MIDLAND GLIDING CLUB
NEWSLETTER
Number 102 March 2003
Annual Dinner and Trophy Presentation 2003...................................................................................................................... 1
AGM............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Chairman’s Contribution........................................................................................................................................................... 2
Kay Twentyoneary.................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Treasurer’s Notes....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
CFI’s Bits..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Gerry Edwards............................................................................................................................................................................. 5
How do Gliders Blow Away by Themselves?........................................................................................................................ 6
Post Solo Courses...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Launch Directors........................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Discus Syndicate........................................................................................................................................................................ 9
500 km Honours Board.............................................................................................................................................................. 9
The Chairman’s Year................................................................................................................................................................ 10
From the Flying Field............................................................................................................................................................... 11
Parachute Care.......................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Martin Moss............................................................................................................................................................................. 12
A Gentleman - A Gentle Man................................................................................................................................................. 12
AGM
David Rance
The AGM will be at 1600 on Sunday 30th March in the clubhouse.
Annual Dinner and Trophy Presentation 2003
Ann Parry
Derek Piggott is our guest speaker for the dinner on Saturday 29th March, at The Feathers, Ludlow.
Please book your ticket NOW for the dinner. £23 per person for dinner chosen from starters (leek soup, duck liver parfait, melon), main courses (roast beef, roast pork, shallot tarte) and desserts (poached pear, bread and butter pudding, chocolate parfait). Pay Martin in the office, telling him your menu choice, or send cheque (payable Midland Gliding Club) to me with menu choice. Coach is £6 per person if enough people book in time (the coach may be cancelled if not enough interest), add this to your payment (refund if no coach).
| Please send Newsletter contributions to: John and Ann Parry Holly Cottage Wentnor Bishops Castle Shropshire SY9 5EE Telephone..01588 650379 Fax.………01588 650596 Email……..John.Parry@Virgin.net |
Club Details: The Midland Gliding Club The Long Mynd Church Stretton Shropshire SY6 6TA Office Telephone......01588 650206 Office Fax.................01588 650532 Members Telephone..01588 650405 Email……………….office@longmynd.com |
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Chairman’s Contribution
Julian Fack
This is my last contribution as chairman, as I will be standing down at the AGM after 10 years on the committee, 5 as vice chairman. It is gratifying that, after the foot and mouth year, when we were shut for most of the soaring season, we have bounced back and the accounts show that our financial performance in the ‘comeback year’ has been satisfactory. I thank the committee in particular for making this happen, and I would like to go on record to thank the club staff and all the committees I have served on for the last 10 years for their hard work, in many cases very hard work.
Part of this success is down to the membership drive we undertook in the spring last year, and we will be doing something similar this year. The combination of higher prices and good sales for trial lessons also had a major impact. Trial lessons are never popular with members, but the fact that we had three K21s allowed us to benefit from this source of income without too much disruption to members’ flying. The second success was the introduction of the ‘Mile High’ lessons, which were well received and also proved to be a better recruiting ground than the standard lessons, probably because of much longer stick time.
Last year we discovered that many new members do not continue with their flying having paid their subscriptions. We contacted them all in an effort to find out why, but in the end came to the conclusion that some people only find out that gliding is not for them after joining a club.
We intend starting this year’s membership drive very soon, with all sorts of offers, and we hope to get back to 175 full flying members very soon, for that is the sort of number we need to support the expenditure required to maintain our professional club, as opposed to one where the members do all the work. In this often ‘time poor, money rich’ society this seems to be the way that people demand their leisure activities are organised.
David Rance has suggested a novel way of helping new members with their flying by making our professional instructors available to them midweek without affecting course income, and the committee agreed to try it this summer. Noting that courses are rarely full nowadays, he wants to run only three ‘holiday’ courses per month, hopefully telescoping all the pilots who would have booked for the four weeks into those three, leaving a fourth week free for members to fly at club rates. This could be a great benefit to the membership as a whole, but it has the potential to give new members just the ‘flying start’ they need. There are to be three such weeks in the season, and if it works it could be a real breakthrough. Talking of our professional instructors I would like to welcome Dave Crowson who is taking over the Number Two slot this year, just as we try out the new schedule, welcome Dave.
