PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
04/08/21

The year rolls along, the back lawn once again looks as if its suffered a carpet bombing attack thanks to nightly raids by badgers and ones daily repairs involving filling and reseeding the many small craters. Tough on the grubs/worms the badgers are after, anybody else have the same problem?

The joys of summer. On a broader scale, the nation's third wave of Covid appears to be on the wane, air transport begins to find its feet, and business aviation continues to find Blackbushe appreciating its convenience and affordable availability. Extinction Rebellion were noted a few days ago manning the Iveley Road entrance to Farnborough airfield once again waving their multi coloured flags and screaming their anti aviation messages proclaiming business aviation is destroying the planet. The truth of the matter is that aviation produces just 2% of global 'greenhouse' emissions while business aviation contributes just 0.04% to the global total. Despite the wonders of Zoom, Teams and the such like, big business requires face to face contact at high levels and business aviation facilitates such contact efficiently, conveniently, and helps drives the industries around the world that generate the wealth and well being that we all depend on. One appreciates the sentiment expressed by ER, but a balanced point of view based on facts is important.

Looking back once more to Blackbushe Airport's past we'll flip the clock back to 1945 again.. Remember from recent 'POTD' accounts, by this time in 1945 Blackbushe was in the process of becoming a transport airfield rather than the bomber and fighter activities that had previously dominated. On this day, 4th August, 1945, the Regent of Iraq arrived onboard a Dakota and was met by Princess Elizabeth on behalf of her father. The Regent was pleased to inspect a hurriedly drawn up guard of honour mounted by 162 Squadron followed by lunch in the airfield's Officers' Mess. A strong rumour circulated that the Regent had flown to the UK for the purpose of visiting the nearby Ascot races....




Many a horse flew into and out of Blackbushe during the fifties.. With Sandown, Kempton Park, and Epsom being within reach Blackbushe was often the winner being the preferred choice of airfield for equine transport.



Long may Blackbushe continue to serve all forms of General Aviation, it is THE most environmentally suitable GA airfield with a long tarmac runway in the south, convenient for London, that is not earmarked to become a 'leafy garden suburb', her survival is paramount despite the efforts of our County Council who continue to 'invest' thousands of our £'s in their legal gymnastics to destroy one of their, and the nations, finest assets.

Do you not agree?

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
05/08/21


07.00 approaches, and what a beautiful morning, unfettered blue awaiting the day's aviation activity while manic magpies break the silence with their cackling and somewhat demented screeches.. I feel a good day awaits?

Recent days at Blackbushe Airport have been good days, after six decades the airfield is showing signs of becoming the business aviation centre that AVM Bennett envisaged when he acquired as much as he could of the Blackbushe Airport the Government cast aside. The photographs that follow speak for themselves and it is with grateful thanks to John Varndell and his superb camera skills that we can share some of this week's business at Blackbushe....


































Thanks must go to John and all who share their photos of life at today's Blackbushe. Images such as these coax the imagination to generate images of how Blackbushe Airport would look today had the ruling County authority demonstrated one degree of imagination toward their asset that lies in Blackbushe as an airport. Imagine...A new terminal & restaurant, new Control Tower, aircraft engineering businesses, hangars, yes HANGARS, new runway lighting,and without doubt many scenes such as depicted above - but on a daily basis.

Local councils may have tried to sabotaged the plot when slicing up what they could of the airfield, but Blackbushe remains the affordable alternative for business air traffic seeking an airfield where professional service and lower costs combine while giving the easiest of access to the nearby M3 junction, London, and the multitudes of corporate opportunity within easy reach. At the same time, Blackbushe can justifiably claim to have the most excellent environmental qualifications. It is THE place for the long envisioned pivotal point for General Aviation.

I wonder if the Chief Executive of Hampshire County Council has ever shown his face at Blackbushe, maybe he should pop in one day to see the opportunities his County Council is missing and the damage it is inflicting?

