winds variable, but tending to 220/05. Warm with cu forming pm.
A glorious day, relatively little flying, with just the motor glider and the cub flying around in the sunshine.
The bollards around the car park are now painted in the club colours thanks to the artistic talents of Kath.
The day finished with Jasmine tea on the patio---how posh is that.
The remainder of the week looks reasonable, fingers crossed.
Don
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Monday 28 May
Winds forecast 200/05, visibility 25K and blue.
A very productive training day, thermals didnt really become reliable until late pm.
Welcome to Richard Saint, who hasnt flown in a glider for nearly 3 years. Some intensive training on a one day course got him solo again and flying the K8.
Alex Nicholls who had a trial lesson 2 months and 5 days ago (so whos counting?) went off on his first solo today, so very well done to him.
Kevin Hall took a trial lesson in a glider. kevin is working his way through the various experiences, having already parachuted and had a crack at hang gliding.
Dave Smith decided to give it a go in the duo, and proved it wasnt really soarable around midday.
A very good day again.
Don
A very productive training day, thermals didnt really become reliable until late pm.
Welcome to Richard Saint, who hasnt flown in a glider for nearly 3 years. Some intensive training on a one day course got him solo again and flying the K8.
Alex Nicholls who had a trial lesson 2 months and 5 days ago (so whos counting?) went off on his first solo today, so very well done to him.
Kevin Hall took a trial lesson in a glider. kevin is working his way through the various experiences, having already parachuted and had a crack at hang gliding.
Dave Smith decided to give it a go in the duo, and proved it wasnt really soarable around midday.
A very good day again.
Don
Saturday 26 May 2012
Friday 25 May
Friday 25 May
A hot blue day with easterly winds at 20 knots. The thermals started to become useable around 3 pm for about an hour and a half.
Kath was on holiday so everyone needed to pitch in and cover her absence---thanks Clive for teaching Jim Jennings to drive the winch. Jim was rewarded with a great soring flight later in the day.
Welcome to Simon Lee who had a one day course and handled the difficult windy conditions extremely well.
A couple of unplanned trial lesson visitors were treated to a flight with Gail and complete our day before we all packed up and retired to the bar to swap war stories.
Don
A hot blue day with easterly winds at 20 knots. The thermals started to become useable around 3 pm for about an hour and a half.
Kath was on holiday so everyone needed to pitch in and cover her absence---thanks Clive for teaching Jim Jennings to drive the winch. Jim was rewarded with a great soring flight later in the day.
Welcome to Simon Lee who had a one day course and handled the difficult windy conditions extremely well.
A couple of unplanned trial lesson visitors were treated to a flight with Gail and complete our day before we all packed up and retired to the bar to swap war stories.
Don
Thursday 24th May
Another hot blue day, thermals did not really get workable for mere mortals until late pm, but needless to say John Rogers managed to make something of it.
Patrick Taylor re-soloed after a 12 year layoff and converted into the K8, so very well done to him.
Charlie Millward converted to the K8 under the tutelage of Tim Donovan, and then demonstrated the perfect landing to everyone. Martin Jones proved it wasnt a fluke and soloed again.
Harry Abrahams got one step further to completing his bronze C by giving a superb field landing performance, the race is now on---will it be Tez or Harry that gets there first?
Mike Reeves had a one day course, and was landing the aircraft with prompting from the back by the end of the day---well done Mike.
Thanks to the whole team for making this a great fun day.
Don
Another hot blue day, thermals did not really get workable for mere mortals until late pm, but needless to say John Rogers managed to make something of it.
Patrick Taylor re-soloed after a 12 year layoff and converted into the K8, so very well done to him.
Charlie Millward converted to the K8 under the tutelage of Tim Donovan, and then demonstrated the perfect landing to everyone. Martin Jones proved it wasnt a fluke and soloed again.
Harry Abrahams got one step further to completing his bronze C by giving a superb field landing performance, the race is now on---will it be Tez or Harry that gets there first?
