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Post by PB on Mar 10, 2021 11:04:03 GMT
"Photo of the Day....10/03/21 continued.."
Photo service restored!
Talking of the trusty Hercules' demise on POTD Part 1 this morning..the one and only time a Herk has approached Blackbushe since the days when the airfield was a big league player in the fifties..This was 2017 when it was hoped Brize Norton would deliver this aeroplane on the ground for our Air Day. Sadly, she was called away and could not attend. At least she took a preliminary "look see".            That's it for today..
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 11, 2021 7:29:03 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
11/03/21Looks like the met man's isobars were well placed, a delightful wet morning with trees apparently doing their 'keep fit' bending exercises...
Just as the Atlantic sourced weather depressions parade across our patch, tomorrow's changes in the shape of flying machines continue to edge from concept to creation. Rolls Royce's involvement in eVTOL must be indicative of changes in the wind.... This week's report from AVweb on the matter is on the Forum. To save you time, here's a link >> blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/15297
POTD's editorial team would be intrigued to learn what fellow members think or predict for 'flight tomorrow'. We've asked a couple of times recently but received no responses, quite sure somebody out there has an opinion to share? Without mankind's dreams and imagination we'd still be in the horse and cart era, it's not too hard to visualise craft like this rising from the new Blackbushe in years to come? Reference to the "new Blackbushe" is of course based on the six decade hope that local bureaucracy will extract digit and see the light and common sense over beleaguered Blackbushe.
On the subject of bureaucracy, those of us resident in the delightful county of Hampshire will soon be aware of the forthcoming rises in Council Tax we have to submit to the County's treasury... Cllr Stephen Reid addressing a full Council meeting last week suggested that their proposed budget represents, "a positive and constructive way forward for Hampshire". I wonder, dear reader, if it might occur to you that Hampshire County Council are in the midst of an £80,000,000 expenditure cut back programme whereby services have been cut but, nonetheless, the County have been happy to fund their legal actions in the land's highest Courts in the most intransigent campaigns designed to prevent Blackbushe Airport from ever having the capability of developing a viable infrastructure. If you think spending many thousands of our pounds by tackling Blackbushe Airport to the ground in the High Court and latterly the Court of Appeal reflects a "positive and constructive way forward" so be it, but you're tuned to the wrong forum.
The Forum recently updated you on the next Blackbushe Airport Consultative Committee Meeting... another link to save you time.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/15230 It's a 'virtual' meeting on MS Teams, BUT it gives you/us the chance to fire questions at the Council representatives who should be plugged in to the Meeting. If you feel in some way that the County could spend their money (our money) on projects better than their endless drive to ruin one of their County's finest potential assets, Blackbushe Airport, perhaps now is the time to put together a necessarily searching question as to their reasonings for an anti-airport campaign that has now lasted in excess of 22,000 days...Why not ask 'em how much they've spent so far on anti Blackbushe legal costs? Will this be the shape of tomorrow at Blackbushe? Funded by inspiration, foresight, and simple common sense? Or will this be the shape of tomorrow? Blackbushe's eastern end already funded by Hampshire County Council?
Do have your say.................
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 12, 2021 7:31:09 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
12/03/12The daily miracle, once again the sun has risen from the eastern horizon, a rather watery looking sun today, but still a miracle when you consider the astral dynamics involved! Down here in the humble district of Hart the Covid dynamics continue to go in the right direction.. The graph this morning shows the curve heading south once more after a bit of a fluctuation. Currently 141 active cases in the district, down 74 from last week.
Facts and figures can often be difficult to place into perspective, recent figures from Blackbushe Airport might help place the Airport into its right and current perspective? Some facts and figures for your digestion courtesy of recent figures from the Airport...
* Annual movements for 2020 were lowest on record, and down 24% YOY. But, they were within 1% of our 2012 movements (when Olympic airspace restrictions hampered activity in the summer).
