What crazy weather we are experiencing this summer!! 2018 will certainly go down as a year with the hottest summer that we have experienced for quite a while but just as we are all getting used to it something happens, usually in the shape of thunder storms, which spoils the day.
Friday 3rdAugust seemed to be heading that way as we drove the 250 miles down to Bodmin; very hot, clear blue skies and bright sunshine as we set off from home BUT very hot and humid and very overcast when we eventually arrived at Bodmin Airfield, home of The Cornwall Flying Club!! Event organiser (& airfield duty manager of the day) Pete White was at the clubhouse door to welcome us with a cup of brew. It’s always great to catch up with an old friend and the local news but Pete’s usual chirpy manner was somewhat subdued today as he expressed concerns about the weather predicted for the following day – Bader Braves Day!! It seemed that a front was laying just off the north coast bringing with it very low cloud and a lot of mist. Right now his concern was that an incoming flight from Lee-on-Solent was struggling to find the airfield through the 
clag; there was much chatter over the airwaves, even discussion of the flight diverting but suddenly the pilot reported that he had a visual and Pete quickly relayed ground conditions, wind speed etc and guided the aircraft safely down to land on runway three-one. A mightily relieved Pete returned to his now rather tepid cuppa and explained that this poor weather had been hanging around all day long, indeed one of the aircraft that had been volunteered for the Bader operation the following day was grounded at Perranporth where the cloud was “on the floor”!! Still, as Pete pointed out, tomorrow could be a whole lot better although by 8.30pm hopes were not too high as the cloud was now a real drizzle and visibility at the hotel was little more than 100mtrs!!
It was certainly a much better morning on Saturday although still cloudy and nothing like the great weather that we left at home the day before. Faces at the airfield were a bit on the long side as we arrived and as the volunteers from the Feet Off the Ground group, the charitable part of Cornwall Flying Club, were milling around waiting the 10.00 briefing but confidence about the cloud lifting to a flyable level was very split, 50/50 at best. First flights were not scheduled until 11.00 so there was plenty of time for the traditional cuppa or two before the planned start and about half an hour for the cloud to break; thankfully break it did!!
As the first of the Braves arrived one of the aeroplanes took off for a quick recce of the
weather around the planned route for today’s operation. By the time the first wave of Braves had completed the paperwork the PA28 of weatherwatch landed safely back and the pilot was in deep conversation with his flying colleagues. Suddenly there were some broad grins as Pete announced that all was good to go and the fog was now disappearing fast. In no time at all flight number one was loaded and ready to go and flight number two was being readied.
There had been a rapid and miraculous improvement in the weather; blue sky was now very much on the ascendancy letting the sun shine through to burn off what cloud was still hanging around. The first flight was now away and a very nicely turned out Cessna 182 purred along the runway, lifting off and disappearing into the distance on a route that would take our Braves over both north and south coasts above Wadebridge and Padstow before turning towards Newquay where they turned again to overfly St Austell and The Eden Project, then one final turn to head back in over Lostwithiel and home!!
The rate of activity was now pretty high; the restaurant was in full swing where Carol was going flat out to keep volunteers and Braves alike all fed and watered. By the time our afternoon group started to arrive it was getting really hot to the point that shade was in big demand but the flying continued as too did car rides provided by a member of the local Austin 7 group who worked really hard to meet demand for a trip in his beautiful vehicle.
And so the day progressed with flights, like the Braves, coming and going until we were left with the last flight of the day around 17.00. Once that had been completed and we had waved off the last family there was time for a quiet “debrief”, another cuppa and a giant slice of Carol’s rather splendid coffee and walnut cake – mmmmm!!
It had been yet another hugely successful Bader Braves Young Aviators Day but I would expect nothing less from the great team at Bodmin where the hours of planning had provided a great day carried out with the utmost safety, efficiency and enthusiasm.
And so our day ended with our friends from Feet Off the Ground (FOG); two lots off fog in the same day but, without doubt, the FOG at the end of the day was far, far better than the fog of early morning!!
The club had erected a marquee that was to provide welcome shelter from the sun throughout the day as well as the Bader Braves Op’s Room. Right on the scheduled arrival time excited Young Aviators began to appear and once the usual formalities had been completed it was straight into action and the first of the 37 Braves flights that would be made throughout the day taxied out to make final checks and then onto line up ready for take-off.
There was now a steady flow of Braves arriving at check in. Jess was busy welcoming everyone, making sure that all the paperwork had been properly completed and handing out the goody-bags before directing them to Tessa and Arthur who were co-ordinating flights. Aircraft were now departing and returning with amazing regularity.
was becoming slightly more difficult now to allocate people to flights as not only does the Bader Braves Squadron comprise a range of different types of aeroplanes each of which has been volunteered to Bader Braves for the day, but high temperatures such as we were now experiencing, greatly effects the performance of a light aircraft with weights and balances becoming much more 
critical. Undeterred however, the pilots continued their tasks and no sooner had our morning group been completed than the afternoon Braves started arriving. Fortunately a number of the aeroplanes were in shared ownership with each partner taking a turn at the controls which allowed operations to continue pretty much seamlessly throughout the afternoon.
As we all gathered round to mull over the day there was the usual display of camaraderie amongst the pilots, sharing of experiences and much laughter; it was quite clear that had been yet another brilliantly successful White Waltham event and, as always, we are indebted to all those who so generously gave their time, effort and aeroplanes and made sure that everyone went home with a big smile.
Club was returning to some semblance of normality following what had been a wonderfully successful Young Aviators Day. Time now for another cuppa and de-brief before we made our own final farewells but not before discussing a possible return (we’ve had more comebacks than Sinatra!!!) in 2019; thankfully Julie, Davy and team UFC have given early indications that all will be well – let’s hope so for this has been a superb day. It always seems that a “thankyou” is scant reward for so much hard work but right now there is little more that can be said so on behalf of all the Braves –
and looking a little crestfallen by late afternoon. What was surprising however, was the telephone call first thing the next morning. A much more upbeat Peter from the club called to say that weather was good at the airfield and we had a “go” situation! What a relief to in a position to inform everyone that the event was going ahead and on schedule. It took about an hour to let everyone know and then get to the airfield in time to lay stuff out and put up banners and, of course, to have a couple of mugs of airfield tea …. a great way to start the day.
The two aircraft that had been made available to us for the day, a Cessna C172 and a Piper PA28 Arrow, were all ready and right on time at 09.45 the first of our Braves started arriving. Just time for introductions, completion of formalities and then straight into the flying. In the excitement of getting things going we had all forgotten about the terrible weather worries of the previous day for as the first flight of the day took off and disappeared in the direction of the coast, the clouds had cleared, the sky was blue and the sun was glorious … what a difference a day makes!!
the obligatory photographs. In no time at all Peter was gathering his next Brave and repeating the exercise of his previous flight and as he taxied out the PA28 returned with passengers aboard to go through a similar procedure.
As always, once everyone has left for home and the aeroplanes have been put away at the end of their days work a strange eeriness descends across an airfield. Hull is no exception but as we sat around with yet another cuppa that eeriness was broken by the laughter of all involved at the club as they discussed the day and some of the questions that the Braves had put to them; there is always one question at least to make you laugh!!! When one of the Braves had completed his flight and excitedly got out of the aircraft claiming the “its been the best day ever, better than our holiday” the pilot was somewhat taken aback when he asked “that’s great, so do you want to be a pilot now?” only to be met with a stark “No”; “an astronaut?” he further quizzed – “No not really”, then the young lad, gazing at one of the members cutting the grass with great precision, chirped up with “I want to be a tractor driver!!”
