Long weekend - a bit more

On Sunday, all the gliders packed up early - I think everyone was confused by the hour changing. I took the opportunity to test fly the tug with and without the controversial mirror, taking a logger with me. 

It climbs like a homesick angel with a glider hooked on to the back, both with and without mirror!

Putting the mirror back on again is a tedious job, but I managed to do it with Matthew Minter's help on Monday morning.

Eventually the rain cleared up on Monday, and Ian Barraclough arrived in MIE, and I got ready to fly home in my Jabiru. After briefing Ian on the Callair, I departed for Cowra, thinking it would be a bit close with last light.

Wrong! With a 30kt headwind, there was no way I was going to get home before the sun went down, but I had a sort of "i've started so I'll finish" attitude. The upshot was that I had to divert to Dubbo, and arrived there just on sunset. The kind unicom man told me the wind was 210 degrees 25 kt gusting 33 kt - and there was no other traffic - no one else daft enought to be flying perhaps! I'm not sure I really wanted to know the numbers - I had no option but to land anyway! However runway 23 was almost into wind, and the landing was uneventful. Had to stay in a motel - all part of the game!

Next morning I had to scrape a heap off ice of the wings before I could take off for Cowra. Still a head wind, but only 10 kts this time, and the flight was uneventful!

Cool day in Cowra, but nice looking cu - looked like a good gliding day.  Having my long weekend now, as I worked over the real one and absolutely had to get home to see my Dad!

Will be on holiday for two weeks starting next week, but Gerhard will be looking after the club while I am away, and I will be in touch by email. So no excuses not to go and fly if the weather is good!

The soaring season has definitely begun- the first frogs of summer have taken up residence in the toilets!

See you all later in a thermal somewhere....