We have had an expensive but hopefully very productive winter season, in that JGJ and FWQ have gone to Poland to follow in ELE’s footsteps and have a nice shiny new coat put on. Not only that, we will be adding new varios and radios when they return. We also have a new conventional K21 trailer.
In the clubhouse, following on from last year’s rebuild of the showers, we have completely gutted and rebuilt both toilet blocks, and are about to install a new hot water system. All these investments need paying for, and the reasonable financial health of the club needs to be maintained in the coming years. Getting the membership numbers back up to previous levels is one way, and last year’s success in that department makes me feel confident we can do it again, but we also need to keep adjusting our prices to keep up with inflation. We have not increased flying charges for the last three years, but will be doing so this year, as well as adjusting most of the other charges we levy. In case you doubt the necessity for this, take a critical look at our buildings and fleet. The re-gelled K21s look splendid, but the whole fleet is old, even the Discus, and no one can doubt the need for further investment in buildings.
Martin Moss was a great asset to the club, and quietly filled the Number Two course instructor slot for the last two years, in addition to joining Task Week last year where he came an excellent second, having missed several days. We were sad to see him accept the Number One spot at Portmoak, but at the same time wished him well in his new job. Sadly he died in a motorglider accident at his home club, Bowland Forest, before he could take up his new post. I would like to pass on all our best wishes to Beryl and the family. Colin Knox has written an obituary in this newsletter on page 12 . There was a big Mynd presence at St Mary’s Church in Preston, which was packed for the funeral. I agree with the poem written by Darren, Martin’s son, in the order of service, which ended “a better man I have not met”. He will be sorely missed, and we could have had no greater compliment than the family’s wish to have his ashes scattered on the bungey meadow.
There were three fatalities that week due to mixing flying and winch wires, so we will need take that message on board in our own safety procedures.
Talking of safety, do remember that this can be a dangerous time of year, some of us have done very little flying in the last six months, so make sure you have the appropriate check rides and be extra vigilant as you get back into spring/summer flying mode.
The dinner on the 29th of March is the traditional opening of the season, and we are repeating last year’s format at The Feathers at Ludlow. I have managed to get Derek Piggott to speak to us after dinner, and Lembit Opik MP is also expected, so do get your ticket requests off to Ann Parry or Martin in the office as soon as you can. The AGM follows on Sunday afternoon, the 30th so be sure to put it in your diary.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me during my chairmanship, as I look forward to rejoining the ‘back benches’. Good luck to the new chairman and committee, in the unlikely event that they require any assistance from me I will be more than happy to oblige.
Kay Twentyoneary
David Rance
As I write on Monday the 3rd, FWQ is being towed up the M1 on its way back from Poland where it has been re-gelled to look like new again. The workshop in Poland now has BGA approval to carry out C of A’s and since the aircraft would be in bits already, we asked them to carry out this work as well. Sadly, it has failed in some style, due to problems with paperwork, main pins (or the holes that they fit into) becoming oval, worn drag pins and the main wheel axle being broken in two! This will lead to an inevitable delay in getting her back on line as we seek new parts from the factory. We also have to fit new radios, XK10 varios and overhauled ASIs as part of our refurbishment plan.
JGJ has been sent to Poland for similar treatment and will no doubt be stripped down to her underwear in the factory, right now. She is due back at the end of March.
ELE was refurbished last year. Whilst it looks like new, it is in fact a very old glider, having had 12,600 hours of use on the Mynd from new. (I wonder how many circuits that is?) The life of these K21s is currently limited to 12,000 hours, which I believe is the maximum for any FRP constructed glider. The BGA extended the life from 12,000 to 13,000 hours some while ago to allow the manufacturers and the LBA (German CAA equivalent) a chance to organise a proper life extension. This hasn’t happened yet, whilst the best information we had a year ago was that it would be a formality. The BGA won’t unilaterally extend the life further.
