CGC - Big Friday 01-Apr-11

A Big Friday

01-Apr-11

Bob Hainsworth, Dave Anstey and Adam Luff.

Ches Bassingthwaighte

Seated: Adam Luff, Garrett Russell, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Anstey and Paul McCutcheon

Standing: Judith Smith, Ches Bassingthwaighte, John Ashford, Tony Sorensen and Dave Anstey.

Joshua Anstey and Barry McCarthy

Garrett Russell's report on CGC Operations 01-Apr-11 ...

All the elements were there for a great day at Caboolture today:
- Three new members who arrived early to sign up and start to fly
- Three instructors available to take them under their wings
- Two other pre-solo pilots keen for more training
- Four of the regular mutual-flying Friday crew
- And above all, a good-looking sky overhead

However two other elements combined to turn it into a dark day where the last glider landed at lunch time, yet most of the crew were still in the hangar until after four.

And these same factors could force the cancellation of much if not all of the club’s weekend flying.

The first was our old friend the weather. The second our new enemy the Shell fuel pump, which had failed yet again yesterday.

Never mind. With a tank full of fuel and five students to fly we had plenty to do in the time we imagined Shell might take to fix it.

But after 7 flights from RWY 12, we discovered no one from Shell had come to the airfield all morning, and no one was likely to come all day!

And at the same time it suddenly started to rain.

Time to cancel the rest of the day and send the tug to refuel at Redcliffe – after arranging by phone for access and payment by cash.

What then followed was a long wait in the hangar, under increasingly heavy rain, until tuggie John Ashford got a break in the weather big enough to fly back through.

And the weekend crews will have to check not only weather, but whether the fuel pump is operational or still frozen on an “initializing” signal.

Sorry for the bad news.

Now the day’s good news. Three new members, Dave and Joshua Anstey and Adam Luff.

A welcome return to the flight line by Kevin Rodda, who flew 35 minutes with Judith Smith – the day’s second best time after 1:19 for Friday regulars Charles and Bob.

Thanks to duty instructor Tony Sorensen for handling the day’s tough decisions.

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