* 2020 Fuel sales (litres) were down 8.5% YOY, but still exceeded sales for 2011-2015 and 2018
* Movements to 22nd March 2020 were 10% up YOY, continuing an upward trend.
* When GA was permitted to resume, it came back in a big way. September 2020 was our busiest month since June 2008.
* We ended the year with 77 based aircraft (up from 74 in Dec 2019 and 66 in Dec 2018). When current management started in January 2018, we had just 61
* January and February have been at about 20 movements per day, about 25% of our normal levels. Fuel is about 35% of our normal levels.
Planning & Legal Update:
The Public Inquiry commenced on Tuesday 2nd April 2019 and ran for 4 days.
*The Public Inquiry was from 2nd–5thApril 2019 with a Planning Inspector who found in our favour.
*Hampshire County Council, and Open Spaces Society sought a Judicial Review which took place on 11-12 Feb 2020. The judge quashed the Inspector’s decision.
*We appealed to the Court of Appeal. This hearing took place virtually on 23rdand 24thFeb 2021. We await the decision, which will most likely be in April time.
*It is likely that whatever the outcome, that we are heading to the Supreme Court as both sides will be motivated to appeal again.
*This means realistically no final decision until Spring/Summer 2022
..and there you have the bare bones of Blackbushe. Considering circumstances she is standing up well, certainly no weakening in her resolve for justice and common sense, but sadly the end of the road we seek could be some way off in the distance still.....
Yesterday's "POTD" placed some focus on electric powered aeroplanes or "flying machines" of the future. We'd still be pleased to hear opinions from any members as to their thoughts on the practicalities and viability of electric power in the air...
While today we bask in reasonable temperatures and the Atlantic air flow, looking back to 1993 the 30 hour blizzard "The Storm of the Century" struck, two days of mayhem stretched along the east coast of North America. Nearly every airport stretching from Nova Scotia to Georgia was closed at some point.  Our "great freeze", the winter of 1962/63. Snow started on Boxing Day 1962. We froze and had snow on the ground until the following March, Blackbushe and the Arctic shared similar conditions, just less Polar bears around here..and today some complain because the Airport cafe is closed subject to refurbishement!!! They haven't lived..... The above photo also shows our home based fleet of aircraft with the exception of Hornet Moth G-AMZO who has secured a nissen hut at the west end of the airfield.. Somewhat different to the 77 home based aeroplanes at the conclusion of last year!
That's my lot for today.. If you have any thoughts on aircraft power sources and flying machines of the future we'd be pleased to hear of them, sure somebody must??
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 13, 2021 7:30:22 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
13/03/2105.30, it's Saturday...The cold grey of dawn's attempts to bring another day brings a vista of silhouetted trees and shrubbery dancing to the rhythm of what looks like another windy day while tortured stratus or stratocumulus cavort on their circuitous but easterly heading. The daily habit to scribe things Blackbushe takes over, gotta move...Not before the usual self critical but brief analysis of the past. A pretty varied path that's lead to this morning, I've been lucky, seen a lot, done a lot, but regardless of where in the world the journey has lead there's been one single thread that has been sewn through it all. Blackbushe. As to why? Who knows?
Seventy years ago my Dad would stop the car alongside the A30 so as I could see this place called Blackbushe. The seed was sown. We lived in Sandhurst back then, near enough to hear the beat of heavy multi engined machinery taking to the wing. The memory plays back those moments, it's doing it now, exciting, mysterious... where were they going? My childhood was dogged by my Mum's health, in and out of hospital until she was taken from us when I was just eleven. No counselling or 'mental health' stuff back then, you sank or you swam. I floundered through a very dark place for some while, but once old enough to go solo on my bike (far less road traffic then) I made for Blackbushe Airport and soaked up the scene of a huge airfield, hangars, buildings, control tower, Terminal, coaches, flags fluttering in the breeze, a wide variety of airline colour schemes on fuselages, and large piston engines that as their propellers slowly started to turn a great cloud of blue grey smoke would indicate another departure was imminent. I found some kind of sanctity.
