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Post by PB on Sept 23, 2021 6:19:18 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 23/09/21Thought I'd give you a nice cheery Forum header photo this morning. We're heading into the dark side of the autumn equinox and winter's coming, although our recent weather is more akin to summer's delights.... the header reflects life early in 1963 whilst in the grips of the severest winter for many years. Started to snow on Boxing Day, 1962, the thaw eventually set in during the following March. That was our resident fleet of the time, Hornet Moth G-AMZO was tucked away in one of the old Blackbushe nissen huts..
Blackbushe was a truly international airport until May 1960 when it was closed and pretty much destroyed. The intervening years since the Airport was rescued from oblivion have witnessed a limited degree of international movements, but of recent the value of Blackbushe as an affordable convenient link to far away places would seem to have taken off. Flights to or from Blackbushe over the past week have included such places as Dubai, Cologne, Bergamo, Antwerp, Guernsey, Waterford, Skiathos, Jersey, Liege, Nice, Le Bourget, Toulon, and Ostende. Dundee too, but not yet an international destination!A variety of business jets operate from Blackbushe, the fabulous PC-24 being an example, a recent arrival caught by this photo courtesy of Paul Phillips.What will Blackbushe air traffic look like in the future? Airbus are taking the future seriously with their eVTOL development..AVweb's article on the Airbus eVTOL is available on the Forum, just click this link.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/16345. Blackbushe is well placed for future short haul commuter flights powered by new fuel sources. However, as our wind farms remain becalmed in the currently calm atmosphere the massive price and consequence of our headlong sprint to become a carbon neutral nation might start to become noticed?Positive news comes from Blackbushe's "Pathfinder Cafe", not only is it proving to be an ever increasingly popular venue for pilots and the surrounding population with its excellent views, food and service, it continues to add ever more delights to its menu. Now you can enjoy the recently added totally awesome gorillabakes brownies! Never had one? Yummy, go on....
Whatever you do today, enjoy the sunshine and maybe enjoy a visit to Blackbushe, the international airport!
PB
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Post by PB on Sept 24, 2021 6:12:12 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 24/09/21When grandchildren reach two and a bit they are well qualified to walk alongside an aerodrome especially when equipped with their small trike and older arms that can scoop them up when the going gets tough..Such was the case yesterday when the opportunity for a walk alongside that nice airfield in northeast Hampshire with Grandson in tow occured!You never know who you'll pass by walking on old Blackbushe 'east'! A couple of Red Kites were seen overhead and a Falcon slid by on its way to the runway. Standing well clear of the jet blast area number one grandson was well impressed by the wonderful sound of three engines finding their take-off thrust just as the brakes were released. Grandpa was quite impressed too...As the senior member of the observation party I found it strangely emotional that aircraft of this size and thrust are now using Blackbushe on a regular basis. I've always found it stirring that man (sorry woke persons) can produce such awesome technology and then ride it into the blue beyond. The fact that you can do it in comfort and from Blackbushe is even more impressive! Yesterday's "POTD" noted how of recent Blackbushe is increasingly playing in the international markets. Information sources, elsewhere on the Forum, indicate that yesterday Blackbushe movements included Hannover, Nice, and Saltzburg. Some while ago a non-stop flight from New York arrived at Blackbushe.. not bad for the airport dumped by the Government in 1960 while certain local authorities have spent sixty years blind to the benefits of this aviation asset they do not seem to appreciate!
Seeing Blackbushe in action nowadays with her immaculately cut grass, neat and tidy appearance, and increasingly busy business related air traffic and flying training programmes one looks back to 2019 and that incredible feeling when the Planning Inspectorate ruled in favour of Blackbushe Airport's de-registration of some acres of her land thus enabling the construction of desperately needed hangars and other facilities. Seeing Blackbushe in action today one looks back to the day three months after the Planning Inspector's welcome decision when Hampshire County Council launched their objection. Now many months later and thousands of pounds in legal fees spent by Hampshire County Council and the owners of Blackbushe fighting Blackbushe's case we sit and wait yet again as the sixty years of bureaucratic meddling in the affairs of Blackbushe tick relentlessly into more months and years...
PB
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Post by PB on Sept 25, 2021 6:12:36 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 25/09/2105.30 seemed awful early to leave the pillow and stagger round the house, but when the Cranial Display Unit decides it's time to get the mind racing in ever decreasing circles best to get up and search for some less manic occupation such as "POTD"....
