A new Hobby
Eventful periods and days in learning to fly
Ian Keyser
1989 onwards
Its all Margaret’s fault! Margaret is my wife and she has always said that she would love to fly light aircraft. A few years after we married I arranged a trial flight at Lydd airport on Romney Marsh but at the last minute she cancelled it saying it was too expensive. Some years later on her birthday I arranged a glider flight at Manston Airfield which she quite enjoyed but it was over too quickly.
During this period I had no desire to get into these flimsy looking aircraft, even the big shiny ones with four powerful engines inspired no confidence but in 1987 I met Lewis Footring. In 1984 I lost my balance, not fun as my life turned upside down and inside out! The world started spinning and was still doing so six months later. I still amazes me how the human body can adjust as very soon I was managing to do things for myself. It did not seem to matter that the images that I saw were continually moving my brain soon managed to compensate and allow me to reach out and pick up a moving object! Lewis moved down from Essex to take my job on Sealink ferries as a Radio Officer as I was forced into medical retirement.
Lewis purchased a caravan and moved onto our little caravan site while he house hunted. We had a common interest in Amateur Radio and soon became good friends. On and off over the years he had done gliding courses and had solo’d several times and then left the sport. He discovered Channel Gliding club only two miles up the road and started going again. I was in no fit state to do so, coupled with the fact that I was a little apprehensive, meant that I could stay at home.
Over the following years and with a great deal of support form Margaret I learnt to cope with my situation. Life had improved slowly as the spinning stopped leaving behind a continuous feeling of being drunken, severe tinitus, and having to pace myself if I was not going to have to retire to my bed to recover. This itself is rather interesting as I have since met others who suffer similar problems. If too much is done a feeling of total exhaustion overcomes me and I have to go to bed, the interesting thing is that I fall to sleep immediately and wake up with a start twenty minutes later feeling on top of the world. It is as if the brain turns off totally and that short sleep ‘resets’ it into normal operating mode!
What with Lewis talking about flying and seeing the gliders launching on a daily basis started me thinking about trying it one day then the inevitable happened. In 1989 Lewis and Marijka announced that they were taking their caravan to Aston Down Airfield in Glostershire and Lewis was doing some flying, why did we not come and try a mini course?
We arrived at Aston Down on the evening of the 11th Sept. It was a lovely Autumn week with almost perfect flying conditions. Light to moderate Southwest winds, blue skies and fluffy white clouds. On days we did not fly we went out and explored the area. Not together but in two cars and keeping in touch using our radios. If close we met for refreshments and exchanged reports on the area. The evenings were spent in the awnings chatting and sipping G and Ts, or whatever was left!
My first flight I nearly did not do! I was not at all happy with the idea of sitting in that small compartment being supported by a few flimsy tubes and fabric! But I got in and experienced my first launch. I do not remember the rest of the flight but on landing the only thing that I wanted to do was to go up again... I was hooked, hook, line sinker plus some more!
Margaret’s first flight at Aston was superb, up into a thermal and she had to ask to land after thirty five minutes! Unfortunately it was too long for her and the sickness feeling put her off. She tried again but she was not happy, the club were very good and allowed me to have her remaining two flights! Robin Atkinson took me for my first flight, the second and third with Trevor Wilson, the latter being in his T21. The final two flights were with Malcolm Gay
As usual with me, when I take a hobby up it becomes a focus until I have gone a long way to mastering it. Even then it is ever present on my mind, gliding has proved to be no exception. Over that winter Lewis and I decided that we would do a weeks course at Aston Down. We decided on Aston for many reasons. It is a superb open field with a mile long tarmac runway a very friendly core of club members who make you feel welcome as soon as you arrive, added to this it is situated in beautiful countryside. It was to be a boy's week out and we left the spouses at home to do their own thing.
There were five of us on the course, the three others were Anne-Marie Browne, Tony Wade, and Rod Davies. Right from the beginning we seemed to gel quite well. Our differing personalities complementing each other without generating any friction. By the middle of the week we were a good team working together recognising each others strengths and weaknesses.
First two days instructor were with Pete Kelly, a quiet round faced but not fat genial fellow who everyone immediately took to. His quiet voice in the glider was often difficult to hear for me with my hearing problem but on landing an intensive de-brief left you in no doubt where you had gone wrong
Anne Marie was about 28 years old, attractive with rather ‘girlish’ face who liked to be with men as friends but no interest in any other way as a certain dentist discovered when he tried!. Tony, a fun Yorkshireman, who it was impossible not to like and Rod who was a quiet chap who was always there but rarely added much to the conversation, that is not surprising though when you consider the rest of us, poor chap did not stand much of a chance!
Monday morning dawned overcast and miserable, was it going to be like this all week... we could only pray for a change. The weather was forgotten while we filled in the necessary paperwork and then started on the briefing. By lunchtime the clouds had risen and we got the gliders out. Reg showed us over then in meticulous detail and showed us how to DI a glider (Daily Inspection). I cannot remember who flew first but I would guess that it was Anne-Marie.
