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Longer Ron
Enjoyed the Derek Piggott story - felt that I was in the cockpit with them !! Arc |
I never flew with DP but he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy - saw him in action with students at Splasham a couple of times and was very impressed (I was never based there but visited many times over the years ).
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Terrific story, Ron. Thanks for posting the link to the book. I must try to get hold of a copy I will try and get in the loft and see if I can find that Condor article, I'm sure I still have it. |
LR
He signed me a copy of his book 'Delta Papa' - which is a terrific read. I do think he's a nice bloke - but very driven, an unusual combination. Arc |
Tibenham
This is moreof a tug pilot story.
I did aseason flying the Condors at Tibenham. ( treadigraph. A FEW decades ago, thanksfor reminding me, I don’t feel that old). On the sideof the short runway there was a pile of pig s**t, many yards long and several feet thick that had been there for a fewyears and looked like a mound of earth with the occasional bit of grass andweeds growing out of it. (I think it can be seen on the left in the 2ndphoto posted by Longer ron). At the start of the next season a new full timetug pilot was appointed. This tug pilot taxied the condor up to park next to thedung heap and missed judged his turn. He shut down and got out to push thecondor back. To do this he walked up onto the hard crust of the heap to givethe condor a push. As he pushed the crust gave way and he was up to his waistin s**t in more ways than one. A week or solater he dinged a condor and was made surplus to requirements. As my contractin the world of earning money had finished I went back for the rest of theseason for a bit more fun. |
Standing on the ground some 25 years ago I watched the last British owned Caproni A21 stoof its way into an asparagus field. What was more interesting was that I took off in it from Bideford-on-Avon with my syndicate partner about an hour before. It was a superb day for thermals. Big fat ones that gave eight to ten knots without effort. The deal was that we were going to give some people a ride later on, so we were returning to the field at about 110 kts or so. We had just overtaken a C150 and approaching 1,500' or so we hit a powerful thermal. As we did so, the flap lever popped out of its detent and we entered a violent pitch oscillation. At the end of the first cycle, entering the second one the right hand wing fell (OK, broke) off, rapidly followed by the tailplane and elevator. Game over!
Prior to this event there were seven other identical incidents resulting in 14 fatalities. As a result the manufacturer issued an AD to change the all-moving elevator into a standard fixed stabliser/elevator configuration. Unfortunately, we never got the notice that was issued three years beforehand. We rehearsed what we would do if the glider became unflyable before every flight. We'd tell the other guy, release the canopy and then undo our harnesses. We fully anticipated that the canopy would not separate - it didn't! And if you think about it, a canopy separation is most unlikely because the only attitude these things are ever tested in is a normal one. But believe me, when things go wrong, the only attitudes you will ever see vary from abnormal to underpant-packing scary. For me though, releasing my harness (a superb Autoflug system, now EASA'ed out of existence) resulted in me being thrown onto the forward part of the cockpit underneath the fixed windshield. After beating my way through the windshield with my elbows I was flung out towards the ground. My friend reckoned he would not be seeing me again. Our briefing though was to curl up in look for the D-ring - and it worked (well I am here). I now have five to seven seconds of parachute time. David though still had a battle to come. My departure caused the flight path of the airborne wreckage to change from an inverted negative g rolling one into a rolling phugoid path. When he jumped when it was easy; only to be pick up by the bloody fuselage a second later. Even when his chute opened he still wasn't out of danger. The detached wing flew around him like a demented combine harvester. Finally, his descent path took him into some domestic three-phase overhead power wires. Mine was a gentle descent (courtesty Messrs. Irving) into a grass field inhabited by a lazy horse. David missed the power wires by climbing up the risers which resulted in him landing heavily on his coccyx on a couple's freshly watered front lawn. Walking like he'd just had a good night out in a Heaven, he attempted to obtain a medicinal G'n'T - but the occupants were too busy resuming their matrimonial argument to hear his request. From the ground I saw bits glider zoom, flutter and swirl around the place. The detached wing landed on a path full of walkers. The T-Tail arrived in a small back garden missing everything. The right hand aileron landed in a small back garden where some very nubile girls (their clothes were far too small!) were sunbathing. The rudder descended vertically into a small gap between a brand new Mercedes 500SEL and a wall all