Weekend Report: Tulbagh fly-in

What a weekend! I, for one, have come back to work to recover!

The weekend actually began on Thursday with Randall, Garth and Quinton doing some excellent flying followed by Adriaan on Friday.

The rest of us (the ones’ who had to work!) arrived early on Saturday and the teams were there to do their duties. Garth thought that is was not going to be too busy so sent his co-duty pilot off in GUC. Jacobus had a fantastic flight around the valley. Others who flew were Jerry in GOK with Wally, followed by Horst Pfeugner and a visitor – Frieder – who also flew in GOK. It was nice to see John Spargo in HW again! Believe it or not, I flew the Ka6 as well!!!!

Bryan Dean had a check flight in GHB and then 2 more solo flights later in the day. Sven had a nice long flight in EY and Rico had a few flights in his DG500, and Adriaan in K17 flew too.

On Sunday we awoke to the sound of Adriaan and Jacobus taking off in the Lambada en- route to Riversdale. The air was calm and we took advantage of flying the Grob. After landing the air became very busy with the Pipistrel flying and Martin converting instructors and later more motor gliders became airborne and even two visitors arrived from Swellengrebel Gliding Club. They plan to visit our club in early February to do some aerotows and Gliding.!

A light SE picked up and we launched GOK from 15, then myself in the Ka6 (Yes, again!) , and then Johan Gericke took off in GIG. It was inverted and I did not stay up long but Johan ventured further towards the mountains and managed to stay up and the conditions improved. Then the wind changed!! A fairly strong NW blew and surprised most of us. Johan reported wave at Waaihoek and was at 6500’. GUC with Frieder, Ian in LW, Wally in GVG, and a few others took off. We really had an active day at the launch point with many single seaters flying but no students again. Then the wind dropped – completely!!

Johan Gericke telephoned me to tell me that he had landed out. By that time I had left the field already so telephoned Andre and Marion to organize a retrieve team. Wally and Ari very kindly set off to fetch Johan. Then Ian phoned – he had also landed out. Both near Tulbagh. Randall set off to fetch Ian and Nicky followed to lend a hand on the way home. Thanks to all the crew who worked so hard and unselfishly at the end of a hard, hot day to help their gliding buddies!

What was also very nice to see was the family presence at the Clubhouse on Sunday. Children in the pool and mothers and small children in the shade! The Clemmence family was there with friends and Tombi with Christine as well at the O’Regans and Marion and Penelope. Like old times!

I really must make mention of the two tug pilots who worked EXTREMELY hard in the hot conditions this weekend. Nina on Saturday and Alan on Sunday. We tend to forget about these pilots when we are focused on getting into the air. Duty Pilots – try and find a relief tug pilot for a launch or two or insist on giving them a drink-break. Their safety and that of the people they are towing is of paramount importance.

On the Business side:

1. GZF’s wing will be back by the weekend and we need members to help rig her. Especially if you are of the members keen to fly her, your help would be appreciated. Please contact Trevor Johnson if you can help.

2. On Saturday evening I had to go and speak very nicely to the members of the horseriding Club. They really have a very serious problem with the traffic past their club and decided to dig a huge ditch to force people to drive slowly. I told them that we have made our members aware of their problem and everyone was endeavoring to drive slowly but that we could not be responsible for visitors and casual traffic driving to the vacant land next door. I also urged them to rather communicate with us and also make everyone aware of their presence by putting up some sort of signage. The meeting was very amicable and they promptly filled in the ditch. I MUST URGE EVERYONE TO PLEASE BE AWARE OF YOUR SPEED WHEN DRIVING PAST THE STABLES. We do not need a war with our neighbours.

3. I had a look at the trailers in the trailer hangar on Sunday with Graham to see which ones are renting hanger space. I must say that I was horrified at the state some of the private trailers parked in there. Quite a few of them have flat wheels and rusty fittings! I know that it is none of my business how some of you look after your trailers but, with the spate of outlandings lately, it is not fair on anyone requesting a retrieve with a trailer that will have a blow-out five kilometers down the road or is not mechanically sound! I urge every member to maintain their trailers to an acceptable roadworthy state. That includes Club trailers. If you fly the glider – you look after the trailer, too!

That’s all for this week.

Alison

PS : Don’t forget the Gauntlet on Saturday!!!

Weekend Report: Annual Fry-up

Those who attended the Annual Dinner at Skulpadvlei I am sure agree that a good time was had by all. Thanks to Wally for organizing the evening at a stunning setting amongst the vineyards. The food was excellent and the company was wonderful. We were amongst the last to leave at close to midnight and then drove to Worcester.



