December 2013 Newsletter 1 - Moonfruit · LAA East of Scotland Strut December 2013 Newsletter, page...

LAA East of Scotland Strut December 2013 Newsletter, page 1


Monday 2nd December 2013from 20.00 at

The Harrow HotelEskbank Road

Dalkeith

The Light Aircraft Association represents and defends theinterests of some 8,200 pilot, builder and aviation enthusiastmembers from all areas of powered light aviation.

With a full-colour monthly magazine, plus nationwidesocial and technical support networks, the LAA offers thewidest range of aviation member services in Europe. Itprovides full technical and coaching support for the build,operation and airworthiness of over 4,000 sport and recrea-tional UK light aircraft, plus sector-leading consultation andlobbying in aviation regulatory matters, both in the UK andEurope.

About the Light Aircraft Association:www.laa.uk.com

Monday 2nd December 2013Strut meeting

January 6th 2014Strut meeting to be confirmed

Winter is really getting going now. I wasout flying last Monday and I couldn’t keepthe Europa engine temperature quite highenough. I had to land and put my specialradiator muffler on. Sounds good but it isactually a piece of Velcro that I put acrosshalf of one of the two radiators. Keep itsimple, it works a treat.However, once that was sorted I was up toFeshie Bridge and the Autumnal colours upby Newtonmore were spectacular. It wasthe return at about 4.00 pm that was a littletricky. Landing on 23 I could see it wasgoing to be right into the Sun. I made acurved approach so it wasn’t until the lastmoment that the whole windscreen lit upreducing forward visibility to zero. I thenswitch my gaze to the edge of the runwayand on the port side and used that as areference.All’s well that ends well but it was tadtricky. In hindsight I should have used 27even though it gave me a crosswind.Flying keeps you on your toes.Our bird man has been counting Geese thismonth around Dirleton and Tim Rayner’sworkshop is back in action.

Thanks to everyone who came to the lastmeeting. The next meeting is on Monday2nd at the Harrow in Dalkeith.I only have one offer of a presentation tothe Strut which will be next year so wouldappreciate any offers or suggestions forpresentations over the next few months.

This newsletter can also be viewed on theStrut website: www.eos-strut.org.uk

For the last few years we have not had ameeting in January as it was felt to be tooclose to the New Year. This year we aredue to have a meeting on January 6thwhich is almost a week after the New YearCelebrations. I would like to know from themembers whether we should go aheadwith a January meeting or wait untilFebruary. Let me know at Mondaysmeeting or bung me an e-mail [email protected]

Elsewhere in the newsletter there is a piecefrom Duncan regarding our annual StrutDinner, normally around the end of Janu-ary. This did not happen this year due toinsufficient numbers. As most places havea minimum number (around 16) to enableto have a private room we have beenstruggling to reach this number over thelast few years. Possible options wouldappear to include going for a non tradition-al meal (Indian/Chinese/Italian) or theStrut subsidising the extra charge for aroom to keep the cost at a reasonablelevel. Please let Duncan know yourthoughts and suggestions. His e-mail [email protected]

The days are fair drawing in and the tem-perature has noticeably dropped. The goodnews is that the days start to get longerfrom the 22nd so enjoy your aviation whenyou can.


Newark Air MuseumDuncan Robertson’s visit on next four pages


Newark Air Museum is conveniently located at Winthorpe, a few miles offthe A1 near Newark. I visited the museum in September on my way downsouth, using the location as a break point in my journey.I had not visited the site since the late 1980s and much has changed in thelast 25 years. My first impression was that this vast site looked half emptywith most of the larger exhibits spread around the periphery. What I hadnot realised is that the majority of the collection is now housed under coverin the large hangar. Last time I was there most of the aircraft werecrowded together in the open and the museum were struggling to keep theaircraft maintained against the elements.

The collection is varied and unusual and well worth a visit. For me, if I hadto pick the most remarkable artefacts present I would have to list the LeeRichardson Annular Biplane (replica) (BAPC No.20) which is strikinglycircular!

The Avro Ashton 706 front fuselage WB491 is another unique machine.Only six Ashtons were ever built at Woodford and WB491 is the only Ashton2 built. Its sister ship WB492, an Ashton 3, was immortalised in the 1960film “Cone of Silence” starring amongst others, Peter Cushing. The aircraftrepresented a prototype aircraft that crashes and has to be investigated.Apparently, Boeing were approached to provide a 707 for the film butdeclined stating that if any 707 like machine was used in the film they wouldsue!The Ashton was based on the four engined Avro Tudor and was poweredby four Nene jet engines in twin streamlined pods within/below the wings.The fuselage section at Newark is the only known surviving aircraft of itstype. Unfortunately, the hulk is presently out in the elements. I do hopethey find a place inside for it soon.

