very, very steep 'Sarajevo' type approaches. Must admit, never tried it out, but was told you can go vertical at idle power without exceeding the flap limiting speed. Had a bit of fun with that over the years, including having an instructor white-knuckled telling me I would not make it. Obviously did not understand the constant aspect concept. Essentially, if the aiming point stays in the same position in the windscreen - you're gonna hit it!
Seems it was very poorly trained pilots in the USA that, attempting to go around still with 40 degrees of flap, crashed and sued Cessna - successfully. Such idiocy supported fully by ignorant morons, like very greedy lawyers and senile people in the judicary, actually put paid to light aircraft production in the USA for quite a few years. Roughly around ten years if my memory serves?
NOTE: This account is of course just a general over-view for normal interest purposes by non-pilots.
FOR THE RECORD
I do not expect that the following will be of much interest to most, but for those to whom it may be of some interest, I have compiled a table of the Cessna types I have flown, both under instruction and as pilot-in-command, giving the country, year, registration and place. In some cases also other places visited with each aircraft. Cannot say for certain that every Cessna I have flown is in the lists below. I am rushing my way through my two log books, but, have noticed that I did not make an entry for a flight in a 172 out of Issoire, in the Auvergne region of France in 1990. Also, another reason for compiling this list is for my interest, as it brings back many happy memories. After starting compiling this list, most of which I had forgotten about after so many years, it was looking as being as interesting as reading a telephone directory. Decided to add a few tales along the way to hopefully make the record a bit more interesting?
As for the following pictures, have many more, but, will take far too long to find them all in all the boxes I have.
AUSTRALIA
172 VH-BAO 1994 Warnervale (New South Wales)
(Got checked out for solo flight, and to carry passengers)
Later with a good Ozzie pilot friend to 'hold my hand', flew into Cessnock and Maitland. Heading out west initially from Warnervale flew for a while over the most fearsome rocky terrain I have ever seen. No chance of making a good forced landing if the 'donkey' failed!
172 VH-KBL 1994 Warnervale (A few local flights)
172 VH-JZU 1994 Essendon (Victoria) Moorabbin (Check flight plus photography)
172 VH-LTR 1994 Wangaratta (Victoria) (Check flight for solo flight with passengers)
Perhaps I should add, that in 2011, after retiring, when my wife and I were making an extended holiday in Oz, we made a visit to Ayers Rock. It was very hot so my wife decided to stay in the hotel. I of course had other ideas so arranged a flight to photograph Ayers Rock. And guess what? Perhaps needless to say it was in a Cessna 172, VH-XSP.
BELGIUM
150 OO-WAC 1995 St Ghislain
150 OO-HVC 1998 Hoevenen
This flight was to photograph the huge docks at Antwerp. My instructor was quite young and his day job was flying fast jets, (F-16s perhaps?) for the Belgian Air Force.
172 OO-FCE 1996 St Ghislain
CROATIA
172 9A-DNI 2005 Pula
Xmas holiday with a hire car from Venice, staying in, mostly, Rovinj on the west coast of Croatia. Driving into Pula discovered the airport, and guess what - there was a flight school - so, in next to no time, we were off to explore and take some snaps. Think I got checked-out too?
CZECH REPUBLIC
150 OK-EKI 2000 Praha Letnany Tocna
Once again for sightseeing and some photography to record just the flight. High level overcast to the south not condusive for getting professional results.
DENMARK
152 OY-SUK 2008 Sønderborg
The purpose of this short flight was very simple. I had by now flown a light aircraft in all the countries in what was once 'western' Europe, except Denmark. So, as we were on a round trip via Templehof in Berlin, and reaching Kiel which my very good friend James Roland wanted to show to his daughter as their family originated there, I flew up solo in the 172 G-BDNU from Kiel to tick this last box. Being a Sunday the airport didn't open until 11.00 and I landed at 11.01 without any holding needed. (More luck than judgement of course?) The Danish safety pilot, training for an ATPL commercial license, who very kindly volunteered to help me, was rather perplexed. "Just one circuit?" Explained that I would have loved to stay longer flying around, but needed to get back to Kiel to pick up my friends and start heading back home.
FRANCE
152 F-GCHL 1994 Avignon
(30+ knot winds but straight down the runway. Trying to keep straight whilst taxying was the main problem. After landing the instructor said, "Well, you must like aerobatics!" Was a bit bumpy.
152 F-GBFB 1997 Avignon
(Frankly just for the hell of it. Very dull so no photography, but, even so it is a most interesting area to fly around)
152 F-GAQB 1998 Alencon
Rather dull and overcast so no photography. My lovely relaxed instructor had once been flying Republic P47 Thunderbolts in the military, including the Far East, (presumably Vietnam?), and remarked upon how happy I was doing steep turns at around 1500ft. What amused me when we got back, and into the Club building, was that he introduced me as being a chauffeur de camion, (truck driver), and the club members nodded approvingly.
152 F-GDDM 1999 Bordeaux Leognan Saucaz
This flight, being weekended in my truck in Bordeaux, was to photograph the areas and towns along the Lot and Dordogne rivers. It is of course futile to make comparisons between flying in the different regions in Europe. Have been asked what is my favourite? Answer, "All of them".
172 F-GDDZ 1992 Issoire
172 F-GBQI 1996 Perpignan
It was a lovely day so I took time off driving my truck to Barcelona to take some aerial pictures in the region. I often used to tell instructors that after spending years flying correctly, I was now about to screw it up. Quite often setting up the aeroplane skidding with crossed controls around the sky to get the picture I wanted, then telling them - you have control - hold it! After landing this instructor told me that the flight had been the most demanding he had ever known! In those days, for me, situation normal. Get the pictures then back in the truck.
172 F-GIZH 2000 Lyon-Bron
Yet another, for me, very interesting flight. In doing so, became checked out, which was not my intention as such. The main point of interest being that I was flying with the oldest aero club in the world! They can trace their history back into the 19th century when they were flying balloons!
FINLAND
172 OH-CTD 2008 Malmi
When on a filming job in Stockholm my colleagues told me I had nothing to do. Being in a studio the production company had provided people to do everything, including my basic tasks. So basically they told me to sod off, do your own thing. This wasn't the first time, they were very kind to me. Having a think about it, decided to get the overnight ferry to Helsinki. Never been to Finland before. The next morning the weather was awful - so -what to do? Decided to catch a bus up to the old airport at Malmi to see if they had a flying club. And they did. Always found friendly people to have a good natter with, swopping yarns etc.
Then the weather cleared. Is the Pope a Catholic? Could I go flying? And yes, I could. As per nearly always, a Cessna 172 was available. And a young Finnish lady, also a British Airways cabin crew, and PPL, asked if she could come along? Well, yes, of course. Main task to get pictures around Helsinki, but also said I needed to get three landings in to keep current. No problem. They were quite impressed as I got three 'greasers' in a row. But, I had been taught how to achieve this. In calm conditions you get into the flare, hold it off about a foot or two over the runway, then do everything to prevent it landing, ending up with the yoke fully back in your stomach. Even for me a technique easy to remember.
GERMANY
152 D-EDGG 1994 Essen-Mulheim
152 D-EITD 1994 Essen-Mulheim
Note: Had a lot of fun here flying with an instructor who was previously flying Mig 29s in East Germany before Glasnost. On the second flight circled overhead, dipping the wings, of a Pink Floyd concert. Because a young lady receptionist at the hotel was staying in, was in the audience. I always looked for any excuse to go flying.
152 D-EHUP 1995 Bonn-Hangelar For aerial photography, especially over Cologne which was, (still is?), allowed at 1500 ft.
172 D-EDDV 2000 Hannover
Managed to arrange this flight in a new type 172 in the evening. Low level flights over the city centre being allowed. It really is lovely to circle around a city centre when all the lights are coming on.