The latter part of the week was with Reg Gardner. An upright, thin and smart man even in his paint spattered flying suit! An excellent sense of humour and a very good instructor who put us all at ease. I would guess that he would be very attractive to the ladies and has an eye for them also!!! The week ended on a high note of flying the SF34... a plastic machine! and a Bergfaulk which feels big and heavy but a lovely performance with a tendency to bite.... later on that one! We had a total of 32 flights each, A very good week.
On returning home Lewis and I visited Channel Gliding Club and Kent Gliding Club. Channel had the advantage of being close at hand and open six days of the week but the disadvantage of only two K7’s. We could see that being a proprietary club it would be necessary for them to be in intensive use earning money from punters. Kent GC had the disadvantage of only flying three days of the week. We made the foolish mistake of opting for Kent GC!
The reason for the disillusionment of Challock was the fact that it consisted of two clubs in one. Those who have and those who have not.... Lewis and I fell into the latter category and so, although arriving at the ‘crack of sparrow fart’ often did not get into a glider until the evening. After only four visits in five weeks to Kent I forsook them and moved to Channel in November of 1992.
The winter of 1992 was WET! I had no flying for the December, January or February but made up for it in the next three months. During the April we had a call from Anne-Marie asking if we would be interested in another course at Aston Down, she had contacted the others and they were keen. It was fixed up to start on the 6th June.
The course started well but was marred when Tony’s new wife decided that she did not like it and wanted to leave. Bit sad really because they left without saying Cheerio (to me at least) but it did not ruin the week, just marred it, but that’s another story!
ooooooOOOOOooooo
The Briefing!
The sole purpose of this exercise is to scare the budding pilot before he has even go near a ‘plane!
On arrival at the club hose the budding pilots are huddled together and addressed by an experienced (?!) pilot, with a little luck he will be your instructor, but in many cases the instructor is busy teaching others who not so long before were sitting in that same small room.
Invariable the first thing that is said is to welcome you aboard and tell you how much you are going to enjoy yourself.... next is impressed upon you is the fact that gliding is a team sport, it takes five people to train one! There is the pupil (ab initio... why Latin is used I cannot comprehend, that died out 1500 years ago except for those who are masochists) the instructor, a signal man, a wing man and the most important the winch man.... no one goes anywhere without HIM.
You have come here to enjoy yourself and so far you have only been told how much work you are going to have to do... But that’s not the end of it, he’s now talking about how dangerous an airfield is, wings hitting people on the back of the head, fingers being pulled off by the rings..... cable breaks... and is it really true that the pupil sits in the front to give the instructor a soft landing it a crash?
Now its naught to 50kts in three seconds and climbing at 40 degrees, perhaps the ideas of soaring about the sky like a bird and nothing but a slight hiss of wind to disturb the peace is not what gliding is about.
Adverse yaw, stick and rudder together... AIRBREAKS.... even I know the only reason a plane flies is because the wings are travelling through the sky... I don’t want to stop them!
Oh well, here now so might as enjoy the day!
oooooOOOOOooooo
The buying of Magroo
The decision to buy Magroo was difficult! I found that I had spent over six hundred pounds in learning to glide in the previous year. On the notice board there was this K7/13 for sale for £6500 at Usk and Ron Armitage was very interested to have it as a club glider. The big problem was that he did not have the funds!
It was decided that if I bought the glider and leased it to the club the club would pay £600 and maintain it. In addition to this I would have access to the glider for one launch as near as possible on arrival on site and would be able to take the glider away on holiday for two weeks in the year.
Ron, Lewis, and I set off for Usk one Friday morning in the Audi on one of the most perfect gliding days, Blue sky with streets of clouds and a light SW wind. A real cross country day! It’s a long way to Usk, in excess of 200 miles, but with a stop at Bracknell for a coffee we got there at about midday. Magroo was out and waiting but the winch refused to start. In the end it was decided to take aero-tow and the Tug soon spluttered to life. Ron and I launched first to 2000 and had a pleasant flight but no thermal was found. The glider flew well, a noticeably lower role rate than a K7, but with the extra one foot wingspan perhaps the reason. Also the right wing dropped a bit in the stall, but not severe.
Ron and Lewis flew next and straight into a thermal while I sat on the ground emitting a slight green aurora. I chatted with he lads on the ground and tried to find out why they were selling the glider. It seemed that they had the two K13’s and members preferred to fly them.
When Ron and Lewis landed we went into a huddle and decided that providing that an old trailer that was lying round the back was included she was worth £6,000 with a full C of A, this was the deal offered. At first it was refused and they said not less than 6,250. I said no but we would go to the Pub for lunch and then come back in case they changed their mind.
Ron bought us a good lunch in the pub and we returned to the field an hour later. They were still discussing the deal in the clubhouse so we looked around the hanger. Finally they came out and accepted my offer. Talking to another member later it transpired that there was another individual arriving over the weekend but they thought a bird in the hand etc.!
