General 
News update 04.04.15
Chris Wood It is with deep sadness that we heard that our good friend Chris Wood passed away after a very long and courageous fight against cancer this morning. His refusal to be stopped from living a far from normal life, including keeping the British flag truly flying in the arduous Gordon Bennett Competition and… Read More ›
Westfalia Trailers and the strange case of wonky tyre wear
Seems that last month we had more than the normal number of phone calls asking if we could offer advice on uneven tyre wear occuring specifically on Westfalia Trailers but there are plenty of examples of all makes and types of single axle trailers running with the inside or outside edge of both tyres wearing… Read More ›
Finally the Finnish Hurricane is Finished – and I missed it
I just knew it when I agreed to trot over to Northern Ireland at short notice to do a check flight for the very nice Simon Calder and, typically, it happened. I missed out on seeing Phil Lawton’s finally finished Hurricane take to the skies over Thruxton and later, or so we understand, most of… Read More ›
Bikes, Bedale and very fine beer – Three out of three
Last year Sean Simington took it upon himself to cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats in memory of his long time lovely partner Shirley and in doing so raised an awful lot of money for the Big C Drop in Centre in Norwich. Joining him on his epic journey for a stage or two… Read More ›
Talking to EASA April 2014 – The Experience according to Don
In 1900 Jerome K Jerome wrote a comic book “Three men on the Bummel” about three young Englishmen taking a holiday in Germany. He wrote that most young Englishmen do not consider that they have had a good holiday unless they get in trouble with the authorities. For this reason he thought Germany the ideal… Read More ›
News 08.05.14 – Airworthiness update
Cameron Service Bulletin SB22 – Highly Recommended – Issued 02/05/14 Hot off the press Cameron Balloons Ltd have issued Service Bulletin SB22 dated 0/May 2014 connected with the replacement of pressure gauge fittings. It involves the replacement of the brass pressure gauge feed tube and compression fittings with a stainless steel alternative. This is the… Read More ›
Tanks, Steel and Bronze – Back to the Garden
Hatfield House and its beautiful Park is one thing but its a little known fact that Hatfield Park not only paid host to trials in 1916 for the first truly operational Tank but, after WWI was all done and dusted, Churchill gave them a survivor to put on display. The prototype monster called Big Willie… Read More ›
To stop or Knott – a guide to Servicing Westfalia Trailer Brakes
Servicing and repairing trailer brakes is not a black art but it appears that it is often done without actually removing the brake drums, which we find a tad strange, so when they arrive with us the state of them can be rather alarming. For those of you who are here because you can’t remember… Read More ›
Lighter than Air? – You’re having a right giraffe!
How is it I constantly seem to ask myself, “Why is it that things ballooning have got progressively heavier?” Now, unless I’m very much mistaken lighter than air flight is about keeping things light, the word ‘lighter’ being a bit of a giveaway. Once upon a time we had equipment that was reliable (not that… Read More ›
Up Up and Away – Joe Philp 8th October 1926 – 16th August 2013
Following the sad death of Joe Philp on Friday 16th August 2013 his funeral was held at St Paul’s Church, Upton Cross at 2.30pm on Wednesday September 4th 2013. The small church was overflowing to the extent that the Village Hall across the road was pressed into use and the service transmitted by the marvels… Read More ›