within one metre of where a lovely lady had been gardening moments earlier. However, two people were taken to hospital. Over the past few years, the village "God Botherer" had been telling anyone who would listen, and those who wouldn't, that God would smite them from the face of the earth. Especially heinous were those who frequented the pub. So when the entire pub rushed out, pointing at the sky, this was the message he had been waiting for. He lsot he plot in the road outside his house. So some nice people with blue flashing lights on the roof of their vehicle took him away. The other person was one of those who had just left the pub. Until that point, he didn't know he was an epileptic. Unfortunately, he suffered his first attack as he ran though a crop of fern asparagus, the plant that is used for flower arranging. The other thing to suffer was the horse. He was fine when I landed but apparently took great offence to the police helicopter which landed in his filed after circling around for a while. This resulted in his condition being "stabilised" by the vet. His report stated "Overall, in my opinion this horse will never become sound again". Which was not a surprise because the poor nag had been shot by then. It was a different sort of day. I'm glad we didn't hit anyone with the wreckage. It was also a "no news day" so we were hounded by the media. It was interesting as well as pretty good fun avoiding them. I had no problem gliding immediately after (with or without a parachute) but I didn't want to drive a car for a week. And it was this event that made it clear that I would have to give up an overpaid job (I still only earn half of what I did then some 25 years later) and do something else. Which I how I come to be here! PM |
I will try and get in the loft and see if I can find that Condor article, I'm sure I still have it. rgds LR |
To do this he walked up onto the hard crust of the heap to givethe condor a push. As he pushed the crust gave way and he was up to his waistin s**t in more ways than one. rgds lr |
I'm on leave this week LR, so will brave the dust up there and have a firtle around. It'll be in one of two crates...
Our Safety Manager would have kittens if he saw my method of ascent and descent - oh wait, no, the dodgy five foot step ladder has been replaced by a decent extending jobbie. Not getting any younger... Incidentally, with the current enforced absence of ATC gliding at Kenley, it seems a crying shame that Surrey Hills GC don't seem to be able to take advantage of some of the lovely weekends we've had. |
Indeed Sir - tis a waste of a lovely airfield - not visited for a while !
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Walked around the peri-track this afternoon. Far too quiet.
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PM - thanks for the Caproni story - I count myself fortunate that I never had to jump out of any a/c.
I bought my glider chute from a project engineer at GQ - he launched into telling me how good it was until he saw my eyes glaze over and said ''you glider pilots - not interested in parachutes !'' - too right I says - 'its an expensive cushion' :) Mine was a lovely olive drab colour - none of that garish bright blue or red for me LOL - anyway I never had to use it but it was good insurance ! rgds LR |
Piltdown Mans post reminded me of this wee incident :)
The glider was operating from a gliding site at Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and was being used for a one day training course. At the time of the accident the glider was undertaking the last intended flight of the day for one of two students on that course. In accordance with the policy of the gliding club, both the instructor and student were wearing parachutes and the instructor had briefed his student on the use of his parachute and how to abandon the glider should this be necessary. Thunderstorm activity had been forecast for the area and although a large area of bad weather could be seen to the north of the airfield from which the glider was operating, it was advancing only very slowly towards the local flying area. Heavy falls of rain and wet snow could be seen beneath the advancing cloud line. The glider had been towed to 2,200 feet agl and for approximately one hour had been soaring at heights up to 4,000 feet in the area between Leighton Buzzard and Bletchley. For the last part of the flight, the glider returned towards the airfield and was flying along the front edge of this large area of cloud, approximately 500 feet above its base, where the air was rising at 2 to 3 kt. The pilot reported that he was in clear smooth air and close to the cloud. Shortly before the accident, other gliders in the area had been returning to the airfield in view of the approaching bad weather. At a local time of approximately 1709 hrs, after the glider had climbed back towards 3,000 feet, the instructor also decided to return to the airfield ahead of the approaching weather and therefore turned away from the cloud. A short time later when he estimated that his course had diverged from the cloud line by some 30°, and they were approximately 2,500 feet agl (some 300 feet above the cloudbase), at an estimated 800 yards from the cloud in clear