Flying Report Bank Holiday Monday 25 Aug 25
The forecast promised much but first we had to wait for the Altostratus to clear and the sun to get on the ground before we could make the most of the conditions. While we did that, Norm took Becky, one of our MEF gliding scholarship students, off in KE for some consolidation training.
And it was good to see a number of our current and former MEF students out on the airfield today. Hoss took two trips with Geoff M in R22 and in the process got to grips with CBSIFTBEC for the first time.
Welcome to new MEF student Lucas who took his first trip today and, with straps tight, got to experience his first launch on the bumpy ground.
It was hot on the airfield and the temp quickly ramped up to <28C. But there were shade and refreshments on the bus including another cake from Mrs #vulcanbomber 😍
Norm helps himself to a massive slab of cake before anyone else gets at it!
Wherever we looked there were clear blue skies and it wasn’t until about 13:00 that it started to get thermic.
First away to enjoy the conditions were Alan and Norm in R22. Alan, a Bannerdown RAFGSA member, hadn’t flown for a couple of years so after knocking off the rust and a couple of practice launch failures Alan re-solo’d. Top Job. From then on, with booming thermals, it was harder to come down than to stay up. Whilst the 21s were fully employed, Toby continued to build up his TMG hours with a couple of trips in KE and taking Hoss and Lucas as ballast!
We are beginning to see the end of the airfield resurfacing project. Most of the hard surfaces appear complete, the electrical wiring is underway, and the large recycling yard is being dismantled. Let’s hope that we get on the hard surface before winter before the grassed areas get too soft and boggy.
A warm welcome back to Charlie McNab. Charlie joined us as an MEF student last year, went solo and then his career took him off to pastures new that included a stint in the Falklands. Good to see you back Charlie and had it not been for the extreme low level turbulence, no doubt that you would have re-solo’d today.
Cloud base had been rising all day and the final trip of the day went to Becky.
Flying with Norm they got to cloud base at 6,100ft where Becky put her hand out of the DV panel and was able to touch the clouds! They then descended in aerobatics mode as we watched from below.
A great way to end the day with over 10 hours of flying time and whilst some of us grafted away in the heat of the day to acheive that, others were lozzaking about off the South Coast.
