Breighton Aerodrome

Who would have thought, certainly not the Bazflyers, that they would ever be in Great Britain having flown halfway round the world in their trusty Piper Comanche ZK-BAZ all the way from New Zealand. There is a well oiled saying about having to pinch oneself to make sure it is not a dream. To dispel the possibility of any such allusion the Bazflyers have done just that and are happy to report it is real. The journey to Great Britain had been 100 days. The distance flown was 35,000 kilometres. Time in the air 125 hours. The sense of accomplishment...real!

 

Bazflyer’s first internal flight in Britain was a 600 kilometre trip from Wick (EGPC) to the grass Yorkshire airfield of Breighton (BRE1). But, before even thinking about taking to the skies there was the not so small matter of preparing an IFR flight plan and having it accepted by a remote, faceless and impersonal computer system code named “Eurocontrol”. The convolutions and multiple attempts necessary to achieve this make solving Rubik’s Cube akin to child’s play. However, eventually being in receipt of an airways clearance ZK-BAZ was pointed skyward, where real people become involved. With that sensible routing solutions emerged. So much for the flight plan. If it wasn’t bordering on conspiracy one could be forgiven for thinking that Eurocontrol’s purpose was to discourage general aviation flight. 

 

Stepping out the cabin door after landing on Breighton’s immaculately groomed grass runway there was a very real feeling of being at a country airfield in a former time. A mix of old-world charm along with resident aviation aficionados simply enhanced the authenticity. Then of course there is the Real Aircraft Company....an amazing collection of airworthy vintage airplanes.

 

Viewed from the air Breighton’s heritage is still very evident. During WW2 the now disused and overgrown runways of this former Royal Airforce base dispatched and recovered countless bomber operations. Halifax, Wellington’s and Lancaster’s at one time all operated out of Breighton. The local inn and other wartime aircrew haunts dotted around the locality have seen little apparent change since the time they provided off-duty havens for the young airmen and airwomen. Many of them would have been Australian’s as the airfield was the base for RAAF 460 Squadron.

 

During the Cold War era Breighton became host to a battery of nuclear armed ICBM’s that were surrounded by a protective guard of ground to air Bloodhound missiles. While talking to a retired senior Air Force Officer the story emerged that back then a naughty airforce officer could look forward to being appointed Commander of a Bloodhound unit where long term boredom was the punishment. 

 

Until the Bazflyers resume their RTW journey, ZK-BAZ will rest at Breighton Aerodrome, safely protected in a hanger and happy in the company of some wonderful historic vintage aircraft.

 

Wick to Breighton 

View through the windscreen when taking off at Wick Airport

With the cloud and rain left behind in Scotland here is a view from above while flying down the East Coast of Britain at FL110

Bazflyers at work in their office

On descent over Yorkshire countryside

Parked on the grass at Breighton Aerodrome