By: Nickxb787
- 28th June 2020 at 18:31Permalink- Edited 28th June 2020 at 18:39
Hi Clive,
Was good reading the thread, had to laugh though when I read the post below as when I checked the certificate I realised I was the pilot, it was my signature couldn’t believe it, small world aviation. The aircraft was G-AJEI. I did 5:10 pleasure flying that day
By: Nickxb787
- 13th February 2021 at 17:04Permalink
Thank you emailed.
New
Posts: 1
By: Simonhart123
- 6th August 2021 at 15:55Permalink- Edited 6th August 2021 at 18:13
Hi All. So pleased I found this forum!!!
I completed a RAF Flying Scholarship at Skegair in August 1990. The best month if my life! I flew solo in a Cessna 150 at the age of 17 before I’d even had a driving lesson!!!
I remember every day like it was yesterday - the old Bedford van collecting us each morning from the Godiva Guesthouse in Sunningdale Drive, the Coulson family (Dad and daughter I think) and also Baz and Clive who were amazing instructors!! Also great memories of us lads laying the banners out on the airfield for the Auster to dive down and peel up from the grass advertising another night at the stock cars. Tornado F3’s and USAF A10’s flying reciprocal headings to my little Cessna 150!!!
My solo long distance NavEx included me following the railway line from Spilsby down to Boston while 5 Spitfires flew the opposite direction - they were practicing formation flying in V-Formation ready for the Battle of Britain 50 Years Anniversary flypast over Buckingham Palace in September later that summer.
Unfortunately I left all of my flying records, exam papers etc at the airfield with intentions to return and top up my 30 hours of RAF Flying Scholarship to the then 40 hours required for PPL but as a 17 year old lad, couldn’t finance myself quickly enough before the airfield closed.
If there was ever a way to get everything back, I would give almost anything. I can still remember the filing cabinet in the crew room where I left everything.
Great memories! I’m now 48 and considering PPL in the next year or so.
Many thanks for adding you memories to this long standing thread...that I started way back in 2003. :)
I used to visit the aerodrome as often as I could, spending some of my hard earned cash on flights to here and there...and had a good talking to one day by David to stop "messing" about and do it properly..ie; I was spending more funds on jollies here and there than if i buckled down in a PPL direction...which I did consider and bought the books. a few years later....but it was really for me at the time and escape from other things that were happening in life and I greatly enjoyed my flights, as passenger, to other local airfields in 150, 182 and the Austers :) For the record my last flight, to date, was with, now sadly late, Peter Wilkes who I had met at Skegness in the latter days of the aerodrome...that flight was Stubton Park-Netherthorpe in banner tower G-BMUD and return Stubton in G-OTOW.
When I started reading this thread that started in 2007 I wasn’t expecting the last post to be last month!
Flying over Skeg this morning I was unable to identify the old airfield where I had learned to fly as a Flying Scholar in the summer of 1963, so thought I would turn to the net for help - and found you.
Having passed my driving test two weeks before, I turned up at Skegness on August 27th 1963, to find I too had been billeted at Butlins, for which I was charged 2/6 per day, meals and the run of the camp included - my only expense in obtaining my PPL!
My first few flights were with Tom Keegan, a schoolteacher who left after a few days, presumably to go back to school, after which I had a week’s break before being taken on by Rex Larsen. He must have had a thing about getting his students solo in under 7 hours, as he let me go after 6h45m.
Instruction was somewhat haphazard. Rex would sit in his chair with his trilby on reading his paper until seemingly randomly deciding to fly, when, if you didn’t get something right, he was known to beat us poor students around the ears with said trilby. No radio or headset in those days!
I remember a red Morgan, but it was owned by one of the pleasure pilots whose name I don’t recall, the other at the time by the name of John, who didn’t drive, both probably in their twenties. I’m sure I should know Ken Harness, but can’t visualise him. Possibly a friend of Raymond Mays, of the BRM racing team, from Bourne, who used to come over regularly?
Stan Stennett, the comedian, flew in in his twin to perform at Butlins, and as I was the only one to have wheels available was tasked to take him to the camp.
