Sailplane & Gliding 1966 - Lakes Gliding Club

land is under consideration, as we are
still somewhat cramped when it comes
to operating aero-towing as well as
winch lines.
Clubhouse and outbuildings are also
being renovated, both outside and inside,
aDd many years of steady depreciation
is being reversed. We have yet to
find the cash to expand our launching
equipment, fleet and general ClUb facilities,
but a combination of the Wavs and
Means Committee, tipping, and a manager
with an eye for making money is
already bringing about a brighter picture
in the Club accounts.
M. P. G.
MIDLAND
ITH representation at the Nationals,
two entries at Nympsfield, one at
Camphill and tb,ree at the Dunstable
Regionals this season has seen wider
participation in comQetitions by Myndbased
syndicates. Congratulations to
Stephen Wills on his win at Camphill; a
particularly creditable performance
since he had little time to get to know
his new Dart 17R.
Our very best wishes to Alan Parkinson
and Elizabeth Alien, who were married
at Cheltenham on 30th July. Needless
to say the happy couple did not
escape the practical jokers assembled to
repay Alan for some of his oast deeds.
With guidance from the -local representative
of the Ministry of Agriculture,
those parts of the airfield which
have become entirely devoid of grass
are being reseeded. We are sure that
our efforts will be appreciated by the
Mynd sheep, although We are advised
~hat we Can also expect an improvement
In the drainage of the areas involved.
We are now feeling the benefit of the
new instructors produced by an Instructors'
Course run earlier this year.
Another variation in our course programme
was a course restricted to club
members. This was a success and will
~?ba~IY ,lead to further similar courses
mg Jncluded in next year's programme.
K. R. M.
OXFORD
JUS! p~~or to the start of our annual
fixmg .Fortnight" 'at the end of July
CUI,' Jntrepld winch builder Keith Plummer
and helpers rolled out'the trim little
green and yellow concoction with the
big heart and tWO drums of gleaming
cable. A number of runs were made
with tyres attached in order to watch
the functioning. With "all systems go"
the T-2l was launched with a noticeable
lack of grunts and moans from the new
B.M.C_ 3-litre engine which will cope
well with third gear operation even on
calm days. With only minor adjustments
and a drop more paint we sharl be
rather sorry to pension off the trusty
old V8 winch constructed by Ray Stafford
Alien nearly 20 years ago.
The "Fortnight" came and went with
flying possible on only half the days
and the abandonment of the task flying.
To dampen our enthusiasm even more,
on the last day the Olympia was inexcusably
too low to reach the airfield with
the result that a very late decision to
choose a suitable field caused it to bury
itself in a large hedge sustaining considerable
internal damage and a complete
break of the rear fuselage, laying
it up for the rest of the summer.
How important it is to keep a keen
lookout in cloud and observe the rules
of entry. John Gibbons, one of our instructors,
r.ecords a near miss in cloud
at 5,000 feet when a yellow apparition
passed acroSS his front leaving no alternative
but to loose height rapidly.
On the brighter side, we are pleased
to record that after several attempts
Tony Taylor is the first to fly his Silver
C distance on our new Skvlark 3F with
a good cross-country to Old Sarum.
C. J. T.
SCOTTISH
HERE has been a decline in ab-initio
T training during the past few months,
partly due to our best T·21 being absent
at Slingsby's, but the high-performance
side has been forging ahead, aided by
some splendid soaring weather. The
longest.·cross-eountry was, as usual, made
by Andrew Thorburn - to Stonehaven
and very nearly back - 200 km. However,
the club pundits have been startled
by Alistair Dick's second cross-country,
a 120 km. out-and-return to Arbroath ID
the 460. A number of 50 km. flights have
been made, in a variety of directions.
These included Silver distances by Jack
Melrose, and by your scribe, who did
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