GO-BEAR's Yak Diary

The 19th and 20th August 2006 was a busy time for Nigel, Debs and the Yak52. With displays all over the place, and an overnight stop at Sibson (Peterborough), we'd heard about GO-BEAR and his log book, so took the opportunity to take him along to allow him even more varied entries. Check the display calendar to see what events we were at over the weekend! GO-BEAR's trip was also reported in Loop Magazine - click here to read.

Rather than us tell you about him, let's see what he thought of the trip. Here's his weekend diary... plus a few pictures to go with it at the bottom of the page.

 

Saturday 19th August 2006:
Nigel and Debs pick me up in their Yak52 after their transit from Rougham for an exciting two days. Can't wait to get into the air in a "real" aeroplane again. We travel from Sibson to Upwood - just down the road - where there's a 1940's weekend event going on at the disused RAF base.

Debs straps me in tight ready for my first sortie: An aerobatic formation display with another two Yak52's! My word - they don't half fly close together! I come back to earth safely with Nigel at Upwood after the display - thrilled!

Debs takes care of me once more, and we travel back to my home (Sibson) for more fuel and an overnight stop. Can't wait till tomorrow! Nigel fills in my log book with a few comments!

Sunday 20th August 2006:
A nice lay-in to start the day - it's going to be busy says Debs!
Off to Sibson again and we prepare the barrel of poppies Nigel has already posted to my mum - Lucy - earlier in the week. In we strap for the short flight to Upwood once more. On the ground, I see that there's much more to dropping poppies than just throwing them overboard! It's all planned very carefully - there's not much room in the Yak cockpit for Debs, me and the barrel of poppies! We take off and fly with the canopy open! Wind in my fur! Lovely! It's a bit windy today - making Nigel and Debs job really difficult! But... out the poppies go - just look at them! Right on time at the end of the 2 minute silence on the ground! Nigel's careful to fly the Yak as slow as he can to give my ears a break from the noisy wind! Think I need one of those "bone domes" Debs is wearing (my birthday soon - so please note!) - how does she do all this stuff with the canopy open????

Back on the ground at Upwood it's a really fast turn-around: Nigel has to meet up with the two other display aircraft over Chatteris for another Upwood display. My second aerobatic formation display! Nigel uses smoke this time. And it gets in my eyes in the cockpit! How does he cope? It's like looking through fog at times!

Phew! On the ground again at Upwood! Here comes Debs - strapping her and me in together (!) again. Off to Rougham now. We have a slot time to meet - landing during the air display there! As usual, Nigel times it to perfection and we go straight in and land!

Refuel with Avgas and smoke oil and it's only a matter of minutes before we're off again! A solo aerobatic routine at Rougham airshow with Nigel. He tells me Debs is commentating on the ground. Hope she mentions me! By the way - how can he have a conversation with me while we're doing all this upside down stuff? +6 and -3 G !!! This is GREAT!

Feeling tired now. Debs comes back again and after refuelling we're taking off again during the Rougham display to go to Leicester! We get there in time for a short break - Nigel asks me to refuel, but I can't reach the pump! Debs gives me a helping hand!

We take off and fly to a little narrow private strip called Battleflat. I don't like the look of this! We're coming in over a factory and there's the biggest oak tree you've ever seen right on the threshold at the side of the runway. I close my eyes. Nigel says he had his shut too - but I don't believe him! I know Debs did - I peeked a look and saw her with them shut!

On the ground, Debs is taken by car to the Ibstock Country Fair, 2 miles away, while Nigel speaks on the radio to East Midlands for the display. He tells me there's a few showers around and it might be bumpy! We find the Ibstock Fair and do another great display - I could get used to this (mum: please note!). Back into Battleflat again - I get brave and keep my eyes open this time!

Debs comes back by car and then once more we're off on our journey back to Rougham! When we get there we have a bit of a rest before taking off in formation with another Yak (one that flew the Upwood display with us) and then join up with another two planes - Cessna 150's. A formation of 4 !!! This is really good fun.

We break off and finally go back to Elmsett where Nigel and Debs put the Yak to bed. And I think I'm ready for mine! What a great 2 days! Thank you Nigel and Debs! When I get home I'm going to tell my mum what a fantastic time I had!

To see the Yak entries in my log book (and the comments Nigel made about me), click my log book below. You can also click the little pictures to see a bigger version.

	My Logbook. See the comments Nigel made about me!		Me in the cockpit of the Yak!
	Nigel and me, and the Yak of course!		Debs and me!
	Waiting for Nigel and Debs at Elmsett after putting the Yak to bed!		Doing a spot of wing-walking outside Elmsett Flying Club.