The
prospect of some sunny and flyable weather had SGC members flocking to the
airfield to see if they could successfully get airborne. Those present included Kevin M, Eric, Tim D,
Mick F, Gavin, Gail, Robin, David S and Jon C plus Martin Jones, visiting after
a break from gliding. Andy L was also
on-site, but overseeing repairs to the bar roof, rather than flying.
After
defrosting, jump-starting, tyre-pumping, and other fun activities associated
with winter and gliding clubs, we were ready to go. We asked Eric which was the winch drum on
which the cable had been replaced. “The
left” was the confident reply. We set up
to launch from the short hard with the wind blowing almost straight down the
runway. Four flights and three cable
breaks later we concluded that it was “the other one”. A number of us who had not recently
experienced cable breaks for real can now tick that off in our log books! Conditions all day were as Tim put it,
“sporting”, but we all had enjoyable, if short flights. Maximum flight duration was Mick with 9
minutes, while Martin flew again with Tim – the first time he had been back in
a glider for 2 years.
Mid-afternoon,
as conditions were deteriorating, we were just deciding to put the kit away
when Eric and Gavin decided to have a last flight. I volunteered to drive the winch, expecting
it to be more sedate than flying. When,
during the winch launch, the gusting caused the winch to shift on its chocks I
concluded that I had been wrong. We
packed up at just the right time having had an enjoyable day with all equipment
and personnel still in one piece.
Jon
Carlton