Weekend Report: Worcester gets Launch Pads!

As predicted the weather was SE on Saturday and very stable. Unfortunately we had no students avail themselves of this perfect weather for training. However the motor gliders were out in force.

Firstly Adri flew GXH by herself locally and then Adriaan and Reinhold went for a long, leasurely flight and landed at Happy Valley. GZF was kept busy with June Sterling, Paul Bailey and Martin Grunert continued with Pauls conversion on his newly aquired GUF, and Boet Coetzee flew with Frans du Toit in the busy GZF after which Frans flew the same to Tulbach to say hi to his family! Jerry and I took to the skies in VAE and had a look at John Fischer’s strip and then to Kwaggaskloof dam and back to the airfield.

The only real gliding that took place was GUC with first Jerry (18min and then Johan Gericke (20 min). It was VERY stable and NO wind.

Johnny spent the entire day fitting a new alternator to the tractor and rewired a good section of the wiring in the area of the alternator. Thanks Johnny!!

When I heard the hanger doors rattling early on Sunday morning, I expected the predicted NE but was surprised when the wind was fresh SE! Adriaan was on duty and the Ka13 was taken out when Phil arrived with Martin Young. Another student who arrived at the same time, Craig Hopkins, was extremely fortunate when he had the first flight of the day on Vic Peak and stayed up with Phil for an hour. An intro flight had the second, not so long, flight and Martin Young, who had flown earlier with Martin Grunert in GXC, now flew the 13 as well. Adri did circuits in GXH throughout the day (Nice landings, Adri)!

Rob Tiffin then collared Martin G for some Rotax Falking and Rob Kakebeeke flew his Karat. As we were leaving for home, about 4-00pm I saw Kevin Mitchell take off in his DG400. I hope you had a good flight, Kevin.

Just on another matter:

The Rotax Falke now has a “Start-up” pad compliments of Johhny Navarro and John Spargo. Please, when positioning the Falke onto this pad, the wheels must just be on the back edge with the propeller in about the middle of the pad. The propeller must NOT be on the front edge or hanging over the edge of this pad. The concrete pad is also NOT for run-ups but just for starting the Motor Falke so that the propeller does not get damaged by stones.

Remember the GAUNTLET (I hope I got it right this time, Peter) this weekend! See you all there.

Regards
Alison

Weekend Report: A LONG weekend

The long weekend was a little disappointing – or so I have been told! Friday was a non flying day due to the mist not lifting all day. Thanks to the teams who did turn up nonetheless. Sarel and Nicky got airborne in the Rotax Falke later in the day.

Saturday was not much better with incredibly stable conditions. The Rotax Falke was kept busy with Gareth Floweday and Mike Pascoe as well as William Whittaker completing his conversion. Ian Forbes also flew the Falke, and Dave and Hubert enjoyed their as well.

Thanks to Jerry and the team for doing the LS1 on GUC.

Sunday, again, a quiet day with Helmut von Michaelis flying solo in GHB and a passenger going for a flight with Ari. After that Marion Cole had three flights in GHB with Ari. Rob Kakebeeke went for a flight in his beautiful Karat.

It is a great pity that students do not make good use of these excellent conditions for training. Do also remember that all glider hire before 11-00am is free. Your tug pilots and instructors drive all the way to Worcester especially for the members benefit so it is very disappointing when there is a low turn-out. We do not always have these conditions and, sometimes the days are blown out in winter, so take advantage of the stable days to perfect those take-offs and landings!!

Congratulations to Sven who did so well in the “Worlds” – we are extremely proud of you!

Don’t forget the gauntlet this weekend. This is arranged by Alan O’Regan and, should you want to know more about this contest, contact Alan. This is our “Mid-winter Gauntlet” so, why don’t you all come out and fly and afterwards enjoy a roaring fire and good, warm company in the evening!

See you all next weekend.

Alison

Weekend Report: A Lady's record!

Saturday’s conditions were exactly the same as last Sunday’s - Light NW on the ground with a stronger NW at the Peak. The Ka13 went to test the water (on the Peak) and GZF followed suit. I tried the valley – yes, in the 6! – but was unlucky. By the way, comment was passed because it was a first with Nina, a lady pilot, tugging another lady pilot at the CGC! Some cheaky male pilot asked if we both flew in the same direction and whether we did not go shopping!!

Garth Milne, Craig Fussell and Randy Cullen all enjoyed the wave and was joined by Jerry in GUC and later by Gareth, also in GUC. Martin Young had driven all the way from Knysna to spend the weekend with us and had a wonderful flight with Rico in GWU on Saturday, tried the winch and had a great long wave flight in GUU on Sunday. Craig Hopkins, the other student there on the day, had a couple of great flights in the 13. Rudi took the Janus for a flight on the ridge and stayed up for an hour.

