Bicester Gliding Centre
Home of Windrushers Gliding Club
Achievements and Progress
Listed below are some recent flying achievements by club members.
As the list is probably incomplete, feel free to notify the webmaster if
you think someone should be added to the listing. We tend not to mention
ever step in the process to raising a pilot's qualifications, usually the
completed qualification or major steps.
PS I've been told that there were more first solos and badges in 2011, but if
you don't tell me who did what, I can't add anything.
2012
Solo
It's early, but who will get here first.
Badges
It's early, but who will get here first.
Others
- Chris Palmer - BI rating, January
2011
Solo
- Alex Furness-Smith - November
- Terry Mitchell - November (a year after his bother Tom)
- Natasha Spottiswood - September
- Robert Foster - June, Going for Solo course
- Lizzie Pike - April, after a 12 year break
- John MacFarlane - Apri, Going for Solo course
- Vieri Abolaffio - April
- Chris Ballance - March, the first University student to go solo in 2011
Badges
- Fran Aitken - Diamond Height
- John Roberts - Diamond Height
- Charles Jessop - Diamond Height (5000m / 16000'+ height gain)
- Ollie Bosanko - Diamond Distance (502km)
- Lee Hitchins - Bronze badge
- Jon Verrill - Silver badge completed, 5 years after first part completed
Others
- Clive Dalzell - Assistant Instructor rating
- Vicky Smith - Assistant Instructor rating
- Charles Jessop - Assistant Instructor rating, at the age of 19!
- Pete Harvey - FIRST in the Open Class Nationals
- Dave Watt - second in the 15m Nationals
- Derren Francis - second in the 18m Nationals
- Charles Jessop - Basic Instructor rating, May
- Jollien Chow - Basic Instructor rating, March
- Alan Jenkins - Basic Instructor rating, March
- Richard Markham - Basic Instructor rating, March
- Phillipa Roberts - Basic Instructor rating, March
2010
Solo
- Lee Hitchins (November)
- Brad Walker (November), age 19
- Simon Jones (September)
- Tom Mitchell (September, age 19)
- Tim Ambler (August after 20 year break)
- Mitch Hankus (August)
- Gerard Vegrych (June, Going for Solo course)
- Pete Garrett (May)
- Susan Waring (May, on an Intensive Training course, after a a break of over two years)
- Tom Fanner-Hoskin (April, on a Going for Solo course)
- Tara Slater (April, after a two year break due to work)
- Ron Smith (April, on a Going for Solo course)
- Rory Barker (February, OUGC student)
Badges
- Phil Gardener - 58km flight to complete his Siver Badge (September)
- James Best - 300km flight to complete Gold Badge (only went solo two years ago!)
- Nigel Gough - 500km cross-country (July)
- Debbie Thomas - 300km cross-country (June, in a glider ten years older than herself!)
- Graham Bambrook - 300km cross-country (June)
- Jeremy Heath - completed Sliver Badge (June)
- Charles Jessop - completed Silver Badge (June)
- Lukas Brandt - Diamond Height Badge (over 20,000', June)
- Fran Aitken - 500Km (April)
Others
- Richard Parker - Basic Instructor Rating
- Alan Twigg - Assistant Instructor Rating
- Paul Jessop - Motor Glider Instructor Rating
- James Wilson - Assistant Instructor Rating
- Tom Mitchell - Centennial Fund Gliding Scholarship
- Pete Harvery - 6th in World Championships
- Maz Makari - Second in World Advanced Aerobatic Known Round
- Ollie Bosanko - Assistant Instructor Rating
- Paul Jessop - Assistant Instructor Rating
- The Bicester Aerobatic Team, for totally dominating the National Glding
Aerobatic Championships!
Beginners - Rachael Brewin 1st, Gem Roberston 2nd,
Sports - Sally Cooper 1st, Richard Chapman 3rd,
Intermediate - Dave Morgan 1st.
Advanced - Maz Makari 2nd ( very close 2nd ).
Unlimited - Mike Newman 1st - Rachel Brewin - Second in the Booker Aerobatic comp
- Paul Maco - First in Bicester Aerobatic comp (Beginners Class)
- Richard Chapman - First in Bicester Aerobatic comp (Sports Class)
- Dave Morgan - First Dan Smith Aerobatic Comp.
