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                                                       NEWSLETTER AND ROSTER

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2005

              Date               Towpilot      Instructor              Instructor                       Duty Pilot
              Feb 19                               Tim H-S                                                         Walker
                     20                               Tim H-S                                                         Arden
                     27                               Tullett                                                            Feigler
               Mar 6                                Sharp                                                             Manning
                    12                                Williams                                                         Walker
                    13                                                                                                       Arden
                    14                                                                                                       Manning
                    20                                Tullett                                                             Coplestone
                    27                                Williams                                                          Walker
             April 3        Frew                Williams
                   10        Atkinson          Hdw-Smith                                                      Arden
                   17        Frew                Cook                                                                Manning
                   24        Tullett                                                                                      Drake
             May 1                                 Cook                                                                Barham
                     8                                 Williams                                                           Arden
                   15                                 Sharp                                                              Walker
                   22                                 Hdw-Smith                                                      Manning
                   29                                 Tullett                                                              Drake
            June 4,5,6,                          Williams                                                           Barham

Please note: Saturdays are the optional days. If you cannot do your rostered days, find your replacement. Instructor reserves: Sharp, Hardwick-Smith.

MANGAMINGI TRIP:

The Mangamingi sortie was well worth while for all who took part for several reasons, some being: flying from an unfamiliar site
                                   - landing on a small airstrip with varying height references,
                                   - flying and thermalling over rough terrain,
                                   - landing on an airstrip with a dish in it (terrain, not a sheila)
                                   - and flying the circuit on the angles, strip hidden by a hill,
                                   - a PW5 landout having been vectored onto an airstrip
                                     after dropping out of the seabreeze,
                                   - and actually flying after so much crook weather.

Many thanks to Tim, Sue and family for their hospitality and hopefully the trip will be an annual event.


The photo shows one of the kaumatua whilst on tow out, probably back to Stratford.
Tim was a bit disappointed at the lack of good thermals but with the warm mushy air about there was not a lot doing but good flights in the sea-breeze on the Sunday by Les Sharp in the PW5 and then Tim and Richard in the Blanik, were well received.


The Mangamingi homesteads and the woolshed.

The airstrip. 

                                                                                                                                                          A bit hard to pick in this photo but slightly right of centre and runs back between the two plantations at which point the strip has a pronounced dip which gave ski-jump like take-offs.

"The and more" bit was on Sunday 13th Feb when two superb soaring flights were made by the ubiquitous John Tullett, firstly with trial flighter Neil Fleming and then with a lad from Hawera ATC, Simon Drake. These flights were in rotor/wave conditions in the form of a cloud street spiralling off the mountain and drifting south in the northerly airflow. The second flight (with Simon) went to a point halfway between the bush-line and Fanthams Peak. Lift at times 1000fpm. The day had unavoidably started late, looked scruffy but the air was lively and the soaring was there to be had. Moral: never write the day off but get airborne and get soaring!! John was still "buzzing" days later.

HAWERA ATC:

We are flying some ten ATC cadets from the Hawera Squadron on Sunday and also active both Saturday and Sunday flying people from the Sport Taranaki Festival promotion. Two each day at 10am, maybe others and we will build our own activity around these efforts and the weather looks good for several days. And I'm going to suggest that we fly during the next week as well. No point in passing up good flying days.

 Towplane:

Going well now since its return from Taupo. Interesting watching launches at Mangamingi, the combination airborne whilst cresting the rise near the fertiliser bin. Our old Piper Cub, BRY, would have had a hernia even thinking about it.
Towpilots please note: RWS is to be "topped up" at the end of each days flying and the fuel and oil drawn each day is to be logged along with the hours flown. Peter Williams is following Taupo's excellent system and is entering the various figures on the spreadsheet they devised. Also, the aircraft needed to be jump started on Sunday April 10 because the master switch had been left ON. Please ensure that the master switch is OFF.

A $30 tow to 2000ft is now well below cost (approx. $45) and don't be surprised if there is a shift in prices sooner or later. If it's later, then the shift will need to be greater. So, get some flying in before that happens.

FROM THE COMMITTEE:

Money (net of fuel and oil and R & M) from the Taupo use of RWS is to be set aside to cover cost of the annual carried out in August. This is a good move and sets a prudent example for the rest of RWS useage.

Daytime committee meetings are to be tried which should have the advantage of having more than the usual number of bods around when flying happens later in
the day.
Welcome to new members Simon Drake and Steve Barham who are very worthy and most welcome additions to the club. Simon has already made a number of good flights and Steve brings some extensive hang-gliding experience with him.

NATIONAL GLIDING DAY:

This was set for Saturday March 12 but for various reasons we elected to fly on Monday which was of course Taranaki Anniversary Day. Well, we eventually had a busy day but earlier, to our President's chagrin, the wheels had quite literally fallen off. We were actually lucky to have flown at all and lost some trial flights to Norfolk because we were not ready, nor able to begin flying on time. There is not a little responsibility to other members and the public to do what we suggest we will do.
The situation was eventually retrieved with thirteen flights.

Stats:            JB              1hr 37m                (6)
                      DN             1hr 59m                (5)
                      TE             1hr 22m                 (2)
                     RWS          1hr 26m               (13)

QGP LECTURES:

These will begin again soon in an effort to wrap up the series. The next subject is to be advised soon.


HANGAR:

Though the hangar floor has a good layer of shingle, it is rather obvious that it is not dry and your committee is actively exploring ways and means, particularly the latter, to get it concreted and thus drier and much better for the gliders' well-being. Not to mention more comfort for Paul Muller as he rolls around the floor inspecting gliders.

ENGINEERS COURSE:

Tim and Richard attended this course held at Norfolk a fortnight ago. Tim tells me he has passed, so that is good.

0800 NUMBER:

This number is financed and administered by GNZ with the object of providing ready access by the public to their nearest local club. In Taranaki there are two gliding clubs based ten miles apart. 0800 calls are directed alternately. The upshot of this is that we cannot use the 0800 number in advertising. Henceforth, when talking to Joe Public, advise them to ring me (06) 7526824 or Peter Williams (06) 2784292 or Tim H-S (06 7647573. Apart from Omarama, there are no other clubs in NZ who face such strong competition from another gliding club for the public interest and dollars as does the TGC.

25 YEARS BACK:

             Skylark GCE damaged in an undershoot at German Hill. (mea culpa)
             Successful trip to Hobsonville Avmed unit for oxygen course.
             Raffle underway.
            1/3/80. Arrival of a standard Cirrus glider GHP for the club.
            Craig Emeny at the Nationals at Matamata with Dave George crewing.
            $3000 owing on members' flying accounts! Action demanded!
            Bruce Rudge went back home to Australia and came back with a Silver C.
            A towpilot swinging the Auster prop had to move quickly when the aircraft started to 
            move forward when the engine fired.         
           Brett Emeny buys a half share in the Olympia GDJ from John Brough. After it's prang in 1972 it            was repaired by Carl Perham in the old Uruti Dairy Factory building.
           Some concern expressed at no new members coming along.

………………………………………

Well, that's about it for now, I'm sorry that it has taken so long to get this newsletter out but its been sitting in the computer waiting for bits and pieces and photos to be added and also, time to get to it.

Don't forget, flying this Sunday at Stratford, the good weather won't last, come on down and get into the air.

PAPA MIKE.