Do you not agree? Comments are always welcome, I'm sure more of our members and guests must feel inclined to add a few words sometime??


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
06/08/21

As a summer depression moves across our fair isle accompanied by the weather persons assurances that it'll be here for the weekend POTD trusts that yesterday's photographs from John Varndell brought some sunshine into your day?

The Form has always been highly appreciative of comments and remarks from its Members, the last couple of days concluding "POTD" proceedings by asking for comments and/or opinions regarding Blackbushe and her current situation. A situation whereby her value and benefits are becoming increasingly appreciated by GA operators yet her potential and opportunities are eternally damned by local bureaucracy. Somewhat disappointingly only one response has been received and that being from 'Rocky14' who very often adds his much 'on message' remarks to me regarding the deplorable way so called responsible local representatives of the people have damned the Airport's well being.

Blackbushe Airport is a truly emotive subject and considering the passion for the airfield that would seem to exist amid our membership, and elsewhere, the subdued level of response is somewhat surprising..I know that that passion exists, it's a fair bet that members of the local bureaucracy tune into our Forum and perhaps wonder why the pro Blackbushe people are seemingly so reluctant to put themselves forward?

A reminder of the comment received from 'Rocky14' yesterday, "All photos on potd are very much appreciated as are all the guys who post them. I wish that I were there to take some but distance reduces the opportunity.

The CEO of HCC is aware of EGLK's struggle, if not.....!?? More to the point: who or what is restraining HCC to permit EGLK to move forward? If I were the CEO my toes would be curling with embarrassment. Vast sums have been blown due to HCC's blinkered vision. Money, hard earned by ratepayers, dumped into a pointless fighting fund to pursue an action to kick the crock of gold off the end of it's (HCC's) rainbow.

There is never an adequate explanation from HCC although it is ever ready to shed it's very limited finances on, what now appears to be, pointless litigation. HCC is so strapped for funds that it has to ask the public for ideas as to how to stem it's slide into the abyss.

All the photos and comments on potd provide HCC with empirical evidence of EGLK's value to HCC and the local community. There is never a comment from HCC - why?"


For those words, POTD is most grateful. If you have anything to add please join Rocky14, the Forum's 'Comments' section awaits!!



Moving forward, the world of General Aviation shows signs of progress with new aeroplanes coming from the USA and Europe. There is light at the end of the Covid tunnel, none less than the new DA-50 from Diamond Aircraft. This video gives a superb impression of this new delight ready for the GA market place, how things have changed from the rudimentary stick, rudder and dead reckoning days when your flight started dependent on someone to swing your prop.."Contact!"... Piston engine using cheaper jet fuel, POTD thinks this is an impressive piece of kit, do you?





Glancing over our shoulders to see what was happening at Blackbushe back in 1945, as we've been doing this year, by this time more flights were operating between the UK (Blackbushe) and Europe. Something of a 'Blackbushe market' evolved..Cigarettes were taken to Swedish and Italian destinations for 'bartering' purposes. All aircraft were now subject to Customs inspection on their return and crews would lower a carton of eggs or other duty payable items for Customs to acknowledge prior to proceeding to their own dispersal. Apparently it was not unknown for children's bicycles, radios and all types of drink to be hurriedly off loaded from their hiding place in the aircraft in case Customs Officers wished a closer look at the aeroplane.. A long while ago.

Today, 6th August, 1945, yielded a bit of a surprise when two small gliders arrived unexpectedly. They were towed back to Farnborough behind two Avro Tutors.




Just one image today. Few years back, a pair of Twin Otters from Skybus providing a 'one off' service to the Scilly Isles. A bit reminiscent of postwar years when Dakotas operated services to the Channel Isles from Blackbushe.

