Hi my name is Mark Jones (a pilot and owner of Thruster TST G-MTPU) and on the week end of the 17-18 of July 1999, I held, what I believe to be the first ever Thruster Fly in, at my home strip at Wing Farm in Wiltshire. The story is as follows:-

Saturday dawned bright and early and expectations were high although a bit breezy. So of I set to the airstrip with flask, sandwiches suncream, chair and a nasty viral ear infection called laberinthitis causing dizziness. No flying for me, DAMN IT !

I had planned where to put all the aircraft when they turned up, sat back and waited and waited and waited. Finally 10 O'clock came and, yes the sound of a Rotax. Leaping out of my chair into the bright sun scanning the skies I could see way if in the distance the out line of a Thruster - "Hurrah"!

As the Thruster got nearer I could tell it was a new T600T tail wheel. The aircraft called up on the radio:

"G-MZKT request joining instructions". An arrival at last,

"Join to the south, circuits left hand for runway 27, winds calm to moderate westerly".

Landing nicely in a three pointer and then a back track to park next to my Thruster. The pilot Mick O'connor introduced himself to me saying that he had flown down from Kemble but is actually based at a small strip in Croydon, good man! That was the first and last arrival for the next 7 hours, poor Mike sat there with me all day and we talked about everything. 7 hours later Mick decided it was time to depart back to Croydon. Having refuelled he said,

"I bet as soon as I leave, three more will turn up, thanks for a great day see you soon".

(Incidentally we did meet up again and flew down to the south coast at Swanage, Poole Harbour, Compton Abbas and back to Wing Farm later in the year).

Ten minutes after Mick had left, yes you've guest it, two flexwings turned up on their way back from the Isle of Wight for a refuel not knowing about the flyin!

Then there was another Thruster, "hurrah", in the shape of a T600N nose wheel which had come from just down the road at Clench Common. They didn't stay long and had left by 6 O'clock. I hung around until 7 O'clock then went home a bit disappointed as there where supposed to have been two or three Thrusters coming up from Cornwall and one from Hereford powered by a BMW R100 four stroke motorbike engine, plus others. None from Popham surprisingly!

Apparently Mick said it was rather pleasant if a little bumpy up there on Saturday, but I've flown in a lot worse so what is the matter with them all? Oh well may be Sunday will bring a better turnout.

Sunday's fly in was much better, all be it after 2 PM. The first to visit was a Thruster T600N from Clench Common (the same one that came in on Saturday) followed by an almost totally original Thruster TST , except for the wing struts. The next aircraft was a rare bird called an Air Creation Fun, a flexwing originating from France and registered in this country. The next character in a Thruster T300, a slightly hectic friend of mine, in his usual style chose to ignore the marshalling signals and hit the wind arrow pole bending it at an alarming angle. No damage to the aircraft fortunately.

Shortly after this dramatic arrival, Ron and Joan Huntley, also Thruster owners from the same strip, turned up in the camper van and duly served tea and coffee to all till the end of the day. Good show Joan.

Then "hoorah" another Thruster, a TST, it was Monty in his all red machine with his leather flying jacket, hat and goggles on, fresh from dropping sweets off for the children at his local fete! He was followed by a Pegasus XL-Q flexwing who was made equally welcome. This was then followed by a Thruster T600N from Ginge, not from the factory but a privately owned one. This generated a lot of interest because it had the new Ultralam wing skins which are much more UV resistant and more durable. Two more flexwings turned up in the shape of a Pegasus XL-R and a Gemini / Flash 2A . The last Thruster of the day was an old friend of mine that I bought and restored back to health earlier in the year and then sold on to a couple of flexwing converts, who call it a gentleman's machine because they can pour out a cup of coffee in the air without it blowing back in their faces. Late but not least were a Shadow and an XL-R from Seend just down the road. Unfortunately for them they did not know of the flyin and all the others had by then gone home.

All in all not a bad day, not enough Thrusters but next year will be better. Watch this space for full detail in the new year. Hope to see you there.