The intention was to fly to Bembridge (again). And again the weather chose otherwise. South was cloud and rain, but going north had prospects, so a rapid diversion was plotted to Conington.


Weathersfield

A quick check-out with Jim beforehand. Jim decided that some of my instruments had failed and started putting stickers on them. He went for the ASI, but I muttered "Done that for real thanks", and he slapped it on the DI instead.

Name  the village competition

Check over and I'm passenger to Steve R in the PA28. Conington is a bit of a cheat as a nav exercise, I did my cross country qualifier there, I used to live next to RAF Upwood, and I know you just need to follow the Great Northern railway to find it.

Cambridgeshire Scenery, or maybe Suffolk ...

So we arrive and drink tea and wait for the slow coaches. Everybody down and I go to get my map from the Cherokee. A couple of pilots show interest in the aircraft and start asking awkward questions like "is it a 180?". No idea! I claim not to be the pilot, even though I am checked out to fly it, and run away.

Crossing Cambridge's Zone

A stop at Duxford is planned for the journey back. Nic is flying the Cherokee, it's his last trip with the circus before going abroad and he is not having a good day. Somewhere over Bourn Nick and Nic discuss where they are in relation to each other, the conversation ends with Nic saying "That was close!".

Around Cambridge some more

Pandemonium as we all arrive a Duxford at once. There are two Cherokees (Pete in the other), the 172 (me) and a couple of 152s. No overhead joins, so a variety of different approaches are executed culminating with various aborted landings and extended circuit patterns. "Please don't overfly the villages" begs Duxford's FISO close to desperation.

A14 and St. Ives

Someone claims to be clear of the active (Steve R?) only to be told he is not clear until he has reached the hold point. Oh...

We eventually all make it down. Steve M and James console Nic - the Bourn incident and the hectic arrival have taken their toll and Nic is not too impressed with himself. The rest of us know we have all done worse...

The Nene and Huntingdon Race Course

We trudge off to the museum entrance to pay our landing fees. An hour perusing the aircraft and then we take our insignificant beasties back to Andrewsfield.

This way to Conington!

So we didn't get to Bembridge, again, but we did have fun. Ta-ra Nic, if you read this, get in touch!

[Text: Robert from a very woolly memory, corrections appreciated!]