Further liason with the BGA’s Chief Technical Officer, The German LBA and the Schleicher factory has determined that there is a great deal of work going on at the moment to extend the structural life, not just of our K21 which is one of the highest houred K21s around, but the entire FRP glider fleet. The LBA reply suggested they understood the urgency and importance of this work but have pointed out that it had to be done right (for which read carefully and slowly). Some of the factory’s work using fatigue testing on a K23 and extrapolated to the much stronger K21 suggests that the K21 FRP structure should be good for 360,000 hours although the metalwork will need replacing rather more frequently! It is pretty clear to us that ELE’s life will be extended but the question remains when? At the current rate of use ELE will be out of hours in eighteen months time. Place your bets now.
CFI’s Bits
Neal Clements
Strong Wind Article
There appears to be some confusion about strong winds, what they are and what they mean to the operation so I thought I would reinforce the guidelines we have established over many years and far too many blow overs, including glass ships. Please refer to John Stuart’s article in this newsletter for the reasoning behind blow overs and below for guidelines.
A strong wind is defined as 15 knots and over and by definition if we are doing short west launches or bungey then it is a strong wind. There is a danger that we don’t perceive the strength of the wind and in particular now we are launching from the easterly edge on short west days. Therefore it is always safe to assume that in a westerly operation it is a strong wind.
How we should operate:
· Club gliders should be parked sideways to the wind, picketed with tyres.
· Club gliders will be moved with someone in the cockpit or several people around the glider.
· Canopies will always be locked.
· Tow on the aerotow hook if it has one. Normally you would expect to tow on the belly hook so you can hold a wing down and possibly back release in an emergency. However in a blow over the belly hook does not act as a restraint whereas the nose hook will.
Motor Glider and the Coming Season
Please will you take the opportunity of our motor glider and get yourself a field selection flight before the cross country season cuts in properly, it’s not far off! Having a pre season refresher in the motor glider is a brilliant way of giving yourself the confidence to head off into the cumulus filled sky.
Crash Tender
The tragic incident at Bowland Forest raises alarm bells about the crash tender. There are two aspects to this, what it contains and how it gets to the scene in an emergency. I am consulting the tugmaster regarding content to see if it needs to be improved but we must ensure that we can get the tender to a site in double quick time. Consider, if both Landrovers are away from the retrieve winch how will we get the tender to any needed site quickly? Please ensure that if we are operating aerotow then we can move with the tender promptly.
Wire Crossing
The accident at Bowland Forest has reminded us of the dangers of crossing wires. Paul Stanley the tugmaster, and Chris Ellis in charge of the motor glider, have reiterated to all their pilots that they must not attempt this. Please can I remind all launch marshals that wire crossing is prohibited and ensure that the field is laid out to avoid it.
Airmanship
The soaring season is almost upon as again and it is that time of year when we reach for our rusty skills and get excited about the new season’s lift. Please can I remind everyone to ensure that they practice collision avoidance, thermalling involves first class airmanship. Please practice entry to a thermal with another glider, if you are having a check flight then do it deliberately or pretend to do it whilst telling the instructor what you are looking for and how you intend to demonstrate collision avoidance in the thermal entry, the climb and the exit.
It is critical that we take collision avoidance and preparedness very seriously, our skies will become crowded and we must strive for perfection in our attitude to soaring.
Gerry Edwards
Ann Parry
Gerry Edwards, who was a founder member of the club, died on 8th February 2002 aged 88 years. He was a committee member from 1970 to 1989, serving as vice chairman from 1972 to 1983. Keith Mansell will be writing about him for the next newsletter.
How do Gliders Blow Away by Themselves?
John Stuart
The obvious answer is that just about anything will blow away when the wind is strong enough. Airliners blow away in a hurricane. A better question is: how do we let gliders blow away? And the answer, gliders blow away because we think that they’ll stay on the ground, at least, for the next few minutes.