My Ian Allen Civil Aircraft registrations book saw more and more Vikings, Hermes, Dakotas and multi engined Douglas transports crossed off. Blackbushe was almost a place of religious importance to me, the aircraft were my gods, its atmosphere some kind of nectar that had taken a hold. Big time. When in June of 1960 I cycled up to see my now dead friend, the beautiful Airport that was now being shredded and dismembered with no respect... The aircraft were gone, buildings empty or gone. The young lad with his bike just stood and sobbed at the loss of his valued friend.. Now simply rubble, and broken dreams. While Airport staff were now cast adrift the parties who would do all possible to prevent any sort of rebirth of Blackbushe were no doubt already rubbing their hands with glee and stirring the cauldrons that so many years later are still bubbling....
I was determined to do 'something' to help my old friend, time and fortune provided some opportunities.
If you're still awake the above seems to sum up why I'm sitting here at an unearthly hour on Saturday morning about to write something pertaining to Hampshire County Council's money soaker, Blackbushe Airport. Sadly the County's money is spent to the detriment of the airfield, but hope flies on as strongly as ever. Looks like 2022 before we reach that 'final' decision on Blackbushe depending on the result of February's Court of Appeal hearing. If it's in our favour Hampshire are bound to appeal and pour more thousands of their tax payers money down the drain leading to the final show down in the Supreme Court. Now that's big time stuff, and the end of the road. Hope I'm around to see what lies at the road's end...
 When I was twelve! This car park was a place of endless wonderment..It's an overgrown uncared for mess now courtesy of the bureaucrats, but the memories are still intact. The Blackbushe boys. 137 Wing briefing before a smoke laying sortie. Before my time, but looking across the airfield today I suppose we can sense something of life at Blackbushe in war ..and remember? Political turbulence was brewing over Blackbushe, but the early 1960's witnessed small beginnings of Blackbushe's fight back to life.. Scenes unimaginable in the desolate early sixties came to life. A Comet 4 and a B-17 sharing the Blackbushe apron... Yours truly put on the occasional flying event. Blackbushe had done a lot for me, time to give something back....and now it's March, 2021 and the Airport has its next "re-opening" coming up! She has a 'road map'...
From the DfT's guidance for General Aviation.
STEP 1. From 29th March we no longer have to remain at home!!!!!!!!!!!
People will no longer be required to stay at home.
This will allow the safe restart of GA flying for non-professional purposes for solo pilots, or individuals flying with a member of their household or bubble.
Training for professional pilots, or those in training to be professional pilots, will be able to continue.
Training for leisure or recreational purposes should not take place.
GA activities should take place in line with the wider restrictions. Travel should be minimised as far as possible.
Travel abroad will continue to be prohibited, other than for a small number of permitted reasons.
STEP 2. No earlier than 12th April
Flight training for all pilots, and flights with an instructor, can resume.
GA businesses will be able to open following COVID-secure guidance, for example commercial balloon operators. The rules on social contact will apply in these settings. Outdoor gatherings must still be limited to 6 people or 2 households, and no indoor mixing will be allowed.
GA activities should take place in line with the wider restrictions. Travel should be minimised as far as possible.
Hospitality venues will be allowed to serve people outdoors.
Step 3 – no earlier than 17 MAYIndoor hospitality will reopen, customers will, however, have to order, eat and drink while seated.Revised Operational Information for BlackbusheAirport Opening Hours
From 29th March 2021 Blackbushe will be open from 09:00 to 18:00, 7 days a week with RFF2 (3 on remission) provision. Refuelling will be available from 10:00 each day. The airport will be available between 07:00 and 09:00 by prior arrangement.
