a Trio of advENTurES

A trio of treats

Martin Ferid reviews his favourite three getaways of 2019 – Badminton, Sanicole, and Gelnhausen

With Santa safely back at base and Christmas done and dusted for another year, let’s hope that Rudolf and Co managed to circumnavigate the globe without an antler clipping someone’s airspace and an infringement being lodged against them.

In many respects, 2019 was a nondescript year, full of ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘maybes’, with relatively few highs, some lows and plenty of uncertainty. Just as some people suffer from triskaidekaphobia (freaky about the number 13), just looking at the number 2020 gives me good vibes, as it has a positive and optimistic feel. The resolve to make those dynamic changes in our lives should last for a few days at least, after which it’s anybody’s guess.

Some years ago, I saw a great motivational billboard poster that said: I f y o u c a r r y o n d o i n g w h a t y o u ’ r e d o i n g , y o u ’ l l g e t m o r e o f t h e s a m e . When hopes are high, we aspire to be more like Vitruvian Man, Da Vinci’s 1490 AD mathematical and artistic aim at perfection. Eat healthier? Drink less? Lose weight? And naturally, for the aviator, fly more! Unfortunately, when resolve is at its highest Newton’s third law kicks in like a perennial plant, events take over, forces conspire, and for most of us, well, it just doesn’t happen. Work, family duties and technical issues collude with whichever of the weather gods you believe in Þórr, Indra, Zeus, Jupiter or Seth, and no doubt a few that I’ve missed, ensuring that when the pilot is otherwise committed, the weather appears to be fine and vice versa. Organising a flying event of any kind is risky, as the weather not only has to be reasonable at the location but also in as many outward directions as possible. As the pilots on our ‘fly-out list’ are based all over the country, at times we end up the lone aircraft to make it, whereas others prove to be extremely popular, it is just so weather dependent.

One of the best examples of the past year was the opening of the ‘new’ restaurant at Calais airport, V o l A u V e n t (+33 3 21 19 34 48). I’d met Frederick, the current incumbent, at his other restaurant in Ardres and assured him that, as the date got closer, I would see if we could generate some interest, as Calais is one of the few remaining customs airfields and anything that keeps it going is a good thing.

Having had positive responses from 10 aircraft, I booked a table accordingly, knowing that on most occasions people tend to drop out as the date draws closer. Come the day with wall-to-wall sunshine, not only did nobody drop out but a total of 30 LAA aircraft turned up to a packed restaurant, with 14 squeezed around our table for 10.

Those of you that are new to touring and have joined us on some of our little jaunts, I hope the thrills were worth the sleepless nights and that it has opened a whole new world for you. As for the numerous, almost

Main Horsemanship of the highest calibre is on display at the Badminton Horse Trials.

Above Badminton’s perfectly adequate airstrip is available if you would like to attend the worldfamous Badminton Horse Trials

Left The pomp and circumstance of a British brass band at Badminton.

embarrassingly complimentary emails with regards to my monthly offering, what can I say, apart from thank you. I could be magnanimous and say ‘you shouldn’t have’, but the truth is that they make it all worthwhile, especially as many of you are using the features as a guide and getting out and about more as a direct result.

Each January, as a gratuitous indulgence, I like to feature my favourite three fly-ins of the past year, and assuming at least some truth in the idiom from William Cowper’s 1785 poem, T h e T a s k , that ‘variety is the very spice of life’, then this year’s offering is metaphorically just about as aromatic and flavoursome as it gets.

We start in the Shires of England and one of the world’s premiere equine events at Badminton. Then we move across to Sanicole and Experimental Days, an extremely popular homebuilder fly-in in the Limburg area of Belgium. And we finish in the lovely town of Gelnhausen for an airshow/fly-in, in the Hesse region of Germany.

Badminton: The Horse Trials

There is no escaping that this is essentially an equestrian event, but having its own long, well-kept airfield gives ‘Biggles’ and his cohorts the opportunity to fly-in. On the postscript of each article, you may have noticed a request regarding events that can maybe stimulate the imagination and include interest for family members who maybe aren’t quite as obsessed with Bernoulli’s Theorem as we are. Well, for the average aviator, Badminton is out there, as it’s part of the ‘society season’, more Pimms and cucumber sandwiches than cheese butties and a cuppa. Flying-in is straightforward, with the reasonable restriction of not over-flying the crowds or competitors. (PPR is essential and a Notam is operational).