172 D-ERBF 2001 Ober-Schleissheim Jesenwang
Had a lovely flight with Detleff Mitman, who was once a pen-friend of Aussie Brown as kids. May well have 'poled-it' around at times, but the main objective was to take pictures, going south into the Alps in this very picturesque region of southern Bavaria.
GREECE
172 SX-AMX 1998 Heraklion Xania
This flight in Crete was both for sight-seeing and photography. Had to land at Xania for fuel as the airport authorities at Heraklion had imposed a minimum fuel uplift well in excess of the capacity of the flying clubs two aircraft. The original plan was to fly around the entire island but when just over halfway round, ATC warned us that the wind was getting up. My Greek safety pilot said we must land back immediately, and on getting near was told to use the old SE/NW cross runway, and please land short so as not to interfere with airliner operations.
This old C172 had forty degrees of flap, so, I decided to show off a bit as the wind of around 30 knots+ was straight down the runway. As the ground sloped away quite steeply at the southern end I did not want to encounter a downdraft, so kept it high. So high that still at around a thousand feet the end of the runway was beneath the nose. My Greek co-pilot insisted we were much too high, but I said no - wait. Getting the speed back I dropped, in stages, full flap and shoved the nose down - way down. I will happily admit that I failed to achieve my goal, which was to land and stop within the turning circle at the runway end - overshooting by about ten feet. This turning circle has a diameter of around 75 metres. Was told the man in the tower said, in Greek - "How short was that!?!" My response to my colleague was simply, "Well, you did ask me to land short."
IRELAND (Republic of)
172 EI-CFF 2006 Weston Touch & go at Kilrush
Had some time off on a film job so decided to get an aircraft registered in Ireland into my log book. Typically what was available and fuelled up? Yep, a Cessna 172. Was told that local weather reporting is an easy affair. If you can see the hills it is about to rain, and, if you cannot see the hills - it's raining.
ITALY
150 I-SPAI 2004 Roma-Urbe
This was of interest to me. Roma-Urba being the original airport for Rome, next to a river where flying boats could land. Although only going for a flight in the local area, we had to go to two or three offices to get cleared for this short local flight. Three days later, (I was working on a filming job with my truck), I returned to fly a Piaggio P66C, (I-AADT), which was, in effect, a design intended to take on the Cessna 172, but aerobatic! Very nice to fly but a tad tricky to land as it soon ran out of elevator authority as it slowed down in the flare.
NEW ZEALAND
172 ZK-JGP 2006 Hamilton Pavanui Ardmore
This was my first and only, (by 2025), visit to New Zealand. So, of course, had to go flying. This was also the first and only 180hp version I have flown, and very common in New Zealand. Loved it, by heck does it go, especially with just two of us on board. Pavanui was interesting, basically a village for pilots with their own aircraft. Cannot remember how many but around a couple of dozen? Note that most light aircraft do not have the country ident, ZK, painted on. Reason being that the vast majority will never leave to go abroad. The distance to the nearest part of Australia, Tasmania, being around 1,500km, just over 900 miles away.
Also took a whale-watching flight in a Piper PA-28-180 (ZK-DUQ) from Kiakoura and a flight in a tail-dragger Cessna 185-300 (ZK-CBS) on skis. The latter for a local flight from Mount Cook. In both cases I was just a passenger. Plus, have to mention, an instructional flight in a Duo-Discus glider for half an hour from Omarama. The gliding conditions were awful, low cloud and no wind. Even so, what a revelation! I could fly the circuit coming back to land in exactly the same way I would in a powered aircraft.
NORWAY
172 LN-BGS 1991 Ski
PORTUGAL
172 CS-AKF 1999 Cascais
This was an early example of the 172, but immaculate, looking like almost new. This flight was mainly for photography and we flew at low level initially up the river through Lisbon.
SPAIN
150 EC-CUC 2001 Seville Cordoba
Here once again, another quite old aeroplane being operated by a flying school mostly providing tuition to pilots intent on a commercial career, and maintained in superb condition. My young safety pilot was most intrigued as I kept lifting a wing on either side to look out for other aircraft. (Old habit being used to flying around London and the Home Counties).
There weren't any - or at least - none we saw. Starting out we had to back-track to the end of runway, because, in an airliner at Seville, that's what you have to do. Seem to remember making a sarcastic comment along the lines of, "Are we going to drive to Cordoba? - I thought we were going to fly." Anyway, went down well, making him laugh. Just a touch-and-go at Cordoba.
150 D-ECHW 2003 Son Bonet
This can happen! Had arranged to fly from Son Bonet, the old airport in Mallorca, to do aerial photography for a couple of hours, only to find I would be flying an aircraft registered in Germany!
SWEDEN
152 SE-IPP 1993 Bromma
172 SE-IHS 1993 Bromma Ska Edeby
(Made two more flights in SE-IHS after being checked out. Found that the British PPL was acceptable to the Swedeish authorities)
172 SE-IPS 2008 Bromma
Had another opportunity to fly from Bromma at short notice. By this time being far better at aeriel photography. But, the instructor was something of a moron to fly with. Would not obey my instructions. Every time I opened the window he pulled the power back, at one point stalling it! Yep, right over the centre of Stockholm. Thank heavens we were in a Cessna 172 - easily rectified.
THE NETHERLANDS
172 PH-EHV 1999 Eindhoven
UNITED KINGDOM
CESSNA 150 & 152
150 G-AVAR 1989 Haverfordwest
150M G-OSND 1992 Top Farm Shipdham Southend
G-OSND 1993 Top Farm Bourne
150 G-DENC 2001 Top Farm Rencombe
Aussie Brown had been invited to attend, and of course photograph, a rather select air show for invited guests being held here, so I flew him across. Needless to say, once on the ground, I parked our very modest type, as far as possible away from all the famous classic types attending.
Note: Flew the 172 G-JVMD, with Guy Browning, to fly Aussie back to Top Farm.
150 G-DENB 2002 Bourn Tatenhill Coal Aston Crosland Moor
Wickenby Tollerton
This was my idea to fly north with my wife for an August Bank Holiday 'jolly'. The Cessna 172 at Top Farm had been pranged so Dave Morris offered me the Rockwell 112B, G-IMPX, and checked me out. I was not happy considering where I wanted to go, especially COAL ASTON. As it turned out G-DENB was available up at BOURN, so opted for this and drove up. The last sector was rather interesting. Have an account of that in the BOURN listing.
150 G-BDZC 2003 Elstree
150 G-BDZC 2004 Elstree Kemble
This was to visit the PFA Rally.
150 G-BOBV 2004 Netherthorpe
Having delivered an aircraft here in my truck, theTaylor Titch, G-OJON, from Dersingham in Norfolk, as per often, decided to arrange a local flight. Conditions not good for aerial photography, but didn't much care. A chance to fly from yet another aerodrome.
152 G-JONI 1995 Top Farm Headcorn Clacton
I used G-JONI for several photographic sorties, including the Channel Tunnel complex, and Felixstowe docks. Reason being that I was also a contributing photographer for the London office of the Zefa picture library whose HQ was in Dusseldorf.
152 G-BNKS 2001 Sleap
Having delivered an aircraft in my truck, decided to see if I could have a local flight. Typical poor weather. low cloud, runway full of puddles, and a fairly strong crosswind across the runway in use. Had a very experienced instructor quite happy for me to do touch-and-goes using the into wind wing-down crossed-controls approach, getting it level and straight just before touching down. Told me that the CFI did not approve of this method - insisting that a crabbed approach is the best way. Well, yes, in an airliner with engines hanging off below the wings - but in a Cessna 152?
Anyway, as I was paying my dues at the reception desk, he briskly walked across, muttering, quite loudly, "Needs somebody from London to teach us the best way." Or something very similar. Did my ego quite a boost.
