The schools go back, the sun comes out and we go flying. Well the roads were busier so the schools had returned. The sun was out and it was already warming up. Forecasts showed a good chance of soarable conditions but depending on which one you studied would we have a westerly component or an easterly one. With a windsock raised and sowing a westerly component we set the field up. With no trainees and two one day courses (ODC) to fly, one K13 and a K8 for the solo pilots were taken to the launch point.
The course students arrived. Nigel Brian and Michael Slaughter. Duty BI Richard Roberts carried out the required paperwork and briefs. I took the first launch solo in the K13 so they could watch a winch launch before experiencing it themselves.
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| Michael ready with Richard. |
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| And Nigel. |
After Mike's first two flights, Richard spoke with me. He told me Mike was a PPL holder, so he couldn't do any more with him and the rest of the course would have to be flown with me. Nigel then had his first flights with Richard.
With none of the solo pilots wanting to fly, we decided to stand down for a while and wait for the forecasted conditions to improve so the ODC students would get more benefit from hopefully longer flights.
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| K8 put to good use to shelter from the sun. |
With a few cumulus clouds starting to appear over the airfield, the solo pilots started getting ready to fly. It was at this time we noticed the other forecast had turned up. A tail wind prompted a change of ends for flying to continue.
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| Privateers forming up to fly. |
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| And after changing ends. |
Solo pilots John Smith (K8), Mike Bennett (Libelle), John Allan (Mini Nimbus), David Archer (K8), Phil Hardwick (DG300) and newly converted Alasdair Barkley (K8) all took their chance throughout the afternoon to launch. Despite the sky looking inviting extended circuits were all that was managed with the exception of John Smith and John Allan. John Smith managed 1 hour 9 minutes and John Allan claimed flight of the day with 2 hour 26 minutes.
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| John Allan's view from the Mini Nimbus. |
Between the solo launches I took Mike on his next flights of his ODC. On his fourth flight he managed to land the K13, and the last couple of flights took control at the top of the launch and release. A possible first for a ODC student and DGS. Mike left saying he would be back in the future to take up gliding, but it could be a year away before he is ready to do so.
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| Mike before his exciting day. |
Nigel also enjoyed his day with us and left very happy.
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| Nigel receiving his certificate. |
Thank you to all at the club today, where we made the best of the day, Changing ends and 25 flights saw us all leaving hot and tired.
Peter Howarth
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