Primary Glider
pneumono
ultramicroscopic
silicovolcano
coniosis
ultramicroscopic
silicovolcano
coniosis
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Hi Dave, not too busy at work then?
A syndicate at Lasham have a grasshopper that they drag out on the occasional evening.
I've had the pleasure of flying it and all I can say is "What a blast"
Great fun and whooping all the way up the launch.
The brief went something along the lines of - "don't fly it slower than 40kts, on landing don't round out until the last minute as she's so draggy she stops flying pretty quick, enjoy it"
GS
A syndicate at Lasham have a grasshopper that they drag out on the occasional evening.
I've had the pleasure of flying it and all I can say is "What a blast"
Great fun and whooping all the way up the launch.
The brief went something along the lines of - "don't fly it slower than 40kts, on landing don't round out until the last minute as she's so draggy she stops flying pretty quick, enjoy it"
GS
Sedburgh
There also used to be a wonderful photo in the Bicester bar of a lass strapped onto a primary. Either the shoulder straps were doing wonders for her bust measurement or she had the most amazing bra.......
Yup I remember it - she was a true 60's child at the time & very nice on the eyes.
The Primary you mean was owned by "Happy Harry" Chapple & not flown that often, I think it may be the one at Keevil but stand to be corrected as usual
The RAFGSA owned Primary that I was reffering to was flown & sold (I recall) as stated, I was lucky enough to fly her off the winch a number of times, not so lucky though to see it being flipped upside down (complete with pilot) when the launch cable that I was attached to in the old Twin Astir had somehow got pulled around the outside of it & the "up slack" was swiftly stopped - pilot Ok (the second time he had crashed upside down ironically!) - Primary repaired.
There also used to be a wonderful photo in the Bicester bar of a lass strapped onto a primary. Either the shoulder straps were doing wonders for her bust measurement or she had the most amazing bra.......
Yup I remember it - she was a true 60's child at the time & very nice on the eyes.
The Primary you mean was owned by "Happy Harry" Chapple & not flown that often, I think it may be the one at Keevil but stand to be corrected as usual
The RAFGSA owned Primary that I was reffering to was flown & sold (I recall) as stated, I was lucky enough to fly her off the winch a number of times, not so lucky though to see it being flipped upside down (complete with pilot) when the launch cable that I was attached to in the old Twin Astir had somehow got pulled around the outside of it & the "up slack" was swiftly stopped - pilot Ok (the second time he had crashed upside down ironically!) - Primary repaired.
Last edited by Rocket2; 6th Jun 2006 at 15:57.
At Halton way back in the '60's, we had a Chief Tech who travelled around CCF schools instructing and maintaining their Grasshoppers. He told us a tale of when he visited one school, their own instructor (a schoolteacher as well) complained that the footrest was loose and there was a bit of structure at the back end which flapped about sideways all the time. Amazingly he was serious!
Do a Hover - it avoids G
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Originally Posted by henry crun
We had a Dagling in the club at Andover many moons ago.
On good thermal days when everything else was staying up we would drag it out and have spot landing competitions.
It would barely make 600ft on the winch, and then it would only just make it back to the launch point !
Good fun on a nice summers day, no instruments, so one judged the speed by the feel of the wind on the face and comparing the undersurface of the wing to the horizon to asssess the angle of attack.
On good thermal days when everything else was staying up we would drag it out and have spot landing competitions.
It would barely make 600ft on the winch, and then it would only just make it back to the launch point !
Good fun on a nice summers day, no instruments, so one judged the speed by the feel of the wind on the face and comparing the undersurface of the wing to the horizon to asssess the angle of attack.
a glider) I'm most interested.
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Originally Posted by Rocket2
There used to be a Grasshopper (or maybe it was an SG 38) in the Bicester hangar when the RAFGSA was still based there. It had an altimeter and ASI fitted (cheat!) but I never actually saw it flown.
Yeh Gods that's going back a bit, it was sold (along with the Fauvel or "Budgie") after Andy Gough died as it was deemed too dangerous for the "modern" winches.
Not sure if it is a myth but someone challenged Andy to give them a free aerotow if they flew the said Primary naked, Andy agreed & promptly towed them to 200 feet on the far side of Bicester town & kept flying a racetrack pattern until the tug's tanks were almost dry (in excess of an hour)
I seem to recall that the flight was re-enacted at Bicesters 40th(?) celebrations afew years ago with a more modestly clothed pilot
Yeh Gods that's going back a bit, it was sold (along with the Fauvel or "Budgie") after Andy Gough died as it was deemed too dangerous for the "modern" winches.
Not sure if it is a myth but someone challenged Andy to give them a free aerotow if they flew the said Primary naked, Andy agreed & promptly towed them to 200 feet on the far side of Bicester town & kept flying a racetrack pattern until the tug's tanks were almost dry (in excess of an hour)
I seem to recall that the flight was re-enacted at Bicesters 40th(?) celebrations afew years ago with a more modestly clothed pilotIt was still there in 2004 just before the RAFGSA moved out and the new club moved in
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reacher: look here, SG38, Dagling, Grasshoppper, they are all much the same.