152 G-BRND 2004 Derby
Once again another photographic sortie. The reason for being in the area was to visit somebody in Foston Hall prison. Probably to be expected of course, we were not allowed to visit the formal gardens. But, being a pilot and going aloft for snapographic purposes - guess what? - we just happened to fly over - click - problem sorted.
WYCOMBE AIR CENTRE
I did most of my PPL training here and have to say they were really excellent. Seemingly quite happy to accommodate my most unusual approach to the recommended sylabus. Would often ring up at short notice when driving my truck along the M40. "Got an instructor? Got a 'plane?" if they had, "See you in around thirty minutes." Think I completed my PPL training with thirteen instructors. Not at all the recommended approach of course, but looking back, by far the best way. Learnt so much more and could soon appreciate which were the better, even best instructors.
152 G-WACA 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACA 1990 Wycombe Air Park Redhill Shoreham
152 G-WACB 1989 Wycombe Air Park
Note: It was in Charlie Bravo that I passed my GFT (General Flying Test) on the 22nd June 1989
152 G-WACE 1989 Wycombe Air Park
152 G-WACF 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACF 1998 Wycombe Air Park Brimpton
Flew into Brimpton as I had been invited to have a flight, as a passenger, in a Saab 91D Safir. Took the controls for a few minutes and, by heck, it was a sturdy job, flying as if on rails.
152 G-WACG 1989 Wycombe Air Park Coventry Sywell
152 G-WACH 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACH 1990 Wycombe Air Park Redhill
152 G-WACS 1989 Wycombe Air Park
152 G-WACT 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACT 1997 Wycombe Air Park Cheddington
152 G-WACU 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACU 1993 Wycombe Air Park Goodwood
172 G-WACL 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACL 1990 Wycombe Air Park Redhill Blackbushe Wellesbourne Mountford
G-WACL 1992 Wycombe Air Park Oxford Wellesbourne Mountford
THE DOUBLE BOOK PROJECT
Note: In late September 1992 my very good friend Austin (Aussie) J Brown and myself embarked on a project to produce one book each for Ian Allan publishers, sharing the flying. This involved flying into as many U.K. airports as possible. Part of my task was to mainly take black & white pictures in all weather conditions! We had initially set off in the C150M, G-OSND, from Top Farm but the oil pressure valve failed. As it couldn't be quickly fixed at Southend, an SOS call was made to Wycombe Air Centre and they very kindly ferried G-WACL across to us. Little did we know that we were setting off into one of the worst autumn weather scenarios on record. So, to complete the task we made three seperate attempts. These are the en route destinations we visited in date order:
29th Sept: Southend Manston Shoreham
30th Sept: Shoreham Southampton Bournemouth Exeter
1st Oct: Exeter Plymouth (Poor weather prevented going on to Land's End)
2nd Oct: Plymouth Southampton
(Tried to get home but, only by staying low over the sea, scraped into Southampton. Came home on the train. Did try one attempt flying but no chance.)
4th Oct: Southampton to Wycombe Air Park (Took G-WACL home)
9th Oct: Wycombe Air Park Staverton Bristol
10th Oct: Bristol Cardiff Welshpool
11th Oct: Welshpool Liverpool
12th Oct: Liverpool Blackpool Carlisle
Flying up the Mersey along the city centre, Aussie set the fire extinguisher off with his foot. Somewhat alarmed as the cabin filled with smoke, my immediate response was to pull the power and prepare for a ditching. Next step - open the windows to get vision. Next step - review the situation. We both agreed it did not smell like oil and the donkey was still going fine. Soon worked out what had happened, so power back on, climb up a bit and continue. Amuses me today to wonder what any people on the riverside might have made of this, seeing a light aircraft with apparent engine failure, streaming 'smoke', heading for a ditching - then flying away! Obviously the aircraft interior needed cleaning so we landed at Blackpool where Aussie had contacts.
13th Oct: Carlisle Edinburgh (Made a seperate short flight for photography)
14th Oct: Edinburgh Perth Dundee Aberdeen
This arrival at Dundee was, let's say, interesting. Strong gusting wind from the north creating considerable turbulence. I had expected Aussie to take over, but he left me to cope. Can't say it was a pretty arrival, but got G-WACL down without bending it.
The flight up to Aberdeen was, for me, quite demanding. Had a drift angle applied that I had never encountered before. Got a clearance from ATC at Aberdeen to enter their zone, over the coast at Stonehaven, not above 500ft. By this point a frontal system with nigh on gale force winds and a low cloud base, coming in from the north-west, certainly gave me some exercise, very often applying full aileron plus rudder to keep G-WACL more or less in level flight! Aussie sat there seeming quite unconcerned.
15th Oct: Aberdeen Glasgow (Had planned to go further north. Were advised to come back in the spring!)
16th Oct: Glasgow Prestwick Newcastle
17th Oct: Newcastle Teeside Leeds/Bradford
18th Oct: Leeds/Bradford Wycombe Air Park
(Came home waiting for another weather window)
24th Nov: Wycombe Air Park Coventry Birmingham Manchester
After holding over Woodford aerodrome for some time, we eventually gained our clearance to land. After departing from Birmingham the forecast weather got much worse. Low cloud often with heavy rain. Thankfully the traffic on the M6 had their headlights on!
I landed at Manchester in a cross-wind gusting up to 45 knots+. That's when you need a safe and predictable aeroplane. The maximum demonstrated corsswind in the Cessna pilots handbook is 15 knots. So, I elected to fly along the grass to the north of the runway and then turn south to land across the runway. I am pretty sure we didn't make it even halfway across? Aussie then told me off for, when taxying in, I was not keeping us exactly on the taxyway line markings. Have to admit, in these conditions I really was struggling - in effect applying the full flying controls, as well as the foot-braking, to gain anything like full control of G-WACL. Through his contacts, we were gratefully offered the opportunity to park G-WACL in the Air Kilroe hanger.
25th Nov: Manchester Humberside Norwich Wycombe Air Park
IN CONCLUSION
So - what an adventure. Went off as a boy, came back as a man. Now quite happy dealing with Air Traffic Control at any major airport. Aussie had just retired from being an airline pilot and ran the Aviation Picture Library, plus being Chief Photographer for Flyer magazine. And yes, he made me, quite often, handle the radio - something I was thereafter very grateful for. Many lessons learnt.
But, as it turned out, it was very much a shared escapade. Aussie was not that familiar with flying so low down over the country, and my truck driving experience came in very handly when navigating. For example he was highly amused when we were flying up the A74 initially from Carlisle, when I told him the parking area at a transport cafe had now been enlarged. At some point along the way, he told me it was impossible for me to ever get lost!
As you might well imagine, at that time, didn't want to contradict him. Why should I? But, we were mostly flying along, or near, very well known major trunk roads, railways and rivers.
172 G-WACL 1993 Wycombe Air Park Caernafon Elstree North Weald
This turned out to be rather interesting, joining the circuit to land with a 172 mixing in with mostly much slower microlights. On finals adopted the technique of zigging and zagging with full flaps to maintain a sufficient distance. Trusted that anybody behind would realise what I was doing, and not thinking I was completely drunk, half-blind, having a dizzy fit etc.
This late afternoon flight to Rochester from Wycombe Air Park was flown in very nice weather conditions. A comfortable 'jolly' to visit a new destination. However, heading back we soon saw an unexpected front of CBs stretching across our route home. We were not unduly worried, had plenty of fuel. so decided to see if there was a route home avoiding these? We zigged and zagged until reaching the Devil's Punch Bowl at Hindhead on the old A3 before a clear course home presented itself. After landing and checking in, an instructor spotted my chart.
He was amazed, had never seen anything like it, the route we had flown looking more like one of those 'join-the-dots' in a children's colouring book.
