Report on day trip to Long Horsley

On Saturday the 23^rd of May 2009 eleven members of Ayr and District Model Flyers attended a model air show at Long Horsley Northumberland. This is a show put on by the Large Model Association in association with the Northumberland Model Aircraft Society. The members of the Ayr and District Model Flyers attended the show (see photos of the event below) as this was the annual club day trip.

 This year the members of the club travelled by hired minibus with driver supplied from a local hire firm. The members of the club set of at an early start of 6AM and arrived at the show at 9 45 AM. The first thing that was observed was the small amount of traders present in the past the club travelled to Woodvale for the day trip and there were a lot more traders.  However this was not the main reason why the club attended the show the members were there to see the high standard of flying and were not disappointed.

 The weather was dull and overcast with low cloud and a light wind.  From 10 30AM onwards the flying was non stop throughout the day. This show is a lot smaller than Woodvale and a lot less informal and the members liked this as some of the members were able to talk to the pilots on a personal basis and get tips about the way they set up and fly there models. At the bigger shows the pilots don’t get this chance. The Northumberland Model Aircraft Society have a good club room at there flying site and this was where you could buy filled roles burgers, sandwiches’ and refreshments all made supplied and sold by the wife’s of the Northumberland Model Aircraft Society members.

The highlight of the day was Ali Machinchy Of Al's hobbies who was present at the show and was flying his new A10 tank buster jet. Ali is one of the top British show pilots and fly’s his jet models to a superb standard and makes it look easy. Ali flew his A10 at low level and also flew low level aerobatics and dropped bombs over the run way during his flying display. Ali is very approachable and talked to some of the Ayr and District Model Flyers passing on advice and his experiences on model flying at shows throughout the world. This made it well worth a visit to the show to here Ali passing on some of his knowledge and advice.

Throughout the day there were all sorts of flying from war birds to aerobatic and fast jets. This is a good show to attend and is not to far for the club to travel to. It is not as big as some of the model shows that the members have previously attended although you get the feeling that you are more involved in the proceedings as you get a more personal touch to what is going on as it is like attending a large fly in.

 At 3.30 PM the Ayr and District Model Flyers members set of for home just as the weather changed and the rain came down, there was plenty of talk on the road home about the good day out and the experiences they had on the day. The members arrived back home at 8pm after a good day trip away some of the members are even thinking about organizing another day trip soon.

 Report by Ayr and District Model Flyers members’ web master.