RAFGSA Bicester
Whitson Bush
Nolaminar
1963. Flew in a new Blanik L-13 and Oly. That was the Andy Gough days.
Then later in 1994 and flew a Mu-13D3.
Nice place.
RE Gaines
F.L. Whiteley
"Whitson Bush" <whb...@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
news:SmHV9.61639$Pb.21...@twister.austin.rr.com...
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
>
>
First time 1978.
Last time 1993 or 1994.
Frank Whiteley
Colorado
ZASoars
Bicester/ Dicot- out of Booker ) .
ZA ( Indianapolis)
Robertmudd1u
<whb...@austin.rr.com> writes:
>Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
I flew there in the late summer of 1999. Had my Genesis there and let all the
RAF instructiors fly it. I also got to meet John Delafield there. A real honor
that.
Can anyone confirm the story I heard about a Beverly taking off from there with
the wheel brakes locked?
Robert Mudd
LittleJohn
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
The list of American regulars in the late seventies was pretty short.
Just you and me, Tony Sabino, Rick Horst, Tom Pope, and Don Loucks
(sic?). There must have been more that I can't remember. Anyone else
want to contribute?
John Littleton
Madison, AL
Ian Strachan
eleteMe.knology.net> writes
Einar Enevoldson, US Air Force, was a Bicester guy. He had an ASW-15
there.
Then went to NASA, I met him at Edwards AFB in the 1970s.
Now retired he is in the Fossett high altitude glider project. The
highest-altitude Andy Gough graduate?
There were lots of USAF guys who flew gliders at Bicester, the UK RAF
Gliding and Soaring Association Centre. The big F-111 base at Upper
Heyford was practically in the Bicester circuit, or vice-versa. So lots
of UH personnel joined and flew there with the RAF.
--
Ian Strachan
David Martin
about 1/2 way through my stay. My Silver duration was above the old
brick works in a K6 CR. Also did my Silver Distance in the same
ship. Got my Silver height there in a blanik with no canopy. The
canopy had been lost the weekend before when someone was doing acro
without it properly fastened. They stuck a pice of cardboard across
the back half and told me to go for it. Seems like I almost froze.
Flew the whole flight scrunched down to let the little fixed front
canopy sheild me as much as possible. The flying seemed almost free.
As I recall, 20 pence, for a winch launch, and 1 pence per minute over
ten minutes. Great memories. For those of you that were at Upper
Heyford check out the web site. www.raf-upper-heyford.org
David Martin
ASW 27 BV
NigelPocock
Had a flight in september 1980 in a Blanik with Andy Gough. I also saw him do
an aerobatic display later that day in a Blanik. Most impressive.
F.L. Whiteley
"David Martin" <dma...@conservatek.com> wrote in message
news:9266ec63.03011...@posting.google.com...
One of the B-47s landed short of UH arriving at Enstone once. The JATO
rockets reportedly damaged the tarmac on later departure. A C-141B nearly
did the same after an 18-hour sortie during Desert Storm, but they throttled
up and hopped the six miles east to UH.
Frank Whiteley
Ian Strachan
Martin <dma...@conservatek.com> writes
>I flew at Bicester from 1970 to 1974, became an assitant instructor
>about 1/2 way through my stay. My Silver duration was above the old
>brick works in a K6 CR. Also did my Silver Distance in the same
>ship.
Good for you, a good ship, the K6. I remember winning a day at a
Dunstable Nationals in a K6, taking 9 hours (my longest glider flight)
over a 300 k triangle but on a very variable day when all but two of us
landed out. I spent half an hour holing height somewhere near
Northampton before climbing away for a slow final glide into Dunstable.
One thing that used to amuse me was that the RAF at Bicester used to
call it "Calvert Brickworks" whereas the rather more "stuck up"
Dunstable used to call it "Shepherd's Furze". The turning point was
essentially the same.