She was ready in three weeks and we met Simon France at Bracknell. This was very convenient as he works there and cut out driving down to a very acceptable distance. He had brought it on their trailer and the following Friday Lewis and I towed it back to Bracknell for Simon to take back to Usk.
On the whole my agreement worked although getting the flight on arrival only happened twice which did annoy me a bit. Then came a week holiday at Aston Down and Ron was not happy that he was losing the glider, but it went! It was on this holiday that I realised in just what a bad condition the glider had allowed to deteriorate to.
I got the Engineer at Cotswold to look it over and give me a report and he came back not happy at all. The wet hanger that the glider had been stored in had caused the major problems and he advised me to take if off line on arrival home and do a good job on it to halt the deterioration.
On arrival home I asked Dave Wood, our engineer, to look at her and he echoed the report form Aston Down, it needed a lot of work. It was decided that I would have her at home and do the work myself as Ron did not seem at all interested in getting it done. There was still a month to go on the agreement but I told Ron that the work was starting now to make up for lost time.
The biggest problem was cleaning all the tube in the cockpit without damaging the fabric. I did this by cutting 1 mm ply templates to fit between the tubes and cleaned back to steel with emery. Very hard work cramped in the small space. Eventually the cockpit and as far back I could get was cleaned and repainted.
The next problem was a broken springier on the port side near the lifting handles, this was opened and I got Martin Bennet to come and splice in the new bit of spruce, a fantastic repair. The damage to the fabric was disguised by painting ‘2810’ over the patch.
The next problem was the paint work. It was showing signs of distress on the wings and tail -plane. I used the tail -plane as an experimental area and rubbed this down with wet and dry until the weave of the fabric just started to ‘ghost’ through. It was then repainted by hand with ‘Trucking’ paint. After rubbing down with ‘wet and dry’ and finishing with Feracla the result was very satisfying indeed. The wings created their own problem as over the years they had been over painted to an alarming extent. Where the water had penetrated it had run under the surface over the original primer and the whole surface came off. In places this paint was 3mm thick!! The majority of the top surface of both wings were completed, the undersides left for next year as they were in fair condition.
She was ready to fly again at the end of August 1994, but the weather was bad and she did not fly until the 3rd September for her checks. What a difference in her... even Ron had to admit she was a pleasure to fly! She was so quiet and responsive and could fly her down to 32 knots before buffet occurred, however she still tended to drop the right wing in the stall!
The first solo
After the months of getting permission to fly solo the day broke bright and sunny with a light north to Northeast wind. I arrived at the club early and started to get the gliders out and I told Ron that I wanted to solo that day! For days I had been doing cable breaks and recoveries from abnormal attitudes and I felt confident that I could get out of any stupid situation that I got myself into.
It was a busy day but Ron kept on having me in the aircraft doing high level breaks, low level breaks ... everything he could think of and then the inevitable happened, I did a bad landing. Not as bad as I have done but enough to be sure that I would not be doing the solo that day. On the tow back to the launch point I reflected what I had done wrong, I knew that on the round out I did not look down the field but remained looking at the ground with the resulting heavy landing. I did not lose control of the aircraft but that, coupled with the increasing wind I was sure was the end of the day. To confirm this Ron was walking up as break man by the canopy and not saying a word.
At the launch point Ron opened the rear canopy but instead of climbing in he was doing up the straps! Don’t break it and take note of the increasing wind’ were the only words he said.
To close the canopy without an instructor in the back for the first time is an uncanny experience, the cockpit seems very large and empty. Finish my checks with the airbreaks and look round the field, no aircraft in sight and the strip is clear. Every eye is on me as I lift my thumb for ‘All clear’. The signalman gives me a thumb so ‘up slack’. Wait... and wait... Mac has fallen asleep! All of a sudden a voice says ‘cable live’ and my heart jumps into my throat. Yes, I am ready for this... Two fingers up and call ‘all out’
With the brisk breeze were off the ground very quickly and I hold the nose down to gain height and speed, that looks about right and rotate. Speed still building 52..53... 55, a little more back pressure and the speed starting to drop ... 50 .....52. Now at 800 feet and climbing fast. still 50 knots and starting to porpoise so ease the stick. speed climbing fast now, 57... 58... 60 yep, nose down and pull off.... too late, Mac has chopped me off as the cable goes with a click and not the expected thump. Back on the stick to convert that speed to height and then level out at 35 knots. I’m up... altitude? 1200 feet and a big sigh.
Did I think it was uncanny to be alone in the cockpit? nowt as uncanny as this, I’ve really done it this time, I’m here alone and I HAVE got to do it myself!
Lets try a few turns, one to the left and then to the right... a thermal! tighten into the turn and up goes the speed, easy back on the stick to 40 kts and into 2 down.... widen the turn and Vario starts to rise, straighten and count to three and into the turn again..... it has worked 2 to 3 up for 360 degrees but now zero, no... minus 2.... widen the turn again and nothing! Oh well I’ll land, I want to get that over! Down wind leg and do my USTALL and it’s time to turn onto base... 400 feet so open the breaks a bit,.... it’s looking good. Now turn onto the strip and select my landing point. Down we go... round-out and a great landing.
