It has been very busy this week, with a cross country course running, several annual flight reviews, and young Max Carter my student for the week. I have not had much time to post anything on the blog.
We need to welcome Andrew Brumby back to Lake Keepit. He used to tow here before, but has returned and worked really hard this week. He had a bit of a shock on Tuesday when the engine of the tug stopped (so did we at the glider end) but with lightning quick reactions he changed to the back-up fuel pump and the engine restarted. The glider was at 2000 ft and just about to release anyway, so no harm was done! Andrew has a job as an aircraft maintenance engineer in Tamworth, and has threatened to do more gliding as well as towing.
Max Carter and his dad Wayne visited from Victoria. Wayne is a glider pilot, and the course was a birthday present for Max who initially wasn't sure what to make of it all. However he learned really quickly, and soon got over an initial queasy feeling in the air.
As luck would have it, he was ready for solo by the end of his 15th Birthday. On Friday he flew solo again in quite gusty and difficult conditions (same as the ones he learned in) and made a very good job of it. I thought I'd show him that other gliders are not as easy to fly as the Puchatek so I took him up in the Grob 103. By this time it was really quite windy, but he handled the cross-wind take off with ease, and was rock steady on the aerotow, even with the tuggie hooking into a thermal! He enjoyed the comfort and quietness of the Grob, and thermalled it well.
Well done Max - come back to Lake Keepit soon.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Max Carter first Solo - 27 September 2007
It was Max Carter's 15th birthday today. The day was blustery and windy, although the lift was good early on in the day. Take offs were very cross wind on runway 32, and landings the same!
Max was able to handle the take-offs and stay in station on the aerotows even when the tuggie was thermalling.
The rope became a bit unreliable later on in the day - as it does.
However late in the afternoon, the wind had settled down to a steady south westerly - OK for taking off on 32 and almost straight up 20. After two good circuits and landings with me, Max did the last one on his own! A fitting end to his birthday.
I hope Max continues to fly gliders because he really shows good aptitude.
There was quite a lot of other flying here today, and a great deal of rigging and de-rigging. Rigging of the twin astir, which landed out again yesterday - that's another story - and de-rigging of gliders on their way to the Queensland comps. It seems there will be a large Lake Keepit presence there, so I hope to see some good results.
Jenny
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wednesday 20 September
A trough passed through earlier this morning, and the temperature dropped very noticeably with the wind change. Before the change we had a raging northerly, and lots of smoke in the air. Ian Barraclough attempted a test flight in E-tug but found that he was making little progress over the ground at 90 kts, and was getting disorientated in the smoke.
After the change the wind was still strong and gusty, but the visibility cleared greatly. The wind was straight across the strip, and Bruce, our tuggie was not happy to fly in that much gusty cross-wind.
We elected not to fly and did jobs around the club instead.
After the change the wind was still strong and gusty, but the visibility cleared greatly. The wind was straight across the strip, and Bruce, our tuggie was not happy to fly in that much gusty cross-wind.
We elected not to fly and did jobs around the club instead.
Wednesday 19th September
A blue day, but thermals to 6000ft. The wind was very flukey, but settled down to a light westerly in the afternoon. A good day for training.
Roy and Ian had good soaring flights in the Grob 103 and the Junior respectively. Ian Barraclough had some local soaring in the ASH
Michael Newnham went solo again in the Puchatek, and Sam Pogson made the hangar flight for the Puchatek on his first solo. Well done Sam and Michael.
Bruce Clark again made the hangar flight in the Grob, and I got another practice in the Tug.
An excellent day's flying. 17 launches - not bad for a week day.
Roy and Ian had good soaring flights in the Grob 103 and the Junior respectively. Ian Barraclough had some local soaring in the ASH
Michael Newnham went solo again in the Puchatek, and Sam Pogson made the hangar flight for the Puchatek on his first solo. Well done Sam and Michael.
Bruce Clark again made the hangar flight in the Grob, and I got another practice in the Tug.
An excellent day's flying. 17 launches - not bad for a week day.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
18th September
Quite a busy day today. The weather went from one extreme to the other. Strong wind yesterday with great thermals, light and variable today with weak thermals.
It was possible to soar most of the day, but only to about 4000 ft, though we did get one thermal that made it to about 5000 ft.
Good day for training though, and we squeezed in one passenger flight as well.
Sam Pogson is progressing very well and finished the day with a text-book landing in the Grob 103. Well done Sam.
Roy Worthington and Ian Sawell took turns to fly the Junior, but it was hard to prize Roy off his seat in the tractor! Ian Barraclough flew in the ASH. I swapped with Bruce Clark at the end of the day, - he flew the Grob on the hangar flight and I flew the tug. 14 launches for the day - a most acceptable day's aviation.
Jenny
It was possible to soar most of the day, but only to about 4000 ft, though we did get one thermal that made it to about 5000 ft.
Good day for training though, and we squeezed in one passenger flight as well.
Sam Pogson is progressing very well and finished the day with a text-book landing in the Grob 103. Well done Sam.
