Air Cadet Gliding pix in the 80s (pre glass)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Either somewhere in the 3rd world, the land of cheese and wine, or possibly very occasionally, at home.
Age: 59
Posts: 488
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dropped in on 621 on friday and had a very nice time
3 trips in the 'Royal' Barge, and 2 solos in Al Staceys Prefect
- Finally got the full set! Barge, Mk3, Swallow and Prefect. Only the Grasshopper to go now...
Many thanks to everyone at 621 for the grand day out...I know you're all out there lurking
See ya all later in the year! And thanks to Al for letting the boys play with your toys
Pics to follow when I find my USB cable....
3 trips in the 'Royal' Barge, and 2 solos in Al Staceys Prefect
- Finally got the full set! Barge, Mk3, Swallow and Prefect. Only the Grasshopper to go now...Many thanks to everyone at 621 for the grand day out...I know you're all out there lurking
See ya all later in the year! And thanks to Al for letting the boys play with your toysPics to follow when I find my USB cable....
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Former Home of the Hercules, Wilts
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
621 Andy
Thanks. Adam C told me yesterday that you had sampled the delights of the Prefect. My day has been made twice today, your photo of XA310 and the fact that 614 have donated me a MK3 ground handling trailer!
Thanks. Adam C told me yesterday that you had sampled the delights of the Prefect. My day has been made twice today, your photo of XA310 and the fact that 614 have donated me a MK3 ground handling trailer!
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Grasshopper photos
Saw a Grasshopper flying at our club back in january - if that was what we were shown when our ab initio group was taken to the hangers to see the gliders I suspect I might have walked out there and then!
Anyway, I took some photos:
Slingsby Grasshopper - a set on Flickr
We also have a T53 with roundels which flies regularly. Are photos of that required? I could oblige!
Finally yes, Centrair did 'borrow' some ASW19/ASW20 bits from Schleicher to make the Pegase, though the wings are completely different (much more flexible for one thing) than the originals. In my highly biased view (I own one) the Pegase is a delightful glider to fly, and comfortable in the rough before getting into wave proper. Thankfully my Pegase has a grey cockpit interior rather than the nasty pinky-beige that the other one at the club has.
Anyway, I took some photos:
Slingsby Grasshopper - a set on Flickr
We also have a T53 with roundels which flies regularly. Are photos of that required? I could oblige!
Finally yes, Centrair did 'borrow' some ASW19/ASW20 bits from Schleicher to make the Pegase, though the wings are completely different (much more flexible for one thing) than the originals. In my highly biased view (I own one) the Pegase is a delightful glider to fly, and comfortable in the rough before getting into wave proper. Thankfully my Pegase has a grey cockpit interior rather than the nasty pinky-beige that the other one at the club has.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Either somewhere in the 3rd world, the land of cheese and wine, or possibly very occasionally, at home.
Age: 59
Posts: 488
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WE992-Great news about the trailer! I'm still sorting pics, so if there are any more of 310 I'll post them.
Meanwhile, here are a few from friday 6.3.09
Meanwhile, here are a few from friday 6.3.09
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Either somewhere in the 3rd world, the land of cheese and wine, or possibly very occasionally, at home.
Age: 59
Posts: 488
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Got my BGA log book here, so here are the ATC gliders I've flown- either in ATC use, or in civvy hands-
WB991 -T21
WB922- T21- first solo!
WB963- T21
WB942- T21
XN148- T21
WB958- T21
WJ306- T21
WB962- T21
WG498- T21
R92(Milreg?)- T21
XA310- Mk3
XN253- MK3
XN240- MK3(currently in Belgium)
WT877- Mk3
XA308- Mk3
XE791- Mk3
WT919-MK3
WT903-Mk3
WT908-Mk3
Swallow- XS651 (Currently in Cyprus)
plus now of course, Prefect WE992
WB991 -T21
WB922- T21- first solo!
WB963- T21
WB942- T21
XN148- T21
WB958- T21
WJ306- T21
WB962- T21
WG498- T21
R92(Milreg?)- T21
XA310- Mk3
XN253- MK3
XN240- MK3(currently in Belgium)
WT877- Mk3
XA308- Mk3
XE791- Mk3
WT919-MK3
WT903-Mk3
WT908-Mk3
Swallow- XS651 (Currently in Cyprus)
plus now of course, Prefect WE992
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Inverness-shire
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK Andy - I've got to ask re your photos
Why was the guy in the back seat of that T31 (ok Mk III) facing backwards?
