Current Issue

An unexpected flight in the mountains with a gliding legend, and a five-minute flight that topped the BGA Ladder for a short while were both memorable for the pilots. Find out more in the Oct-Nov issue of S&G. There are reviews of another affordable glider, and valuable advice on how the different stages of a winch launch should be flown and the reasons why.

A two-week expedition to Sisteron gave Andy Benjamin his first taste of flying in the mountains. He says the experience was as overwhelming as it is addictive. A day on ground crew duties was interrupted by the offer of a flight with a gentleman unknown to Andy. He was about to refuse, due to his ground crew responsibilities, but Jamie Sage told him he must take the opportunity. And what an opportunity, as the pilot was none other than gliding legend Jean-Marie Clement! The level of knowledge and expertise Jean-Marie possesses dawned on Andy during a six-hour flight, but it was not until talking with friends over dinner that evening that he realised just who this person was and their contribution to the sport. It’s a flight that will no doubt remain in Andy’s top flights during his gliding career.

For a short time, Clare Johnston’s 8.9km flight from Portmoak lasting just over five minutes topped the BGA Ladder, sandwiched between a height gain of 7,277ft at Sutton Bank and a six-hour flight from Gransden. ”Second go at doing anything. Watch this space for more terrible local flights!”, ran the comments. Adrian Morgan was intrigued and asked Clare why she believes every pilot should be encouraged to upload their early attempts at cross-country. She says that even 50km is quite the scary starting point for a new pilot but you have to be proud of your own success. Clare plans to upload flights which indicate a significant improvement on the previous one and hopes to encourage others to do the same. There is no intimidation in being sandwiched between 500km as: “There’s no point in someone who plays in a Saturday afternoon 5-a-side football league comparing themselves with cup winners, so there’s no need for me to do this in gliding either”.

You can take your PIK with the latest focus on affordable gliders. The original PIK 20 was not a clone of the earlier German gliders, but a clean sheet with new design. It had an 80-degree flap/brake instead of conventional airbrakes – rather than having an airbrake lever, you turn a crank to lower and raise the brake flap. In Finnish production, customers had the option of ordering it in yellow, orange, blue and green. They were all painted with acrylic, so while a few may now have issues with blisters if stored in damp places, gel coat cracking cannot happen. PIK also made their own GRP trailers, which have proven very resilient with many still in use. PIK owners give their honest opinions on variations of this glider and conclude that it offers plenty of performance for your money.

The BGA Safe Winch Launching initiative in 2005 greatly reduced the number of winch launch fatalities and injuries by offering guidance on how to fly the launch and how to deal with launch failures. This advice has now been constant for 20 years and is a key component of flight training. Yet winch launch accidents have not been fully eradicated, misconceptions persist, and unsafe practices continue to be observed. The BGA Safety Team explains some of the techniques that mitigate winch launch hazards.

Also in this issue: There’s a report on how engaging with the public led to a media sensation. Jay Derrett takes advantage of ‘the glorious third’ to fly a first 300km task and make a badge claim. Diana King and Chris Fox report on the competition that’s for ‘smiles over miles’. Craig Lowrie reports on Southdown’s extensive evaluation of the EuroFOX 915 and the benefits to the club. Grimshaw discovers that things are not what they seem. Kevin Atkinson looks at gravitational flows. Mark Rushton reflects on a landout from hell. Mike Armstrong reports on the 30^th Camphill Vintage Rally. Andrew Jarvis investigates a 50-year time capsule. Alison Randle explores how a club works. Pete Stratten highlights what is going on in the background to help the magic happen. Plus, many more of your stunning images in the Gallery pages.

Fly safely and have fun