- Maz Makari - Second Dan Smith Aerobatic Comp.
- Sal Cooper - Third Dan Smith Aerobatic Comp.
2009
Solo
- Max Skoda (November)
- Mark Forster (October)
- John Potter (September)
- Jamie Williams (September)
- Simon Parr (September) just two weeks after taking up gliding!
- David Parr - saw a glider for the first time on Monday, soloed it on Friday after a mere 30 launches! (September)
- Zeferino Raposo ((September)
- Jan Kortyczko (September)
- Christopher Allen (August)
- Alister Driver, 17, (August)
- Nick van Holstein (August)
- Mary Jullien (August) after a ten year break from gliding.
- Patrick Kearon (July), just two weeks after taking up gliding!
- Andy Mayer (July)
- Sean Kearon (June), after a seven year break from gliding.
- Jennifer Willis, 17, (June)
- Paul Farrelly (June)
- James Duncan (May)
- Richard Markham (May) after a six year break from gliding.
- Phil Abbott (May), after a 24 year break from gliding.
- Chris Fernau (February)
Badges
- Jeremy Heath - Silver Distance (September)
- Charles Jessop - Bronze and Cross Country Endorsement (August)
- James Best - Silver (April)
- Dan Goodman - Silver (April)
- Richard Lever - Silver (April)
- Corbin Davies - Silver (April)
- Lukas Brandt - completed Gold badge (March)
Others
- Dave Watt - second in the 15m Nationals (10 points behind the winner)
- Fran Aitken - 8th in the Junior Nationals
- Derren Francis - fourth in the 18m Nationals - only beaten by some World and European champions
- Pete Harvey - Winner European Open Class Championship
- for the third time in a row
AND Winner of the UK Open Class National Championships - John Roberts - second Bicester Regionals (Open Class)
- Martin Durham - third Bicester Regionals (Open Class)
- Sunay Shah - Winner of the Bicester Regionals (Sports Class)
- Ian Smith / Micky Boik - second Bicester Regionals (Sports Class)
- Cris Emson / Red Staley - third Bicester Regionals (Sport Class)
- Maz Makari - Winner British Aerobatics Championship Sports Class
- Corbin Davies - fourth place British Aerobatics Championship Beginners Class
2008
Solo
- Richard Wilkens (December) convert from power flying
- Charles Jessop (October)
- Jeremy Heath (September)
- Steve Oddy (August)
- James Best (July)
- Daniel Marszalec (July)
- Dave Burrett (May)
- Tara Salter (May)
- James Krautgartner (March)
- Kirsty McNaught - first of the new year, from OUGC (February)
- George Tvalashvili - first solo in the motor glider (January)
Badges
- Rogier "Rocky" Westerhuis completed his Bronze (December)
- Pete Cadle completed his Silver (September)
- Jolien Chow completed her Silver (August)
- Matt Turnbull - 500km (July)
- Philippa Roberts completed her Silver. (July)
- Seth Helstrip - completed Bronze and cross-country endorsement and completed Silver. (July)
- Corbin Davies - completed cross-country endorsement (July)
Others
- Tony Cleworth - Basic Instructors rating (November)
- Paul Jessop - obtained a Certified Flight Instructor (Gliders) rating in the US (November)
- Phil Schartau - tug pilot rating (November)
- Lukas Brandt Assistant Instructor rating (October)
- Dave Watt - 4th place 18m Nationals, out of 51, (only beaten by three ex-World champions!)
