Another excellent aerodrome review! If i get up to see my friend at Barton, Sleap looks like a good place to take him for a taste of the GA pilot life 😃👍
Excellent review. I never cease to be amazed at how Sleap has blossomed into one of the most premier airfields in the UK. You mentioned 130+ based aircraft and around 60 hangars - that is seriously impressive. I can remember back in the late 60's when you could count the number of based aircraft on your fingers. They must be doing something right.
Another fantastic video Jon! I think I nearly spat out my coffee when I saw G-LAMS pop up at 11:36 ish - I had a handful of lessons in G-LAMS at Swansea - back about 20-odd years ago when I was 15! Good to see it still going. I used to call it 'my plane' due to the last 3 characters being my initials 😅 Great also to see such a young team running the place at Sleap so successfully - I feel that GA in the UK can feel a little daunting to younger aviators, due to it sometimes being seen as an 'old boys club' with lots of the rules, habits - and even those running the airports and clubs - as old as some of the aircraft themselves 😅 Long may their success continue and hopefully inspire others to pick up the reigns and help continue to bring GA in the UK into the modern era 😊
Sleap was one of the airfields in my PPL qualifying cross country route. Brought back memories. The next airfield in the route after Sleap was Filton, landing next to Concorde Alpha-Foxtrot!
Jon - bravo - another excellent review. I especially like the structure of these reviews which perfectly align with your expertise as a reporter and the needs of would-be visitors to these airfields. I wanna visit each field you have reviewed. Well done.
I have been going to Sleap for many years and the recent changes have all been for the good. PPR by e-mail, without needing to get a reply is excellent and the fee for multiple circuits is the very good value!
I visited Sleap for the first time early last year and I will eventually get round to posting my videos to RUclips of the flights! A lovely airfield with incredibly friendly and welcoming staff. An absolute hub for General Aviation, much like H'Penny Green. I must admit I didn't meet any ghosts or spirits when I was there. The Pegasus café is nice too. I did enjoy a decent all day breakfast when I went. I was subsequently eyeing up the last slice of cake, before some dastardly pilot from further North pinched it! I was very unimpressed... Thanks for showing all the different ratings and aircraft on offer at this very friendly airfield
Sleap - great place! Been there several times & it's busy and interesting all the time. Never made it into the cafe, as it's usually chokkablock when I go there...
Great video, but would be nice to see you visiting an airfield in the North. Perhaps an interesting one like Breighton or a challenging one like Bagby.
Great review and interesting airfield✌️👍💜😊 It's almost unimaginable what those young aviators, ATC and ground crews went through 80 or so years ago. Bless them all. Lots of ex military airfields seem to be haunted when lives were taken quickly, perhaps with feels of frustration and frightening inevitability. I knew an ex Horsa glider pilot, they were tricky to fly and weight and balance were critical, plus good luck too in avoiding efficient Nazi Ack Ack. Membury, Down Ampney etc all seemed to have Dakotas and towed Horsa gliders etc - took part in Market Garden etc. The area also featured in Band of Brothers for that reason too. My dad knew Jimmy Edwards who was billeted in the area - iirc he was a Dakota pilot and won the DFC during Market Garden.
Great video Jon 👍 and a lovely airfield to visit. Our Rockwell Commander is currently there undergoing a bare metal respray. Look forward to your next review… keep them coming 👌👍
I think you should do a review on the imminent closure of Rougham Airfield in Bury St Edmunds. This is an very contentious issue at the moment what with the owners of the field only giving us 4 mounts notice to vacate the site. You can’t imagine the problem’s this has now caused Chris the owner of Skyward Flight training.
If you ever get to Withybush airfield near Haverfordwest try the XL Breakfast in the cafe there. WOW!!! My son and I tryed one there once, since then I stick with the plain breakfast, thats plenty for me thank you.
Thirty years ago I was having flying lessons at Sleap. Unfortunately the RAF decided to send me to the Falkland Islands then when I returned home my wife became pregnant so I found I couldn’t afford any more lessons. I was and still am a glider pilot, and now fly from RAF Shawbury. When powered pilots transit the MATZ at weekends don’t be surprised to speak to Shawbury Gliders who will ask you keep away from the ATZ as we usually have several gliders in the area upto and over 2000 feet.
