philmayfield

Just had a go. I can still play that even with my truncated finger. My cherry red Stratocaster is still in working order. More than me actually!

‘The day the music died’. American Pie.

Rain starts at 12 noon on Tuesday Rog but only light drizzle to start with. I’m sure you’ve got all the wet weather gear!

Just been admiring it here!

That’s why they’re called Yeller Bellies.

They enjoy them with mould on in Lincolnshire!

The Trent is mid level at the Colwick Gauge and looks normal where the Greet enters at Fiskerton. The lake at the bottom of our field has completely disappeared. More rain forecast for next Wed/Thur though.

The smoking habit is disgusting. A bit like drink and sex - we’ve probably all tried it once and decided it wasn’t for us.

Teas in the village hall usually or on the Glebe field. The committee have not yet met to decide. You won’t see me though as I avoid village events these days.

One of our suppliers was based in Slaithwaite. The locals call it Slawit. I’ve been there many times.

We do live in a very ‘horsey’ area. Mostly they’re just ridden round the lanes and bridle paths. One neighbour, a former member of the ‘caring profession’, a nurse, used to be the secretary of the South Notts Hunt. They obviously can’t hunt now and I don’t know if they still keep hounds at the Epperstone kennels. At one time the substitute for hunting was called ‘excercising hounds’! Another neighbour is into dressage which is a sort of dancing for horses. We have kept horses and ponies ourselves in the past but, in spite of many requests for livery, we prefer to keep our meadow for wildlife.

‘A dog, a woman and a walnut tree The more you beat ‘em The better they’ll be!

Hitting horses with a whip to make them jump or go faster is a cruel sport. I’ve only been to Southwell racecourse once in my 62 years of living in the area.

It looks very similar to an Auster (built in Rearsby!) I was flying as a passenger in one from Hucknall. The engine started to cough so we attempted to land in Wollaton Park. It was a no-go so we limped back to Tollerton coming in very low over County Hall! A change of spark plugs cured the problem.

I've never flown into the present Derby airfield. Years ago my father dispatched me in his car (I had just passed my driving test) with a parcel to send to Dublin. This was when the airfield was at Burnaston. It was a bit of a Heath Robinson set-up. The parcel was weighed on a bathroom type scale and was handed up to the pilot of the Dakota!

The owner of the airstrip, John Knight, was a pilot himself. He bought the wreckage from the insurers and extracted what was salvageable. I helped him drag it back to the farm with his tractor. I must revisit the site and see how it’s changed over the years.

8/11/81 Remembrance Sunday.

The short runway at Fenland is a tricky one. A friend of mine went through the hedge there. Netherthorpe near Worksop was out of bounds for club aircraft although I’ve been in with no problems. Some farm strips can be tricky. I never liked John Hardy’s strip on the hill at Lambley or Sibson near Peterborough where parachutists were dropping on both sides. Winthorpe at Newark was interesting as you didn’t know whether to fly over or under the electricity cables on the approach. I’ve done most of the big ones except Heathrow. The landing fee and the problems of finding a slot and a ground agent

My first venture on to a really long runway was at EMA just after I qualified. I got clearance to enter the zone and was told to orbit over the power station and await a call to land. I came in on a right base and reported ‘finals’. When I was established on final approach I heard another aircraft report ‘finals’. I thought he was right up my backside so I threw away the landing and went round again to land. When I went to pay the landing fee the buggers charged me double for two landings! I’ve been in many times since and did some of my ‘night rating’ there which almost like flying in da

It was my crew member that dropped the flap lever, God knows why! I was going to throw the landing away and go round again. I gunned the throttle but at that height I’d lost the lift and picked up a taught wire fence over the crest at the end of the farm strip. Straight towards a stone wall. I thought my end was in sight! We came to an abrupt halt, the twisted starboard wing was blocking the exit door and the ruptured fuel tank was dripping Avgas. I stood on the seat, unlatched the door and bent it open! We scrambled out relatively unscathed. When I went to report it at Melton Mowbray police s

Always welcome. I need someone in the galley!

I've only written off a car and an aeroplane. I've had some narrow escapes on the high seas but I've not written off a boat yet. People aren't keen to join my crew! It could be my swansong!

I’ve just been rereading it. It’s quite a hefty book of some 274 pages. I’m recalling the names of some of those I knew, no longer with us. Derek Truman, Derek Leatherland, Derrick Brooks, Frank Spencer of the Spencer School of Flying (Michael Crawford flew in once when he was learning to fly). Brian Wells (the present owner) is still with us but in his late 80’s. I spent many hours down there in the 70’s/80’s and was at one time a director of the Sherwood Flying Club. Four of us formed a syndicate and bought a PA28, Piper Cherokee from the flying club. A pair of us would go off at weekends an

I think you got the last copy!