The rain continues to soak the airfield with another day of 20+mm, not to mention the low-flying cloud / fog, but there were a few jobs to be done...
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| A sparkling Gator with the CFI (Simon Leeson) |
Mark Courtney and Simon Leeson gave the Gator some overdue loving care and attention with a full-clean valet.
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| A sparkling mower (Peter Smith) |
Similarly Peter Smith, John Borland, Tom Sides and James Hood teamed up and serviced and pressure-washed the airfield mower ready for those long warm days that surely must arrive soon. This will be the eighth year for the freshly sharpened original blades and hopefully they are good for a few more yet, similarly the drive belts.
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| James Hood the pressure washer (Simon Leeson) |
The Eagle AXJ components were returned to North Hill for preparation for painting and new trailer fettling.
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| AXJ ready for painting (John Pursey) |
In the Club Simulator, new member Josh Newland has flown more time in the simulator than in the air, Hans Jenssen capably flew round the Club 100kms Knowstone - North Tawton with support from Stewart Henshall and Pete Harmer - the sun always shines in Condor.
Hans' story
So like everyone else I'm suffering from an acute flying deficit. Correction, it's been going on so long I think it has become chronic. However, I concur wholeheatedly with the CFI's recommendation of using the sim to keep those skills alive and well. A bit of prodding from Mr Henshall had me up at the club on Saturday rather unprepared but with the intention of attempting a club 100 NH2 Knowstone North Tawton NH2. After a chat, entering the task into XC Soar and marking it on my chart, I was sat in the cockpit ready to go. For genuine jeapardy, the conditions were set to variable and the Q function disabled. Wind at 7kts from the NW so a reasonably "typical" NH day. The simulation started with a winch launch and of course having to find the first climb, which was dragging me into the Dunks Drop Zone (again, typical NH!) but after some messing about I got some height and made it to the start.
Setting off on track passing Tiverton to the north was relatively easy, with strong thermals keeping me well over 3000'AGL most of the time. Confirming what I could see with the chart was a useful exercise. Turning at the first turnpoint - Knowstone - SW towards Okehampton I could see Dartmoor to the south and Barnstaple to the west and flew on track using the compass and glancing at XC Soar to confirm. And there was the first big blue hole. I was high to start and could see a cloud in the distance somewhere near the next turnpoint so got some speed up and set off. I think The cloud was a little to the east of North Tawton so I did the turnpoint first and then went for the cloud, which surprise surprise didn't work very well. Still had some height to play with so circled in 2up 1down for a bit and assessed my options. Some better looking cloud roughly on track back to North Hill looked reachable so off I went. By this time I had a bit of an audience who were full of good ideas as to where the best lift might be so I changed my mind a couple of times about which way I was going- I'm sure that will resonate with many of you- If it's not voices from behind, it's voices from within! A couple of bitty sketchy weak thermals later I made a positive choice to go for a cloud that looked good to me, and it worked.
Hans - nearly home (Stewart Henshall)
I could see Tivvy and Cully by then and the west ridge in the distance. I was able to climb to a safe distance above final glide and then flew home. Phew.
I felt genuinely tense for much of the second and third legs and was proper knackered at the end. My first time flying cross-country, I appreciated being coached through it (thanks Stewart) and felt it is a tremendously useful way to prepare for the real thing. - Hans Jenssen
Meanwhile back In the Clubhouse, a small subcommittee convened to discuss succession planning. - ed mashup
