Sunday Report

Sunday

The duty team was met in the Worcester Valley with snow on the mountains, 8 degrees on the ground with a light SW that slowly died, being replaced with no wind and a slight NW by sunset.

We ran a dual operation with aero tow and winch, Peter Clemence, Rob Kakebeeke, Nina Grünert with Ruben Rens keeping all the times from both operations and running the lights. There were about six cable breaks, which was frustrating but informative as I learnt how to splice the cables.

In the end we managed 11 launches, with no cable breaks on the last four launches. Nina got the highest launch to around 2300ft.

On the aero tow side Randy Cullen ran the show with John Spargo tugging. It got so busy that we had to get the Twin out with Martin Grünert co-opted to help with instructing.

The highlight was sending Gareth Floweday solo. Also under instruction were Peter, Werner, Ruben, Jacobus and Charles, six students in all!

Rico Suter took four paxes in his DG500 while Ian Forbes and William Whittaker flew on Vic peak, where there was some weak lift.

The first launch was at 11h45 and the last landing was at 18h46, with a page and a half of the time sheets covering 30 flights. Not bad going for a Sunday!

Students must not forget that we have free flying before 11h00 which means you get the glider for free and pay only for the tug.

If students are keen to start early, and if they phone the instructors, duty pilot and tug pilot, they can easily arrange an early start for themselves.

The time to get current is now as the good soaring weather will start during the next month, so get out there and fly

Rob Tiffin

Weekend Report: Maintenance Day

Saturday

Clear skies and warm, still air set the tone for a really successful and enjoyable Annual Maintenance Day for the Cape Gliding Club at Worcester Airfield.

Gliders, roofs, runways, hangars, taxiways, trailers, winch, start wagon and a myriad sundry fixit jobs received attention, as for once the members all moved in the same direction and got on with their “daring dooties”.

A big “thank you” goes to all who made the effort to come and make the day such an unqualified success. I had the pleasure of meeting new members whose names I had previously only know from e-mails, as well as renewing many old friendships. It is safe to say that only good vibes prevailed, there was no petty politicking and everyone had a good time.

Among just a few of the accomplishments (too numerous to detail here), Rudi Schurkes did repairs to and oversaw the servicing as well as the annual inspection of our hard-worked ZS-GOK; Ian Forbes sorted out ZS-GUC and its trailer; a host of members clambered about painting the club hangar roof (some will excuse me from not having joined that particular team) and Reinhold Lawrenz brought his open bakkie to play the role of refuse collector. Glad you are back and active again Reinhold! Special thanks go to non-member Johnny Navarro for letting us use his hangar while working on ZS-GHB and for doing some incredibly neat gas welding on the “dodgy” canopy hinge. André Leeb du Toit’s team extended a compacted glider towpath down at runway 15, swept the stones off the runway threshold (power pilots take note!) and cut the bossies. Alan Procter and William Whittaker got covered in white powder while polishing the wings of ZS-GIG and the team of hangar sweepers were among the more dirty ruffians who put shoulder to wheel.

The wings of ZS-GUU, just back from repainting by Alison Navarro, were re-rigged by Jerry Betbeder and his team. Those wings look really good, Alison! Ari Cotton and Rien de Muijnk de-poohed and de-oiled a dirty ZS-NIG.

Juliana and Wally Tamsen provided an amply catered for hot dog lunch which replenished the waning strength of the usually sedentary pilots. I hope Juliana didn’t get into trouble for throwing out the overly-timex bottles of condiments on the clubhouse shelf!

The evening braai was well catered with Alison’s salads and equally well attended – the clubhouse fire was lit to mark a special occasion and added a cosy atmosphere. The truly festive occasion lasted well into the night, with some help from the Pinotage kindly provided by Rico Suter from his own soon-to-be-famous cellar. Martin Grünert handed out solo certificates to Jerry Betbeder as well as June and Hans Sterling. Quinton Hoole deserves a certificate for sheer meat-eating capacity! Carnivore par excellance!