Pat Miller has only briefly been mentioned, but he was a spray pilot for Cliff Annis before setting up his own aerial spraying company, latterly based at Wickenby. One day Cliff sent Pat up in a Pawnee (it may have been new) with a tank of clean water to check its flying characteristics. Having completed his sortie, he flew low over those of us watching and dumped the contents of the tank on top of us.
My father had bought a Hornet Moth, G-ADKC, towards the end of his career in the RAF, and it was the only time he and I were in the same circuit when he flew over to visit me in training at Skegness. He became an instructor at Lincoln Aero Club, logging several different Auster, including G-AIRE, which I also flew after passing my test, but which came to grief in the Humber, unfortunately with the loss of life, in the seventies. LAC also had G-AJRE. The fate of all Austers ever built can be found in Malcolm Filimore’s tour de force ‘Auster Production Histories’, published in 2021.
I’m sorry that Dave Stennett has not seen or contributed to this thread. I saw him fit and well at Pat Miller’ funeral some two years ago. He was the ‘hangar rat’ in 1963, but had an encyclopaedic knowledge of GA aircraft. He eventually of course became the manager at Skegness and would know the history of the airfield intimately. Perhaps he should be persuaded to write the story and compile all these memories?
Interesting reading Charles, did you get to fly the Hornet Moth while in your father’s ownership?
New
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV
- 10th January 2024 at 11:07Permalink- Edited 11th January 2024 at 11:03
New member signed up simply because of this thread.
I grew up in Lincolnshire and am currently going through my late Dad's huge slide and negative collection which reminded me of his PPL training in the mid-seventies from Skegness Aerodrome. I recall he flew G-ATYN (we lived in Gayton in the county at the time), had an instructor called 'Rex' and I even located a couple of pictures. One of his piloting the Cessna, and one taken by my mum in the back of me looking distinctly unimpressed - what a twit. I guess we would have been in one of the 172's for that flight. These pictures would have been taken around 1976 but have sat in a box since then. After earning his licence he didn't keep up the hours but maintained his interest of aircraft - I am sure I have hundreds of airshow images to be scanned over the coming year.
I look forward to reading through this thread a little more.
I should add after reading this thread a little more I now know his instructor was called Rex Larson and I have captured his trilby on the right in the photograph above. The memory of his black labrador has also come back to me as a result of reading through. Thanks everyone.
Two more images found in the slides, these from around 1976.
New
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV
- 9th March 2024 at 00:44Permalink- Edited 9th March 2024 at 00:48
..and two photographs taken from our garden in Withern during the very late 1970s/early 1980s. This used to happen every year with various aircraft throwing themselves around just feet above our bungalow roof, especially the helicopter which pivoted to change direction just above our garden, often accompanied by a wave from the pilot. I clearly remember having to come inside because we felt ill from the fumes on more than one occasion, only to run back out after a few moments because it was such an exciting thing to witness.
I am guessing the Piper(?) is the very same one as in the calendar image above. Any got an idea of who it might have been who entertained me every year with their daring pilot skills?
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Posts: 51
By: FKA Trolley Aux
- 9th March 2024 at 08:13Permalink
Wonderful. thank you. keep em coming.
Looks very green for 1976, we had a really hot summer that year unless it was May time
Posts: 4
By: Nickxb787 - 28th June 2020 at 18:31 Permalink - Edited 28th June 2020 at 18:39
Hi Clive,
Was good reading the thread, had to laugh though when I read the post below as when I checked the certificate I realised I was the pilot, it was my signature couldn’t believe it, small world aviation. The aircraft was G-AJEI. I did 5:10 pleasure flying that day
By: richellis - 10th August 2009 at 20:04 - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I took a flight while on hoilday when I was 9. It was on the 27th May 1987!
Here is a link to my certificate
certificate
Posts: 2
By: wendymarie - 9th August 2020 at 19:01 Permalink
Auster G-AJEI will be at Spanhoe Auster flyin Saturday if you fancy seeing her again NickXB787.
Regards
Gary
Posts: 4
By: Nickxb787 - 8th November 2020 at 18:27 Permalink
Hi Gary,
Missed your post, sorry to miss her also
Posts: 526
By: g6hyf - 9th November 2020 at 18:21 Permalink
I also missed seeing the post, however only yesterday I was looking through the photos on this link
https://www.austerclub.org/gallery/nggallery/2020/mavis-enderby-miller-…
G-AJEI and G-AHSO appear in the photos.. :)
C.