G-WACL 1994 Wycombe Air Park Finmere Halfpenny Green Popham
Rochester White Waltham Cranfield (PFA Rally)
Sandown (IoW) Bournemouth Compton Abbas
G-WACL 1995 Wycombe Air Park Hinton-in-the-Hedges Popham
G-WACL 1996
Wycombe Air Park Draycott Farm Chilbolton Shotteswell Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Horton-cum-Studley Enstone Wescott
The trip to Enstone was to photograph, with Aussie Brown, the crashed Bristol Freighter. (See my listing for Enstone).
Flying into Wescott was something different. We had an exhibition stand contractor here. So, one day I drove my truck up and down the runway to see if a smooth and pebble free strip was available - and there was. Arranged permission to land there, (at my own risk), and flew in from Wycombe Air Park to make a flight for them. Actually a couple coming with me from Wycombe Air Park and a couple more coming back. See the listing for Wescott for a couple of pictures.
G-WACL 1997 Wycombe Air Park Halton Luton Brimpton
G-WACL 1997 Wycombe Air Park Lydd
Another memorable ocassion. My wife bought me a flight in the JP.T4 Jet Provost XW428, including aeros. The pre-flight briefing mostly consisted of the operation of the ejector seat! My first flight in a jet and absolutely loved it - went round the sky as if on rails. The flight home seemed a very staid affair.
G-WACL 1998 Wycombe Air Park Brimpton Staverton
Flew to Staverton to do an air-to-air sortie, but Aussie put me up for taking the right hand seat in the Robin ATL. The conditions were far from ideal with strong winds bringing wave turbulence from the Welsh mountains. The owner of the ATL had never done any close formation flying and was very reluctant to get close enough, so I asked if he was happy for me to take the controls. He was. It was, for me, mostly of interest to see how the effects of the turbulence affected the two types. Aussie was in a Cessna 172, and with the ATL having a much lighter wing loading it reacted in a very pronounced way. I crept up close and boof, the ATL leapt up towards the 172. Power off, nose down sharply - try again, and again. Got the job done, but have no idea, now, what the ATL owner made of it.
G-WACL 1999 Wycombe Air Park Cambridge
172 G-WACW 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACW 1990 Wycombe Air Park Sywell
G-WACW 1994 Wycombe Air Park White Waltham Thruxton
Old Sarum
G-WACW 1997 Wycombe Air Park Elstree White Waltham
Once again a positioning flight with Aussie Brown to do air-to-air photos with the Yugoslavian type, Kraguj, ground attack fighter. We had arranged with White Waltham to do a low pass so that Aussie could picture it in a ground-attack mode. What we did not know was the pilot of the Kaguj had had a radio failure just before we commenced. Got a message from White Waltham ATC saying they much enjoyed seeing my high-speed low pass - but no Kaguj? Landed and an hour later flew back to Elstree.
G-WACW 1998 Wycombe Air Park Hook Popham Redhill
Flying into Hook, (Scotland Farm), was interesting as the mown runway was barely wider than the track of a 172. Being one way in, opposite way out, for us at least. Taking off, must have collected a tail-wind, so we were not going to clear the pylons, (that can be seen in the picture), so, having a very limited climb rate, turned across the M3 at a very low level. Often wonder what anybody driving along the M3 made of this?
Had a passenger who had never flown in a light aircraft. When just coming into the flare, Charlie Whiskey dropped like a stone from around ten feet. I yanked back on the yoke whilst adding a lot of power, and she settled down quite softly, and my passenger congratulated me on a very nice landing! More like a crash in my book. The chap manning the radio was much amused when I booked in, telling me that he was surprised that the aerial below the fuselage was still attached! When I asked if he had any ideas about why this had happened, he asked me to look at the three windsocks - which were all blowing in different directions! So, from brisk headwind to brisk tailwind in seconds.
172 G-WACY 1991 Wycombe Air Park Dinard (F) Rennes (F) Quiberon (F) Belle Isle (F)
G-WACY 1995 Wycombe Air Park Compton Abbas
172 G-WACZ 1989 Wycombe Air Park
G-WACZ 1990 Wycombe Air Park Sandown (IoW) White Waltham
G-WACZ 1991 Wycombe Air Park Leicester Le Touquet (F)
Popham Panshangar Enstone
G-WACZ 1992 Wycombe Air Park Sandown (IoW)
G-WACZ 1993 Wycombe Air Park Fairoaks White Waltham
G-WACZ 1994 Wycombe Air Park Hatfield
G-WACZ 1995 Wycombe Air Park Deanland Thurrock
Note: Was invited by the CFI at Wycombe Air Centre to fly him over to Hatfield to retrieve their Beech Duchess, on the 7th January 1994. Didn't know at the time but it seems that I was one of the very last pilots to takeoff from this historic aerodrome.
G-WACZ 1996 Wycombe Air Park White Waltham Headcorn
The reason for landing at Headcorn was, again with Aussie Brown, I was flying the camera-ship to photograph the 'Diamond Nine' Tiger Moths escorting another Tiger Moth on its first stage of a flight to Australia. (See the listing for White Waltham for a pic of that Tiger Moth).
FLYING OTHER CESSNA 172 SKYHAWKs in the UK
172D G-BPVY 1992 Top Farm Fenland Manston Le Touquet (F)
(I have added the 'D' as this was a very old 172, nothing like the later models)
172 G-AXBH 1993 Top Farm Great Massingham Little Snoring
Great Thornes Farm Crowfield Andrewsfield
Rayne Nuthampstead Halfpenny Green
Little Gransden
172 G-BGIU 1995 Top Farm Wellesbourne Mountford Shobdon
Staverton Turweston Cranfield (PFA Rally)
G-BGIU 1996 Top Farm Le Touquet (F) Clacton
Waits Farm Cranfield Beccles Headcorn
The trip to Cranfield was for the PFA 50th anniversary Rally, including a short flight whilst there for photography by Austin (Aussie) J Brown who ran the Aviation Picture Library plus being Chief Photographer for Flyer magazine. In those days I often flew the camera-ship for Aussie involving air-to-air photo shoots. One notable sortie being to photograph G-OWET, the Thurston TSC-1A2 Teal, which included pictures of it landing and then taking off on a lake in Norfolk. Aussie had invited another photographer along so we were heavy and skimming along the tops of the lakeside trees was novel, if not character building - my term for trying something for the very first time - and hopefully getting it right!
G-BGIU 1996 Top Farm Swansea Brittas Bay (IRL) Newcastle (IRL)
Weston (IRL) Connemara (IRL) Cork (IRL)
This trip had many, shall I say(?), interesting aspects. Not least when flying around the west coast of southern Ireland both the fuel gauges soon went down to empty. This being despite filling both tanks to full at Weston, just west of Dublin. Fuel gauges in those days in Cessnas were known to be unreliable, but - both reading empty? I had, must admit, only done a visual inspection at Connemara, and there appeared to be plenty of fuel.
So, headed straight for Cork and declared a PAN PAN to ATC. Should have declared a MAYDAY had I known! Cork ATC, bless them, cleared us to land and I stayed with the aircraft to see exactly how much the tanker loaded. Could hardly believe the figures - we had landed with just one gallon left in each tank! A quick calculation showed that our fuel consumption had risen from around 7 gallons per hour to 11gph and the engine could not run at that level of consumption of course.
There were no leaks, so filled up we decided to land back at Swansea, refuel and compare the figures. As expected, they returned to around 7gph. Clearly, overnight at Connemara some evil bastard had stolen several gallons, thereby seriously endangering our lives. We did not report the incident as there seemed little point. No CCTV at Connemara so no proof. But, after this I did make sure when dipping the tanks for a longish flight, that I used a calibrated dip stick.
G-BGIU 1997 Top Farm Lydd Ostend (B) Southend
Short weekend break to Belgium. Stayed overnight in Bruges, made a day trip by train to Antwerp.