As has been mentioned, for some reason some of them have now been equiped with instruments, I can't think why. http://perso.orange.fr/aircollection...sg38nantes.jpg
As has been mentioned, for some reason some of them have now been equiped with instruments, I can't think why. http://perso.orange.fr/aircollection...sg38nantes.jpg
I flew the Bicester primary while on my Instructor course - as most of my course mates did. I took the wimps option and aerotowed to 1500' - very refreshing after a hot summer's day. Those who took the more heroic winch launch had fun trying to get back to the launch point after 700' max. Not so much a 'glider' as a 'plummeter'. The 'primary streak' was an option offered to us, but no one wanted to be towed over Bicester town at 200' completely naked.
We also dragged the AV36 out of the hangar. I got to soar it. It went up like a dream, but the handling was horrid. By heaving back on the stick you could 'flick loop' it. A very lightweight mate of mine got snatched off the groung by an enthusiatic winch driver. At about 300' the cable back released as the pitch got to about 80 degrees, the thing flick looped and he managed to compose himself enough to land staright ahead. He was a gibbering wreck and had to be lifted out of the thing. I seem to remember that a certain CFI who hated the 'Budgie' accidently ran over the wingtip with a tractor before anyone killed themselves in it. Many years later, someone in my PFA strut mentioned he had bought the wreckage of a glider and would I fly it when restored? It turned out to be the dreaded Budgie. The answer was no!
We also dragged the AV36 out of the hangar. I got to soar it. It went up like a dream, but the handling was horrid. By heaving back on the stick you could 'flick loop' it. A very lightweight mate of mine got snatched off the groung by an enthusiatic winch driver. At about 300' the cable back released as the pitch got to about 80 degrees, the thing flick looped and he managed to compose himself enough to land staright ahead. He was a gibbering wreck and had to be lifted out of the thing. I seem to remember that a certain CFI who hated the 'Budgie' accidently ran over the wingtip with a tractor before anyone killed themselves in it. Many years later, someone in my PFA strut mentioned he had bought the wreckage of a glider and would I fly it when restored? It turned out to be the dreaded Budgie. The answer was no!
Always a Sapper
It was still there in 2004 just before the RAFGSA moved out and the new club moved in
Agreed, I was there to the end (of the GSA's occupancy) too but the "new" job & an impossible treck up & down the ever jammed up A34 means I now fly further south, I assume Harry had bought the Primary when it was sold by the GSA as described earlier
Good Flying to everyone on this thread.
R2
It was still there in 2004 just before the RAFGSA moved out and the new club moved in
Agreed, I was there to the end (of the GSA's occupancy) too but the "new" job & an impossible treck up & down the ever jammed up A34 means I now fly further south, I assume Harry had bought the Primary when it was sold by the GSA as described earlier
Good Flying to everyone on this thread.
R2
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For photos & location of primaries see www.rcawsey.fsnet.co.uk
select "Slingsby production lists" & then "T38 Grasshopper"
Clicking on the registrations in purple will reveal the photo
The link on WZ 795 is worth following too!
select "Slingsby production lists" & then "T38 Grasshopper"
Clicking on the registrations in purple will reveal the photo
The link on WZ 795 is worth following too!
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Flew the Bicester one in the 70's. Aerotow behind very slowly flown Chipmunk to 2000ft then climbed in a gaggle in strong thermal to 5500ft. Then got seriously frightened when I looked down between my legs. Only just made it the 2nm back to the airfield. Only time I ever felt 'vertigo' when flying.
rts
edited to add:
Agree no need for instruments (Bicester a/c had none when I flew it) -wind up your trouser-leg was a good pitot head and you could hear and feel the upper surface flapping as separation occurred close to the stall.
rts
edited to add:
Agree no need for instruments (Bicester a/c had none when I flew it) -wind up your trouser-leg was a good pitot head and you could hear and feel the upper surface flapping as separation occurred close to the stall.
Last edited by rodthesod; 7th Jun 2006 at 13:56.
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Hey, Wait a minute...those are my feet!
Still, whilst I'm there ladies & gentlemen, perhaps you would care to note how I am effortlessly scanning the instrument panel, my eye's picking up the first hint of disturbance etc etc. Never miss a teaching opportunity. You just can't teach this kind of thing!
PS Do I get an apperance fee?
Still, whilst I'm there ladies & gentlemen, perhaps you would care to note how I am effortlessly scanning the instrument panel, my eye's picking up the first hint of disturbance etc etc. Never miss a teaching opportunity. You just can't teach this kind of thing!
PS Do I get an apperance fee?
Henry crun
I remember that Dagling, Bill Longley used to display it at station air days with thunder flashes and smoke canisters tied to it. I believe once he was aero-towed across the channel in (on) it. I can't remember what that was to celebrate.
I remember that Dagling, Bill Longley used to display it at station air days with thunder flashes and smoke canisters tied to it. I believe once he was aero-towed across the channel in (on) it. I can't remember what that was to celebrate.
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It was Derek Piggott who towed across the channel as part of the Daily Express London to Paris air race.
It's in is book 'Delta Papa' - what a great read that is.............
Arc
It's in is book 'Delta Papa' - what a great read that is.............
Arc
