In 2006 there were the usual aeroplane building - some progression here, and then the hangliding - including an outing to Switzerland this year - great fun - although not huge distance flights for Bill whilst we were there.
The Sky Arrow was out of service for most of the summer having an updated circlip fitted in the engine. We had asked for the parts to be ready to install, but in true aircraft engineering fashion after we had delivered the engine to the engineering company, we had to wait several weeks longer for parts to arrive…………
On the hangliding front - there were a couple of decent flights. At the beginning of May in the first part of the League Series competition, the hill of departure was the Blorenge in S.E. Wales, and a fair number of pilots including Bill flew over the Severn Bridge and estuary that day on their way to the goal near Bristol. Unfortunately (on 2 counts)
Bill didn't quite make goal, and sadly didn't have his camera with him that day, so there are no photos of the bridge from above- I had offered mine, but he graciously declined - which was a mistake on that day!! Subsequently in July he flew 60-odd miles from the Long Mynd to Uttoxeter, and the day after that about 50 miles. These distances were both on borrowed gliders, Bill having sold his Talon to a friend at the end of May!In February we took a weeks outing to the Lebanon. Both of us had long wanted to go there, and we took advantage of a good trip - 3 nights in Beirut and 2 at "Byblos sur Mer" up the coast from Beirut. In the light of subsequent events this was perfect timing for a trip to the Lebanon. Beirut itself is a fascinating town - the product of previous wars - the bullet holes still clearly visible on many of the buildings, however a lot of money has been ploughed into rebuilding many parts of the town and restoring some of the historic buildings - for example the opera
house which wasn't by any stretch of the imagination finished when we were there - goodness knows what has happened to it since……. Byblos sur Mer was possibly even more interesting than Beirut. There are layers upon layers of excavations of different eras - including the Romans (and after all they lived just opposite to where we live in St. Albans too), the ruins stretch back over 6000 years all on one site - so much history to see and take in.
As ever, we still like living in St. Albans - a historical town in itself - and many times we go to the weekly market - with friends and family perhaps to buy our fruit and vegetables and investigate the history and alleyways of the old market town.
In June we had our joint "100th " Birthday party - we'd hoped to have finished the patio extension but due to the weather being particularly wet during May 2006 the partycomers had to walk upon the hardcore. Still on the day, the sun shone,
everyone turned up, and a good time was had by all. Up the road the Beckhams had a flypast at their party, so we had two - one by the microlights and one by powered hang gliders- Bill and I were too busy cooking, talking, eating and drinking to take many photos (sadly). There were 3 hang glider pilots, and it was a very fine flying display.
At the beginning of July (as mentioned above) we went off to Verbier in Switzerland on another flying outing (with another borrowed glider). On the pretence - no, it did happen really - Bill was lent a glider on the premise that he would write a review of it for "Skywings" - the national magazine for hangliding and paragliding pilots. The sun shone on us for the first 4 days, then the rain and mist closed in, and sadly the last 2 days in Verbier there was no flying. Bill and I then left for Lugano to visit a couple Sue has known since 1980, but hasn't seen since 1982 - we went to their house and re-acquainted ourselves and with the beautiful town of Lugano.
Finally the patio was finished in the heat of late July and August, and the hard work of Bill and friend Lenny helping lay the patio stones meant that we were then able to take full advantage of the vast table purchased by Sue on e-Bay at the end of 2005 and extend it to its full length………
And another finally -after the engine was replaced in the Sky Arrow at the end of August, Bill and I re-acquainted ourselves with how to fly the plane! Don't worry, it's still in the sky (well, not at this moment), but it flies just as well and the engine runs just as smoothly as before……..
Bill's parents and Sue's mum continue to enjoy good health - both mothers were at the birthday party in June - meeting people they'd not met before and telling stories about when Bill and I were 5 years old!
Hopefully this summer we will be able to take full advantage of it - Sue finishes work with the BBC at the end of March, and is looking forward to being able to spend more time flying and looking after the garden (not sure about looking after Bill!). Bill is continuing to fly his hanglider as well as the aeroplane - in fact is about to pick up a new glider - so we're looking forward to some long flights and retrieve driving this summer.