I open the canopy and sit there thinking.... That flight was a mixture of total fear and total elation!
Ron would not let me go solo again that day, the wind was high and so was the adrenaline! A fabulous day never to be forgotten!
Silver at last!
Ian Keyser
The cold front went through on Saturday evening and all hopes were set on Sunday for the silver C distance flight. Sunday dawned bright and sunny with clear blue sky, but by ten o’clock it was obvious that it was over developing with a cloud base of 2000 feet. There was lift, but it was fragmented and difficult to hold. the distance flight was not to be.
Monday’s dawn was the same as the previous six weeks of dawns, clear with splurges of dissipated contrails. Nothing to inspire the budding silver ‘C’ holder who was getting frustrated at having completed the duration and height in those super gliding days six weeks ago. Work was calling as the monthly column in the radio magazine was a week overdue and the editor was expected to start screaming any time. Having got engrossed in the typing it came as a shock at lunchtime when Margaret interrupted to ask if I had noticed the sky. It was one of those perfect summer days, a clear ‘duck egg blue’ sky dotted with small tight clouds with flat bottoms.... the dash was on!
I arrived at the field to find only two people on courses and no club members. I chatted up one of the course members wives and got her to drive my car up the field towing Magroo. On arriving at the launch point a very slow and careful DI was done on the glider (yarboo!) and we were ready for the off. Cable all ready and the club red K7 at 500 feet starting a down wind landing. The next delay was the club yellow K7 lining up to land, all this while I see the best cloud I have ever seen drift down the field and overhead. Finally we’re off on a textbook launch, Mac keeping me dead on fifty up the wire until the nose is pulled down and then I let the speed build to sixty when she back released with a nice gentle click. Converted the speed for height and gained at lease fifty feet to 1300 feet and into 2 up!
It was a steady climb to 3,200 feet and cloudbase and the decision was made that this was the day to at least try for the distance. The wind was North at about 10 knots so Canterbury to the Northwest was the best bet and then Southwest on a downwind dash to Hastings. Good, if a little slow, dolfinning was made to the village or Bridge just to the south of Canterbury where a good thermal was found. This was smooth six up in times and got me to 3500 feet. Now the target was Ashford to the west across a blue hole. I dolfinned in anything less than 2 up I found and took the rest. Nothing was fantastic but I was making progress and Kent Gliding club was clearly visible to the north of Ashford and within reach whatever sink I encountered. My first real cross country and I needed all the encouragement I could muster.... Take it from me it is hard, very hard, to turn your back on the home field for the first time.
Ashford town provided the thermal I was looking for, a good solid four up which got me to 4000 feet to attempt the blue hole that had developed over the Marsh, but I could see that the sea breeze front had developed over Tenterden although I was still in a northerly breeze.
I do not really remember crossing that blue hole but the baro tells me that it was not bad at all, a steady loss of a thousand feet and then a small two up over T3enterden to just under 5000 and a street of cloud to the Southwest as far as I could see and a light Southwest wind on the ground. This was flying! Trimmed Magroo for fifty knots and dolfinned down the street taking the odd thermal on the way. Very soon Hastings was under my port wing and I knew I has done my silver ‘C’, but now to land. 5500 on the clock and a beautiful view of the countryside. Should I go onto Ringmer and land there but the map showed no rail service in the area and I had not arranged any ground crew to come for me. It was going to be necessary to tie the glider down and come back for it in the morning.
Two miles to the east of Battle a long field was selected as the best looking place with farm buildings at the end. Then I noticed a shape that could have been an aeroplane under covers. My monocular showed that was what it was.... a little airfield just right for me.
I pulled the airbreaks and circled the field noticing what looked like a small dip at the Northeast end of the strip. I was over the boundary at 150 feet and then realised just how deep that little dip in the strip was. Too late now so I put her down on the flat just prior to the down hill slope (which felt like a 1 in 6!) and came to rest half way up the other side.
The field turned out to be Cole aviation at Sedlescome and I could not have experienced any better welcome than I got! Rope to tie her down, help to do so and the use of the phone to tell those back home that I had landed safely!
A taxi to Battle station and then home on the train to a little celebration with friends who were staying with us. It was only a little celebration, the fact that we went for a three mile walk at midnight dressed in Cassocks had no significance whatever!
oooooOOOOOooooo
Keep your loved one dry and warm!
Ian Keyser
Anyone reading S & G for the first time could easily come to the conclusion that glider pilots are a load of well heeled boffins, however the initiated know that the vast majority of pilots are wondering where the next launch fee is coming from! To be fair on S & G however we have our fair share of humorous articles as well as some real gems like Ray’s ‘Psychology’ article in the April/May edition. I really liked that article, it said what we all guessed but added and air of authority coming from a ‘full cat.’
