Non-Flying Report Sun 7 Dec 25
With cloud base hovering c600-800ft and an endless procession of showers, it was another flying day lost at Shawbury, so we put our back into maintenance. To lift morale there was cake, and in this case a most delicious 5th Anniversary Celebration chocolate cake with grateful thanks to Mrs #vulcanbomber.
Aided by The Vicar, the Two Ronnies rolled out R46 to be rigged.
Our old ASK13 (R46) is looking stunning after much TLC from Simon and Liz and the good news is that it will be available for suitably qualified club members to fly. In its new guise its trigram will be MJM and we look foward to seeing it on the launch point.
Good work today from young Ben who is doing part of his D of E volunteering with the club. He and Mum have made a fantastic start to sorting out the inventory on the bonded stores. Later Colin showed Ben the secret workings of the manometer (surely “personometer”? Ed) used to calibrate the ASIs on R22. Good work today Ben and many thanks.
Last week Junior Member Lizzie completed an hour on the Sim with Colin to build on her training and help here to get to the level required for her Bronze flying badge. Lizzie had recently completed the course at RAF Cosford but time ran out for her to fully complete the assessment to the required standard. The course is part of the RAF Air Cadets progressive training system and uses Ground Based Training Equipment to teach attitudes, coordination skills and stall recognition and prevention in a controlled environment. As a postscript Colin was able to confirm the award of the Bronze Wings badge to Cpl Elizabeth Donoghue who is a cadet at 28 (Shawbury) Squadron. Now to put that into practice in an RSGC aircraft when the weather and runway god’s next permit. Top job Lizzie.🤩
Lovely surprise today from two of our MEF gliding bursary students Becky and Hoss. In recognition of the old lads’ inability to spot which glider was downwind, they presented the club with a pair of binoculars for use at the launch point. Thanks guys, a lovely thought.
One of the older lads thought it might be a hearing aid – also much needed at the launch point!
Earlier, both Hoss and Becky had spent time on the Sim under the watchful eye of Then Vicar. The lesson – centering in a thermal. All good stuff in preparation for next year.
Elsewhere, Will continued with some essential maint on the Astir (R66) trailer in prep for his next land-out.
Finally, the impact of trying to run an aero-tow only operation off the grass for almost the whole year, grass which in the Autumn and Winter is often wet and unsuitable, can be seen in the stats. Compared to the last years when we enjoyed a full year operating without restrictions, YTD we have achieved 53% fewer launches than in 2022 and 45% less when compared to 2023. We hope to be fully up and running on the new hard surfaces at RAF Shawbury after the New Year, and that moment can’t come soon enough.
Diary Dates:
ISRGC take place 18 – 25 July at Middle Wallop and we’ll be looking to send an aircraft and also provide an opportunity for club members to fly in a comp.
The “Two Harry’s “ two of our former MEF gliding bursary students, and both of whom went solo Two Harrys Go Solo in January and now flying at Cranwell, have both been selected for the RAFGSA exped to Sisteron later this year. Gret stuff.