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Post by PB on Dec 22, 2016 6:33:49 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 22/12/16Three days, that's all, and Christmas with all its trimmings will be here - and gone equally fast! I find it a happy sad time, happy for the friendships and family without whom it would not be so happy, sad for the friends and family who I'll not be able to share things with anymore. A curious emotional mix of Christmas past decorated by the mind's own tinsel as one reflects on the many years now passed. Through the long dark nights and swirling December mists one can almost feel a Dickensian tug toward the good old traditional times where the population was less inclined to do what I'm dong now..sitting behind a glowing screen! But for you dear follower of the singular subject but hopefully varied "POTD", I hope my hours logged behind the glowing screen will continue for a while longer! Moving on, or rather backwards, the words "Christmas past" ring loud and clear the visions of Blackbushe past..funny that! How nice it would be if one could be allowed to see an old friend called "Blackbushe" just "once more"... The odd thing is that while I harbour some long distance memories of Blackbushe, upon which hangs the basis of the One-Stop Forum, if I were to suddenly have that wish granted - and see the airfield as it was in the fifties - would my close held memories match up with this magical revelation of yesterday? Or would the memory have over glamourised Blackbushe past in the way it may have tinselised memories of one's childhood Christmases? Possibly, but it would be an amazing experience to find myself standing surveying what used to be.... once again, with not one invading tree taking over these precious aviation acres, just a vast flat grassland with the buildings, the people, the hangars, the aeroplanes, - and the spirit - just for a minute to take stock of what has been missed for so long.... Yes, the magic's still there, the tear rolling down my cheek seems to confirm it! ...it's just harder to see nowadays. PB
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Post by PB on Dec 23, 2016 6:37:07 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 23/12/16Looking back, as one does at this time of year, there are many "F" words that I can think of with good application to Blackbushe..Friends, Farewells, Fun, Flying, Fear, Fotos, Frustration, Failure, Forum, etc... The most renowned of "F" words, which the Forum cannot use, certainly applies in adjectival form to what happened to Blackbushe and her airlines and military residents in 1960. I'm not going to spell it out, the Forum has not yet descended to such depths but the closure of Blackbushe in 1960 certainly caused a few headaches for her residents as the men from the ministry pointed their fingers toward the runway showing one and all the way out - for ever... The editorial team behind POTD have been in the office for hours pondering over which of the "F" words they think most applicable to the Blackbushe operation since 1960. One comes head and shoulders above the rest. Frustration.Frustration at the petty fogging restrictions applied by bureaucracy detached from the real world, the application of anachronistic ancient laws, the lost decades since 1960, the "what could have been" factor, frustration by looking at the airfield's splendid runway that is so under utilised - especially a runway so conveniently located from many points of view.. It's great to see the airfield surviving, some have run air shows, fly-ins and Air Days to break the monotony of under used runways, but "frustration" remains a dominant player on the Blackbushe stage. This may change, but for now this particular "F" word seems to have a commanding role... Yesterday I grabbed a quick walk along the so called Vigo Lane whose magical properties severed Blackbushe in the 60's. Talk about 'frustration'... Vigo Lane emerges from just behind the Viking's fin and transits straight to the Anchor Pub on the north side of the Airport, everything east of Vigo was destroyed...Yesterday's walk encountered the Common Land route across the apron where on looking back Vikings can still be seen. Not Vikings in the flesh, but in some ethereal way, no ghosts just old memories that cling. The sound of club aero engines is always comforting on walks across the remnants of Blackbushe "east"... A summer scene from Vigo Lane as it crosses the airfield..Blackbushe "east" yesterday. The area where thousands of pounds of local money disappeared destroying the airfield in the name of giving us a "public open space"....Feel the frustration?And some of the old Blackbushe masonry as seen yesterday adding the last tangible remains of Blackbushe "east"... Dear old Blackbushe, she was made of tough stuff, happily most of her still is...but still feeling the frustration!Well, I feel less frustrated having got that off my chest once again!! Back to the mince pies, brandy butter, wrapping, sellotape that clings to everything except the parcel in question (more frustration), hunting a likely looking turkey (sorry chum), oh and the never ending project called, "Blackbushe 75th".......Now there hangs a story, one that is giving me frustration in generous portions..more of that in due course.. Guys, have a great frustration free day!! PB Comment from rj... blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/6092
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Post by PB on Dec 24, 2016 6:37:18 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 24/12/16Will it be a white Christmas at Blackbushe???Probably not, but one certainty is that I wish you all a Happy and Peaceful Christmas! POTD will be back after Christmas, but for now its FR24 and the annual look-out for an inbound from the North Pole..... HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!"PB"
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Post by PB on Dec 28, 2016 22:09:26 GMT
"POTD" will return at year's end.. the staff are recovering from the stresses of fighting for the 75th, it's not been the easiest of fights so far!!
