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Welcome to the Oxford Dons


martinbg

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Well, things are moving on at a pace! So if you are up in the Oxfordshire area, say hello.

I'm in negotiation with a local farmer friend over some fields in the Banbury, Bicester, Brackley triangle at the moment so I'm hoping that we'll have some great places to fly to/from.

It's always a bit of a drive for me to get down to Lambourn, but worth it for the quality of the fields and company. Lets see if we can't get the same quality or better up this neck of the woods.

Martin

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  • 2 weeks later...

HI Martin, Paul, and all in the Oxfordshire area.

I fly locally around Thame, Chalgrove, Oxford, and into Bucks Aylesbury way, and hope to go further north as soon as the weather starts improving.

Hope the flying suit fits Martin (dont eat too much christmas turkey ) and see you at the Lambourn xmas dinner if not before.

There are a lot of local pilots who fly Oxfordshire, and it would be nice to all meet up in the new year to discuss/fly the different sites that we at presant fly.

HEARS to the better weather in the new year

Simon P :D

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Since I am new to all this - have yet to commence training, I would be very interested in sites near to Banbury to use.

would welcome some input on the best kit to buy. There seems to be quite a range and they all seem to have their ups and downs. Also, what about second-hand? :?

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My parajet is up for sale :lol:

They are very well engineered and very good power to weight.

I am getting a bigger one for tandem flying as soon as I can sell mine.

Its been well looked after by Parajet.

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HI Martin, Paul, and all in the Oxfordshire area.

I fly locally around Thame, Chalgrove, Oxford, and into Bucks Aylesbury way, and hope to go further north as soon as the weather starts improving.

Hope the flying suit fits Martin (dont eat too much christmas turkey ) and see you at the Lambourn xmas dinner if not before.

There are a lot of local pilots who fly Oxfordshire, and it would be nice to all meet up in the new year to discuss/fly the different sites that we at presant fly.

HEARS to the better weather in the new year

Simon P :D

___________________________

Hi Simon

This is interesting...I started learning to fly PPL at wycombe then enstone, but ran out of cash. I looked at paramotoring but the training seems rediculously expensive, £1000+ for parasail, then the same again for a paramotor convertion. And on the net the only clubs I could find were right across the country.

Do you know of a club near chalgrove I could train?

I live right next to chalgrove airfield, so probably you I see sometimes flying low over the east end of the village! (not below 500 feet of course!)

Is there a place where you can take off and land here? I friend told me Martin Baker are not that happy about other people using chalgrove...though I dont know how reliable his opinion was!

Also...isnt chalgrove in the Benson MATZ? Is there an issue with clashing with Benson traffic here?

Really interested in your experience, as there doesnt seem to be any immediate hope of me gathering enough cash to complete PPL!

Andy

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Andy, you need to speak to one of your neighbours, Greg hitchcox. Greg owns a property with a field on the boundary of Chalgrove and has been flying paramotors from there for a few years. His a very affable chap and is happy for most people to fly there. Simon Payne flies with him a fair bit, I believe.

There is now a training organisation at Enstone (if the BHPA system floats your boat). It is also possible to fly paramotors from Booker (Wycombe Air Park) but this is ABSOLUTELY only ever done through me or the permission will be lost. It is a major breakthrough to get paramotors operating out of significant ATC controlled airfields and we must tread very, very carefully. There are also other significant projects afoot for departures from places you wouldn't believe but I'm afraid I'll just have to leave that carrot dangling at the moment!

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It is also possible to fly paramotors from Booker (Wycombe Air Park)

I would be very interested in talking with you about this possiblility, as Booker was were as a boy i got my very first flights flying in the glider tug plane, at about 14.

Having grown up in Wycombe and no ing the area, it would be a real treat to fly it again.

It is good to no that you have contacts in the right places, that has made this possible. well done.

As for Chalgrove, the airfield is owned by Martin Bakers and they do get really upset if anyone flys around or too close to the perimiter.

Although only ever used weekdays, on a rare day an aircraft does land .

This area is only flown in evenings and weekends after checking with MB and posting Notam.

Andy you need to speak to Simon Westmore for more info

Good to have you around the local area :lol:

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thanks for that...when the weathers isnt so cold I'm get my self organised. Having seen one of the benson squadrons of helicoptors sweep over the edge of chalgrove village today at low level in excess of 100knots I do wonder what would happen if I were pottering around there at 25knots in a paraglider!

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They would know you were there wouldnt they? Cos you would have followed the

Midweek Flying Notification Procedure

The notify midweek flying call RAF Wittering on freephone 0800 515544 (Monday - Thursday 0700 to 2300; Friday - Sunday 0700 to 1700), or freefax 0800 389 2225, and give information in accordance with low-level Civil Aircraft Procedures (CANP)

They need two hours prior notice to promulgate to aircrews. It doesnt mean they will change their flight plan but they (should) will be looking out for you!

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As suggested by RAF paraglider instructors last week.

If you see a fast jet / helicopter coming towards you your best course of action is

a) keep turning so that they have a better chance to see you

b) land before they get to you (at least you will be in control of the landing)

As Francis said, they might not change their flight plan but they will try to give a better look out in that area. The RAF method of looking out is excellent so I would choose option a) probably closely followed by b).

If a fast jet has seen you they will climb (hard depending on separation), roll inverted to keep you in sight, and then roll upright and carry on once past your position. They will climb into cloud if necessary, although they won't be able to see you, they will judge when its safe to come back down. I've also seen them do this when I was ridge soaring in a glider at long mynd.

Alternatively, fly higher than 1000' AGL (above ground level) and most military stuff will be below you by a considerable margin (500' +)

Martin

Notification should be at least 2 hours, preferably 4.

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Another good idea is to call your local 'matz' or whatever and let them know that you have a club there...

Find out the number and csll the guard room and ask them to pass it on to the control office or crew room.

Just a note letting them know that there is likely to be Paramotors in the air in a given area will keep good relations in place.

Our local Millitary helli guys know that we will be in the air on flyable days through just this system.....

It is not that difficault to register a site with the CAA, I will ask a good friend who has done it before the exact process and arrange for every affiliate club to be listed on the CAA air charts.

SW :D

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...I would be very interested in talking with you about this possiblility as Booker was were as a boy I got my very first flights flying in the glider tug plane at about 14. Having grown up in Wycombe and knowing the area it would be a real treat to fly it again. It is good to know that you have contacts in the right places that has made this possible. Well done...

Simon - I'm sure it won't be a problem to do that but at the moment we are just establishing our position amongst the other operators. I have got a swipe card that gets us airside through all the security barriers so that we can take ours cars to the point we will be launching from. The use of the airfield has been granted to me but I am allowed to bring invited guests. However, any problems will come back on me, so I am very keen to tread carefully. I initially asked for permission to operate outside normal operating hours but they offered the use of the airfield whenever we want! I am hoping that once Booker is used to us and word starts to spread that White Waltham may follow and then hopefully Popham. I had permission for Lasham for a couple of days last Autumn for an airline fly-in however the weather conditions turned out to be unsuitable. This was a shame as the last thing I flew out of there was a heavy jet and I am determined to have my log book showing the same venue for a jet flight and a paramotor flight! Plans are afoot to remedy this... :wink:

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