Weekend Report: Adriaan & Adri take off

SATURDAY

As I am sure you all are aware, Saturday was rained out in most places and blown out at Worcester. Thanks to the team that turned up in any event – William Whittaker and Frank Dorey as well as Bill Griffiths and Boet Coetzee.

SUNDAY

Sunday held more promise and Ari and Andre , the instructors, were the first to arrive with Mark, tuggie, close behind. Helmut and Cornelius, the DP’s, got the show on the road. With a 30km NW, GHB was the first to be launched and Helmut and Ari had 2 hours on Vic Peak. Next Garth in GHW and Alan Proctor in GIG followed by Jaco in GUC all had long flights on the Peak. Adriaan and Adri and Adriaan and Kylie also joined them with Kylie taking her spectacular air to air photos.

Later a new member, Paul Cartmel, had a wonderful first instructional flight with Ari on the Peak. Cornelius converted onto the Falke and June Sterling also flew the Flake with Andre. In fact, the Falke was kept busy until late with Alan Proctor flying it after he had landed GIG.

I would like to wish Adriaan and Adri “Bon Voyage” as they are leaving tomorrow in their Lamabda for Namibia and Botswana. They will be meeting up with other Lambadas and Sambas in Namibia. They should be back about the 10th of June.

I would also like to wish Dave Starke well. He is going into hospital today for an operation and we will be thinking of him and Shiela. He is being admitted to the Constantiaberg Clinic.

I would like to congratulate Peter Wooley on a fantastic KRAUTKORANT . I am sure that not many people know how much effort Peter puts into editing and putting together the KK. Thank you once again Peter!

Last but not least – DON’T FORGET THE GAUNTLET next Saturday!! I am sure that Alan will be putting together something challenging for everyone – especially with the weather keeping everyone guessing!

Don’t forget that , if it should be raining on the Cape Town side of the mountain, it does not mean that the same weather is prevailing on the FAWC side. Phone me on my cell if you are not sure!

ALISON

Weekend Report: Kelvin is hot to trot

Saturday the 20th dawned wet and blustery with no hope of anyone being interested in coming out to Worcester to fly - but then you never can tell!

The duty pilot, Ruben Rens , and his team turned up early with the
exception of Nina who was rained in at FASH with MIV. But then there
was no rush and she managed to get in at FAWC at about lunchtime when we had a huge blue hole over the airfield for about 30 minutes! Well done Nina.

Then the surprise of the day was Johan Gericke who first flew GUC and
then converted very ably onto GIG. Congratulations Johan and very well
done. Most of his flying seemed to be done dodging the raindrops but
10 out of 10 for getting airborne. Boet Coetzee briefly got airborne
in GZF.

Sunday held no more promise than Saturday but the NW did not pick up
speed and Michael Allen, the duty pilot was there bright and early.
Peter Clemmence, the instructor for the day , was assisted by Ian
Forbes. With a huge turn of events, we ended up with 5 students and we
even had to get the Ka7 out to assist with the demand!! Incredible how these things happen – one can never tell!

I know that the Cherry on the Top was when KELVIN HOLMWOOD WENT SOLO!!!! Congratulations Kelvin and well done!

Our newest member, Craig Hopkins had quite a few flights as did Brain
Dean. Helmut flew solo and we even got our duty pilot airborne in GHB
as well as a fantastic flight with Rico in GWU. Rico also treated
Ruben Rens to a flight in his DG500. Rudi stayed on the peak for over
an hour in his Astir.

Adriaan flew all the way from Brits in the most difficult conditions. I am sure he will tell us the stories of what he experienced on the way
back. He landed also just before sunset when the last of our gliders
were landing.

Thanks to Paul Troskie for tugging - it was a long and very cold day! Also thanks to Ed who stood in for Michael Allen when he was airborne.

Bruce Clemmence and Peter Clemmence flew Bruce’s new Sabre with Wynand! I wish you lots of happiness with your new plane.

A great fun day was had by all with a fantastic atmosphere prevailing – thanks to all!!

Alison

Weekend Report: Mother's May

The highlight of the past weekend was a Prawn Dish that Marion Cole whipped up on Friday night.

Saturday;s flying was almost a non-event : not a single pupil’s name on the flying list! Flying got started only because a couple of KLM pilots on a Lay-over arrived. Anton van Doeveren and Lucas Declerck had flight with Nicky, Sven and Rico. Also Brian Cole took to the skies with Nicky in Brian’s Pipistrel Sinus. Reinhold flew solo in Rudi’s Astir and the tandemfalke. Sven managed to stay airborne for 71 minutes and Alan Procter had a check flight.



SUNDAY (Mothers day ) was a day for non-attached pilots! CRAIG HOPKINS joined (or re-joined) as a member and had 2 flights, so did Helmut von Michaelis, whilst William Whittaker took GIG up for 1,5 hrs. Martin took Hannes Mayer up for 2,5 hrs and then ANDRE VAN RENSBURG did his conversion in GZF. The ridge was working well and towards Robertson there were good cloudstreets. Martin came back from Robertson on thermal power only!

What a weekend of missed opportunities for low-time glider pilots!

EDV

Weekend Report: XC Motorgliding

Without a doubt winter is here!! Saturday was one of the coldest days that I have experienced at Worcester but that certainly did not deter the Gauntleteers from flying!!

Briefing was well attended at 9.00 am and expertly arranged by Alan and Sven. The atmosphere was fun and everyone was at the launch point well before 12.00am – the official launch time.

