2008 Club News
Last Updated: 6/3/08

FEBRUARY 08
22nd, 23rd & 24th : Friday - No flying due to weather.

Saturday - Martin did some welding on the winch. Jim rolled the field. Stuart finished putting the new bearings on the Junior airelon. Martin, Angie and Callum put letters on JMY's wing and fuselage and letters on 770's fuselage. Just a wee bit too windy to fly - 30 to 40 kts.

Sunday - Martin Kerr took the chipmunk to Aboyne. No other flying however. Letters put on fuselages of the K21 and the Bocian by Angie and Glenda.

8th, 9th & 10th : This Saturday's report from Stuart:
No tasks today but 4 of the 5 flights topped out at 12,000 ft. A 60kt headwind at height put paid to going anywhere. Indeed, climbing over the site at 45kts with Mark Norton's dad soon had us over Keith and 90kts for half an hour (still
going up) was required to get overhead Easterton.

Sunday - Hardly anybody turned up! Those of us that did though made good use of an otherwise uninteresting day by doing field landing and annual checks in the motor glider. Anne and Robert tried ridge soaring Ben Rinnes but found the wave in the lee to be so appealing that they turned off the engine at 3000', climbed to 4500' and managed a final glide all the way back without the engine!

1st, 2nd & 3rd : Saturday - Was one of those fantastic blue, cold and snowy days that makes winter special. What was lacking was a desire to fly so although it was perfectly flyable and soarable, there was only one flight in the K21. A shame really because it was beautiful.

Sunday - A day with absolutely stunning wave everywhere but a 40 knot crosswind to boot! No flying.

JANUARY 08
25th, 26th & 27th : Friday - No flying, it rained! Saturday - No flying. It was damp and wet.

Sunday - Turned into a cracker. We had a stiff westerly all day and Roger was first into the wave over Rothes, shooting straight up to 10000'. Martin Keer was checked out for towing today and managed 4 launches in total and coped well with the very muddy and slippery strip. In the afternoon, the wave set itself up just to the west of the airfield and we launched every glider straight into it from 1800'. Phil made it down to Cairngorm in R1 and Stuart and Anne tried to cross the Moray Firth.

18th, 19th & 20th : There was some limited flying but there was no soaring.

Sunday - Andy Anderson reported the following - A small but select group centred our day on Sandy yesterday and he successfully completed his winch launch failure training and did an immaculate first solo. Then it rained.
Half hour on the ridge with Calum in the morning, but no other soaring to report.

11th, 12th & 13th : Friday - Rain, rain and more rain so no flying. Saturday - Not a terribly inspiring day with no wind and no lift. A few aerotows were done and annual field landing checks were carried out with Stuart and Scott. This makes good use of an otherwise dull day and is quite good fun. Just to remind all you cross country pilots, we do have a policy of annual field landing checks for all of you so please do ensure you do them.

Sunday - No flying.

4th, 5th & 6th : Friday - no flying.

Saturday - The strip was very wet in the morning so there was no flying. In the afternoon, we decided to give it a go and there were a couple of soggy aerotows. However, there was still no soaring to talk of.

Sunday - Was much better. In fact, the forecast was good enough for Stuart to ask for an early aerotow which Robert duly did. Stuart and Callum launched before sunrise and watched the sun come up whilst trying to keep the worst of the ice off the glider! Although they did not get anywhere far away, they had a most enjoyable flight. Later on there was more soaring had by many with Geddes getting down to Dinnet.

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