Week ending 19 July 09

Raining in Cowra on Sunday but cleared up enough for me to attemp to fly back to lake keepit on Sunday afternoon. 3 students booked in for a course on Monday, so wanted to make sure I got back on time.

However there was a strong headwind, and showers of rain, and as I got to Coolah it became obvious that I wouldn't be able to get through the weather and make it to Keepit by last light. Coolah was an option, but nothing there - had just enough time to beetle back to Mudgee, got there at sunset. Groundspeed of 135kts!

Luckily there was a committee meeting of the Aeroclub in progress, and even more luckily they had done up their accommodation on the airfield - I was able to stay there in comfort ready for an quick gettaway on Monday morning.

Once again the weather gods stymied me - fog in the morning and my Jabiru was covered with a thick layer of ice! Took a while to scrape it all off. Fog lifted and I was able to get back to Lake Keepit by about 10.15. Rob de Jarlais had been looking after the students.

Robs towing permit had expired, so I was tuggie, he instructor. First job was to put the tug back together - battery had been run flat and was on charge - took a bit of reassembling. Once that was done we were able to get flying.

Chris Bowman did a couple of checks with Rob in the Puchatek and went solo again. His goal was to get his A certificate, and so a solo soaring flight. He achieved both of those goals before he went home on Wednesday night.

Garth Patterson and Paul Bennett were the students for the week. Garth is a very big man, and Paul already has a GA licence, so we used the Grob for their training, despite its being a little more difficult to fly than the Puchatek. By wednesday Rob told me they were both doing well - I could tell by the aerotow performance.

The weather all week was sort of overcast, with a bit of an easterly wind, but soaring was possible for a short time each day.

On Thursday Phil Anderton came out to revalidate Rob's towing permit, so we changed places and I continued with the instruction. Both pilots flying to a very similar standard. Paul was able to experience soaring flight for a change - he had only done a head of short winch flights at Central Coast Club before.

On Friday at the end of the day, I sent both of them solo in the Grob, and they handled it very well. By way of celebration we were all invited for minestrone soup and croquet chez Dircks.

During the week my friend Val Wallington visited me at the club after a long trip overseas. It was great - she cooked dinner for me, and I managed to get her tax returns done! Very busy week for me.

Writing this at Sydney Airport on my way to UK for a holiday - spent most of the night packing, so feeling a bit tired! Weather in Sydney is miserable - I wouldn't fly in it. Remains to be seen if the A380 will! It was quite sunny in Tamworth.

Tug needs an oil change and Junior a form 2 inspection if anyone feeling keen!

Regards

Jenny

Week endign 12 July

After the long weekend I was hoping to fly back to lake keepit, but again the weather was useless, so I ended up driving again. Picked up some spare tailwheel tubes from the bike shop in Gunnedah on the way back. On Monday I learned the very sad news that Bruce Clark, one of my most reliable volunteer mid-week tuggies, died in a trike accident in Rustherford. Shocking news.

As it was very quiet at the club, I went to the funeral on Friday. Drove from Lake Keepit to Newcastle and then back to Cowra in a day. Very tiring.

The funeral was very well attended - standing room only at the church. We will surely miss Bruce very much.

5 June

Thursday 4th was a quiet day, mostly spent trying to fix club computer - at least make it more reliable. However not much luck there.

Quite a few turned up on Friday for the long weekend - so it was the tug for me! Jay Anderson brought up Maren Goerdel, Cristy Rowe came up and quite a few others.

On Saturday I had to drive home as my plane was in Cowra - not such chore as it was a long weekend. It looked like a good day when I left.

Understand the winching went well and the Christmas in winter function was much enjoyed.

Wednesday 3 June

Monday was drizzly in Cowra. I took off in the Jabiru to come back to work, but as I reached Cudal, the rain got thicker, the ground higher and the visibility worse - I thought better of it and turned back to Cowra. Hoped in the car and drove to Lake Keepit - got here about 3 pm to find my gate pass wouldn't let me in. Glad it wasn't the middle of the night!

Jenny Luff was at the club - unable to fly as I was supposed to be towing. It had been showery during the day so she had not missed much. When I arrived, it had cleared up, and Ian Barraclough had flown in Chris Leon's supercub. So we got the Grob out, Ian towed and we were able to do a couple of quick flights before sunset.

It rained quite a bit during the night and was cold and grey in the morning. Garry Speight came out to tow - despite the cold and damp conditions. 

Out with the Grob again, and we did a few flights - trying to build Jenny's confidence on aerotow, and cover the tug signals, hookup proceedure emergencies and so on. Then the rain came and we put it all away for a couple of hours and had a leisurely lunch.