Alan O’Regan announced the results of the R & A contest during the dinner, with Garth Milne the winner in two of the categories – Well Done!! Alan also gave the status on the OLC to date which ends after the first weekend in December. At the moment Adriaan is leading so those who are chasing him still have one more competition to fly to try and catch him!!

Attached are two photos of the Annual Dinner – I have more on request – please contact me and I will send them to you.

Saturday morning saw a fresh SW and June and Hans were there bright and early to do the day’s duty. Unfortunately we had a ‘glitch’ with the duty instructors not being able to swop out so we are VERY grateful to Ian Forbes and Nicky Oberhofer who flew the entire day in GOK and GHB. Especially Ian who had his day planned around the winch. Thank you both VERY much. Nina, once again, very ably tugged.

The winching operation was manned by John Spargo, Tom Heaslip and Rob Kakebeeke who spent the entire day in the blistering sun sorting out cables. They were rewarded at the end of the day by doing two launches with the Ka7 off the winch – a great sight to see after all the dedicated hard work! Well done guys. You might have also seen the e-mail sent out by John this morning which will give you an idea as to how much work was done around the winch on Saturday.

Herbie, Rudi, Gerhard and Cornelius were virtually the only pilots flying their singles on Saturday and the conditions were very difficult resulting in Cornelius outlanding. This was unfortunate as we on the ground were stretched to capacity and Cornelius had to ask his brother-in-law (who lives in Worcester) to retrieve him. Thank heavens for family!

The “Cherry on the Top” was Bryan Dean going solo last thing in the afternoon! Congratulation, Bryan. (and that was the day-after-the-night-before)! Watch out all those who fly GUC – we have one more pilot who will be wanting to fly her soon.

We awoke to the strangest weather on Sunday morning with huge black clouds behind Brandwacht Peak and the Audenberg. They very quickly moved over the airfield , as well as rainy weather moved in from the Tulbach side. We soon had thunder and lightening and the threat of hail! After quite an intense shower the storm moved over towards Greyton and those huge clouds stayed there for quite some time. We managed to get Katyntjie out from under the bed only some time after the storm!

The team was at the field standing by and soon the tug and the gliders were taken out of the hangers. Kelvin – ably assisted by our star retriever, Demi – had the rest of his family there for moral support as well. Reinhold stepped into the breach and instructed all day as well as flew introductory flights. Ari tugged all day. The heat was intense and the flying conditions improved into the afternoon and, before the second storm arrived, Jacobus and Garth were having wonderful flights on the Keeromburg. Rob Manzoni arrived at the field with two people for air experience flights. While he was waiting he helped push gliders and then amazed everyone when he took a panga out of him Landrover and proceeded to cut down the Port Jacksons which were close to the runway. Thank you very much Rob ….and you aren’t even a Member!! (Yet).

Other pilots who flew earlier in the day were Gareth and Helmut. Rico helped out by flying some of the KLM crew visiting us. Thank you very much, Rico.

Peter Clemence and his brother – Bruce – flew their Sabre around the peninsula and then to Morningstar and then back to Worcester and arrived just before the storm broke. The Sabre – ZS EEJ – is a beautiful 2 seater ultralight and they are enjoying flying it very much.

If you happen to see Katryntjie next weekend, don’t be alarmed because she has been “groomed”. Not an easy task but we somehow accomplished it with the minimum of struggling by Katryntjie – hence the” unique” haircut. At least we got rid of some of her dreadlocks and burrs stuck in her coat.!!

I hope I have remembered everything so, until next weekend, caio!

Weekend Report: Barnstorming!

I had to work on Saturday at my factory so only arrived late in the afternoon at FAWC and seemed to have missed a great gliding day.

The first thing that Mike Pascoe said to me was that the Rotax Falke had been damaged. Fortunately, not seriously, but enough to put her out of action for at least a week. Trevor was the guilty party when he joined Adriaan’s “Barnstormers Club” in trying to take a shortcut through our hanger! (I know, Trevor, I said that I would not say anything on the news– but by now everyone seems to know, anyway!)

There was a fair amount of activity and the weather was great for flying the south side of Vic Peak. Herbi, Rudi, Gerhard, Randy, Mike and Jerry all took advantage of the conditions. Mike and Quinton took turns in taking paxes for flights as there were no student flights. GOK was kept busy with Tom and a visitor from Germany – Freda. Paul Troskie must have done at least about 12 launches during the day in MIV.

Sunday’s conditions were similar to Saturday but a bit more thermic and was taken advantage of by Johan Gericke in GIG who had a very long flight and he was joined later by Adriaan who I heard had flown along Keerom Berg and over De Doorns. GUC was kept very busy with our visitor – Freda – as well as Kelvin, and Helmut – who had two flights.

