3rd April 2014- Henstridge & home

[graham]

If I recall, this was my first ever visit to Henstridge and the first impressions were those of "what a dump". A perimeter track that made the one at Dunkeswell look like a freshly laid strip of tarmac, piles of rubbish and rubble everywhere, several excavators in various states of decay and abandoned cars and commercial vehicles. It had the air of downtown Beirut rather than an airfield in Somerset. Asking for access was met by a stern "NO" when a simple, and far more polite, "sorry, but we don't don't allow hanger access" would have sufficed. But why be pleasant when being rude is presumably the favoured option?

So, as with subsequent visits here, I had to be content with what was visible around the field and as you can see, it wasn't much considering that, according to PlaneBase, it houses 93 residents.

03 Apr 2014 Devizes Thursday

A6-EWD Boeing 777 21HLR 35577 Emirates Airline
HZ-AK19 Boeing 777 368ER 41056 Saudi Arabian Airlines
N885FD Boeing 777 FS2 41064 FedEx Express
TC-TJG Boeing 737NG 86JBDSF/W 29120 Corendon Air
VP-BVG Global Express XRS 9193 MVA Aviation Ltd
XA-JBC Boeing 767 284ER 24762 AeroMexico


03 Apr 2014 Henstridge Thursday

G-ARFI Cessna 150A 15059100 Private
G-AYLP AA-1 Yankee AA1-0445 Private
G-AZVI Rallye MS.892A Commodore 12039 Private
G-BUYY Piper PA-28 180 Cherokee B 28-1028 Private
G-CBSS Aerostar Yak-52 833707 Private
G-DORS Eurocopter EC135 T3 0517 Babcock MCS Onshore
G-RROD PA-30 160 Twin Comanche B 30-1221 Private

[Deleted]

Only been to Henstringe once before myself Graham- must have been in the mid eighties before it expanded- I remember it only had one big hangar - and I knocked on the house which was next to it and the lady opened it up for me and my mate- there were some nice aircraft in when we visited.  But I believe those days are over with now.

Happy Days

Bob

[graham]

Well and truly over Bob unfortunately, the bloke there rivals the bloke who used to be in charge of the Shadow hanger at Old Sarum for impoliteness. I've been several times since the first visit above, for a big field, there's rarely much outside.

[Deleted]

I know what you mean Graham, it is a pity some airfields or members of same treat us like 2nd class citizens- but thankfully some are still onside and understand the hobby- but in a way I understand because planes are not cheap and lets face it some people have in the past abused the privilege of being given access to airfields. In the end the majority of us are the eyes and ears of airfields especially when we something that is not quite right.

Always remember a guy at Husbands Bosworth calling me "It's people of Your Kind" when I asked him to have a look around the hangar - I nearly said thank you when he said that- I was allowed to look inside the hangar- but before I left I made sure I went up to him and thanked him - whilst he was in the company of a few other people. He said "Your welcome". 

Anyway onwards and upwards.

Happy Days

Bob  

[graham]

Always the tiny minority spoilng it for us Bob, I suppose really you could compare going around a hanger to being allowed into a large garage full of very expensive cars, their owners' price and joy and I guess I'd have very mixed feelings about total strangers being allowed to have a look around. Thing is, this spotting thing seems to be a hobby enjoyed by more senior members of the public, and we were all brought up to show respect and politeness.

Having said that, I remember several AFA-ers visited by invite the Gazelle Squadron base near Andover a few years ago. After the tour, I decided to call in at Thruxton on the way home and bumped into three guys who had also been on the Gazelle tour (not AFA-ers I hasten to add). During the Gazelle tour they had been rather impolite to the chap showing us around, walking into bits of the place where they'd been asked NOT to go, taking photos of aircraft that we'd been asked not to and just generally being pains-in-the-arse.

As I was walking around at Thruxton, up by the large newish Western Air hanger, they ignored the signs by the Heli Air hanger, walked through the barrier on to the apron, got promptly yelled at by a member of staff as there was a chopper running up, whereupon these morons fired off a load of abuse at this guy and gave him the finger before walking away.

So, I can understand why we're not made welcome at some airfields when retards like those three might appear representative of the rest of us.

[Deleted]

Spot on there Graham with your comments- the Manchester spotters had a real bad reputation in the 80's and 90's when I went on a few trips with Air Britain Merseyside. It is a pity than the minority spoil it for the majority.

Happy Days

Bob