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Chairman’s Message
Hello and welcome to the first SCOOP of 2005.
We have already had the first Committee meeting this year, and the duties are virtually unchanged from last year. We are still short of several club officers, but we will try and make do and borrow people as and when.
One of the main things your Committee spends its time doing is arranging meets. These are usually weekend affairs, and attract anywhere between 2 and a dozen or more balloons. Sometimes they start Friday night, sometimes Saturday morning, but at any meets we arrange, ALL MEMBERS ARE WELCOME, whether you know anyone else or not, whether you have a balloon or not. And if you can't make the whole weekend, you can just come when you can make it. Since this is one of the ways we spend the money, you are missing out not being there! So take your diary and start filling in the dates below!
We have a few Pennine Region mugs left that we gave out at the Brass Monkey meet, if anyone wants one please contact me. They are £3.50 each which is pretty much cost price, first come first served.
Also, if any pilots or crew would like to replenish their supply of the Pennine Region 'interested bystander' leaflet, I also have some of these left too. These are free (but an SAE would be appreciated).
Happy Landings
Phil.
Welcome to new Members.
A special welcome goes out to Andrew and Michele Marshall for the birth of their new crewmember on 17th January. Baby Clare weighed in at 6 Lbs.
We also gained a few new members at the Brass Monkey meet these being:
Mr+Mrs Alex + Carol Kennedy.
Mrs M Innis.
Mr J Russon.
Miss C.Jones.
Mr. R Jones. |
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Taken at the glorious weekend meet at Shavington 2004 “Digby” as seen from the basket of “Jigsaw”. Thanks for the ride Phil.
Richard.
Editorial
Here we go again, its time to get ready for the new balloon season. Hopefully we have got a number of events that you all will like to attend, one new and the others that you will have been to before over the years.
As you will see we go from feast to famine with reports, nothing from the Humber Bridge meet and as there was no flying at the Brass Monkey no meet review from there either. But it definitely turned out to be an enjoyable meet, even with Don Cameron being ill and unable to attend.
Bob Jones managed to put together a slide show and talk which everyone enjoyed. He finished the weekend off by becoming a PRBA member so another new member to look out for at the 2005 balloon meets.
On the subject of meets, we have between ourselves the PRBA and our close but more expensive friends the NWBAC at least one meet each month between March and September, could we tempt some of our pilots or commercial pilots who don’t attend meets to come to at least one meet or even just one flying slot at an event. If you are stuck for crew it is more than likely that someone would be available to help you out.
Richard
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Earlier SCOOPS
Feb 2004
April 2004
June 2004
August 2004
October 2004
December 2004
PRBA Events list 2005
Black Sheep Brewery balloon meet.
Friday 3rd / Sunday 5th June.
See bits and pieces.
Thirsk Festival balloon meet.
Friday 8th / Sunday 10th July.
Details to follow.
Castle Howard Arboretum.
Sunday 24th July
Details to follow
Driffield steam fair.
Friday 12th / Sunday 14th August.
Pocklington balloon / glider swap.
Friday 23rd / Sunday 25th /September.
Events nearby
Kirkby Lonsdale
Friday 29th April / Monday 2nd May
Contact NWBAC for details.
Doncaster balloon meet
Friday 17th / 19th June.
Second year for this event at the Racecourse. Free gas and camping on site.
Nightglow ; Daytime tethering. "Fly in the new Doncaster Airspace !!"
Contact Chris Oxby: chris@oxby.com . 01302 361666 w. 01709 864428 h
Burnley balloon festival
29th / 31st July
Contact www.skypower.co.uk
Competition club events
1st Grand Prix 30th / 2nd May
Holt heath Worcester.
2nd Grand Prix 19th / 20th June
Ludlow.
3rd Grand Prix 9th / 10th July
Lutterworth Leicestershire.
British nationals
Pidley Cambridgeshire.
20th / 26th August.
Events Abroad or almost.
Cross Channel balloon flight 1st April.
steve@airbourneballoons.co.uk
Metz
22nd / 31st July.
Please check all events are on before you attend!! SCOOP advertises these events in good faith and takes no responsibility if they are cancelled.
EASTER TRAINING WEEKEND – WINDMILL FARM.
FRIDAY 25th MARCH – MONDAY 28th MARCH 2005.
Grid Reference:- 108/426156
Flying Maps:- 108,109,102,103
Friday 25th March
Booking In from 12.00pm onwards.
Briefing and Welcome at 4.00pm
Take Off Site is Windmill Farm
Saturday 26th March
Briefing at 6.00am
Take Off Site is Windmill Farm
Briefing at 4.00pm
Take Off Site is Windmill Farm
Sunday 27th March
Briefing at 6.00am
Take Off Site is Windmill Farm
Briefing at 4.00pm
Take Off Site is Windmill Farm
Monday 28th March
Briefing at 6.00am
Take Off Site is Windmill Farm
Debriefing at 12.00pm in Barn
If you are interested in any of the Course’s that are available (details on the booking form) could you please let Emma (emma.briggs@lineone.net) know by 1st March, as we need to book the course tutors.
