|
Post by PB on Apr 1, 2020 6:42:13 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 01/04/20April the first. ..April Fools' Day to some, but methinks the microscopic joker is having the laughs today. Talking of 'jokers', wasn't it President Trump who suggested the coronavirus cure would be worse than its condition? A long and disturbed night has just offered a variety of dreams related to our current situation including a surreal visit to Blackbushe and flying on some untidy airliner with an exhausted crew.. The waking hours prompted thoughts beyond our still new and novel days of self isolation and social distancing. "Things" can seem worse at night maybe, but the long term consequences of our situation seemed more dire with every passing minute..
Moving on, April 1st. No jokes, but a look back to some past events on this day.. But first, "THANK YOU" to the almost 18,000 visitors to "POTD" in March..
1993. The Royal Air Force's 75th Anniversary. A mass RAF flypast for HM the Queen cancelled due weather.
1972. BOAC and British European Airways are merged resulting in today's British Airways. (April 1st..!!)
1954. Last operational flight of the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire. A photo recce against bandits in Malaya. It may be 66 years since the Spitfire's final operational, but she still stirs hearts wherever she goes. BBMF at Blackbushe for a technical stop. Let's hope that Spitfires command our gaze for years to come?The Blackbushe apron... with very choice activity!..and drifting back to the sixties apron scene. Light aeroplanes were still primarily steel tubes, canvas and wood. Dakotas were like gold dust at Blackbushe, but very occasionally one would appear to remind us of the years already slipping into history.
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 2, 2020 6:34:34 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 02/04/20Old habits die hard. The aged dedication to dear old Blackbushe continues to propel your scribe to the keyboard of an early morning though I guess very few of us will have significant travel plans and are probably not venturing very far. Apart from journeys around the house today calling at the kitchen, the loo, and wherever the TV may be, 'significant travel' will probably be limited to being astern of the lawnmower. IF one was looking for an analogy as to our situation my thoughts turn to the likes of Sir Francis Drake and his trusty 'Golden Hind'.. On a vessel driven only by the way the wind should choose to venture, they sailed for destinations unknown. How far, or how long the voyage would be was quite unknown.. Now we too are out of sight of land, our destination unknown but hoped for... it may take weeks, maybe months at sea, the ravages of storms no doubt await en route but we will arrive 'somewhere' in due course unless the planet proves to be flat at which point we're in for a bit of a surprise! We can but hope for good following winds to carry us to that as yet uncharted destination.. The only difference betwixt us and Sir Francis being that at journey's we hope to end up whence we started - providing we behave along the way..
A photo for the day... Long gone. Way out there on Blackbushe's now overgrown and lost eastern extremity, the Blackbushe Airport Control Tower - as was. I'll never forget being taken by the head of Air Traffic on a tour of Blackbushe Airport when I was about eleven. Driven in a yellow and black Airport vehicle one felt terribly important! Luckily my Dad knew him following flight trials from Farnborough and I had an unforgettable day which concluded in the Control Tower. Sadly accurate recall is very blurred, but I do recall dark rooms humming with activity and the view from the top deck. Blackbushe looked large and amazing from up there.. If only digital phones/cameras had been invented... you too could see what we have lost.Another view lost for all of time. My thanks to one of our members who sent this to me some while ago. If you travelled up from Fleet via the winding Minley Road you would have arrived at this gate to Blackbushe "south". The journey past the gate always rewarded by a panoramic view of the airfield and a number of large four engined aeroplanes resting between trips. It all seemed so indestructible..That's about it for this morning, I suppose the time is coming for the latest news? What you can do this morning is go to the Forum's "Blackbushe Airport News" section and read Chris Gazzard's latest 'Airport Manager's Report'. Brings you right up to date..
Here's to our continued voyage together.. stay well ship mates!
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 3, 2020 6:38:54 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 03/04/20
TGIF.
It's Friday, roll on the weekend! Can't wait for that "Saturday morning feeling" and the huge relaxing contrast it brings after the 'working week'.......... A chance to catch up on the news, walk round the garden several times, look up at the wide blue yonder (if available), and probably find no need to venture beyond the front gate. Not forgetting a lunchtime pop into the Bushe Cafe for a catch-up.
Ahh, life in the other world!! I actually saw a heavier than air flying machine yesterday..passing a convenient gap in the clouds an Airbus if I remember correctly? It was indeed a nostalgic site! At least the new "Tin Pan Alley" show at 20.00 last night was fun and served a very good point. Thank God for ALL who are working so hard to save lives and keep the country afloat. Improvising on the saucepan and wooden spoon combo I was glad to stir the evening air too.Tech probs with our photo supplier. I'm putting a hold on operations until rectified. They've watermarked my photos!!