G-BGIU 1997 Top Farm Lydd Le Havre (F) Dinard (F) Deauville (F)
An Easter holiday trip soon after the trip to Belgium. Quite typically having quite demanding weather to fly through along the way - scattered low cloud between Le Havre to Dinard, heavy overcast above. Bit of a 'roller-coaster' ride south of the Cherbourg peninsular, dipping below cloud, then above, and the motorists on the main road mostly had their headlights on which we appreciated. As expected soon cleared up approaching Dinard.
G-BGIU 1997 Top Farm Dieppe (F) Rouen (F) Belle-Isle (F) Ile D'Yeu (F)
La Rochelle (F) Dinard (F) Granville (F) Deauville (F) Headcorn
Another typical August Bank Holiday trip to France. Cannot remember but probably intending to land at Le Havre to clear Customs. Passing Dieppe by some way, encountered sea-fog. And low cloud, so, about turn and divert into Dieppe. Phone calls to French Customs kept them happy, so the next day we decided to route south and visit Rouen before heading west to Belle Isle.
G-BGIU 1998 Top Farm Cranfield
172 G-BNKD 1995 Bristol
(To photograph the last stage before the second Severn bridge was finished)
172R G-BXGV 1998 Wycombe Air Park
I was interested in getting checked out on this version of the 172 because it was built in 1997, so almost brand new. Wycombe Air Centre had it because they were Cessna agents, including sales. Didn't take to it, never flew it again - much preferring my old favourite. G-WACL, a Reims Cessna F172N, built in 1979 and with 40 degrees of flap available.
172 G-JVMD 1999 Top Farm Lydd Le Havre (F) Dinard (F) Jersey (CI)
Granville (F) Caen (F) Stapleford Kemble
Along the way this holiday in France had an interesting aspect. Checking the WX for Caen, CAVOK as was Dinard when we took off. Approaching the Cherbourg peninsular a huge bank of cloud rose from the tops of the hills to around 25,000 feet? So, was there a way through up the valleys? First valley - NO. Second valley - NO. Plan B was, if the third valley was the same, to see if we could fly at low level over the sea around Cherbourg. Turning around in the third valley we saw something quite astonishing - a fog bank sweeping across the sea towards us at alarming speed. We estimated perhaps around 60mph?
Clearly we had to divert ASAP, selecting Granville - but, would we get cut off? Quite likely? No way of knowing. My decision was to fly very low along the beaches flat out, as this seemed a much safer option than a forced landing in the typically very small fields with stone walls. And, mostly with people living nearby if push came to shove. We did a full briefing in the event of having to land on a beach. I would stall it in, from a couple of feet, near the waters edge as the sand is usually harder, being water-logged. Even so it would probably turn over as the nose-wheel dug in. The three of us were not much concerned as such. Indeed my wife was using Guy Brownings video camera to record this turn of events, later commenting that it was very novel to be flying along looking up into peoples dining rooms!
We made it to Granville which was deserted, nobody manning a radio. Did a very tight low level circuit to check for any activity and landed. As we shut down, the trees in the fields disappeared very quickly - the fog front still travelling at speed. In the small terminal found the phone number for a taxi to take us into town. By sheer good luck the taxi driver was also a pilot. Didn't speak English but my kerb-side French was enough. Told us he would pick us up at and by 15.00 all would be clear. Still very foggy when he collected us, but, incredible for us, by the time we were ready to depart - blue skies.
172 G-JVMD 2000
Top Farm Filton Eaglescott
Bodmin Land's End Perranporth
Westbury-sub-Mendip Oaksey Park
I had waited for many years to find a weather window suitable for flying down to the west country, getting down to land at Land's End and then across to the Scilly Isles. Landing at FILTON along the way, was to me, quite an important entry in my logbook.
The main aim being to get to land on the Isles of Scilly. Not a chance, the Scilly being closed on a Sunday! Met some Swedish pilots in the small terminal at Land's End, (also with a Cessna 172), quite flabbergasted to discover this utterly incomprehensible situation. Closed during a period when most needed? At the weekend!!!
Flying into Westbury-sub-Mendip was memorable, nothing like expected as shown in Pilot Guide books, not least for having a blustery crosswind. Basically you are landing on what was a railway track most of the way with fairly high hedges on both sides. My wife, a great passenger and very helpful in my flying, after landing remarked, "Are you sure you have landed in the right place?" I had of course as the owner soon appeared to get the landing fee.
172 G-JVMB 2001 Top Farm Rencombe Kemble
Having previously that day delivered Aussie Brown to Rencombe in the C.150, G-DENC, decided to invite our very good friend, and fellow pilot, Guy Browning along for the trip. Having time to spare we decided to land, along the way, at Kemble.
G-JVMD 2001 Top Farm Rochester
Popham Sandown
I had previously submitted an article with pictures to Pilot magazine, extolling the virtues of flying down to the West Country, when of course, the weather permits, which is not so often by and large. Seemed that the article had been very well regarded by their readers, so the editor commissioned me to start a series of articles about flying around the coast of the UK. My first problem was that I needed another pilot to fly the 172 whilst I was taking the pictures. Using my contacts. Paddy Jordan very kindly volunteered, so I flew down to Rochester to pick him up.
Typically, as I approached Rochester a big thunderstorm was drifting in, and just managed to land, before it hit. Paddy had never flown a 172 before but got the hang of it within minutes once we got going. I of course would be doing the landings and take-offs, but, the way I went about taking pictures was often quite demanding, flying around in a manner not normally taught, often skidding around the sky with crossed-controls, and Paddy took to this like a duck to water.
Plan A was to fly across to the west coast of Dorset, then proceed easterly. As we approached Bridport and West Bay we were confronted with sea fog, so quickly headed east. Very hazy but I could get half decent pictures looking down vertically from above. The situation improved heading east and we took many pictures along the way ending up on the south coast of the Isle of Wight. Then heard on the radio that the Red Arrows were coming our way from an air show at Portsmouth, totally ignoring the basic Rules of the Air, which is to keep a line feature to your left. So, not wishing to have a windscreen full of red BAe Hawks, we quickly turned inland to land at Sandown and figure out what to do next?
Many people in aviation think that proper flight planning in light aircraft should take weeks. Utter nonsense of course, by and large in the UK, as we have such constantly changing and unpredictable weather. so mostly we tend to see what we have, and what we might expect at short notice. What we hadn't noticed was a massive sailing event taking place in the Solent - and everywhere was booked out in the entire region! So, Plan B, fly into Popham. The nearest hotel could only offer a room with a large double bed. Had to take it, but no cuddling in - oh no!
Next morning thick fog. Persisted all day, Sat around at Popham. Cheesed off needless to say, nothing much happening. Hence the oft quoted saying in light aviation, "Time to spare? Go by air!"
Next day, brilliant. Almost perfect flying conditions. Set off and completed the 'mission'. Was told that Pilot magazine had never had such a positive response to any article. Obviously delighted set about planning the next stage. BUT! The magazine was then sold and the new owners most certainly did not want articles like this. Heh ho, such is life.
172 G-BOEN 2002 Top Farm Bentwaters Old Buckenham
Another case of it being who you know, rather than what you know. I had been involved, with my truck, delivering motion control equipment for a filming job. Got into conversation with the manager, (owner?) of Bentwaters, so, as you may well imagine, asked for permission to fly in. Which, happily for me, was granted. Was highly amused, as he was, when after landing a security guard told us that somebody had just rung them up to say, "A Mustang has just landed!"
172 G-DRAM 2002 Twenty-nine Scottish Lochs in one day
Had made a very good friend of James Roland through my 'Longest Ever Flight' project, (See below). James, then living near Glasgow, flying for British Airways as a senior Captain, had a share in G-DRAM, a Reims Cessna FR172F Reims Rocket on floats. We then came up with this project and the editor of Flyer magazine agreed it would make a good story. I resolved to never ask to take control, being quite happy to make all the notes and take the pictures.
