The Longest Day

Not the movie, though we have that too. Yesterday was the (theoretically) longest day of the year. Now for some reason this seems to bring out a spate of rather depressing comments such as "oh it's all downhill from here" and "christmas is just round the corner" on the radio and at work.

Me? I don't dwell on those ideas, June 21st usually arrives with me thinking "Well at least Brian did not get arrested".

Brian, my husband, flies microlights. There is a tradition at the club he flies from that every summer solstice they get up VERY early (or more likely never go to bed), fuel up their microlights and fly to Stonehenge for the sunrise. Bit silly really, since the sunrise in the air is not at the same time as on the ground, but hey, it's a "boy thing" and it keeps him happy.


A crowded Stonehenge at sunrise.


The sunrise

Anyway, a few years back he and his club mates were merrily circling Stonehenge (at strictly legal heights of course) when they were descended on by a police helicopter. It got a little too close for comfort so they all headed on back to base. Brian needed to refuel on the way home so he landed at an empty airstrip, and put the spare jerry-can of fuel in the tank. At which point a police car came haring up the runway, screeched to a halt and a policeman leaped out. (TBH there was probably very little leaping out of the car at 4AM, but let's not let the truth get in the way of a good story).

"Are you the owner of this vehicle sir"?

Brian, quaking, admitted that he was.

The conversation that followed involved the policeman telling Brian that there was a no-fly zone around Stonehenge that morning, and that Brian and his club mates had been in violation of it. Brian pointed out that there had been no NOTAMs notice to this effect and that they did this every year, then mentally made a note to check the NOTAMs back at the club just in case. The policeman took all of Brian's details (at this point Brian got very worried).

Then the policeman got out his mobile phone and said:

"Could you take my picture with your plane?".


Britain's finest, we love them.

The longest day? At least Brian got home unarrested.