Sorry, will return when resolved... PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 3, 2020 18:30:38 GMT
POTD..Problems fixed. Back on Saturday morning....
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 4, 2020 8:05:32 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/04/20 Apologies for yesterday's disruption in the POTD service... Following 'heated' exchanges with our USA based 'holder of the photos' the problem was rectified by last night - accompanied by humble transatlantic apologies.. I just hope the outrageous errors of yesterday do not manifest again this morning? The next few minutes will seek the answer..
Below a couple of Tower photos I used for testing earlier, but their presence is very timely.. No explanation needed, the current Tower on the Terminal, and the substantial original all white Blackbushe Tower that once lived where now Blackbushe "east" consumes its old whereabouts.Meanwhile... Yesterday I received some photographs taken within the Edinburgh Airport Control Tower from one of our loyal members.. THANK YOU TONY!!Via family links to an Uncle who still works in EDI air traffic, we give you Blackbushe Airport's Visual Control Room! One scrap of Blackbushe that lived to 'fly again' was the splendid glass house Visual Control Room. Purchased by and transported to Edinburgh, it spent many more useful years home to the eyes that guide our air traffic. Edinburgh has a new Tower today, no doubt the old Blackbushe VCR finally succumbed to the scrapman's lust for what is no longer loved? One cannot help but ponder over the scenes beheld from within this framework prior to May, 1960? Were the original Tower still in situ in Hampshire its views would be somewhat stifled by the wild overgrowth of what was once the beautifully manicured Blackbushe Airport!Here's the Blackbushe VCR having made the journey north to sit atop Edinburgh Airport's Tower..obviously MUCH colder up there..In hopes that we all have a safe weekend, remain in splendid isolation, and our photographs emerge unmolested unlike yesterday!!
'See you' tomorrow....
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 5, 2020 8:48:22 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 05/04/20Two months will soon have flown since taking the train to London each day of the Blackbushe Airport High Court Judicial Review. Two months ago, time when you went to the station, boarded a crowded train, crossed London, sat in Court amid others for hours and then repeated the journey home.. Two months ago, two months ago in the 'other life'. The "novelty" aspect of our extraordinary situation is going to wear thin as the country/world slides into an economic crisis the consequences of which have yet to be discovered. And Blackbushe Airport remains closed for the second time in her life, only this time hope for her future is far more positive and aeroplanes still live upon her valued acres..Aeroplanes that cannot fly are only partially alive perhaps, but at least in this uncertain world Blackbushe and aviation remain closely bonded. It may be two months since the Judicial Review whereby the future of Blackbushe Airport was placed in the hands of the Judiciary by Hampshire County Council, but how long it will be before their conclusions are made known remains anybodies guess..
The current bout of good weather is more than welcome, but it's tendency to lead many down to the riverside and 'social gather' as reported on the media is alarming to the highest degree. We can but hope their refusal to adhere to the simple instruction to "stay home" will not see too many of them added to the soaring death rate in a couple of weeks from now? The virus has no soul.1942. RAF Hartford Bridge reaches readiness for the business of war. The approach to her main runway over clear unpopulated land was easy to see then, it remains easy to see in 2020 as in either direction Blackbushe's main runway affords approaches over open Common or Forestry land.. Unique when compared to other airports in Hampshire - or the south-east.. Built long before Yateley village decided to expand and developers encroached upon the fresh green pastures of Yateley, Blackbushe has now served for 78 years and indeed became established decades before the wholesale consumption of north east Hampshire's land for housing. The Airport remains the south-east's most environmentally friendly and suitable location for General Aviation purposes... The patterning south of the A30 caused by trenches to deter aliens from landing...POTD recently aired a photo of the the RAF Hartford Bridge personnel attending a mass pre D-Day briefing. The above vast crowd gathered on Blackbushe in 1978 suggests that 'social distancing' was not a consideration... Bob Dylan came to town, well Blackbushe at least. Highly atmospheric in many ways and blessed with excellent weather...I recall we had over 350,000 guests on site.Nut Bush, Blackbushe.. who cares!One of 'those weekends' hard to forget....finally, a reminder of Blackbushe Airport and her location in the mid 1950's... her long clear approaches cannot be denied!Enjoy the sun, but carefully, we want you all to be here in the future!
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 6, 2020 6:48:00 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 06/04/20A little overnight precipitation to moisten spring's manifestations... Such an irony hangs over the scene of nature's perfection, beauty, and hope as her green shoots herald the oncoming summer, ironic that our freedom to enjoy nature's spring scene have to be so curtailed due to the unseen gremlin. But, for now we've no other options and hopefully the message to "Stay Home" will file through to the diehards who gather in the sun regardless, spreading the infection and either ending up another statistic in a couple of weeks or simply killing innocents who are playing the isolation game to the max.. Thoughts of prolonged isolation are not terribly amusing, the consequences for the global economy are terrifying as they will be for the airlines 'beached whales' crammed into airports around the world..
