Chairman's Report

Chairman's Report April 2010

I was both surprised and impressed by the number of club members who gave up their time for the Open Day. It was well organised and marshalled by Steve Eyles and everybody seemed to have a good day, with a sense of achievement at the end of it.

It provided a good springboard for the rest of the season and I hope that members will get similarly involved in the forthcoming events and projects as year unfolds.

We also hosted the launch of the Marling School, Boeing sponsored, 'build a plane challenge' on the 24th April jointly with Roger target. There was a brass band, model aircraft, speeches and displays. Now that tools have been acquired and exams are coming to an end we can expect to see activity in the old paint shop in the tug hanger as the Marling section of the plane takes shape.

I am optimistic that this will also lead to more junior members in due course and hopefully a long term contact with Marling and other local colleges. Time will tell!

Tim Allen is leading the effort to obtain Junior Gliding Centre status. The BGA have made the requirements as reasonable as possible whilst retaining creditability with outside bodies.

Associated with the JGC process is the need to roll out a programme that will eventually see all people who might be alone with a child or ‘vulnerable adult’ CPR checked. I cannot adequately express the contempt and loathing in which I hold this legislation, but not tackling the requirement head on has led to a hiatus in the recruitment of young members. I am looking to take over from Jeremy Mitcheson (who is pretty well following his coronary, but cannot drive for a couple of months) as Child Protection Officer in order to make a start on CRB checks for the ‘first wave’ of applicants. I hope that everyone concerned will show due understanding and co-operation. In the meantime, we should simply crack on as we always have.

It seems to me that the insanity of the CRB scheme is part of an ever increasing beauocracy. EASA is seen as European interference foreign to our pragmatic, British approach but, in practice, it is only one of a number of similar impositions being inflicted on our society by both government and institutions. Perhaps the dramatic increase in the ability to retain and process information provided by computers necessarily requires ever-increasing information to be monitored.

Be this as it may, the club needs to respond to this increasingly ‘1984’ world. Ian Hey is leading a joint application with AD for Unofficial Airfield Safeguarding status with the local planning authority in respect of our local area and the ridges. We are also applying, through the BGA, for Regional Gliding Centre status, both of which would enhance our status within the planning and development frameworks.

You may have heard that a monitoring mast was planned for close to the wind turbine. Following objections from us and AD on air safety and procedural grounds, the application has now been rejected by the local Council. The applicants are expected to appeal, but for now we are flavour of the month with local residents!

We understand that the company concerned has interests in other land locally, so we need to make sure that we are considered in any applications for wind farms.

I would like to thank all those who have responded and will need to continue to respond to the unglamorous challenge of provided by all this beaurocracy.

Colin

Chairmans Report - Feb 2010

It’s Spring!

Well, almost. There’s a scattering of snow on the ground and long johns are essential, but the first thermals have shown themselves and the workshops resound to the sound of happy elves performing the rite of Annual Check.

Last year proved ‘about average’, which was better than the two previous washouts. This year your committee is planning earlier and bolder to take the club forward, whatever the weather .

Projects

Jeremy Mitcheson and Rob Hanks have arranged for ‘smoothing’ work to be carried out to the South of the track at the Eastern end. If this is successful, then other rough areas will be worked on in sequence. Following the successful removal of the trees overhanging the road there will also be a programme to clear back the encroaching saplings around the perimeter of the site.

Further plans are being considered by Elaine Townsend for our buildings and structures and various projects will be planned. Repairs are needed to the South Hanger doors (particularly the areas used by club gliders!) and Rob Hanks is investigating the construction of a lean-to shed for the mower and tractor.

Steve Eyles has taken responsibility for the Open Day on the first Saturday after Easter, probably in the form of a ’Family Fun Day’.

Involvement in this kind of activity can be good fun and is a great way of meeting people. I am determined that the projects will be planned out so that volunteer’s time is not wasted.

Flying

On the flying side Sid Smith will be running his perennially successful Sid’s Task Week at the end of July. We have limited the numbers to 20 to minimise conflict with the club grid, so apply promptly!

This will be supplemented by ‘Andy’s X-Country Coaching and Task Week’ led by Andy Davis for the 22nd to 30th May and Trevor Stuart will look to lead a ‘St Catherine’s week’ in September.

Dave Hallsworth is chipping in by arranging focussed ‘Improver’ weeks and days covering aspects from beginners to cross country and aerobatics and it is hoped that instructors and experienced pilots will pitch in all of these to have fun whilst bringing people on.

As mentioned at the AGM, I would like to see a more certain matching of Instructor and P2 time. We are looking towards an online booking system, but will start more modestly.

More controversially, we are looking to a rota system for Launch Point Controller for all solo members who are not currently on a rota. This worked pretty well a couple of years ago and we hope that it will be supported and deliver the significantly better launch rate that we all want. The controllers will need willing log keepers, tow-out truck drivers etc. and I believe that the ‘last pilot organises the grid’ procedure will need to remain. Chris Edwards has reviewed the written procedures and if the (sometimes relatively inexperienced) controllers receive active support from everyone then this should work!

Look out for full details of the programme shortly.

Colin McEwen

Chairmans’s Report October 2009

Another Summer truly gone.

Not as dramatically wet as the past two years, but I don’t remember many classic ‘fair weather cumulus’ days. The Indian summer has been pleasant though.

