Recent News. March 14th 2012.

I had some guilt feelings thinking I’d missed writing up some vast amount of activity but it is not too bad.  On March 6th, Tim was interviewed by a TV crew compiling material for a programme about people with a passion for their hobby or pastime.
So, an interview back on the farm, then adjourning to the airfield for a couple of flights, air to air shots and that sort of thing.  They are coming back again to collect material about the home designed and built micro-light aka Mangamingi Monster that Tim along with Jim Finer, fly now and then.  March 9th promised much but delivered little though Tim in his Pik 30 did better on the day than Glyn and Will, but only because of the iron thermal (engine) that he had.  March 10th was a good training day and a trial flight flown.  Longest flight was a BFR (bi-ennial flight review) for Steve Barham which involved a long tow up to Fanthams Peak and some loitering there in ridge lift.  Looking back, it is pleasing to note the amount of good flights made over the last few weeks.

Insofar as good gliding weather is concerned, check out Cross-Country Flying Weather in this website, contained under the section - Flying.

Pleased to make contact again with Geoff Neve who flew with this club in 1961-2.  He has a few stories to tell, one or two quite hair raising, especially about the air-brake qualities of the Rhonlerche canopy when the wrong lever was pulled.  In fact, I think that must happened again, because when I began with the club, a safety clip had been installed to place in the pin holding the canopy in place and there was a note in the DI book declaring “the current maintenance release certificate to was lost due to the canopy having been opened in flight”.

              Stats for February:

              Aircraft                       Time                        Flights 
              WZ                             13 hrs. 47m             30  
              TE                                7 hrs. 02m               6                                                                         RWS                            4 hrs. 57m             46
              P/Owned                  30 hrs. 11m             16


       
                         Tim's photo of Fanthams Peak on Mt Egmont/Taranaki.
                         The Syme Hut clearly visible.