John, I have an Arrow III too, but not the Turbo version, and my question is, what is that little flashing amber light under the gear lever in your plane? I don't have that in mine. Also, I'd like to say that your report on Sleap was excellent, and on the strength of that, I will be visiting with my Arrow in the very near future. I also would like to point out that Sleap, are having a serious Fly-in over three days from Friday the 7th July this year. I've already stated my interest to attend in my Streak Shadow 912 and I will be camping on site. If you would like to fly in too, I will stand you a Breakfast (or dinner) and you may be interested to have a look at my Shadow. This type is now becoming very sought after, as it is perhaps the most affordable serious flying machine availably in the UK today, that completely smashes the argument that one has to be very wealthy to fly!
@@flyingphobiahelp Mine is also disabled Douglas, but I don't have that flashing light. Many Arrows have been used for advanced and complex instruction due to them having retractable gear and variable pitch props, and lots of these, including mine, have the auto extension disabled because of the need to carry out excersises simulating an engine failure. What they have instead is an alarm that goes off if you close the throttle without the gear being extended.
@@bigglestheflyboy gotcha-I recall having to disable it during my commercial training. I was also unaware of the other notification methods Piper employed. I heard the company did away with the auto-deploy system-shame really. The current aircraft I fly (Saratoga) does NOT have that feature.
I’ve been there 3 times and every visit staff so nice helpfully must see if u go there the war museum so nice to see how our boys won the war, taxis r good as John said hotel is nice clean and good on price
Historically, it was Shrozebury, (Derived from Shropesburie), modern is Shroosbury - both are correct. Medieval "o" sound was written as an "ew", as any medieval book reader will tell you. The word show, today was written "shew" during the period Shrewsbury was founded. When the commoners began learning to read, (long after Shrewsbury was founded / named) they learned by "wrote" whereby the "e" was pronounced "eee" in other words of the language - thus the pronounciation veered towards Shroosbury, when common people started learning to read. So it may well be an accurate statement to say Shrozebury is the posh pronunciation, Shroosbury, the common!
One of the proudest entries in my logbook is a flight from Sleap to Little Snoring.
I’m flying from Little Snoring to Sleap tomorrow for an Aeros event for the weekend! My first longer x country!
A LOVELY PLACE TO VISIT
Sleap is probably the best airfield I have visited. The enthusiasm from the team is certainly infectious and it's good to see them all so young!
Great review Jon! Sleap was always on my 'to go' list in the UK but sadly I never made it. Looks like they're doing a great job!
Another excellent aerodrome review! If i get up to see my friend at Barton, Sleap looks like a good place to take him for a taste of the GA pilot life 😃👍
You need in your logbook Little Snoring to Sleap….just for the amusement factor. It’s in mine from years ago.
Excellent review. I never cease to be amazed at how Sleap has blossomed into one of the most premier airfields in the UK. You mentioned 130+ based aircraft and around 60 hangars - that is seriously impressive. I can remember back in the late 60's when you could count the number of based aircraft on your fingers. They must be doing something right.
One of my favourite airfields. A young and enthusiastic can-do attitude.
I’ve only been to Sleap once when it was the start of FlyUK in 2018. Great food and they were quite happy with camping onsite. One to go back to
Another fantastic video Jon!
I think I nearly spat out my coffee when I saw G-LAMS pop up at 11:36 ish - I had a handful of lessons in G-LAMS at Swansea - back about 20-odd years ago when I was 15! Good to see it still going. I used to call it 'my plane' due to the last 3 characters being my initials 😅
Great also to see such a young team running the place at Sleap so successfully - I feel that GA in the UK can feel a little daunting to younger aviators, due to it sometimes being seen as an 'old boys club' with lots of the rules, habits - and even those running the airports and clubs - as old as some of the aircraft themselves 😅
Long may their success continue and hopefully inspire others to pick up the reigns and help continue to bring GA in the UK into the modern era 😊
Still going as strong as ever Adam.