Later on many of these turn point in S England that were called
different things by different clubs, were rationalised into the BGA Turn
Point system that exists today. Like the three Devizes or the four
Cirencesters that are now one BGA of each.
--
Ian Strachan
jwren
Welford ('73 to '78), but on occasion I made "business" trips up to
Bicester.
During the '77 Interservice contest at RAF Halton I had to use Bicester as a
out landing spot in my ASW 15 (647).
john wren
"i1"
Al
news:20030117152645...@mb-ce.aol.com...
> >Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when
Nigel: RAF Bicester was an early highlight in my flying career. Doing the
DIs (daily inspections) in the early morning and positioning the gliders was
a standard start of day. You never sauntered in at noon wondering when you
could fly! You had to come early. Andy Gough was very patient as he
instructed me in the open cockpit side-by-side monster on winch operations.
Then the Grunau Baby and the aerotow/acro checkout in the Blanik hooked me
as I continued running wings and doing ground chores. Later, the
get-together for the evening meal at a local pub cinched the noose. I was
truly hooked. From sunrise DIs, to late day meals at the pub, RAF Bicester
made the early 1960s very memorable for me. Being so impressed with the UK
gliders, I bought an Oly 2B when I got back to the States and learned the
difference between floating and penetrating. It was great.
Al Groth
Sumter, SC
http://home.sc.rr.com/agroth
LittleJohn
> <snip> Andy Gough was very patient as he
> instructed me in the open cockpit side-by-side monster on winch operations.
Ah ... The T-21, affectionately known as "The Barge". It brings back
many fond memories. Climbs in near nil sink so slow that your hair
doesn't get mussed. However, landing it from the left seat was a bit of
a challenge. Stick in the left hand and airbrake in the right was a
recipe for PIO at ten feet.
LittleJohn
Madison, AL
Whitson Bush
"LittleJohn" <Littl...@DeleteMe.knology.net> wrote in message
news:v2o5pkk...@corp.supernews.com...
Owain Walters
I still fly there. Much quieter than it used to be.
I am sure you will all be saddened to hear that (after
years of rumours) Bicester is due to close in June
2004. The RAFGSA Centre will be moving to RAF Halton
to carry on the military flying courses and sadly it
is the view of most of the membership that the club
(Windrushers, for those who remember) will eventually
fold.
Check out the website: www.rafgsa.org
To be fair there isnt much info or pictures but there
is a new site under construction.
Cheers,
Owain
CF
F.L. Whiteley
"Owain Walters" <REMOVE_TO_REPL...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b0k0b4$qi995$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de...
better location. Has it changed much?
Frank Whiteley
Colorado
Owain Walters
that the British Government/RAF. They organised a local
pressure group protesting about noise etc.
Little Rissington was certainly the preferred choice,
but for the above reason and other political reasons
this doesnt seem to now be an option.
Never assume a decision is made based on logic. Still,
at least it isnt the ame people waging war on Iraq.
Don Johnstone
for as long as I can remember and it has not happened
yet, and the move will not take place because the
land is to be used for anything else. In common with
many other defence lands, especially those where our
cousins from across the pond have been involved, the
ground is so polluted that the cost of cleaning it
up is so expensive that the only logical thing to do
is leave it as it is. It is unsaleable and there is
doubt that it could ever be given away as a new owner
could be forced to do the cleanup, something it would
appear the Defence Lands people have managed to avoid.
If they offered prizes for hiding the truth the MOD
would be outright winners. Mark you any organisation
that could built a multi million pound navigation school
and not quite finish it before abandoning the airfield
on which it stood could do almost anything.
LittleJohn
an eight year old, or an uneducated troll. Could you get someone to edit
your posts and convert them to understandable English before posting?
You seem to be unhappy about some sort of pollution at Bicester or the
RAF installation, but it appears that you know little or nothing about
the area. Not even how to *spell* Bicester!
