With the weather fine on Friday, I could not resist going up for a flying lesson.
Sam Raby, a neighbouring farmer near Wood Walton, took me up for an hour or so.
As a gift I brought the Glebe Farm Night Mission beer with the WW2 Mosquito on the front.
Sam’s plane was immaculate, almost polished. It had its own ‘hanger’ which was a converted grain store.
I enquired if this plane was his ‘slow plane’ or the ‘fast plane’. Fortunately it was the slow plane and did about 100mph. The other plane, the Yellow Peril does nearer 200mph and whisks you off to Belgium in no time at all!
After the checks we got in the cock pit ‘as gracefully as one can’ and drove across a grassy field, and over a bridge over a field ditch. We set off down the grass runway, a little wet, but you’d expect that in February. The air sock was strip of plastic but did the same job. Sam let the throttle open and off we flew…over Sawtry, Barham, Wooley heading for Grafham Water then it was my turn to steer and maintain height (altitude).
A few turns later and then Sam cut the engine …OMG! Apparently it is very important to do and to experience gliding throught the air. Then he started the propellor up and off we flew. Phew!
Cruising over Glebe Farm at 900ft was fun , seeing the cars, office, grain stores and processing sheds.
Then back home for ‘tea and medals’…no actually just tea and biscuits.
A lovely afternoon!
Thanks Sam. Hope to fly with you again soon!
Rebecca Rayner
