Tuesday 15 April 2014

Monday 14th April



The sky went good at around 10am on Monday.  Gavin had Clive Sutton as a 4 day course man, and their first flight was 49 mins!  Graham then left in the Nimbus and returned with a long face 647k later!

Graham's flight was Edgehill, Lavenham, Sheffield West (!), Depden Water Tower then back to Edgehill for a declared 707km. The detail is as follows : (see BGA ladder for the trace - it's very long!)

"Had hoped the 400km aligned with the wind would be under streeting, but no such luck, streeting started on the way home when I was flying west. Still some great climbs but the thermals were very small and broken by the wind, which was a 20kt headwind going up to Sheffield and a 9 kt tailwind when I turned to come back. Signs of sea air with low base clouds and a lack of cumulus as I reached Cambridge convinced me to give up on the last turnpoint. Probably would have made it as run back very easy."  


Meanwhile back in Oxfordshire, John R flew for 3.5 hrs, Eric checked out his loggers with a 1.75 hr flight in Cosy and AND  Lech flew in Q5 for  12m and then for 5 h 40 mins! 


Many congratulations on the silver duration Lech.



Apparently this is a rare shot of members working!










Eric (ntd)

Sunday 13th April

Eric (ntd) reports that the weather was not as good on Sunday as had been anticipated. However  BETH came our of her winter nest and flew with Russell, Harry, Clive & Eric. Looks like a few other people were flying too, and judging from the shadows on the photos below, the sun did make a welcome appearance!

Brian getting ready to fly
Little Miss Muffett and Friend


Terry with no sign of fear!























Saturday 12th April

Saturday started off with a disappointingly grey sky and a cool wind. Being small in numbers, we just got out the Skylark 4 and a token K13 and set up in the 8 acre field. Robin went off to do the first stint on the winch, and Phil Hebdon took first slot in the Skylark, but we weren't terribly hopeful about the conditions. DI Graham P was adamant that it was going to get better!

Sam Tomline and Zander, another friend of Phil & Sam, turned up to fly so Graham had something to do, and the rest of us took turns with the Skylark. It all worked out quite well because fairly soon Sam was sent off solo again (after an 8 year break), and we kept the gliders busy all day. 

Solo Sam!
 Initially the flights were better than circuits but not terribly long, then just as it was looking very frontal, Paul Fletcher got away in wave in BNP. As we watched he disappeared up underneath the dull grey top cover, way above the lower ragged cloud, until he was at over 5000'. Best flight of the day, with an hour off the winch, and once again he kindly brought it back for the rest of us. Paul reported that some of the ragged clouds below him appeared to be lined up but that there was otherwise no clue as to the source of the lift.


Whilst Paul was up high, Harry turned up and launched in the K13 - he also contacted wavelike of some sort.....we watched him going up in a straight line away under a grey but cloudless patch of sky. Later, when the front had gone through, we got blue skies and thankfully it warmed up. After that there was more traditional soaring to be had, and Terry M, Phil H and Rowan had decent flights in BNP. 
This is more like it!
 
Thanks to a small but helpful team we had an enjoyable day. Thanks especially to Robin, Paul F and Michael Bell for doing all the winching. 


Wednesday 2 April 2014





Saturday the 29th of March dawned with great expectations from members.Tim and others were working to get the Skylark 4 ready for its first flight at Shenington. 

Thanks to Phil (CFI) Tim Donovan and several others who worked over the winter to get it airworthy again and thanks to a member for donating it to the club.

Weighing had to be completed and the control deflections checked, not forgetting the paperwork  before its first flight

Meanwhile club flying went ahead with a number of training flights and a welcome to a trial lesson candidate  who said he had thoroughly enjoyed his flights and was going to sign up for a day or a weeks course.

The rest of the members enjoyed an active day with the big wings with engines off flying and the new tug proving it's worth.

Towards the end of the day, with the Skylark  duly certified it was readied for an aero-tow taken by Tim Donovan as a well earned opportunity to take a first flight on type.

Lifting off very quickly in a relatively light breeze he was soon at 2000 ft and enjoying himself.

This flight was followed by Alan (Chairman) and myself.

All reported that the glider would be welcomed by the club members, providing a real experience to fly a annex 2 glider and one of the last all wooden "high performance " ships.

It was time to close the hanger doors with a really enjoyable spring day.

The photograph is just one of many which will be added as they become available

Sunday was a similar day and several other members were able to try out this new acquisition from both aero-tow and winch launching.

All reporting what a delightful glider to fly.

It will be kept in the top hanger so despite a wing span 18 mtrs it will be easy to get onto the airfield. 

Derrick