A contingent were away flying at Denbigh this weekend at the UK Junior Gliding Winter Series Round 2. Elizabeth, Beccy, Hoss and Brad hoped to experience some surreal Welsh wave with CFI Gally the GOAT in the club DuoDiscus (R2). A fantastic experience for our young pilots.

So it was left to a somewhat motley rabble to make the most of the day at Shawbury, a day for which the forecast did not bode well. However, those that made the day enjoyed some good flying in between dodging the odd shower.

The pre-flight FOD check on r’way 18 confirmed that the r’way lights were working, an essential prerequisite for conducting safe glider ops!

A warm welcome to new MEF gliding bursary student Elijah. Elijah had some prior fixed wing flying experience, so it came as a complete surprise when Nick explained that the footrests were actually rudder pedals!

Thanks for all the pushing and pulling on the launch point…….

……and hope you enjoyed the day Elijah, and your trip with Nigel in WG

A number of post-maintenance test flights today. Colin put the Astir (R66) through its paces and in the process discovered that there was a tickle of Wave about.

Next, the stately old lady that was our K13 (R46), and now JMJ, pottered out to the launch point with an equally stately crew. Looking immaculate, JMJ has just completed its annual, that included the tri-annual Glue inspection. After being vigorously spun left and right JMJ gracefully retired back to the tranquillity of Hangar 4.

With more reports of Wave around the choice was to take a launch to 3,000ft. In truth it was more like min-sink but, nevertheless, enough to keep people interested.

Down on the ground, the unfortunate Elijah had been collared by #vulcanbomber. Elijah spent a rivetting 20 mins learning of the routine to toss-bomb a dumb iron bomb into a Scottish Loch from a Vulcan travelling at 250mph at 300ft. A lot of Salmon perished in the process!

With one half of the syndicate enjoying his first-of-the-year SAGA Senior Citizens Booze Cruise, it was left to the other half to take up the challenge of an air test for their Ventus 2CT (243).

The angry bee noise of 243s self-sustainer could just be heard above the sound of some Model Club noisy jet……

……that one club member thought was real and flying into Sleap!

Everyone had their fill of flying today. Rob and Richard took check flights and like a number of us, getting back into the groove of landing on the vast black runways before we called it a day as a band of rain moved though the area.