Posts: 2
By: wendymarie - 10th December 2020 at 21:02 Permalink
Hi Nick,
If you are ever in Lincs feel free to pop in to see and wx permitting a flight in EI.
My email address is gwsiddall1@gmail.com
Gary
Posts: 4
By: Nickxb787 - 13th February 2021 at 17:04 Permalink
Thank you emailed.
Posts: 1
By: Simonhart123 - 6th August 2021 at 15:55 Permalink - Edited 6th August 2021 at 18:13
Hi All. So pleased I found this forum!!!
I completed a RAF Flying Scholarship at Skegair in August 1990. The best month if my life! I flew solo in a Cessna 150 at the age of 17 before I’d even had a driving lesson!!!
I remember every day like it was yesterday - the old Bedford van collecting us each morning from the Godiva Guesthouse in Sunningdale Drive, the Coulson family (Dad and daughter I think) and also Baz and Clive who were amazing instructors!! Also great memories of us lads laying the banners out on the airfield for the Auster to dive down and peel up from the grass advertising another night at the stock cars. Tornado F3’s and USAF A10’s flying reciprocal headings to my little Cessna 150!!!
My solo long distance NavEx included me following the railway line from Spilsby down to Boston while 5 Spitfires flew the opposite direction - they were practicing formation flying in V-Formation ready for the Battle of Britain 50 Years Anniversary flypast over Buckingham Palace in September later that summer.
Unfortunately I left all of my flying records, exam papers etc at the airfield with intentions to return and top up my 30 hours of RAF Flying Scholarship to the then 40 hours required for PPL but as a 17 year old lad, couldn’t finance myself quickly enough before the airfield closed.
If there was ever a way to get everything back, I would give almost anything. I can still remember the filing cabinet in the crew room where I left everything.
Great memories! I’m now 48 and considering PPL in the next year or so.
Posts: 526
By: g6hyf - 6th August 2021 at 18:51 Permalink
Hello SimonHart123
Many thanks for adding you memories to this long standing thread...that I started way back in 2003. :)
I used to visit the aerodrome as often as I could, spending some of my hard earned cash on flights to here and there...and had a good talking to one day by David to stop "messing" about and do it properly..ie; I was spending more funds on jollies here and there than if i buckled down in a PPL direction...which I did consider and bought the books. a few years later....but it was really for me at the time and escape from other things that were happening in life and I greatly enjoyed my flights, as passenger, to other local airfields in 150, 182 and the Austers :) For the record my last flight, to date, was with, now sadly late, Peter Wilkes who I had met at Skegness in the latter days of the aerodrome...that flight was Stubton Park-Netherthorpe in banner tower G-BMUD and return Stubton in G-OTOW.
Thank you again for adding to thread,
Clive.
Posts: 10
By: malcolm haywood - 6th December 2021 at 14:17 Permalink
Posts: 10
By: malcolm haywood - 6th December 2021 at 14:21 Permalink
Posts: 1
By: pont46 - 9th January 2022 at 17:39 Permalink
When I started reading this thread that started in 2007 I wasn’t expecting the last post to be last month!
Flying over Skeg this morning I was unable to identify the old airfield where I had learned to fly as a Flying Scholar in the summer of 1963, so thought I would turn to the net for help - and found you.
Having passed my driving test two weeks before, I turned up at Skegness on August 27th 1963, to find I too had been billeted at Butlins, for which I was charged 2/6 per day, meals and the run of the camp included - my only expense in obtaining my PPL!
My first few flights were with Tom Keegan, a schoolteacher who left after a few days, presumably to go back to school, after which I had a week’s break before being taken on by Rex Larsen. He must have had a thing about getting his students solo in under 7 hours, as he let me go after 6h45m.
Instruction was somewhat haphazard. Rex would sit in his chair with his trilby on reading his paper until seemingly randomly deciding to fly, when, if you didn’t get something right, he was known to beat us poor students around the ears with said trilby. No radio or headset in those days!
