After a week of no flying (thanks to weather not playing ball) the warm sunny day was most welcome. However, the completely blue sky less welcome than that on offer on the previous day. With 4 instructors on-site and not much call for back seat services the duty instructor had to reacquaint himself with how to hook-on, signal, retrieve etc but did get time for an uninterrupted lunch – this despite a good turnout. We were able to welcome Lynne and Paul N – Paul had been a member in 1986 and was one of the syndicate partners in the K8 EAZ. Another member of that syndicate was Gillian B who was able to catch up with Lynne and Paul. Our other visitor was from slightly further afield – Southern California. John H had managed to get a free day at the end of his work visit and found his way to Rivar Hill to try his first flight in a K13 and to experience a winch launch. John posted about his visit to us here (you will need a GliderPilot.net logon to read it)
Visitor from Southern California
Did I say it was blue? Yup it was blue with only occasional feeble thermals few but the vis was outstanding. It was only on the 16th that the double digit flight time barrier was broken with 14 minutes. Out of the 44 launches there were another half a dozen flight in the teens. It was Ken R, in the Vega, that defied gravity with a staggering (for the day!) 39 minutes. He did at least have the grace to admit that it was hard work.
Two working winches!
“New” winch launching (yes, there is a cable on the other side)
The real highlight of the day was when James H wheeled out the “new” winch to give it a test. Colin B sat at the other end of the wire in the Puchacz to sample the first launch. Huge thanks to the various members who have pitched in to the rebuild project but especially our resident engineering genius James H. Still plenty of work to finish the job but we do now know it works well.
Colin B takes the first launch on the “new” winch
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