Yours as always..
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
07/08/21


The weather is a predominant subject amid British conversation, whether t'is a convenient ice breaker on meeting someone, or not, the door is open to opinion. "Turned out nice again", "bit wet today" or "warm enough?" the met situation so often takes the opening gambit when we meet someone. Can't imagine it being like that say in Dubai where the skies are blue, and the sun blazes down pretty much year round? In 'sunny' England, on the weather topic, our conditions are decidedly changeable this year. I mean, it's raining again! Despite dire warnings from the green zone, summer '21 is not much to write home about so far boundless sun is concerned.. Glancing back to the summer of '45 once more, according to Stuart Marshall's "Blackbushe Airport, The Wartime Years" August 1945 was "very changeable with personnel taking full advantage for a spot of sunbathing when the sun broke through and time permitted. However there were also plenty of days when the weather was not suitable. On a number of occasions during the month FIDO and Lorens Bean landing aids had to be used to get aircraft down".

76 years later Blackbushe offers an NDB and DME with Farnborough Radar providing guidance where necessary, hopefully when officialdom sees fit a GPS approach will also add to Blackbushe's weather proofing..




What can better an English summer sky when a couple of these descend at you? The BBMF joining the celebrations when Aerobility opened their new Blackbushe hangar.




..or a pleasant local flight in an English summer sky from Blackbushe when someone else joins you for the experience..




Sometimes the subject steals from your admiration of the cloud scape. Photo taken during the making of "The Battle of Britain" movie, both these Hurricanes spent a day or two at Blackbushe for some local shoots.





25 on the nose on a perfect summer's day.




Blackbushe's plateau position affords some amazing sunsets. This is definitely not one of the best, but gives an idea....




..the airfield also affords some great views of passing precipitation..




One engine, or four, wet or dry, Blackbushe always affords a warm welcome!



Wishing you a pleasant August Saturday, the view from yon window currently giving a grey overcast and wet stuff descending, the English climate retains is ability to be changeable.. No change there.

Have a nice day!
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day
08/08/21"


Another week commences on this bright but breezy Sunday morning. The skies over southern England appear, judging by vapour trails and flight radars on my phone, to be growing in activity as perhaps some stability returns to our nation's vital air transport structure. The planet's past year has not been one of its best with the pandemic, and climate induced events... We live each day while the 'experts' feed the latest from their computer models of mayhem to come. How accurate they are remains to be seen.It's certainly been a bonus time for activists who block roads, desecrate monuments, take the knee, and antagonise our civil liberties in pursuit of their causes.. How great a degree of hypocrisy exists within these bodies would no doubt be of interest?

Aviation by its nature is very much in the public's gaze. Large aeroplanes and airfields that cover generous tracts of land fuel the imagination of those who shout and scream 'stop flying' because they see and hear and assume the worst. One hopes the facts are continually made clear that aviation accounts for just 2% of human carbon dioxide emissions. Business jet operations account for just 0.04% of this total... Aviation accounts for 12% of CO2 emissions of transport's total output while road transport claims responsibility for 74%, these being pre-pandemic figures. Aircraft such as the Boeing 787 use less than 3 litres of jet fuel per 100 passenger kilometres. This matches the efficiency of most modern compact cars. As an island nation aviation is, and will remain, a vital component of our continued well being.

According to Air Transport Action Group nearly 88 million jobs were supported worldwide in aviation and related tourism before Covid-19 hit the industry. Of this, 11.3 million people worked directly in the aviation industry. Aviation is big business but it is not the climate threat that some would have us believe. Take a look at the Air Transport Action Group's website if you wish to fuel your interest more fully. www.atag.org/about-us/who-we-are.html

Leaning back on history, on this day in 1901 Wilbur Wright achieved a height of 389 feet at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, aboard a Wright design of the time.. Considering how long humans have inhabited our planet they've come an awful long way in the past 120 years of aviation! What would Wilbur and Orville have made of what was to follow in their slipstream?

At Blackbushe back on this day in 1945..'Uncle Mac' was on the airfield. A popular character of BBC's Children's Hour programme, his presence today was in connection with a number of flights being made over London for a series of broadcasts.