I remember a red Morgan, but it was owned by one of the pleasure pilots whose name I don’t recall, the other at the time by the name of John, who didn’t drive, both probably in their twenties. I’m sure I should know Ken Harness, but can’t visualise him. Possibly a friend of Raymond Mays, of the BRM racing team, from Bourne, who used to come over regularly?
Stan Stennett, the comedian, flew in in his twin to perform at Butlins, and as I was the only one to have wheels available was tasked to take him to the camp.
Pat Miller has only briefly been mentioned, but he was a spray pilot for Cliff Annis before setting up his own aerial spraying company, latterly based at Wickenby. One day Cliff sent Pat up in a Pawnee (it may have been new) with a tank of clean water to check its flying characteristics. Having completed his sortie, he flew low over those of us watching and dumped the contents of the tank on top of us.
My father had bought a Hornet Moth, G-ADKC, towards the end of his career in the RAF, and it was the only time he and I were in the same circuit when he flew over to visit me in training at Skegness. He became an instructor at Lincoln Aero Club, logging several different Auster, including G-AIRE, which I also flew after passing my test, but which came to grief in the Humber, unfortunately with the loss of life, in the seventies. LAC also had G-AJRE. The fate of all Austers ever built can be found in Malcolm Filimore’s tour de force ‘Auster Production Histories’, published in 2021.
I’m sorry that Dave Stennett has not seen or contributed to this thread. I saw him fit and well at Pat Miller’ funeral some two years ago. He was the ‘hangar rat’ in 1963, but had an encyclopaedic knowledge of GA aircraft. He eventually of course became the manager at Skegness and would know the history of the airfield intimately. Perhaps he should be persuaded to write the story and compile all these memories?
Charles
Posts: 1,713
By: Sopwith - 11th January 2022 at 11:49 Permalink
Interesting reading Charles, did you get to fly the Hornet Moth while in your father’s ownership?
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV - 10th January 2024 at 11:07 Permalink - Edited 11th January 2024 at 11:03
New member signed up simply because of this thread.
I grew up in Lincolnshire and am currently going through my late Dad's huge slide and negative collection which reminded me of his PPL training in the mid-seventies from Skegness Aerodrome. I recall he flew G-ATYN (we lived in Gayton in the county at the time), had an instructor called 'Rex' and I even located a couple of pictures. One of his piloting the Cessna, and one taken by my mum in the back of me looking distinctly unimpressed - what a twit. I guess we would have been in one of the 172's for that flight. These pictures would have been taken around 1976 but have sat in a box since then. After earning his licence he didn't keep up the hours but maintained his interest of aircraft - I am sure I have hundreds of airshow images to be scanned over the coming year.
I look forward to reading through this thread a little more.
Paul Vinter
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV - 10th January 2024 at 18:16 Permalink
I should add after reading this thread a little more I now know his instructor was called Rex Larson and I have captured his trilby on the right in the photograph above. The memory of his black labrador has also come back to me as a result of reading through. Thanks everyone.
Posts: 526
By: g6hyf - 10th January 2024 at 18:18 Permalink - Edited 10th January 2024 at 18:46
Hello Paul,
Thank you for posting on this thread....and for the photos and memories added :)
Thank you,
Clive.
Posts: 51
By: FKA Trolley Aux - 11th January 2024 at 08:11 Permalink
Lovely memories, thank you.
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV - 8th March 2024 at 17:04 Permalink
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV - 8th March 2024 at 17:05 Permalink
Two more images found in the slides, these from around 1976.
Posts: 7
By: PaulyV - 9th March 2024 at 00:44 Permalink - Edited 9th March 2024 at 00:48
..and two photographs taken from our garden in Withern during the very late 1970s/early 1980s. This used to happen every year with various aircraft throwing themselves around just feet above our bungalow roof, especially the helicopter which pivoted to change direction just above our garden, often accompanied by a wave from the pilot. I clearly remember having to come inside because we felt ill from the fumes on more than one occasion, only to run back out after a few moments because it was such an exciting thing to witness.
I am guessing the Piper(?) is the very same one as in the calendar image above. Any got an idea of who it might have been who entertained me every year with their daring pilot skills?
Posts: 51
By: FKA Trolley Aux - 9th March 2024 at 08:13 Permalink
Wonderful. thank you. keep em coming.
Looks very green for 1976, we had a really hot summer that year unless it was May time