CFI News

This page is for important information from Windrushers Gliding Club CFI, Peter Brown, concerning any aspects of the airfield and flying. Please read this and bookmark this page to check its contents regularly.

Introducing the New CFI

Hi Everyone,

Just to keep everybody informed of what’s happening with my transition into the CFI position, [I tripped over when we were all running like hell].

At this present time I am listening to lots of people and their views, I will take all of their thoughts and bear them in mind when I make my decisions. Any decisions I make will be what I think is right for the club, but above all safety will be top of my list.

Before I go any further I would like to thank Gary Binnie for his excellent job over the last two and a half years in helping to set the club up and running, without him it may never have happened.

I have asked Dave Bullock and Ian Smith to be my DCFIs and I am pleased to say they have both agreed. Dave will be there for the mid week operations and Ian will be the cross country coach. They will also be there for any flying matters and have my full backing on any decisions they make.

I will keep you informed of anything that affects us or the club and I would like to think anyone could come to me with any flying issues they may have.

Pete Brown
7 Feb 2007

BGA PROJECT AND THE FLYING ORDER BOOK

Hi Folks,

Windrusher’s GC is taking part in a BGA project during 2006 which aims to define and maintain known good practice in the supervision of inexperienced and unqualified glider pilots. The flying order book now includes an additional appendix F describing some associated guidelines. If you have any questions, please ask the CFI or the Deputy CFI for advice.

Although the flying order book has changed again I would not ask for it to be re-signed in this instance.

This new annex mainly applies to instructors but everyone could benefit from reading it.

Arctic blast on the way apparently, soon be summer!

Gary Binnie
26/02/2006

CROSS COUNTRY ENDORSEMENT, RUBBISH WEATHER AND REFRESHERS

Not much to report at this dreary time of year, the vintage aero club 'Valentine' rally was scrubbed due to appalling weather (fourth rally in a row to be cancelled).

I did mention that it might be wiser to hold this kind of event in the summer!

Felix Hofmann completed his Cross Country endorsement in the depths of winter by not getting Jonathan May lost in the motorglider, well done.

Rumours from the 'Scuttlebutt' (ask Dickie) will be mainly about 7 day operations and staffing, the Chairman or myself will let you know when there is news.

As Derren said last October 'the soaring season is just round the corner'! I would hope that all pilots feeling a bit rusty would take advantage of the very experienced instructor team and opt for some refresher flights. Annual check suggested content is contained in the Flying Order book (Wassat?)

Please do not drive around the edge of the airfield, I have seen the damage. Use the hard perimeter track and go slowly to save your suspension. Why are you taking your car out to the launch point anyway? If you ever see my car at the launch point I will buy everyone in the bar two drinks. Space behind the launch point is for aircraft only.

Happy landings

Gary
16/02/2006

ENDING THE YEAR ON A HIGH NOTE

Congratulations to Phillipa Roberts and John McClean on their first solo flights carried out during the recent highly successful OUGC training week. I would like to thank the instructors who helped out on behalf of the OUGC. We did so much flying that the winch ran out of gas one day with a cable deployed, top marks to the instructor who was impatiently asking for 'up slack' when in fact the cable had been cut at the winch and it was halfway to the LPG tank at the time! No clues but he is hot on safety and flies big aeroplanes!!

A new revised Flying Order Book is now available at the club and on the website, the aerobatic section has been re-written by Jamie Allen, I have added a section on advice for powered aircraft operating from Bicester and there is a new paragraph concerning members who wish to base a new aircraft, form or join a syndicate etc.

Could I ask all solo pilots and above to read and sign it please at your earliest convenience.

As this should be my last posting of 2005, I would like to wish all Windrushers a very Merry Christmas (see you at the do!) and a Happy New Year. I expect there will be some ad hoc flying over the Christmas holiday period, T-21's only of course! I should also thank all the members who helped to make the 'Regionals' and the even more hectic Junior Nationals the successes that they undoubtedly were.

There is another group of people who must be thanked and they are the WGC committee members working quietly behind the scenes making sure that the grass gets cut, fuel gets delivered, website gets updated and bills get paid to mention just a few of the jobs that are essential for the smooth running of the club.

Brace yourself for 2006!

Merry Christmas

Gary
15/12/05

NEW ASTIR, CARS ON THE AIRFIELD AND A BRONZE 'C'

Apologies for my absence (been working for the Queen in Cyprus). We have a new glider, a very nice Astir '906', please look after it. Minimum requirement to fly it is Bronze 'C' plus Full Cat approval as per the flying order book.

Cars on the airfield, I know I will never win with this subject but I could not park the club motorglider behind the launchpoint today, I counted 14 cars. It is only 200 yards from the hangar guys. Please think twice about driving on to the airfield, in any case the grass will soon be very soggy and delicate, many
people have worked long and hard to maintain the airfield this summer and would not be pleased to see their efforts undone. (See item at bottom of page [Web Master])

Congrats to Felix Hofmann on completing his Bronze 'C'.

