Hi everyone, this is the regular Thursday posting to let you know what is coming up in the near future.
Last week:
Member survey
Please can I remind you about this and encourage you to complete it, we are already seeing some extremely useful feedback and this will help to make your club even better. (Plus free winch launches if you win the draw!!!). The link below will take you to it.
Membership subscriptions
If you pay your membership via direct debit, you will notice those payments start to go out again this week. When we set them up, it was set up so that, unless you tell us you do NOT wish to renew, then payments will continue into the next membership year(s). Once again please can I ask those of you who pay in one go to pay promptly.
Parachutes
Below is a message from Chris Harris. Chris has given us a fantastic service re parachutes over the years and his comments really must be taken on board. A new parachute now will cost the club nearly £2000.
We have had another parachute left in an open land rover. This time we
think for three days. It was found soaking wet and will now have to be
dried and repacked before it can return to service. It worries me that
if the wrong person had found this, might it have been put back in the
parachute cupboard wet and it’s serviceability compromised.
Generally speaking parachutes get put in vehicles when a 2 seat glider
is flown solo. Could I ask any pilot who puts one in a vehicle to take
ownership for making sure it is either put back in a 2 seater or make
sure it is removed from the land rover at the end of the day and
returned to the warm cupboard,
Signs volunteers
As you may be aware we have done a lot of work at the South end introducing informal paths which guide the public away from our operation. All that is left of the project is to erect 3 signs. Paul Fowler has organised the signs all we now are some volunteers to help install them. The completion of this project will give us a significant benefit when launching North or South so please could you email the office with your offer of help. We have had a couple of volunteers but could still do with more. Paul Fowler will be in touch directly with dates for installation once we have the signs at the Mynd.
Launch directors
We now have 4 extra launch directors:- Dave Cole, William Brewis, Jon Hall and Tim Bird. This is excellent but we do need more. The more we have then the job becomes much easier and less demanding of your time. The role is absolutely vital to ensure we achieve the launch rate (and landing) we need to deliver the most flying we can.
Weekend outlook:
Your team this weekend is : Neal Clements, Denise Hughes, Ed Jones, Tim Mason, Clive Crocker, Charles Carter, Tony Dietrich
Forthcoming events:
Summer is only 1 week away!
The club goes full time on the 20th of March. The get checked week coincides perfectly with the start of the season and I am confident that it will be the start of a superb soaring season. Please start booking dates in your diary to come and enjoy the greatest sport in the world.
Can I remind all the private owners to check your trailers. This is the time of year when the first enthusiastic cross countries are performed. We have a tradition at the club of guaranteeing retrieves but it won’t work if your trailer is broken!
Winter lectures
Patrick of the National Trust gave us a superb talk last week, it was so good in fact that we are inviting him back next year.
We now have 1 left. Mike Groves of Skylaunch. Please do make an effort to attend, it’s a great night and the trick is to fly in the day, have the talk then a really good supper.
Juniors over Easter
The Club will be running a course for junior members over the Easter holidays from 10 to 13 April with a dedicated instructor and glider. Junior members may attend for just one day or more. Any members interested should book a place through the office
Llanbedr Expedition
The MGC expedition to LLanbedr has had to change dates and will now be from the 18th to the 24th March 2017. We will be taking the Twin Astir for club flying, and there are a number of Duos going that may have spare seats. If you want to go in the Astir but have not had an email with dates allocated please email mail@mikegreenwood.co.uk with which dates you are able to attend.
Aim higher course
18 -19 March.
We have 15 attendees but there are still places available. If you would like to attend on the day please be aware that we have to contribute to the costs of providing this course so by all means come along and join in but you will be asked to contribute. We are so privileged to have Kevin Atkinson to do this course for us. He will cover:
How the sky works
How to work the sky
Going further and faster
Self-teaching skill drills and self-tasking
And will be the best preparation you could think of before the cross country season starts in earnest. This is proving very attractive to visitors from far and wide so I do encourage Mynd members to book up while you can.
20 March get checked week
This is really filling up (I mean that, I’m having to help out with the instructing!) so I recommend you make your booking as soon as you can. Steve Male is running this popular week, it’s a great opportunity to come along and make sure you are ready for the soaring season which I guarantee is going to be brilliant this year. Don’t forget as Andy Holmes told me “April is when all the records are set” so you will be ready for the great weather. We have circulated the details separately. Contact the office if you haven’t yet received them
AGM
8 April 17:00. Please put this into your diary. We intend a slightly different format this year with the AGM, followed by presentations on the options for going forward. We have had a couple of good years but we face stormy times ahead. We must strengthen our position now while we can and your input and feedback are essential. At the February committee meeting we agreed our 3 main goals and will be publishing them before the meeting so once the formal part of the meeting is over you can contribute to the discussion regarding the priorities of the club over the next few years.
June the 3rd 4th and 5th. Aim Higher practical
I am absolutely delighted to tell you that Kevin has agreed to provide a “practical” aim higher course on the above dates. This means we get the best of both worlds, the theory then followed by the practical after we have all had a chance to practice. We are really privileged to be able to offer this combination this year so get your bookings in to the office as soon as you can. We are already getting applications and I think this will be a popular one.
MGC Cross Country Refresher Week – for ALL aspiring or active cross country pilots!
This week runs from 17th – 21st April 2017
This is a great week for aspiring and early (and experienced) cross-country pilots with a structured training opportunity to refresh their cross country skills prior to the main period of the cross country flying season. Expect to hone your abilities in the following areas:
- All aspects of ground school you will need
- Motorglider training for field landing / navigation practice
- Aerotow training & revalidation will be available if required
- Advanced handling techniques
- Cross-country tasks will be set, planned, flown and debriefed (in your own glider, or as P2 in a club glider/Duo Discus.
- Dedicated days/slots, instructors, and aircraft available
If you are interested in, or intrigued by the thought of, flying what seem like unimaginable distances in an aircraft that has no apparent means of propulsion, then this is for you! You can find out more by clicking here for the poster or here for full details of how the week will work.
Summer celebration
Mac is organising the “longest day, open day” recruitment drive on the 24th of June. In addition we want to increase the activity and the interest for members. Years ago we used to run a “dawn to dusk” day and we are going to combine the two. It is fantastic fun, we run in shifts and do “shedloads” of launches (or words to that effect). Please drop me an email at the address below if you would like to help out for a shift, everyone is welcome and I guarantee you will have a great day.