Is it because it’s Chinese New Year’s Eve? 

Is it because of Valentine’s Day?

Whatever, the Saturday voodoo of recent months was well and truly broken today!

There were so many members and friends, AEF passengers and prospective new members that we emptied the hangar of ALL available aircraft and went into TWO flight sheets in a day where the last flight landed at 1625.

The only thing missing was yesterday’s lift. Today’s best flight went to Mike Brunt’s 43 minutes in GJY, although David Higgs may post a protest on the grounds that his 40 minutes in CQC including a lot of height-sapping chandelles and loops.

Never mind the quality, check out the quantity: 4 AEFs, 2 family/friend flights, 2 mutuals, 5 training or check flights and more solos than you could poke a joystick at.

And it gets better. TWO of those training flights were successful outlanding checks: Tim Duty with Kevin Roden out bush in FQZ and Phil Young with Peter Stephenson in a very unusual approach to Rwy 06 in GYK!

Congratulations Tim and Phil. And welcome brand new member Michael Stott, whose previous power experience meant he was stalling and spinning in his first training flight today.

The sheer number of members is possibly the best measure of the day: Mike Brunt, Ray Colley, Dave Austin, Les Behrens, Phil Dew, Phil Young, Tim Duty, the Kevins Rodda and Roden, Mark Thompson, Lani Fardell and friends, Karl Bodi who came to fly gliders and relieved Tony Esler in the tug as well. 

Duty Pilot Mark Higgins worked like a one armed paper hanger in the pie cart all day just keeping track of us all.

Thanks to everyone who helped break the Saturday hoodoo. And remember, it happened on a day of less than perfect lift!

The challenge is on for tomorrow’s crew to retain Sunday’s weekend dominance. And for next Saturday to go even better.

Kung Hei Fat Choi to all for the new year

Garrett
For a rather hot, sweaty but smiling Saturday crew 

photos from Kevin Rodda ...