Fri Dec 31, 2021 8:14 am
#1890908
It was unfortunate, Dalrymple wanted a grander scheme for the aerodrome.
Michael Jones ceded the chairmanship to Neil Jensen.
On both sides there was change afoot, and no meeting half way.
I had good and bad dealings with both Michael and Dalrymple.
Dalrymple was kind enough to give me landing cards for my aeroplanes when Michael took away the ability to pay the landing fees through the Tiger Club. Michael didn’t tell me for a month thereby presenting me with a large bill, four times the normal cost.
Michael was mostly reasonable, and I got on well enough with him.
The end came with the change in Chairman, and a letter to me to cease introducing new members to the Tiger Club as they now wanted to make it “exclusive”.
In that one letter was the downfall of the Tiger Club we knew.
The impossible court case with the aerodrome drained a huge amount of money and doomed all of us who enjoyed the green grass of Redhill Aerodrome.
I met Michael a couple of times in the years that followed and we enjoyed a good lunch together. No hard feelings between us, and friendly reminiscence of those wonderful times we had had.
For me, knowing Michael Jones and being a member of the Tiger Club was an excellent experience.
The other day I flew the Super Cub based in the old Tiger Club hangar from a complicated rule ridden aerodrome with a confusion of ATIS, and new radio procedure, not the enjoyable experience of yore.
The hangar in which I spent many many nights sleeping in the bunk room.
I’d get up early on a weekend morning, push out, fuel, and place 14 aeroplanes on the grass on summer’s mornings.
Occasionally I was the duty pilot, sometimes the duty engineer! I’d also substitute for Margaret Burgess and prepare the Tiger Club Sunday Dinner. (Believe it or not I can cook, as well as dope).
Tiger Club was my life for several years.
Pat on the back from Christopher Reeve when I fixed the magneto to enable Super Man to fly the Tiger Moth...
Watched my shepherds pie flown in mirror formation in two Zlins, Neil Williams and Brian Smith, on tv from Biggin Hill following one Sunday dinner.
Received the Chairman’s Medallion for services to the Tiger Club one year, then being told to stop bringing new members into the Club the next.
Michael sold me my second Condor and allowed me to recover its wings in the Tiger Club hangar; respray, new radio, and a Public Transport CxA.
The Condor Club was there to supply tailwheel 100 hour pilots to the Tiger Club until receipt of that letter.
The longer you fly the more people you meet and deal with.
Some are bad, and some are good.
Overall Michael Jones was one of the best of people in my life experience in aviation.
Michael enabled me to advance my aviation activities and experience, something for which I am very grateful.
MichaelP
Wandering the World