My other hobby is amateur radio, a hobby which is heavily loaded with D.I.Y merchants hence I am a firm believer in the motto ‘making saves money’, and that leads onto this article. I had been trying to find waterproof covers for my K7/13 with no success. I needed them as I wished to keep it rigged during the summer, and if you’ve ever rigged a 7/13 you know why!
During the spring I had used cheap plastic tarpaulins from builders merchants but these were not long enough and it was necessary to use two per wing and plenty of lashings to keep the rain out. These four, plus one for the fuzz. and another for the tail came to a healthy bill but succeeded in keeping the aircraft perfectly dry. A chance opening of ‘Exchange and Mart’ at the gardening pages exposed pond liners at silly prices. A chunk of liner 28 feet by 30 feet for £54 sounded about right as two wing covers could be cut out and leave adequate to cover the fuzz. and tail. A little work and a few eyelets and life would be a lot easier.
When the liner arrived it was opened and spread on the grass. I had already cut up one of the old tarpaulins and checked the overhang at leading and trailing edges which would give sufficient splash protection, this showed that an extra two feet over wing size was fine. A string line was carefully placed on top of the fabric to mark the cutting line and, with a little trepidation, a Stanley knife used to make the cut. Each edge was then folded in one foot to form the wing size and then marked with a Biro where I thought the eyelets should go. I considered that lashings two feet apart were too close, but three feet to wide.... so settled on 30 inches!
When I purchased the liner I also bought two rolls of three inch wide PVC jointing tape off which I cut four inch lengths. These were folded over the edge of the covers at the eyelet positions to act as reinforcing. A punch was then used to make a suitable hole for the eyelets and eyelets inserted using a simple punch and anvil available from ship merchants or good camping shops. Inserting eyelets is very simple and after the first one or two the knack should be mastered.
The second wing cover was cut ‘the other way’ so that the remaining off cut was rectangular. These were then taken up the field and tried on the glider. Short lengths of cord between the eyelets and a perfect fit first time. The fabric hanging over the wing tip was then folded and secured with tape to make a snug box section to hold it in place. With the covers removed two eyelets were fitted to reinforce these folds.
That took care of the wings, now for the fuzz. The remainder of the fabric was then laid over the fuselage and centred. It was then folded around the nose, cutting the excess material away and securing the joints with tape. Not the neatest of jobs, but a lot of fabric has to be lost and the important thing is for it to be watertight and strong. When happy with the job eyelets can be used to reinforce the ends of the joins so making a lasting finish. Slits are then cut to accommodate the wing allowing the skirt to fall neatly over the canopy and cover the fuselage to ground level. The excess over the wing is laid on top of the wing cover giving a five feet overlap at this point. I have held this in place with tyres, but a neater joint could be made by sewing Velcro onto the joint faces but that increases cost considerably.
The excess either side of the fuselage between the wing trailing edge and the tail is carefully cut off and used to make the fin cover. This was sewn up using the wife’s sewing machine when she had gone shopping. It is not that it could have damaged the machine but she does tend to be a little over protective towards it after she caught me sewing the heavy PVC sun roof cover for my car! The top edge of this cover was taped to reduce water ingress.
The excess length of fabric was cut to accommodate the fin and spread over the tailplain. At first I considered cutting and fitting this fabric to fit the tailplain but then decided to lay it flat, the excess being held in place on the ground with small tyres. Perhaps not the neatest, but the easiest and definitely the more waterproof of all methods.
As can be seen from the photographs it is not perfect, but it is functional and easy to put on. The total cost, including eyelets was less than £75 and at that price if it lasts for two years I will be happy. However the most important feature is that it keeps Magroo warm and dry, what more can a loved glider wish?
oooooOOOOOooooo
The arrival of Magrootoo!
After several years of flying Magroo as a single seat glider I started to think of something better. I was not dedicated to cross country flying, just flying, so something versatile would be more practical.
I decided to make an advert up and send a copy to all the clubs. I had done this to sell a friends PIC20 very successfully. I decided on a sale of swap as a two seater was a fairly valuable item for a small club.
Within a week I had a telephone call from Bidford gliding club offering a swap for a Pilatus B4. Investigation discovered that it was an aerobatic metal glider with a glide of about 34:1. A trip was organised to Bidford for the following saturday with Ron Armitage and Dave Wood. It turned out to be a horrible wet day and terrible traffic on the M25. We finally arrived at midday with the sky starting to show signs of clearing.
She was ready rigged and looked very reasonable. Dave Wood, our engineer, looked her over and could find little seriously wrong with her although she had been repaired on several occasions.
It was arranged that they would come to Dover to see Magroo and we would make finally decisions at that time.
The following week three chaps arrived with the Pilatus and took away Magroo.
Of course she could only have one name.... she was Magrootoo!
oooooOOOOOooooo
The Lasham Aerobatics Course
27th April 1999
David, Colin and Ian were sensible enough to do the journey on Sunday afternoon, I however could not get away as I was busy in Dover White Cliffs Experience on the Marconi 100 years celebrations. I had decided to get up early on Monday morning and try and beat the traffic.... needless to say that I did not! In fact it was not helped that due to being distracted by the airlaw and radio training tapes that I was playing while driving I managed to pass the A249 and A229 without even seeing them. This was not realised until I neared the M25 at Dartford.
