BMPA History

2002 Summer Meeting, July 26-28, Shenington

Over 40 people attended at some point during the 3 days, with 11 medical students turning up. Five or six aircraft flew in and several people camped overnight, notably Andrew Sayers in a tent under his new aircraft's wing.

This year's event was blessed with extraordinarily good weather which was reflected in the turnout. There were 45 attenders including 11 medical students and 10 children. Unfortunately Go-carts were not amongst those present for reasons that I have yet to discover.

Five parties flew in, one of them twice! bringing with them at least 14 persons. (There is some doubt about how many of the Busby grandchildren came by what route.) There was much admiration from the locals for Ceri Twiston Davies's precision landing from Jersey in his Cessna twin. He brought with him a co pilot, their ladies and Ceri's two children. Andy Sayers arrived from Dundee or thereabouts in his new (to him) Long Eze. Clad in immersion suit with Emergency Location Beacon hung round his neck, this was his third attempt that day. His last message from the cockpit at 500 feet above the East coast water was that he would let us know if there were further problems or we could read about it in the papers tomorrow. Happily the papers were not needed. Our immediate past president was so keen that he came by car on Friday evening, by air on Saturday and by air again on Sunday. Jeremy and Sally Radcliffe floating in in their Stampe evoked much nostalgia for the thirties from an audience who cheerfully confessed they couldn't remember that far back and the cranked wing devotees were represented by Stephen and Janet Gibson. The secretary also flew in.

Our medical student guests came from Cambridge (5) on Friday and Birmingham (6) on Sunday. Our hosts kept one aircraft and instructor solely for their use. All got at least one trial lesson and were very enthusiastic about it. They left with 3 months temporary membership of the gliding club so perhaps one or two may go further and who knows what seeds have been sown for the long term?

Madam President and her consort arrived on Saturday afternoon in state, how else (actually for state read Ford Transit motor home). They added great tone to the camping area and allowed arrivals to be not only properly greeted but on Sunday to be entertained to Glyndebourne style food and drink. Goblets instead of glasses, how much further up the market can you get? They also brought a fine selection of home produced choice cuts of meat which were much appreciated at the Saturday barbeque which was not so riotous as last year.

I hope we may be as lucky with the weather next year so that people can fly in, that we can again entertain medical students and also plenty of children (and thus by implication some of our younger members).

Andrew Clymo