FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1408.PDF
498 FLIGHT, 20 September 1957 Popular Flying Rally LIGHT AIRCRAFT WEEK-END AT SYWELL Sywell at last: Mohammed Rafique brings the Dart Kitten in to land after his struggle up from Thruxton at a ground speed of 28 m.p.h. RALLYING is fun. And the NationalAir Rally of the Popular FlyingAssociation last week-end—which brought more than a score of British andFrench competitors to Sywell aerodrome near Northampton—was very good funindeed. The plot was simple; com- petitors could stan from their home baseand were required to do as much flying as could be done in a morning, visiting as many aerodromes as possible, before con-verging on the compulsory route control at Cambridge. From here, a triangular course (denoted by latitude and longitude crossreferences) was to be flown to Sywell, and there were objects to be identified at the turning points of each leg. Points were awardedfor miles flown, landings made and passengers carried, with bonus marks for correct identification of the signs on the ground. Theresults were then calculated on a formula: the product of distance flown and seats occupied divided by engine horsepower. The eventual winner, Rex Nicholls in Hawk Trainer G-ALIO,entered splendidly into the spirit of the regulations. When Flight's Gemini arrived at Shoreham from Croydon at an Early Hour(well, for a Saturday at least) to see if any P.F.A. competitors had passed through, Nicholls had long since completed the same courseand was on his way to Bembridge. He also visited Thruxton, Kidlington, Fairoaks, Luton and Cambridge before arriving atSywell. Barry Birch was another pilot who added a string of aerodromes to his logbook: Elmdon, Tollerton, Coventry, Kidling-ton, Staverton, Cranfield (where the Airways Aero Club were meeting), Cambridge and Sywell again. Both were excellentefforts, and Lewis with very much less power available in his Walter Mikron engined Tipsy G-AISA also managed to call atStaverton, Kidlington, Cambridge and Sywell en route from Cardiff. But the accolade must go to Mohammed Rafique who,with relative unconcern, brought the Dart Kitten up from Thrux- ton against a strong and gusty north-west wind. Nearly everyonecomplained of rough rides on the way but Rafique did a hero's job map-reading around the course, frequently using both handsto keep the playful Kitten level. By mid-morning every aerodrome had entered into the spirit ofthe competition and route cards were being signed with an aplomb that would do credit to the Mille Miglia. At Cambridge, the staffwere co-operating with an arrival and departures control from a special hut on the apron, although stops here were more protracted;maps, computers and protractors were flourished in odd corners as pilots and passengers plotted the turning points of the compul-sory three-legged track. First at Cambridge was Happy Wanderer Nicholls, followed by Willink in Tiger Moth G-ANLG, Birchand his Argusnauts, and Andreanoff in the Whitney Straight. More than the good visibility prevailing was needed to find allthe signs on the ground. The first, "a series of numbers eighteen to twenty-five miles along the track" was at the butts of a firingrange—but as they faced in the direction of the track they were not easy to spot. Accurate plotting of the next point brought com- petitors over the tiny Castle Mill aerodrome near Bedford, andin the middle of the field were two tractor tyres painted white. The third marker was a square. Not every sign had to be identifiedby every aircraft; types with less than 75 m.p.h. cruising speed were required to find two, only one of which was compulsory:but everyone faced quite severe marking penalties for arriving at Cambridge and Sywell outside their allocated hour.Although some crews were late, all except the French entry had reached Sywell by three p.m. Hampered by various delays, thevisitors arrived with little time to spare before dark. But the president of the R.S.A., M. Georges Beraud, brought a Jodel 121(this is the version with the 75 b.h.p. Continental engine) all the way from Lyon. Among the three other Jodels was a D.I 19from Berck, flown by M. Beraud's brother, and a very attractive blue and white 90 h.p. D.I 17 complete with spats and—like theother French aircraft—lots of spare inner tubes, piloted by M. Rollin. This aircraft was awarded the Kronfeld Tankard aswinner of the Concours d'Elegance. Runners up were M. J. Barritault and his wife in the silver-grey and red MinicabGY-201, who were awarded a year's subscription to Flight and (as the result of a precautionary landing en route) a jerry can ofpetrol. Third place, and a subscription to The Aeroplane, went to the Jodel F-PHZH from Berck. The best British aircraft—placedfourth was Ivor Lewis' Tipsy. Other aircraft that rushed up to Sywell to see the fun werethe exemplary Chipmunk of the P.F.A. president, Mr. Peter Masefield (who was accompanied by his son, Charles), an E.P.9and an Irish-registered Bonanza from Croydon. Until dark, most of the visiting aircraft were surrounded by little knots of informedand interested spectators. The Coventry-Victor Turbi built in the Isle of Wight by Britten-Norman attracted a good deal of atten-tion, as did the very attractive Jodels and Minnicab from France, but modern home-built British aircraft are still depressingly con-spicuous by their prolonged absence. In the evening, a dinner and prizegiving were held in the clubhouse of the Northampton Aero Club. Speaking in characteristic vein after dinner, Mr. Masefield—who, as managing director ofa major aircraft company, still finds time to be a very active and approachable president of the P.F.A.—commented that there were450 home-built aircraft actually flying in France. Getting people into the air was a national task. Prizes were awarded to Nicholls, a worthy winner with 44.6points; to current air racing champion Brian lies, who was second in the M-18 with 22.5 points; and to Watson in the Tiger Mothwho with 12.26 points was third. (Left) The president of the Popular Flying Association, Peter Masefield, arrives by Chipmunk with his son and is greeted by Maurice Imray- Concours d'Elegance winner (below) was M- Rollin's dainty Jodel D.117
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