In no particular order, special thanks go to Richard Harris, Paul Bailey, Hans Sterling, Rob Tiffin, Adriaan Hepburn, Jerry Betbeder, Randy Cullen, Martin Grünert, Sven Olivier, Riaan van Deventer, Fred Vernimmen, Wikus van der Wald, Charl Frank, Reinhold Lawrenz, Gerhard Waller, Rudi Schurkes, Ian Forbes, Roger Tipping, René Heise, Johan Gerike, Nina Grünert, Peter Farrell, June Sterling, Jaco Hartman, Kelvin Holmwood, Wally Tamsen, Adri Hepburn, Sarel Oosthuizen, Alan Procter, William Whittaker, Helmuth von Michaelis, Louis Jordaan, Rico Suter, Rien de Muijnk, Peter Spender, Ari Cotton, Bill Griffiths, John Spargo, Dave Starke, Trevor Johnson, Horst Mücke, Rob Kakebeeke, Ed Verpraet, Marianne Verpraet, Johnny Navarro and Alison Navarro. Did I leave you out? Oh yes, Sasha, Bubbles, Katryntjie and friends also seemed to enjoy the activity immensely. Little Katryn is really starting to look quite elderly these days – we must treat her with care.

Sunday

In contrast with Saturday, Sunday dawned cold and grey with rain threatening. Unfortunately only two launches took place before the whole affair was washed out. Phil Surridge dealt with a potentially nasty situation on one of the launches, and Wally Tamsen and Abram van der Merwe got a nice wetting while putting the gliders away.

We are all set for a big upsurge in flying with spring just around the corner. For those that don’t know or can’t remember, statistically (in my logbook at least) November is the “Big Month” at Worcester for going places across country. I’d therefore like to encourage newer pilots to use this time to practice for getting that Cross-Country clearance in their logbooks. This way you will be ready to take advantage of the good weather later in the year. The time for getting that Silver C and all those other badge legs is not far away!

Peter Wooley

Weekend Report

Saturday

Two lucky students - Gareth Floweday and Louis Jordaan, had amazing long flights on Victoria Peak and into the wave. Randy Cullen did a total of six hours of instruction and Paul Troskie took up a visitor up in GOK. Sven Olivier, John Spargo and Rudi Schurkes also flew, and Adriaan Hepburn took his Lambada as far as Shelley Point. This was a great birthday present for Adri who was with him (well, she probably did the flying anyway!) Trevor Johnson continued with servicing the winch ahead of the maintenance day. Rudi's motor glider, "Broom-broom" has been repaired and he test flew it on Saturday.

Sunday

When Sunday dawned I thought that is was going to be blown out. Rain threatened all day and eventually began at 16h00. Prior to that, William Whittaker and Garth Milne in the two Cirrus gliders launched, both enjoying good flights in wave. Some good winching was done with Peter Clemence and Andre Leeb du Toit at the helm. Peter's brother - Bruce Clemence - paid us a visit. As some of you may know - Bruce is an expert on autotow which he does at Hanover.

It really is a pity that more students did not avail themselves of the good conditions this weekend. Remember that if it raining in Cape Town it does not mean that the same conditions prevail on the Worcester side of the mountains. Any member is welcome to telephone me at any time to find out what is happening at Worcester before driving out.

Alison

Weekend Report: Wave Blow

Saturday

Most of you must have read Adriaans report of the weekend, and that Saturday was blown out from 14h30. Unfortunately some students were unable to enjoy the superb wave that formed later. Bad luck Wikus and Kelvin! Thanks to all the members who helped put the gliders away in the terrible wind.

Kevin Mitchell and Paul Troskie had great wave flights and were later joined by Bill Griffiths, Adriaan Hepburn, Trevor Johnson, GOK with paxes and GHB with some lucky students. Tug pilot Aubrey handled the winds with MIV like an old hand, but we had to call it a day when the wind started gusting 70kph. Thanks to Jerry who braved the cold wind and helped get more than his fair share of gliders off the runway.

Craig and Jeanette did a splendid job of organising the Saturday Social in the evening.