172 G-DRAM 2003 Loch Earnhead
Loch Doon
Swanage Bay
Port Haverigg
Around a year later we decided to fly G-DRAM down to Swanage Bay in Dorset, to take part in the 'so-called' celebrations of the Centenary of Powered Flight. Once again I had arranged for this story to be published in Flyer magazine. Cannot remember when, as I forgot to log it, Tim Crampton who had a share in G-DRAM did kindly allow me to fly it. I had after all, already been signed off in Florida for all the practical floatplane exercises. He was much amused as I lined up to take-off, applying full power. to swing around alarmingly despite my efforts to constrain it. This being the effect of torque between a 160hp 172 on floats and a 230hp version.
Note: Port Haverigg was a weather diversion. Not being allowed to land on any of the lakes in the Lake District, and the sea state being far from ideal, we spotted this remarkable location and decided to land. We had expected, in all likelihood to get a hostile reception, but it turned out to be the exact opposite - we were welcomed with open arms. No doubt helped by the land-owners son, who was also there, learning to fly helicopters! How lucky can you be?
172 G-BDNU 2003 Elstree Lydd Luxembourg (LX) Egelsbach (D) Nordlingen (D)
Ober-Schleisheim (D) Stuttgart (D) Headcorn
I had been invited to attend the 'one-off' air show being held at Ober-Schleisham to commemorate the 'so-called' anniversary of powered flight. Turned out to be quite an adventure from the start. The pilot I was intending to fly with had lost his job, so, at the last minute had to find somebody else. A lovely Dutch lady with low hours, married to an Englishman, (also a pilot), through my contacts. leapt at the chance having never flown abroad before. Through other contacts had got to know Jim Monroe via WHITE WALTHAM, and he wanted to come along as a passenger, although he was not a pilot.
All went well, picking up Marion at LYDD, then flying across to Luxembourg International Airport. Then learnt that due to a German government minister learning that light aircraft were going to be parked on the grass, had a fit and cancelled, amongst others, our permission to land. So, what to do? Jim had a son living near Egelsbach so we diverted there for a night stop. Next day we decided to fly across to Nördlingen, park the aeroplane and proceed by bus. train or taxi. Arriving, learnt that we could fly in, with a special dispensation being arranged, before the aerodrome opened.
But, we had a problem. On landing the fuel pumps were closed at Nördlingen as a major beer-fest was taking place. Having dipped the tanks I calculated that we had just enough fuel to reach Ober-Schleissham. Taking off at dawn it was turning out to be a clear day with light if any wind and we could do a straight in approach from the west. So, for me, minimal risk despite not having enough fuel for a go-around?
On the way back, approaching Stuttgart in clear sky conditions, saw a massive storm front. No warnings being given, despite being in contact with a German flight information service! Took the decision to divert immediately into Stuttgart International airport, and ATC there were brilliant. They knew exactly what was about to happen, and cleared us into land ASAP. Not long after landing in very nice conditions the storm hit, pronounced to be the worst in living memory, stretching from northern Spain up to the Baltic. Next morning, around 10.30 we flew back to Blightly, accepting an inivitation by ATC to do a couple of 'touch-and-goes' at Karlsruh/Baden-Baden en route to Luxembourg.
172 G-BDNU 2003 Elstree Kemble
This year was worth making at note of, because I flew G-BDNU across to KEMBLE for the first PFA Rally they held there, and also because, although it was mostly a scam arranged in the USA, the centennary of powered flight. It wasn't of course, the Wright brothers only achieved a short hop flying in ground effect. Airborne yes, but not flying in any sense. So, on the 17th of December I taxyed out at Elstree only to be told to hold, for several minutes, as the Red Arrows were coming through to display at HENDON!
172 G-BDNU 2004 Skegness Beverley Fishburn Errol Perth Peterlee North Coates
This was a trip up north from ELSTREE shared with Linda Lavelle, a fellow member of the Lion Flying Group. The object was to visit the PFA Fly-in being held at PERTH (SCONE). Typically, on the way up, and back, we had to adjust our plans due to poor weather heading north and sea fog on the way home.
172 G-BDNU 2004 Elstree Marshland Connington
I had arranged with Jose McVicar, our CFI at the Lion Flying Group at Elstree to plot a course going roughly up north and north-east to photograph as many flying sites as I could for this 'Guide'. We shared the flying sectors. I took it to Marshland, then Jose took over.
Elstree Lille (F) Charleville-Mézières (F) Reims-Champagne (F)
Reims-Prunay (F) Le Touquet (F)
The second trip with Linda Lavelle and my wife to the Ardennes region had an interesting aspect. Landing at Lille we took advantage of the first class GA Met. facility and the satellite pictures were not good at all - huge front of dense low cloud was affecting our destination. But, scrolling back it showed a small gap in the front which was still there and moving south-east towards Charleville. We calculated that at the time we expected to arrive, it may well still be there? If not we would have to divert of course. Incredibly it was still there and we landed. By the time we had tied G-BDNU down it had moved on and it was peeing down.
The next day, with a hire car, we toured the region and the following afternoon flew to Reims-Champagne for a night stop. Fully staffed small terminal but nothing happening - no fuel for use either. So, the next day we hopped across to Reims-Prunay which was where our FR172 had been built. The stop at Le Touquet was simply to clear Customs and file a flight plan.
172 G-BDNU 2004 Elstree Chalgrove
As is often said in life, it's not what you know, it's who you know. Managed to combine the two in arranging a visit to inspect and photograph the distribution truck that Martin-Baker had had converted to a 'dragster' for testing ejector seats. Thereby saving wear and tear on one of their two Gloster Meteors - the oldest military jets still in service. Probably still are?
172 G-BDNU 2005 Elstree Lydd Lille Lashenden
This was a Bank Holday trip to visit somewhere - which I have forgotten about. Due to the long taxy required, the power-checks revealed a problem, a plug had fouled and the usual high-power and lean technique failed to work. With no mechanics around we were halted in our tracks and a flying club member kindly gave us a lift into Lille. A city with, in the centre, much to recommend it. The following morning a power-check showed that the problem had cleared!
172 G-BDNU 2006
Elstree Bourne Park Compton Abbas
Farway Common Watchford Farm Chilbolton
Found out, when visiting Bourne Park, that an annual Fly-in and BBQ was being held a few days later, so flew back. Was told that a DC-3/C-47 had also used this strip for filming a scene in a movie about Yugoslav resistence fighters in WW2.
Gordon Brown, a fellow member of the Lion Flying Group at Elstree, decided we would fly down to the Fly-In at Watchford Farm, landing at Bourne Park, Compton Abbas and Farway Common on the way across. Gordon hadn't been checked out on the 172, so I was P.1. Which means I can choose to sit in the left or right-hand seat. I decided to let Gordon fly in the left-hand seat from Compton Abbas to Farway Common, knowing already that he was a very good and experienced pilot. Just needing to help him out in the flare, which in a 172 needs, in clement conditions, slowly hauling back on the yoke until it reaches the back-stop just above the ground.
When we checked in the airfield owner remarked it was such a pleasure to see a 172 landed properly. I immediately told him that Gordon was very good at landing a 172. I then took it to Watchford Farm and the conditions were ideal for me to show off a bit to land on the E/W runway. Dropped it over the hedge and, with some heavy braking, had it stopped before the cross-runway. Looking at the Google Earth © measure, this was within 90 metres. Who says you can't have a lot of fun in a Cessna172? G-BDNU does have, of course, the 40 degrees of flap setting. We stayed overnight in the 'Swiss Chalet' on the farm. What a treat!
