Sailplane & Gliding 1966 - Lakes Gliding Club

his by going to 8,000 ft. in cloud. Cloud
flying has since beeome fashionable,
and it has been proved that wave is not
the only means of going high at Portmoak.
Chas. Morgan has been teaching
instrument flying at 11 ,000 ft. in one of
the T -49's, and Alan Milne, one of the
current keen batch of Swallow pilots,
went to 7,000 ft. for Silver height. Graham
Smith reached 8,000 ft. one evening,
and was back on the deck in 15 minutes
from take-off.
Latest shape in the Scottish skies is
the Glennie-Docherty Dart 17R, which
was promptly entered in the Western
Regionals. Another competition-minded
member is Frank ReilIy, who took the
Skylark 3 to Camphill for the Northerns.
We must congratulate the Fulmar club
on gaining the first Gold distance to be
flown in Scotland.
B. M.
SOUTH WALES
W • ITH the arrival of a rebuilt Tutor
we will have five glide" - all
different - on the site. Our four-cylinder
retrieve wincR continues to pre~nt the
launch end with a cable every five
minutes, much to the amazement of all
the members, including those who rebuilt
it. Our thanks go to them.
The canopied T-21 is doing sterling
work in turning out solo pilots - no
less than three in one day recently.
Further up the flying ladder we have
earned our first Silver C and Gold C.
The would-be five hour pilots are
positively looking forward to winter
when we shall be flying at a new ridge
site north of Newport facing S.B. With
a hill rising to 1,500 ft. from sea level
let's hope we sample enormous lift, lots
of five-hour flights and occasional wave.
Our tirst ever week's course was a
huge success with 130 launches totalling
17 hours flying time in spite of torrential
rains. I. H. S.
STAFFORDSHIRE
T
HE 4i:oincidence of the soaring
weather with week-cnds has been
very poor recently and no notable flights
have taken place since May. While
waiting for thermals many members
have been taking advantage of the Cap--
408
stan to get in conversion checks, aerobatic
training, simulated field landings
and Bronze C flying tests. Bronze Cs
are now held by five members.
John Everitt reported favourably on
the members of the instructors cours~
and the two senior members of it are
preparing to take their category tests.
Gordon Hudson has recently been
awarded his category so the percentage
of categorised instructors is likely to
rise steeply in the near future.
The further increase in the price of
petrol is providing the necessary stimulus
to change to diesels and a diesel
Land Rover has been acquired. The
diesel winch is also operating whenever
the demand for launches is high.
A. W. H. L. W.
SURREY
T
HIS bas not been a summer of great
flights, and great events. If ever
glider pilots needed an excuse to escape
to happier climes, this appalling season
has certainly provided it. All soaring
activity has, declined, and the crop of
Silver and Gold legs has indeed been
pitiful.
There have been some notable flights,
however. Brennig James climbed to
18,000 ft. and J. Barrows to 23,000 ft.
late one Friday evening, in cu-nims.
Of our entries in the Nationals, the
highest placed was the team of David
Kerrfdge and Peter James, who were
placed I1 th in League 2. They also became
winners of the Kemsley Cup. Our
entry at the Western Regionals was
placed fourth, and at the Northerns.
eighth. The performance at rain-soaked
Dunstable was 'SOmewhat more modest.
Notwithstanding, plans are still being
made for the future. Some members are
taking an aircraft to the Long Mynd
in September. A visit to PortmQak is
possible, while a visit with glider to
sunny South of France has been considered.
A. R. I.
WORCESTERSHIRE
N
OTES from the Worcestershire club
have not appeared on these pages
for some time. This is not because there
has been little to report, but rather that
things have been changing quickly