The last two blow overs at the Mynd have occurred during towing back to the hangar into a strengthening west wind. On each occasion nobody was in the cockpit, one of the worst pilots I’ve never seen. The other error comes from estimating the wind strength and its effect on the glider. You can get away with it if the glider has heavy wing loading, but not so much with light. Our last two episodes were a K23 and the green K8.
Ever since the hang gliders started flying here I have never seen one fly away on its own. This is such an obvious possibility that the hangmen make sure it doesn’t happen. They only come up to fly when the wind is strong enough, and at that wind speed an empty hang glider will blow away. I haven’t actually been to see how they hold them down, but they lie flat on the ground with some sort of anchor on the nose to pin it down. If the wind is lighter the nose is pinned down and the tail is angled upwards with the weight on the A frame. Our problem is that most of the time the wind is not strong to blow our buzzers away.
All gliders sit on their tail wheels when empty and usually the designer sets the wing at a reasonable angle of attack for take off when the glider is in this attitude. If you watch the Discus winch launching it takes off quite happily when it has enough speed.
So we know gliders will take off on their own if they are towed or left pointing into wind. It is really dangerous when they blow over as they usually do a back somersault and then come down again. We have been lucky on our last two that nobody was hit. (Nobody was strapped in the glider). If you’re strapped into your glider for a short west launch and the glider in front is just sitting there empty, I’d get out again if I were you. Alternatively, don’t get in before the crews ahead are ready. A wind strong enough for short west, obviously requires proper ground handling. Gliders should be pinned at right angles to the wind and not turned into wind till the pilot is strapped in and ready to fly. If the glider takes off it can be flown down again.
Here is an approximate formula for the stalling speed of an empty glider:
And some values:
| Glider |
Loaded Stall Speed (knots) |
Empty Stall Speed (knots) |
Empty Weight (pounds) |
Pilot(s) Weight (pounds) |
Weight Ratio |
Stall Speed Ratio |
| K21 |
36 |
30 |
820 |
360 |
0.69 |
0.83 |
| K13 |
33 |
26 |
640 |
360 |
0.64 |
0.80 |
| Discus |
37 |
32 |
550 |
180 |
0.75 |
0.87 |
| K23 |
32 |
27 |
450 |
180 |
0.71 |
0.85 |
| K8 |
29 |
24 |
365 |
180 |
0.67 |
0.82 |
| Hang Glider |
15 |
8 |
80 |
180 |
0.31 |
0.55 |
Hang gliders and the K8 have very low stalling speeds, but they’re also very light in proportion to the pilot’s weight. This gives a greater percentage reduction in stalling speed than heavier singles like the Discus. Interestingly this effect is also very noticeable on two seaters. When two BFBs get out of the K21 its percentage reduction in weight is about 30%, which gives a reduction in stalling speed of nearly 20%.
The lift force required for the glider to accelerate up and away from the ground is greater than the weight, so it is possible that a glider could be almost flying, i.e. no download on the mainwheel, but not actually take off. It would be neutrally buoyant as it were. No net force on it, therefore no acceleration.
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A recording of the lift from the wings would show a graph oscillating up and down, occasionally equaling the weight of the glider but no visible effect unless it actually takes off. Also this force graph would be more peaky than the wind speed because of the square law effect. Doubling the wind in a gust will quadruple the lift. I think the effect of gusts is really what fools everyone into imagining that the glider is safe.
I think the only way to reduce the chance of blow overs (blowsover?) is to be aware of the risk numerically, in the same way that you calculate an approach speed rather than just estimating one. If the windspeed is rising to half the Empty Stalling Speed of your glider, a gust of twice that speed is quite possible. A bit more and your glider is away on its own. Another idea, if you think it is windy enough to make your approach at more than 60 knots, stay in the glider until the ground crew arrive. Then stay in if necessary for ground handling, especially if towed into wind (e.g. back to the hangar).
One last thing, the reason I know something about this, is because I let a Cobra wing blow away by itself. I think I said something like, “I just don’t believe it!” There may have been some other words. So calculate the stalling speed of a Cobra wing AND the number of evenings of repair time!