From 12th April 2021 Blackbushe will return to normal published opening hours, 07:00-18:00, 7 days a week, with refuelling from 08:00.Grateful thanks to Blackbushe for publishing the above details. Let us hope that common sense plays the upper hand this coming summer...hopes that one and all respect the rules pertaining to staying safe and keeping the virus at bay, that we all take up the vaccines when offered, and even dare to hope that common sense finds a pathway into local bureaucracy and Blackbushe Airport could at last stand fully on her own two feet and show what she can offer if only given the chance.... If only.
POTD wishes you a happy weekend.. To conclude today's edition, Hart district are showing 123 active Covid cases, down 84 from last week. Details from the ZOE study where you too can log your vaccine details and help the national's big picture and NHS stats. Please do! covid.joinzoe.com
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 14, 2021 7:29:39 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
14/03/2106.30, window obs indicate CAVOK, will it last? At least the ever increasing hours of daylight give rise to hope of better time to come as lockdowns end and vaccines change our health landscape to a degree that we dared not hope for during the dark days of last year?
Of recent times POTD has asked for your opinions on the prospects of electric powered flight, to date it's noted that no such opinions have been offered. There is no doubt that aviation will have to move with the tide of thinking toward being green, or at least greener? POTD's rather old stick in the mud feelings are that the general aviation industry will be encouraged to change its power sources while the heavy side of air transport will either find no suitable alternatives except bio fuels or hydrogen. The efficient fuel systems of today will be hard to beat, but humans are proving to be pretty smart when they need to be....
Thinking of some vintage aeroplanes and wind driven generators blowing their small propellers around I wonder if the concept could be enlarged upon? Modern radio control "jet" models show the performance they can achieve with electric powered impellers. Startling but noisy. On a larger scale maybe up to around twelve seat short haul business/commuter aeroplanes could take on the appearance of a scaled down BAe146. Two pods on each wing for power, a further two pods for wind driven turbines whose job it would be keep the batteries topped up. Full charge on the ground during turn around? Pods equal drag, but maybe there's an answer? It's a question that really will be facing the aerospace industry like it, or not... Change is always hard, but if we can survive a pandemic maybe we can survive the loss of fossil fuel as its use returns to the dinosaur age? It would be 'interesting' to hear your thoughts.....  eVTOL too!! Let us hope that there will still be a few airfields left after the pandemic's economic ravages on the aviation sector for the next generations of aviation to fly from? Pandemics and bureaucracies such as you might find in Hampshire...
Looking back on aviation's days, on this day in 1927 Pan Am was formed, its job to carry air mail on the Key West to Havana route.. In 1936 Imperial Airways started their two weekly services to Hong Kong, while in 1947 on this day, the Lockheed L-749 Constellation made its first flight... Blackbushe and airports of tomorrow? A reflection of days gone by. The Breitling Constellation stirs up the Blackbushe circuit on her way from Duxford to Farnborough. The last time Blackbushe would hear those Wright Cyclones powering through her air space? A salute to Blackbushe and her contribution to commercial aviation was something that had to happen - and it did!! Always good to know 'someone'! Something else to reflect on. The most outstanding and affordable busy and general aviation airfield, close to London, environmentally and operationally the most perfect there is or that you're going to find nowadays... No plans for housing or conversion to a leafy suburb as others are now smitten. It's called Blackbushe, steeped in history, jam packed with potential for jobs and a foothold for General Aviation and just five minutes from the nearest Motorway junction heading for London..
Any comments arising from this morning's POTD? ZOE reports 104 active cases in Hart today, numbers till going down!
Have a good day, and if you're lucky enough to see your Mum on 'her day' give her a really nice day.
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 15, 2021 7:13:04 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
15/03/21Another Monday.... 'keep 'em coming'!
A short YouTube video was posted on Facebook's "Blackbushe Airport, Then & Now" Group yesterday. For those who will not have seen it, here it is.. Pretty much corroborates what we've been saying.
