Last weekend two of our junior glider pilots converted onto new sailplane types.
First was junior pilot Ben L who, fresh from completing his Silver C in a single flight in our Astir CS-77, converted on Saturday to our LS4 high-performance single seater.
The following day, junior pilot Ed F who has previously flown our K21 and K13 single seater types converted onto our SZD Junior. The Junior is Ed’s first single-seat glider type and paves the way to fleet progression and cross-country flying.
Last Sunday, 17 year old Junior Glider Pilot Ben L flew his first cross-country solo gliding flight from Stratford on Avon Gliding Club.
After achieving my bronze and cross-country endorsement (Thank you Mike, Barry and Andy) I was keen to take the leap and fly out of gliding range of the airfield on my 50Km attempt. But before I could embark on this adventure, I received an email saying my application for the ‘Junior Nationals’ two seat training had been accepted! I spent 10 days at Bristol and Gloucestershire Gliding Club where I flew with some of the UK’s best pilots and had a go at some competition racing. Overall, I achieved more than 10 hrs of training on my three flights, which was all subsidised by the BGA!
This amazing experience motivated me even more to embark on my 50km flight, but with a few setbacks due to weather I found myself frustrated and looking at every forecast I could get my hands on, waiting and longing for the perfect day. That day came on Sunday the 8th September 2019 and I woke up early, excited about the potential day ahead. I helped prepare the gliders for flight and spent some time carefully wiping down the wings of the Astir, to ensure every last part of the gliders performance could be eked out. Many thanks to all that helped me prepare the Astir and to Mike ensuring my flight plan was up to scratch.
I took off at 12:45 aiming to fly 53.5km to Bicester airfield then another 53.5km back to Snitterfield! Well that was the plan anyway. After launching I secured my first climb of the day gaining 1,841ft with an average climb rate of 2.5knts. Eventually I started my task at 13:09 and with 3,500ft I pushed south leaving behind me the birds that had just aided my last thermal choice.
Following and jumping the cloud streets I flew over familiar sites, two of which being Caffeine and Machine, (a car enthusiast’s dream place) and eventually the M40, whilst still using all the ground reference points to ensure my electronic nav kit was in fact taking me to Bicester.
Eventually after only 50 minutes I found myself approaching the turn point, shortly after navigating around the restricted airspace in which skydivers would be jumping!
On my return leg I hit the most exhilarating part of the flight, I had just left Bicester and hit some tremendous lift which instilled the thought in my brain that the whole edge of this cloud street must be working so I pushed on, only to hit tremendous sink. I continued on to the next part of the street that looked remotely thermic but – more sink!
I made the decision to turn back to the lift I had previously encountered, as by this point I had already lost 1600ft and was down to 2500ft. Staring deeply at the cars whizzing down the M40 I climbed back to 4300ft and continued the flight where I managed to fly at 90Kts down a cloud street whilst holding my altitude. I was back into familiar territory and proceeded to fly towards the finishing line.
It was so rewarding and exhilarating to think I had flown over 100km without an engine! With this thought in my head I continued to fly for another 3 hrs, where I got to see hang gliders, hot air balloons, helicopters and other light aircraft! Just after landing I opened the canopy and heard ‘Well done Ben’ as some of the members congratulated me on my flight from the glider they had landed just before me.
Overall, I flew for 5 hours, 6 minutes achieving all of my Silver C Badge and part one of my 100K Diploma.
It was a great day and I encourage anyone who has the slightest interest in either taking up gliding or progressing to cross country standard to go for it!
Its awesome!!
We had a fantastic flying day on Sunday which was the first day of meteorological Autumn.
Members were on site getting the ground equipment out from 0800. The morning briefing was packed with club members as well as visiting pilots from other clubs. It became apparent at the briefing that there were a lot of instructional flights required as well as trial-lessons and check-flights.
The instructor team had their work cut out for them and all three two seaters (2x K21, 1x K13) saw full utilisation throughout the day.
Catherine J, a former member and now visiting pilot based at Portmoak, Scotland volunteered to start as launch point marshal for us. With ruthless efficiency she got a high launch rate and kept the instructional flights in order. In fact, she spent very nearly the entire day organising launch operations, achieving 57 launches by the end of the day.
The actual soaring conditions, as so often has been the case in the summer season were mixed. We had a solid wind of around 20 knots aloft combined with thermals, showers, blue holes and sometimes good cumulus. The occasional passing shower mostly went around us.
A couple of intrepid pilots planned and launched on short cross country flights but despite their best efforts had to fly back to Snitterfield without having completed due to cross-country conditions. At least they tried!
The last two launches were Stratford’s based K21 trainers on member’s mutual flights. Initially scratching away over the winch, both gliders climbed away together, ultimately attaining over 3,000feet in height after 1800 in what was, by then, somewhat calmer air.
The last K21 landed well after 1830 local to end what was a very productive flying day.
We had four more flying achievements in February this year…
Junior glider pilot Ben L converted onto the club’s Astir CS77 G-FECO which is his first retractable-undercarriage and ballast-capable sailplane type.
John H converted onto the club’s LS4 G-DEMG.
David R converted onto the club’s SZD Junior G-CHDB.
David P re-soloed with us at SoAGC in K-13 G-DCBW.
Well done to all of our pilots!
