We’re flying! After a delay caused by ‘an Obstruction on the Runway’ (see
photo), by lunchtime we were up and running, with check flights and simulated
launch failures (cable breaks) aplenty as the instructing team strove to check
out as many members as possible (in which they were fortuitously assisted by the
addition of an hour’s daylight...)
 |
| Delayed Due to an Obstruction on the Runway |
And it wasn’t all ‘up, round and down’ as
the light NW’ly and heat from that rare golden orb in the sky started to set off
thermals in the valley to the north of the site, which were instantly spotted
and taken advantage of by Andy Davey, Roger Appleboom and Peter Howarth in the
K-8 (Roger reaching 1,800ft whilst Peter managed 2,200ft in their half-hour
flights), whilst Mark Jerman shot to 1,600ft on his check flight before being
told to get back on the ground and join the queue for the K-8!
 |
| A
packed grid under a promising sky... |
Trainees Ed
Borlase and Dave Westcott enjoyed the opportunity to get back in the groove
under increasingly cloud-free conditions, whilst Leith Whittington did his best
to line the Treasurer’s pockets with as many launches as possible in his Dart 17R (one of which included 2 minutes in
wave...) and Rich Roberts fly his ever so sleek Discus for the first time from
Brentor this year. As the afternoon drew on (and Allan Holland was being
checked out by Peter Howarth) we decided that low angle of the sun was becoming
an increasing threat and hence it was time to pack the kit away safety – at
7pm!
A successful day saw 25 launches achieved on the 25th day of the month.
Thanks go in bucket-loads to our winch drivers, Dave Downton and Roger
Appleboom, who between them coped with nine simulated/real cable breaks, which
with a nearly-90 degree crosswind resulted in the cable going over the boundary
on a number of occasions, that can (it is suspected form the launchpoint end)
cause a certain amount of, er, frustration... and opportunity to build teamwork
with the retrieve driver, of course..! Well Done Guys!
Martin Cropper
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