The weather this year could best be described as breezy and changeable, but with the arena located just a few hundred metres away from the runway, the walk from the parking area has a satisfying, almost celebrity feel to it as you pass the queues of traffic and packed car parks, having just ‘arrived’.

The great house at Badminton is currently home to the 12th Duke of Beaufort, whose family has owned the Estate since 1608. They are descendants of John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III, and the house and parkland date from the 17th and early 18th centuries. The latter having been designed by the renowned landscape architects Capability Brown and William Kent.

Eventing began here in 1949 and it is one of only six locations worldwide having a coveted five-star classification, as listed by the Fédération Équestre Internationale, making it one of the most prestigious events of its kind. Both horse and rider have to compete at several lower grades, leading to a lengthy qualification process, sometimes taking several years. The three-day event is split into three phases: dressage, cross country and jumps. Penalties are accumulative, ultimately providing the final result.

“Until Belgium dropped charges on experimental aircraft, it was a place that most pilots with permit aircraft avoided”

If you stay for the weekend, make a point of seeing the marching military band with all its pomp and circumstance, whose music is a reminder of British traditions harking back to a time gone by when Britain ruled the waves. Both riders and their mounts are resplendent in their presentation, although much of their skill is lost with the apparent ease in which they appear to complete the required disciplines.

The overall winner was English veteran rider, Piggy French, on a 14-year-old mare, Vanir Kamira, simply known as Tilly around the stables.

We went en masse as a family with kids and grandkids, although I had by far the easiest journey. Part of the reason for going was an effort to combine our interests, as both my partner Sian and Olivia, my daughter-in-law in waiting, have a history of gymkhanas and have been riding from an early age. Naturally, having the use of a car as well, we weren’t restricted to the hotels in the immediate vicinity that take full advantage of the popularity of the event and charge a premium for the period.

For a list of hotels in the area see w w w . b a d m i n t o n -h o r s e . c o . u k

As might be expected, there is a civilised, genteel and relaxed atmosphere with a multitude of vendors, selling goods and products associated with country pursuits. Food and drink outlets tend to focus on the select, from hog-roasts to farm sausages, with prices not too dissimilar to most outdoor events of this kind.

Meanwhile, our hamper easily competed with the best of them, packed with smoked salmon, pâté, artisan Below Regular LAA Rally visitor Bart Verhees lives nearby to Sanicole and keeps his original design Delta 2 at the field. The clubhouse and bar in the background would certainly be the envy of most UK flying clubs.

Below right A local memorial to 204 men, the majority of them captured resistance members, executed on the site during WWII. pies, a variety of cheeses, ginger beer and a nice sparkling rosé. Although truth be known, the grandchildren still went for the pizza and crisps. As a ‘toe-dipping’ exercise into the world of Jeeves & Wooster, it’s a nice day out and being singularly lacking in most other skills, you can guess who got the part of Jeeves…

Looking at the relatively few aircraft, they were nearly all EASA types, although I suspect that most LAA members aren’t aware that flying-in is possible. I can instantly think of several pilots I know whose wives keep horses, making it a distinctly easy way to kill two birds with one stone. This year’s dates are confirmed as 6-10 May with PPR timeslots required. Contact Julian Seaman – j . s e a m a n 2 @ s k y . c o m or 01454 218333.

Any other information needed is available from the Badminton office and you can email Vicky Iddon on vicky.iddon@badminton-horse.co.uk or go to the website w w w . b a d m i n t o n - h o r s e . c o . u k / a i r c r a f t .

Beverlo (EBLE): Sanicole Belgium

Until Belgium dropped charges on experimental aircraft, it was a place that most pilots with permit aircraft avoided, the vintage fly-in at Schaffen-Diest being just about the only exception. I’m not sure how much the Belgian authorities managed to squeeze out of pilots during the whole period of charging, but looking at the turnout I’d guess that the cash-injection to the Belgian economy from this single fly-in would easily rival if not surpass any real profit they may have made.