A visit to Newark Air Museum,by Duncan Robertson


The other surprises were the Mig 23 Flogger and Mig 27 Flogger and theSaab Viggen. LAA members will be glad to note that the prototype TaylorMonoplane G-APRT is housed indoors alongside the Avro Anson C19 VL348.It is in pristine condition and resplendent in a period cream and red livery.

Exibits are interspersed where space allows. For example an “Upkeep”bomb (Dam Busters) is displayed with a model “upkeep” Lancaster in frontof a Percival Prentice.There are artefacts andmemorabilia all over thesite. In the engine shedthe first engine that greetsyou is a Bristol Centaurus.What a beast this is andhow huge. I could not getover the size and complex-ity of it. No wonder theSea Fury and later marksof Tempests were such hotrods, producing somethingin the order of 2,500 hp!


General Aircraft Monospar atNewark on the right, and anassortment of other aircraftbelow. All photographs byDuncan Robertson


Big stuff situated around the periphery includes a Heron, Shackletonand Hastings (recently refurbished by the looks of things) andVulcan B2 XM594.

Please see the NAM website for the full list of aircraft present

http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/


This curiosity was found by Colin Lourie one daywhile cycling along the coast.

"I came across the concrete arrow shown in thephotograph. I've been unable to find out morethan what it says on the plaque, other than itwas constructed during WWII. It's on the edgeof Musselburgh on the east side of the mouth ofthe River Esk - and clearly visible on GoogleEarth."

If anybody knows any more about it, please letus know.

Vintage pointer


(from Jim Prettyman)

British Airways flight asks for push back clear-ance from terminal.

ATC: "Alitalia 345 continue taxi to 26L Southvia Tango - check for workers along taxiway."

Nova 851: "Halifax Terminal, Nova 851 withyou out of 13,000 for 10,000, requesting run-way 15."

Lost student pilot: " Unknown airport withCessna 150 circling overhead, please identifyyourself."

Tower: Have you got enough fuel or not?

Tower: Yes what?

Frankfurt Control: 'AF1733, You are on aneight mile final for 27R. You have a UH-1 threemiles ahead of you on final; reduce speed to130 knots.'

Control: (a few moments later): 'AF33, helicop-

ter traffic at 90 knots now 1 1/2 miles ahead ofyou; reduce speed further to 110knots.'

Control: 'AF33, you are three miles to touch-down, helicopter traffic now 1 mile ahead ofyou; reduce speed to 90 knots'

Control: 'No, but if you ask your co-pilot, hecan probably tell you.'

ATC: 'Cessna 123, What are your intentions?

ATC: 'I meant in the next five minutes notyears.'

Controller: AF123, say call sign of your wing-man.

Controller: Oh, Oh, Shit! You have traffic!

O'Hare Approach: USA212, cleared ILS runway32L approach, maintain 250 knots.

O'Hare Approach: All the way to the gate if youcan.

ATC: Pan Am 1, descend to 3,000 ft on QNH,altimeter 1019.

ATC: Pan Am 1, descend to 36,000 inches onQNH, altimeter 1019

Cessna 152: 'Flight Level Three Thousand,Seven Hundred'

Beech Baron: Uh, ATC, verify you want me totaxi in front of the 747.

Student Pilot: 'I'm lost; I'm over a big lake andheading toward the big "E".

Pilot: 'Approach, Acme Flt 202, with you at12,000' and 40 DME.'

Pilot: 'Approach, 202's unable that descentrate.'

Pilot: 'Yup. But they're for my mistakes. Notyours.'

Tower: 'American...and for your information,you were slightly to the left of the centerlineon that approach.'

Controller: 'USA353 contact Cleveland Center135.60. (pause)Controller: 'USA353 contact Cleveland Center135.60!' (pause)Controller: 'USA353 you're just like my wife

ATC humour


you never listen!'

BB: 'Barnburner 123, Request 8300 feet.'

BB: 'Because the last 2 times I've been at 8500,I've nearly been run over by some bozo at 8500feet going the wrong way!'

Controller: 'FAR1234 confirm your type of air-craft. Are you an Airbus 330 or 340?'

Controller: 'Then would you mind switching onthe two other engines and give me 1000 feetper minute, please?'

Tower: 'Cessna 123, turn right now and reportyour heading.'