Post Solo Courses
Rose Johnson
Gliding is and should be fun. However many people find it even more enjoyable if they are making tangible progress towards their goals. So, if you are finding yourself ‘stuck’ post solo, and not making the progress that you would like, then Paul Stanley and Rose Johnson may be able to help. What we have in mind is not a formal course, but a type of mentorship, where we facilitate your progress towards Bronze or Silver or simply staying airborne! We are planning two weekends where we can fly with you, get to know what you would like to achieve and plan a pathway with you. There will probably be another weekend mid-summer to take stock, but we would hope you would plan your flying to include our instructing duty days so that we can continue to fly with you and give you continuing guidance. We have room for six people - so e-mail me soon if you would like to be part of our first clutch of fledglings. The first weekend is expected to be sometime in May.
E-mail: shirenewtn@aol.com (yes, the address is correctly spelt!)
Launch Directors
Jan Outhwaite
I have to admit it. I’m one of those rare birds who actually enjoys being a launch marshal. (Sad I know, but it takes all sorts.) At the moment, however, launch marshals find the task difficult, undervalued and very tiring. There are several reasons for this:
· There is no defined set of responsibilities.
· There is no training therefore each launch marshal interprets the task differently leading inevitably to widely varying standards.
· Everyone is on the rota so duty day comes round only once every 3 months.
· There are not enough people on the team.
The club is polarised. The 30 or so instructors, together with the tug pilots, committee members, and those few doing the other diverse jobs, are faced with all the work. Some basic instructors find themselves on a too frequent rotation and many do more than one job. The rest of us find ourselves on duty once every 3 months, even less if you count duff days. Hardly an arduous commitment.
When I joined the club the duty team consisted of 3 instructors, an AEI, launch marshal, 2 duty pilots and 3 two-seater gliders. Now the team consists of 2 instructors, 1 basic, 2 launch marshals, no duty pilots and 4 two-seaters. One might argue that as the membership is less these days, the teams should be reduced; and yet all gliders seem to be fully utilised most days. The old system provided a ready pool for basic instructors since the rotation of instructors and launch marshals was the same. The present system has dried up this pool and launch marshals can hardly be effective if they utilise their skills at most 4 times a year.
To improve the situation to one where we have smooth and effective ground handling the system is being amended as follows. There will be 3 in the airfield team.
Launch Director (LD)
A team of 12 initially on a 6 week rotation. This is a new level of authority consisting entirely of airfield management where tasks will be delegated. The LD will implement the field layout required by the Number 1 of the day and then exercise full delegated authority to maximise the launching and landing with safety as the first priority. The LD will also train their eventual replacements, other members of the team, and sign the relevant sections on their training cards. The team consists of experienced pilots who are not otherwise committed in some other capacity.
Launch Marshal (LM)
A team of 16 fairly experienced pilots or those already committed elsewhere on an 8 week rotation. This job will essentially be the same as before. The LM will assist the LD by implementing the flying list and deputising when required.
Duty Pilot
Martin has been increasingly cross about the poor state of the log book so we need to re-introduce this vital role.
We shall aim for an 8 week rotation. The duty pilot will be responsible for the log book but may delegate to others on the field. However they will bear full responsibility for its upkeep. We need to do this for 2 reasons:
· It is a legal requirement.
· Martin in a fury is not a pretty sight.
Everyone on the team now has a specific duty. Although the LD carries more responsibility, his task is less onerous since the administration of the flying list is carried out by the LM.
It is important, therefore, that you turn up for your duty day or arrange a swap. If you can do neither, at least please have the courtesy to inform either the Number One or the LD in advance. The aim of improving the system is to share out the work more fairly, ensure that everyone gets all the flying they want, and all go home happy.
May I ask you to give just a little enthusiasm and commitment?
Discus Syndicate
Andy Holmes
As I write this, there are only six weeks to go until the Discus syndicate is up for renewal on 1st April 2003. So what did we get up to this year?
Our hope was to fly the Discus more than in any other year so far and this has been easily achieved. We’ve already beaten all previous records and our aim is to crack 300 hours for the first year ever. Between us we’ve taken part in and won four Rockpolishers days, entered Regionals and Junior Nationals, and taken 493 to BGA soaring courses. The Discus probably landed out more than any other Mynd glider in 2002 but only because it was flown cross-country at every available opportunity.
