Strut Info 2020
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| Strut Meetings / Events 2020 | |
| 16th December 2020 | 'Virtual' Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 7:30pm
As usual the December meeting wil be the annual Chairmans Quiz and Christmas nibbles, but this year with a difference as it will be a "virtual" Quiz over ZOOM and you'll have to provide your own nibbles and wine (other drinks are avaiable!) Not sure what Mick has planned, but he is working on a format that should hopefully be fun. The meeting will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite a few days before the meeting |
| 18th November 2020 | 'Virtual' Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 7:30pm
For our November meeting Rob Gratton, from the CAA, will be giving a talk/presentation on Airspace Infringements. This has been re-arranged from July when Rob had to cancel at the last minute due to work committments Rob's presentation will cover Airspace Infringements in the UK, how to avoid them, what the CAA’s process is in dealing with them and what it is doing to reduce them. Hopefully followed by Q&A. 
Rob joined the CAA in 2011 as an Airspace Specialist before being appointed as a Principal Airspace Regulator and deputy to the Manager of Airspace Regulation with the newly formed Safety and Airspace Regulation Group. His current responsibilities include the establishment and management of the Temporary Restriction of Flying Regulations and the coordination of Unusual Aerial Activities within the UK FIR. Prior to joining the CAA, Rob was a military ATCO in the RAF. He is also an active GA pilot flying a Grumman AA5 from Turweston The meeting will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite a few days before the meeting which will be open for people to join from 19:15, with talk stating at 19:30 |
| 21st October 2020 | 'Virtual'Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 7:30pm
For our October virtual meeting we have Steve Slade giving a talk/presentation summaring some of the fun he has had after his flying "career" was changed somewhat. Steve was born in Exeter, and in 1973 aged 17 he was awarded a Royal Naval flying scholarship - it was a "wow" experience which changed his life forever. Having been accepted to train for BA, an accident cut short nis flying career so he went to Southampton University to read Aeronautical Engineering. After uni he moved to Bristol in 1978 to work for Rolls-Royce, where he was employed for 38 years in various roles initially as a development engineer on the Olympus 593 and where he met a number of like-minded people, including Eddie Clapham and Mike Whittaker. Steve's talk covers the adaptions he made to the aircraft he built, a Rans S-6 (G-MIKI), which were required as he is paraplegic. He will then follow on with his Flying Adventures over the last 22 years in his aircraft, such as Round Britain Rally's, taking part in International competitions, Lands End to John O'Groats in a day, Kiev to Odessa microlight rally, setting world records, and some views from around this country and beyond. The meeting will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite a few days before the meeting which will be open for people to join from 19:15, with talk stating at 19:30 
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| 16th September 2020 | 'Virtual'Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 7:30pm
For our September meeting Robin Macey will be giving talk on Hot Air Ballooning
Robin is a member of the Nottingham & Derby Hot Air Balloon Club and has been involved in ballooning since 1984, having now made over 300 flights. He is also noted for balloon photography, with his work having been been widely published. The meeting will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite a few days before the meeting which will be open for people to join from 19:15, with talk stating at 19:30 
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| 19th August 2020 | 'Virtual'Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 7:30pm
For our August meeting Richard Glassock will be giving a talk on - Air Race E Propulsion and in particular the Electric Cassutt Racer project Richard is a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham focussing on hybrid electric and distributed propulsion for electric aircraft. He has designed and developed experimental hybrid electric aircraft propulsion units for unmanned aircraft systems. Current projects include leading development of the Propulsion Futures Beacon Air Race E demonstrator program, modular hybrid electric range extenders for electric light aircraft and preliminary design of electric powered skydiving aircraft. Richard has also put together a poster for the talk: (click for larger image) 
The meeting will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite a few days before the meeting which will be open for people to join from 19:15, with talk stating at 19:30 |
| 15th July 2020 | 'Virtual' Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 7:30pm - CANCELLED