Mike Reeves had a one day course, and was landing the aircraft with prompting from the back by the end of the day---well done Mike.
Thanks to the whole team for making this a great fun day.
Don
Wednesday 23 May
Report from Tez
Report from Tez
Another scorching day at the Club with plenty of sunshine bit little lift for most of the day. It was still an eventful day and those that persevered got their rewards in the end.
Steve Bryant was on a day course. His first taste of gliding which he loved. Hopefully we might see more of Steve as he hopes to return in the Summer with his family. Simon Bryant from Thame also visited for a days flying. His hopes of a 5 hour excursion were dashed with the conditions but he did manage a number of flights including a 1 hr 15 min soaring flight at the end of the day.
Malcolm Ridout flew the Falke in the morning and then with a bit of arm twisting decided to do some 'proper' flying with Don. I think they had 5 practice launch failures in one flight! Malcolm even talked of doing his bronze.....
After a morning of short flights by Martin Jones, Jim Jennings and Tez Bowler, as usual Gail showed us the way with a great 1hr 18 min soaring flight. The thermals then really started to move and a number of soaring flights were made at the end of the day including Harry Abrahams with a fantastic 2hr and 5 min duration flight and Tez Bowler who also got his first bronze leg with a 1hr and 6 min flight. They both only really came down because it was time to pack up!
Well done to all involved - a fantastic sunny day with some soaring flights too.
Tez
So thats 1 bronze leg, 1- 2 hour cross country endorsement flight and 1- 1 hour cross country endorsement flight and all after 4pm!! well done everyone. Tez now has one bronze leg to complete for the bronze C---getting close now.
Don
22 May 2012
22 May
Blue day and hazy. Winds 340/10. Thermals became useful about 2pm.
Jim Jennings, a new member with a silver C re soloed, welcome Jim. Richard Allen, Jim Tez and others kept the K8s flying all day. Ian Murdoch gave his Mosquito an airing for the first time this year, with a very credible soaring flight.
Mark Russel and Alex Nichols were the duty pupils today.
Well done to Martin Jones who went solo for the for the first time today, a very well deserved celebration in the bar afterwards.
Thanks everyone for retrieving the K13 from the field so efficiently---no that wasnt Martins solo flight . All my life I have wanted to fly solo and this week (22nd-24th May 2012) I have finally achieved my goal. With the help of Shenington Gliding Club and faithful DVX, a K13 glider with hand rudder, I experienced the fun of being "up there" on my own and it was great. The first solo take-off and landing are moments I will remember for a very long time. I now look forward to gaining my Bronze Badge and going "cross country".
Don
Blue day and hazy. Winds 340/10. Thermals became useful about 2pm.
Jim Jennings, a new member with a silver C re soloed, welcome Jim. Richard Allen, Jim Tez and others kept the K8s flying all day. Ian Murdoch gave his Mosquito an airing for the first time this year, with a very credible soaring flight.
Mark Russel and Alex Nichols were the duty pupils today.
Well done to Martin Jones who went solo for the for the first time today, a very well deserved celebration in the bar afterwards.
Thanks everyone for retrieving the K13 from the field so efficiently---no that wasnt Martins solo flight . All my life I have wanted to fly solo and this week (22nd-24th May 2012) I have finally achieved my goal. With the help of Shenington Gliding Club and faithful DVX, a K13 glider with hand rudder, I experienced the fun of being "up there" on my own and it was great. The first solo take-off and landing are moments I will remember for a very long time. I now look forward to gaining my Bronze Badge and going "cross country".
Due to mobility problems caused by MS I never thought I would be able to fly an aircraft of any sort but here I am, flying solo and loving it! If you have only ever looked up once and seen a glider and thought "wonder what it is like up there?" don't wonder any more, give it a try.
I would like to thank all at Shenington for being so helpful and friendly but in particular the instructors Bruno, Derek, Ian, Tim and Don. They took all my mistakes with patience and in good spirit and helped turn them into useful lessons.
Martin Jones
21st May
Winds 340/10, foggy start clearing early pm. The morning was occupied with briefings on soaring.
