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Windy
September Saturday |
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19-Sep-15
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From:
Nick
Sheahon
Date:
Sun, Sep 20, 2015 at 6:40 PM
Subject:
Windy September Saturday
To:
cgcmem@mailmanlist.net.au
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Saturday at YCAB was always shaping up to
be a good day of flying with
no less than four AEFs and at
least one student booked to fly. The
only concern was the weather but
we were greeted with a beautiful
blue sky, although there was the
forecast of up to 30 knot winds. I
knew this as I had downloaded the
weather in full before arriving at the
field, mainly because I was in fact
spending the morning on the dark
side, flying to Caloundra and
back again in C172 WXX. Thanks a
million to Alan Graham for stepping in
as morning shift duty pilot to
allow this to occur.
When myself and my passenger, Nadia
Allan, arrived at the airfield a
complete duty crew of Alan Graham
(DP), Mick
Moloney (L2), Lindsay Mitchell (AEI)
and Scrubby (Tuggie) were already
on the mission of getting both the
IS-30 and the Blanik down to runway
12. We saw Alan positioning the Pie
Cart just as we lined up and departed
to Caloundra via Bribie Island. I
had a another couple of friends
awaiting our arrival at Caloundra whom
I also took for a scenic flight of
Bribie Island before returning to
Caboolture via the Glasshouse Mountains.
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Bribie Island coastline.
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Departing Caloundra.
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As such, I did not see the first few
flights of the day, however the flight
sheet indicates that Lindsay had our
first AEF away in the IS-30 at
10:35. It was a 22 minute flight and
was followed by Mark Thompson and
David Higgs (both of whom must have
arrived in my absence) with an
Annual Check for Mark in the Blanik.
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Lindsay Mitchell in control of QA on
short final RWY12.
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From there, Lindsay was in full
AEF mode. He took John Crowdey,
also in QA and also for 22
minutes before myself and Nadia
were back from our powered flight.
Nadia then jumped into QA and was
quickly converted to the light side
the of flying force in only 19
minutes. Lindsay also took family
friend Caleb Morrison, whom in turn
convinced his father John to give
gliding a go. Five AEFs completed
before 3:00pm.
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Nadia Allen converts to the light
side.
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John and Caleb Morrison with
Lindsay Mitchell.
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Air Cadet Quinn Rashford took two
training flights with Mick Moloney in
the Blanik in preparation for Quinn's
up coming gliding camp while his
mother Catherine looked on. David
Crocker took two flights with
Mark Thompson, one each in the Blanik
and the IS-30. Mick also had
flights in the Blanik with both
Lindsay and Scrubby who conveniently
swapped the towing duties with Mark at
the perfect time to sub-contact SPA's re-fuelling
requirements. Now that's a great piece
of work for any tuggie.
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John 'Scrubby' Ashford relaxing
between flights in a fully fuelled SPA.
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QA on tow behind SPA
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With the day getting late, it was
decided that Lindsay and Mick would
generously conduct the hanger flights
with the Nadia and Catherine (Quinn's
mother) in the IS-30 and the Blanik
respectively. Both girls enjoying the
flights and Catherine now having first
hand experience of what Quinn is
learning. The last flight touched down
on 06 a little after 5pm.
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Mick Moloney preps Catherine Rashford with
her son Quinn.
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All
hands on deck to put the birds to bed.
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A long day for many which ended by
leaving the airfield as it was getting
dark.
Stats for the day:
GYK 7 flights for 2 hours and 25
minutes
QA 7 flights for 2 hours
and 9 minutes
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An always friendly Loki dog hanging
out at the pie cart with Nadia
Allan.
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The day was very windy although I'm
not sure it quite got to the predicted
30 knots. For our gliding operations the
main implications of these conditions include staying
up wind and constantly monitor your
angle to the airfield. Another is
in the 'Options' component of the
CHAOTIC checks and today the option
of a 180 degree turn and a subsequent
downwind landing in the event of a
rope break was completely
excluded.
Safe flying and happy landings,
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Nick Sheahon
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DUTY PILOT
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