A 'Cold Flight' but 'Warm Welcome' - by Geoff Hall

I hadn't flown since the 17th of November 02 mainly due to the three W W W's , work, weather and the wife, and was keen to get up again.

On the 9th of January I got my motor out of the shed and on the second press of the starter it burst into life, checked it over and put it and the rest of my kit in the car and headed off to my usual field.
The air was bitterly cold, about -2 degrees but a little milder than it had been, just 2 days before it had been -10 in Perth.

Before unpacking the car at the field, I put all my extra clothes on, two pairs of trousers, 3 fleeces, thick socks and a balaclava under my helmet. I haven't yet invested in that flying suit! Proceeded out into the middle of the field and hammered my wind sock into the hard frosty ground. The wind was very light, 2 or 3 mph and coming from the west although the wind at altitude was coming from the east and a bit stronger as the clouds indicated.

Took off on first attempt , my plan was to fly to Cupar about 20miles away, I wasn't long in the air, at about 1000ft and I was bloody freezing, well from my nipples up.
On top of that the air was very bumpy and a bit scary in places. My destination of Cupar was quickly changed to Newburgh which was about 7 miles away.

I have landed at Newburgh before in what is know locally as the Factory Field. A large grass site on the edge of the Tay Estuary where a factory once stood, now used mainly as a dogs toilet. By the time I reached Newburgh my hands were numb and I am sure my nose was a bit red. I made my approach over the estuary and landed on my feet without falling over, a rarity for me.

Two chaps in bright florescent jackets came over to see me, I thought it was the boys in blue to start with, but it was a couple of blokes from the Water Board. I must have looked cold as they were quick to offer me some hot soup before radioing up one of their vans to give me a lift to a friends house a few miles away.

What a couple of nice chaps and the driver of the van too, who quickly arrived.
A cold fight but a warm welcome indeed.

Geoff Hall

MOTOR: Fly Castelluccio SMN100 (Click on motor to see review)
WING: ONE (L)