Showers at Keepit first thing this morning delayed my departure in PPC until about 7.30 am.
Boris and Robin left with the trailer containing the Grob fuselage before I took off. Tom Gilbert has the new canopy, and it will take about a week to fit he says, so with luck we could have it back in the air by the beginning of next week i.e about 10 December.
It cleared up at Keepit a bit, and after taking off in the Pawnee, I could see that the rain was an isolated shower and I was able to fly around it. I did discover that the cockpit is not watertight! I had an easy run down to the Liverpool ranges but there was low scud on the other side. There appeared to be plenty of gaps in it, so I went over the top as far as Mudgee. After Mudgee, the low stuff appeared to be thickening up so I descended through a hole and continued at about 4000 ft and made it into Pipers Field with no trouble. 1.7 hours flying time, and used 70 litres of fuel - about 40 litres per hour. There was a decent tail wind, but fortunately next to none on the ground for the landing.
After a much appreciated cup of coffee and piece of fruit cake at the Bathurst Soaring Club, I flew the Jabiru to YBTH to get fuel (no avgas at Pipers Field), and from there to Cowra. Got to Cowra just before the thunderstorms started, and it has been grey and showery ever since.
Hope they managed to get some gliding done at Keepit.