Sven was sent off as wind dummy and, after releasing near the quarry, quickly returned to the airfield for a relight. The task was changed as the predicted weather did not materialize and a new task was set. Everyone launched for Vic Peak and the start line was Rawsonville. For the first hour after the start gate was opened I heard many going back to the peak at 2000’ for a top up in height! It really sounded like hard work.

Everyone made it back with some interesting returns to the airfield by Alan and Peter.

Well done to Peter Farrell who won the day!

The DI competition was arranged by Ian Forbes and Jerry Betbeder. Quite a few “sneaky” snags were done which most of us did not even see! Not good at all! Much hilarity ensued and Johnny commented that he thought that the biggest snag was “no engine”.!

Most members enjoyed a braai afterwards and I thought that a great time was had by all. Thanks to Alan, Sven, Ian and Jerry.

While the gauntlet was being flown, Ian Forbes, Andre Stander and Jerry Betbeder worked on the winch. Ron Kakebeeke is fixing the tractor flat wheel and flat battery so that everything will be serviceable by the next winch day.

SUNDAY

Once again GHB and GZF were kept busy. Mike Allen and Helmut von Michaelis flew GHB with Rob Tiffen and Andrew Standring had flights as well. Nice to see Andrew again!

The weather was extremely stable and very good weather for motor gliding and Adriaan and Adri took advantage of flying to Hermanus and Johnny and I to Montagu, Bonnievale, Greyton and Villiersdorp back to FAWC.

Grove Steyn and Alan Procter both had long flights in GZF.

At the end of the day Peter Clemmence and Wynand Rademeyer landed at FAWC in a Sabre JK5 jnr which they had flown down from Johannesburg! Bruce Clemmence had flown the leg from JHB to Hannover with Wynand and Peter has continued from there with Wynand until FAWC.

Congratulations on the purchase of this aeroplane and many happy hours of flying!


Until next weekend,

Alison

Weekend Report: May Day

I, personally, did not make it out to the airfield until late on Thursday but, when I got there, there was still a reasonable amount of activity with Helmut doing the last flight in GHB. Adriaan was kept busy in his Lambada with Dave Starke and Gerrie Kachelhofer. Sven and Quinton flew the Rotax Falke and Rudi his “broom-broom” GXC!

There were no takers for Friday the 28th but Saturday was a completely different story!!

Saturday was a wonderfully unstable day and, although we got off to a late start, we filled 1.4 time sheets.

Martin Young visited us and had two great flights after his check flight! Marion Cole also kept GHB busy and Peter Farrell had a lovely long flight in GHB with his niece, Lucinda.

Again the motor gliders kept the circuit busy with GZF, GXH, GKM and GZG.

GHR (Herbie), GUH (Rudi) GUC (Gareth ) and GVK (Ari and Gerhard) also had long flights. The later the day, the better the conditions became. Sven took a late launch after rigging his glider and then flew for 2 hours.

Rico went flying in his DG500 – and here is one of the stories of the weekend……

Rico had left his dog, Thabo, at his hanger when he went flying and the dog decided to go for a walk. When Rico returned the dog was nowhere to be seen and many of us drove around to look for him well into the night. Still no Thabo. By 10,30pm the weather had deteriorated and it started to rain. Rico had gone home and returned by 10.30 and said that he would wait by his hanger throughout the night in case the dog should return. He opened his hanger and parked the bakkie half in the doorway. He then went to sleep on a mattress in the hanger. (It was freezing). The next morning he phoned me to tell me that the dog had miraculously returned at 4.30 that morning! We were all very relieved!!

Sunday the weather was awful but the team still turned up to do their duties and Paul did two launches with Louis Esterhuisen doing a hanger landing in GHB and Jacobus Hartman launching in GUC for a five hour attempt. Adriaan launched his Lambada twice and kept Jacobus company on the South side of Vic Peak , taking some awesome photos as well. The Rotax Falke was kept busy with Ian Forbes, Marion Cole and myself tryng out the extreme conditions. By 17.30hrs the wind was 40-50kph on the ground. The laurels go to JOCOBUS HARTMAN who completed his five hours and landed at 17.45hrs with frozen toes!!! Well done Jacobus.!!

I left the airfield on Monday at 11.00am but was pleased to see, before I left, that the teams had pitched up for their duties. Brian Cole in his Pipistel and Marion Cole in GHB kept the instructors busy with BRIAN COLE going solo later in the day!! Congratulations and very well done, Brian.!!!

It was also good to see that Lee Penderis got airborne as well. Kevin Mitchell flew his DG400 for almost an hour and also Sarel Oosthuisen in HW for about and hour, as well.

…….And, of course, our Star tug pilot, NINA, at the helm of MIV.


Just a note for the pilots newly converted onto GUC…….

After landing, please use the tow-out gear to get the glider back to the launch point. Towing it with a rope puts a lot of strain onto the small tail wheel . Also do not turn the glider by dragging it on the wing-tip. This does not do the tail wheel any good, either..

When stowing GUC in the hanger, ALWAYS take off the tail dolly before pushing the glider into the hanger. Never leave the dolly on the glider once it is in the hanger. Once you have cleaned the glider and taken the batteries out of the glider, please put the covers back on. Please leave all club gliders in the condition you would like to find them.

That is all for this week!!


See you all on Saturday at the “GAUNTLET!!!”


Alison