493 has been flown by pilots of all levels from Bronze to competition pilots. Notable flights include Alison Rowson’s longest ever cross-country to Newport Pagnall, landing out on the way back. Sarah Platt flew all over the place on her BGA soaring course at Shenington, even dropping in to Snittersfield to visit her aunt Diana King! Ian Mac did the most impressive cross-countries with two 300 km flights from the Mynd, a trip to Camphill for the plate and some very fast flights in the Juniors at Hus Bos.
We’ve not just been flying 493 though – syndicate members can often be seen flying other gliders. Between us Ian, Sarah and I have flown 350 hours in 2002 and all have ambitious plans for 2003. The rest of the syndicate are no exception. When not flying 493, we’ve been doing Basic Instructor training, helping support the successful Rockpolishers team and we’re even represented on the committee. Joining the Discus syndicate is a great way of flying more and also increasing your involvement within the club.
Finally, we’ve also tried hard to gradually improve the glider and its kit. Ian Mac and I hard waxed the wings for the competition season. The tow out gear and trestles are gradually being improved. The water ballast system is now leak free and we have barrels and an electric pump for filling. We also have the LNAV fully linked to a dedicated GPS, and we’ve calibrated the LNAV and written a simplified manual. Various people have donated kit to be used - thanks to Dominic Haughton for the barrels and Julian for the GPS. No-one has given us (especially me) more of his time over the last months than Roger Andrews. His advice and knowledge on the technical aspects of getting 493’s kit set up just right has been invaluable. Thanks Roger!
So, with six weeks to go we need to start looking at next year’s syndicate. Does all this sound like your idea of what gliding is all about? If so, get in touch with me and put your name on the list in the clubhouse. If it’s not up yet then please start one, I won’t be up until early March! To give you an idea, last year the syndicate was formed of seven people paying £600 with a discount for juniors. This year we plan to have a smaller number in the syndicate paying a larger fee to increase the access for each syndicate member. If you would like a taste of what life in a syndicate is like without the large capital outlay then this could be for you. If you have your Bronze badge, or could have it by April, then come and find out how easy and pleasant to fly the Discus is.
Get in touch!
Andy Holmes andyhsmokin@gliderpilot.net Call or text 07764 219765
500 km Honours Board
Chris Harris
If you have done a first 500 km and your name is not on the honours board in the quiet room (the large part of the bar area) please let me know ASAP, full initials, surname and date of flight please, e-mail preferably or by note in the pigeon holes under H. Please do not tell me verbally as I will forget for sure. It’s me age me dear......! It has been decided by the powers that be to restrict this board to first 500 kms only to save filling it up too quickly. We are aware of several names that should be there but do not have full details. Do it now or you may miss out of being part of MGC history!
The Chairman’s Year
Julian Fack
It was only when I came to tidy up my logbook in order to fill in the aircraft logs for 173 and 494, that I realised what an interesting year’s flying I had in 2002. The bald facts are 120 hours in 45 flights, but the devil is in the detail, so here are some of the highlights:
March
Three hours with Richard Bennett in the Duo took us to 13,000 feet QNH in wave at the Mynd.
April
Took the Duo to Jaca near Pamplona, in the Spanish Pyrenees with Meg, Paul Garnham and Eddie Humphries. Sharing the flying equally with the lads, I enjoyed 24 hours in 12 days, about half the total. Highlights include 23,000 feet in wave with Paul, above the biggest peaks, and a solid 10 knot average climb for several minutes to get there. The long aerotow was extraordinary, it was dead smooth for most of the long high tow, but towards the end we towed into what you would call a ‘box canyon’ in a western film. Ahead and to each side was a rockface towering 1000 feet above us, and it was narrow, possibly too narrow to turn as a combination. Half way along we hit the lift and popped out of the top in no time at all, with a big sigh of relief from both of us. Although we were still had 3 knots at 23,000 feet, we pulled the plug since the oxygen was running low. I also enjoyed a climb to 13,000 feet in thermals with Eddie, and another wave flight with Paul where we climbed to 18,000 feet after a difficult wave entry, then hit lift later on in a different spot, which took us very gently to 13,000 feet over the huge lake at Yesa, which is planned to be the source of the water for the controversial national water plan to supply the south east of Spain.
