Flying with Martin

in our Vintage Cessna 170B

Contact us on GMDAY170B@aol.com or Martindayaviator@aol.com

We wanted to see AY after our holiday and just get up in the air.  The wind on the Island was rather high and after talking with Turweston we decided to head in that direction.  We flew up past Newbury and Didcot Power station, enjoying just being in the air.

We past many rather nasty storms on the way but luckily we could always go around them.  We landed at Turweston with quite moderate winds although apparently there had been gusts of up to 18-19 mph.  Not good to land in a Cessna 170 with a crosswind of that strength.  So we were grateful.

We filled up with fuel, paid the landing fee and headed for the cafe where the coffee and bacon bap were delicious.  After a quick trip around the hanger and along the line of aeroplanes we noticed that the weather did not look too good so decided to head home.

The weather turned nasty, with bigger storms and clouds down to the ground in places, so being aware of restricted airspace we dodged the storms diverting to our old stomping grounds going past Henley on Thames and Reading.  We flew over the strip where another 170 is based, but so no sign of people.

Rain was just beginning to fall over the airstrip when we landed and the wind was getting up, but Martin managed a wonderful landing and we pushed the plane back to her shelter, just as the downpour arrived.

It was a good trip if just a little too exciting and certainly not an easy one in which to take photographs or videos.  I have lots of wasted footage when the thermals were at their worst.  But it was good to be back in the air.