Really enjoying this series Jon . As an ex pat living in Australia , these reviews from my homeland are very welcome indeed . Thank you for sharing .
These aerodrome reviews are brilliant. Really helpful. Please keep them coming. Top job as always. Thank you 👌
Sleap was one of the airfields in my PPL qualifying cross country route. Brought back memories. The next airfield in the route after Sleap was Filton, landing next to Concorde Alpha-Foxtrot!
Jon, it's ShreWsbury. Shrowsbury was the old pronunciation back in the day . My home airfield , great airfield
Going tomorrow, thanks for the review, hope the weather is in our favour!!
Loved the aircraft seats in the cafe!
Jon - bravo - another excellent review. I especially like the structure of these reviews which perfectly align with your expertise as a reporter and the needs of would-be visitors to these airfields. I wanna visit each field you have reviewed. Well done.
The videos in this series are little gems!!! Great idea!!! I hope to see many more ... thanks !!!
Excellent video, thanks Jon.
I have been to Sleap but can't remember much about it.
Time for another visit this year! 😀
I have been going to Sleap for many years and the recent changes have all been for the good. PPR by e-mail, without needing to get a reply is excellent and the fee for multiple circuits is the very good value!
Did my PPL here, spent many happy hours here spread over the lockdowns. Best airfield in the UK imo
One of my fave places to go! Always so friendly and a brill cafe! You got to go!
Another Grand Video Thank You for all the hard work that you do for your fans.
Excellent airfield - they go out of their way to help
So happy to see another Aerodrome Review - look forward to even more!
Best airfield in the U.K…great ethos, top group of lads running the place…can’t beat it
I visited Sleap for the first time early last year and I will eventually get round to posting my videos to RUclips of the flights! A lovely airfield with incredibly friendly and welcoming staff. An absolute hub for General Aviation, much like H'Penny Green. I must admit I didn't meet any ghosts or spirits when I was there. The Pegasus café is nice too. I did enjoy a decent all day breakfast when I went. I was subsequently eyeing up the last slice of cake, before some dastardly pilot from further North pinched it! I was very unimpressed... Thanks for showing all the different ratings and aircraft on offer at this very friendly airfield
The further north they come from, the more dastardly they become in my experience.
Ha! Surely not our very own Plane Old Ben?! He would never pinch the last slice of cake
Oh. He can be very competitive over food.
Sleap - great place! Been there several times & it's busy and interesting all the time. Never made it into the cafe, as it's usually chokkablock when I go there...
Great video, but would be nice to see you visiting an airfield in the North. Perhaps an interesting one like Breighton or a challenging one like Bagby.
Great review and interesting airfield✌️👍💜😊
It's almost unimaginable what those young aviators, ATC and ground crews went through 80 or so years ago. Bless them all. Lots of ex military airfields seem to be haunted when lives were taken quickly, perhaps with feels of frustration and frightening inevitability.
I knew an ex Horsa glider pilot, they were tricky to fly and weight and balance were critical, plus good luck too in avoiding efficient Nazi Ack Ack. Membury, Down Ampney etc all seemed to have Dakotas and towed Horsa gliders etc - took part in Market Garden etc. The area also featured in Band of Brothers for that reason too. My dad knew Jimmy Edwards who was billeted in the area - iirc he was a Dakota pilot and won the DFC during Market Garden.
Great video Jon 👍 and a lovely airfield to visit.
Our Rockwell Commander is currently there undergoing a bare metal respray.
Look forward to your next review… keep them coming 👌👍
Cracking series, need more of these!
Sleap seems…rather sleepy 😂😂😂. Love the aerodrome reviews Jon.
Another really good review Jon. Keep 'em coming!!
I think you should do a review on the imminent closure of Rougham Airfield in Bury St Edmunds. This is an very contentious issue at the moment what with the owners of the field only giving us 4 mounts notice to vacate the site. You can’t imagine the problem’s this has now caused Chris the owner of Skyward Flight training.
