Weekend Report: Motorglider out to lunch

This past Saturday dawned with no wind which, at about 11.00am, became a NW of about 30kph on the ground but much stronger at altitiude.

Michael Allen was the fortunate pupil that flew with the instructor, Sven, for over 3 hours in wave in GHB. What a tremendous experience for him!

The singles flying on Saturday, once again in wave, were Gareth in GUC, Reinhold in GWN and Trevor in GPB. Rudi and Gerhard Waller flew the Janus together and Rico took a friend in GWU. It was great to hear Reinhold airborne and enjoying the conditions at FAWC again. Like old times! Gareth was a little unlucky when he outlanded GUC near Wellington and was retrieved by Rob Tiffin and Roger Tipping, the two duty pilots. They returned after 9.00pm and had had to borrow Sven’s 4x4.

Adriaan and Adri – in the Lambada – joined the singles in the wave and were allowed into the TMA by Cape Town Approach. The other motor glider airborne, before the wind picked up velocity, was Paul Bailey in GUF. The early tugging was done by Paul Troskie and Frans du Toit took over later in the morning.

Sunday Walter Uys was duty pilot and he also enjoyed the Rotax Falke later in the afternoon. The wind started early NW and Ari Cotton and Peter Clemmence were instructors on duty. Our newest student, Victoria Norris, had two nice long flights with Ari on the ridge and Jacobus Hartman flew for over 4 hours in GUC (after rigging her). Gerhard – as if he had not had enough the previous day – flew for over 4 hours as well in the single Astir – GWN.

Out CFI, Ian Forbes, enjoyed his LS3 for more than 3 hours and Helmut took GHB up solo for over an hour, while Terry Pattinson flew GZF with Peter Clemmence. Fred Vernimmen did his annual check with Ari and Rico again took a friend (again)in GWU.

Those members that did not come out on the weekend missed two good soaring days. Remember that winter will soon be over and you will have to wait until next year for these conditions! Try and make an effort to fly the ridge this year!

Adri took Adriaan to lunch at the Lord Milner Hotel at Maaitjiesfontein! They enjoyed the lift off the Motroosberg on the way back and then joined the gliders at Vic Peak before landing. They certainly know how to enjoy their motorglider!

It was really nice to see “old “ faces like Trevor, Roger and Reinhold out at the Club again – what about the rest of you guys! Where is everybody? You don’t know what you are missing!!

Until next weekend…….

Alison

Weekend Report: Winter Rules

Saturday was extremely quiet but most of the team turned up. The instructor ,Ian Forbes, was kept busy instructing on his own. Craig Hopkins and Ryno Oosthuisen were the students. Brian Cole and Ryno, the duty pilots, took turns flying. Brian flew his Pipistrel and the Hepburns kept the circuit busy with the Lambada. Rob Kakebeeke made it back from Beaufort West in his Karat after spending a few days there due to bad weather.

The weather on Saturday started out with a very strong NW at dawn which calmed to about 15kph at 9.30am and stayed like that until early afternoon when it changed to a light SE.

Sunday was even worse with low cloud at approx 1000’ which lifted in patches at about midday. No gliders were taken out but we kept the Falke busy all day with conversions, paxes and intros. We have a new member – Victoria Norris (17 and a half years old) who is extremely keen to learn to fly! She had her first flight with Martin in the Falke and joined the club after they landed! Adriaan and Adri took off at about 1300hrs and came back two hours later in the Lambada.

Thanks to my duty partner – Garth Milne – and the instructors: Martin and Fred as well as Rico who was on standby the entire day. A light drizzle persisted from about 3.00pm and made conditions extremely cold and unpleasant, but the company was great: William Whittaker, Helmut von Michaelis and Terry Pattinson, thanks to you guys, too.

See you next weekend!

Alison

Weekend Report: Vic Peak is Flakey!

The entire weekend we waited for the predicted “Big Blow” but nothing happened until later on Sunday morning at altitiude.

Saturday dawned calm and inverted with a light SE breeze now and again and we launched from 33 (expecting the NW to pick up). Bill tugged with MIV until later in the day when the starter motor broke and Bill had to ferry the aeroplane across to FASH for repair. Many thanks Bill. Prior to that Dirk Kotze , who had previously tugged for the Club, very competently did his tugging renewal with Piet Truter.

Peter Farrell, the duty pilot, did a splendid job as the day became hectic with 8 KLM pilots and crew who came out for IE flights. We kept Alan Procter busy in the back seat of the Ka7 flying paxes. Jerry Betbeder and Johan Gericke pushed and retrieved gliders in between their flights in GUC and GIG. Ari, even though he was not feeling well, helped out. One student, Craig Hopkins was kept busy helping to push and retrieve gliders and we had 2 new members join as well as a young lady who wants to join the Club next weekend! Also thanks to Adriaan , Adri and Kylie Hepburn who helped at the launch point on Saturday.

We must also thank Alan Procter and Johan Gericke who came out during the week on Tuesday to do the LS1 inspection on GIG. This they completed on Saturday morning. Well done guys!