June
Dave Rance in the Ventus 2 and I decided to do a task to Chirk and Shobdon on the 6th. I completed a nice 150 km in just over 2 hours in the Discus, but Dave disappeared at Shobdon when I wasn’t looking and he cheekily popped down to Hay before returning to the Mynd leaving me wondering where he had gone.
On the 19th Paul Garnham decided we needed a practice run before Euroglide, so we set out to circumnavigate the East Midlands and Birmingham control zones in the Duo. Conditions were not great early on, and we very nearly landed out near the Wrekin. Low cloudbase and the Daventry CTA made things a bit sweaty as we crossed the Pennines, having a good view of Alton Towers on the way. Conditions to the east were good and we were going well until I very nearly dropped us in a field near Southam in Warwickshire. Paul dug us out of that one, and we got home after almost 6 hours for 374 km, all good practice.
Euroglide was great fun, as Paul detailed in the last newsletter, I flew for a total of 20 hours which included the spectacular first day, 5 countries and 532 km, starting at lunchtime in Eindhoven, and landing 200 km south of Paris.
July
Shared a gentle 310 km, Thame out and return with Paul Stanley in the Duo, in 3 hours 30 minutes in spite of wasting time at several points. Paul said it was the easiest 300 he has done.
I took the Discus to the Northern Regionals at Sutton Bank which included 80 mm of rain on the campsite overnight. On the last day conditions were very good in spite of the floods. It was hard to believe that 6 knot thermals were possible over a seriously flooded landscape.
August
Task Week, included an enjoyable cats cradle task to Ironbridge, Hay and Great Malvern, 216 km completed at 77 kph. In spite of not winning a single day, and landing out three times, I profited from the mistakes of others and managed to win the week.
The Mynd team won the Rockpolishers League, an outstanding result. Dominic Haughton, the captain, asked me to fly the Discus as pundit on the first day of the final at Sutton Bank, so on the 31st I struggled in difficult conditions to complete a 200 km assigned area task, which was enough to net second place on the day. On the Sunday I enjoyed flying the novice class task hors concours in company with Dominic’s LS8. The Mynd came second equal in the final, beyond our dreams.
September
Took the Duo to Aboyne in company with Phil and Diana King, who were sharing their LS8. Alan Briscoe came along for the first week, and enjoyed some interesting soaring and some very good meals out. We made 13,700 feet QFE on the first flight, equivalent to a Gold height, which was a good start. One day we had a nice gentle wave flight to just 6000 feet and on the way down I tried to demonstrate the LNav’s capabilities as a final glide computer. I should have known better than to try a final glide on a wave day, having been 4000 feet above the airfield we ended up 3 miles away at about 500 feet looking at a stubble field. Alan was very enthusiastic about the field, but I was determined to try and get home, so I really threw the Duo about and slowly climbed in a broken rotor thermal off the ridge of a small hang gliding hill. Finally I made 2000 feet and we got home.
After Alan left I had some very interesting wave flying with both Phil and Diana. We managed to go cross country over the mountains to Feshiebridge on two occasions, something I had not done before. Although big heights were available, we did not bother to climb into the ‘oxygen zone’ but used the lift to make progress over the mountains, which is the way the locals fly at Aboyne.
October
On Thursday the 3rd I had an important meeting at Rugby to attend in the evening, but after lunch in the clubhouse John Parry persuaded me that rigging the Duo would be worthwhile, I reluctantly agreed. We had a most pleasant meander across to Welshpool and beyond, but I could not risk a landout, so we flew very conservatively. It was an interesting and enjoyable autumn flight rudely interrupted by my need to depart before teatime.