Decided on a couple of things I must do before the 'big sleep', first and foremost see my grandson grow happy and content in life. He's only two so a fair degree of time required to fully satisfy that one, second is to add the Spitfire to my 'warbirds flown in' collection, that's a must do if the Pension triple lock manifesto busting changes allow such expenditure, and thirdly the glaringly obvious 'must do' must be to see Blackbushe finally escape from six decades of opposition courtesy of a few locals and develop into the prestigious General Aviation mecca she is so patiently waiting to become.. Today, 25th September marks the first flight of the delightful de Havilland Dove on this day in 1945. The Dove has long been associated with Blackbushe, the above photo taken in October 1962 when the type joined us for the Great Blackbushe Re-opening Air Display. The Dove is sadly a rare sight in the sky today but many examples have felt Blackbushe tarmac meet their wheels both before and after the Airport's closure in 1960.Very early days, 1962 during Farnborough Week.. We rolled, the AVM and self, a Fairtravel Linnet out to the A30 to show passers by that Blackbushe still had a heart that beat for aviation, while in the background a visiting Dove enjoyed having the apron to itself..G-ASPA, Staravia's immaculate Mk 8 Dove, a long term Blackbushe resident quite some years ago..A visiting Dove surveys the then fully intact Blackbushe Terminal. A line of classic DH tails strung across the apron during a distant Farnborough Week probably in the late sixties, maybe early seventies. Slipping back into the Blackbushe history book, 25th September 1945 witnessed an increase in flying in the name of peace.. The daily RAF Dakota service between Blackbushe and Prestwick was going very well, operated by Dakota KN432 on this day, while three Czech Liberators arrived ready to repatriate Czech civilians as war's horrors eased.Enjoy the weekend.. PB
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Post by PB on Sept 26, 2021 6:39:57 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 26/09/2106.00, pleasantly warm for the time of year, the mornings get darker, the year gets older (don't we all!), and Blackbushe forges ahead as a prime pilot training centre and source of regular and increasing business related air traffic movements.
It's not just within aviation that Blackbushe Airport makes her mark. She also is proving a valuable asset for charity fund raising events and giving back to her local community. Yesterday witnessed a world record being shattered at Blackbushe as Darren Hardy completed Darren his challenge to break three world records. Pulling a hefty Volvo car for 50kms Darren not only became a world record holder he raised money for the H-abc Foundation UK, a feat reported in ITV News. Blackbushe can proudly say her old runways are not 'disused' but serving a great purpose in the community, not just for local dogs to run about during their daily outings either! Further evidence of Blackbushe showing her value came in the recent 'Twilight Runway Challenge' where hundreds competed in this amazing event whereby entrants ran, walked, cycled, skate boarded, and tricycled around the huge Airport circuit wearing a considerable variety of outfits!! Organised by The Community Matters Partnership the event raised a very considerable amount of cash for local charities and looks set to become an annual feature in the Blackbushe Airport calendar. Far better use of the precious airport land than the return to scrubland advocated by some...While talking of news events, no better time than now to provide a link to the minutes of the latest Blackbushe Airport Consultative Committee Meeting. The Forum's 'editorial department' were sadly unable to attend but we live in hopes that some of our members were able to show up? The full 'Minutes' report may be found elsewhere on the Forum via this link ... blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/16354 Meanwhile, Blackbushe continues to serve business aviation as her benefits continue to be used by operators across the UK and Europe. Air Wales visit yesterday captured by John Varndell's ever vigilant lens.Paul Phillips captured this shot yesterday, N reg aircraft are far from being a rarity on English soil nowadays.Hopefully you'll take a minute or two to read the BACC minutes via the link above in red...Your chance to keep up to date on what is going on at Blackbushe directly from the Manager's mouth!!
PB
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Post by PB on Sept 27, 2021 6:13:16 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 27/09/2106.00 and what is it? It's been a while but I think the stuff cascading across the garden is known as 'rain'? Don't recall any of those nice coloured Met Office weather warnings on the Beeb's weather charts last evening..although they did stress how much colder it will be today. Felt quite mild at 06.00, nearly +17C.
Today's "POTD" is focused on the photo that is also the current Forum 'header' shot.The formidable Curtiss C-46 Commando, one of a number of photos sent to us by Graham Jones. Belonging to Westair Transport the aircraft was a temporary Blackbushe resident from June to September of 1957.The aircraft is situated on Blackbushe 'east', the eastern end of the Airport destroyed by the local Parish Council. Ready to either cross the A30 to the southern engineering base or perhaps having been towed back to the north side, the aircraft is situated between the gates that awaited all aircraft involved in transiting the A30 from Blackbushe north to south of vv...