7th September, 1986, just one of the many Farnborough Air Show visitors that flocked to Blackbushe back then. From Aberdeen British Airway's 748 service for air show visitors gave clear indication of the value locked up in Blackbushe Airport. Watching a full load of passengers disembark onto Blackbushe 'soil' evoked many memories from some 26 years earlier when such scenes were regularly repeated on a daily basis.





The business jets of Blackbushe today still capture the imaginations of all ages.



As the pandemic eventually subsides and life on the ground and in the air returns to more normal, a growing awareness of Blackbushe Airport, her affordable benefits and her convenient location will hopefully assure she continues to flourish leading to the time when common sense is finally detected within our local County authority. Her time will come!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
09/08/21


Sometimes daily priorities take a switch in their status, today's one of those days where 'POTD' had to take a departure delay.

The Olympics are over once again, and what a great advert for GB our athletes have been. Collective pride for the UK's achievements, shows what potential lurks behind daily headlines that tend to focus on the negative, political skulduggery, and street thuggery. Just two more Olympic games before our nation is banned from buying new petrol or diesel powered transport. Maybe by then the predicted climate catastrophe will be blowing enough wind to keep the green power plants turning to meet the demand that's going to be asked of them? We can but hope, otherwise as we become ever more dependent on electricity to power our homes and our ever increasing dependence on electronic and AI gadgetry our current energy producing dependence is going to severely taxed, and that's before HMG add their tax!

Electric aircraft continue to be under development, but the weight of batteries will be a consideration of some gravity, typical EVs on the road today carry a battery that weighs around 600lbs.. Maybe in the few short years left Government planning and the scientists will have the answers, but at the moment the drive for electric cars for ALL is propelled by a degree of hot air, limited infrastructure, and concern about range when the weather demands you turn on the heater, the windscreen wipers, demisters, onboard navigation, headlights, aircon, and the myriad bits of tech that all want a bite of the battery, whether we ever get north of Watford Gap could be a fundamental concern for tomorrow's driver? As always, POTD welcomes input from 'out there'....

Progress is being made toward sustainable electric flight, here's one example... www.uktech.news/news/heart-aerospace-eyes-short-haul-electric-planes-in-uk-20210713 and another from the Rolls Royce stable www.rolls-royce.com/innovation/accel.aspx




Who knows what shapes will frequent Blackbushe in years to come. Let's face it, some of the new shapes seen serving Blackbushe this year were beyond imagination when in the early sixties Austers and Chipmunks were about to be replaced by American mass produced metal covered machinery.. Change is an inevitable part of the human story.

PB sorry we're late today.

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
10/08/21

Yesterday "POTD" gave consideration to the coming surge of demand for electricity as the nation increasingly shifts to vehicles that'll take their nourishment via a cable linked to our home supplies of electrical current. All our pockets are going to be felt as the drive toward carbon neutrality is lead by Boris Johnson in his single handed bid to place Britain as an example to the world in how to be 'green'... The UK produces just 1% of global CO2, whatever we do will do little in the overall global greenhouse gas conversation, the true costs of which remain wrapped under as yet unpublished detail.

The move toward electric aviation continues to show signs of increased activity..

The latest notification from AVweb reveals that DHL has ordered twelve electric cargo aircraft.. "Following some interest from airlines in electric aircraft, cargo carrier DHL has announced it has ordered 12 Eviation Alice electric cargo aircraft. It’s the first order for the cargo version of the aircraft and DHL has big plans. “We firmly believe in a future with zero-emission logistics,” John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express, said in a news release. “We have found the perfect partner with Eviation as they share our purpose, and together we will take off into a new era of sustainable aviation.”

DHL says the Alice fleet will service short hop routes that are common in its operations. It will be able to carry 2600 pounds of freight and go up to 440 miles on a charge. A recharge will take 30 minutes and will be done during unloading and loading. DHL said the electric planes will fit seamlessly into its fleet of piston and turbine planes that serve smaller communities. DHL said the first aircraft will likely be used in California".



