Forecast for Thursday was for a cold front to be over us at 11.00 am - and it was pretty accurate. The wind was very strong, and there was a lot of raised dust. Phil Anderton came out to tow so that I could give Ewan Crosbie, our Scots visitor from the London Gliding Club, a check flight. Ewan turned up yesterday evening, and is staying for a week's flying. He is a very rare bird - a YOUNG glider pilot. He flies in Junior comps in England! He seems to be able to put up with the OFITTHs OK though. He is an AEI, and current on aerotow and winch - as we all should be!
We decided to give it a miss until the afternoon, when the wind was forcast to moderate. Vic Hatfield had a friend to fly too, and he came out later in the day.
At the second attempt we were all ready to go, but as is the way of powered aeroplanes, we couldn't get it the tug started! Out with the winch, and three decently high launches in the Grob. No soaring though. I drove the winch, and Vic did the flying.
Ewan was rather intrigued by the kangaroo on the runway problem that we have here and took lots of photos. He likes the quad bikes - reckons they are more fun that the golf buggy's they use at Dunstable. I'd have to agree. I used to fly hang gliders at Dunstable, so its interesting hearing about the flying there from a sailplane pilot's point of view.
On Friday it was blue and sunny. The men building the hangars have disappeared. The blipmaps were a bit optimistic with the thermal height, but accurate as regards the clouds. Ewan was the only one to fly - I towed him up in the Jantar at about 2 o clock. He reported the highest he got was 4000ft, but he stayed up for 2 1/2 hours and explored the local area. Ray and Marga Tilley came out - Ray is welding the tracks for the hangar, and Marga gave the clubhouse a bit of a clean up. Thanks to both. Jim Hackett is also here, but has not yet taken to the air!
So come out for a fly this weekend - I bet the cirrus XQV will be out again as aways!
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