- Derren Francis - 12th place, 18m Nationals
- Sunay Shah - second place (out of 38) in the Sport Class of the Bicester Regionals
- Terry Mitchell - seventh (out of 36) in Open Class, Bicester Regionals
- Bob King - eighth (out of 36) in Open Class, Bicester Regionals
- Terry Crow - tug pilot rating (July)
- Dave Morgan - Assistant Instructor Rating (June)
- Annette Purcell - Assistant Instructor rating (June)
- Jolien Chow - won Air League Scholarship (May)
2007
Solo
- Edward Barrell (14th October)
- Sam Barrell (13th October)
- Mario Nardone (October)
- Jason Gauchi (September)
- Jim Barrell (September, after a 7 years layoff)
- Seth Helstrip (September)
- Peter Bryant (August)
- Emma Salisbury (August) solo in the motorglider, after getting her NPPL
- Martin Marx (June)
- Tim Harrington (re-soloed June, after a break on medical grounds)
- Rob Hatschek (March)
- Sebastian Cassell (March)
- Gem Roberston - first new solo of the year! (February)
- Alan Lynfield - re-soloed after a two year gap (February)
Badges
- Corbin Davies - Bronze C (October)
- Philippa Roberts - completed Bronze C, and XC Endorsement (September)
- Kjell Konis - completed Bronze C, and XC Endorsement (September)
- Jed Edyvean - 750km (July)
- Mark Lavender - 300km (July)
- Terry Crow - 100km Dip (July)
- Lucas Brandt - 300km (July)
- Barney Crump - 300km (July)
- Mark Trocknell - Bronze C (July)
- George Tvalashvili - Bronze C and XC Endorsement (June and August)
- Terry Crow - 50km (May)
- Jolien Lok Chow - Bronze and XC Endorsement (April)
- Dan Grey - Bronze (April)
- Clive Dalzell - Gold height (March)
Other Achievements
- Dave Catt - NPPL (September)
- Clive Dalzell - Basic Instructor Rating (September)
- Gail Stevens - Basic Instructor Rating (September)
- James Wilson - Basic Instructor Rating (September)
- Peter Harvey - Winner of the European Championships Open Class, tenth in the World Grand Prix (15m Class)
- Dave Watt - Winner of the Booker Regionals
- Mark Szymkowwicz - 8th in the Junior Nationals
- Ken Hartley - 11th Open Class Nationals
- Lucas Brandt - Basic Instructor Rating
- Terry Mitchell - 4th Open Class, Bicester Regionals
- Bob King - 5th Open Class, Bicester Regionals
- Jamie Allen + Peter Stratten - 6th Open Class, Bicester Regionals
- Sunay Shah - 9th Sports Class, Bicester Regionals
- Martin Durham - 8th Overseas Nats, Standard Class
- Derren Francis - 12th Overseas Nats, Standard Class
- Terry Mitchell - Solo in the Motor Glider
- Bob King - first 500Km flight of the year from Windrushers, in April
2006 and 2005
Solo
- Kjell Konis
- Corbin Davies
- Paul Good - re-soloed after an eight year break.
- Phil Gardener
- Gemma Twigg
- Paul Jessop - re-soloed after a ten year break
- Rachael Tocknell
- Mark Tocknell
- Marcus Bihler
- George Tvalashvili
- Peter Cadle
- Ben Rees
- Jolien Lok Chow
- Alastair Green
- Dan Grey
- Evelyn Davies
- John McLean
- Phillipa Roberts
- Rhian Thomas
- Anna Brain
- Dan Goodman
- Felix Hoffmann
- Peter Harding
Badges
- Clive Dalzell - Silver
- Norman Holifield - Bronze and Silver
- Mark Szymkowwicz - 500 Km, and a great 2006 Juniors result, 6th place
- Sally Cooper - Bronze
- Marko Bacic - Silver (eventually)
- James Wilson - Silver
- Daniel Goodman - Bronze
- Felix Hoffmann - Silver
- Rhian Thomas - Bronze
- Gail Stevens - Silver
Other Achievements
- Derren Francis - selected for British Team for 2007 European Championships, 3rd Standard Class Nationals 2006 and 8th 18m Nationals 2006
- Martin Durham - 10th Standard Class Nationals 2006
- Gareth Cunningham - completed Full Cat. Instructor rating
- Mike Pettican - Motor Glider Rating
- Paul Mason aka Baldrick - completed Full Cat. Instructor rating
- Ollie Bosanko - 16th in his first ever comp, the Northerns 2006
- Mark Szymkowicz - 6th place in the Junior Nationals 2006
- Dave Morgan - 31st in the 2006 Juniors, in an Astir
- Ken Hartley - 4th Open Class Nationals 2006
- Dan Pitman - 20th 18M Nationals 2006 and 19th Standard Class Nats, 2005
- John Wright - re-instated Ass. Cat Instructor, after a break on medical grounds.
- Bruce Wainwright - BI rating
- Dave Morgan - BI rating
- Sunay Shah - BI rating
- Owain Walters - 7th Club Class Nationals 2005
- Jed Edyvean - 8th Open Class Nationals 2005
- Terry Mitchell - 12th Open Nationals 2005