AND NOW FOR THE BIG ONE
Decided to sod the expense and go for it - well - it was for my sixtieth birthday. My wife and I, being as I called it, self-unemployed running our two small businesses, had never had a summer hoiday. And, as our daughter was living and working in the Algarve in southern Portugal, the choice of destination was, to me anyway, obvious. We departed from Elstree on the 24th of August and returned on the 2nd September. But, this was going to be a holiday, wasn't it? So, cajoled my very good friend James Roland, a senior Captain with British Airways, to please come along. On the basis that he did all the clever stuff, and I would stick to handle-bar management and picture taking. Bless him - he agreed. As you have probably discerned by now, I am basically incapable of flying anywhere in a straight line - if needing to do so, I get a ticket with an airline. And, for touring, a light aircraft is very hard to beat. We picked James up from Thiefrow in the afternoon, flew down to Lydd and set off the following morning in easy stages.
DAY ONE: Lydd Nantes (F) Arcachon (F)
Low overcast across northern France so flew VFR above most of the way to Nantes. No hotels available in Arcachon. Big wedding going on with association by the then French President, so decanted by train to Bordeaux.
DAY TWO: Archachon (F) Asturias (E)
Low level and what a delight, especially northern Spain.
DAY THREE: Asturias (E) Santiago de Compostela (E)
James remarked that he would have found it much easier in a British Airways 767 getting into Santiago. Spanish ATC left a great deal to be desired flying a 172. Small wonder then that on the GA apron only a couple of foreign visitors were to be seen. Note that we were taking it easy for flying, doing the tourist bit equally important.
DAY FOUR: Santiago de Compostela (E) Cascais (P)
Might be worth mentioning that for this trip we could only get Jepperson charts, and quite frankly they are not fit for purpose - or weren't in those days. Getting our approach to Cascais from ATC were asked to report overhead Cabo de Roca. Wasn't on the chart James told me. "Ridiculous, give the chart to me." I knew exactly where it was having photographed it from the air flying out of Cacais. James was of course quite correct. Wasn't there! This having a 'small' claim to fame being the most western point in Europe! (Had noted similar serious omissions on other Jepperson charts).
DAY FIVE: Cascais (P) Portimao (P)
Howling wind coming in, landing all 'shit and feathers' for me, but got it down. James remarked that if I had had two degrees more left bank angle applied, it would have been spot on. Nearest I ever got to giving him a damned good punch in the arm.
DAY SIX: Portimao (P) Salamanca (E) Salamanca a lovely city to explore.
DAY SEVEN: Salamanca (E) Pamplona (E)
Arrived to find we could not depart as flying training was still going on. What!?! Got away at 17.55. Arrived in Pamplona at dusk, 20.55.
DAY EIGHT: Pamplona (E) Saumur (F) Angers (F) Deauville (F)
Landed at Saumur to get fuel. No chance! Rang up Angers and yes, they could provide fuel. Asked permission for a straight in approach as we were very short of fuel, and that was approved. Arriving in Deauville found that no accommodation was to be found for many miles around as a film festival was going on. A very kindly taxi driver took pity on us and found somewhere we could stay about forty miles away, and arranged transport there via people he knew running a bespoke chaffeur business - at taxi rates.
DAY NINE: Deauville (F) Biggin Hill Elstree
Note: These days of course, having a 'smart' phone and 'apps', we could probably have avoided most of the problems encountered, But, we thoroughly enjoyed this trip. It was, in many ways, quite an adventure. Solving problems 'on the hoof'. Which to me has always been part and parcel of travelling. Or was. Accept the challenge. Try to take the easy way these days, as far as possible.
SOMETHING A BIT MORE LOCAL - SO TO SPEAK
172 G-BDNU 2008
Elstree Compton Abbas Bolt Head Dunkeswell
Old Sarum Chiltern Park
With Gordon Brown, another member of the Lion Flying Goup at Elstree, we arranged to fly to a Fly-in at Bolt Head, visiting a couple of other places along the way, to and from.
MAKING A VERY SMALL MARK ON HISTORY
172 G-BDNU 2008 Elstree Ostende (B)
Templehof (D) Peenemunde (D)
Kiel (D) Sønderborg (DK)
Groningen-Eelde (NL) Antwerp (B)
This was to be my last long trip as a current PPL and my very good friend, James Roland, with one of his daughters, decided that we really should make a visit to Templehof in Berlin before it was finally closed. We landed on the 3rd September and it was closed, forever, on the 30th October 2008. This very famous, indeed iconic airport, which opened in the 1930s became, when work finished in 1941 the second largest building in the world, the largest being the Pentagon in the USA. The closure was very controversial and we did not meet one Berliner who was not opposed to it being closed!
The next destination was Kiel, calling in at Peenemunde. The reason being that James wanted to show his daughter around because their family originated from here. I then suggested that we fly into Denmark as I wanted to take a short flight in a Danish registered aircraft, thereby ticking the last box in my list of foreign aircraft flown in and registered in the countries in what was once 'western' Europe. James said, no, and if I wanted to do so, I should go on my own - which I did.
As it was a Sunday I was very grateful to be helped by people at Kiel airport to arrange such a flight at short notice. It was a glorious day for flying and I was in a state of happiness rarely if ever surpassed. Then I realised that, now being on my own, I needed to pay attention to the navigation and radio duties we had shared on the trip so far. With my flight in a Danish aircraft achieved I flew back to Kiel and we set off for Antwerp. Fairly soon we realised that the weather was turning against us as we flew along the coast, not least by now having a strong headwind. I had refuelled at Sønderborg but it was probably not enough to safely get us to Antwerp? So - Plan B - divert to Groningen-Eelde to top the tanks up.
172 G-BDNU 2008 Elstree Cosford
A good enough an excuse to fly in, rather than drive, to visit the most excellent museum.
172 G-BDNU 2009 Elstree Boscombe Down
It did not know it at the time but this was going to be my last ever flight as pilot-in-command of a light aircraft. My aviation medical examination revealed that I had macular degeneration developing in my right eye. Also, as my wife and I were about to retire closing down our two small businesses, with therefore no income coming in, it was time to call it a day.
FLYING THE CESSNA 182 SKYLANE
Have to say I did much enjoy flying the Cessna 182. Not least because basically when it comes to weight and balance calculations, if you cannot see out of the windows -it's full! But, it is more expensive to hire, and there are not too many generally available. And, not too user friendly for aerial photography compared to the 172. Much heavier and faster.
182 G-LIGG 1991 Wycombe Air Park Bembridge
182 G-LIGG 1992 Wycombe Air Park Redhill Biggin Hill
Compton Abbas Sandown (IoW) Denham
182 G-WACV 1992 Wycombe Air Park Manston Le Touquet (F)
Our original intention was to fly down to the West Country, but, when we started looking at the weather it was abysmal. So, what to do? Go home? Then we, I probably (?), said, "Come on, let's join the party!" It had been arranged at Wycombe Air Centre to have a mass Fly-Out to Le Touquet, and they were taking it all, quite properly, very seriously with a very detailed briefing. Not unlike in Bomber Command in WW2 - "Your target for tonight is....., "etc. Even in those days I was not much interested in yet another Le Touquet jolly. Hence we were doing our own thing, or thought so a week or more beforehand.
Informing the people in the office of our intentions, namely that we'd at least be making a contribution, but cancelling the following two days, they said, "Fine, not a problem." Jumped into Charlie Victor and across to Manston for a snack, clear Customs and file a flight plan. Arriving at Le Touquet we found them all ensconced in the restaurant, so bowled in all smiles. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife - this was not the done thing at all! Oh no. Only one instructor acknowledged our presence. We were clearly less welcome than a fart in a space-suit. Somewhat bemused but also amused, we turned around and went into town. Flying clubs around London can be, usually are, very snooty.
182 G-IRPC 1999 Top Farm Cranfield Duxford
Manston Liege (B) Southend
Having got checked out, I was then invited to get my good friend Guy Browning checked out - hence the visit to Duxford before flying across to Liege for an August Bank Holiday short visit. Liege is a lovely city to visit, so it seemed a good idea. Little did we know! Expecting the airport to be very quiet, on dialling up the frequency all hell was breaking loose, the tower controller barely able to draw a breath.