At the end of February, Stratford Junior Sailplane Pilot Charlie W flew his first solo in K13 G-DCBW.
Charlie was cleared for his first solo sailplane flight by senior full-cat instructor Andy S.
Well done Charlie!
On Thursday 21st February, Barry P flew his first glider solo flight at Stratford on Avon Gliding Club.
Barry was cleared for his first solo flight by senior Stratford full-cat instructor Allan W in K-13 G-DCBW.
Well done Barry!
On Sunday, junior glider pilot Ed F flew solo for the first time at Stratford on Avon Gliding club making him the youngest solo pilot in the country!
Ed was tested and authorised for his first solo by full-cat instructor Barry K. Ed flew Stratford’s K13 G-DCBW twice as club members looked on.
While powered aircraft pilots must wait until the age of 16 to fly solo, UK glider pilots can begin learning when they are 13 years old and fly solo at the age of 14.
Well done Ed!
The CAA has notified the updated frequencies to be used by glider traffic from 3rd January 2019.
The original frequencies and their updated frequencies are as follows:
| Original Frequency | NEW FREQUENCY | Primary Use | Secondary Use | Max use level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 129.975MHz | 129.980MHz | Common Glider Field Frequency As a situational awareness/control frequency within a 10 NM radius and up to a height of 3,000 ft above certain approved airfields. | FL40 | |
| 118.685MHz | Common Glider Field Frequency 2 As a situational awareness/control frequency within a 10 NM radius and up to a height of 3,000 ft above certain approved airfields. | FL40 | ||
| 130.100MHz | 130.105MHz | Situational Awareness | Competition Start/Finish | FL40 |
| 130.125MHz | 130.130MHz | Cross Country Training | Competition Start/Finish | FL40 |
| 130.400MHz | 130.535MHz | Cloud Flying | Other Situational Awareness | FL100 |
| 129.900MHz | 129.905MHz | Ground To Ground (Ground Retrieval Purposes Only) | Para/Hang-Glider | FL40 |
| 129.890MHz | Coaching | FL40 | ||
| 130.405MHz | Coaching | FL40 |
The Diversion & Distress frequency 121.5MHz will remain permanently on 25kHz spacing.
Also, a reminder that our neighbours at EGBW Wellesbourne have already made the change from 124.025MHz to their new 8.33kHz frequency 124.030MHz.
Our nearest neighbour Gliding Club, Bidford is now on 118.685MHz.
Safetycom is now 135.480MHz.
A quieter day than usual, Saturday saw many pilots away at the Bidford Regional gliding competition.
Those pilots that arrived at Snitterfield however had a purpose in mind.
Soon after her check ride, Emily launched in the SZD Junior attempting both her 2 hour bronze duration and her FAI Silver height gain.
The Silver height gain achievement requires a climb of 1000 meters (3281 feet) above the lowest point recorded on a flight logger after the glider’s launch.
Emily succeeded in gaining her height gain during the day’s early soaring conditions and stayed up to complete her 2 hour soaring duration for her Bronze endorsement.
Emily’s father Ed also wanted his Silver height gain and launched in his current favourite glider the club’s Standard Astir. Ed had difficulty contacting the lift initially. He came back for a couple of relights but kept trying for the goal.
The third launch got him away with a solid climb taking him toward his height gain but also on a task around local turnpoints totaling 43km. Once Ed completes his Bronze Cross-Country Endorsement , he will be able to fly further afield in the club’s gliders.
Later in the day, Emily also flew through a series of checks of her general handling and launch failure handling with senior Stratford instructor Steve F to clear her ‘off checks’.
All new solo pilots at Stratford are required to complete at least 20 days of check-flights with instructors each flying day before they can fly solo. Once the check days are completed, the pilot can be considered for the ‘off-checks’ test. If they meet the required standard, they will be signed off and will be able to fly solo on subsequent days without a check flight subject to conditions and the duty instructor’s discretion.
Later that weekend, with a shortage of winch drivers at Snitterfield, newly qualified winch driver Ed was pressed into service as a fully-fledged cat 1 winch driver which includes daily inspection, towout and set up of our 340bhp Skylaunch 2 winch.
Sunday was a busy, hot and tricky day.
It was possible that the soaring conditions would develop well so a number of private gliders turned up at the west-end launchpoint along with the busy club flying fleet.
The club’s LS4 was back online and flying thanks to Barry as well as the in-demand SZD Junior. The actual soaring conditions were limited with no well-defined cumulus and top cover moving over the sun at intervals.
Team Kerby & Kerby in Duo Discus 666 optimistically tasked out to the south-west, hoping to get some practice in before the Bidford Regionals. They had to abort somewhere out past Bidford when it became apparent that staying aloft was the hardest task.
One fairly reliable line of energy was present beginning near the village to the east of the field and extending past the south edge of the field.
At one point, pretty well all of the private gliders and flying club aircraft occupied the same thermal just to the south of the field. Iain R captured some brilliant photos of this gaggle while flying as a passenger in DG500 “LSL”. For the pilots, good lookout was paramount!
Achievements wise, Bob made a heroic attempt at his Brone 2 hours duration but the lift didn’t quite play ball. Other members undertook their annual refresher flying to ensure their flying skills are maintained at the required standard through 2018.