Traffic on the M25 seemed to be running smoothly until the junction with the M21 where we slowed to a crawl, after an hour a this rate I let the M25 at the A22 and relaxed in the jams on the A25!
I finally arrived at Lasham at 10.30, nearly a silver duration flight!
The advanced party arrived at the field at about 1845 their sole objective to be to test the 'London pride' bitter at the local hostelry, after a few and a very good meal retired to Lasham bar for the final 'top off' and a bag of prawns!
Monday dawned overcast and foggy and the morning was spent drinking coffee and chatting in the clubhouse. At about 1100 the lack of activity was broken by two fire engines dashing to the eastern end of the runway. It turned out that a 737 was arriving with a visibility of about a mile and cloudbase at 500 feet, this could be interesting! We listened on the radio as the 'plane approached, finally he burst through the cloud at the perimeter at 500 feet and lined up on the peri-track! On went the power and he tried again. The second attempt he was lined on the runway, but still at 500 feet with no chance of getting her down so again on went the power but this time a different tactic. he wasn’t going to lose sight of the ground! Left wing down at about 30 degrees he did a circuit that a thermalling pilot would have been proud of but arrive at the runway end at about 400 feet but off to the right. He appeared to tighten the turn for a few second and then roll right wind down to line up but the ploy did not pay off and he was still off to the south. On went the power and he climbed away to 2500 for another try. The third attempt ground radar did a fine job and he broke cloud about 500 feet and 1 mile off the runway and did a beaut of a landing.
By the middle of the afternoon things started to improve and we pulled a K21 from the hanger. We all had one flight intermingled with takeoffs and landings of airliners in for repair at the ATC maintenance hangers. At 6 PM the evening course started and we had to vacate the launch point.
That evening we went into Lasham village to a couple of the pubs to sample the beer and have a good meal. We returned to the clubhouse and safely tucked up in bed by 11 PM.
Consciousness dawned at 0545 and a peep out of the window revealed overcast sky and visibility of less than a mile. A shower to cheer the morning and wait for the mist to clear.
The gliding forecast received at breakfast time was for the cloudbase to lift at noon and the wind to increase, as it was already 25kts we guessed that it was to be an 'interesting' day! As forecast the cloudbase got to 2500 at noon and the K21 was got out of the hanger and on line. Colin Short, our instructor and Rupert out tuggie.... both Aussies, were ready to receive our first sacrificial offering... Ian was the guinea pig as he had done the least throwing an aircraft about.
We all watched as they found a blue hole in the clouds and climbed to 4000ft behind the Robin. and then the fun started! A very short 17 minutes later they were back on the ground` and Ian emerged with a grin on his face. Next it was Colin's turn with the same result. Now it was my turn and I can now give a more detailed account of the flight. The wind was gusting almost down the strip at about 30 Kts. The glider very soon lifted off and then touched down again, very obviously due to the gusty wind. A very turbulent but uneventful climb to 500 feet where it suddenly went smooth.... very smooth in fact. The climb to about 3000 went well and then Rupert found a thermal.... I've never thermalled on tow before and Rupert was making the most of it with the vario on 8 up.
He pulled out at cloudbase and took us to the blue hole and we let go. Most of the Hassle was done on the climb and so a quick 180 port and starboard and we were off into the aerobatics. Colin demonstrated a down line to 100kts then a up line to 45Kts then another down line to 100kts and into a loop. This was followed by a chandelle and a up line to 45 kts. The it was my turn to try and do the same, in fact I did it OK with the exception that I let the nose get too high at the top of the chandelle making the fly over a little ragged. But he was please with what I had done. He next demonstrate the Humpity bump which I then tried. Down line to 110Kts snap level and check, snap into the vertical climb, check, then complete the loop by pulling back on the stick, check into a vertical dive and then pull out into horizontal flight at 100 Kts. All went well into the vertical climb, then.... instead of pulling the stick to go over backwards I pushed but immediately realised my error and reversed it.... for a second or two it all went quiet and we chatted (it really is seconds long while the speed drops to zero) about what she would do... in fact she went over backward and it turned out quite well considering. Snapped out at 110kts so immediately into another and that went OK. By this time we were down to 2000 feet and I wanted to do a bit of practice on the up line to come off at 45 Kts, I was always coming off at about 55 kts. Five or six attempts got that one right and it was time to land, the Colin made the fatal mistake of commenting about the good aerobatics and accurate flying that I had demonstrated. I warned him that he had not yet seen one of my landings!
I regret that I did not let him down. The wind was about 25 degrees off the runway at 30 Kts and over the trees. The line up and correction was good and speed held well at 70 Kts until the last 100 feet were the windshere became severe and I put the nose down, at this point the left wing went down sharply which I pulled up only to have it wrenched down even harder, on this one I had the stick hard over to the right and the ground was getting very close and the nose far too far down, a sharp pull back on the stick from both of us in tandem was needed to save a heavy landing. I was very cross with myself after such a good flight!