From the Flying Field
Ann Parry
We have just had a wonderful spring day on Sunday 2nd March, with 6 knot thermals, gentle ridge and a touch of wave, all in superb visibility, most welcome after days of easterly murk. Club members, our Dutch visitors (back again, a sure sign of spring), and those from Hus Bos flew some 75 launches and soared happily. Congratulations to Dev Galal, who was sent solo in the afternoon.
Flying took place on 17 days in January. John Roberts was at 11,500 feet in wave on the 16th January. From 14th to 27th February we were under the influence of easterlies, with some flying in the east wave over Wentnor, but usually with poor visibility, even when sunny.
Many thanks to Denise Hughes for a tremendous party she held at the club to celebrate her birthday in January, enjoyed by some 70 members. A happy and memorable evening.
Parachute Care
Chris Harris
I have just collected a parachute from Martin Wilshaw, our packer, which according to its log has not been repacked for ten years. He tells me the pilot ’chute was incorrectly placed when he pulled the parachute to open it. Lying on its side instead of face up. It may have worked but equally it may not as the particular type of pilot ’chute does not have a very strong spring assist. So for ten years this life saving equipment may have been of dubious value. Thought provoking isn’t it? I should add that it belongs to a private owner and that club kit is repacked every six months. I shall not embarrass the owner by identification but if your parachute is in a red bag and it’s just been repacked for the first time in ten years - maybe you should talk to me!
I had to take two MGC parachutes for repacking because they were very damp/wet. The cause of this is difficult to find but the two theories prevailing are, either they were left out in the rain, or they were left in a glider cockpit in the hangar for a long period. Either way I would remind you that parachutes are life saving emergency kit. If ever you are unfortunate enough to have need of one, I am sure you would like to know it is dry and likely to open. Damp parachute material sticks together in a lump! Please make sure you treat them with care and always return them to the heated parachute cupboard, maybe even in the right number bag!
Martin Moss
Colin Knox
I first met Martin just before the foot and mouth outbreak, as he was preparing for his first season at the Mynd as a full time instructor. I thought then what a nice bloke, a first impression I never had to change.
Once operations were back to normal and Martin was Number Two in the week I discovered he was a smashing bloke to work alongside, always cheerful, ready to help, able to see your side of problems and generally a good egg.
We soon became good friends and tried to drink the bar dry on several occasions. Often in his caravan chatting into the early hours, putting the world and gliding movement to rights while sipping one of Martin’s famous gin and tonics.
Martin was a great reader. His tastes in books was wide and varied, he loved poetry and music. But he was passionate about gliding, demonstrating both knowledge and experience but always remaining unassuming and never flashy.
I along with many others enjoyed flying with Martin as an instructor. He always gave clear and precise instructions and was never fussy, but best of all he made you feel good about your flying.
Martin put great store in safety and pre-flight preparation. Making it even more surprising he met the fate he did. And I know he wouldn’t mind me saying there is a lesson to be learned by us all.
Although Martin was moving to Portmoak he had told me he intended to maintain his ties with the Mynd and hoped to see us as often as he could. Sadly this will never be. But I know he will be deeply missed by me, and all those who knew or worked with him.
A Gentleman - A Gentle Man
Darren Moss
My dad was a mostly quiet man. He had opinions and wasn’t afraid to express them and defend them. However, being a lover of books, he never wasted words so any conversation was of genuine interest to him.
He found it difficult to express his emotions. But we could see his love, pride and happiness, which meant more than any words.
Never liking to be the centre of attention he will be remembered by us as someone who got his kicks out of the achievements of others and never sought acknowledgement of his own. His gift was his encouragement, and all he would want is for you to continue to do what you enjoy most and be your best.
Feel not sad that he has died
But happy that he felt alive
Small of stature
Big of heart
With our love
You may depart
Our pride of you in stone is set
A better man I have not met.
Reprinted from the order of service by kind permission of the family.
Martin was born on 3rd January 1948 and died on 15th February 2003. The funeral was held at St. Mary’s Church, Penwortham on 24th February. He got married in the same church in August 1968.