The fact is that the charges were only dropped due to a bit of luck in the timing, and the efforts from Wim Van Malcot, others based at Sanicole and the LAA’s Roger Hopkinson, with his EFLEVA hat on, so once again, thanks gentlemen for your efforts. In the five years that this event has been running (which includes 2017 and 18 badged as the EFLEVA Fly-in) it has not only become popular, but from an organisational perspective is already something for others to aspire to and emulate. If you haven’t been, you should go and for anyone that’s been to Schaffen, the route is virtually identical.

Camping under the wing is popular (€10 per night) and the majority of pilots spend the entire weekend at the airfield as everything is laid on. A food package can be purchased for the duration, Friday-Sunday, made up of breakfast, lunch and supper for €95. If you prefer sleeping in a bed for the night, only a couple of km away are the army barracks, where perfectly adequate rooms can be rented through the aero club at €25 per night.

A ‘Kampenaar’ is an inhabitant of nearby Leopoldsburg and the town was named after King Leopold I, a German prince from the small Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and the first King of Belgium. The airfield sometimes takes its name from the town and sometimes after the military base Beverlo, created in 1835 when Belgium gained their independence from the Netherlands. On the departure of the military, it was privately purchased and renamed Sanicole, which has an interesting story of its own. The story goes that new owner ran a company supplying sanitary products and had a daughter named Nicole, the resultant name being a combination of his two loves.

Many of the attendees were obsessive aviators that pop-up at fly-ins far and wide, as well as a fair few from our ‘fly-out’ list embarking on their embryonic forays, where every aspect seems a challenge until after the landing when all worries are washed away with the first beer. On this occasion, I was riding shotgun with Robin Voice in his DR300, which had a particular poetic Above left A lamplighter statue in the picturesque and historic town of Gelnhausen.

Above right Short final for Gelnhausen to join an interesting array of vintage aircraft and vehicles for the next day’s airshow. synergy about it, as years ago Robin led the Tiger Club aerobatic display team, and Sanicole was one of their regular haunts. He was fondly remembered by those around at the time and was presented with a book containing his name immortalised in print. Bicycles are available for a bit of exploration and there is an almost ‘on-demand’ shuttle service to and from the accommodation, Leopoldsburg or, as in our case, nearby Heppen where a few of us had reserved a restaurant, Hoeve Coletje, Hamsesteenweg 51, Leopoldsburg 3971, +32 11 34 71 62.

The following day I was treated to a tour of the local area courtesy of club member Rudy Vervecken, which included the local coal mine, at one time the major employer in the region. There is a dedicated Mining Museum, documenting its history at Beringen Koolmijnlaan 201, Beringen 3582, w w w . m i j n m u s e u m . b e .

We also visited the site in the nearby woods where there were the systematic executions of a total of 204 men during WWII. One hundred and seventy-six of them were captured resistance fighters brought in from gaols all over Belgium, only to have their lives ended for fighting against oppression. The inclusive food package at the airfield consists of pizza on one night and BBQ on the next, so we decided to sample more of the local cuisine for our evening meal in Leopoldsburg, returning to the airfield for drinks until late. Cacaooh, Bevrijdingsplein. +32 479 24 64 98. This year’s event will be held on 3-5 July w w w . e x p e r i m e n t a l d a y s . b e .

Gelnhausen (EDFG): Germany

In a bid to whet the appetite I featured the town a month before the fly-in, as it lies a little past Frankfurt and out of the comfort zone for many. Apart from the veteran tourers, the majority of those nibbling the bait were pilots comfortable with flying in France, but yet happy to venture further afield. The response was far better than I’d expected, with pilots from all-over expressing an

intention to go. In the event, with the forecast as it was, Alistair Roxburgh and I were the only ones to get there in his Jodel 1050. It was uncharted waters for Alistair as he had not flown in Germany before, but I think he’d agree that it is a sheer delight. The Information Services bend over backwards to be of help, the airfields are pretty relaxed: nearly all have restaurants and many supply mogas too. Our route was to take us through France, Belgium and northern Luxembourg to Trier (EDRT) for customs.