It can’t have been all bad; Trevor flew an 800k, John McWilliams and Richard Smith nearly did and Trevor flew to the Isle of Wight on the 23rd September!

I would like to thank Mike Woolard for the enthusiasm that he brought to his stint as professional instructor and Dave Halsworth for stepping in for the Uni week. Dve will be with us for the Winter season. For some reason he likes us.

I would also like to thank Mike Harris and his helpers for getting the winch sorted out. It is only now that the winch drivers realise just how bad it had got!

The failure of the Standard Class Nationals was a disapointment and threw things out. We have the 15m pilots at the end of July next year. Aston Down put on a good comp. for them this year and I have promised them that we will do the same. There should be no problem in getting the numbers and Tim has already made a start on the planning

It seems to me that organising for a good comp.  will provide a useful focus for a number of activities around the club before we go ‘on display’.  I hope that everyone will pitch in to ensure that both the competition and the marketing opportunity for the club are a success.

Of course, the comp. is just one aspect of the coming year. This Autumn your committee  intends to meet to plan the framework of 2010. If you have any ideas that you would like us to look at, please let Phil know via the office .

As part of this  I am keen that we develop templates for  various activities, from running competitions to being Chairman in order to provide greater continuity and  so that these may be more easily taken on by new people in coming years. Everyone agrees with the principle, but getting it to happen is a slightly different matter!

Colin

Chairman's Report 28 June 2009

The season is well under way, with Andy D. whizzing round triangles in his new toy and grinning, Trevor doing 800k and no doubt planning out and returns to Scotland and the rest of us spreading our wings according to taste.

I still hear one or two people looking for a bit more confidence. I suggest that you chat to a more experienced pilot to see if they will give you a boost or contact Rob Hanks to find an Advanced Mentor. Additionally, any instructor, whether on duty or not, will usually be happy to give a bit of advice. The season will be over all too quickly!

The Open Day went well, and my particular thanks to Jeremy and Roger Targett for their efforts. We had a steady trickle of visitors and a chance to chat amongst the models and aircraft on display. A number of trial lessons were flown and Giuseppie had a regular stream of customers.

We are fortunate to have Giusepie. Maintaining a cafe facility at any club is not easy. I hope that as a member you will not only give him your custom when you can, but also ensure that his outside customers are made to feel welcome. You never know, even if they are not potential club members, they probably know someone who is!

The allocation of trial lessons and issues around aero-towing have provided problems. We fell significantly behind on the provision of trial lessons.and a number of tug pilots are (quite reasonably) not prepared to set aside a day to tow if they cannot be assured of a decent amount of business.

To counter these problems I authorised a return to paying for an instructor to commit to days when trial lessons will be flown. This permits the office to book a number of trial lessons on particular days and thus to offer the tug pilot a guaranteed number of flights.

I accept that this does not guarantee the availability of a tow on every day, but hope that, if we provide a patently reliable aircraft and sufficient flights, then this situation will improve.

The reliability problems with the Pawnee led us to put the Scout back on risk. I am assured that these have been addressed and that the maintenance regime is being re-assessed. The Scout is still for sale.

I was pleased that we were able to thank Tim for his 10 years in the saddle as CFI in an almost suitable fashion. Free beer for a teetotaller was not inspired, but Bernard's presentation photo of Tim eating sandwiches in the front of the K13 seemed to hit the mark!

My thanks to Dave Halsworth for stepping in as professional instructor for the university week. It seems to have been a an enjoyable week for him, the students and the other club members.

Mike Woolard is about to join us as mid week instructor and is well placed to bering on all those who can make weekdays. I am not sure how he will want to play things, but phoning the day before to check and turning up early to help get things going are usually well received!

The damage to our "trainer of choice", the dual Grob, may or may not prove terminal. Until we sort ourselves out, the sale of the K13 has been put on hold. This will be seen as unfortunate by many, but not our new CFI. As I look at our remaining fleet is it, in fact, perfectly suitable? More debate in the bar,particularly between instructors and current or recent P2s, over this one please!!

As I type this I have been told that we have had to cancel the Standard Class Nationals for lack of entries. Hmmm.

I am keen that this autumn we draw up a "gameplan" for next year. A degree of flexibility will be required.

Colin 28.06.2009

Chairman's Report - 1st June 2009

What a strange period!

I was pleased at the efforts that the Committee made in getting activities moving for the start of the season although we now need to ensure that they are followed through.

The advanced mentor scheme is under way and benefiting some, although I am sure that a number of others could usefully talk to Rob Hanks about joining up.

The Open Day is now set for Saturday 20th June and will require a lot of support if it is to succeed in its own right and as a chance for members to get to know each other.

After 10 years as CFI Tim has relinquished the role and Chris Edwards has taken up the mantle. On behalf of the club I would like to thank Tim for the commitment that he has shown that he has shown.

I know that, among other things, Chris is looking to integrate the weekday and weekend operations and to promote the cause of solo pilots who are not hard-core cross country.

The Committee look forward to working with him as we face up to the challenge of the EASA changes.

On a less happy note, Don has decided to leave us. I very much regret this. His enthusiasm and patience with pupils is remarkable, as is the background effort that he has put in, for which I would like to thank him,

Summer is here and there are cu in the sky and we've had a rash of XC on the BGA ladder - so let's Fly!

Colin

Colin McEwen, Chairman

Update?