DHL's electric aeroplane. Small, quiet, can one visualise airports such as Blackbushe handling aircraft such as this? If not, why not? There will always be a market in the field of "distribution", Blackbushe is well placed geographically as a collection point for smaller sized packages to be shipped quietly and efficiently across the UK and into Europe? Them thar packages are big business..ask DHL, FedEx et al..


If you don't think electric freighters will be right for Blackbushe, perhaps a new training aeroplane that is all electric will fill your heart with joy?? Take a look at the Bye Aerospace 'electric flyer'..







Meanwhile Blackbushe flies on powered by the energy of her devoted owners. Blackbushe could well be equated with the well known and universal physics of flight..'Thrust' comes from the energy created by her owners, the 'drag' component comes directly from the offices of local bureaucracy, 'lift' coming from the many who join Blackbushe's supportive bodies on social media and, dare I say, even from the likes of our Forum, while 'gravity' comes from the importance of Blackbushe as an airport and the crazy nonsense that holds her down over a few anachronistic acres of Common Land and laws that may well date back to Henry VIII!!.

Time happily intervenes at this point..

Good day to you!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
11/08/21


Thanks to the over 400 visitors who popped into 'POTD's pages since this time yesterday, fuel enough to keep the wheels on the wagon for a while longer! Hopefully our daily 'meeting' has contributed a degree toward the awareness of Blackbushe Airport, a slice of her past, a few slices of her present, and a serving for the future? Whatever. the POTD editorial staff are eternally grateful for your company!

Yesterday brought about a strange coincidence, for in the morning POTD reported on DHL's order for a number of electric short haul cargo feeder aircraft and the Bye Aerospace electric trainer aircraft. A few hours later and what happens? Blackbushe Airport welcomes her very first all electric aircraft visitor. The perfect opportunity to show how Blackbushe under her current management is already 'future proofed' by being able to offer a recharge. The aircraft, the Pipistrel Aircraft Velis Electro arrived from Redhill with continuing flight to Popham. For more information the maker has this web based detail.. www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/aircraft/electric-flight/velis-electro-easa-tc/




The first Blackbushe visitor to be charged twice?




It might be quite small, but so are the running costs, and Blackbushe is ready to provide the necessary power.


This morning the sky showed signs of approaching autumn following the summer we never really had (yet?), at 05.45 the Canada geese were back in the air. Masses of them in strict V formations squawking just as they always did, while at higher flight levels inbounds to LHR letting down from their Atlantic crossings perhaps conjured visions of pre pandemic life and the corridor of Atlantic crossings fresh from the USA and Canada. Fresh? No matter how many times you did it, blood shot eyes would flinch at the blazing furnace as it arose from the eastern horizon whilst inbound.. Days that seem as if they'll never end do... I haven't so much as touched a flying machine for months, but what memories one has for entertainment!




Memories from one's yoof, trusty bike, and magical hours spent on the A30's grassy edge drinking in Blackbushe's toxic spirit.. How I ached to cross the gorse lined ditch and touch one of those flying machines.




Tragic days such as these, while limited aviation life returned to Blackbushe members of the local Parish elected to destroy their Council owned end of Blackbushe.. An act that still inflames to this day...Land that would have rewarded the local Council handsomely instead ripped apart at great cost to its parishioners.. How much and why remain good questions!




Six decades later, Blackbushe flies on, a superb GA airport for today, but holding so much opportunity for tomorrow..bureaucracy remains the blight of Blackbushe but once dealt with there awaits the new Blackbushe dreamed of for the 22,352 days elapsed since the supposed last flight ever left Blackbushe on 31 May, 1960.



PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
12/08/21


Sometimes I can just turn to other sections of our Blackbushe Forum to fuel the morning's "POTD.. For example, these words from Aviologist yesterday, "Oh the Independent Viking by the a30. Brings back memory of a visit in august '58 I think.Along the south side there was a line up of four or five vikings and two c-54's. All independent markings. Those were the days and no security hassle young lad enjoying a day at an airport with no barriers and absorbed by the aircraft, unfortunately no camera either." Absolute evidence of the long lasting effect Blackbushe's unique attributes left upon young 'persons' of the fifties.