Now, if you look at the photo, the Blackbushe Terminal is clear to see with her familiar cross section brick wall, but unlike today the apron was festooned with high power lighting while the main car park stretched as far as the aircraft crossing gates...I might have mentioned before how large the Blackbushe apron was before Yateley Parish modified it by destroying at least two thirds, nearer three quarters, of this precious facility. The apron almost adjoined the holding point for runway 32, this runway being visible beneath the C-46's tail end.
During negotiations with Yateley Parish and Hampshire County Council previous owners of the Airport put in very generous offers of cash to acquire a small part of the old apron and the two thirds of the Terminal that unfortunately lay on the Parish Council's declared east end of the Airport. As we all are too well aware the councils rejected all offers and would not negotiate, destruction was all they knew.
Had the bureaucracy taken up the offers we would have a superb Terminal three times the length it is today and a much more useful apron. We've seen of recent how easily it fills up with a couple of larger aircraft in situ. The Airport's offers would have placed a large amount of money in the councils' pockets and today the land would be generating additional tax revenue while Blackbushe could have had the Terminal refurbished and some of the eye sore scrub that now grows where the apron once lay would not have come to fruition.
Looking at our photograph once more. Imagine, its only for fun (?), if the councils had agreed to sell all of their part of the apron almost up to where the C-46 is parked? A lot of money would have come their way, the Common would still be where it is, the Airport's visual aspect would have been enhanced dramatically, there could still be access to the Common from the car park as there is today..Everybody wins? It would all still be 'Common Land' as it is today.
The Airport actually only bid for a small section of the apron while also offering to purchase and renovate the eastern end of the Terminal.. POTD asks what difference would this have made to the community? Money in the councils pocket and a smarter tidier Blackbushe where today the old apron is nothing but scrub and ankle ripping brambles.
Today's "POTD" indicates extraordinary misuse of a facility whereby common sense would have lead to a win win situation. As John Lennon said, "Imagine, it's easy if you try..."
Democracy in action?
PB
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Post by PB on Sept 28, 2021 7:11:43 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 28/09/21Yesterday's "POTD" invited a little imagination regarding the current Forum 'header' photo of a Curtiss C-46 resting on Blackbushe's eastern end and an alternative to the demise of most of the main, now destroyed, Blackbushe apron. It's probably because POTD's readers will never have seen Blackbushe in her 1950's state that no evidence of reaction to yesterday's 'invitation' has been noted...From talking with visitors to Blackbushe who only know the airfield as it is today, i.e. largely overgrown and limited in what she can do by our local bureaucracies, I fully appreciate how difficult it might be to imagine the area that was once full sized Blackbushe in any other form than that of today... I might have been very young when Blackbushe was at her peak, today it's not easy to recall those days in clarity but the general images and atmosphere were amazing. Take it from me!The now non-existant eastern stretch of Blackbushe's main apron..A little aeroplane on a very large apron! Around 1962, some posts in concrete blocks and a connecting wire marked the new end of Blackbushe and the start of Parish Council property. Views to the east were totally unrestricted, this was still Blackbushe living in her old shell, the US Navy's vast hangar still stood proudly representing a now lost era.Taking the weight! The apron in earlier times, Blackbushe was built by McAlpines to the highest of standards, her surfaces could take the heaviest of aircraft. It gave the Parish Council quite some challenge to remove the runways and taxiways on their end, so much so that some bits were either left behind or simply covered in earth and 'forgotten'.. The foundations of Airwork's hangar might testify to that!!I know, you've seen it before, but for the sake of remembering the eastern end of Blackbushe this US Navy Albatross crossing the apron with the original Blackbushe Control Tower in the background will bring back many a memory to those 'who remember'...The albatross is a sign of freedom, hope, strength, wanderlust, and navigation. The albatross was believed to bring good luck to those who spotted it. Let us hope that the Grumman version of the Albatross may still carry some of the hopes offered by its feathered predecessor and Blackbushe may yet emerge as the fully equipped General Aviation airport envisaged by AVM "Pathfinder" Bennett when he bought the site in 1961, an ambition 100% carried by the owners of Blackbushe Airport today.