Foreign Pilot Trainee: 'Tower, please speakslowly, I am a baby in English and lonely in thecockpit'

Controller: 'CRX600, are you on course to SUL?'

Controller: 'So proceed a little bit more to SUL.'

Pilot: 'Good morning, Frankfurt ground, KLM242 request start up and push back, please.'

Pilot: 'Please confirm: two hours delay?'

Pilot: 'In that case, cancel the good morning!'

‘The People’s Mosquito’

‘The People’s Mosquito’ is an NF 36 like the oneabove. The organisation ‘has a simple vision: tosee the return to the UK skies of the de Havil-land DH.98 Mosquito. The project is a non-profit and benevolent one that reflects thepublic movement seen during the Second WorldWar when many aircraft were funded by thepeople: companies, towns, villages and organi-sations. We plan to replicate that model byasking the people of the United Kingdom to helpus restore to airworthy condition this magnifi-cent flying memorial that captures the spirit, the

pride, the design brilliance and above all thecourage of our nation.’

The website is a source of much that is ofinterest, including articles by engineers and aseductive piece of period colour film from 1944to set the blood racing. Thanks to Jim Pretty-man for this. Follow the links below.

http://peoplesmosquito.wordpress.com/2013/11/12/the-wartime-diary-of-a-de-havilland-engineer-part-1/

http://peoplesmosquito.wordpress.com/


Colin Lourie was in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museumand came across LA198 again. This is the Griffon enginedMk 21 that was refurbished at East Fortune some time ago.

Colin then spent an afternoon rummaging around old imagesand came across this one of the same Spitfire in June 2004after it left East Fortune and when it was in the (old)Museum of Transport in Glasgow, where they squeezed it into the foyer. I don’t know about you but I think it looks farbetter now, suspended as in flight and looking very beautiful.

The Kelvingrove Spitfire …and this one

Keith Boardman came across this award win-ning short film. An American doctor on a WW2USAF base took 16mm films of day to day life,including the crash landing of this Spitfire PR XI.The documentary makers traced the pilot, JohnBlyth, who talks about his unarmed flights toBerlin and back.

…and this one tooFrom David Webb, via Jim Prettyman, comesthis excellent BBC programme about the Spitfirefrom 1976. Presenter is Battle of Britain pilotRaymond Baxter andinterviews are withmany famous pilotsof the era. A goodwatch.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDzZnCkbxgs

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ie3SrjLlcUY&sns=em


There was an item in the Strut’s October News-letter that made the link between airline pilotand glider pilot, and how a ‘seat of the pants’approach to flying is all the more importanttoday as a backup when the technology fails.This item from the Wall Street Journal sent inby my son backs that up.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304439804579204202526288042?mod=e2tw

This has been in the Newsletter before, but itbears a second look. Keith Griggs sends it in.A pilot for a Chinese carrier requested permis-sion and landed at Frankfurt , Germany, for anunscheduled refuelling stop. The number threeengine had been shutdown previously due toexcessive vibration, (because it was trashed), sothe ground crew back in China had strapped itup to stop the turbine windmilling.

3D printers

Rolls-Royce has just announced that it hasstarted using 3D printers to make metallic andceramic parts for its aero engines.

http://gizmodo.com/rolls-royce-is-going-to-3d-print-its-airplane-engine-pa-1464311024

Look, no hands …and ‘that’ engine again

Dubai Airshow

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2013/11/sky-high-ambitions-2013112284247270609.html

An in depth and interesting description of themodern airliner world, by the folks at Al Jazeera

Lady Gaga’s flying dressI know just how much you Strut members enjoythe music of Lady Gaga, you talk of little else inthe breaks during our meetings. So here she is

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24900291

in hernewflyingdress.

Absolutely brilliant!Just watch what happens when a BA flightpasses overhead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GtJx_pZjvzc


Duncan Robertson took this photo of Luscombe P3 Rattler G-BKPG at Newark Air Museum. Theprototype single-seat ultra-light general purpose aircraft could be armed with an optional McDonnellDouglas 7.62mm Chain Gun or 2" Rocket launchers!

G-BKPG was the pre-production airframe and it flew for the first time on 2nd November 1983. Theaircraft was designed to provide quick reaction close military support and also to be easily dismantledfor quick deployment around the battlefield. It is not known whether any of the proposed weaponsystems were ever tested on the aircraft.

What’s this, then?


