News

It’s been a while since I last posted news by what with work, holidays, flying and family commitments life has been hectic. Terry Walsh has now taken over the Trial Lesson bookings from me allowing me to concentrate on the CFI stuff. Not that with this British summer weather we have been able to do much. The last to weekends have seen a wash out and a none flying day due to local Cosford procedures. To say it’s frustrating is an understatement. One thing we have been able to do is fly a couple of trial Lessons and Vicki Williams who flew with us last Thursday evening will remember her 50th birthday. Visibility was unlimited, Shropshire looked superb even from upside down. This next few weeks should be better if the weather gives us a break. Lists of planned trial lessons with 10 booked this coming Thursday and hopefully some much need soaring. In August I am away at the Inter Services Gliding Comps driving a tug and on the 23rd August we start a soaring week at Cosford. X country here we come.

Publish Date : 07/07/2008 09:18:00   Source : Dennis Maddocks

Another wet sunday at Cosford with 6 BI flights and a new member John Vincent joining us from Cyprus

Publish Date : 29/06/2008 16:05:00   Source : Dennis

It’s been a while since anything appeared as news so I thought I would just pen a few words. Things have been busy with what looks like our last visit to Denbigh (Lleweni). We had a good flying week but finished early due to the cold north winds forecast for the weekend. Sods law the next week while we were all at work it was wave city. Since then we haven’t really had much in the way of soaring although Dave Vale and Andrew Walsh have both gone solo over the past 10 days. Nick Lewinton has found a new way of getting out of his Assist Cat course. That said I think crashing your motor bike and ending up in hospital is a bit extreme. Get well soon mate. Well that it for now. I am putting together the roster for the next couple of months and can’t believe that the 2008 Cosford airshow is only 2 weeks on Sunday. Best I get some soaring in before the summer is over.

Publish Date : 13/05/2008 15:12:00   Source : Dennis

The dust has settled and all that’s left to do from the Lleweni trip is collect the fees. Although the weather throughout the week wasn’t that kind we still got in 60 plus aerotows and 13 Wrekin members flew at one time or another. Paul Jewell converted to the Discuss and Andrew Walsh, Karen Turner, Screech Williams, Terry Walsh, Nigel Lassetter and Dave Vale had their first flights at a premier welsh wave site. Pity the Denbigh gliding Club has folded and it could be the last. As always the irony was that once we got home again the conditions improved and this week look likes it’s been a corker. Still we enjoyed it and the accommodation in a cottage sorted by Paul was a huge success. Just don’t ask about the dolls!! John and Sam from the Devon and Somerset club stayed with us for the 1st three nights which was a big bonus as John is a tremendous cook. Hot and spicy food washed down by the odd glass of beer or vino. Mike Osborn took the WGC team food shopping and spent a fortune on ‘Muesli’ which we never used. Thanks Mike it will keep me ‘going’ for months to come. As you may also guess we had a couple of good nights in the cottage and I will say from the outset to all those who find the video on You Tube ‘I was framed’ As for the flying we had good days and bad days. The highest during the week was 12000ft but we were dogged by moist air and the gaps kept filling in. On the Tuesday when it was blowing pretty hard John Widdell got caught in cloud and in keeping the turn and slip centred forgot about the tailwind giving an extra 40kts groundspeed. As a result he was forced to land out at Hawarden which was not all bad as he was given a hanger to derig in!! The strong winds also made for some interesting landings on the pencil thin strip. I myself made the mistake of not being high enough on final and without much airbrake had a real fight all the way to touch down. Noel had the right idea when he announced on the radio that he wasn’t landing till the wind dropped off!! Pity that made no difference but a reasonable landing anyway Noel. With snow forecast for the weekend things were cut short early and we returned to Cosford on Friday 4th Apr. a nice 45 min aerotow through with good visibility and wave bars everywhere. Still it was a good call Sat was poor and Sunday not much better.
Well that’s the wave flying over for the next few months and hopefully it wont be long before we get so descent weekend soaring. Till then fly safely


Publish Date : 10/04/2008 22:20:00   Source : Dennis

A good weekend even though I was working. sat saw some winching up until about 2 when the rain ended things. Sunday which was set aside for field landing training saw Paul Jewell and Terry Walsh checked out. As a bonus we gained 2 new members Griff and Jay who are both ex VGS gliding instructors. Although mainly used to the winch and having not flown conventional gliders for a couple of years. Both flew 1st solo aerotow in the K21. Not a bad weekend me thinks.

Publish Date : 17/03/2008 22:44:00   Source : Dennis