Author: StephenO

… for when Lockdown Mk III eases sufficiently for the club to re-open by ensuring we have instructors who are current.  The CAA and Department For Transport decreed that it is allowed for instructors to fly solo in order to keep current  So, on Saturday 27th March a baker’s dozen of instructors (should that be a coven?) turned up to do just that.  They all managed to remember how to take off and land safely.  Some even figured out what to do in between those events and thermaled to cloud base at 2,700′.  The first 2 launches attracted the pre-10am launch discount.  By mid-afternoon no one wanted the Vega so I forced myself to hangar fly it.  After an hour I managed to find the hangar.  Despite the field being operated by instructors everything ran smoothly and we clocked up 40 launches.  Maybe that was due to Bob S and Paul P who came along to winch even though they weren’t able to fly.  A huge thanks to Bob and Paul.  Also to Martin H, Bob S and Martin S who did the annual checks on the winch the week before on a very cold day.

The following day there was more flying (13 launches) and the following Saturday (17 launches).  On that Saturday Chris B rigged and stayed airborne for 2 hours 45 minutes.  Fingers crossed the plan to allow outdoor sports to restart doesn’t change and we are able restart on Wednesday the 31st.

 

PS we now have 16 instructors current.

Wednesday 17th December was the last flying we managed to do before flying was put on hold once more.  In theory there were some days (well, maybe one) that we could have flown after that but a combination of weather and most instructors being in Tier 4 clobbered that.

For a mid-December day it was pretty good with 13 members flying to clock up 21 launches and 3 hours of flying time.  Bob B had a great launch as you can see from the altimeter.

to get a view above the cloud

and also capture a picture of a circular rainbow

I just end with the latest in what every glider pilot needs these days.

First day after lockdown and we are back and first launch was the return of the much loved K8 looking resplendent in blue.  Cloud base looked low but Bob B launched into a clear(ish) patch and with 1,200′ under his wings put it through its paces.  Paul M also launched into a gap and got 1,500′ but after that the cloud base quickly came down and down.  On any other day once the cloud base got down to 500′ gliders would have headed back to the hangar but after weeks of not flying we kept going and clocked up 17 launches before we started to get wet – no rain just water in the air.  Ah, a slight correction, 16 launches and Bill C doing a short hop.  Bill C + 2*Ken rigged their K6.  Tony P made sure the log was spot on and his home baked lemon drizzle cake went  down a treat.

Two weeks into lockdown and withdrawal symptoms starting to kick in – especially on a day like today (19th November).  Earlier in the week looking at the forecast I though “this week Thursday would be the day for midweek flying, if only we could”.  Went for a walk instead – past Donnington Castle walking into the cold northerly to Snelsmore Common trying to ignore the cloud streets.  Bring on the rubbish weather and save the good stuff until restriction ease enough for us to fly again.