air and flying at a speed of some 80 kt, the glider was struck by lightning and large sections of its airframe disintegrated. From that moment, the instructor later stated that his memory was not particularly clear. He remembered hearing a 'very loud bang' and then 'feeling very draughty'; he also believed that he may have momentarily lost consciousness. On recovering, he felt dazed and remembered slowly becoming aware that 'something was seriously amiss' and that this was 'a real emergency requiring unpleasant and decisive action'. He was able to shout to his student in the front cockpit two or three times to undo his straps and abandon the glider but, owing to some impairment of his hearing, the student was unable to hear him clearly. The student had already decided to abandon the glider and, after he had departed, the instructor followed but was surprised when he realised that he had not had to jettison his cockpit canopy. It was estimated that both parachutes had successfully inflated by 1,800 feet agl. The lightning strike was only witnessed by a few people in the area, but many more saw its immediate aftermath with large items of slowly falling debris, two inflated parachutes, the fuselage descending vertically at high speed and a ball of smoke and fine debris next to the cloud where the glider had been struck. All witnesses reported that the flash of lightning occurred simultaneously with an extremely 'loud crack' and many of these, including one police officer in the centre of the nearby town (Dunstable), expressed the view that it was probably the loudest sound they could remember hearing. It was also recollected by many witnesses that this had been the first lightning flash of a series of discharges which had then occurred in that area over a period of some 15 minutes. Apart from the damage to the hearing of both occupants, 'sooting' to the upper part of the instructor's jacket, parachute pack and the hair on the back of his head, neither suffered any major injuries as a result of the lightning strike. The student pilot landed on the roof of a disused petrol station adjacent to a busy road in the village of Northall, but escaped major injury. The instructor descended into a nearby field and suffered a broken ankle upon landing. The rescue services were quickly on the scene and both occupants were taken to hospital; the student pilot was allowed to return home later that evening and the instructor was released four days later after surgery to his ankle. |
I heard about that one as well. And to show you what a small world this is, the instructor mentioned was one of my pupils. In the latter years I remember that he regularly asked me questions about my bailing out incident.
PM |
Longer ron, sorry, no luck so far finding Condor article in my loft, I'm away for a few days now but will try again next week. Mags are tattier than I recall; I'm fairly sure the copy in question featured the Condor tugging from a snowy airfield on the cover.
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These days if I want to execute the takeoff and landing I am required to fly with an instructor. Easier to get in and out of the back seat of the K13, so the poor instructor is persuaded to sit in the front.
And lo and behold, a new experience awaited. Absolutely stunning day, this past Sunday, lots of pilots following cloud streets hither and yon. At last a K13 became available, so Mick and I jumped into it, and took a tow behind the Supermonk (or is it Supermunk?) It was pretty bumpy climbing out over the ridge, I was hoping for the tug to find us a nice fat evening thermal over Tysoe, the vario was behaving strangely, so I asked Mick to switch on the audio vario. It began to warble a new song entirely. What peculiar air currents were causing these erratic tones? I thought I saw the tug rise up over Tysoe village, so pulled off at 1,500. And the varios carried on warbling and wambling, both of them. Obviously unreliable. Mick said it was probably due to water in the tubes. Had to rely on the altimeter to know if we were rising or sinking, the ASI seemed to be OK. We swanned around the village for 15 minutes or so, and then decided to do a gentle left hand circuit back to my favorite corner of the eight acre. I was assisted out of the back seat, and drove the buggy to pull the glider back to the launchpoint. And it wasn't until walking back toward the glider to coil up the tow rope noticed the Brunswick tube was no longer in place. Whether or not it was in place before we departed we were unable to say.... We couldn't find it along our takeoff path; evidently the enthusiastic and not always necessary use of a rudder lock had caused it to wear and eventually detach altogether. We got a rocket from the CFI who told us off for not walking round the aircraft before flying it. So I learned something new. Even if somebody else has just been flying the machine and it worked OK for them, it is still a good idea to have a walk round, the last guy might not have noticed bits dropping off... |
I am often surprised by how misunderstood gliding is to power pilots. During a recent competition it fell to me to deal with enquiries (the number had been thoughtfully provided in the NOTAM).