LittleJohn
Madison, AL (USA)
Owain Walters
Yes, the 'middle' has subject to moving rumours for
quite some time. However, this is supposed to be it
for Bicester.
There are plans afoot to build houses on Bicester again.
Bloody waste, but you cant stop progress! Or Bush and
Blair, cant remember how the old saying goes......
At 14:24 22 January 2003, Don Johnstone wrote:
>Having said that The Middle have been moving from Biscester
>for as long as I can remember and it has not happened
>yet, and the move will not take place because the
>land is to be used for anything else. In common with
>many other defence lands, especially those where our
>cousins from across the pond have been involved, the
>ground is so polluted that the cost of cleaning it
>up is so expensive that the only logical thing to do
>is leave it as it is. It is unsaleable and there is
>doubt that it could ever be given away as a new owner
>could be forced to do the cleanup, something it would
>appear the Defence Lands people have managed to avoid.
> If they offered prizes for hiding the truth the MOD
>would be outright winners. Mark you any organisation
>that could built a multi million pound navigation school
>and not quite finish it before abandoning the airfield
>on which it stood could do almost anything.
>
>
Al McNamara
some sort of personnal winge. As Owain said, Bicester
will almost certainly close in Jun 2004 and I think
that both the RAF and British Gliding will be the worse
for it. Although quieter than it has been in the past,
anyone visiting is still assured of a warm welcome
and, having moved on a little from Blanics and the
like, boasts one of the best club fleets around (while
retaining a 'Barge' for a bit of fun). As an RAF Serviceman
currently serving in the US (Tampa, Florida), I would
love to find a similar USAF set-up!
At 16:12 22 January 2003, Littlejohn wrote:
>Don! Your writing skills are nearly nonexistant. You
>appear to either be
>an eight year old, or an uneducated troll. Could you
>get someone to edit
>your posts and convert them to understandable English
>before posting?
>
>You seem to be unhappy about some sort of pollution
>at Bicester or the
>RAF installation, but it appears that you know little
>or nothing about
>the area. Not even how to *spell* Bicester!
>
>LittleJohn
>Madison, AL (USA)
>
Walter Kahn
his comments about the MOD, Defence Lands, our 'cousins from across the
pond' are all grossly unfair, untrue and should be ignored. As proof he
might know that Lasham airfield which the Lasham Gliding Society now
owns had munitions and other 'nasties' buried in it during the war and
they were all cleared in a most satisfactory manner curtsey by Defence
Lands.
Having flown at Bicester and having been involved since its earliest
days, I am sad to note its' demise. Poor Paddy Kearon, Andy Gough and
all our old friends would be mortified if (only) they were still around.
Dear John, it is good to spread the word - but please lets be factual
and fair! Wally Kahn
In article <b0m90c$qu22i$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de>, Don Johnstone
<REMOVE_TO...@bittering.gioserve.com> writes
>Having said that The Middle have been moving from Biscester
>for as long as I can remember and it has not happened
>yet, and the move will not take place because the
>land is to be used for anything else. In common with
.
>
>At 17:48 21 January 2003, Owain Walters wrote:
>>
>>I still fly there. Much quieter than it used to be.
>>
>>I am sure you will all be saddened to hear that (after
>>years of rumours) Bicester is due to close in June
>>2004. The RAFGSA Centre will be moving to RAF Halton
>>to carry on the military flying courses and sadly it
>>is the view of most of the membership that the club
>>(Windrushers, for those who remember) will eventually
>>fold.
>>
>>Check out the website: www.rafgsa.org
>>
>>To be fair there isnt much info or pictures but there
>>is a new site under construction.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Owain
>>CF
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
--
Walter Kahn
Ged McKnight
>Trust Don to turn a relatively pleasant chain into
>some sort of personnal winge. As Owain said, Bicester
>will almost certainly close in Jun 2004 and I think
>that both the RAF and British Gliding will be the worse
>for it. Although quieter than it has been in the past,
>anyone visiting is still assured of a warm welcome
>and, having moved on a little from Blanics and the
>like, boasts one of the best club fleets around (while
>retaining a 'Barge' for a bit of fun). As an RAF Serviceman
>currently serving in the US (Tampa, Florida), I would
>love to find a similar USAF set-up!
