Recent News, August 21st, 2012

Winter being what it has been there has not been a lot of flying, hence not a lot to write about.  I did omit however, in the last Recent News, any reference to two events during April.  The first one was a take-off/landing incident that left our Twin Astir with a badly bent tail and then, a week later the Nimbus 2 was also bent following a landing incident and a ground loop.  Both aircraft have been at Sailplane Services since then.  The Twin is nearly finished and the chance to do some tidying up work has been taken so the aircraft will look better than ever.  John Tullett kindly made his K7 available free of charge to the club though we have insured the aircraft for the duration.

Only one day in June and DN appears to have had the best flight relative to tow height.

The new season kicked off on July 1st with a day’s flying at the Hardwick-Smith airstrip at Mangamingi.  Enjoyed by all. Clinton Steele & Kevin Koch brought their ASW15’s along for the day to join in the exercise.  Five flights for DN and six for TE.
My thanks to Glyn Jackson who gave me some assistance in radio work and oxygen use and then went on to give Clinton & Kevin a look at the Mangamingi environs.

July 21st was a desultory sort of day.  Anirudh Tyagi, who is keen to learn gliding, had a flight with Peter Williams and Tim had one in the Discus.  The hangar got itself swept.

A week later on the 28th saw the first thermal flights of the season.  First up was Peter Williams in his K6, followed by John Tullett (hijacking the Discus!), Peter Cook in his Libelle and then Tim and Glyn Jackson in DN with Glyn undergoing back-seat training.  Unfortunately Les Sharp had taken his two flights in TE a bit early, before things got going, so missed out on a good flight.  Two flights for DN and two for TE.

And that dear friends is all I have to tell you about flying.  There has not been a newsletter/roster for a while now and the current article seems to use up all the news and information available.  We will have an AGM soon and maybe a newsletter can carry what derives from that.  However, the 25 years back paragraph was always interesting to compile, so why not have one for the Recent News items as well!

25 Years Back:

March:  58 trial flights at Hawera over Waitangi weekend. 500km flights at Narromime (NSW) for Bob Struthers and Louis Trichard.    Bob Struthers. 1987   Good flights in for Rangi de Abaffy (Blanik) and John Schicker in his Skylark 2 (BM).  Club-house burgled.  Trial flight tows to cost $25 to 1800ft, maximum time 30 minutes.

April:  Good soaring mid-April.  Karl Frost to 6000ft in NG.  Epic tow for John Spence and Maurice Hall on the afternoon of the 26th.   Rotor at 100ft and several miles of tow to get to 700ft. Aborted, off the clock sink down to 100ft before landing on N/S vector.  Earlier, the wind socks showing 15 to 20 knots wind strength at 90 degree variance to each other.  Four year C of A for JB to commence.

June:  First solos to Maurice Hall and Dick McClellan. Rangi de Abaffy converts to the Astir.  Since mid-October 1986, only one weekend and a few part days had been lost to inclement weather.  (Four instructors, Sat/Sun.)

July:  Mike Gibson and Karl Frost to 13400ft (actually 14300ft) in the Rhonlerche (CI) at climb rates sometimes 1200 fpm.  John Carter to 10,000 in the Astir for a Silver Height gain.  Blanik work progressing well.  AGM set down for August 5th 1987.