The Grumpy Gang

The Grumman Aircraft Pilots Association European Branch

Home > On Tour >  Tour 2001 >  Ferrara Italy

Clearing the Alps brought us into a cloud free sky with hazy visibility. In very short order, it was time to obtain clearance to land at Ferrara. Hm! The book said - "Italian language only" Hmm! I wondered if my Italoisefranglaise would get me through?

"Hallooo Ferrara. Ich iso G-BFOJ. El Grumman from up dans la t'northo. Mio landing Ferrara aerodromo in quarto minuto." It did the trick!! I must have frightened everyone off the frequency and they cleared the area!! No one answered so I chose a runway and landed. My first time private flight into Italy - Easy as eating spaghetti!!
Everyone landed safely at Ferrara, Danny and Yogi had been there before and knew the lay the land and the whereabouts of all the blonde maidens!

We stayed for two days, enjoying watching the gliders performing, partaking of the local brew, shopping for food and swimming trunks, swimming in the airfield pool (Yes! really, a pool - eat your heart out Sherburn-in-Elmet!)

We toured the local town doing the tourism bit. It was hot, hot, hot. Our tents did us proud as sun shields. It is unfortunate to report but not one blonde (natural) beauty was sighted by your scribe. Danny and Yogi are rumoured to have danced one of the nights away - but I went to bed early - (honestly darling!)

One of the sad features of Italian airfields is that you can't trust them to have fuel, or, if they have fuel they may not sell it to you. Ferrara, after much haggling, persuasion and perhaps our threats to stay for yet another day decided that they would give us enough to get to the next place on our itinerary - Venice.

...and  hot it was!!!