PB
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Post by PB on Dec 31, 2016 7:24:13 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 31/12/16That's it..another year passes into history, 2016 is on short finals to the history books. Thank you to all who have contributed to our Forum, signed up as members, volunteered so generously to help make our Air Day a success back in July, or simply spent time pondering our pages appreciating Blackbushe's history and hoped for future... Some moments from the year passing... The largest fly-by of the year!
..and some moments from this year's Air Day... Lucky with the weather and our fantastic volunteers... Heroes ALL!! 2017 promises an "interesting" event in July - as our Airport celebrates her 75th Anniversary... One time military air base, becoming a commercial airport - London's second until 1960 - and a survivor ever since, she has much to remember, and to look forward to!! For now, a very Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year to YOU and all our followers. PB ..see you next year! PS Hope you enjoyed another year of POTD service?
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Post by PB on Jan 1, 2017 6:39:51 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 01/01/17Dear POTD Followers... AS if you haven't noticed we have moved into a New Year, a year that might be a milestone year for Blackbushe. I use the word 'might' with a degree of caution, anything might happen over the next 12 months...but optimism remains in play more than at any other time. Legal beagles and bureaucratic process will guide the future, beyond that I cannot add more. The Forum will plough on into the future although POTD may be less of a daily happening...The demands of the "75th" have hit me like a sledge hammer with hundreds of hours of application, some results to show for one's efforts, but the cost in lost sleep, worry, frustration, etc etc is high. I have told the backers that we must spread the workload, watch this space.. More on the 75th over the next couple of weeks, just be assured I am giving it 100% of my effort - whatever that might be? I trust all our members and followers have survived the festive season, it's all been rather quiet at this end of the editorial desk! There is plenty going on behind the scenes with regard to Blackbushe and the future. As stated in the opening paragraph, 2017 could be a decisive year for the future of Blackbushe. It is still a full blown miracle that Blackbushe survives as an airfield looking at the demolition in 1960, the anti Blackbushe war that followed from certain local forces, and changes of ownership that have taken place since AVM Bennett took the first step in saving 360 acres of Blackbushe from aeronautical extinction. It could all look so different... It might have looked like this by now...?? The land adjoining Blackbushe "south", devastated by the gravel diggers, not long ago a delightful forest walk...yet on today's Blackbushe airfield groups like Natural England will not agree to the slightest earth movement...but at least Blackbushe Airport has NOT been reduced to THIS!!!..or this? Blackbushe "east" managed by the authorities having been turned from Airport to a "public open space ammenity" (?) - at vast cost, but thankfully Blackbushe Airport has not been reduced to THIS tangled mess either!!Ahh, Blackbushe "east"... if only!!Yes, it is indeed a miracle that we still have an airfield called Blackbushe, and I will do all within my remit to see that we celebrate to the full come July THIS YEAR!!! Happy New Year one and all.....PB
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Post by PB on Jan 2, 2017 11:09:58 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 02/01/17A couple of views for the New Year Bank Holiday, aerial view of the gravel extraction area illustrated a day or so ago in POTD; shows how much land has been chewed away for gravel. Will it be replanted with trees or will yet another lake be added to our surroundings? Gravel works south of Blackbushe, it's interesting to ponder over where the US military would have placed the 10,000ft runway proposed for Blackbushe had they taken over as a base for their B-47 bombers..??Add another 4,000ft to the established main or maybe a new runway where the A30 runs through the airfield? From east to west that's a 2 mile stretch... Irrelevant today, might have ended up surrounded by Greenham Common style protestors had things been different, a body of feminism that seems to have faded into the annals of protestation over potential nuclear warfare from our green and pleasant land. The Hartford Bridge hecklers perhaps, they would not have been the first. A more pressing consideration is utilising the space below for the July events marking Blackbushe's 75th birthday.. The ghost of old Blackbushe can still be made out, but thank heavens we still have what's left - the old airfield ain't finished yet!No prizes for guessing where this is, one of our neighbouring airfields that happily - along with Blackbushe - is not under threat of closure..The holiday ends today, POTD will be back whenever possible, but the days are going to be very busy for a while. Bye for now... PB