The rain cleared up and we flew again.  The importance of looking ahead on landings was discussed at length!

On Wednesday the day was warmer and we got occasional glimpses of the sun. John Hoye came out to tow. More landing practice - I was being a bit picky - Jenny's landings were safe, but by the end of the day they were polished!  She did four solo flights in the Grob - unfortunately no thermals - the last one of the day was absolutely perfect - I'm proud of her. Shes driving back to Victoria tomorrow - don't envy her that.

John Hoye is very busy preparing for our "Christmas" in winter weekend - looks as if it will be well attended.

Friday 29 May - a surprising good day

Friday dawned foggy and damp. Chris Bowman decided to head home, but joined the club as a full member before doing so, and plans to come back soon.

Garry Speight and Rob de Jarlais came out to fly, and we had visitors Gus Furnell and his partner Chris from the USA visiting. Gus did a course with Garry and Ian McPhee in 1994 - before the fire! He works for Vans the makers of the popular RV aircraft kits. Geoff Sim flew IID, Todd's LS4. Jay Anderson flew up with Maren Goerdel, Graham Holland and his friend David Cant, but Allan Buttenshaw was notable by his absence! He was supposed to come up but got messed about by his work. Jay had to land at Gunnedah to wait for the fog to lift - it did before too long and the sun came out.

I flew the tug, Garry and Rob went to Emerald Hill and back in the twin astir, Geoff Sim had a beautiful flight along cloud streets to Gunnedah and Manilla and back or thereabouts, Richard flew the Jantar again - a good soaring flight this time. Jay flew with Maren in the Puchatek, and Gerhard flew with our US visitors in the Grob. Later Rob de Jarlais flew with David Cant in the twin astir, after he and Garry got back. Still soarable until quite late in the afternoon.

Jenny Luff from Goulburn Valley soaring club arrived in the afternoon - she's a recent soaring addict!

Richard Fethers has joined our club as a full member - I'm sure everyone will make he and Chris welcome.

A really nice day!

Thursday 28 May

Cold and a little overcast in the morning - there was no great rush to get the aircraft out. Gerhard turned up - very opportune for Richard as today we made him fly the Jantar standard. Gerhard is the absolute master at helping people to get comfortable in the Jantar and briefing them to fly it. 

Phil Anderton came out to tow for us - thanks Phil.

Chris and I did four flights in the  Puchateck - the tug became rather unreliable and kept waving us off. Other times the rope broke. Strange how that happens when there is an instructor in the back. There was no lift - the air was very still and smooth with just a light crosswind - perfect for landing on runway 20. Time for a spot of lunch, but just as we were going to the clubhouse the Jantar emerged from the quadrangle, so Phil and I went back to work!

Richard was feeling confident after being briefed by Gerhard, and got ready relatively quickly. He took off flawlessly, and took a high tow. Phil and I grabbed our lunch.  After a 20 minute sledride Richard greased on the landing in the Jantar, and was grinning from ear to ear again.  He spent the rest of the afternoon helping Chris and I.

Back to work, and that wretched tow rope broke again just off the end of the runway. One more standard circuit, and Chris was ready to do it alone. He accomplished this in style with a good landing on runway 20, and followed this up with another solo to land near the hangars. Meanwhile Richard did another flawless take off and landing in the Jantar.

Celebrations all round!

Not a great gliding day, but perfect for what we were trying to achieve. Started to rain a bit in the evening.

Wednesday 27 May

Another good soaring day - at least in the middle of the day. Garry Speight towing, Richard Fethers and Chris Bowman flying. 

Today was Richard's day to fly the Junior.  He attacked the task with some trepidation - was worried about the creaking noise the trim makes, so we took the seatpan out to show him what makes the noise. Thus reassured, I left him to it to do the DI and did a couple of circuits with Chris.

Then we eventually got Richard to the flight line, and launched him kicking and screaming ( well almost) in the Junior. I suggested he tow to about 2500 ft about ground to get comfortable in case he didn't get a thermal, and was suprised to tug back so soon. Then I realised what had happened - Richard is used to flying from an airfield at sea level, and had misread the altimeter and released with only 1500 feet above ground. No matter though - Garry had towed him under a good cloud and he was soon on his way to cloudbase. Nearly two hours later he landed perfectly smiling from ear to ear!

Meanwhile Chris and I had a good hour in the Puchateck practising centering thermals, and then spinning down again! Cloudbase about 5500 feet.

The cumulus spread out in the afternoon blocking out the sun, and the lift died about 2.30 so we all landed and had a late lunch.

After that each glider did another two flights. Chris practising take off and landings, and Richard proving to himself that his early success in the Junior was not a fluke! Everyone happy!