October 12. 2008

Stratford

Sunday 12.10.2008

Looking a bit doubtful at first, things began to improve and we had a good day’s flying and that meant those there, had themselves an enjoyable time. Tim went thermal finding in his Pik and it was not long before, advising he was at the dizzy height of 4500ft, he made Steve (who wasn’t) feel quite unhappy about things, so he (Steve) landed back.

Andrew Skene nailed three good flights. On landing after his last flight - which was the last for the day – he found his girlfriend in the process of being hijacked by the towpilot (aka Jim Finer) and being whisked away to his home airfield. Andrew was thus left to follow in his car and retrieve Tania. Glyn Jackson had another soaring flight with Peter Cook in JB and was otherwise busily helping move gliders and run wings.

Jack Cran and Luella Raj came along to see how gliding goes. Jack had a good flight with Peter Cook and Luella followed soon after. Richard Arden had a short flight in TE before Steve got away out over the Park boundary at about 4500ft. For myself, it was the Discus and it did all the right things. A good local tour, arriving overhead Dawson Falls at 6000ft and a flight time of 2 hours 40 minutes. I now have a new thermal hat, the most essential item of any glider pilot’s apparel. The Discus is a lovely glider and we are so lucky to have been able to bring it to Taranaki.

Many thanks to Jim Finer for towing and to Peter Cook for his attention to instruction duties. Well after the aircraft had been put away, he was taking Glyn through and explaining circuit procedure.

STATS.
Aircraft Time Flights

JB 3hrs. 33m (7)
TE 1hr 19m (3)
SZ 1hr 05m (1)
XC 2hrs 40m (1)
JTA 1hr 55m (12)

Peter Miller
Club Captain