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
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
posted by CGC Reporter at 10.7.06
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