Big turn out today and those who flew later enjoyed the best of the conditions in blue skies and with some booming thermals. Viz was fantastic and the eagle eyed would have spotted the Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope 55kms away

***Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - a UNESCO World Heritage Site***

First flight at 07:59 saw Brad complete the first of 5 practice display routines and many thanks to the early birds for making this possible. With that complete our younger members were first way with Grace and Ethan, two of your MEF gliding bursary programme students, being joined by junior member Robin.

Team Adlard brough their ASK13 (JMJ) to the launch point – usual marrieds’ squabble as to who was to sit on the front seat!

Dad and son Ged and Robin took a couple of trips each – the Bank of Dad is paying so Robin kindly assisted at Dad’s launch – nice one Robin!

Hog of the Day went to Colin. Having earlier taken a trip to 2,000ft in R66……

……and hopelessly fallen out of the sky, he pondered on it……

…….before trying for a second time in R43 for a trip of 1h 34m to 4,000ft!

Andy also enjoyed a soaring trip in R43, it was made for the conditions today.

Elsewhere, Myndie Matthew brough out the Tin Shed for some aerobatics practice but was only awarded a worthy “3” by the ground based jury, and a helo departed, which always causes a little bit of interest!

We were very honoured to welcome Terry and June who turned up for a trip today at Shawbury.

For our younger members Terry and June was a TV series in the last century about a middle-class, middle-aged, middle-England suburban couple living in suburban Purley, South London, who never fail to get into trouble. Anyway good to see you both and hope to see you again!

Brad continued his FI(S) training with Simon. Firstly, in the K13 they did further spinning exercises (spinning off tightening turn and failed winch launch) and, for the last flight of the day in WG they completed some undershoot, overshoot, approach and landing work.

Incidentally WG does soar rather well. Piloted by Nick, WG joined Geoff C over the quarry ands started to climb faster than the Astir - marvellous!