Looking back in time is a more rewarding activity than looking forward at the moment, for example today 6th April, 1967, TWA became the first American airline to have a fleet composed entirely of jet aircraft..
On this day in 1965 the Labour Government cancelled the brilliant TSR2, favouring instead the General Dynamics F-111. As we know, they did not proceed with that either! You may have seen this elsewhere, but an advert in a series being run in the aviation mags at the time.. Very personal memories lurk therein. Note the new 'lock-up' hangars where BCA now sprawl across the west end of Blackbushe, note the two eastern runways and their gravelly remains - destroyed by the local Parish Council... Hopes for Blackbushe were high all those 58, or so, years ago. They still are.A favourite memory jerker! The Airwork complex on Blackbushe 'east'. The area now beyond recognition, thick with brambles, trees some of which are already suffering through age, and things that slither ready to deliver a potentially lethal bite if your luck runs out.. Apart from many charter flights, Airwork conducted much Government work at Blackbushe including modifying RAF aircraft..A reminder of Airwork's operations, sadly and with no options to do otherwise, Airwork were forced to leave with each and every other operator in May, 1960. Blackbushe was thus raised to the ground giving rise to the mysterious intransigence toward the airfield that has lurked in certain council corridors ever since....ahh well, for now just another day in splendid isolation to look forward to.. Hope the sun comes back.
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 7, 2020 6:25:33 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 07/04/20There can be little doubt that we all remember our 'first time' with a fair degree of clarity? I was sixteen and well remember the accelerating heart beats of anticipation as the moment drew closer. I also remember how eager you are to do it again and as often as possible. That moment when you first rise off the ground and take flight stays with you, especially if you are strapped to a light aeroplane where the senses are free to experience the moment to the max.. Whilst we are all grounded, even from holiday flights, the Forum has thrown open a door for you.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/13392 Here our Members are recording details and stories of their 'first flight' and I would encourage you to take a look and add your contribution to brighten up the coming period of flight free skies. We all look forward to sharing your 'first time' too!!
The future seems to be getting further away, hidden behind a fog of uncertainty..time may be passing but what lies in the future seems rather hard to predict. I read yesterday that EasyJet will run out of cash by August. Perhaps BA will not have the buying power to snap up another ailing independent at rock bottom prices this time?
What is locked into certainty is the past, and our Forum will always (hopefully) have something to offer from it!!Blackbushe Airport, from a 1953 press cutting. The first civil airport to cut through nature's 'fog of uncertainty'..Current times, past times...Where would we be without volunteers??A glance back to our 2016 Air Day. A day when we depended on our team of volunteers to make it 'work'..A magnificent day where people and aeroplanes were able to mix in an atmosphere somewhat akin to a garden party, people met pilots and pilots met people...no social distancing, just a great atmosphere and things like global pandemics were just for the movies..The old "be prepared" adage was given full credit.. Please take a moment to share your 'first flight moments'..must keep our community together!
Thanks for dropping by, PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 8, 2020 6:00:49 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 08/04/20Clink.
Here that? 06.00, 8th April, 2020. So deceptive, you open the front door and there it is. Silence, ultimate stillness, not a breath of wind, not a leaf stirs, even the birds are reluctant to strike up the dawn chorus. "Out there" appears so deceptively trouble free, as quiet as is possible - a planet under the grip of an alien invader who currently has the upper hand. Is this our third week in captivity, I think its Tuesday, no Wednesday, but for sure it's another day of senior citizen ball and chain time where today looks like being very similar to most of the other days of late.. BUT, thank God for the NHS and its most loyal teams who fight valiantly each and every day to keep as many of us as possible living under lock down. If ever there was a reason to shatter the all consuming silence beyond my front door it would be to scream "THANK YOU" to the NHS staff who each and every day are willingly risking their all for us PLUS the many others who also risk so much to keep our food supplies, services, and life possible.
