Thursday 28th January

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

Saturday 23rd Jan

After a bit of a late start the K13 was sat on line just in time for a  bank of very low cloud to arrive at the airfield! Jon Carlton sat in the K13 for about 10 minutes in the vain hope that it would pass quickly - but it didn't so the launch point was abandoned and the team went and had some soup. Conditions cleared by about 1pm, and then Paul Fletcher (Duty Instructor) did some check flights, including simulated cable breaks, which were quickly followed by some real ones.  We had a visitor from Snitterfield as well as the normal suspects. Lucy, Lech & Paul all encountered some odd reduced sink close to the kart track but otherwise there was no lift to be found. I guess this is normal for January, in spite of the very mild winter. Paul reports that the hangar packing was much more organised than our appalling efforts the previous week, and that everything was packed away before dark!  

Saturday 16th January

Another cold crisp day, but with less wind than yesterday. As the westerly wind was quite light, it was decided to operate from the clubhouse to save churning up the (frozen and/or damp) grass, which had the added advantage of ensuring that people could pop into the clubhouse intermittently to warm up or eat Mary's soup. 

The good weather brought out lots of the wage slaves, and we had a very full flying list plus three visitors. The team from Friday decided that the wires needed replacing, so first task of the day was a winch wire refit - the tug battery was also struggling in the cold so although we had the kit out promptly we had a late start to flying. Damien popped in in his yellow cub to say hello first thing.

Dave P and John W were on duty, with Paul F helping out, and Rowan flying the tug. Roger & Clive both took aerotows, and the rest of us kept the winch busy till last light, getting excellent launches in spite of the mild crosswind. A big thanks to Paul D, Eric & Lech for driving the winch all day, and to Dean Batty for driving wire retrieve for much of the afternoon. Danny C and Danny E both arrived  with Mary and got current again, as did Robb B with the inevitable cable break practice. Robin had his own solo cable break in the K8, and also flew the Falke. 

Dave P, Brent, Paul D, Lech, Tess, Paul F and Rowan all flew too. Rowan took the winch duration record for the day, managing 13 minutes in some sort of 'stealth wave' over the road alongside Tysoe.

Our last flight landed at dusk, and as we all thought that someone else had gone for the glider, the pilots were abandoned in the eight acre for some time before we noticed....just about the same time that John rag the clubhouse to see if anyone was coming to get them! We completed the hangar pack in the dark, and had just sat down in the clubhouse for a welcome cup of tea when all the lights went out. Good news is that it wasn't just us - the whole area was in blackout. Normal club activity continued in the bar with torches until the lights came back on 20 minutes later! 

A very enjoyable day - good to see so many people there, and to get so many flights in even though we didn't start flying as early as we'd have liked.  

Photos from Friday

John Rogers sent some photos as proof! Fantastic clear shot of the ridge....

Friday 15th January

Good grief - it's 2016 already!

There have been few good days flying over the last two months but Friday started frosty and clear. Our midweek contingent braved the cold and had a very enjoyable day's flying. John Rogers even found a thermal - is this a record for the time of year? Club pilots were John, Paul B, Eric, George and Bob - all had extended flights of around half an hour on the ridge. I gather that half the launches comprised cable breaks, so we are definitely missing Kath.

Sunday 17th December

Sunday commenced in glorious sunshine but with only a few members arriving to fly, Tom had decided that if insufficient members wanted to fly by 10:00hrs the day would be scrubbed, four of us had turned up before 10:00hrs so flying was on!

Looking at the launch point after the rain

Unfortunately the vehicles and winch hadn’t run for a couple of weeks, the tractor turned out to be the only bit of kit with a charged battery so it was used to start the rest of the equipment. CCC was dragged out plus Trish and Alan rigged their DG for an airing, by 11:30hrs 13 members and guests were at the launch-point. A heavy rain shower spoiled play at around 13:00hrs, CCC was temporarily put back in it’s hangar and we took lunch in the Club House, Mary’s soup and cakes all vanished in approximately 20 minutes!

 

lunchtime soup....

 The sun reappeared at 14:00hrs and flying resumed until 16:00hrs, by which time we had 13 launches, great fun! 

Lech

Saturday 5th Dec

No flying sadly, as the weather was all a bit rowdy ('Storm Desmond' apparently - what's with the naming of storms these days? We're going to be out of letters very quickly....) and the wind was far too strong to get gliders out. Instead, people drifted in late afternoon and helpers decorated the clubhouse and restaurant while Liz prepared turkey and veg plus traditional puddings for a Christmas Meal. Mid evening about 30 of us sat down with a few drinks to enjoy a festive dinner followed by Christmas pud and brandy sauce. We then retired to the bar for a few drinks and lots of chat.

A big thanks to Liz and helpers for a lovely evening.

Don't forget to sign up for the Annual Dinner in February 20th 2016.

Friday 4th December

An intrepid band of club members, brought together via the "winterflying" email group assembled at the airfield all desperate to take to the air after so many miserable non-flying days.  At the start of the day Christine and Phil appeared, to ferry the supermunk to Hus Bos for its service. Then everyone mucked in and, despite the lack of any rostered crew, the flying ran remarkably smoothly.  The weather was dry and sometimes even sunny, but with a cool and brisk wind and VERY gusty.  Just the sort of conditions to blow off the cobwebs and test old skills!  K13 CCC was put through its paces by a number of club members (including Robin, Gail, Gavin, Eric, Bob K, mick F, Paul B and myself), meanwhile Alan and Trish flew their DG 300 and George brought out his newly acquired PIK20 to try it out.  To add to the activity, Mick continued work extending the heating system to the restaurant/briefing room building and Liz was hard at work preparing for tomorrow's Christmas meal.  I mustn't forget to mention Kath and Jane, as always hard at it keeping the club clean and provided with supplies.

Jon Carlton