For the record returning to wartime Blackbushe, on this day in 1945 136 Wing departed for their new battle front location of Coxyde. Quite a move as forty aircraft said 'farewell' and went to war across the Channel. Personnel and equipment were moved from Blackbushe by no less than sixteen Dakotas arriving from RAF Bradwell Bay. The exodus was not over, the 9th TCC (Flight Section) USAAF who had run a continuous Dakota service to and from the battle zone with equipment and passengers also moved out. After today RAF Blackbushe became a much quieter airfield with few aircraft remaining. Blackbushe in 1963/4. It was pretty quiet then, or it was once Yateley Parish finished inflicting destruction on the airfield's east end. Never did find out exactly how much this ruination cost the people of Yateley? Were they consulted before hand as to the devastation their council was about to unleash? Hope you enjoy the video above, Blackbushe Airport's life concentrated into a minute and a half!
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 16, 2021 7:52:49 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
16/03/21Scanning the history books I note that the United Kingdom suffered its first civilian air-raid casualties on this day in 1940 when KG 26, Kampfgeschwader 26, launched an attack on Scapa Flow. Just for the record Heinkel He 111H from KG 26 coded (1H+JA) was the first Luftwaffe bomber shot down by Spitfires over the British Isles.. It was a long time ago, but no doubt the defeat of an enemy aeroplane was a shot in the arm for British moral at the time...
Moving on to present times, POTD was delighted to have various opinions expressed by her Members of recent regarding the use of alternative power supplies for tomorrow's aviation. There's no doubt it's a hard nut to crack, but sincere thanks to all who contributed their ideas be it on the Forum or Facebook's 'Blackbushe Airport The & Now' Group. Man's ingenuity will find a way...
Yesterday AVweb published a report that is now on the Forum's 'Non-Blackbushe News' department regarding the planned use of 11 seat regional aircraft on scheduled services by 2026. POTD had reasoned that 12 seats might be an optimum capacity/weight for electric power, it seems that Wideroe have a similar outlook? Your link to the report .... blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/15326  The multi role multi purpose Bristol Freighter and Blackbushe Airport were a combined demonstration of man's ingenuity after the war and a valued source of horse-power.. The Freighter was full of surprises.. A more recent sign of man's ingenuity comes from the ZOE Covid curve in Hart RDC's area. Today just 77 active cases, down 84 from last week. Cause for hope, but not complacency.
Stay safe, stay well...
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 17, 2021 7:35:45 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
17/03/21Here we are again, "Hello and Welcome!" to all our usual crew and all who frequent these pages of memories, hopes, ideas, and days gone by...
Today we start with a plea for your help... see photo below.
 Tiger Moth G-AOCV. HELP NEEDED PLEASE!! The aircraft destroyed by fire and permanenetly withdrawn from use 30-5-74. "Reports" suggest that her surviving remains were 'abandoned at Blackbushe Airport in 1974'. Due 'personal connections' with the aircraft I wish to confirm whether the airframe of G-AOCV was abandoned at Blackbushe . Reports suggest that at least two of the wings were recovered and used to the benefit of another Tiger Moth. If you can throw any detail on the fate of CV at Blackbushe the details would be most welcome, I'm up to date on the CAA registration documents... Thanks in advance... She's seen landing at Blackbushe in September, 1965, the day of the Three Counties Aero Club's International Air Display. IF you have any info you can add please leave a note on here on the POTD "Comments" section via this link.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/15330
The above photo of G-AOCV was taken on a wonderful day in the early autumn of 1965, the Three Counties' Air Show. Below is an account of the amazing day when the Club put on a bit of a show! Below is the report from Motor Sport magazine's October 1965 edition..
3-Counties Aero Club International Air Display (Sept. 4th, 1965)
It is nice to attend at least one Air Display a year, to see how motoring in the air is getting on and to keep a sense of proportion while contending with congested roads. So I chose the 3-Counties Show at Blackbushe, which gave the public nearly three hours’ display for the modest cost of 5s. plus a programme, with an excellent commentary, and highly efficient traffic arrangements by the local police, even to turning A30 temporarily into a one-way road.
