Airday at Croft Farm – our first visit Posted September 26, 2009 by Adrian Nance

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Croft Farm runs an Airday for people who care about aircraft.  Clive Langmead introduced us to the team that runs that day.

A helicopter at the Airday

And Clive flew an R44 helicopter as the only helicopter in a mix of many fascinating fixed wing aircraft at the Airday.  Clive ended up flying junior helicopter enthusiasts.  Yet again showing the appeal of helicopters.

And a great time was had by all.  Well done them!

A Robinson Raven-2

The Robinson R-44 is a great helicopter to introduce people to helicopters.  It is piston powered and very flexible.  Have a look at the feature at Wikipedia.

Clive has been flying the Robinson for a few years.  He converted from fixed wing flying onto helicopters in one.  The R-44 was the helicopter that Clive used to take Adrian on their 2008 reconnaissance in Mozambique.  Clive  went out to Mozambique again in an R-44 in August 2008, to link up with friends near Inhambane.  

Have a look at the 2008 video.  

The aircraft is popular for small organisations in Africa.  Helicopters give access. In places where a road trip might average 16 kph (10 mph) they speed people around at over 100 kph (80 mph).  This makes them very useful for all sorts of management tasks in Africa.  They are used in game management, for access to agricultural work, and often people buy R-44s as for personal helicopters.

There are two problems with the R-44 for Wings.  First it needs more power.  Even light headwinds can be really difficult for it in Africa.  Second, its fuel is hard to get.  As a piston aircraft, it uses petrol not aviation fuel.  And the latter is widely available.  That’s why Clive got a turbine helicopter rating.       

But the Airday gives us the chance to engage new enthusiasts in our story and the work of helicopters in Africa.

The day also encourages us.  This is another development in the lineage of our supporters from:

People and events like those are so helpful because they free us up. Free us to make the most of small donations.

What about you?

Why not join them? Why not become a donor today?