Monday continued...and Tuesday 16th June

Just discovered that Lech completed his silver badge yesterday in Q5  - with a silver distance and a 100km diploma flight in one - by flying the 'President's Triangle' of EGD-BID-BIC-EDG. Nice one Lech!

A tired looking Lech!

Latest report is that Lech's syndicate partner Alan C flew the same triangle today to claim his 100km diploma. Congratulations to Lech & Alan, and nice to see Q5 being kept busy. Anyone else do anything interesting?

Monday 15th June

Derrick and Tim flew down to Goodwood in the Grob today. Conditions much better than forecast, nice clouds and thermals though cloud base not very high. Looks good for at least the next couple of days so if you've got some time free now's your chance for some soaring! Will be looking enviously out of the windows in Birmingham.......

Weekend 13-14th June

Bad weather stopped play on Saturday however......Sunday was much better than forecast!

A few Regionals competitors turned up to park their tents or caravans in advance, and Peter Hibbard took a launch to check out his instruments. Gavin & Gail flew some trial lesson flights, Dave Price aerotowed the Sport England K8 for the first time, and Witold flew his Kestrel. The weather defied the gloomy forecast as all but the last two launches were soaring flights. 

John R

Sunday 6th June

As predicted Sunday was very much better! Got to the club late morning to find many of the private gliders already gone, and the rest getting ready for departure. The three DGs of Steve T, Gavin and Trish had gone XC, Russell was taking off in JYR, Bob P had unfortunately come back in his K6e abandoning a good climb due to instrument problems. BETH came out of her hangar and didn't take long to get her own flying list. Eric took her to almost 4,000 feet in the afternoon took a while to thaw out!

Eric & Leslie go flying

Later starters Q5 and H20 went flying as did KHC with Tim on board, and Nigel got HAP in the air again. Meanwhile Gary took the Grob for a trip, and Clive managed some flying in the Chipmunk inbetween trial lesson flights. Alan took HMB when Trish came back, and went and did a short xc too.

K21 getting ready to go

T21 on approach

Interesting cropping at the foot of the ridge

Back at base, members organised Trial flights for visitors, Leslie and Danny C had some training flights, and Abenezer was rechecked out for solo while Dave P and Jon L flew the K8 for long soaring flights. 

It was a gorgeous day - not too hot, not too windy - though there were patches of blue for a while. The more intrepid of the cross country pilots reported sea breeze issues from the Cheshire gap.....

A great day was had by all - thanks to all who helped out, especially those who drove the winch! (Photos from Danny C and Tess).

Saturday 6th June

Arriving at the club in sandals and T shirt I was immediately struck by the idiocy of my clothing!! Blue skies on the way down had translated to solid grey clouds and a hefty wind at the club . Too much wind really to do a great deal with trainees or winch trial lessons. After some tea drinking (and in my case the addition of two jumpers, socks and trainers) we initiated an aerotow only operation on the 'short hard' using the K21. Rowan was tugging in sometimes 'interesting' approach conditions, while Dave Perkins flew some guests and Tony Mallin for the rest of the morning and early afternoon. 

Conditions improved late morning and some good soaring flights were had by the visitors, though the photos are very deceptive as you can't feel the 30kt wind. It was a bit nippy outside !!  

John Donovan stepped in to give Dave a break from flying, then Paul D & Jon C went soaring for an hour to finish off the day. Liz cooked a roast beef dinner for 15 of us in the evening. Thanks to Dave, John & Rowan for their efforts at the launch point, and Liz for feeding us all so well!

Thursday 4th June

Eric (ntd) took granddaughter Ellen - our new facebook host - off flying in BETH on Thursday. They had rather a good trip, reaching 3,300ft and staying up for over half an hour. I'm guessing that they came down to get warm rather than because they couldn't stay up!!