The Show opened with a 3-Counties’ fly-past led by a D.H. Rapide, Chipmunks, Colts and a Tri-Pacer in formation. This was hardly over when the “Last of the Many,” in the form of Hawker-Siddeley’s Hawker Hurricane, came over at 4,000 feet, from Dunsfold, Bedford using its Rolls-Royce Merlin 502 engine to splendid effect in loops and rolls and fast fly-pasts. This is a Mk. HC Hurricane, the cannon-firing version,. and the last of 12,780 Hurricanes built in this country. This alone would have made the Blackbushe visit worthwhile, but—it was almost too good to be true—simultaneously Merryweather aerobatted in the 1930 Hawker Hart biplane (695-h.p. Rolls-Royce Kestrel), also venturing a loop.
After the Hurricane had victory-rolled away to the South against the encircling cumulus, seven parachutists jumped from the Rapide, from 5,000 feet. Then, from Lasham, came two light planes towing gliders, an Auster with a couple in tow, of which one skimmed the runway very low, while still attached, and a Druine Turbi. After the cast-offs, Derek Goddard performed some superb gliderbatics, ending with a low downwind fly-past before turning to land. Next, Michael Kennedy showed off the 45-hp. Tipsy Nipper II from Stapleford, a little fully-aerobatic wood-and-fabric single-seater weighing about half as much as a Mini.
The Royal Air Force arrive...
The Royal Canadian Air Force arrive..
The joke-turn was performed in an Auster J1N (Gipsy Major) by the C.F.I., [Derek Johnson] Blackbushe, who simulated an escaped felon stealing an aeroplane—a topical touch in view of the escaped prisoners still at large!
An absolutely splendid item was the Vintage Parade. It was performed by two Comper Swifts, the 7-cylinder 75-h.p. Pobjoy-engined G-ABUU and G-ABVS., Ted Wilkinson’s 1938 Miles Whitney Straight (130-h.p. Gipsy Major), a 1932 Taylorcraft Plus D, a very smart blue and yellow D.H. Puss Moth, a couple of Morris Motors’ Tiger Moths, a Piper Cub, the 1959 (hardly vintage) Currie Wot 2 single-seater biplane with 60-h.p. Walter Micron engine, the sole surviving 1932 Robinson Redwing side-by-side 2-seater biplane and a 1937 Aeronca 100 with 40-h.p. J.A.P. flat-twin motor. The last two vintage aeroplanes circling over the pine trees, the Bluebird doing some heart-stopping slow turns at zero feet over the runway, was the finest part of a very enjoyable afternoon!
A brave and windswept pilot demonstrated the 15-100 m.p.h. speed range of the Wallis 116 Gyro-copter, its-rotor blades driven by the air stream like the original Autogiro’s and the engine a 72-h.p. McCulloch as found in outboard boats and rotary saws! A gate-crashing Beechcraft Bonanza having got down, four R.A.F. Jet Provosts from near-by Odiham performed formation aerobatic at 200-300 m.p.h., after taking-off together at nearly 100 m.p.h.; later, a solo Provost flown by Bob Holmes did it’s stuff to great effect.
A couple of Colts, an Auster 6, a Beagle Terrier, a Chipmunk, a Piper Tri-Pacer and a Piper Comanche 250, indulged in a so-called race, of steeply-banked turns, won by the last-named; Neville Browing did the best aerobatics of the Show in his Zlin Trainer-master (160-h.p. 6-cylinder Walter Micron), with bunts and level inverted flying—he wisely refrained from the temptation of “lowering” the wheels while flying upside down, explaining that the undercarriage electric motor gets hot and bothered doing this!—and Air Vice-Marshal Bennett, ex-racing motorist, demonstrated the Air Travel Linnet (Rolls-Royce Continental), a 2-seater capable of some 120 mph, on 100 h.p
USAF C-47...