Gary
29/10/05

JUNIOR NATIONALS, CLUB OPERATIONS AND A 50K

Hi folks,
Congrats to the team looking after the Junior Nationals, another succesful comp by all accounts ( I watched it from a Pawnee). Normal club operations will be resumed this weekend (3/4 Sept) but please note that we are hosting the Inter Club League final (21 gliders, aerotow launch), this should not affect us too much.

Well done to Marco on finding Hus Bos on his first 50k, sadly with his logger switched off! What would we do without him? At least he got to tow his own glider back with the Falke!
A good achievement all the same.

Instructor renewal soon so make those logbooks up (yes, it's like writing lines at school isn't it?)

Gary
31/8/05

GREAT DAY

Hi folks,
Another great weekend thanks to the efforts of Roger Davies and Martin Durham (fresh from Jo'burg!). Mark S flew his first 500k on Sunday, I did add however that it was heaving!! Well done.

We are 'getting there' and it is great to see the club so busy.

Gary
7/8/05

ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to Dan Goodman for completing his Bronze 'C' and to Clive Dalzell for completing his Cross Country Endorsement. All hands to the pumps please for this coming weekends' Inter Club League event at Windrushers, should be fun.

Party time soon, no doubt the CFI will be spending another night in the club's luxurious bunk house!

We have our own grass cutting kit now and thanks to some dedicated individuals the airfield will be looking like a bowling green in no time.

Happy landings

Gary

SILVER DURATION AND CLUB COMPS

Congratulations to Clive Dalzell, Paul McCormack and Felix Hoffman for completing their 5 hour Silver duration flights, all done sadly without the aid of a barograph!! There is a moral here somewhere but I can not think what it is! Excellent day today at Windrushers, I beat everyone to the top of the stack with the Barge but I got frostbite in the process!
Pundits, please keep your finishes sensible, remember some pilots are watching and will try this, they may not have the ability that you have.

Thanks to all the winch drivers, tug pilots and instructors who are helping this happen, the days will get longer but stick with it.

Sunay will be the Club Captain for the Inter Club League, we still need novices for the first event at Hinton, go on push yourself!

Gary
15th May 2005

CARS ON THE AIRFIELD

I have to revisit the 'private cars on the airfield' problem, it is now becoming very difficult to park aircraft behind the launchpoint. Please do not park in front of the tug or motorglider as it is very difficult to extract them when they are required to fly Please see further down this page for 'advice' on cars on the airfield.

Top tip: If the duty instructor says we will set up on Runway 18 (i.e. wind blowing from the South) then it is customary to place the winch on the Southern edge of the airfield and not the North end!!! This Full cat instructor shall remain nameless but he had me worried for a minute as I taxied the motorglider for take off!

Gary Binnie
17th April 2005

ACHIEVMENTS, HAZARDS, LANDINGS AND TUG.

Congratulations to Evelyn Davies, Rhian Thomas and Paul McCormack for completing their first solo flights and also to Clive Dalzell for completing his Bronze 'C'.

A reminder to pilots that all landings should be fully held off and that the stick should be on the backstop as you touch down and be held firmly there until the glider comes to rest. Please ask an instructor if you do not understand why.

Walking on the airfield is becoming increasingly hazardous (as is driving), with the increased number of powered aircraft movements please be careful.

With any luck our Robin will be with us by next weekend (2nd/3rd April), there will be a short period of maintenance for fitting of imperial instruments and the painting of the UK registration (either G-RTUG or G-WGCT, not sure which yet) and then it should be online for conversion training and touring use.

From the Flying Order book:

22. PRIVATE CARS ON THE AIRFIELD.

"The number of cars parked at the launch point is to be kept to a minimum.
Vehicles left at the launch point must have the keys left in the ignition to
enable them to be moved in case of a run change. Wherever possible leave your
vehicle at the hangar and walk to the launch point. Please be aware that many
insurance companies do not cover vehicles when 'airside'."

The reason for leaving your car at the hangar is to allow space for visiting
aircraft and tugs to park behind the launch point. If you are towing your glider
with 'single man' tow out then that is fine. If not then please hitch a lift in
one of the club vehicles or walk (it will do you good!).

Keys in the ignition, absolutely essential in the event of a run change
(including motorbikes). If you have an immobiliser then leave the code on a
piece of paper.

Always drive back to the hangar via the peri-track (keeping a good lookout
for approaching aircraft) and not directly up the field.

Come the wet months (September to March) the airfield grass is very delicate
and will not take wear from private cars.

Contrary to popular belief there is a speed limit on the airfield and it is 25 mph.

Gary Binnie