February – March 2009
Live your dreams – whether it’s buying your first brand new glider or finally achieving a flight that’s eluded you for 50 years, we’ve got the tales to tell in the February-March issue of S&G.
When Derren Francis heard about a new Schempp-Hirth 18m/15m racing ship with a jet engine, he knew he just had to have one. Visiting the factory to see the first production Ventus-2cxa, Derren says he lasted a full five minutes before turning into a kid in a sweetie shop. Our cover shot, by Damien Dyer, shows Derren flying near Bicester.
S&G’s armchair pilot, Anthony Edwards, had a longer wait to fulfil his dream – 50 years! Winch launched by his son Thomas, Anthony finally achieved his ambition at Cross Fell with a flight that was a real family affair.
John Roche-Kelly seized the moment when the perfect soaring day came along, enabling him to end a personal gliding crisis that had him despairing of ever flying cross-country again. His was one of four first 300km Gold distance/Diamond goal flights achieved by Tibenham members that day.
Others chose to leave the UK weather behind to experience gliding in countries such as Spain, Argentina and Australia. Fed up with the weather putting paid to his attempts to convert from power flying to gliding, Lance Cole took off Down Under for three months touring in Australia as the gliding equivalent of a ‘surf bum’.
Also in this issue: BGA Chairman Patrick Naegeli gives an update on the Mode S debate, reminds us that there is more to gliding than regulation and reveals some of his hope for the year ahead. BGA Chief Executive Pete Stratten brings us up to date onairspace safety education and airworthiness issues. In a follow-up to attracting new members, BGA Development Officer Alison Randle looks at some tried and tested solutions to hanging on to those hard-won members. Gavin Wills is back with the second part of his feature – read this to discover how understanding wave shapes can make for successful cross-country flights. Don Puttock highlights the importance of keeping the wings level in those first few seconds of a winch launch from “all out” to getting airborne. Afandi Darlington gets the inside story on the JS1 Revelation in an interview with Uys Jonker. Douglas Every took a creative approach to making light work of towing a glider. There’s a report from Charlie Jordan on the 11th UK Mountain Soaring Championships and more stunning pictures for you to feast your eyes on in S&G’s Gliding Gallery.
Safe flying and may all your dreams come true!
Susan Newby
Editor, Sailplane & Gliding
Southdown GC secures tenure
Chairman Craig Lowrie reports on the club’s purchase of Parham Airfield, a process that has secured a long-term future and scope for Southdown’s development
Keep your members (sweet)
You’ve put the effort in attracting new members, but how are you going to hang onto them? BGA Development Officer Alison Randle looks at some tried and tested solutions
Tackling the weakest link
Concerned by increasing numbers of weak link failures, Burn GC decided to try the Winch Launch Assistant. Bill Thorp reports on the club’s findings
Wave shapes – part two
In the second part of his feature, Gavin Wills shares more observations on complex wave patterns and shapes
Buying a work of art
It’s not every day that you buy a brand new glider (particularly in these credit crunch times) but when Darren Francis visited the Schempp-Hirth factory to view the first production Ventus-2cxa, he was the proverbial kid in a sweetie shop
Making light of towing
Douglas Every’s invention makes light work of towing a glider. His alternative towing-out bar arrangement avoids having to lift the tail of the glider
Aboyne’s peak performers
Charlie Jordan reports from the 11th UK Mountain Soaring Championships. This year the Regionals scoring system was used for the first time, a move which allowed the little ships to close the gap in a hard-fought comp
Cross Fell – a 50-year odyssey
S&G’s armchair pilot Anthony Edwards climbs back into the cockpit to realise a 50-year-old ambition at Cross Fell with a flight that was a real family affair
The other Australia – part one
Escaping 2008’s wet British weather, Lance Cole took off ‘Down Under’ to explore an alternative Australian aerial adventure
Super soaring in Spain
Peter Clay reveals the attraction of Spain’s Fuentemilanos airfield – a convergence that sets up on many days to give long flights without the need to stop and turn, with a cloudbase of up to 13.000ft above the ground
Please, don’t cry for me Argentina
John Williams returns from a trip to Argentina with just one hour in the log book, but with a wealth of information to stand him in good stead for the next trip
JS1 is a design revelation
Afandi Darlington talks to Uys Jonker to give us the inside story about the racer’s origins, designers, construction and performance.
Wing strike vs wing drop
In those first few seconds of a winch launch from “all out” to getting airborne, it is vital to keep the wings level. Don Puttock looks at how to avoid a potential disaster caused by a wing striking the ground
Cutting the umbilical ties
Just when John Roche-Kelly was despairing of ever flying cross-country again, along came the perfect soaring day and he was off…
Also in this issue:
BGA news; your letters; BGA update on airspace safety education and airworthiness issue; Tailfeathers; Gliding Gallery; obituaries; club gallery; club focus – Yorkshire; club news
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