SoAGC congratulates our newest solo pilot: Richard Z!

On Sunday, we congratulated our newest solo sailplane pilot, Richard Z!

Richard is one of our most enthusiastic flying members and he spent part of the day flying with senior instructor Barry K to assess his readiness.

Sunday provided good training weather a with moderate easterly wind and little by way of thermal activity.

Once Richard had been fully checked-out, Barry authorised him for his first solo in Stratford Gliding Club’s K-13 G-DCBW!



Richard’s first solo flight was well flown and finished with a lovely landing. So, after congratulations from Barry and the members on the airfield, he was sent on a second, consolidating solo flight.



Well done Richard!

Step-up Sunday – 22/4/18 Flying Report

68 launches and a raft of achievements for Stratford on Avon Gliding Club pilots.

Late on Saturday night, a few members had made their way back up to the club from the Snitterfield Arms and witnessed a spectacular light-show in the form of large storm cells passing over the field. The inevitable downpour that accompanied them set the scene for the field conditions the next day.

 

While the airfield had been drying fairly well, the situation on Sunday morning was a bit hit and miss. We could tow two cables directly to the launchpoint but the landing area was alternately firm and completely unstable depending on where you went.

The worst bits were coned off and with a very solid turn-out of members on the flying list, we began flying.

There was a little light rain around for a while but nothing we couldn’t work around. The post-frontal sky wasn’t particularly orderly but there was lift to be had with several pilots going off soaring early on in both the two seaters and the single seaters.

An early achievement flight was had by Ed who despite having flown most of the glass fleet had never solo’d a wooden glider. He launched solo in vintage K13 G-DCBW after a couple of check rides with Allan R.

Ed solo's his first vintage glider type

Club member Ed who has flown several 'glass' sailplane types and converted onto our Astir on Saturday, solo'd his first vintage glider type on Sunday.Ed flew solo in vintage K13: G-DCBW.#pilotlife #vintagegliding #aviation #sailplanes

Posted by Stratford on Avon Gliding Club on Monday, 23 April 2018

This adds to Ed’s achievement on Saturday when he moved onto his second single-seat sailplane type, the club’s Astir CS77.

Other pilots were getting their hand in both remembering how to or learning how to thermal depending on their experience level. The lift conditions were cycling frequently giving many opportunities.

Along with the whole club fleet, two private LS4s and a DG 300 were rigged and flown.

Next up for achievements was Ben E converting onto the club’s LS4 G-DEMG. 15 year old Ben flew his first glider solo with us on his 14th birthday and had flown both the club’s SZD Junior and the Astir as well as a few high performance two-seaters.

Junior Glider Pilot Ben E converts onto the LS4

Also on Sunday, 15 year old junior glider pilot Ben E converted onto Stratford on Avon Gliding Club's LS4 G-DEMG.Ben who solo'd with us on his 14th birthday is looking forward to being able to fly solo cross-country at the age of 16.#pilottraining #gliderpilot #sailplanes #juniorgliding

Posted by Stratford on Avon Gliding Club on Monday, 23 April 2018

Ben took several launches including soaring flights in the LS4 and commented that it is a fantastic aircraft to fly. 😎

With a number of pilots looking for field-selection practice, Mike took the club’s TMG for a short flight to test the field conditions but unfortunately it wasn’t quite firm enough for two-up use at the moment.

After briefing by instructor Mike, 15 year old junior glider pilot Emily converted onto the club’s Junior. Flying with us since the age of 13, the SZD 51-1 Junior is Emily’s first single-seat sailplane type.

Junior Glider Pilot Emily converts onto the Junior

Another first on Sunday was 15 year old junior glider pilot Emily's first flight in a single seat glider.She converted onto Stratford on Avon Gliding Club's SZD 51-1 Junior. Emily who started gliding with us at the age of 13 had several flights in the Junior including thermal soaring. 8-)#juniorgliding #pilotlife #aviation #sailplanes

Posted by Stratford on Avon Gliding Club on Monday, 23 April 2018

Hard to be sure if she liked flying single seaters as she took several launches and an extended soaring flight in an apparent effort to make up her mind 😉

Richard H also converted onto the club’s LS4 on Sunday. Having flown the rest of the fleet, Richard now has the LS4 available to him for local and cross-country soaring flights. The LS4 allows cross-country endorsed pilots to develop their task flying skills and also allows for competition flying.

Richard H converts onto Stratford's LS4

On Sunday, member Richard H converted onto Stratford on Avon Gliding Club's LS4. The all-composite LS4 is a high performance single-seat sailplane which allows cross-country development and competition flying for club members of Stratford on Avon Gliding Club.#pilottraining #competition #racing #aviation

Posted by Stratford on Avon Gliding Club on Monday, 23 April 2018

For pre-solo junior glider pilot Jenna, landings finally ‘clicked’ and she felt she’d made real progress flying with instructor Mike. Onwards to first solo!

The launch rate was steady throughout the day with few hold-ups. After 68 launches and a very long day, we were starting to feel it a bit but the enthusiasm for flying and the progress made by our pilots made it worth it!

Ben Converts onto the Astir.

14 year old glider pilot Ben E has converted onto Stratford on Avon Gliding Club’s Astir single-seater today.

Ben, who went solo only ten months ago on his 14th birthday at Snitterfield recently spent a week crewing for another Stratford junior pilot at the UK Junior Nationals competition at Nympsfield.

Already flying the two seaters and the SZD Junior single seater, the Astir is Ben’s first serious cross-country capable aircraft with retractable undercarriage and water ballast systems.

Ben will be able to enter cross-country competitive flying himself when he turns 16 and completes his Silver C. In the mean time, he will be able to work towards his Bronze Endorsement / Licence.