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Friday
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23-Aug-13 |
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Shane Tuck, John Ashford and
Bob Hainsworth with TOJ ... a great Club day was ended
earlier than we would have liked when the starter
motor in the tug would not cooperate as we lined up
what would have been the 16th launch of the day.
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[photo: Kevin Rodda]
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--------------------
From: Judith
Smith
Date: Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 7:57 PM
Subject: Friday 23rd August
To: cgcmemlist@vicnet.net.au
Anyone out and about would have been aware that it was
a beautiful day today - good enough to help us forget the miserable first
months the Club has had. This being the case, we started with a smallish but
enthusiastic group under Bob Turner's guidance as we DI'd gliders, packed the
van and prepared the vehicles. John Knox and Pat were in charge of TOJ as
this was going on. A truly sunny outlook but things did not go entirely to
plan and members hoping to fly tomorrow need to check emails or call
the pie-cart before heading out.
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Recent new member Kevin
Dobbie.
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[photo:Kevin Rodda]
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But, back to today's efforts; CQC, GYK and GQA along
with TOJ and our group
of members gathered on runway 30 as the wind dictated
and the day began with
a check for Ken Mitchell in YK closely followed by
Barry McCarthy and Shane
Tuck in CQC. Things were looking hopeful as Kevin
Dobbie headed off for a
training flight but the wind was being incorrigible as
usual and we
eventually moved everything to 24. Personally, I did
not enjoy the gritty
eyes generated by winds in our new location at the end
of the taxi-way and
I'm sure the gliders would not have appreciated being
sand blasted every
time a plane took off. We tried other locations but
none seemed to be perfect.
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Garrett Russell's AEF passenger
Victor Winn ...
with Kevin Rodda. They say "a picture paints a
thousand words" ... in this case a video paints a
million! The first three pics are Arthur Mailey's
attempts to take a pic using Kevin's mobile phone. The
fourth pic is a snapshot from the video that Arthur
unintentionally took while doing so! Click on the
fourth pic to watch the video ... its well worth
seeing!
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[photos and video: Arthur B.
DeMailley]
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The look
of the day was obviously too much to resist as soon
enough David Crocker and Rupert Perry (and friend
Peter Krenskc) arrived along with Ian Nye (the only
scheduled AEF Flight) and his partner Karen Otto who
had organised the flight as a surprise. Karl Bodi was
flying the tug at this stage and Mick Moloney got to
take Ian for his flight (in lieu of AEI Kevin Rodda)
due to a minor operational issue. This particular
issue did not come into play however with Karen who
also decided to try gliding and this time Kevin was
not giving up a second AEF flight.
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Morning tuggie John Knox with
Dolars and Bernard Milford. Bernard is a keen
photographer and enjoyed the experience of strong
climb in both wave and thermals as Kevin Rodda's AEF
passenger.
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[photo: Kevin Rodda]
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Still, we persisted and our three passengers taken up
by Kevin Rodda and
Garrett Russell seem to have enjoyed their gliding
experiences. A gliding
friend of Knoxy's, Gordon Lee, joined us for a flight
for old time's sake
and David Higgs obliged since John was busy in TOJ.
Despite interruptions
and delays, members set to with every intention of
filling the flight sheet
and Barry and Arthur Mailey did their best to add to
the list. Good to see
you flying for your own pleasure Barry and even better
to hear that there
was some good lift about.
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Trudi Stott back on the
ground after her Air Experience flight with Kevin
Rodda. Again there was strong wave and thermal lift
available but Trudi wasn't keen on circling and was
content with floating gently back to the field after
climbing from 3,500 to 4,000 ft.
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[photo:Kevin Rodda]
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Victor Winn and granddaughter
Trudi Stott both thoroughly enjoyed their Air
Experience flights.
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[photo: Kevin Rodda]
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John
Ashford brought GQD out and had a flight as did David
Glidden - another two flights on our list - then John
relieved Knoxy by taking over the tug for the rest of
the day.
It was time for members to settle in and get their
fill of flying after
visitors departed. That's when things did not
quite go to plan - a problem
with the starter motor. A gaggle of members could not
rectify the problem so
we had nothing to do other than put things back in the
van and gather up the vehicles and gliders and make
our way back home. All this time, David Higgs and Dave
Crocker in GYK floated above for 1.44 before coming
back so we could finish packing up.
Oh, and Peter Stephenson dropped in with his motor
glider for a check flight
which was achieved in his motor glider since that was
all that was flying as
we headed off to tie gliders down.
Consequently, it is rather important that you monitor
your email messages
before heading to Caboolture for a day's gliding.
Stats for today: 5 flights for YK, 3.21; 5
flights for CQC, 2.04; 3 flights
for QA, 1.41; and 3 by other gliders to make a total
of 15 launches for TOJ
and one in motor glider XNO on the list.
Let's hope someone on the field tomorrow can sort out
a stuck starter motor
so weekend flying can proceed. Good luck.
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Judith Smith
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on
behalf of the Friday Crew
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