David was next and he was really happy with his flight, talking with him afterwards he volunteered that he could get interested in aerobatics! Another round of flights followed with all of us very happy with out own achievements. My second flight polished a lot of the figures with the exception of the chandelle which I still had trouble with the nose rising on the top of the turn, but that will come. The only notable thing on that flight was during the tow suddenly Rupert heaved the tug into a tight left turn which I followed... we were into a thermal and a half, the glider vario was off the stop and the altimeter was visibly winding up. We pulled out of the thermal at 3900 and turned into the blue where we pulled off. On landing I asked Rupert what he had on his VSI and it was 1500 ft/min!!
The day ended with me going to visit some friends in Farnborough and arrived back at the clubhouse at 1045, only to spend another hour getting this into the computer!
Wednesday dawned sunny and good visibility with a stiff Northeast wind. We met for breakfast at 8am and eat heartily... after all we were taking our life in our hands!!! Hanger doors open at nine and all ready by 0930. Weather the same as yesterday with the wind about 40 degrees off the runway at 30 kts with the weather man promising it to increase as the day progressed. We used the same flying order and all landed with grins on their faces. As a matter of interest the aerotow was to 4000feet and took about eight minutes and total time airborne about 20 minutes.
My first flight of the day was a recap of the day before with no demo's. It went reasonably well and Colin said it was time to progress to the clover leaf with a touch up on the chandelle. Next launch Clover leaf was demonstrated and my proficiency on the chandelle became acceptable.
The REAL chandelle it not as easy as the chandelles that are seen normally at air fields. It is a snap into 45 degree climb, check, snap roll to 45 degrees keeping nose steady at 45 degrees, perhaps with small kick to the rudder to help the turn and as the reciprocal course is reached snap the wings level, check and then snap to the horizontal. The snaps and checks create a very crisp chandelle where the 'club chandelle' is a smooth climbing turn, seeing it done by the professional is pure delight.
The clover leaf is considerably more difficult! The result of the manoeuvre is to leave it at 90 degrees to the course it is entered. As a largish period is spent inverted it is imperative that you have definite markers that you can settle on during the manoeuvre. The weather can hinder this considerably and it was not being kind to us on our course. The manoeuvre is started with a feature dead ahead and one out of each wingtip. We tended to use the two airfields of Lasham and Odium on each wingtip and a rape field ahead. The aircraft is dived at 45 degrees (exactly) and at 110Kts snapped to level flight and check (about 1 or 2 seconds). The aircraft is pulled into a loop but when 80 degrees it reached full aileron is applied (no rudder). The stick is progressively pushed forward (still hard over) to stop the nose from dropping until the wings are level and the aircraft is pointing towards the first target airfield. The stick is centred and the stick eased back to pull the aircraft though the rest of the loop and obtain level flight at 100kts.
Needless to say first attempt was not too good, second a lot better and the third I was happy... it was smooth and Lasham was dead ahead as I came out of the loop.
The final and test flight we had to do all the manoeuvres covered as a sequence. Down line to 100Kts and check, loop, check, chandelle, check, humpty bumpty and pull out at 110kts, check, and into the clover leaf. All went perfectly until the clover leaf where by this time I was a little hassled and did not think it through properly. The climb went into a vertical and we did a tail slide!!
Colin was not put off and made me do two more, the first was acceptable and the second I was really happy with and Colin appeared to be also.
That was the end of the course and I elected to come home that evening, firstly as I wanted my own bed and secondly the evening traffic far better.
I have tried to get the others to write up at least one of their flights but without success. I think it is sufficient to say that we all really enjoyed our course and I know that my flying is far far better for it (not my landings of course, but I have to give the club members something to chuckle about) However one thing I will always remember of the course if thermalling with the tug with wings down at 40 degrees in a 15 up thermal... we made a thousand feet in that thermal in no time, however I did not get a discount for the fuel saved!
oooooOOOOOooooo
Sunday 25th May 2008
Flying at Kent Gliding Club
As usual, after an unpleasant experience, I awoke at 0430 this morning and lay there thinking about it! I decided that I had to come down and put on record the whole episode for my diary as several things were remembered and not reported to Colin.
When Alan and I arrived a the field we immediately reported to the office where I introduced myself to Julie and asked who the duty instructor was. The chap who was there said he was. That was Dave, the course instructor. I explained that I was a BI from Channel and asked permission to fly. He asked me if I had flown Kent before and I explained that I had been a member in the early days, had been several times to fly the ridge and had attended half a comp week. He gave me permission to fly.
Ken Alan and I rigged the glider and towed it to the launch point where there was already a K21 alongside a pole with a orange disk on top. I assumed this to mark the launch point and positioned the Pilatus alongside the pole on the other side from the K21. A few minutes later a chap (who I cannot identify) barked at me 'Are you intending to fly your Glider from there?' We moved our glider to the other side of the signal station and I could not help thinking that the Kent welcome has started!
