Mid-Week Fun

The tug stands by.

Cold and bright with the wind on the hill, but too light to provide any ridge soaring.

 

RF-5 Cockpits

Mid-week fun all round with Lee organising the day. Don pitched up with 2 X/C Endorsement candidates that kept the Falke busy all day with NavEx and Field Landing Cx. The Duo was out and John R brought out his RF-5 and offered me the spare seat for a trip round Buckinhamshire. Inevitably, we ended up popping into Enstone for tea and cake at OSF. Always good to see Ray, three RF-4s also pitched up including John M and John G. Do you have to be called John to own an RF?

 

Back at base, amongst those that were enjoying themselves flying the club kit were Terry T, Eric, Mike R, Paul B, and Lech. I even had a quick flight in the Ka.8 before sending Lech off for his first flight in it near the end of the day. Last flight went to Tony T with Lee on an A/T to 3000ft. 

 

 

Floods to the West (click to enlarge).

JR up front.

Ka8 ready to launch.

Lech hooks on Mike in the Ka8.

Special thanks to Kath for winching all day "...just to keep current"!

Sunday 18th November

Surprised there weren't more people here today as the forecast was good and the weather obliged! Blue skies, very light wind, and it was quite warm in the sun until it went behind the haze line at 2:30pm. So warm in fact that Gail managed the one lengthy soaring flight of the day, having got in the K8 at the prime time for small puffy clouds (what are they I hear you ask), though she did bring it back after an hour. Russell & Eric went soaring - in turn - in DDB at about the same time.
 

Phil Marks was in charge, and had some nice flights with Glen. Russell flew our one Trial lesson who enjoyed his aerotow TL, and the rest of us (Jane, Robin, Eric 'ntd', Andy L, Tess, Bob W, Lucy, Martin J,  Nigel C, Alistair F) bimbled around in DVX or HRJ. Mike C flew the tow, and was also doing some Motorglider work with a visitor, Robin also flew the MG, and Clive was in G-OOMF variously with Christine and an examiner, so we were kept busy. A good natured day, and we even repacked the club hangar to include DVX this time. 

Thanks to Phil M, and the winch drivers Andy, Eric, Nigel and Michael Bell for giving us such good launches all day.

Bonfire Night - 10th November

The club’s Bonfire Party went off well last Saturday 10^th November. The weather was very kind to us and 55 or so people were counted at the bonfire and approaching that number joined in for grub afterwards.

Warm [gerrit?] thanks are due to....

The Bonfire and Fireworks group:

Rowan G, Andy L, Bob W, Kevin H, Jane J, Lucy W, John C, Robin J, Eric L, Colin H, Phil Z, Iwan K.

To the Food Team:   Jane J, Sue W, Jackie B, Tess W, Lucy, Carol S, Liz M and Paul D.

Michael B for running bus trips to the launch point and Scott T for manning the bar.

 Who is this new member ? Will he survive the day?

 Watch out - safety officer on site, hard hat optional!

Look, no caravan incorporated!

Bye bye 'Guy'

 The usual suspects working hard in the kitchen - lots of food...don't think anyone will go hungry.

A quieter moment in the 'restaurant'....
 whilst Paul takes a brief rest.

 The last of the kitchen dream team...thanks everyone for such a great effort.

Mid week flying continues... Mike Rawcliff and Lee enjoyed a few short flights off the short hard. Thank you to Clive and Robin for driving the winch.
Please email the office if you want to be on the mid-week fliers email group.

Awesome Evening Sky

Taken From G-BTUA Whilst Wave Hunting

Weak wave set up over the site this evening, Lee, Bob and Ian went to explore, no stunning lift but enough to hold the Motorglider airbourne for a while.

Building A Bonfire

Eric Starts The Job

Bob & I Join In

The Sunshine Returns!

Me With Our Two Happy Air Experience Students.

A fun and productive day for Day 1 of "Winter Ops". The field was still rather wet so we decided to just fly the Falke off the Long Hard launching on 35 with a lighter than predicted Northerly wind. Our Air Ex visitors had a fun time and enjoyed their time with us having had several previous thwarted attempts due to poor weather. John M flew off in his RF-4 for a lunch at Wellesbourne. John L-C and Gaynor fettled the DG, Phil H worked on his Bolkow and Colin & Ivan continued in the workshop. Later Scott and I went of for a navex to Upper Hayford-Enstone-Shipston and back, checking out the flooded Cherwell River and enjoying the autumn sunshine and long shadows. Special thanks to Jane, who turned out to help things along, but who decided not to fly.



Banbury And Beyond...

The River Cherwell - Flooded After The Recent Rains.

The Falke Looking Splendid In The Sunshine!

Rain Didn't Stop Play...

 It was pouring down with rain, but inside the duty crew and the few who turned up anyway had a very productive and fun day. LPC Dave Price was tasked by Bruno to complete his Bronze by passing the ground exam, which he duly did with flying colours. Meanwhile we decided to have a test run on the simulator that Lee and Scott have put together. I started off with Bruno, Paul M, Scott and Robin J all taking turns. Although still under development, we were duly impressed even though there are several tweaks and some finishing still required. Please don't play without Lee's permission. Hopefully, it should be fully operational by Christmas. I'm confident that it will prove an impressive and fun addition to the club's training equipment able to add real value to briefings and most aspects of the BGA syllabus from ab-initio through to instructor training.

Saturday 3rd November

No flying today, but we did inspect the bonfire preparation area. The organisers (most of the female club members plus Eric!) are doing a grand job, and next week's event should be good fun so do come along. The bonfire will be lit at 6:30pm on Sat 10th November with plenty of fireworks and food to follow. Lucy was introduced to the 'guy', who sat in the clubhouse all day and was only occasionally mistaken for a club member ...