What could possiblyfollow the SR71Blackbird? Why, thetwice as fast SR 72,with yet another ofthose scramjets thatare cropping up eve-rywhere. Spottedby my son.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/01/skunk_works_unveils_blackbird_replacement_capable_of_mach_6_flight/

SR 72Landing the tricky U2 Lately there hasbeen a fair bit aboutthe Cuban MissileCrisis 50 years ago.Reading up on that Icame across thisvideo of learninghow to land a U2. Iknew it had a repu-tation, needing botha pilot in the cockpitand another in achase car, and nowI know why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eamnTyfkUBY

Erm…Have you thought this through?

Heathrow’s Terminal Five, after anunhappy start with its baggagehandling system, is now consideredone of the top airline terminals inthe world, apart from one thing.Nobody worked out how to changethe light bulbs way up in the ceiling.After five years, 60% have blownand until now none have been re-placed.

The solution is to employ… a circusand its high wire artists.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/10472481/Heathrow-seeks-high-wire-walkers-to-change-light-bulbs.html


As members will recall, the annual dinner did not happen in February,due to lack of response from members and confusion over dates. It isdifficult to book a private room with less than 16 persons as this incurs aroom booking charge of £100 on top of the £30-35 individual cost perperson.

1. In my opinion, the dinner should be in the middle to the end ofJanuary so that interest in a ‘seasonal’ meal does not wane. I wouldtherefore suggest Friday 17th or Saturday 18th January 2014, or Friday24th or Saturday 25 January 2014 as the preferred dates.COULD YOU RESPOND TO ME ASAP?

[email protected]

2. In terms of cuisine, it was mooted that a meal other than traditionalUK fair might be a possibility. Do any members have a preference forsomething different such as an Italian, Indian or Chinese? Or do we stickwith Traditional?EITHER WAY, CAN YOU RESPOND TO ME ASAP?

[email protected]

3. VENUE – the easiest thing for me to book would be Howies atWaterloo Place. We know this is a safe bet from past years, but do wewant a fresh venue? I tried last year but this fell through.RSVP please.

[email protected]

Duncan, Treasurer/Secretary

Message from DuncanPlease reply to Duncan straight away byclicking on the hyperlinks. Even if you’re notsure, say ‘maybe’, but don’t do nothing.That wouldn’t be fair, would it? Andrew.


East of Scotland Strut contacts

Chairman; Justin Kennedy6 Cammo Walk, Edinburgh EH4 8AN Tel 0131 339 8304 / 07798 661 985

justin @systemwise.co.uk

Co-ordinator and Secretary: Iain Gibson102 Craigmount Brae, Edinburgh EH12 8XN Tel 0131 339 2351

[email protected]

Treasurer and Membership Secretary; Duncan Robertson17 Cramond Avenue, Edinburgh EH4 6PP Tel 0131 312 7857

[email protected]

Newsletter Editor: Andrew Macleod102 Gilmore Place, Edinburgh EH3 9PL Tel 0131 228 2774

[email protected]

Safety Officer: Keith Griggs5 Lammermoor Terrace, Tranent, EH33 1NJ Tel 0187 561 2607 / 07710 547 338

[email protected]

LAA Inspector: Tim Rayner3 Fowler Street, Tranent EH33 1BU Tel 0187 561 3352 / 0788 411 3663

[email protected]

LAA Inspector: Robin Johnson Templehall, Midlem, Selkirk TD7 4QB Tel 01835 870 361 / 07836719350

[email protected]

From the LAADudley Pattison hosts his very popular aircraft wood-work courses from his home workshop in Swindon.

This is an ideal course for anybody contemplatingbuilding or repairing a wooden aircraft, the coursecovers wood selection, cutting, drilling, scarfing, gluingetc., in fact all you need to know to gain sufficientconfidence to start your own project.

The course will include: * Comprehensive day's course dedicated to learningthe fundamental woodwork techniques * Includes: cutting, shaping, multiple part production,boring, laminating formers, rib production, scarfing,gluing and internal finishing of timber * Covers the tools required * Course benefits those that need to refurbish or wantto build their own wooden aeroplane

Available dates:11th December 201315th January 201312th February 201312th March 2013

Telephone LAA HQ on 01280 846 786 to check availa-bility and/or book

Dear Struts / Clubs

LAA Facebook has been live for a while now. Whilst Itry to update it on a regular basis, I thought it would benice if the Struts could contribute newsworthy bits plusphotos. https://www.facebook.com/lightaircraftassociation

So, if you want anything uploading please send them tome. Regards, Penny

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December 2013 Newsletter 1 - Moonfruit · LAA East of Scotland Strut December 2013 Newsletter, page...

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