Time for a blog update I feel.
Well the last month has seen G-CBLX permitted for the first time since I bought her a little under a year ago. I’m pleased to report she passed through fine with just one note, one corner of the radiator air scoop intake mesh had come loose.
So that was quickly fixed with a little bending of the mesh and a re-tightening of the screw/washer in that corner.
I must admit, I didnt enjoy watching the dreaded “betts” test. But the inspector said the wing was in great condition.
Finally the weather has calmed a bit and the last few weeks I have got a couple of local flights in and some circuit practice to get my hand back in after a lack of hours flown this winter.
I’ve dropped into the lovely ex ww2 airfield at Windrush a couple of times recently. It’s a nice 30 mins bimble from Kemble to drop into and stretch your legs before flying back.
Theres nothing much there apart from ghosts ! An old tower, a gun house and some old hangars now used as barns.
The tower was once refurbished and housed a skydiving/parachute club a few years ago but the airfield has no residents now.
However, Roy the farmer very kindly keeps a grass runway mown most of the year, so if you drop in then bung £3 in the box in the bottom room of the tower (side door). If you bump into Roy he can tell you some history.
Also, look for the plaque on the tower wall commemorating a brave pilot who flew an unarmed aircraft into a german bomber overhead the airfield.
There is some excellent information posted here in another blog/forum, well worth a read and more photo links.
On Sunday I planned two possible flights, Kemble to either White Waltham or to Wellesbourne Mountford. As it happenned the wind was quite strong from the East so I decided to fly North to Wellesbourne rather than fight the wind.
Elly my girlfriend was coming with me on her 2nd flight, the last was back in August. It was barely over zero degrees on the ground so we decided to fly to Windrush and see how we felt.
Well, it was cold, despite several layers under the suits and balaclavas etc. So we thawed out at Windrush and flew back to Kemble.
As it happenned it was a glorious blue sky sunny day and out of the wind it was not too cold. In fact we found a sheltered sun bathed area of patio and sat leaning on the old tower wall chatting and enjoying the peace and quiet and imagining how it would have been 60 years ago.
The flight back was 10 minutes quicker than out thanks to the wind and we packed CBLX back into the hangar and retired to AV8 bar/restauarant for a hot chocolate 
Other news, blueskyblue are having a closing down sale, so I have ordered 2 new flying suits for us. We really are now set for the new season, bring it on.