"At what Flight Level will your guys be flying at?", and "When exactly will they be coming over Boggington-in-the Marsh?" were typical. (Shouldn't complain really. At least they read the NOTAM). Each of us has their own concept of what is important. Recently, stude in front seat on short finals with the intention to demonstrate his landing skills. Nicely set up. Hedge about to be crossed. Stude's mobile phone rings. Stude takes call.:hmm: |
Kamikaze XC Pilot
Well, he's highly experienced and sometimes overoptimistic:\
If you don't land out, you're not trying;) He did the test flight on a glider down for repair for over a year and went charging off while I wasn't finding anything that encouraged me to need finding another thermal to get home. The radio announced his landout a few miles down the road. Having enough altitude by then I did a flyover to find out where to bring the trailer. We were talking on the radio and I let him know I'd get the trailer. On downwind the phone rang and I let him know I was busy:rolleyes: Then the phone ringed on short final:mad: It was ignored until I came to a stop and I returned the call to another glider pilot. Some weeks later, we were both in the air and able to get away, but not very far. He landed out 40 km away. This time I had suggested he have the trailer hitched before swanning off -- the right trailer was hooked up the second try after I suggested he check the reggie on the trailer:p |
Mobile phones are obviously a mixture of good and bad for land outs :)
One of the most dangerous things in aviation is distraction ! I had the 'privelige' of twice landing out within sight of a gliding airfield :) The first was in a valley - my plan was to land uphill near the top - then trickle up to the top and end up on the fairly flat top field very close to a house and phone !! Anyway on short final I realised that I did not have enough speed for the uphill flare so had to lower the nose a smidge - resulting of course in a slight undershoot - which meant I ended up parked facing uphill with the problem of getting out of the glider (libelle) whilst keeping the wheelbrake on :), I cannot remember how i achieved that but it was a good fun lateral thinking exercise LOL. Anyway I turned the a/c across the slope and went to visit the two elderly ladies in the house for tea and cake :):) ! 'Where did you crash ? ' - they asked because we could not see the glider :) - all good fun and the very next day I had the satisfaction of retrieving the guy who came to pick me up - although to be fair he did make it to the airfield rather than a remote hoose ! |
My first cross country and silver c attempt ended up with me landing out less than 4km away from Dunstable near Ivinghoe beacon which I thought I could slope soar as model gliders were doing so. But all I got was reduced sink. My paddock at the foot of the beacon was then chosen at the last moment and was small with a cross slope and was in view of all instructors and the CFI getting aerotowed up. It was a long and ignomous wait for the trailer.:eek: it could have been worse as I've heard stories of landings inside whipsnade zoo!
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My first XC was in a LS4b at Parham.
It was a northerly day so onto the ridge for the club PAR-HAR-LWN-PAR, so 124km total. I managed it at 100kph and landed back fairly happy completing it... only to find the logger hadn`t recorded the flight, and someone else had then taken the glider for their 5 hour attempt. Looking forward to getting back gliding again very soon after 2 years off! |
First solo, T21, RAF Sealand, 1973, 20-something dual launches in my book if I recall. Westerly winch launch, right hand circuit. "OK bloggs, top of the launch, turn right. At the downwind turn, if you have 900 ft or less (IIRC), turn downwind. More than 900 ft, turn 270 dgrees left to downwind to lose the extra height."
By heck the T21 went up a bit quick with 9st of Bloggs and no instructor. Launched into the smog and heat from Shotton Steelworks, turned crosswind, climbed (?) to 1200ft at the top of the downwind leg. Did a 270 - 1400 feet. With the breathtaking logic of the bright Air Cadet, I do another 360. 1500 ft (I couldnt centre in a thermal even then) but the whole sky was going up with the heat from that steelworks) Im now halfway downwind but at 1500 ft when a wee lightbulb goes on and I reach for the spoiler. Pete Eyes, I so much enjoyed that course; Jim Chaplin thanks for sending me solo. Isnt it amazing how we can re-live our first solo in such detail, so many years later. Anybody know where I can find a barge to go fly 'for old times sake'?:D |
A lot of gliding clubs have a 'barge'. You tried Aboyne? Easterton? I know there is one at Portmoak, not quite sure what a visitor would have to do to get a flight in one.
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My second 'within sight of a gliding field' land out was slightly bizarre in a quiet sort of way and also before mobile phones became the norm.
