Weekend 23-24th Nov

We flew about 16 launches on Saturday. The cloud was higher than it looked, though it was rather chilly! Indoors (and slightly warmer!) Phil Marks and Paul Armstrong were running an Instructors Ground School refresher course with lapsed Bidford and Shenington instructors. Mary provided soup and cake for the members, and Michael Bell did soup and baguettes for the course members so we all had an excellent lunch.

Tess

Nicola, the daughter of Nick Saul, the owner of The Roebuck at Drayton invited Club members to her 21st at the pub on Saturday night, and a gang of us went. We believe 270 friends and family were invited and the building is not large and so we were very snug. The pork roast was ready by 8.20 pm and was awesomely delicioso. Friends of the Roebuck may be interested to learn that Nikki is leaving Dad on Thursday to go off and take up a job as a ski chalet maid.

 

On Sunday, we were discombobulated by the wind.  Andy and I took the first launch of the day in CC and then went off for a 10:30am breakfast in Kineton.  When we got back there was a struggle with launching and after having to recover a chute from the N crop field [which fell comfortably short of the Kart track itself], we decamped to the short hard and it was all downhill until canopy misting stopped play

Eric (ntd)

 

Saturday 16th November

Having missed a lovely day the previous Sunday, I arrived at lunchtime on Saturday to find a grey sky and lowish cloud on the field. The team had been flying anyway, and after a break for lunch we made our way back to the launch point to have another go. It was chiller than expected given the light winds, but we took it in turns to fly CCC around the circuit and stay current. Alistair Frier went off in the Falke to complete his field landing checks with Ian Atherton, and is pleased to report that he has now been finished his Cross Country Endorsement.

 

Our visitor David came all the way from Kent to have a trial lesson, stopping only at Didcot to pick up his son and family. We were all very impressed by his enthusiasm, and he had a  number of winch launches with Russell instead of the planned aerotow, due to the low cloud base. Grandchild Ellie (almost four!) took a great liking to the buggy and went to assist on the glider retrieves - maybe a future glider pilot there. We packed up as dusk fell, then went off to a preliminary meeting in the clubhouse about the new EASA piloting rules. Many thanks to CFI Phil and Christine for trying to guide us through the labyrinth process - there was a certain amount of brain fade by the time we had reviewed the forms. Thankfully Michael Bell & helper cooked dinner (sweet and sour chicken, egg fried rice with apple crumble to follow) which cheered us all up!