You can also book online on www.nwbac.com |
Brass Monkey
This year’s Brass Monkey was unfortunately an un-flyable event. But seemed to be enjoyed by all that attended.
The main award of the night the “Brass Monkey” was awarded to Malcolm Skilbeck and David Sutcliffe for the long jump attempt, which was written up in the last edition of SCOOP.
The first awarding of the SCOOP trophy went to Roger Marshall for his great contributions during 2004.
And the fun prize of “The a-maze-ingly long retrieve trophy” was presented to Nicola Bowater for her efforts in the four-hour carry out through a maze field near Shavington at the 2004 “Elephant meet”. The prize being a glass corn on the cob.
PRBA Black Sheep Brewery balloon meet
Friday 3rd Saturday 4th Sunday 5th June 2005 Low Burton Masham steam fair show ground MAP 99/231812 Masham / Low Burton is quite central to Map 99.
From A1 take the A684 towards Bedale, at Bedale take the B6268 towards Masham then a left turn on to the B6267 then short distance on the A6108 to Low Burton. The field is located on the right hand side through some trees opposite side of the road to the Old Station Holiday Park.
Flying will be from the show ground with briefings at 06.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs Friday evening until Sunday morning. We have a quantity of free gas kindly provided by our sponsors the Black Sheep Brewery. Who have also agreed to pay for the camp/launch site.
There will be prizes for various activities during the weekend.
The show ground owner has requested that we do not have any barbeques or open fires that might burn the grass.
Please contact Richard your editor for more details or any questions.
Download Entry Form ...
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It was the 10th April 1733 when a celebrated, brave and foolhardy entertainer from Burton Stather, near Scunthorpe on the banks of the river Trent, came to put on a ‘bit of a show’ in Pocklington.
His name was Thomas Pelling and from that fateful day he would become famous and thereafter be known as...
The Flying Man of Pocklington
There is a large church (All Saints) just off the town square in Pocklington whose foundations were laid by the Norman’s and was (still is) imposing enough to be known as The Cathedral of the Wolds
| Its large square bell tower stands over 100 feet high and it was from this lofty vantage point that Thomas, in front of a large incredulous audience, would fly down a rope to the Star Inn*, where he no doubt hoped to have a pint. |
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* The Star Inn used to be located in Market Square, unfortunately long since demolished.
Now, the exact details of the rigging of Thomas’s ropeway have been lost in time but it involved a windlass, a lot of rope, a secure anchorage point and several men.
* For those non-sailors amongst you, according to the Oxford dictionary, a windlass is a machine, on beam and axle principle, for hoisting and hauling.
The time came for Thomas to fly, so with a short briefing to his men, which proved later to be totally inadequate, he climbed the bell tower stairs and out through the hatch on to the tower roof. He waved down to the crowds, climbed over the parapet, tied himself to the ropeway, gave the signal to his assistants and launched himself into the wide blue yonder!
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Thomas didn’t make the pub; he didn’t even clear the church, due to a ‘misunderstanding’ with the men working the windlass, who could possibly have already been sampling the wares of The Star Inn! The ropeway became slack and Thomas was allowed to fly too fast and too low. With a sickening thud he flew straight into the battlements of the choir end wall and with a fractured skull he fell to his death! |
Thomas Pelling “The celebrated Flying Man of Pocklington” was buried where he had fallen at the East End of the church on the 16th April 1733, a wall mounted plaque celebrates his memory.
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Now why have I told you this story, I hear you ask? – OK so you are not really interested but I’ll tell you anyway
The townsfolk of Pocklington are trying to raise funds for “The Reveal and Restore ‘All Saints’ Heritage Appeal Fund” which will provide disabled facilities and restore the West (Tower) end of the Church.
They are to organise an event, loosely based on the theme of Flying, on the 9th and 10th of April. The Gliding Club are hoping to do something, there is to be absailing off the church tower on the Saturday and of course it would be nice if some balloons could be seen in the sky around the Town that weekend, weather permitting.
If you haven’t more pressing engagements and fancy attending please let me know. Malc Skilbeck |
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Please contact Rita for your Pennine,
Stickers, patches, metal badges.
AND THE
25TH Anniversary Booklet
BALLOONING THE PENNINE WAY
(above).
After discussions it was decided to issue the 25th Anniversary Booklet
free of charge to all 2003 PRBA members and to issue a complimentary
copy to all those past members who sent in contributions.
Free copies are being sent out separately from the Scoop and will be
with you in the next few days.
Price £3.00 (inc.p&p) for extra copies and non-members.
Send orders and cheques, made payable to PRBA, to:
Mrs R Marshall, 7 Wynford Rise, Leeds, LS16 6HX.
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