A surprise visit by a longstanding member – Andre van Rensburg brightened the day and he helped out with some tugging and gave Rico a break! Kelvin’s daughter, Demi, was the star of the day as she virtually single-handedly retrieved every flight that landed with the ERV. She really worked very hard at helping the duty pilots – Marion and Andrew. Andre and Paul Baily were kept busy in GOK and GHB respectively with both paxes and students alike. We are really busy with visiting overseas pilots right now. Our website has been a fantastic advertising tool. Kelvin also introduced a new member – Gerhard Eksteen. I knew Gerhard from hangliding days from 1973! Small world.

During the day a few of us helped put the wings onto Bill’s Grob 109a. What a job - but much celebration when they eventually locked into place!! Congratulations Bill.

It was also great to see Horst and Christine Mucke again who stayed over for the weekend.

On another note:……..

Get well wishes to Erna Lawrenz who had an operation on Thursday. We are all thinking of you!

Anyone driving to the club along the road that goes past the horseriding stables need to please DRIVE SLOWLY!!!! We all try and be considerate of our neighbours (excuse the pun) but I have seen a few members SPEEDING on that road up to the Club gate. We have had complaints recently!!

This also applies to anyone driving on the airfield. Please drive slowly!!!! Anyone driving to the launchpoints must drive on the TOWN side of the taxiways please. This keeps the wear and tear of the taxiways to a minimum.


Please do not forget the Annual Club Dinner on Friday. See you all there.

Regards

Alison

Weekend Report: Cloud-gaps & paxes

On Friday night I thought that there would be absolutely no flying over the weekend never mind Saturday but, once again, Worcester surprised us with the rain stopping late in the morning enabling everyone to launch in time for the gauntlet. The Breede river was flooded and quite a sight to see!

The briefing again was most informative – thanks to Alan – and his weather prediction was spot on. Launching was delayed until the rain stopped but after that launching got seriously underway with Frans du Toit tugging and the launch point ably manned by the two duty pilots – Frank Dorey and Walter Uys. Grove instructed and flew paxes in GHB and was kept busy all day.

A fair amount of maintenance had been going on in the main hanger in the most unpleasant wet, draughty conditions possible with the tost system on MIV sorted by Frans and Jerry with Johnny at hand and a few of the Falke’s snags being seen to by Johnny with myself passing spanners, etc Rudi mended a cracked bulkead in GUC which was spotted by Jerry. Well done Jerry! Bill Griffiths continued to work on his 109A which is taking shape nicely. He should be putting the wings on soon!

I wont report on the gauntlet because Alan has written a fantastic report in the blogspot which I recommend that you should read. It was great, though, to hear Quinton get back to the red hill after getting low near Waaihoek! It really sounded like a tough contest day!

Although Saturday was a winching day, sadly no winching was attempted.
Welcome back to Andre Leeb du Toit who has returned from Turkey and Tom Heaslip who has flown south for the European winter!

Sunday dawned a beautiful clear day with a fair SE which, during the course of the morning, freshened to a strong SE. Adriaan Hepburn and Henry Barnes were kept busy throughout the day with an unusual number of paxes who arrived for flights. Things got very hectic at the launch point and Adriaan helped out with a couple of flights in his Lambada to keep everyone happy and Adri and Tom helped at the start wagon with the timekeeping. Unfortunately, with so many interested non-members wanting to fly, there were not many members available to help push gliders and retrieve, and those who were on duty had their hands full. John Spargo was kept extremely busy tugging until late and both Fred and Mark did not have much of a break between their flights either. All in all a VERY busy day.

Both Jacobus and Helmut had great flights in GUC flying on the south side of Vic Peak. Sven had the longest flight of the day. It was great to see Chris Ludolf fly his Astir and congratulations to Coen who has bought a share in that beautiful glider. Ian managed to get launched in LW and had a good flight as well as Kevin who flew his DG400 after sorting out his flat battery from the day before! It was also great to see Tombi and Christine at the launch point, too. Otto flew his DG500 with Jurgen Puscher and Rico got his DG500 airborne, as well.


Thanks to Micheal Allen who helped get GHB down to 15 and then did not have a flight after all.

Conditions were turbulent on the threshold of 15 at one stage and the wind had picked up in strength by the end of the day’s flying.

I was very privileged to see – close up – a Bat- Eared Fox run across the taxiway near the cross runway. There is a family of these foxes which have been living on the airfield for a few years and, should anyone see them, please do not scare them. They are extremely shy and are usually nocturnal so I was surpised to see one during the day.. I have only seen two before at night. We also have buck living near the end of Rwy 15.

I would like to say a big thanks you to all the members who worked so hard this weekend to keep everything running as smoothly as it looked on the face of it! It is not easy to keep everyone happy all the time – but we really give it our best shot!!

Until next weekend, safe flying.

Alison