Roy Worthington and Ian Sawell took turns to fly the Junior, but it was hard to prize Roy off his seat in the tractor! Ian Barraclough flew in the ASH. I swapped with Bruce Clark at the end of the day, - he flew the Grob on the hangar flight and I flew the tug. 14 launches for the day - a most acceptable day's aviation.
Jenny
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday 17 September
There are lots of people at the club this week. Graham Holland and Phil Endicott doing a form 2 inspection, but I think I may be able to persuade them to do some flying as well. Michael Newnham from Victoria continuing his training, Ian Sawell and his friend Sam Pogson, Roy Worthington, Ian Barraclough.
Vic Hatfield came out to do an AFR with Brad Edwards, and test flew the Puchatek after its form 2. He says it spins beautifully.
It was very windy today, almost exactly across the main strip. We took off on runway 27 and turned down 32 once off the ground. Excellent day for practising crosswind take-offs and landings. Landings back on 27.
Sam Pogson, who is an aeroplane pilot, had his first flight in a glider, (Grob 103) and promptly climbed out to 6500 ft. Thermals were peaking at about 8 to 10 knots, but were a bit hard to work low down because of the wind. Sam soon got the hang of those rudder things, ignored by Cessna pilots, and had a great time. He is still smiling!
Roy declined to fly a glider in the windy conditions, but flew the green tractor instead! I am determined to coax him into the air tomorrow.
Michael is getting back into gliding again, and had a good soaring flight we me in the back - a bit to windy for solo flying again as yet.
Garry did an excellent job flying the tug (as always). I am glad it was him an not me! I am still more comfortable in a glider.
Jenny
Vic Hatfield came out to do an AFR with Brad Edwards, and test flew the Puchatek after its form 2. He says it spins beautifully.
It was very windy today, almost exactly across the main strip. We took off on runway 27 and turned down 32 once off the ground. Excellent day for practising crosswind take-offs and landings. Landings back on 27.
Sam Pogson, who is an aeroplane pilot, had his first flight in a glider, (Grob 103) and promptly climbed out to 6500 ft. Thermals were peaking at about 8 to 10 knots, but were a bit hard to work low down because of the wind. Sam soon got the hang of those rudder things, ignored by Cessna pilots, and had a great time. He is still smiling!
Roy declined to fly a glider in the windy conditions, but flew the green tractor instead! I am determined to coax him into the air tomorrow.
Michael is getting back into gliding again, and had a good soaring flight we me in the back - a bit to windy for solo flying again as yet.
Garry did an excellent job flying the tug (as always). I am glad it was him an not me! I am still more comfortable in a glider.
Jenny
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday 10th September
After getting a green tractor endorsement in the morning and doing some slashing, we started the Form 2 on the Puchatek. I had to keep stopping work to tow people up - what a trial! When they came down again we grabbed them to help us take the wings off. So far so good!
Vic Hatfield took John Peberdy, a Dash 8 pilot, for a flight in the Grob 103. They were up for 1 hour 40 minutes, and went cross country - not sure exactly where. John appeared to be hooked!
Vic took another (lapsed) glider pilot visitor for a flight, but he had used up all the thermals in the first one.
They day shut down surprisingly early as a front approached, and Harry Medlicott got caught out and had to start his motor to be sure of getting home.
Vic Hatfield took John Peberdy, a Dash 8 pilot, for a flight in the Grob 103. They were up for 1 hour 40 minutes, and went cross country - not sure exactly where. John appeared to be hooked!
Vic took another (lapsed) glider pilot visitor for a flight, but he had used up all the thermals in the first one.
They day shut down surprisingly early as a front approached, and Harry Medlicott got caught out and had to start his motor to be sure of getting home.
Sunday 9th September
Back from the airworthiness course late last night. It was an excellent course. I thought it would be a bit dry and boring, but it was really good. The instructors were so enthusiastic about the subject, and they had so much knowledge to impart.
I was lucky and got to work on a Grob 103, but poor John Clark scored a Blanik! Blaniks truly are great to fly, but absolutely impossible to work on!
A few came out to fly on Sunday so I flew the tug. John Hoye managed to get about 60km away in the LS6 and got back OK. Harry Medlicott, Rod Harris and Raffael Bucci all had decent soaring flights.
I was lucky and got to work on a Grob 103, but poor John Clark scored a Blanik! Blaniks truly are great to fly, but absolutely impossible to work on!
A few came out to fly on Sunday so I flew the tug. John Hoye managed to get about 60km away in the LS6 and got back OK. Harry Medlicott, Rod Harris and Raffael Bucci all had decent soaring flights.
Saturday 1st September
We had a party of Wedding Guests visit the club, including the bridgroom. We managed to get ourselves into gear early in the morning, and were able to fly 13 trial instructional flights on the winch, and be finished by 1300, so that they could get to the wedding on time.
Typically, when winch launching, there was no wind at all.
I left with John Clark in the afternoon to go the the airworthiness course held in Warwick for the week, but apparently there were some decent soaring flights in the afternoon. Not sure if they continued to winch or resorted to aero towing.
Typically, when winch launching, there was no wind at all.
I left with John Clark in the afternoon to go the the airworthiness course held in Warwick for the week, but apparently there were some decent soaring flights in the afternoon. Not sure if they continued to winch or resorted to aero towing.
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