|
|
|
As
I drove North for my duty day at Caboolture, I could
see it was going to be a good soaring day and I wasn't
that wrong. The cu's were forming over the D'Agular
Ranges by 0900 and were over YCAB by 1030.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scrubby
(John Ashford) was on hand to fly the tug.
|
|
|
|
The
duty crew of Tony Sorensen [L2], John Ashford,
[Tug] Kevin Rodda, [stand in DP] and myself [AEI] were
ready for action but few punters presented. Luke
Amunsden came to continue his training for true flying
(instead of belting the air into submission in the
Fokkers he flies so he can pay us). Our booked
passenger had changed his booking to next weekend.
Karl Bodi, Steve Bowtell and David Higgs also came to
aviate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin
Rodda, Tony Sorensen and Karl Bodi at the flight line
on RWY12.
|
|
|
|
We
were privileged though, as a lost CGC soul for a
number of years decided to return to his gliding alma
mater. Welcome back to Pearce Mitchell, known as
"Pez" and the "FSPR" (Famous Sail
Plane Racer). Also famous for being bitten on the
buttocks by a farmer's three-legged dog after a
competition outlanding and also being an aircraft
owner-partner with John Ashford (my sympathy to
Scrubby).
|
|
|
|
|
|
FSPR
Pearce Mitchell ... the return to YCAB of a lost soul
|
|
|
|
The Blank
and the Twin were the choice aircraft for the day.
Conditions would have been ideal for the Libelle but
there were no takers. The Blank did 3 flights
for 0:47 and the Twin 4 flights for 1:25 a total of 7
flights for 2:12 flying time. Conditions
over YCAB decayed late morning and the best flight for
a club aircraft was 0:39 with David and Pez in IKW.
Even the FSPR could only wring 39 minutes out of
the day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
David
Higgs and Lindsay Mitchell ready for the hangar flight
in IKW.
|
|
|
|
There
were two longer flights though. Speedy (Bernard
Gonsalves) came to the field to work on the IS30 but I
insisted he fly. All work and no play has
potential to make Speedy grumpy and he hadn't flown
for four weeks. We owe Speedy a big debt for his
efforts to keep our aircraft flying.
Speedy
had a 1:02 flight in his K14. Kevin Rodda took his
Atlas up for exactly 2 hours. Kevin took off at 11:36
... he and Speedy were able to use the better
conditions to the west that the club aircraft did not
have the time to go for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Speedy
in the K14
|
|
|
|
I said earlier that the
day looked a good soaring day and also the day had
decayed late morning. If it looks
potentially a good day prepare early and be ready to
launch when conditions are right. It's no good waiting
till conditions are good then preparing to fly.
Have Safe Fun
Flying.
|