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Post by PB on Jan 3, 2017 7:17:39 GMT
b]"Photo of the Day" 03/01/17[/b] Day three of 2017 and I've got the year in the date above correct each time! How many times did I write a January cheque in years gone by only to put the previous year in the date line? Cheques have all but disappeared, it's so much easier to get rid of your money nowadays. Talking of things that have disappeared, most of old Blackbushe disappeared in the name of Gatwick becoming London's official second airport..The control tower that long stood on Blackbushe "east" went through various phases before being finally taken from us...but one bit lived on! The Tower before her latest upper deck was fitted...Now, could I draw your attention to Malcolm's splendid POTD comment made yesterday? One bit of Blackbushe that did not die an instant death and went on to serve commercial aviation was the relatively new Blackbushe tower cupola. It was acquired by Edinburgh Airport and once again cast its gaze across the movement of UK air traffic, I hope that those who again lived within its glassy confines appreciated how much their new glass top was missed down south! blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/6129Thanks Malcolm, it's inputs like yours that give the Forum body!! PB
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Post by PB on Jan 4, 2017 7:37:13 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/01/17Funny business. Over Christmas concerns regarding Blackbushe air events, planning, even POTD, were put as far to the back of my mind as they'd go, now a week or so later and Christmas has evaporated as fast as a puff of stray cumulus might disappear into the blue of a hot summer's day. The sleepless nights never went away... Blackbushe matters are back with hurricane strength winds! Hopefully the wind expelled at today's meetings will be nothing more than beneficial!! Talking meteorology, the wind of change - or attempts to change its direction - will blow across the airfield in the next few weeks. I can sense that some will say, "Oh yeah heard it all before" but serious efforts are under way that could bring a degree of common sense to the future of Blackbushe as an airfield. Hampshire County Council will be posting Public Notices very soon to enlighten you further. Beyond that, today is strictly focused on the 75th... Preparation for today's meeting must take priority, but afore then the morning's descent into the darkened POTD vaults was a bit like a blindfolded attempt at sticking the tail on the proverbial donkey. The candle's burning low.. Here's the result, no donkey's tail, but there is a sting in the tail....there's a wasp on the Canberra's fin. It's called Blackbushe! An RAF Canberra traverses the wide open spaces of the now extinct apron while an Independent DC-4, one of Eagle's Vikings and assorted US Navy aircraft help build the scene... Just like Christmas, all have disappeared into the mists of time, but for those of us who were around in those hallowed days the ghosts of Blackbushe past will continue to haunt relentlessly.. PB
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Post by PB on Jan 5, 2017 6:40:47 GMT
Photo of the Day" 05/01/17The year is not even a week old but it's already stablised in the cruise of aviation emails, meetings, scheming, begging, borrowing, finger crossing, prayer mat wearing, crystal ball gazing, sleep blocking excitement. I well recall the happy days of nervous debilitation when I ran the 1977 Air Festival - the night before after 13 months effort I could not help but wonder exactly what would happen next day! As it happens most of the plans fell into place exactly as intended, but already with seven months to go before the Blackbushe 75th I'm questioning myself by the minute as to what I should have done, what I could do, what have I not done? The dilemma you face when flying solo too long.. The man power needs for the 75th are quite extensive, and although we'll have to sub contract various aspects of the 75th Anniversary the call for specific helpers will be posted on the Forum soon..without volunteers many aviation events would fold. Many are folding thanks to events over the past year and the advent of draconian regulation. Enough of that, POTD has got a couple of frames today going back to the days of Doug Arnold and Warbirds of Great Britain. Now and again a few warbird owners would respond to the call and pop into Blackbushe for a warbird 'flying day'. That's the best title I can think of, kind of impromptu with a bit of "demo" flying and a very relaxed atmosphere. Demo flying today is totally out unless you have the necessary approvals, even a low pass down the runway is deemed as a display act, although how you might differentiate between a "go round" or a "flypast" could be open to discussion? Of course, if you're flying a precious warbird you'll go around if the numbers are not quite to your liking... Aircraft of a certain age will always draw in spectators, I'm assuming they'll continue to do so in July?Doug's Days in the 70's. Just another face of the many the Blackbushe apron has hosted over the airfield's lifetime.Were you there?? PB
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