| 5 November
2006 - Lashenden |
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|
| Bonfire Day
dawned. We had already attended two bonfire and firework displays,
Godalming on the Friday evening and Cranleigh on the Saturday. Jan
loves her fireworks, so we did not want to go too far as we had planned to
visit Dunsfold Village that evening. The days are so short now
anyway. |
| With no suitable
flyins or free landing vouchers we decided to visit Lashenden. It is
always a lovely flight there, however upon arrival at the airfield we were
met by low lying mist and fog. We thought we would get into the air
and perform a couple of circuits just to see what it was like. |
| After a short
while we realised that it was quite patchy and we would see how far we
could go. We flew past Lasham and saw quiet a few gliders waiting to
be launched |
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|
| By the time we
reached the Guildford area it was quite clear, so we continued until we
met the usual railway line that took us through the hop fields and Oast
houses soon we saw Lashenden airfield. |
|
|
| Calling them up we were
informed that there was parachuting, model aircraft flying taking place so
we needed to take extra care. We landed on runway 29 and taxied to
the pumps. Filled up with fuel and left the plane on the line.
The parachutist plane was about to take off. |
|
|
| Heading for the
control office we paid for a fuel, the landing fee being waived as we had
taken on lots of fuel. |
| Then we made for
the very welcome coffee and bacon rolls and watched the planes landing and
the parachutists appearing high in the sky and floating down |
| A quick walk
around the hangers and planes parked on the lines and sadly we realised
that time was pressing on and we should return home |
| However the day
was so lovely we returned, not along our usual route along the railway
line but headed South to meet the coast between Hastings and Bexhill, then
West along the coast, past Beachy Head, Newhaven to Brighton seeing what
was left of the the promenade lost to fire. |
|
|
| The cliffs were so white
and tall. |
|
|
| Then North to the
South Downs, past Dunsfold airfield. |
| Then looking down on
to the village to see the bonfire next to the village
pond. We were due to be there at 7pm, then Alton around Lasham
and Popham and home. |
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|
| Flying at this
time of the year is always a bonus, but to have such a great flight was
indeed real bonus. |
