Appropriately for the season, we had everything but a partridge in a pear tree on Saturday 29 December. We had:

• 7 family/friend flights
• 5 training flights
• 2 paid passenger flights
• 2 solo flights
• 2 check flights
• 2 visiting instructors
• 2 new member enquiries
• 1 new member
• 1 first flight in a single seater
• and a visit from Santa
  

If you’re feeling a bit tired from reading that list, duty pilot Alan Graham, rouseabout Nick Sheahon, AEI Chris Weir, instructor Mick Moloney, tuggie Mark Thompson and I were all feeling positively shagged from having performed it!

18 flights in all:

• CQC 7 launches 2:33
• GYK 7 launches 2:25
• GQA 3 launches 1:27
• GSR 1 launch 0:37
  

That adds up to a day about three times bigger than the AEF/MIR Schedule indicated, and with all the family/friend flights plus unexpected visitors dropping in it was a lively scene around the Pie Cart for most of the day except when all four gliders were in the air:



The family flights were typified by Nick Sheahon’s parents Jewell and Ron:





And of course there’s our new member Steve Fickling:



Steve is a sky diver – 8,500 jumps – and power pilot – 50 hours – who took to gliding like a duck to water with his first two training flights. And to think he only dropped in to the airfield to escape the holiday traffic jam on the northbound highway!

Other drop-ins included the acting CFI from Central Queensland Gliding Club, who arrived with one of our passengers, and an instructor from Vancouver who plans to come back and fly on Sunday.

Member highlights – apart from making so many family and friends happy – were Alex Horvath’s successful conversion to the single seat Ka-6, thanks to Speedy’s generosity in making GSR available, and Dave Crocker’s first soaring flight with late afternoon thermals giving him 41 minutes and the second best flight of the day. Best was 51 minutes for Chris Weir and a friend from a 09:44 launch.

We flew solidly from 09:30 to 16:42 in a sky that varied from some great lift, although mostly low, to huge blue sink patches and plenty of wind shear to keep the landings honest. And the challenge is now on for the Sunday crew to match our performance. 

18-plus flights is possible, guys. Just remember to bring plenty of drinking water!