Another grey day but we fitted 13 flights into our visit to YCAB despite launching into a grey sky. As I arrived the place was looking busy with Tony Sorensen and Barry McCarthy monitoring the activities of Arthur Mailey, Ken Mitchell, Louis Tumminaro and Rupert Perry, with his friend Peter Krenske following their activities - with interest, I gathered - while Bob Hainsworth pumped up the tyres on the van and its Falcon as well the tail  wheel on GYK for us. The other keen observer was John Knox who flew SPA for us until lunch time when Tony made another of his much appreciated transformations into our tuggie.

 

Therefore, thanks to everyone for the keen activity and interest and thanks to Tony as our assigned L2 instructor. Thanks to Barry for taking over as instructor for Kevin Dobbie who was able to join us after ‘lunch’ and thanks of course to John for getting us going.

 

Once GYK, CQC and GJY were in place on runway 12, they were pressed into use, firstly GYK with Louis and Tony then Ken taking CQC to confront the lumpy, grey sky. Hoping for good news, we optimists watched Ken’s efforts to maintain sufficient height, eventually coming back and scoring 48 mins, which turned out to be the flight of the day. The rest of the day’s times are proof that hope springs eternal as we persisted in launching into the air only to return with rueful resignation. Peter John joined us briefly as final flights launched.

 

In the course of the day, Bob and Arthur were happy to become acquainted again with JY and Rupert took his first flight in it to make a ‘first’ for our unpromising day.

 

The birds, sensibly, had taken to the air before we started to move after which they headed for ‘ibis restaurant’ only as needed. Our flying finished with the landing of GYK, Peter John and Kevin Dobbie at 15.20, by which time the kangaroos were out dining on 06. All that was left then was to wrap up  the gliders again and complete last tasks in Kevin’s Hangar before departing to seek our own dinner.