Category: Uncategorised

With 8/8ths low cover and drizzle and, yet again, another westerly the prospects for flying did not look good.  This was reflected in the number of folks in attendance.  Paul P rolled up at 8:30 to find the 3 members of the Gutsy Goat film crew patiently waiting at the gate – intent on not missing any of the “action” and drama involved in setting up the field.  As the camera crew were there we went through the motions of setting up the airfield with little optimism of flying – although it was forecast to brighten up in the afternoon.  Paul P got a parachute out and checked it and carried it out to the glider – several times.  Filmed from every angle – I think they were trying to find Paul’s “good side”.  They filmed the caravan, winch and retrieve driving by, cables inspected and towed out.  My hand got a staring role as it rotated a ferrel on the cable.  Gradually more members appeared and with each new arrival Paul P enquired “has my arse double arrived”.

With the field set-up the clouds parted and raised and we could fly.  Not only could we fly but we could soar – sometimes with cameras recording the flight (thanks Phil for the loan of your camera mounts).  3 flights of around 45 minutes and Paul (where’s my arse double) P with Rob J took longest flight honours with just over the hour.  Recently re-solo Alan S took the “king of the hill” honour with a climb to 3,800′.
Only 17 launches but we didn’t get started until 13:30 and we did clock up over 6 hours of flying time.  It certainly was a day of 2 halves

the day promised to be soarable and so it turned out.when I arrived on site four s.u.g.c. members had turned up and there were four trial lessons booked for various times which meant that the instructors were going to be kept busy.We got flying about 10.30am with jim g.check flying one of the soton boys who wanted to fly solo.Nigel B. turned up and started flying trial lessons in the Puch,all of his flights were 30 minutes or more.Jim C. and Richard D.rigged and recorded  flights of over 2 hours,and the soton lad recorded a flight of one hour in JMX.Nigel decided he wanted a break from flying so he got into the back of the Puch with myself in the front seat and we got airbourne about 3pm.I found a good thermal and worked it up to 3,oooft. Descending to 1,000ft. I latched onto a stonking thermal which took us back up to cloudbase at 4,200ft and we did a mini x country visiting Hungerford,and Gt.Bedwyn before returning to Rivar and clocking up 1 hour and 7 mins.All in all a cracking day.