Andy Symons PR on Countryfile

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Thanks ace, I must have been looking on last weeks episode.

excellent Andy, people laughing and having fun.

[Cliff 1959]

I thought it was quite upbeat and worthy of our hobby, the drone footage added an interesting dimension as well.

[John Privett]

Well done to all concerned - both on Ivinghoe Beacon and on the club field. A very positive image of our hobby!

[fly boy3]

Thought I would love to see it on BBC iplayer, but the BBC wanted to know all my personal details before I could view. I,ll take your word for it that it showed us in a good light. Thanks

[Denis Watkins]

Posted by fly boy3 on 16/12/2019 21:28:02:

Thought I would love to see it on BBC iplayer, but the BBC wanted to know all my personal details before I could view. I,ll take your word for it that it showed us in a good light. Thanks

The BBC just want confirmation that you are a TV licence holder FB

And is, in my view, a small price to pay for what is available on iplayer

[Geoff S]

Andy stars again! Very good image and he used one of my favourite hacks - A Riot . It was good to demonstrate that model aircraft don't bother wild life with red kites happily mingling with the gliders on Ivinghoe Beacon. The last time I was there was for a tandem hill climb a good few years back

Geoff

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

We've had a healthy population of red kites in the woods adjacent to our field, for probably 15 years at least, along with some buzzards who have been resident for as long as I've been at the club. As noted in the programme, they are not intimidated by our models in the slightest - often formating on models.

They are particularly attracted to bright yellow models and 3D aerobatics - maybe they sense a meal in the distressed gyrations they are observing? It might be imagination but they seem to take a particular interest in new models.

It's quite amusing to watch them join a thermalling glider, fly a couple of turns and, with obvious disdain for our poor thermal selection, head off for better lift...

[Peter Miller]

WE too have Red Kites.

They follow one members gliders

One of them didn't like my MAK 15 MP. Maybe it looked TOO buzzard like!!

[MattyB]

Posted by Ace on 16/12/2019 09:00:22:

Very nice piece of PR by Jim, Andy and all involved. I thought the inclusion of the long history and how to get involved was a nice touch.

Agreed, though I was surprised Jim let that vintage pic of him out onto national telly!

Ps - Re: the Red Kites, I gave up flying chevron style flying wings at the Beacon about 10 years ago as I was bored of getting attacked by them. Tailed designs and plank style flying wings are generally ok, but show em a swept flying wing and they would go nuts, diving talons out until eventually they hit you.

[Jon Laughton]

I have only just watched this on IPlayer and I'm very impressed at the positive / sensible tone from the presenter and the fact that she so evidently enjoyed her flying lesson whilst appreciating how challenging it can be.

Well done to all involved

Edited By Jon Laughton on 18/12/2019 08:56:03

[Paul Newell 2]

Used to fly flat field gliders in the Thames Valley with the late Dick Edmonds. One day we watched a red kite pick up the bungee parachute and proceed to climb away until the tension came on. It wrestled with it, gaining more height for a while. Eventually the tension became too much - the ping off the top when the line released must have exceeded any thermal climb the red kite had previously experienced!

[Scott Edwards 2]

I'm the chap in red at the powered club. They were planning a much longer piece including shots of flying scale models and interviews with the flyers, but the weather was just dreadful, much wetter, colder and muddier than the film shows. We tried to persuade them to delay until next year but they insisted it had to be then (22nd November)

We were going to fly a big PSS Vulcan glider from the Beacon too but it was a gentle South Easterly which just wasn't enough. The film came out OK, but it's a great shame the weather let us down, as it could have been much more in depth.

If you look closely you can just make out Mr Laser himself Neil Tidey on the left. He was flying his very ancient Regal Eagle, which went home decidedly soggy !

[Tim Hooper]

Posted by Scott Edwards 2 on 18/12/2019 21:52:07:

They were planning a much longer piece including shots of flying scale models and interviews with the flyers, but the weather was just dreadful, much wetter, colder and muddier than the film shows. We tried to persuade them to delay until next year but they insisted it had to be then (22nd November)

Good for you for making such a good effort! It was pretty obvious that it was cold and rainy, but you went ahead and turned up and flew/filmed anyway.

Tim

[Ben B]

I thought it was good stuff. Not in depth and hoping for bob#2 but can't complain about a bit of publicity for the hobby / sport.

[Former Member]

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