I was one of the early flyers, maybe even the first. Had a slow launch and came off at 700 ft... I did a normal left hand circuit and landed conventionally. I reported the slow launch and went again. I managed 800ft that launch and went flew north for a bit and then turned into circuit. As I turned onto base leg I saw a glider landing into wind across the launch point. I landed very long up near the winch to have a chat with the winch driver. We decided that he would treat the Pilatus as the Junior.
On the tow back another glider landed 'into wind' so I assumed that this was going to be the standard landing procedure. It did not even cross my mind that there would be a dual standard operating especially as it could easily create a conflict with gliders on the approach. I was working on the assumption that if you were doing a left hand circuit you landed to the left of the launch point and right hand circuit to the right hand side.... again an assumption that I should not have made, but to the same token the duty instructor should have put me right on my misconception having made two landings.
The third launch was much better and I managed nearly 1000 ft.... I flew north and managed a short soaring flight.... On landing I followed a 21 on the down wind leg and landed 50 yards short of the signal station.....
Alan had his 'bad' landing.... it was a bouncy landing but only about 3 feet and nicely controlled.... I thought the instructor had taken over after about the third hop but Alan said that he did not.
Ken was still waiting for a check flight so I launched again so I took another launch, again I made 1000ft and soon climbed up to 3500.... I flew around finally arriving over north Ashford three quarters of an hour later at 1500ft. Over a large industrial estate I tried to get away again but failed so as I had been up for 45 minutes I better see if Ken was cleared to fly. I flew back across the rear of the airfield aiming for the far side of the wood thinking that would fly upwind wide of the down wind leg and then turn in at the high key point. As I was approaching I saw the tug turn in onto his base leg well low of my level and inside my track. He turned finals 45 degrees on my stbd bow and about 400 feet below me. I estimate that my QFE was 1000 ft as when I arrive at the far end of the wood I ran into a thermal.... I checked my altitude to check that I was at a safe height to thermal and was at 800ft indicated.... say 750 actual. I thermalled left as this is my comfortable direction of turn and drifted away from the field. I remember thinking that the wind was now a little stronger than I expected from earlier flight. I climbed to about 1500 feet then left the thermal to fly to the high key point and land. I was well high so I used the airbreaks on the flight north to get to high key at 800 ft. At low key I was still far too high and used full airbreak on finals shutting to half for the landing. I landed well short a long way back in the rough. On return to the launch point Ken told me that he was clear to fly the Pilatus.
It was at this point I went behind my car to have a leak. I saw this chap coming over and wait for me. I walked round to him and he asked me if I had anything to tell him about my flight. I said that I could not think of anything out of the ordinary. He then proceeded to forcibly tell me that I had compromised the tugs approach and that the tug had priority (this is the first time I have ever been told that the tug has priority over a glider) and that I had thermaled at 500ft at the low key point. At this point I objected! I most definitely did not thermal at 500ft at the low key point!! I had no idea who he was... I had already spoken to the duty instructor! I am beginning to wonder if the very short fuz on the pilli makes the wings look long, so making the glider look closer than it is. This situation has arisen in the past when Bob Shalcroft(?) incorrectly accused me of thermalling on the down wind leg. In this instance I was in fact twice the distance away than he thought.
Back at the launch point Ken got in and I gave him a briefing. Someone asked about the briefing and I told them that he had read the flight manual and I had given him a further briefing making sure he realised that the pitch control was more than he would be used to.
Ken did an immaculate launch.... there was no sign of any pitching. He did a standard circuit and did a final turn high. From that point in there was some lightheartedness as I was saying out loud... 'more airbreak Ken, more airbreak Ken!' He passed over the wires at about 20 ft and did a good landing.... although long.
On return to the launch point nothing was said to Ken that I heard. He decided that he would do another launch to rectify the approach problem and that he would land back at the trailer for de-rigging.
Another good launch and we watched him fly north. All of a sudden another aircraft did a funny manoeuvre.... at first I though he was entering a spin, but it then looked like a 'wing over' that went wrong! I thought he was astern of Ken, but talking to Ken later he said it happened in front of him and he had to take evasive action to ensure he was clear. After that all went well with a good landing, we de-rigged and left the field having helped another pilot de-rig his glider.
We thought it had been a fairly successful day until arriving on the field on Saturday!
I have to say that there were problems on our side. These were compounded by not having had a full up to date briefing from Dave.... but as far as landing is concerned there were only four 'proper' landings and three of these were by Channel pilots. They would have continued if we had not considered that we were in the wrong and followed the others.
In the last ten years of my flying at many fields around the country I have never come across the one rule for one and another for others. In my view is far more unsafe than any crime that we committed.... also the some of the launches I saw that day, although would have been the norm a few years ago, if I had done at Channel now I would expect to be grounded. They were doing this to try and maximise the launch height but I consider that it would have been far better to have moved the launch so that we took off in the rough and launched into wind to the east, this is marked on the signal station as an alternative launch position.