Wild Winter Weather.

Following an unusually mild and very dry October that provided some good flying for the time of year, November's weather turned out rather wild & wet. In fact it was the UK's wettest with multiple fronts and strong winds. East Anglia was fortunate to get probably the best of what was on offer providing us with a number of decent flying days when the rain stopped play further west. Club members made the best of the opportunities taking advantage of our continued 7 day operation to keep current and work on AFRs. Dave Munro & Mark Wright ran a BI course, with a Full Cat course planned soon. Andy V. is taking names for those who want to sample the excitement and skill of aerobatic flight. ALso, thanks to Will Day who has been kind enough to take over the role of Deputy CFI, now that I'm working away so much.

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The G109 is back on line again following its scheduled maintenance, and is particularly nice to fly on those cold winter days when soaring is scarce - plus it has a heater!!!

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Plus, keep an eye out for the upcoming evening lectures which are due to start shortly to see us through the long mid-winter evenings.

Sunday 29th Nov

You can tell its winter from the ski pants and the instructor to student ratio!  At one point today there were 7 instructors, with a total of 2 students for the whole day. 

Bob and myself ran the day, with Brian Kennard towing, and it got off to a pretty drizzley start "its spitting!!"... Will, Brian and myself passed the time labeling up leaflets for giving out in Thetford and Attleborough town centres in the next couple of weeks - thanks guys it would have taken ages on my own.

However the rain cleared about 11am, as the launchpoint was already set up and the K21 on line and ready, the first launch was failry immediate.  We passed the time flinging ourselves up the wire in pairs, to heights of over 2400ft into what must have been a 35knt headwind at 2000ft.  I think Brian must have got bored as there was no towing to be had. 

Bob was quite happily in the warmth of the G109 flying with Ben Magnani.  Andrew Hewitt completed his bronze checks with Will, and later finished off the excercies in the motorglider with Bob - well done Andrew, just the paper to finish.

I flew with returning member Mike Powell and started his AFR, we got 2300ft on one launch, but I think Geoff beat us at 2400ft flying solo, and Will and Paul Nichols also got a high launches later. Others out included Phil Sillett and Steve Flowitt Hill who got longest flight of the day (15mins).

Thanks to all who did a winching stint and helped to make the day go smoothly even though it was bitterly cold.