Yateley School had their Family Aviation day this Sat 20th to launch the project and John Michie, John Duck (a Brooklands volunteer engineer) and moi  coerced Andy Hughes to use his Rans S6 for a static display on the schools tennis court!

 

Having hired a van with a 25ft long interior we arrived at Popham on Friday evening to find the wingtips were about a metre longer!

 

No saw available so wings were detached, much to Andy's amazement, and all loaded into the vehicle, the whole process only took3hrs!! The Van was driven to Yateley and left for security on John Duck driveway overnight. By 0900 the van arrived, driven expertly by John Michie, close to tennis court and off loaded and re assembled.

 

Lots of interested youngsters and parents/teachers had the chance to see what they will be constructing over the coming months (years!). By 1400 the Rans was back onboard and after a short road trip to Blackbushe we were escorted to the compass base where the a/c was properly reassembled , checked very kindly by Barry Goldsack (who was drawn away from the Lions rugby match on TV!), and  then took to the skies back to Popham.

 

Meanwhile John Mitchie was driving earnestly back to the Van Hire depot for a deadline of 1700hrs, which he made with minutes to spare. Unfortunately we had Andy's car to drive back !

So after refreshment while monitoring the Rans departure, we positioned his car back to Popham and helped Andy swing his wings and stow it in it's container hangar.

 

Just a drive back to Yateley to drop John D off and then home! The Keystone cops come to mind!

Lot of work but well worth the effort,  as we all now know a little about the Rans S6 and even the pilot gained a few new ideas! 

 

The School will take official delivery of the Rans kit on the 29th, then await developments!

Any LAA members living in the area and would like to help over the coming year please contact Caroline Uttley at Yateley School.

 

Mike Clews

June 2009