This weekend did not have too good a start with the sad news concerning Van‘s, and myself wondering about my 20% deposit I paid them for a new engine, some 1 1/2 year ago…
Nevertheless, had a nice sunrise takeoff today for a short 1/2h flight to LSZG for attend our annual build advisor meeting 
It was time for an oil change and 6 month check in the J3 Piper Cub. So did a spin around the Cotswolds to warm the old oil was called for. Here we are looking down runway 07 at ‘Upper Harford International Airport’.
Followed by my new quick oil change method, which avoids a full removal of the engine cowling, thank god.
All buttoned up and another 20 minute flight to circulate the lovely new clean golden oil.
I had a Flight Review yesterday, with a now-DPE (FAA Examiner) from whom I bought my first plane years ago. This time the plan was do primarily airwork, aircraft maneuvering, but we ended up flying though some slightly complex military airspace where I don’t fly often, so we had some radio practice too. The 10 minute flight to his base in the morning was also more interesting than one might expect, due to a combination of localized 1000 ft ceilings, terrain and constraining Class D and B airspaces.
I always learn a lot flying with Barry, he’s flown everything under the sun, seems to know everything there is to know about flying but presents his knowledge in a way that is invariably self effacing. He also does the Flight Review for the price of lunch “for friends and family” which is very nice.
Finally some flyable weather. Freezing cold, but very nice earlier today for some “backcountry” flying :-)
It was time for an oil change and 6 month check in the J3 Piper Cub. So did a spin around the Cotswolds to warm the old oil was called for. Here we are looking down runway 07 at ‘Upper Harford International Airport’.
Wonderful, your EGUH (int’l).. Should you allow me to visit one day, I’ve taken note of not mistake your rwy for that parallel road.
PS. Have you never had someone driving on that road call the emergency number for seeing an aircraft landing in the woods? 
@Buckerfan, if your oil tank has the original drain plug and not a fitting suitable for a hose, you might try a piece of 2 inch SCAT tubing to direct the oil where you want it.
aart wrote:
PS. Have you never had someone driving on that road call the emergency number for seeing an aircraft landing in the woods?
Just two weeks ago it happened, or sort of. We had landed just before sunset from Slovenia and I had cleaned the Jeptrop and was putting her back in the hangar. A polite older gentleman cycled down the runway from the road and said “Thank god, I thought you had crashed”. He had followed us on Flight Radar and noticed that we seemed to descend to ground level and disappear into a field, So he popped on his bike and cycled up the three miles from the nearest village to check. Turns out he used be a logistics officer for the RAF so we had a nice chat.
Buckerfan wrote:
Upper Harford International Airport
What a beautiful little airfield!
I tried a TB10 at pontoise airfield with a 1300ft ceiling, rain and 15 to 25kn for a plane that haven’t been flying since 2022. Many quirks but she flies…
As usual, wonderful pictures and short stories guys, thanks
Following my opening post above, parked next to that super nice DC-3 at Grenchen LSZG, just love the ambiance
We then had our builder advisors meeting, also visiting a gentleman‘s airplane collection, stationed here on this field the above visible DC-3, and no less than 3 Beechcraft Model 18, amongst others… the recently acquired B-25 staying in the US for the time being…
Flying back at the end of the afternoon I first flew by the Sieben Hengste (7 stallions) with the famous Bernese peaks in the background
and the Pilatus named mountain peak itself
All in all a nice and instructive day out.