And how??? He doesn't seem to be high enough to be kneeling - did he have his legs shoved down the back of the fus somewhere? (in among the control cables!)
Presumably with the seat harness around his back?
Rear gunner trainee?
But it obviously worked! Eeee, you could enjoy yourself before they invented elf n safety.
Why was the guy in the back seat of that T31 (ok Mk III) facing backwards?
And how??? He doesn't seem to be high enough to be kneeling - did he have his legs shoved down the back of the fus somewhere? (in among the control cables!)
Presumably with the seat harness around his back?
Rear gunner trainee?
But it obviously worked! Eeee, you could enjoy yourself before they invented elf n safety.
Last edited by astir 8; 9th Mar 2009 at 15:11.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Hampshire
Age: 68
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On the subject of facing rearwards. I witnessed the CO of a VGS doing the same thing in a Barge on the last day of Conventional ops before the VGS converted to the Venture.
The Seat back and parachute tray? were removed and his legs (carefully) inserted into the fuselage before the harness was fixed together behind his back.
He was strangely rather subdued after landing and only much later revealed why. He had never realised just how much the fuselage bent during launch until he saw it on that flight.
I've also heard on many occasions stories of crews changing places in flight. Reasonbly easy I suppose for the Barge but these stories also mention it being done in the Mk III brick, anyone else heard of it / seen it / done it?.
The Seat back and parachute tray? were removed and his legs (carefully) inserted into the fuselage before the harness was fixed together behind his back.
He was strangely rather subdued after landing and only much later revealed why. He had never realised just how much the fuselage bent during launch until he saw it on that flight.
I've also heard on many occasions stories of crews changing places in flight. Reasonbly easy I suppose for the Barge but these stories also mention it being done in the Mk III brick, anyone else heard of it / seen it / done it?.
One still prominent BGA member (probably too fat now to fit in a T21 solo) did his 5 hours at Bicester in a T21 with nose ballast.
It was noticed that he took off in the right hand seat, and landed in the left hand one.
He was allowed to claim the flight for his Silver, but spent the rest of the week driving the winch.
It was noticed that he took off in the right hand seat, and landed in the left hand one.
He was allowed to claim the flight for his Silver, but spent the rest of the week driving the winch.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Seen Clive W***** and Jim K*** change seats in the MK3 at a VGS just inside the M25 near Caterham....................... bloomin' tight for time though..............................and CG changes very iffy I was told..............
Changing seats in the Barge was easy stuff.....................
Arc
Changing seats in the Barge was easy stuff.....................
Arc
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whilst there's talk of sitting backwards in MKIII's I was told this story from a reputable source which stopped one VGS from doing this further and probably a few more if they had known!
The story goes....
P2 sat backwards with a camera to record the event. After launch P1 entered a series of severe aerobatic manouvers ( stalls and dives) which P2 considered was a little sporting whilst he was trying to take photos. The aeros finished at a low height followed by a prompt landing.
What happened? Well during the launch the rear seat stick ( held on the backstop in true pole bending fashion) got hooked underneath the straps holding in P2 ( he was oblivious as facing the rear!). After launch P1 couldn't prevent the glider from stalling and diving with each manouver getting worse than the previous as the stick was stuck fully back. By the grace of god and at a low attitude during the reduced 'g' of one of the stalls, the straps went slack and released the stick!!!
As i say this story is second hand to me but I have no reason to doubt its authenticity!
The story goes....
P2 sat backwards with a camera to record the event. After launch P1 entered a series of severe aerobatic manouvers ( stalls and dives) which P2 considered was a little sporting whilst he was trying to take photos. The aeros finished at a low height followed by a prompt landing.
What happened? Well during the launch the rear seat stick ( held on the backstop in true pole bending fashion) got hooked underneath the straps holding in P2 ( he was oblivious as facing the rear!). After launch P1 couldn't prevent the glider from stalling and diving with each manouver getting worse than the previous as the stick was stuck fully back. By the grace of god and at a low attitude during the reduced 'g' of one of the stalls, the straps went slack and released the stick!!!
As i say this story is second hand to me but I have no reason to doubt its authenticity!
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 69
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Arclite01, I was tipped off that you may have confused me with someone else. Swapping seats in a Mk III? I just checked my log book, and I was at the winches for the whole day and didn't fly that day! (Probably still grounded due to the mishap with the police car aerial!)
Happy days!
Happy days!