And now some plonkers from England wanted to land! What we hadn't taken into account was that the Formula One Grand Prix at Spa had just finished, and the exec jets for the teams were here! The scene for helicopters arriving resembling the opening scenes for 'Apocalypse Now'.
Managed to get a quick call in as to where to park, "Near the hangar". Okay, but which hangar? Being a bit cheeky and expecting the controller was taking no interest in us, spotted a vacant spot right outside the GA terminal, so parked up there. Guy was a huge F.1 fan so was like a puppy dog with two tails in a sausage factory. My wife being most amused as she went out to book a taxi. Hearing the press and media mumbling, "Who's mum is she?"
The taxi driver was very helpful, telling us that all hotels in Liege were fully booked, except a couple or so rooms in the most expensive one. Turned out to be not that very costly, compared to others in Europe, so we were quite happy.
One lesson I soon learnt when flying, was that the money in my wallet devalued by around 50%, (at least), after entering the aerodrome. Pay up, be happy and later work out how to afford it. When doing things like this it is, in a light aircraft, a great privilege.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Note: All these flights were taken in Florida.
152 N35FD 1993 Marathon
Arrived to see if there was any chance of going flying and taking some pictures? Did not even know if a flying club/school existed. Finding one did, sauntered in to make enquiries, and found an instructor briefing his pupil. On explaining that we were soon heading off home the pupil very kindly told me I could take his slot.
Unlike the previous day at Key West, the weather was ideal, and great for taking some pictures, especially as I wanted to get one, fairly low down of the Seven Mile bridge, more or less, disappearing over the horizon. Coming back I did, without even thinking about it, a typical constant aspect circular approach to land, as so often practiced at Top Farm. The instructor was most impressed, saying, "Whow, that's how the Navy pilots do it."
Perhaps should mention that the snap I took of the Seven Mile bridge later sold, for the highest fee, (of only two in my career as a freelancer), I had ever got for my snapography. Used for a global promotion by Hertz Car Hire, if my memory serves. Back in those days, £1,500, of which I got 50%.
172 on floats N733MP 1993 Winterhaven (Floatplane training)
I had commenced this training session on the Piper PJ.3S Cub, N3470K, and loved it. But, I was getting too cold, so asked to transfer to their 172 which had a heater. With 160hp, compared to Cub, it could barely get off the water! The best technique required, (from memory), was to get it up to bare minimum flying speed, select second stage of flaps, haul it off the water and then dump the nose down to fly in ground effect to build up enough speed to climb away. I was much amused thinking who first worked this out?
172 N7326E 1993 Winterhaven Inverness Cedar Key Whitted Field
After completing the practical aspect of floatplane flying, we then hired a 172 to explore Florida and beyond. Our instructor had ignored my advice to not fill the fuel tanks up, and getting to take-off speed it reared up alarmingly, soon to then stall of course.
Lesson learnt, turned out that I knew much more about flying 172s than the instructor! Knowing a thing or two about weight and balance calculations. Thankfully, being fairly fit in those days, and the seat runners holding, managed to quickly get the nose down enough to safely climb out, plus of course furiously winding the elevator trim fully forward.
Soon found that with the elevator trim fully forward, this 172 would fly straight and level, so we continued. Knowing that Cessna aircraft are very well built and robust, at that time trusted it to cope. Needless to say, flapless landings were called for at our first destinations.
Fort Pierce Freeport International (Bahamas)
Have included this picture to illustrate just how wrong I can be. We had arranged to fly from Wintehaven on the second day with my wife and daughter to te Bahamas and Freeport was advised, (By the same instructor as the day before). Was not much of a happy experience, as Freeport is a major destination for cruise liners, and they of couse are a menace, and pretty much ruin everywhere they visit.
Anyway, having gone through Customs, never a happy time when visting the USA, we took a break for a drink and snack. Looking out of the window I was alarmed to see somebody towing our aircraft away, so leapt up to confront the issue. Much to learn as always. He was hitching up our aircraft to position it closer to where we were taking our short break!
172 N54743 1993 Key West Marathon
Having got to this point in our holiday. as far as you can go in the south-east part of the USA, despite the weather being dismal with low overcast and rain, I was determined to go flying and soon arranged it. The Florida Keys are barely above sea level, so even with a low cloud-base, not a problem.
END NOTE
Reading through this list, much of which I had, if not exactly forgotten, hadn't much thought about over the intervening years, it may give the impression that I was devoted to these classic Cessna types? Not at all. Haven't counted them all up exactly, but when I stopped flying for medical eye-sight reasons, I had logged time 'interferring with the controls' of over sixty types, including major variations in some cases. Spent a small fortune along the way of course, but never regretted a single penny spent. Has always been my opinion that this life is not a rehearsal - so make the best of it.
THE REALLY BIG PROJECT
Around twenty five years ago or so, (in 2025), I had a bright idea. Why not set about arranging the longest ever flight, (actually a series of flights of course), in the history of aviation? Using a basic model of the Cessna 172 needless to say. The general idea was to fly it mostly around the coastlines around the world, so that war zones could be avoided and other similar problems. By and large the aircraft would be handed over to participating flying clubs so that anybody could fly it, including student pilots with an instructor. I did not do much advance publicity, started making contacts, and very soon the idea started, excuse the pun - 'taking-off'.
The costs of the project being afforded by any pilots paying typical flying school/flying club rates. And, there would be no time limits, it would take as long as it took. All involved being advised when they could expect the aircraft to arrive. So, schedule flexibility built in from the start. Rough estimate, around two years?
Especially helpful was a young lady learning to fly working for Cessna in their HQ in the USA. She provided a list of all the Cessna agents around the world, much needed for maintenance, plus useful for providing contacts with flying clubs. Clearly on a very few sectors a ferry pilot would be needed, but that didn't seem to be a problem. This was how I first got in contact with James Roland, now retired but then a senior captain with British Airways. He loved the idea and told me that, if there were any gaps that needed to be filled, he and his BA colleagues would be more than happy to oblige. Notably the Royal New Zealand Aero Club told me that once the aircraft had reached their shores, they would take care of everything!
I should also explain that I had presented the project to UNICEF, having their logo prominently painted on the fuselage, so that this aircraft could attend air shows etc to raise funds, and this was approved. In 2000 I was going to Aero 2000 at Friedrichshafen in southern Germany with my very good friend Austin (Aussie) J Brown, then the Chief Photographer for Flyer magazine, to cover the event. My role being to help out taking pictures of aspects he couldn't cover. As Cessna had a big stand I arranged to have a meeting at their hotel. Once ensconsed it soon became very clear that Cessna wanted nothing whatsoever to do with project. Indeed, my impression was that the company was, if anything, against it going ahead. As you may well imagine, I had not expected that response!
However, as the meeting broke up I was taken to one side by the man running the main Cessna agency in The Netherlands. He was very much in favour of supporting the project and told me that they could supply the aircraft as an ex-demonstrator. This being a basic model, still in demand, and, as it had been ferried across the Atlantic, all the equipment needed, such as a long range tank etc, would be available. So, nearly everything in place, just a question of raising the funds to purchase the aircraft. He insisted this would not be a problem for a shortish term loan as, having completed the project, many museums would be queueing up to buy it. And, sponsorship, with this pedigree, especially from major corporations, eager to promote their publicity machine, would grasp the potential.
SO, EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH SORTED, WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
I even had one pilot in the USA wanting to fly the entire trip! Had to decline that most generous offer, needless to say. So, pretty much all the pieces in place and final tweaking about to be finalised. Knew of course that this would probably take months rather than weeks.
Then came 9/11, the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York. Followed by the US President, George Bush junior, declaring war on the Middle East. Clearly a strategy designed to capture, for the USA, a substantial part of the oil reserves in that region.
AND SO IT ENDED
This turn of events put paid to the project pretty much overnight.