>
You always did have more jam than hartleys ;-)
Ged
>
>At 16:12 22 January 2003, Littlejohn wrote:
>>Don! Your writing skills are nearly nonexistant. You
>>appear to either be
>>an eight year old, or an uneducated troll. Could you
>>get someone to edit
>>your posts and convert them to understandable English
>>before posting?
>>
>>You seem to be unhappy about some sort of pollution
>>at Bicester or the
>>RAF installation, but it appears that you know little
>>or nothing about
>>the area. Not even how to *spell* Bicester!
>>
>>LittleJohn
>>Madison, AL (USA)
>>
>>Don Johnstone wrote:
>>> Having said that The Middle have been moving from
>>>Biscester
>>> for as long as I can remember and it has not happened
>>> yet, and the move will not take place because the
>>> land is to be used for anything else. In common with
LittleJohn
to stir up trouble.
And the Barge is still at Bicester? Great! I'll have to fly back over
and have a go before the GSA closes shop there. Perhaps I can talk Tony
(Sabino - From Soar Minden) into a trek to fly the Barge on the wire. He
was also an assistant instructor at Bicester and the best wire
instructor around.
LittleJohn
Madison, AL
LittleJohn
wonder why they buried them. Over here they tend to just add a little
C4 to the pile and watch 'em go up in smoke.
Walter Kahn wrote:
> Regretfully yet again Don Johnstone is wide of the mark! For the record
> his comments about the MOD, Defence Lands, our 'cousins from across the
> pond' are all grossly unfair, untrue and should be ignored. As proof he
> might know that Lasham airfield which the Lasham Gliding Society now
> owns had munitions and other 'nasties' buried in it during the war and
> they were all cleared in a most satisfactory manner curtsey by Defence
> Lands.
>
> Having flown at Bicester and having been involved since its earliest
> days, I am sad to note its' demise. Poor Paddy Kearon, Andy Gough and
> all our old friends would be mortified if (only) they were still around.
Gosh, I haven't thought about Paddy in years. Everybody liked him.
Except Uncle Ron (Newell). Of course Ron didn't seem to like anyone.
And Uncle Don (Hanson)... Is he still around? He seemed to delight in
testing me and my little Libelle when he knew we were on the other end
of the rope. He was (is?) probably the best 'all around' pilot I've ever
known.
> Dear John, it is good to spread the word - but please lets be factual
> and fair! Wally Kahn
I though I was. Feel free to correct me if I wasn't.
LittleJohn
Madison, AL
LittleJohn
> Dear Al
>
> You always did have more jam than hartleys ;-)
I know that wasn't directed toward me, but could you please translate
for a 'Bloody American'. I think I know what hartleys are, but the jam
bit has me puzzled.
LittleJohn
Madison, AL
Don Johnstone
comment of the futility of moving the RAFGSA from an
airfield that will probably lie idle and unused for
many years after the GSA leave. If you don't believe
that will happen just look around Norfolk which has
many disused airfields.
My comment on pollution was not a critism either just
a comment on how things are. The USAF did have a habit
of digging a hole and placing in it anything they no
longer needed. The most notable of these events occurred
in the 1960s when a bomber caught fire with a nuclear
device on board. The bomb fell off the aircraft, a
Destroyer and was recovered. A large hole was dug and
the aircraft bulldozed into it. Large numbers of personel
were posted the following day. Unfortunately the whole
operation was witnessed by the local police. The airfield
concerned is not operational but will never be allowed
back to normal use. It is still military property.
