Caboolture Week at DDSC

Wednesday 14-Oct-09

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05:30 and the early morning weather looks good ... we're hoping that the sign in the right hand bottom corner is an omen ... ie: aircraft WILL be operating today!

And back to the west looks OK ...  note the windsock appears to have at least temporarily kicked its viagra addiction. Weather predictions look a lot better for today but we have a new challenge on the horizon with possible poor visibility due to dust coming in from the west.

Peter Stephenson's bad hair day (this was after a quick comb) ... on a more serious note however, this is what snorers in the bunkhouse can do to insomniacs!

Vince Everett at the flight-line ready to venture out in the IS-29 (note the dust haze in the background).

Kevin Rodda equally as keen to launch the K6 (assisted by David Higgs) - note the windsock in the background.

Barry McCarthy, David Higgs, Mick Moloney and Mark Thompson waiting in hope at the flight line mid morning as the conditions further deteriorated. By noon the tuggie (John Knox) had called off the day for safety reasons (wind and dust haze). First all the gliders went back to the hangars then the glider pilots headed for the "$10 truckies lunch special" at the Bowenville Pub hoping upon hope for better gliding weather tomorrow.

Around 10:10 and the visibility was deteriorating ... Malu Silo in the background.

Soon after the tuggie (John Knox) had called off the day for safety reasons (wind and dust haze). First all the gliders went back to the hangars then the glider pilots headed for the "$10 truckies lunch special" at the Bowenville Pub hoping upon hope for better gliding weather tomorrow.

On the way back we moved the DDSC members' trailers back home from Shane McCaffrey's paddock (where they had been stored to make room for competitors trailers at the recent State Gliding Comps held at DDSC).

Around 13:30 Peter Stephenson took this photo of Barry McCarthy imitating the wind-sock ... winds had been gusting to 35 knots all day.

"to every cloud there is a silver lining" ... terrible weather conditions today for gliding but a magnificent sunset (these pics from Mick Moloney)

Dinner at the Bowenville Pub ... Jenny Thompson (DDSC Instructor), David Hawes, Vince Everett, Peter Stephenson, Kevin Roden, Kevin Rodda, Barry McCarthy, Mick Moloney, David Higgs and Mark Thompson. We are really doing it tough!

When we arrived at the Pub tonight there was a blackboard on the footpath announcing "we now make pizzas". Vince Everett was their first pizza customer since purchasing their new pizza oven and he made the mistake of ordering the "large pizza". The manageress was very interested in Vince's feedback ... not enough olives, a bit too much cheese, peperoni about right, cooked too much on the bottom but not enough on the top! 

Reverting to yesterday's activities ... and in case anyone doubts the validity of the IS-29 rigging saga ... obviously the time taken to rig was disproportionate to the number of helpers on hand! (photos provided by Peter Stephenson)

After what felt like an eternity of holding up wing tips, trying various combinations of wing tip vertical and horizontal alignment, wing tips forward then back then up then forward again, circular motions of wing tips, cross fingers, tongues to left side of mouth, stand on heads, etc,  etc  ... a new approach ... let's see how the wings fit together when on level ground.

More hands on hips and more strategy discussions ... no just enormous relief that the bloody wings were finally on!

Whilst on the subject of yesterday ... Peter's great photo of heritage-listed Jimbour House (from yesterday's afternoon excursion to Jimbour Station and Winery).

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