It is now 22,400 days since Blackbushe was closed by the Government. An operational airfield for 80 years come next year, yet for over 22,000 of those days she has been sat on and stifled by dark forces from within the local bureaucracy...
How can this be?
PB
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Post by PB on Sept 29, 2021 6:22:29 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 29/09/21"POTD" flicks once again through the pages of history in search of fuel for this September morning..
A couple of "on this day" items.. First, a trip down under to recall an extraordinary moment in New South Wales on 29 September, 1940. Two Avro Ansons of No. 2 Service Flying Training School RAAF managed to collide and become locked together in flight. One would think the consequence of such mid air entanglement would be rather dire? The navigators of both aircraft bailed out as did the pilot of the lower aircraft. The remaining pilot in the upper Anson found he could maintain flight using ailerons and flaps whilst the combo remained airborne thanks to the lower aircraft's engines that continued to run. A successful forced landing followed and all four crew lived to tell the tale. Perhaps even more extraordinary was the fact that both aircraft were repaired and returned to service with the RAAF.For old time's sake..An Annie at Blackbushe in September, 1953. This example belonging to the RAF's 63 Group Communications Flight.Our second flight back in time takes us to RAF Blackbushe on 29th September, 1945. Season of mists produced something more akin to a peas souper. FIDO was awoken (FIDO was the intense fuel burning system that lay parallel to either side of the main runway whose massive heat would drive fog into oblivion). On 29th September by 1035 in the morning visibility was reduced to a mere 60 yards the fog covering being some 800ft thick. Ten minutes after FIDO came to life the visibility had increased to 1500 yards and blue sky was once again seen above the airfield... Two Mosquitoes and a Dakota were thus able to land. October, 1945 would produce further FIDO stories and these we'll deal with during October.FIDO burning bright... Just one of the Airport's many contributions to media column inches.Finally, the well known writer of books pertaining to Blackbushe ad all round good fellow, Rob Belcher, produced an interesting link to Blackbushe's early commercial days. Courtesy of a movie 'Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary' with Diana Dors and Sid James, the films opening minutes include a US Navy transport aircraft arriving back in 1953. Blackbushe was still a bit basic at the time, but the few precious Blackbushe minutes recapture much of what some of us will remember... The first few minutes at Blackbushe were good enough for me, as for Sid James being a gum chewing American with a rather mid Atlantic accent..no comment.
PB
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Post by PB on Sept 30, 2021 6:59:38 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 30/09/21September bites the dust today, a busy month on the ground and in the air at Blackbushe, one looks forward to October and what it has in store other than Halloween's ghostly traffic...September was the month when 'disused' runways showed their value to the community as the "Twilight Runway Challenge" brought out heroes of all ages to raise money for local good causes..and a world record for one person pulling a car for 50kms was broken too, again raising financial support for vital charity work.From the air came visitors of all shapes and sizes, again proving the worth of Blackbushe as a well located and affordable business airport. Movements came from as far as Dubai, all across Europe and the UK as well.September has been a fantastic month for Blackbushe Airport while her new Pathfinder Cafe grows ever more popular providing excellent and varied dining be it indoors or out on the expansive viewing area..
Great job Blackbushe, we look forward to the future with hopes for what it could bring.
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 1, 2021 6:18:18 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 01/10/21Welcome to October, the month when autumn hands over control to winter's fingers, the wedge between autumn and the dark months that will hand over to spring, and a new year of hopes and aspirations, the year that Blackbushe Airport will have been operational for 80 years.
While we can look forward with the undying hopes for Blackbushe that some of us have harboured for sixty of those years, we can look back with certainty. October can indeed be a challenging month for aerial navigation courtesy of nature's enthusiasm for laying blankets of fog across wide open spaces such as aerodromes. Blackbushe, like any other airfield, can have its problems with the grey menace although her track record for 'fog freeness' won her many accolades and diversions from Heathrow.
