Tag Archives: juniorgliding

Junior Glider Pilot Elliott converts onto the Astir

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Well done to Stratford junior sailplane pilot Elliott who converted onto our Astir CS-77 single-seater G-FECO on Sunday.

Elliott who flew his first solo flight in April this year has since been flying our K13, K21s and SZD Junior club gliders. The Astir presents a more advanced, higher-performance, 15 meter glider with water ballast systems and retractable undercarriage.

The Astir has good cross country performance and is often the type that our members will fly their first cross-country solo flight after gaining the BGA Bronze with cross-country endorsement.

Elliott will now be working towards the full Bronze so he can fly the Astir cross-country next season and also convert onto the club’s LS4.

Well done Elliott!

Junior Glider Pilot Jenna Goes Solo

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Congratulations to our newest solo glider pilot at Stratford on Avon Gliding Club, Junior member Jenna D!

We had a tricky start to the day on Sunday with a low cloud base and north-easterly wind so we didn’t get flying properly until the early afternoon.

Once the low overcast lifted and we began flying, senior Stratford instructor Mike C put Jenna through some simulated launch failures and flying skills tests to ensure her readiness.

Mike then authorised Jenna for her first solo flight, in Stratford’s K21 G-CLVU!

Launching on the winch, Jenna climbed to altitude and flew on her own as pilot in command of an aircraft for the first time!

Then, rejoining the circuit, she flew back and performed a perfect landing on ’09’ at Snitterfield.

Jenna was then given a second solo launch for consolidation.

The smile afterwards said it all! 😀

Flight Photography: Anastassia / David

Stratford on Avon Gliding club is a Junior Gliding Centre offering a range of programs and opportunities for young pilots aged 14-26 to take part in sport aviation at discounted cost.

Jenna will now begin to work towards her ‘Bronze’ flying certificate and ultimately her Sailplane Pilot Licence.

Well done Jenna!

Junior Glider Pilot Elliot Goes Solo

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On Thursday, Junior sailplane pilot Elliot flew his first solo flight in a glider launched from Stratford on Avon Gliding club.


Elliot, who has been learning to fly at Snitterfield Airfield, launched on the winch in K13 G-DCBW and promptly went off for a 30 minute soaring flight above the Warwickshire countryside.

Stratford on Avon Gliding club is a Junior Gliding centre offering a range of programs and opportunities for young pilots aged 14-26 to take part in sport aviation at discounted cost.

Well done Elliot!

14 year old pilot Kai goes solo at Stratford on Avon Gliding Club!

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14 year old junior glider pilot Kai flew his first solo flight at Stratford on Avon Gliding Club on bank holiday Monday!

Kai is our fourth junior glider pilot to go solo at Stratford on Avon GC in August!

https://www.facebook.com/StratfordOnAvonGlidingClub/videos/332592211216355/

Kai was put through his paces on bank holiday Monday morning by senior Stratford flight instructor Barry K who then cleared him to launch in K13 G-DCBW on his first solo flight as pilot in command!

Kai flew his first solo just over five years after his older brother Jesal first flew solo with us. He was greeted on landing back at Snitterfield by his father, an airline pilot himself. Aviation clearly runs in the family!

Well done Kai!

Junior Glider Pilot Tom Goes Solo At SoAGC!

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Congratulations to Stratford’s junior glider pilot Tom who flew his first solo flight in K13 glider G-DCBW on Saturday at Stratford on Avon Gliding Club!

https://www.facebook.com/StratfordOnAvonGlidingClub/videos/1005155413239423/

Tom was checked out and cleared for solo by Stratford’s Deputy CFI Pete F.

Tom’s parents were on hand to watch as he flew a brief soaring flight followed by a great landing back at Snitterfield!

Well done Tom!

Junior Glider Pilot Matthew goes Solo

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On Sunday, junior glider pilot Matthew S flew his first solo flight from Stratford on Avon Gliding Club!

Matthew was checked and cleared for his first solo by senior instructor and club chairman Andy B.

https://www.facebook.com/StratfordOnAvonGlidingClub/videos/222732865708062/



Matthew had a brief soaring flight in K13 G-DCBW before landing back at Snitterfield to be congratulated by his dad.

Well done Matthew!

Junior Glider Pilot Archie Achieves Silver

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On Monday, junior glider pilot Archie L completed his FAI Silver badge flying from Stratford on Avon Gliding Club.

The FAI Silver badge requires that a sailplane pilot complete:

A soaring flight of 5 hours duration.
A cross-county flight of at least 50km from the point of release.
A height gain of at least 1000m above the previous lowest point.

Archie’s Silver flight log


Archie achieved all three of these goals on a flight which took him south-east to Bicester airfield before returning to Snitterfield.

As well as completing all three silver legs for a single claim in one flight, the out-and-return distance of ~107km also qualifies for the UK 100km Diploma part 1.

This on a day where conditions meant some of our advanced cross-country pilots were unable to complete their own cross-country tasks.

Well done Archie!

Ben E completes Silver + 100km Diploma

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Yesterday, junior glider pilot Ben E completed his FAI Silver badge plus his UK 100km Diploma parts 1 & 2 during a flight from Stratford on Avon Gliding Club.

The Silver badge requires: A height gain of 1000meters or more, a duration flight of at least 5hours and a distance flight at least 50km from the launch site.

Ben had previously completed the height and duration requirements and yesterday finished the badge with a flight from Snitterfield to Nympsfield 68.5km away.

On arriving overhead Nympsfield, he flew back up to Snitterfield for a total task distance of 137km. This completed ‘leg 1’ of the UK 100km gliding diploma.

He completed the flight at a speed of 73kph which, calculated for the aircraft handicap gives a handicap speed of 68kph. This completes the second leg of the 100km diploma!

Three in one flight, Well done Ben!

Junior Pilots Ed F and Ben L convert onto new glider types

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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.

Ben L about to launch in Stratford’s LS4

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.

https://www.facebook.com/StratfordOnAvonGlidingClub/videos/507448869830537/