The surprise of the day was when Dave Starke drove out to the Club with Hubert and Gareth. Martin Grunert and Dave flew in Dave’s Rotax Falke and had a great flight. It was really good to see him and was difficult to imagine that he had major surgery only a few days before!

Reinhold was duty pilot and held the fort as well as helped out on the winch. Unfortunately the winch was dogged by cable breaks throughout the day but a valiant effort was made by Ian, Nicky and Rob Kakebeeke.

In the evening Martin Young showed a DVD of Grand Prix flying in New Zealand. It is a shame that we did not have more pilots to see this great Show.

Sunday was a little disappointing as far as turn-out went. Kim Carter- Brown arrived to do her duty and brought a friend from Howick Gliding Club, who has moved down here, along to meet everyone. His name is Russell and he is a winch instructor.

Phil Surridge took a couple of people for air-experience flights in the Rotax Falke and later flew with first Kim, and then Rob Tiffin in the Falke.

Ari had long flights with Helmut and Russell in the 13 and then Helmut flew the 13 for a very long flight at Vic Peak. Again, those who did not come out to fly missed a good wave day.

The highlight of the day was Adriaan and Adri returning from Brits where they had taken off that morning. This was after an Epic flight to Namibia and Botswana. We hope that they are going to write a story for the Krautkorant on this trip.

Congratulations to Sven who is flying very well in the World Gliding Championships.

Weekend Report: Grizzly Gauntlet and Super Sunday!

Saturday was well organized with Jerry Bedbeder and Brian Dean at the helm. Ian had organized a winch day and the team duly pitched up with Rob Kakebeeke standing in for Chris Loedolf (Chris’s wife is on short finals with their baby)!

We had an early start with June Sterling and Mark Segelberg doing a dawn patrol (or so it seemed) in the Rotax Falke. Later in the day, Hans quickly converted and soloed in the Rotax Falke. Congratulations Hans.! Johnny and I took off later in the Grob and we found the air masses doing strange things. We even had the two windsocks facing each other later in the day.

Briefing for the gauntlet got underway at 10.00 in the clubhouse and the entrants this time were Johan Gericke, Ari Cotton, Peter Farrel and Alan O’Regan. After Ari had launched and could not find conditions as conducive to a contest day as would have been desired, , the contest was called off. Ari, nevertheless, stayed up for 3 hours. Frank Dorey, one of the students of the day, took an aerotow and then a launch in the Rotax Falke which he considered very worthwhile in those difficult conditions.

Rene Heise brought a friend with him for an intro flight and then had a check flight himself and a solo launch later – the last flight of the day. Unfortunately Rene tells me that he will be leaving the Cape and relocating to Pretoria soon. This is a great loss to us at the Cape Gliding Club but we wish him all the best in his future in Pretoria - and at Orient !.

Jerry has asked me to thank his team for the day : Alan Procter – tuggie, instructors Mike Pascoe and Grove Steyn and his assistant duty pilot, Brian Dean as well as Rab Kakebeeke. 6 Winch launches were achieved with Rudi an avid supporter, as well as the students, flying the Ka13. No cable breaks happened but on the last launch we had an overrun.

SUNDAY


What a fantastic Day!!!!! With this one - you snooze , you lose!!!

Jokes aside, the day got off to a fairly late start and our lonesome duty pilot , Henry Barnes (well done, Henry) did very well on his own. Unfortunately his partner did not pitch up!! Actually, Helmut arrived with his uncle, Giso, and stayed to help Henry despite a very bad cold. Our first flight was a pre-booked birthday flight and the chap who flew with Peter Clemmence (Simon Blumer) had a wonderful flight on Vic Peak.


Once we knew Vic Peak was working – well that was IT. Gareth Floweday took off at 12.15 and only came back at 3.30 – and then for a RELIGHT!! Behind him was myself, Guy Pfefferman, Mike Allen, and Craig Hopkins. (in the 13) each having an hour each . In the singles were Gehard waller, Randy Cullen, Nicky Oberhofer and Kevin Mitchell. Kelvin Holmwood got into the wave above the northern dam wall but had to stay local. Everyone else was up at 8.5 and flying all over the valley to Jan du Toit’s, Slanghoek, Waaihoek etc - all at 8.5!! The last flight of the day landed just after sunset. Thanks to the tuggie – Paul Troskie, who worked very hard and had a long day. Also thanks to Peter Clemmence and Quintin Hoole and Andre who stood in to help out with the Rotax Falke. We achieved a full time sheet for the first time in a long while!!

Remember that the weather can be very disceptive – don’t take anything for granted – you might be pleasantly surprised!!!

Just a note to Dave Starke after his operation and on the mend - we are all thinking of you, Dave! Get well soon.

See you all this weekend
Alison