Sunday 24th

Report from Colin:-

Despite early protestations that the ridge wasn't really working, eleven people managed an average of 43 minutes airtime each off 17 launches, with Ken Reid and I scoring 3 hours between us. Admittedly the the 2200ft launches did help a little, but forgive my skepticism if by any measure I reckon that was a good ridge day.

Saturday 23rd

A day the brass monkeys stayed at home but not some of our hardy members.  Once the winch and caravan were in position it was a wait-and-see if cloudbase moves up.  Those patient enough to hang about to almost 15:00 were rewarded with the chance to see if the ridge was working.  Everybody managed more than a 10 minute flight and the conclusion was that in the K8 it might have been possible to use the bits of ridge lift that was there but not in the Puchacz (with so few remaining we only hauled the Puchacz to the bottom end of the field).  Rod took the day's honours with 19 minutes (thanks to a thermal in which he managed to gain 200 feet).

Sun 17th - Sun and soaring!

As forecast/promised it was sunny and thermic. Those that weren't there - I told you so! Most of the day the thermals were quite broken and difficult to connect/stay with but Pablo and Jim in the K13 along with Trevor in the K8 connected and had around an hour's soaring in a street/convergence/magic lift line to the north of the club. It seemed to be a white-gliders-don't-soar day for most of the rest! Being a SE wind, it was vital that people laid off enough and several didn't in spite of briefing. Nigel 'You thought I was nice until today' Burt was winching for much of the day, he came and apologised for chopping the first launch he wasn't happy with, but grinned more and more widely as the day went on and he found a new careless pilot to dump. It's a serious point - you MUST pay attention to crosswinds else when it's SE you will not get to the top of the launch. Nice to see Alicia and Tim from Upavon which was closed for the day, they also stayed for the XC Q&A later and asked most of the Q; hope they were happy with the A... Soaring again - summer is almost upon us (but meanwhile keep wearing the ski gear to prevent important bits freezing off) Liz

Saturday 16th

The forecast fog in the morning did not materialise but there was a low (750') cloudbase that took a couple of hours to lift.  Not a lot of thermal activity but a few members managed to extend their flights.  Steve B being the first to prove there was "something" with a 22 minute flight.  I followed him in the K8 only to have a graceful descent from the 1,900' launch without encountering any trace of a thermal.  Those who launched around 14:45 (Steve G in the K8 and Rob J in his Cirrus) did best with 29 and 31 minutes respectively.
We were pleased to welcome new member John G who, despite a year since last flying (at another club), had not forgotten how to handle a glider.
4:23 hours flown off 26 launches

Friday 15th - AGM

A good turnout for the AGM at the Shalbourne Village Hall.  Colin delivered the Chaiman's report and said that the club is in the best state it has ever been on the equipment front but the we need to increase the membership.  His priority for the coming year is to strengthen the membership.  Steve reported on matters financial.  Although expenditure did exceed income the value of the equipment gained balanced that out.  The level of trial lesson evening activity was disapponting.  A proposal to increase the launch fee and soaring time a modest amount to compensate for the reduced TLE activity was agreed.  Phil reported on the recent CFI conference and his plans for cross-country training this year.

The exisitng commitee were all prepared to re-stand for election (fortunately!) and were all duly elected back into their posts.  Unfortunately (yet again) no-one offered themselves for the post of either Equipment Officer or Field Officer.

Those of us who moved on to The Plough after the AGM were welcomed with complementary sandwiches and cakes - far to much for the few of us to do justice to so "doggy bags" were taken home and those flying on Saturday enjoyed Marion's excellent cakes.

Disclaimer:  This is decided not an "offical" report of the AGM just a few notes from memory a couple of days later.  Nigel (esteemed club secretary) will no doubt be publishing the offical minutes at some time.

Wednesday 6th

A day for careful handling of the gliders on the ground (and picketing) and 70 knot approaches, however, that did mean launches of over 2,200' in the K13s and 2,000' in the Vega.  The K8 (unsurprisingly) stayed in the hangar.  Too much thermic activity for the ridge to work consistently but it could still be used - just had to watch out for the patches of 8 down.  Bob B took the second launch of the day in the Vega and set the target at 45 minutes - nobody beat it.  Longest flights were in the Vega, the 3 other launches in it clocked up more than an hour and a half between them.
The Puchacz completed it's ARC was rigged and test flown by Bob B who took Andy B along for ballast.  Good to see the inspector having faith in his work :)
Just over 5 hours of flying from 15 launches.  Donut service was resumed

Saturday 2nd February

The prediction for Saturday was for a ridge day and though it worked to some extent it was nowhere as good as in October. However, the day was to get exceptional when the thermals took hold, not what is expected at the start of February in the UK. Even the K13 took a trip out to Hungerford and reached 3500', getting back took 2 mins and 600'.

Given recent rain it was impressive to see how much the field had dried out. The flying statistics were equally impressive:
41 launches
nearly 22hours total flying time in just over 7 hours
7 flights over a hour, longest 1hr 58min
21 members flew, including two new ones
and Pablo had his first solo flight off a winch launch and in the UK.

To round off the day, even though I was duty instructor, I was able to get in my first flight in the LS3 since buying into it, with enough thermals left to get half an our in it.

Good fun had by all.

Wednesday 30th

At least it wasn't raining and the field became less boggy as the day progressed.  Unfortunately, there was a strong, blustery, cross-wind so no flying.  Main activity of the day was clearing the branches overhanging the hangar and the club house.  With the size and height of these it needed the services of a qualified tree surgeon and that was provided by www.lparkertrees.co.uk who did an excellent job.

The rest of us carted the "trimmings" and tried to trigger a thermal.

Sat 2 Feb - was it really February?

02/02/13

Was this really a Feburary day. Streeting from the north and two runs towards Hungerford in the clubs K13.

I think the photos says it all.

G