My Flying Diary,

I qualified and got my Pilots license after 6 months training at Aeros in Gloucester, this was 7 written exams, two flight tests and loads of ground school. A massive task indeed. My Instructor was Dave Houghton. I had great fun with Dave learning to fly. A lot of my flying was done in PA28 Warrior G-GFCA.

G-GFCA at Aeros in Gloucester

When I got my licence I had to do a Tail Wheel conversion, to get signed off for the differences training. Flying a Tail wheel aircraft is much more demanding that a Tricycle undercarriage. It is a CAA requirement to get extra training for a tail wheel Aircraft. I done my differences training at Shobdon Airfield with James Peplow. James is providing various types of training. See his website for details. http://www.aircraftdifferencestraining.co.uk/ The Training was dome in a Citabria G-AYXU

G-AYXU

G-AYTR - Piel CP301A Emeraude

I April 2007 I bought a 1/4 share in an Emeraude based at Croft Farm Defford. G-AYTR is owned by the Croft Farm Flying Group. We have four members that currently own and fly the Emeraude. This aircraft, an Emeraude CP301Ais a single engine, two seat,side-by-side low wing monoplane. It was built by Societe Menavia of France, from wood and fabric, with a Serial Number of 2229. Construction was completed on 21st of February 1958. Registered F-BIMD.

The Aircraft was initially based in France at DAX, near Biarritz. It remained there from 1958 to 1964, visiting many French and Italian destinations during that time, Cannes, Turin, Grenoble, Nogaro, Biarritz, Albin, Montpellier and Nice being amongst them. In 1964 the Aircraft moved to it’s new homes, first briefly at Brindas near Lyon,, then to Belleville, From there it operated a great deal locally, but also into South West France, flying into such places as Annecy, Caracassonne, Vilefanche, and Cannes, mainly during the period from 1964 to 1968.
After 1968 there is no record of utilisation, until the aircraft was sold to the UK in 1971, and overhauled there. It was transferred to the British register on 8th June 1971, and operated at Blackbush until February 1976, when it moved to Doncaster. The aircraft was almost exclusively used for touring, visiting many destinations, mainly in the midlands and the Northeast, also returning to it’s home soil for a brief visit to Le Mans in 1979. Eventually the aircraft moved to Bidford.

There it remained during much of the 1980’s, being used for local and touring flying until it was purchased in 1993 and re-based at Croft Farm, Defford where it is currently based. It is owned and operated by the Croft Farm Flying Group, under a permit to fly.

I have been a member of the Croft Farm Flying Group since April 2008. Flying from a Farm Strip certainly sharpens your skill compared to a nice big tarmac runway with a Tricycle undercarriage aircraft.. The insurance company put a condition on me flying G-AYTR. I had to do 25 hours with other group members or an inctructor before flying solo. I'm indebted to David Pick, Dave Houghton & Peter Merriman for genoursly giving their time to allow me to achieve this.

 

Photo by Robin Walker

This was my first flight from Croft Farm flying as Pilot In Command. Peter Merriman came along with me, we went to Henstrige Air Brittan day. Thank you to Mr Robin Walker for the photos.

October 2009 I bought a half share in a Denny Kitfox M1V - 1200 at Croft farm. More fun to had in the lovely machine!