During the night I thought that we were going to lose our roof, but bt Sunday morning the wind had dropped dramatically. However, an hour or two later it picked up again and rain set in at about 11h00. When we left the airfield this (Monday) morning at 5h30, it was still raining and the airfield was waterlogged, though the wind had dropped substantially.

Sunday

Thanks must go to Trevor Johnson and Dave Starke who were servicing the winch engine.

Tuesday

Tuesday is a rostered flying day and the front will most probably have moved through by then. If anyone wishes to fly on Tuesday and doesn’t know what the weather is doing at Worcester in the morning, you are most welcome to phone me on my cell phone before driving out. Hope to see you there on Tuesday!

Alison

Weekend Report: It was brillig . . . .

Saturday

The good news is that the Tost towrope system on MIV has been given the OK by the Chief Flying Instructor and the Chief Tug Pilot after a day of thorough testing at FAWC, initially with Nicky Oberhofer piloting the Twin Astir and Mark Siegelberg piloting the tug. Extreme “out of position” states were induced with no adverse effects to the tug. The Tost system was bought primarily as a safety feature as it allows the towrope to be cut in the event of a glider-tug upset. Release mechanisms have proved to lock up under these circumstances and should this happen now, the tug pilot can simply cut the rope. The convenience of being able to land without needing to do a rope drop is an added bonus that could enhance turn around times. The club has ordered a new reel that will allow the use of a slightly longer rope, and that should arrive later this month, together with ZS-GZF. What is GZF you may ask? One Rotax Falke.


The club was very busy on Saturday with a large fleet of gliders out. Unfortunately, and contrary to Sven’s optimistic weather report, it turned out to be a stable day. But with all the gliders out, it looked reminiscent of the old days at Worcester with lots of glider activity – let’s keep it up. To the up-and-coming cross-country types – start dreaming of Tulbach, Dasklip and Rensterhoek – November is not far off.

Martin Grünert and John Spargo worked hard to sort out the winch cables. It does seem as if the yellow cable will need to be replaced as soon as possible.

Are we becoming a power-flying club now? It must seem like it to any stranger reading these reports. Still, if Sven is to be believed, soaring weather is already beginning at Worcester so hopefully we will have some “proper gliding” to report on soon – not just this easily come by engine assisted stuff. The motor glider fraternity in the persons of Adriaan & Adri Hepburn in the Lambada and Quinton Hoole and Kylie Hepburn in the Sperber had a nice breakfast fly-in to a gravel strip near Eendekuil – lots of boerebrood & konfyt to keep up the ballast. The Lambada returned via Lions Head, Muizenberg, Gordons Bay and Sir Lowrys Pass.

The Worcester Vliegklub staged a successful power-flying rally.

Sunday
Only one aerotow took place but the winch side worked hard.

Again much travelling around the country with motor gliders – Alison & Johnny Navarro took the Grob 109 and visited the Burger family at Tanqua where Alewyn’s Safari helicopter is progressing well on its test programme. The return journey was via Sutherland and Matjiesfontein. The Quinton Hoole and André Leeb du Toit visited Barrydale in the Sperber and Adriaan & Adri followed in the Lambada but did not land there.

The “work department” was hard at it again and we say a grateful “Thank you” to André Leeb du Toit and his team who carried out the annual inspection on ZS-GHB. Johan Gerike especially, and the other duty pilots in general, are also to be thanked for doing an excellent job over the weekend. Despite attempts by various “powers and principalities” to thwart him, Rob Kakebeeke is arranging the installation of lighting for the winch hangar. This will save on potential injury to the winch, the hangar and sundry club members. Thanks Rob.

Safety concern:
Drivers are making a dangerous habit of crossing the live main runway to access the winch runway in the vicinity of the 12/30 cross-runway. Not only is this a VERY DANGEROUS practise, it is causing ruts to form in the runway surface. It is also disconcerting to pilots on final approach to see cars driving around on this no-go area. Driving on the runway must stop right now. Unless you are towing a glider, cars have no right to be on any of the runways. ALL RUNWAYS must be considered LIVE at all times, even at night.

Peter & Alison