Airport Manager of the future, Stuart Marshal assists with keeping things moving...
The Three Counties Formation Display Team - during one of numerous evenings practice!
Fly-pasts followed—of F./Lt. Ronaldson from Prestwick in a Lockheed T33A (5,100 lb. thrust R.-R. Nene), at least he was billed to do this but shot off to Odiham instead, probably wanting his tea, a big Douglas C47 of the U.S.A.F., this brass-hat’s staff-car taking an astonishingly short take-off run, and a Cessna 180 4/6-seater which cruises normally at 150 m.p.h. with 230-h.p. Continental engine. Incidentally, Cessna sold 4,188 aeroplanes last year and Rogers, who presented this one, have sold 63 of this model in this country since January last year.
The most technically significant aeroplane in the Show was an Auster Autocrat turbo-prop, using a Rover TP90 gas-turbine running at a constant-speed of 46,000 r.p.m, and driving a variable-pitch propeller turning at up to 25,000 r.p.m. This peep into the private-flying future was flown by Vivian Bellamy. A very good programme concluded with a taxi-past of Doug. Bianchi’s Fokker D3 Replica, which did not venture off the runway, although a 90-h.p. Continental flat-four masquerades as a 1914 rotary, and a demmo, by a Riley Dove 400, which isn’t a new B.M.C confection but an American conversion of the well-known D.H. Dove, The U.S.A.F. lent a C4 as a static exhibit, parachuting was by courtesy of the British Parachute Club, which landed six out of seven delayed-drop jumpers on target (out of the Rapide) from 11,000 feet in a 12-knot wind, and the spotters were in their element at Blackbushe on September 4th. Good show!—W. B.
"Motor Sport", October, 1965.
Participating in the "air race " described above was great fun. I flew with Vic Hargreaves as 'observer' in Auster G-ARGB, the circuit involving a vanishing dive into the hollow where the Kart Club track is.. A glorified tail chase for effect more than competition, anyway what hope had we against the Comanche 250?
All jolly good fun and quite a spectacle to see Blackbushe once again hosting a large crowd and many and varied aeroplanes.. it certainly wasn't going to be the last time either!!
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 18, 2021 9:29:08 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
18/03/21Just a few days to go before the next Blackbushe Airport Consultative Committee Meeting. For anyone with 'feeling' or concern about the state of play at Blackbushe concerning bureaucracy the meeting presents you with another chance to voice your opinion. An online event this time, a change from the 'village hall' environment that to date has hosted these meetings. Generally, they have been very poorly attended either by parties who historically have negative emotions regarding the airfield or worryingly, perhaps, those for whom Blackbushe represents their business opportunities or those who simply see the airfield as a place for relaxation and to further their love for aviation over a cuppa, or two... Simply put, all who value Blackbushe for whatever reason would be advised to tune in..
From the Blackbushe Airport website :- "The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 at 14:00. Due to COVID-19 the meeting will be held on Microsoft Teams.
Normally, the public have the opportunity to attend meetings and ask questions during an allotted period. Any members who wish to attend should contact the BACC Secretary on the contact details below. Public attendees are to ensure their microphone and cameras are turned off until called upon to ask their question.
Alternatively the public may submit any points or questions to their local councillors, or to the BACC secretary (bacc@blackbusheairport.co.uk) in order that they can be addressed within the agenda". [/i] Talking of bureaucracy, my front door was in recent receipt of a communication entitled 'Hart Distict VOICE', a news sheet produced by the Liberal Democrats.