With a nice Channel crossing, things seemed to be going well until the weather started pushing us further south than intended, a situation further exacerbated by Luxembourg Control who asked us to stay clear. After a rather circuitous track, we landed at Saarlouis (EDRJ) about an hour after we were meant to be at Trier. Almost immediately the phone rang with German Flight Planning checking on our whereabouts. With good onward conditions, our planned night-stop at Speyer was easily achieved, where we had a hotel booked for the night. We had a visit planned to the Technic Museum, which is located at the airfield and well worth a detour if you are anywhere in the vicinity h t t p s : / / s p e y e r . t e c h n i k - m u s e u m . d e / .

The following day was practice day at Gelnhausen and, with only an hour’s flight, we arrived in the afternoon to a birds-eye view of a couple of the routines, before being cleared to land. On landing, we were warmly greeted by the organiser Benjamin Schaum, who is always easy to locate in his leather Australian bushman style hat. They were a little disappointed that there were no further arrivals from the UK, but as the weather had been much as forecast, I explained that we were lucky not to be stuck at a French airfield somewhere en route. The great thing about many German fly-ins with accompanying air-shows is that the pilots are generally well looked after. Normally you’ll find a pilot’s enclosure, where complimentary soup, hotdogs, coffee and soft drinks are provided all day, and a free shuttle service sponsored by a local motor dealer promoting their brand. Much as the transport is much appreciated, I didn’t want to be at a hotel miles away, as I had been before. I had instead pre-booked a nice hotel in the centre of town, a very pleasant 20-minute walk away.

The town is nothing short of charming (L A May 2019) and our hotel room had a prime position overlooking the main square, and this really should be considered ‘a must-do’ destination, with or without the fly-in. AltstadtHotel Gelnhausen, Untermarkt 17, 63571, +49 6051 977980.

For food and drink, other than the pilot’s enclosure there are a variety of vendors at the show, selling typical fayre at events of the kind. For much nicer food, in a lovely setting, the town has an abundance of reasonably priced restaurants with outdoor seating, as well as three ice cream parlours worth trying.

Watching some of the German pilots warming their engines before their routine, with an open canopy and hair swept back in the breeze, it was not hard to see why the imagery was so captivating, and surely every youngster would want to be a pilot.

Considering the stiff breeze and a lowish overcast for the first day, the displays were well executed by enthusiastic pilots. With much better weather and a larger crowd the following day we enjoyed the show, meandering through the vintage cars and aircraft until it was time to make tracks for a nice flight home. The next Gelnhausen fly-in at will be in 2021 w w w . f l u g p l a t z k e r b - g e l n h a u s e n . d e / .

The three contrasting destinations were each enjoyable in their own right and apart from the Belgian foray, which had good weather both ways, meteorological conditions did throw up some en route challenges. But as pilots, we learn to cope and manage the situation, until, of course, things get ‘interesting’ and then we turn tail, looking for the nearest bolt hole.

I wish you all the very best for the year ahead and hope that however much flying you managed last year, you make your target for 2020 a little more. There are soo…… many places out there just awaiting discovery, so it doesn’t have to be another aimless trip around the block.

Next month’s Flying Adventure visits Stamford – EGSP (Peterborough Sibson). ■

Get touring with the author!

Martin Ferid is a Class Rating Instructor & Revalidation Examiner and specialises in helping qualified pilots expand their horizons into Europe, by flying with them in their aircraft both as day trips or a few days at a time. If you lack confidence in crossing the Channel, touring in general or indeed any aspects of flying, contact details are below. Just ask, as we are only too pleased to help!

Conversely, any tips, advice, comments or suggestions for interesting destinations or events will also be gratefully received.

A browse through the favourite destinations of the website should help with a little inspiration, as it provides a selection of places we’ve visited, giving a snapshot of what to expect, cruising at a relatively sedate 90kt.

The ‘touring’ pages contain a useful amount of info with regards to formalities, radio procedures, flight plans etc. and for a little amusement on rainy days try the bit of fun section. Email: l i g h t a i r c r a f t t r a i n i n g @ y a h o o . c o m Tel: 07598 880 178 Website: w w w . l i g h t a i r c r a f t t r a i n i n g . c o . u k