Recent News. December 4th. 2010

Recent News
4.12.2010

The run of good weather continues and another brilliantly fine and warm day it was at Stratford on Saturday 4th December. Gene Campbell’s daughter Emma, was the first for a long-promised flight and it was an elated young lass that returned to earth to wait while her Dad was off on an hour-long instructional flight.
The instructors for the day were Tim Hardwick-Smith and John Tullett whose photos appeared in a full page article on our club in Saturday’s Daily News. It was a good article and for a fee, they are both happy to sign their autographs. Sheryle Knudsen of Matau was treated to a surprise glider flight and a good one it was too. Like Gene, it was a tow to about 1000ft, then a quick ascent to 5000ft in thermals, by now forming close to the field. Seeing this, Will Hopkirk grabbed the PW5 before Steve Barham arrived and was away on his 2hr.45min flight which culminated in a land-out on a Stanley Road farm. John Tullett took a fifty minute flight in his K7 and Steve did just over an hour in the Twin. The trial flighter that went next, succumbed rapidly to vertigo and John T had to return rather quickly back to the field. Tim, in the Discus and Peter Cook in his Libelle, were off on their two hour plus, flights. They ranged out past Strathmore, back to the mountain and, for Peter, out round the Pouakai Hut. JT and Peter Miller in the Twin joined the happy throng of pilots soaring the convergence front, the throng now augmented by a K6 and a Mosquito out of Norfolk. As we towed out, there was a call from Will advising that he was in a paddock. After we released, Jim McKay flew over to check out the situation, so too did Jim Finer in JTA. Jim M landed RWS, a fence was dropped, a practice t/o for RWS then Will & TE were towed back to Stratford. The rest of us fat and happy, high above, soaring the convergence. Nice one Will. Maybe he should start painting paddock symbols on the glider. One or two more and he’ll be an ace!

We are having an early start to summer and my guess is that fine, warm and dry weather may last through into April next year. Meanwhile the builders are having a good run with the hangar extension and most of the roof is on. There is a page in the website Recent News section, showing the progress of the project.

Stats:               Aircraft                Time                   Flights
                         WZ                       4hrs 37m           6
                         TE                        2hrs 54m           2
                         DN                                48m          1
                         IA                        2hrs 10m           1
                         XC                        2hrs 35m           1
                         RWS                             51m         11

Twelve hours soaring for the day.  Not bad!  And there were Silver Height Gains to be had if people had been more organised.


Emma Campbell, her friend Helen & proud Dad, Gene Campbell.


Convergence front on Saturday afternoon.

Looking north to Inglewood from overhead Midhirst.