Members' area

Driving on to the airfield at 9am I couldn't even see the wind sock in the mist. So I thought it would be a pretty short day as Duty Instructor: just show my face, cancel the trial lessons and head back home for coffee and brownie points. However, by 9.30 the mist started to thin and we got the kit out. Flying from the south end, the first few flights were really spectacular - launches to 1,600', about 1,000 above the broken cloud with amazing views over a solid cloud sheet extending way out to the west from the airfield boundary. We were also treated to full "broken spectres" (Google it if necessary) on the cloud below. It's probably best not to tell the CFI about how we were going into cloud on the base leg (we had the ILS on). Anyway, the cloud quickly cleared and we enjoyed a very pleasant day's flying in the sunshine. Darren rigged his LS3, Ken entertained us doing his annual checks and Sarah Z munched her way through an entire packet of extra strong mints in three flights. The visitors also enjoyed their flights with Eugene and Matt - one was heard to say "My gob is completely and utterly smacked!" , Thanks to Phil and Mike for some great winching.

At a guess, last night was the best bonfire party ever at Cotswold GC. Darren, Matt and Alex P and others had built a massive bonfire - estimated 18' high and base around 20' x 25''. Stephen Cook set up the firework display and this was followed by lighting the bonfire under a clear night sky and nearly a full moon rising in the east. Fortunately the wind was c.10kts SW which meant the new hangar under construction was not in danger. Jackie and her crew provided the soup beforehand and hot dogs, roast pork baps and mince pies after the lighting. About 90 club members and guests celebrated late into the night. Thanks to all those who organised the evening and those who came to enjoy it. Someone was taking photos - can they arrange with Stephen our webmaster to load one or two on the site here?
DGR / chairman

The second day of the junior development half term session. A navigation exercise followed by a briefing on Notams started the day. The bright weather then enticed us out and with the wind straight down the strip we got some good launches. Charlotte converted to the PW, Josh and Jonathan tried out the K7, Ethan improved his circuits and Anne-Cecile and Pierre-Marie got a few more exercises completed. We ended the day with a discussion on Human Factors and a run through some Bronze questions. Charlotte is off to Westminster tomorrow representing youth gliding, hope that she puts,in a good word for CGC!

Thanks to Roger Smith, Andy Smart, Chris Power and Simon Buckley for their help today.

A useful day's training for a handful of club members plus a sprinkling of UWE attenders.
Nympsfield towed over their DG505 and Grob103 two seaters for some winch training because the wind strength and direction made it too hazardous there.
After a close shave, the winch run on runway 21 was shortened to reduce the chances of a further cable break finishing off the airfield.

Day one of the junior development course, a lecture on weather patterns was followed by some flying for the 7 juniors. Cloudbase was around 1000' but we had some useful flights, improving individual skills towards the Bronze test. We ended the day with a briefing on Navigation.

Thanks to Paul Lazenby, Jon Huband, Chris Power, Andy Smart and Roger Smith for their help.

We were treated to a spectacular view of fog filling the Severn valley to our west and a bank of fog as far as you could see from Kemble eastwards. It didn't leave a very big hole for us to fly in, but fortunately it stayed that way all day. Matt and Darren have started to build a rather large bonfire. We think we should light it during the daytime so we can see if it makes a big enough thermal to fly in.

Mist cleared enough to encourage us to get the kit out. The 2 Darrens took the first launch but had to pull off at 400 feet at they entered the patchy low cloud. A half hour wait paid off and then we were away. Lots of Students to fly, check flights to do and a one day course. Forced to take another break as lightning had been seen to the west. The dark clouds gathered and a small group standing by the bus nearly jumped out of their skins as a lightning strike forked to the ground, striking east of the gate and west of the tower at the same time! I've never seen people jump on to the bus so quickly! Anyway the storm passed and we carried on 'till sunset in a sparkly clear sky. (sorry did I say "spark"?)