Finally the winter weather gave us a break, with a misty start to the day quickly giving way to sun (gasp), cloud streets and thermals! The only fly in the soaring ointment was a slow start caused by having to stick a tailplane on one of the K13s and rigging the newly returned DG500. Then, during the first launch, the winch rather petulantly overheated and had to be shut down. This was eventually traced to somebody failing to reconnect the temperature sensor from the radiator after the recent service, which meant the fan did not come on.

Tsk, tsk!

Despite this a one day course was flown, a six strong party from UWEGC all got to fly, as did several club members and even a few private owners, tempted forth from their bunkers by the nice weather. Jonathan Huband made it over the river and into Wales. Mike Weston took a student aloft for an hour and turned Cirencester. Chris Gough, despite not being on duty, instructed for a couple of hours. The Falke motorglider, with Tony Parker and Don Brookman at the controls, did the club triangle and then practised lots approaches and go-arounds.

What else? Lots of the obligatory chat, a busy launch point, the retrieve truck running out of LPG (who couldn't be bothered to fill it up before they put it away?), more students trained on running the launch point, a Royal Flight NOTAM to be observed, etc., etc.

Not bad indeed for mid-February ...

Eugene

PS. At its sunniest, people were even heard to complain that it was too warm on the bus!