The occurrences and happenings at Shalbourne Soaring Society. A gliding club near Andover, Newbury and Hungerford.

Photo Comp

Need a summer banner picture: so please email in your best offering to me Pete. Needs to be wide and short like the one above.

Prize is that it will be used as the banner photo unitl i get bored or fancy a change. I am judge, jury and executioner. No cash alternative will be offered.

Sunday 20th Feb

A hardy few turned out today and had an enjoyable few hours in the great outdoors. Just an up-and-down kind of a day. Only a few flights managed to break, just, into double digits flying time. We are not quite sure how Chris B managed to get 15 minutes - must have been his new toy trying to avoid the the muddy field.

Wednesday 16th Feb

Clear blue shy and sun when I left Newbury - complete cloud cover by the time I got to Rivar. Could base started to lift and occasional glimses of that yellow ball in the sky. Paul Prentice set the standard with 8 minutes which nobody managed to match until I took JMX just to keep the place tidy. I stumbled into the day's thermal (well, a more of a mini street) and was rewarded with 29 minutes. Colin was doing his best to keep the average flight time low (the lure of the yellow knob). With just 8 of us flying today no shortage on the donut front (thanks Peter M).

Sat 12th Feb


After a lot of hard work over the last few years the Pirat was finally launched skywards and as James had flown it before had the honour of taking the first launch.
Everything went well and it now awaits conditions to improve so that it can spend as much time as possible flying.
Having had a go in it myself yesterday i'm sure they will have a lot of fun over the coming years.



Sat 12th Feb

After a late start caused by low cloud that steadfastly refused to clear we made up for it with a busy afternoon.

The major event of which was the Pirat taking to the air for the first time (well its so long since it flew it felt like the first time.) James H must have feared an issue with the airbrakes as he stayed aloft for half an hour before eventually returning and allaying his fear. Nigel and Paul followed converting to it without drama and with cheshire cat smiles. (pictures to follow)

Carol and Phil soared the Janus for an hour as did Bob in the Vega and other soaring flights decluttered the airfield for a while.

Thanks to Steve O and Colin for helping with the 2 seat list.

Much swearing was heard from the hangar as weighings of puchacz EUF was attempted and JPC completed. JPC now needs a few loose ends tidying and putting on insurance and it will then be all ready to go.

In the evening we had light hearted but very enlightening talk from Phil who repackes our parachutes. There can't be many devices that are used in emergencies for live saving by one group and used for enjoyment by another. His main message whatever their use - look after them!