The Hepburns, the Coles, the Navarros, Rudi, Rico, Andre and Boet all flew motor gliders as the weather was perfect for power flying!

On Sunday the weather was the same as Saturday on the ground. Gareth Floweday arrived early to book GUC but was still beaten by Jacobus Hartman!

Logistical plans were in place for Nina to do her conversion onto NIG so that we could tug on Sunday. Again we kept Piet Truter busy and , while I washed a very dirty NIG, Nina did her technical exam and then the aeroplane was ready for her conversion. The call was made to the insurance company by Graham and it was all systems go! While we waited as Nina flew with Piet, the day was saved by Adriaan who TUGGED WITH HIS LAMBADA!!!!! Thank you very much Adriaan. Nina, handled NIG very competently for the rest of the afternoon.

I am sure that many members don’t realize the planning that goes on behind the scenes to keep the ball rolling in a case like this. Thanks to all who helped.

Nico Le Roux, the only duty pilot for the day, and Sven Olivier, the only instructor for the day, managed with the help of Martin Grunert. Sven flew a family of four paxes who had the benefit of flying in the wave. Helmut van Michaelis had the last flight of the day in GHB and also enjoyed a long flight in the wave.

GUC was shared by first Gareth and the Jacobus. Unfortunately Gareth was a little low on the peak and landed out just at the foot of Vic Peak. He did an excellent landing in a VERY newly ploughed field and Sven kindly lent him his 4 x 4 for the retrieve. The glider was re-rigged and Jacobus took off and enjoyed a long flight in GUC in wave. The other pilots who enjoyed the conditions and had long flights were Alan O’Regan in the LS8, Reinhold and Hans in the Stemme and Rico and our newest member – Mike Walker – in the DG500. I also heard Brian Cole at 8000’ on the peak in his Pipistrel and he was joined by Adriaan and Marion in the Lambada. June and Martin took to the skies in the Rotax Falke as well.

We were also paid a surprise visit by Bob and Daphe Allison (from Soaring Society). Unfortunately they could not stay longer for a flight but will visit us again soon.

All in all a very productive and positive weekend with fantastic input by all our members who were there. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!! It should be like this every weekend.!!

See you all next weekend!

Alison

Weekend Report: A Gauntlet, a solo and missed opportunity!

Saturday morning was VERY frosty but that did not deter June Sterling when June and Mark Siegelberg took GZF out of the hanger, DI’d her and went flying. THEN JUNE WENT SOLO!!! Well done June , those landings were awesome!

Briefing for the gauntlet got underway at 10.00am and, as usual, was very interesting and informative – thanks to Alan O’Regan. I would advise anyone, not only the gauntlet pilots, to attend these “lectures” as they are not always pertaining to competition flying but also issues of safety and airmanship. A great lighthearted atmosphere prevailed which continued at the launchpoint. Strong winds were predicted and, although nothing happened on the ground until about 1500hrs, at Vic Peak Adriaan and Adri, who ere flying their Lambada confirmed that the wind to be very strong at altitude. Turbulence was experienced at Slanghoek Valley. Definitely wave!

The Gauntleteers were P Farrell, G Milne, A Cotton, R Cullen, A Hepburn, W Whittaker,S Olivier and Ian Forbes. Reinhold and Gerhard Waller also launched and flew to Saronberg in the Janus but did not have a logger or Flarm so did not take part. Martin Grunert and Hubert also flew in the DG500. and Rico with (stranger) Trevor Johnson in GWU. Although Rudi did not participate, he flew his Astir for over 2 hours. As did Bill Griffiths in his Astir.

As there was only one student, Craig Hopkins, he was fortunate enough to have GHB and the instructor, Mike Pascoe, for the entire day. They flew in wave for 3.25 hrs!

When Garth landed, he dropped his cellphone unnoticed on the runway. After much searching it was discovered the next morning, fortunately, by Bill Griffiths who was out walking his dogs. You were very lucky, Garth. (especially after MDF’s early morning circuit training)!

I do not have the results of the gauntlet yet but I am sure Alan will publish them soon.

Sunday had similar conditions to Saturday but with the wind reaching the ground and, by 3.00pm, was gusting 55-60kph.

Again we had only one student (lucky Craig) and this time he flew in wave with Wally for another 3 hours! (This was after someone locked him in the bunkhouse overnight and he telephoned me to get out – Gerrie did not know that he was there!)

Jacobus Hartman was observed looking purposeful with GUC and the Logger and launched at 11.00 and landed at 16.35.!

Mike Pascoe had a long flight, also in wave, for almost 3 hours. Later in the day the 2 DG 400’s with Rob and Kevin had long flights too, accompanied by Martin Grunert and Rico Suter in the DG500 for over 3 hours.

Both Phil Surridge and Wally Tamsen had brought introductory flights with them and these lucky people were also introduced to our wave conditions!

I must mention here that our Sunday Tug Pilot – Nina – certainly handled the VERY strong windy conditions exceptionally well.

Again – missed opportunities. Where is everyone? If anyone is concerned about the weather, please remember to phone me for a forecast – you are more than welcome!