Quite reasonably the front page was consigned to "Library cuts across Hampshire" following Hampshire County Council's library budget cuts as a consequence of the Council's cut backs amid their plan to save £80 million in expenses over what is a two year period. The Lib Dem paper lists further cuts to public services due to the pandemic and the ongoing policy to cutback services to 'save money'.. So the Lib Dems are hot on the case of cash problems within Hampshire County Council and hot under the collar about the usual vote catching subjects we hear of daily on the news channels. Turn to the back page of their news sheet and we find photos of two Lib Dem Councillors complaining about pavements and budgetary control under the Conservatives. It just so happen that these are the two Liberal Democrat Councillors who stood in opposition, and in support of Hampshire County Council, and against Blackbushe Airport at the "Common de-registration" Public Inquiry back in 2019 and have been named opponents to Blackbushe Airport at Judicial Review in the High Court last year and again at the Court of Appeal last month. This legal action hostile to the Airport's wish to become a viable employment creating, local economy sustaining enterprise will be costing us - the County tax payers - many thousands of pounds in legal fees. There has never been a public mandate for this endless attack on the airfield, it would be interesting to know what motivates these gentlemen to commit the County to massive legal outgoings whilst they rage as to the apparent shortages of cash for the County's essential services..
The Lib Dem's "Hart District VOICE" makes no mention of Blackbushe Airport and its Councillors' efforts to destroy one of their areas finest assets. Having arrived via my front door their material has found its way to the recycling department of which the Lib Dems claim represents one of their Hart success stories. Credit where it's due, obviously. A moment from Blackbushe's 75th Anniversary in 2017. As crowds flocked to the airfield to share the moment the tragic consequences of bureaucracy dedicating vast sums of OUR money in their intransigent campaign to destroy the airfield's viability seems ever more incredulous. Maybe questions could be asked at the forthcoming Consultative Meeting? It's your chance to ask....It's not just about an airfield, it's employment placed in jeopardy, it's support of the local economy that will fail, it's the damage to pilot training programmes and new commercial pilot training that will slide down the drain, it's the loss of a much needed affordable business person's airport, it's the awful prospect of the entire Airport site growing into the tangled unkempt state that so much of Hampshire County controlled Blackbushe "east" has become, it's the demise of one of our nation's most historic airfields, it's a tragedy waiting in the wings sponsored by a bureaucracy fuelled by OUR money. THAT's the grim face of reality.. and that would include the loss of the soon to opened excellent new Airport cafe... 
PB
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Post by PB on Mar 19, 2021 7:08:27 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
19/03/21No doubt some will have read yesterday's notification under the Forum's "Blackbushe Airport News" and learned that the Courts of Law have once again removed Blackbushe's hopes for moving on and becoming a fully fledged General Aviation centre.
All we can do now is enjoy what we have, make use of the pending new cafe whose doors will be open in a while, and wait - rather like some of us have been doing for the past sixty years. Man and boy in some cases.. We must celebrate how Blackbushe has managed to develop especially under the wings of her present owners. I guess the next step will be he Supreme Court but as to how and when we can but sit and wait...
Meanwhile we must also wait for that lovely anti-cyclone that has parked out to the west to move on and stop dragging its infernal chilled easterly air flow across the land topped off by a very boring endless sheet of flat grey cloud. Spring starts this weekend, on the 'morrow 'tis the vernal equinox.
 Rex Coates to the right, but who the heck is the young bloke to the left?? EKCO's Annie, your scribe's first 'twin' flight was in her a year or two earlier, right hand seat too.. I understand vandals torched her at Southend? Note the common thread! Blackbushe lives, life in the sixties during Farnborough Weeks..The long period during which a squadron of time expired Navy Dragonfly helicopters littered the airfield. Can't recall much detail of who and when or why but it was a great relief to see them gone! Note the difference..another Heron departing Blackbushe, but this one was doing it in 1959, the Airport's last year as a full sized airport for London, the airlines, the United States Navy, and mass visitors during Farnborough Week..Thanks for dropping in, enjoy the last day of winter..
PB
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eVTOL too!! Let us hope that there will still be a few airfields left after the pandemic's economic ravages on the aviation sector for the next generations of aviation to fly from? Pandemics and bureaucracies such as you might find in Hampshire...