This month we have Rob Gratton from the CAA giving a talk/presentation on "Infringements". Rob's presentation will cover Airspace Infringements in the UK, how to avoid them, what the CAA’s process is in dealing with them and what it is doing to reduce them. Hopefully followed by Q&A. Rob joined the CAA in 2011 as an Airspace Specialist before being appointed as a Principal Airspace Regulator and deputy to the Manager of Airspace Regulation with the newly formed Safety and Airspace Regulation Group. His current responsibilities include the establishment and management of the Temporary Restriction of Flying Regulations and the coordination of Unusual Aerial Activities within the UK FIR. Prior to joining the CAA, Rob was a military ATCO in the RAF. He is also an active GA pilot flying a Grumman AA5 from Turweston The meeting will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite a few days before the meeting which will be open for people to join from 19:15, with talk stating at 19:30 Due to last minute work committments Rob has had to cancel and his talk has been re-arranged for our meeting on 19th November |
| 17th June 2020 | 'Virtual' Strut Meeting - Zoom Meeting 8:00pm
This month we have Dr Simon Keeling giving a talk on "Weather Windows for Pilots" with Q&A after. Simon has been interested in the weather all his life, having been a TV weather presenter on both BBC and ITV. He now runs a weather forecasting consulting company giving training courses and is well known for weather forecasts to pilots (and sailors) on the web and social media. It will again be over ZOOM and Mick will be sending out the invite in the next couple of days. The meeting will be open for people to join from 19:45, with talk stating at 20:00. |
| 20th May 2020 | 'Virtual' Strut Meeting - ZOOM meeting 7:30pm
The Strut Meeting for May was to have been a GASCo Safety evening, but because of obviously reasons this has had to be cancelled, although hopefully this will be rescheduled for later this year or early next year. So now in its place on the same day and time, we will be trying something a little different and new. Using ZOOM Video Conferencing, Tony Razzell, Coordinator of the East Midlands Strut, will be giving us a presentation on Building his Nicollier NH700 Menestrel. If you are not sure of what one of these is, here is a photo of the one build by Richard Teverson at Boxted. 
Tony is already adept in giving his talk over ZOOM as he has not only done so to his own strut, but also last week to the Kent Strut, which I sat in on to see how it all went. ZOOM meetings can be attended from an APP on your phone or tablet, although they are also accessible via your PC/laptop using a web browser which on first use will install a browser add-on. It doesn't matter if you don't have a webcam (some may want to switch that off anyway!!) or even a microphone - you can just watch and listen, although comments can be made via the chat feature. As many may not have used ZOOM before, Mick will schedule a dummy meeting a week or so before which people can join for a few minutes to get set up and confirm it's working for them so we don't have lots of hassle on the night. We can also help out on a one on one basis if required. So watch out for further updates and please contact Martyn Steggalls () or Mick Gill () if you have any questions. |
| 15th April 2020 | Strut Meeting - Crowfield Club House 7:30pm - CANCELLED
As usual the April meeting will be the Strut AGM. Please come along and support your strut - As well as the general running of the Strut, it's the time everyone can put forward their ideas for meetings, fly-outs, visits etc for the forthcoming year, plus go over plans for this years Boxted Fly-in. Please note that due to Corona Virus outbreak this meeting has now been CANCELLED This will be re-arrange later in the year when we can meet up again. |
| 18th March 2020 | Strut Meeting - Crowfield Club House 7:30pm - CANCELLED
Anne Hughes will be coming along to give a talk about the restoration of "Foxy" the prototype Beagle Pup, G-AVDF Please note that due to Corona Virus outbreak this meeting has now been CANCELLED Hopefully we can re-arrange for Anne to come along later in the year |
| 26th February 2020 | Strut meal and social evening
The annual social evening will be held at The Highwayman pub (on the A140 opposite the road to Crowfield Airfield). Food will be a hot and cold finger buffet, and as in earlier years, drinks on arrival will be paid for by the Strut. Partners / friends are particularly welcome to attend. Drinks from 7pm and the buffet served around 7:30pm. Please can you let Tony Turner( know as early as possible if you plan to come and if you have any specific dietary requirements. |
| 15th January 2020 | Strut Meeting - Crowfield Club House 7:30pm
Amelia Earhart by Graeme Douglas
Graeme Douglas will be giving us a summary of Amelia Earhart’s life and achievements in aviation followed by a detailed look at the planning and execution of her final flight along with a look at what might possibly have gone wrong. Finally a look at some of the ‘alternative’ theories and how they don’t hold up. |