At 18:42 22 January 2003, Al McNamara wrote:
>Trust Don to turn a relatively pleasant chain into
>some sort of personnal winge. As Owain said, Bicester
>will almost certainly close in Jun 2004 and I think
>that both the RAF and British Gliding will be the worse
>for it. Although quieter than it has been in the past,
>anyone visiting is still assured of a warm welcome
>and, having moved on a little from Blanics and the
>like, boasts one of the best club fleets around (while
>retaining a 'Barge' for a bit of fun). As an RAF Serviceman
>currently serving in the US (Tampa, Florida), I would
>love to find a similar USAF set-up!
>
>
>
Ged McKnight
Certainly
Harleys make jam (jelly to you guys the other side
of the pond)
in the UK, jam = slang word for 'lucky bas*ard'.
Al Mac enjoy your posting
Ged
>
LittleJohn
> Harleys make jam (jelly to you guys the other side
> of the pond)
>
> in the UK, jam = slang word for 'lucky bas*ard'.
OK. I think I get it. Like 'more luck than skill' or 'if he fell in a
pond of manure, he'd come out smelling like a rose.'
Thanks...
LittleJohn
Madison, AL
Walter Kahn
be puzzled by some of his comments.
To compare the possible future of Bicester airfield (grass) (it may well
be developed as a housing estate) with some of the very many WWII
airfields with concrete runways in East Anglia is somewhat laughable.
As us oldies know, there were a huge number of active (mainly bomber)
bases in that part of England, so much so that it was referred to as 'a
non floating aircraft carrier'. It was said that most of the individual
airfield circuits cut across those of its neighbours - the place was so
crowded.
Of course there are disused 'fields' in the area, most now turned over
to farming.
As far as his comments about the nuclear device story is concerned, does
he refer to the one alleged to have occurred at RAF Greenham Common near
Newbury in Berkshire? If so, his statement that ".....this airfield is
no longer operational but will never be allowed back to normal use. It
is still military property" is slightly wide of the mark!
The airfield was closed, the runways were 'dug up', the hard core was
used, in part, for the new A.34 motorway standard Newbury bypass and the
remaining land was handed back to the prewar civilian owners. A very
large part is 'owned, controlled' by 'Commoners (Trustees).
Any more comments Don? Wally Kahn
In article <b0n6ge$q6p3s$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de>, Don Johnstone
<REMOVE_TO...@bittering.gioserve.com> writes
--
Walter Kahn
Don Johnstone
My whole point was that it is pointless moving someone
from a piece of land when that land is most unlikely
to be ever used for anything else because of the financial
penalty in putting things right. There have been noises
made about putting houses on Bicester Airfield for
the last 15 years but it will never happen. The cost
of cleaning up the site, or at least carrying out the
necessary work to certify it clean would make the houses
built unsaleable because of the price developers would
need to charge to get their money back. Just who is
going to buy the land, answer no-one and the same applies
to all the remaining airfields in this part of the
country, most have as you say reverted back to farmland
but that occurred before we started to concern ourselves
with envoironmental and pollution issues. MOD establishments
shut in the last 10-15 years stand empty and derelict
and are likely to do so. The wartime airfields are
not so much of a problem,
>In article , Don Johnstone
Martin Gregorie
<REMOVE_TO...@bittering.gioserve.com> wrote:
>To answer the last first Sculthorpe.
>
What about it?
Its a farm. Has been for several years.
The building and runways are still there, but I'm sure that's only a
detail - there's no road building in the area that I'm aware of [I fly
models there several times a year] and so no demand for all that hard
core.
--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :
Michael McNulty
Where is RAFGSA Bicester. It would have been better if you had mentioned the
country concerned in the title of this thread.
"Ian Strachan" <I...@ukiws.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Mbt$vTAjlI...@ukiws.demon.co.uk...
