Dave Thomas

The project could never have taken to the air without the help and support of great many PFA members and the engineering team, all of whom have helped move the project on.

They include Dave Almey, Dave Mason, Alan Gray, Richard Pidcock, Glenn Ward, Koby Marom, Frank Ball, Edmund Comber, David Beale, and Francis Donaldson. If this seems a long list, it simply reflects the complexity of construction of the Falco plane and the excellence and friendship of the Fenland PFA Group.

The first landing

Over the past few years I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to fly quite a number of different aeroplanes (including a CAP10) and I have always returned to fly the Jodel, pleased in our choice of plane. The Falco, however, has moved my enjoyment of flying to a completely different level. It’s clearly so much more pleasurable to fly than our Jodel or the other types I have sampled. I am very pleased with our choice of Falco and happily acknowledge that it is all that my expectations demanded of it. Already the pain of building is evaporating (and we have only flown eight hours or so).

We have a snagging list of minor items and completions for the winter months so my Falco building will continue when the weather deteriorates. I guess a project is always that—I suppose it will be completed on day and then the DIY on the house will beckon. However, until that time comes it’s still Falco, Falco, Falco!

Rolling out

Flying the Falco One
We were having a little fly-about one evening this week, happily minding our own business. A little time for Sian to practice Falco flying, no one on the radio, when suddenly we hear “G-OCAD inbound from the Wash, to pass overhead the field.” I had already called up descending deadside for landing 08 Right Hand.

Then “G-OCAD is a Falco F8L aircraft”.

Reply, “G-CCOR is a Falco F8L aircraft!”

Suddenly, landing didn’t seem such a good idea, so a climb back up to 2,500 ft. G-OCAD calls us in sight and curves in from our starboard quarter, nav lights on. What a beautiful sight as she approaches steadily, and then we are in loose formation.

“White Falco you are a beautiful sight.”

“Yellow Falco you too are a beautiful sight.”

Well mutual admiration always does it for me! After a short spell together with the light fading, G-OCAD curves away gracefully towards Leicester, probably another 20 minutes away. We land with very happy smiles, and I swear Oscar is also grinning when we put him away in the hangar.