I wish it were possible to do more but not wishing to add to the NHS's problems persons of a certain vintage and circumstance I'm obliged to keep out of the circuit..hence another POTD each morning to hopefully spark a flame of nostalgia for the 'old days' when popping into Blackbushe was, and had been for decades, quite the normal thing to do...The memory has free range, thank heavens the little grey cells still communicate, as thoughts go back to the 2017 Press Day prior to the Blackbushe 75th Anniversary celebrations.. We took Southern Television into the Blackbushe skies courtesy of the Army Historic Flight for a birds eye view of the airfield and surroundings.A number of us appeared on TV as a result...Cameron, the boss, gives his points of view!True nostalgia too. A number of the survivors of the 1956 Hungarian uprising joined us on Press Day. As children they were amid the lucky ones snatched from the Russians by Eagle Airways mercy flights and flown to England, the welcome of Blackbushe Airport, and the free life they still enjoy. Very movingly, they met Harold Bamberg the Founder & Chairman of Eagle Airways, during the actual 75th Anniversary weekend. History was unlocked, and the 75th proved to have been a very worthwhile exercise for this alone.Cakes. You've gotta have cakes!! We did..Nice!61 years earlier at Blackbushe Airport...Safety and freedom, but traumatic.It wasn't just humans who were glad to see Blackbushe. With numerous race courses within easy reach Blackbushe was a popular dropping off point for competitors...and to tail off this morning, a flash back to the 75th. The blood, sweat and tears that went into this event I cannot tell you, and I won't... Bottom line is Blackbushe did celebrate her 75th despite varying degrees of difficulty along the way.. Oh goodness, it's only a couple of years until the 80th.......
Let's hope the all pervading silence that waits beyond our front doors today will have been broken, the skies once again manifest a healthy air transport industry, and Blackbushe Airport has at last overcome the adversity of Hampshire County Council and those who seem determined to destroy her development prospects?We can but hope..
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Apr 9, 2020 6:59:15 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 09/04/20The good Earth continues its lonesome annual voyage around the Sun blissfully unaware (I assume) of the viral plight that has befallen its passengers. The 'lock-down' is going to be extended almost certainly, more days, weeks, or whatever in our confinement. Whilst fresh air, sunshine (yes!!), TV and food are still available to the Earthlings the thought of volunteering for a trip to Mars fleetingly crossed my mind. Oh not, not me, but whoever takes the biggest step yet... If we are feeling confined imagine being cooped up in your small tin can, Major Tom style, for the nine months the Hohmann orbit would take to your destination!! Sickness or some falling out amid your fellow travellers would not help.. Then you'd have to spend 500 days on Mars before the best orbit home again...and that would take nine months. Think I'll take the option to stay home.
A few miles up the road, much nearer than Mars, lies our airfield, Blackbushe... Soon be a month since I achieved the necessary escape velocity to cast my eyes across her features. The skies of southern England remain dreadfully quiet. Yesterday the sound of jet engines escaping from Farnborough brought a shudder of nostalgia with them, the occasional freighter casts a die straight line across the heavens whilst inbounds to Heathrow are enjoying very convenient straight in approaches. Climbing out of the USA you could simutaneously be on finals to EGLL whilst we are on easterlies....
Enough banter, bring on the pictures.. Ahhhhh de Havilland. Farnborough Week Many moons ago. Not sure of the date, no doubt the erstwhile spotters would know, but late sixties at a guess. I do recall with clarity the joy of seeing such aeroplanes gathered on our apron. Blackbushe once again looked as if she meant businessAhhhhh de Havilland. Beloved MXL. Three Counties Aero Club Chipmunk. My introduction to seeing the world from any angle except the right way up!! T'was on an August evening in 1965 that Derek Johnson and I shared an hour or so somewhere north east of Blackbushe in dear old "XL"...Derek , CFI of Three Counties was an enthusiastic aerobatic pilot who seemed keen to introduce one to the zero G world where pens, dust, dead flies and moths all take flight in front of your nose whilst the horizon travels anywhere but where it used to be! The prospect of the sky underneath while the world was over your head seemed a bit alien, but after the first loop at 7,000ft I was sold. Derek turned us inside out, outside in and then back again!! The world gyrating around you whilst G forces double, treble your weight before making you suddenly become weightless again is the most wonderful thing you can do. Well, you know what I mean..Ahhhhhhh de Havilland. Back to the heavenly Three Counties days.. This was our beautiful Rapide. A lady of the skies and no mistake! She was owned by Robin Page-Blair but placed on the Club strength. Used her for para dropping in the days when Blackbushe had her own parachute club. Never could understand the urge to leap from a serviceable de Havilland product whilst it was thousands of feet from terra firma. Occasionally I hitched a ride on para drops but only as an observer! It felt a little strange to be in the company of merry skydivers one minute suddenly to have soul occupation of the cabin after they had all exited the door. I could understand the urge they shared, it looked very tempting, but I never gave in to the possibility of finding out... Well, almost 08.00. Time to serve tea to the memsahib..
The Forum extends good wishes to our Prime Minister for a speedy recovery back to No 10, and extends eternal gratitude to all who fight the demon virus. Thank you is simply not enough..
PB
|
|