John Wright
don't? Care to expand a bit on exactly what needs to be cleared up? I
assume you don't know that over the last couple of years bomb disposal
groups cleared out the "bomb dump" area, originally used for bomb storage
many years ago, specifically to get round any such problem. Is there
something else there that your special knowledge or informant has told you
about? Is there some part of the grass we shouldn't land on? Some part
they dug up and buried a nuclear bomb on? Or nuclear waste perhaps? That
would be an interesting, as it was never a nuclear base, or do you know
otherwise. I can just imagine a problem occuring in a bad landing and they
decide to dug up the grass they land on and bury whatever it was, then
continue landing on it!!! Oh yeh! Or do you know better? Do tell! Oh,
and when exactly did whatever it is that needs clearing up actually happen?
10 years ago? 20 years ago? 30 years ago? We await your informed response
with interest.
"Don Johnstone" <REMOVE_TO...@bittering.gioserve.com> wrote in
message news:b0riij$sm8jv$1...@ID-49798.news.dfncis.de...
Patrick Hicks
airman when the US Air Force and the British traded use rights. They wanted
to use the gun range on Upper Heyford and offered the use of Biester. It
was printed in the local base rag and I was there the following Saturday.
Andy Golf (not the right spelling) ran it then. I thought I knew how to fly
but I really learned under his teaching.
"Whitson Bush" <whb...@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
news:SmHV9.61639$Pb.21...@twister.austin.rr.com...
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
>
>
Max Kirschner
>Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester
>and when.
>
>
I first flew at Bicester in 1965 whilst crewing for
Tug Wilson at the interservices. I moved from Bannerdown
to the RAFGSA Centre, (Nicknamed the 'middle' in a
spoof gliding film called Duel) in 1986 and hopefully
will find it still there when I return from wintering
in Australia.
It is good to see so many names I recognise from the
past in the post, it is amazing to me that the one
name I don't recognise as having flown at Bicester
should spout such drivel.
With regards to Ians comment about turning points,
I never realised what a good job that Ian and Tim et
al have done with the turning point list in the UK
until I flew here in Australia, here every body seems
to makes up there own TP's which if you are lucky may
correspond to a ground feature.
I by misfortune ended up with three different databases,
in the DX 50, the Garmin and the Palm pilot. Once again
thank you Ian for the British List. Have you considered
taking a Holiday in Aus.
It will be a sad day when Bicester finally closes.
Max
lachl...@gmail.com
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
John Carlyle
-John, Q3
secf...@gmail.com
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
BJ
airr...@gmail.com
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
However, one must arrive, ready to push out gliders just after the crack of dawn, even in the dead of winter, and one was expected to say until the hanger doors were closed and everyone retired to the little pub room to settle up. Great memories. Monty Montieth was there, Dave Martin, and I remember Ian Strachan although he wouldn't remember me. Also John Glossop. I crewed for Montieth at the Nationals in Herefordshire in fall '71.
I later went on to fly at Dunstable, High Wycombe (Chris ??? CFI - great guy), And Lasham. D. Pigot checked me out for cloud flying in a falk, but I never put it use. Just as well.
AW
Colin Wray
> On Thursday, January 16, 2003 6:37:23 PM UTC-5, Whitson Bush wrote:
>
> > Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
>
Too many stories to tell here, but I have been at Dunstable since 1974, towed nearly 11,000 gliders with an assortment of tugs, and am still flying my Grob G109B.
airr...@gmail.com
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
Colin Wray
Chris Rollings
cartridge starter!
secf...@gmail.com
whb...@gmail.com
steph...@lycos.com
Coffman cartridge starters.
See "Flight of the Phoenix":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IACjOvyx5hs
Steve Leonard
> Coffman cartridge starters. See "Flight of the Phoenix": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IACjOvyx5hs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65qrzgbTTcQ
Steve
iancar...@gmail.com
sloa...@cox.net
> Just wondering how many of us have flown at Bicester and when.
Bought a K-7 stateside on recommendation from Dick Stratton, and flew it out in OK when I was stationed at Tinker AFB. Sold i in the '90s.
Chuck Sloan
USAF Ret