Here it is, barely beyond
mid-June, and today must be at least the sixth this
year on which we’ve flown from RWY 24. If this
kind of weather pattern persists we’ll have to
stop calling south westerlies “Ekka winds”!
The Friday crew made nine
flights today, seven of them in the Blanik and six
of those were training flights for Jessica Bellamy
and Guy Templeman. How are they progressing?
Here’s another photo in Jessica’s landing
sequence after one of her three spinning flights
with duty instructor Barry McCarthy:
Guy also went three flights
closer to solo, culminating in a one minute rope
break exercise which Tony Sorensen said he handled
well, bringing GYK neatly down near the tie downs
on the day’s shortest flight.
Longest flight honours went
to Barry with an AEF passenger - 25 minutes also
in the Blanik because of a radio problem in the
Twin. Saturday crew, please check the charge in
the hand-helds.
That leaves just two flights
in IKW, which I was lucky enough to share with
Arthur Mailey (24 minutes) and Bob Hainsworth (18
minutes).
As the flight times
indicate, thermals were scarce and there was no
easy wave. And an absence of many Friday regulars
away on other commitments far and wide. However
the chill in the air meant the small crew made a
big dent in the traditional Friday sugar hits:
One Friday face we were all
very grateful to see was Steve Bowtell. He
deserves a huge thanks for delaying his departure
to a diving trip via Cairns and Guam in Truk
Lagoon, just to tow for us all day!
And we’ll leave you with
Jessica’s beautiful hold off in the teeth of the
westerly - plus the wish for more cool flying over
the weekend.
