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The Grumpy Gang

The Grumman Aircraft Pilots Association European Branch

Day Two was a mite breezy! The night before we had decided to cross the border into Portugal, and, because all the pundits and info books said we had to clear into Portugal via an 'Airport of Entry', we chose to head across the mountains to Porto. Good plan. Poor execution!!

We waved goodbye to Asturias and firstly headed west along the coastline to an estuary at a place called Villaframil. The 'plan' then called for a turnto the southwest to Porto via the city of Lugo. However, as we progressed along the coast the head wind increased, as did the turbulence (the promised 'big burrrmps perhaps!).

The scenery was terrific but so was the wind! Now us roughy-toughy aviators can withstand most of the bumps and rattles, but our lady fellow travellers, stuck in the back of N31RB felt just a trifle uncomfortable (and, if the truth be known, as were some of the men folk doing the driving!) and who could blame them?

We all kept in contact via 123.45mhZ. and slowly reports of ; "We're doing 54knots over the ground" and "Phew! we've just got a groundspeed of 32knots!" filtered back down the line of aircraft !! Remember dear reader that we were all flying in AA5's so that was some headwind!

Although the turbulence wasn't all that drastic, our destination was becoming more and more difficult, if not impossible, to reach without recourse to a rendezvous with one or two in-flight refuelling tankers! Gradually the light dawned and common sense prevailed, one by one people either diverted to other airfields or returned to Asturias

3 of us went to La Coruna, 2 went back to Asturias and G-MALC who nearly reached Porto turned back and did 168+ knots groundspeed to the remote airfield of Roza near Lugo. For us chaps who had made it to La Coruna we found that the rain was horizontal and that everyone had a distinct lean into the wind. We definitely needed those concrete tie-down blocks and wheel chocks. A cheapish hotel was found in the middle of town and we then went out in search of drink and nourishment.

In the meantime André who had raced across France, Spain and Portugal to meet us had managed to get into Porto in the evening. We were scattered but safe.

During this period we received a call on my mobile phone - It was Sir Brian & Yogi (G-MALC). They were stuck in an abandoned Rozas airfield, in the pouring rain and unable to make the local taxi driver understand their requests for a taxi! "Help" they said in a damp sort of way. Being a truly multi-lingual team, we phoned said local taxi driver and organised a cab for the dripping duo who expressed watery thanks when we updated them of our linguistic success! To celebrate, a number of us proceeded to get thrown out of three drinking parlours at closing time!