The C1 course at NH was rearranged from the beginning of April to the end. What a bit of luck that turned out to be!
Congratulations to Stewart Henshall - Silver distance with the Club open on a Friday (Mark Courtney)
Cast your minds back to your first day at big school, we also gathered in the “big room” and waited for everyone to arrive. Whilst we waited for the “late students” arrival there was barely a sound, “teachers” at the front, glancing at their watches, helpers at the back, fidgeting, eager to get going.
As for the Students that read the email correctly and were on time, they simply looked downwards, nervously clutching their satchels. When the stragglers arrived (they got 100 lines) we did the usual introductions. We had previously got everyone's wishes and previous experience via email so Steve and I could formulate a plan.
There was a great mix of experience and expectations this year, some wanting bronze qualifications, some wanting currency flights, some returning to NH after a few years gap, thankfully there seemed to be no bossy boots in the group, unlike MY first day at “big school”!
From the very first flights on the Monday the conditions were good, as the day wore on they were fantastic.With long flights everyone made incredible progress, it just shows there is no substitute for time in the air. By the end of day one, all the students were playing together, one even gave teacher an apple (thanks Sandy)
Day two and it was a slow start which enabled Steve and I get our step count for the entire week before lunch performing cable breaks.
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| Stockland Mast (Mark Courtney) |
After lunch the sky exploded with energy, Spot the gliders revealed what seemed like hundreds of gliders all over Devon and Cornwall, students had trips to Axminster and as far as Tiverton west.
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| Still climbing 5900ft AMSL (Mark Courtney) |
Wednesday was soarable, and BITTER cold at the west end, by now the students were becoming new best friends with each other and were plotting all sorts of mischief!
Thursday was the worse day of the week soaring wise and still as cold as January! The club members operated seamlessly with the course and I wish to thank them for their help, and also their friendliness to the non-club members on the course. We all had to be on our best behaviour because as we all know every Thursday the headmistress is on site……..We still achieved a full and packed training day with everyone making rapid progress.
Last day, Gordon H, Mike M and Dave P gave the course members who were also NH members a ground school secession, the two non members helped Steve and I set up at the west, ( AGAIN) taking several walks to get the fleet ready for when the extra curricular teaching had finished.
Fatigue of the legs was setting in, my new Apple Watch even suggested that there may be a fault in the stepcount monitor because “it ain’t recorded me walking that much before 10 am before!”
Another fantastic soaring day, Stewart Henshall arrived at the club, rigged HMS and set off to Glastonbury returning after a couple of hours with his 50k Silver distance complete.
By this stage of the course Lizzie had, re soloed in the K21 and re-aquainted herself with the Junior, exceeding her original goal of “just getting back into the saddle”
James Dyke made huge progress towards solo and proved to be a fast learner! Many boxes were ticked during the week, his progress was not fast tracked as suggested because of his ability to pull suitable snacks out of his school satchel during the afternoons.
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| James Dyke enjoyed a trip to Tiverton (Mark Courtney) |
Sandy and Chris Woodward also wanted to “get current” with instructional flights all week, they far exceeded that, both enjoyed long solo flights in the Juniors and many launches, both have now got their red cards back and are ready for the season.
Andrew Pickerell at times had Steve to himself because Lizzie, Sandy and Chris were all flying solo, this enabled him to work through the training card, his last flight of the week saw him do a textbook circuit and perfect landing! Well done Andy!!
James Lambert a visiting pilot from our friends at Mendip Gliding Club came to NH with the primary objective of getting his spinning done in the Perkoz, Mendip as well as other clubs are unable to fulfil this because of the K13 advisory ref spinning. Anything else towards his Bronze was to be a “bonus”. He completed his Bronze by Wednesday morning so enjoyed the rest of the week flying locally in the K21, Junior and Perkoz.
The most enjoyable course we have ever run, made possible by the fantastic weather but also made possible and easy by our fantastic team of helpers, who, at times went way beyond the call of duty.
Steve and I would also like say a special thanks to Pete Startup, who drove from home not once, not twice, but three times to fix the wheels and tyres on various aircraft, enabling us to continue to fly with the full fleet.
What a sport, what a club, what a course!
Weather booked for the same time next year, please note however any students arriving late WILL be reported to the headmistress, an apple every day for teacher is not a requirement but could aid your progress. - Mark and Steve.
