July 2025 and we spread our wings!
Preparing for and then recovering from having to vacate Hangar 4 at Shawbury for a two-week period provided the perfect excuse for club members to spread their wings, particularly with two out of four Sunday scheduled flying days lost to the weather – despite the heatwave!
2025 Interservices Comp
The interservices comp hosted by the Army Gliding Association at Middle Wallop saw the DuoDiscus (R2) despatched with Ian and Alan and on each competition day, club members could book a back seat. Although the weather at the start of the comp was not as kind as it could have been Andy, John and Will each took advantage of flying their first competition, with Alan providing some great coaching. For those club members who had never taken part in a competition it was a great experience with lessons learned that they can carry into future comps
Sadly, a land out in R2 on Day 6 by Alan and Will brought an end to our participation in the Interservices after the subsequent discovery of a canopy fault (not caused by the land out).
RIAT
RIAT duties take away most of our MEF gliding scholarship students. Amelia and Colin put in a good shift at RIAT although poor Colin (Uncle Aynuk) did get a bit upset when he found that the crusts had not been cut off his Officers Mess sandwiches.
Displays
Ian flew with his Airbourne Pyrotechnics team to display at Peterhead and Portrush - a sort of round the UK trip and, in the process, taking in some of the local sights and landmarks.
Seighford
The two TMGs were sent over to Seighford and returning to Shawbury for flying days at the weekends. WG provided a stand-in tug for Seighford on weekdays. Amongst others, Will took advantage being able to fly midweek in KE to continue to build up his TMGs hours as he works toward qualifying as tug pilot.
The “Tena for Men” 243 syndicate took their Ventus 2CT over to Seighford for two weeks, again to take advantage of mid-week flying and they enjoyed some excellent mid-week soaring conditions.
The Mynd
Both Seighford and the Mynd provided an opportunity for other to get in some winch refresher training – great shame we haven’t yet got a winch at Shawbury where there is the potential for a 2,000ft winch launch. Flying at the Mynd on a warm summer evening in the company of Red Kite and paragliders is an experience not to miss if you get the opportunity.
Other stuff
There will be those who fondly remember the Launch Point caravan that we brought over with us from Cosford. It is no more having finally gone to meet its maker!
Thanks to those club members who organised all this. Thus far it has been a busy July.