Two soups! Glad to see she didn't spill any 😆
It's SHREEEWSBURY there's no O in it AGGHHH
If you ever get to Withybush airfield near Haverfordwest try the XL Breakfast in the cafe there. WOW!!! My son and I tryed one there once, since then I stick with the plain breakfast, thats plenty for me thank you.
Great review Jon. Very enjoyable and informative. Thank you 😊
Very impressed with Sleap. Must visit one day.
Best aero club I flew with. Might be back very soon to re-validate and go skybound again.
Great airfield , has a very good flying events
Is that a Sky Echo you're using Jon? Or a different EC unit?
Found memories of Sleap did my first solo there in the 80s
First solo was there.1975.Thanks to the late great Ron Robinson.
Sleap is a dream for me. I am doing PPL out of there
Thirty years ago I was having flying lessons at Sleap. Unfortunately the RAF decided to send me to the Falkland Islands then when I returned home my wife became pregnant so I found I couldn’t afford any more lessons.
I was and still am a glider pilot, and now fly from RAF Shawbury. When powered pilots transit the MATZ at weekends don’t be surprised to speak to Shawbury Gliders who will ask you keep away from the ATZ as we usually have several gliders in the area upto and over 2000 feet.
Only been there once, lovely place.
I spent 12 happy years flying from sleap … nice place
Will you be attending sleapkosh this year? I hear it’s going to be huge
Will you be going to the sleap fly in this year?
John, I have an Arrow III too, but not the Turbo version, and my question is, what is that little flashing amber light under the gear lever in your plane? I don't have that in mine.
Also, I'd like to say that your report on Sleap was excellent, and on the strength of that, I will be visiting with my Arrow in the very near future.
I also would like to point out that Sleap, are having a serious Fly-in over three days from Friday the 7th July this year. I've already stated my interest to attend in my Streak Shadow 912 and I will be camping on site. If you would like to fly in too, I will stand you a Breakfast (or dinner) and you may be interested to have a look at my Shadow. This type is now becoming very sought after, as it is perhaps the most affordable serious flying machine availably in the UK today, that completely smashes the argument that one has to be very wealthy to fly!
He’s disabled his auto-undercarriage extension feature-the flashing light is a reminder that he’s done that.
@@flyingphobiahelp Mine is also disabled Douglas, but I don't have that flashing light.
Many Arrows have been used for advanced and complex instruction due to them having retractable gear and variable pitch props, and lots of these, including mine, have the auto extension disabled because of the need to carry out excersises simulating an engine failure. What they have instead is an alarm that goes off if you close the throttle without the gear being extended.
@@bigglestheflyboy gotcha-I recall having to disable it during my commercial training. I was also unaware of the other notification methods Piper employed. I heard the company did away with the auto-deploy system-shame really. The current aircraft I fly (Saratoga) does NOT have that feature.
I’ve been there 3 times and every visit staff so nice helpfully must see if u go there the war museum so nice to see how our boys won the war, taxis r good as John said hotel is nice clean and good on price
Love Sleap ❤
RT - Don't say 'to' or 'for' just before, or after, a runway heading.
Only people who are not from Shrewsbury call it shr'ow'sbury
Aye - and I'm from Wem and Sleap has nothing to do with bedtime...
It is Shrewsbury not Shrowsbury. As there is no o in Shrewsbury. Its simply folk trying to sound posh 😂
It's Shrewsbury, not Shrowsbury. They are not that posh 😄
Only incomers call it Shrowsbury
Historically, it was Shrozebury, (Derived from Shropesburie), modern is Shroosbury - both are correct. Medieval "o" sound was written as an "ew", as any medieval book reader will tell you. The word show, today was written "shew" during the period Shrewsbury was founded. When the commoners began learning to read, (long after Shrewsbury was founded / named) they learned by "wrote" whereby the "e" was pronounced "eee" in other words of the language - thus the pronounciation veered towards Shroosbury, when common people started learning to read. So it may well be an accurate statement to say Shrozebury is the posh pronunciation, Shroosbury, the common!