Or yesterday's 'movement report' from Rob...

11/8
G-ATKT C172 on his morning commute Lee-BB-Lee, probably back again later. M-ODUS came in last night
G-DAZO DA20 in from Redhill 10:00 out again 11:00ish
G-OSUS M20 to Hurn and back, possibly based again now?
D-KROX G109 been doing locals all day
D-GJBA PA34 out 10:35, to St Brieuc
G-EVTO PA28 from/to Bembridge
G-ELZY PA28 from Fairoaks for circuits.
N800VM Be76 from Staverton 12:00 out to somewhere near Cambridge
G-TOLY R22 in for training 12:2
N681EW C182 from somewhere near Devizes 13:40, departed 18:00
G-OSUS M20 in from Compton Abbas 13:45
G-ECGC C172 in for fuel after survey work 15:05, out to Connington
G-ATKT returned from Lee, as predicted, almost a scheduled service, LOL!

have been told I-FELC has returned for maintenance, FR24 say it was on 6th
who says nothing happens at Blackbushe??


It's understood that Rob does find time for some work when his observations of Blackbushe's air traffic allows?

Or Paul's latest collection of visitor photographs of which one is seen below...the rest are in the Forum's movement section..



A very welcome and increasingly frequent sight at Blackbushe is the fabulous Falcon 50.



The beauty of affordable Blackbushe is that she can cater for a wide cross section of the GA market. Big enough to take jets such as the Falcon 50, yet perfectly suitable for the smaller end of the size market be it piston, jet, or electric powered! Look around at airfields in the south so close to London, so environmentally suitable, and so user friendly that are not under the eye of property developers and please advise of any that match Blackbushe's benefits.. Blackbushe just needs to shake off the mysterious adversity that comes from somewhere within Hampshire County Council.

THANK YOU to all who contribute to the Forum, be lost without you!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
13/08/21

First and foremost continued thanks to the 'few' who supply our Forum's logistics pages with photos and details of Blackbushe's daily air traffic movements. As Blackbushe traffic shows signs of increased and varied visitor types you certainly help to spread awareness of the south's most affordable and potentially vital airfield for tomorrow's General Aviation activity. To date your contributions have produced well over a quarter of a million visits to the Forum's 'movements' pages.. Good work, thank you.

Friday, 13th. The Forum does not support superstition, but maybe those who do have such unfortunate beliefs they enter the day mentally more exposed to misadventure. The Forum does not reflect on aviation accidents, but did notice two accidents that happened on the 13th both involved the loss of 13 lives.

A couple of 13th August occasions in the aviation history books are the first flight of the Vickers Warwick in 1939, and the first flight of the HS125 on this day in 1962. The Warwick was having a significant effect on RAF Blackbushe's air movements at this time in 1945, the 125 would have a profound effect on the POTD editorial staff's career trajectory.. On this day in 1914, I was NOT there, a Royal Aircraft Factory BE2 became the first British aircraft to arrive in France for the War.




The Vickers Warwick,first flew 82 years ago today, and 76 years ago was a significant player in Blackbushe Airport's role change from wartime operations to peacetime transportation needs.




Shades of Farnborough Weeks at Blackbushe. The 125, first flew this day in 1962, a BAe125-700 taxies for departure, the 125 with quiet TFE731 bypass engines. So much quieter than the basic Viper jet engines bolted to the back of the early 125 aircraft. Local bureaucracy 'cancelled', in modern day parlance, the 125 from using Blackbushe within the Section 52 Planning Agreement they drew up.. The Viper engine was quite audible but reflected jet tech of the early sixties; attached to the 125 it did not meet the tuned ears of Blackbushe's local bureaucracy.



Have a good day, catch up again tomorrow...

PB