Shock Horror! Annie leaves The Black Horse.
The sad news that Annie Walker, the long-suffering, landlady of the Black Horse at Great Missenden, home of The Black Horse Ballooning Club, is leaving has been made official. We reckon she deserves a rest. Her leaving do is on 18th February with the pub closing for a refurb for a few weeks on Monday 21st. Its quite a few years now that Annie and her family took over the pub, and a fine landlady she was, her steak baguettes were famous. We wish her all the best in her retirement although she’ll probably find something else to do in no time! The Black Horse Ballooning Club 25th Anniversary celebrations are still expected to go ahead as planned.
Air League-Scholarships going, going, nearly gone.
Short notice this but the Air League is, once again, offering flying training scholarships for those under 26 years of age. This seems to be a well kept secret and they reportedly get very few applications. Downside is that applications must be in by 24th February. You will have to join the Air League to apply. Membership and Application forms for the scholarships are available from their website www.airleague.co.uk . Get scribbling now.
And more freebies
Not to be outdone the Royal Aero Club Trust is offering £1,000 burseries to all those that already hold a basic air sport qualification and want to advance their qualifications but don’t have the funds. You will have to be aged 16-21 years of age. For full details and application forms please go to the Royal Aero Club’s website www.royalaeroclubtrust.org.
G-BZUO on the move
Tim Parker’s Countryside Balloons’ trusty 2001 Cameron A340-HL is on the move to Cameron Balloon Flights.
This remarkable old ride balloon has clocked up a remarkable 720 hours. It has had a new parachute (the edge finally gave up) and repair strips to the turning vent panels but other than that is all original. Cameron Flights are going to use it for training some of their pilots up to Group C. The bottom end with quad T&C Magnums will eventually be destined for a new envelope, or so we are told.
Tim bought a new all-hyperlast Ultramagic N-425 registration G-CGGY back in December 2010 to replace BZUO but it is only now going into service proper this coming season.
G-BSBM Comes Out
We had an unexpected visitor the other week. Nuclear Electric G-BSBM is to be resurrected. Built in 1990 this Cameron N-77 has done about 240 hours mainly tethered! It started life with Peter Mason’s Aerial Display Company being flown by Mike Evans in its later years before retiring in 1995 Flying Pictures operated it. Other notables in the logbook include John Clifford, Mr Mason himself , Robin Batchelor, Ian Ashpole and Mark Simmonds along with the gentle touch of Sue Carden. Eventually FP sent it to the Balloon Preservation Group where it was stored by Ian Chadwick coming out for a test inflation in 1998. Since then its done four rusty club tethers! The envelope is a bit pongy but is remarkably strong and doesn’t appear porous. Once re-registered it will be in the care of Ken the fireman Lowry. Rumour is that it may even turn up at the BBM&L Inflation Day.