Very little but very useful flying. Tez completed his Bronze flying test and bronze field landings, which now means 2 bronze legs to go for Bronze. well done Tez. Barry took the opportunity to keep himself current.
Don
Winds 340/10, foggy start clearing early pm. The morning was occupied with briefings on soaring.
Very little but very useful flying. Tez completed his Bronze flying test and bronze field landings, which now means 2 bronze legs to go for Bronze. well done Tez. Barry took the opportunity to keep himself current.
Don
Sunday 6 May 2012
An Unusual Day...
Sunday 6 May 2012.
John Donovan in charge, assisted by Tim Donovan later, and Gavin flying some friends and family. The wind was as predicted ( from the North East, about 5 knots) but the morning sky looked better than forecast. I took a launch at 11.40 and stayed up for an hour, hitting a cloudbase of 3,300ft QFE.
Cloud rolled in soon after, giving the flat grey day that had been predicted. Plenty of launches taken, mostly air experience flights, but with the day declining we thought we would be packing up early.
Then about 4.00pm, the day revived spectacularly. Alistair Frier got a 60 minute flight, John Rogers took a K8 for an hanger flight and stayed up for an hour and 45 minutes. Alan L did a later hanger flight for the other K8, and took it up to cloudbase around 5,000QFE. After much patient waiting and helping on the field, visitor Harry Abrahams, flying with John D, got a flight of just under an hour. Lucy and Tim D. took the last flight of the day and got 1 hour and 20 minutes.
An unusual day, but very welcome after weeks of rain.
Dave Price
Friday 4 May 2012
Thursday 4 May 2012
Rain all day with an occlusion directly over us.
Tez started us off with a wethaer brief and Notam brief, before giving us all a brief explanation of altimeter setting procedures.
Well done Tez, the bronze exam and oral test are completed.
The rest of the Day was taken up with briefings on Winch launch procedures, Approach control techniques, Charting with a half million map, and navigating with a compass.
Don
Tez started us off with a wethaer brief and Notam brief, before giving us all a brief explanation of altimeter setting procedures.
Well done Tez, the bronze exam and oral test are completed.
The rest of the Day was taken up with briefings on Winch launch procedures, Approach control techniques, Charting with a half million map, and navigating with a compass.
Don
Wednesday 2 May 2012
A very dull morning but we did manage to get some flying in during the afternoon. North east winds and cloudbases rose to around 1200ft QFE.
A good day for AFR flights and practice field landings. Scott managed to squeeze in one flight before vanishing off on his hectic schedule---muttering something like "she'll murder me".
just goes to show perseverance with the weather does sometimes pay off.
Don
A good day for AFR flights and practice field landings. Scott managed to squeeze in one flight before vanishing off on his hectic schedule---muttering something like "she'll murder me".
just goes to show perseverance with the weather does sometimes pay off.
Don
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Rain, well yes, quite a lot actually.
A great day for getting the bronze theory stuff underway, and getting wet on the dash from the lecture room to the clubhouse. Welcome to Alex Nicholls, who has an uncanny knack of picking the wet days to go flying.
lectures included, Navigation part 1 and 2, Altimetry and Compass, Approach Control and Winching.
A better day expected tomorrow.
Don
A great day for getting the bronze theory stuff underway, and getting wet on the dash from the lecture room to the clubhouse. Welcome to Alex Nicholls, who has an uncanny knack of picking the wet days to go flying.
lectures included, Navigation part 1 and 2, Altimetry and Compass, Approach Control and Winching.
A better day expected tomorrow.
Don
Monday 30 April
Southerly winds, good thermals in the middle part of the day. The weather cycling quickly in the unstable airmass.
A great day for Bobs one day course group, and a great day for Tez on his bronze c course.
many thanks to gail and tim for the invaluable assistance with instruction.
Don
A great day for Bobs one day course group, and a great day for Tez on his bronze c course.
many thanks to gail and tim for the invaluable assistance with instruction.
Don
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