Referring to Stuart Marshall's collection, 'The Wartime Years', recall of October ,1945..... "Fog was a problem early in the month with FIDO being called upon at great expense to keep the airfield open. On the 4th a two hour burn was necessary to clear the persistent fog which had reduced visibility to 50 yards. Two Mosquitoes of 162 Squadron took the opportunity to take off. Pilots of the Squadron carried a special pass signed by the Air Officer Commanding 46 Group and his equivalent in USAAF which gave pilots complete authority once departed their home base to decide if they took or delayed a flight due to weather conditions. Pilot John Wood recalled, "I was flying to Norway from Blackbushe and after refuelling at East Fortune in East Lothian, I checked with Flying Control regarding the weather and then handed in my flight plan. I was told I could not take off as the route from Denmark to Norway was covered in fog. The officer in charge still refused even when I showed him the pass card. He phoned the Station Commander who supported him. I then asked him to telephone Blackbushe to clarify the position and permission was immediately granted for me to take off but I arrived at Gardermoen over an hour late. My Squadron Commander was none too happy, but when I told him about the trouble at East Fortune he was OK. I believe he took the matter up went the next went there as we had no further trouble when we next visited. The fog on my flight had not been too bad; it was only a couple of hundred feet high and we had no trouble finding our way. No passengers were carried on these flights and we only carried mail for our top Commanders".Stuart's further mention of October, 1945, included the news that this was the month when the trouble prone Warwicks of 167 Squadron were finally withdrawn from service and Dakotas took over. The Dakotas coming from 147 Squadron already familiar with Blackbushe as their operations from Croydon had been precluded due to its water sodden grass runways.
Blackbushe's long hard runway made the airfield an easy choice for development as a London serving post-war civil airport...and so it was that RAF Hartford Bridge became RAF Blackbushe that became Blackbushe Airport that became the airport second to London until 1960. The home of airlines such as Eagle and Pegasus..Crew training by many airlines took place at Blackbushe, in particular by BOAC who found the Airport invaluable for training and fog diversions..Blackbushe was also home to the US Navy in the United Kingdom. Their vast hangar formed a well known landmark on the airfield's north eastern quadrant.Light aircraft were always a part of the Blackbushe scene..Mosquito in the mist. Doug Arnold's G-MOSI pays homage to the many Mosquitoes that once flew from their Blackbushe base in weather conditions where wise birds would have stayed in their tree..Today Blackbushe operates as a firm player amid London's surrounding airfields as testified by the varied air traffic witnessed of late. Every month our hopes for Blackbushe fly on undiminished, let us hope that this month will be another where Blackbushe shows what she's about while staying free of the grey mists that once called FIDO to work..
PB
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Post by PB on Oct 2, 2021 6:07:58 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 02/10/21October was christened yesterday by another lunchtime visit to the excellent "Pathfinder Cafe" with its delightful staff and continually expanding menu..seemed appropriate to give the 'brownies' a trial run after the main course. Oh wow!!
The apron offered a PC-24 and a couple of Beech King Airs. Considering the Airport has yet to acquire the full General Aviation infrastructure she desires, the current frequency of business flights perhaps gives an impression of how things will be when permanent hangars, an engineering base, and passenger handing facilities are in place. Oh yes, and a Blackbushe museum.. The question "when?" remains a good one!
Paul Phillips has been on the loose with his camera, thanks to him the photos below give an idea of very recent Blackbushe activity.Kings Airs and a Pilatus PC-24 made great apron scenery..PC-24, the new business jet entirely suited to Blackbushe's runways. Looked very 'at home' resting between duties.Globe Air Mustang departing for a flight to Geneva.Not only is Blackbushe busier nowadays, she is also increasingly international in her movements.
Meanwhile, technology rolls along with the new catalyst engine from General Electric taking to the skies for the first time.. AVweb's report yesterday stated, "GE Aviation announced that the new Catalyst turboprop engine successfully completed its first flight on Thursday. The flight, which took off and landed at Germany’s Berlin Airport, lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes and used a Beechcraft King Air Flying Test Bed. According to GE, its 16 Catalyst test engines have accumulated more than 2,600 hours of operation in ground tests and completed four certification tests to date". General Electric state, "GE engineers purpose-built the Catalyst engine with simplicity in mind. The Full Authority Digital Engine and Propeller Control (FADEPC) a first for the industry, delivers single-lever power control, reducing pilot workload while providing greater levels of control and responsiveness. With advanced manufacturing techniques like 3-D printing, we have reduced 855 parts to 12 components thereby reducing weight, wear and leakage. This engine is also designed for predictive maintenance enabling personalized service and improved aircraft availability".
Image GE Aviation. This link to Rob Belcher's noted September traffic at Blackbushe offers a good perspective on the Airport's activity.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/16376There is no doubt that a vibrant world of new designs and technology are in the process of emerging from drawing boards and computer design technology to serve tomorrow's General Aviation and environmental requirements. Blackbushe with her proximity to London, environmental prowess, and ease of access is well placed to provide the perfect General Aviation centre for tomorrow's needs..
PB
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