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1. 01:49 AM - Remembrance Day (Pat Ladd)
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Hi All,
Not strictly Kolb, but certainly ultralight related.
I don`t know if this gets reported in the US but all UK casualties from
Afghanistan etc , alive and dead are flown in to Lyneham which is the
HQ of Transport Command.
Consequently all coffins are taken through the streets of Wootten Basset
which is the nearest small town. The coffin is driven slowly as in a
funeral with an undertaker in top hat, black suit and a long cane,
walking ahead. It has become the practice for the whole town, plus
friends and relatives of the dead, with representatives of local Ex
servicemens organisations to stand, heads bowed, as the procession
drives slowly by. They stop at intervals while flowers are put on the
coffins. This whole thing happens much too often.
Somewhat as a by product of the feelings engendered by the constant
showing of this on TV a fund called Help the Heroes has been set up and
many organisations have held rallies etc.and made contributions
A few months ago hundreds of bikers rode through Wootten Basset to
show support and this sparked the idea of a flypast of ultralights.
Organisation was very tricky as Wootten Bassett is within Lyneham
Control Zone. They were however very cooperative, and Kemble, a local
airfield just outside the zone, agreed to act as the starting point.
All the usual problems of briefing such a large number of pilots on
rendezvous, turning points, landing fields for aircraft after dispersal
etc, were overcome and finally 135 ultralights flew together, including
a special `missing man` formation over the town.
Apparently the multiple take offs from Kemble were quite spectacular.
Ultralight pilots are not trained in formation flying but the whole
group managed to fly together over the town without incident.
There was considerable coverage in the local press and on TV and the
Mayor of Wootten basset wrote aletter of appreciation to our
organisation..
A thoroughly worthwhile project, well organised and executed which can
only foster a good opinion of ultralights which suffers too often from
negative reporting of crashes, noise and nuisance.
Cheers
Pat
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