New site (site check a couple of weeks previously) - first flight of the year in libelle and I allowed myself to get a little low during a fairly local trip ! Couldnt quite make it back to the airfield and I ended up almost on top of a large,extremely flat harrowed field (much flatter/smoother than most airfields) - so I flew a nice circuit down to an almost fully stalled landing - as near to the gate as poss and close to a house with a phone line. It is only during the flare that I notice little blue shoots growing :)...so anyway I walk to the house - no answer from the GC and the house owner offers me a lift to the GC (about 1 mile) - nobody in clubhouse so I set out to retrieve the glider myself ! The helpful house owner had told me that the field belonged to the large estate so I went to the managers house and spoke to the wife ! ''Which Field ?'' she says... I explained and she said ''oh no - thats his new crop '' (linseed - very fashionable then) so anyway we retrieved the glider with her quadbike and letting son hold wingtip and I was thinking that I might escape without meeting 'Him' but of course he turned up just as we finished - 'Oh bloddocks thought I' but in the end he was happy that I hadnt caused any damage to his pet crop ! It was quite amusing to arrive back at the club towing my trailer and seeing the 'WTF' expressions on their faces :) That reminds me that one of our members didn't quite get into Little Ris and landed his Open Cirrus in a field right next door so I took his trailer down there using his SAAB... boy - it was the worst access track I ever saw on a retrieve and must have scraped away a fair amount of SAAB on the way :) - over large rocky areas but the car seemed to survive to tow another day. Of course unfortunately I cannot tell you about my most interesting land out LOL :O |
Gliding at RAF Sealand
First solo, T21, RAF Sealand, 1973 I haven't done any Gliding for a while, but the Sealand experience set me on a lifetime interest in aviation, which cumulated in my PPL(A) three years ago. I did fly into Saltby last year and spent an enjoyable afternoon soaking up the gliding environment again. Maybe one day.... I also have a photo of me sat in the back of Chipmunk WP962 at RAF Colerne, that is now on display at RAF Hendon, but that's another story. http://www.rjdawson.co.uk/flying/pic...3-2008_022.JPG |
Nice pic -
And Ah yes - when the ATC used to do a LOT of gliding... I am sure there must be some great stories from ATC gliding Schools/Squadrons :) Any more nice pics Bob ? There is also the Air Cadet Gliding pix thread somewhere on here if you have some good uns ! rgds LR |
Not particularly got any thrilling stories, though winching for Camp Hill's Vintage Week that one time was something of an...experience.
Now I mention it, went for my 5hr flight last year...got 4hrs50... Damn |
Old RAF & ATC Pictures
Away for a couple of weeks, but will dig some more pics out on my return.
Rgds |
Most embarassing flight...
Wasn't a bad day - some lovely clouds upwind. Took a 2000' aerotow - in an Open Cirrus.
With that sort of performance how could I fail to reach that huge Cu a little further upwind? Well....
OC619 |
After 38 years of flying courtesy of the iron thermal, I did the glider conversion course this summer, something that had been on the "to do" list for many years.
After 7 dual flights the instructor kicked me loose for my first solo. Off I go behind the tug, release on downwind, 2 360's, and set up for the landing. On short final I see everyone is lined up along the side of the runway to watch my landing :uhoh: I get it down without too much embarrassment and braked to a stop. As my instructor walked towards the glider I had a flashback to the exact same tableau, only this time it was 1976 and a 16 year old BPF was sitting in the 150 he had just used for his first solo :cool: On the third solo the instructor tells me to go to 3000 feet on the tow and see if I can find some lift. I fly around more or less aimlessly until I am down to 1400 feet and just about to turn to join the circuit when the vario starts singing. By more luck then skill I manage to more or less get centered in some lift and 5 or so minutes later I am back up to 3000 feet. I know not very impressive to real glider pilots but it was enough to well and truly set the hook. The season is almost over but now I have all winter to search the glider for sale websites...... |
Well well, Big Pistons! Welcome indeed!
Few gliding clubs in the US or Canada use winch launching, in Britain we just hate to spend all that money for an aerotow....At my age, if I don't connect with a thermal at the top of a 900 foot winch launch, bugger the cost, I shell out for a tow....NOT to a particular altitude, but hang on till the tow pilot has towed me under a decent cloud and into a thermal. THEN I let go. (just a handy tip....lots of silly chaps think they won't get their money's worth unless they hang on to the prearranged 2 or 3 thousand feet. No, dear, the tug pilot is engaged to DELIVER you to a decent thermal. When you see him suddenly rise up, and shortly after, you also rise, why that is your signal to disengage and TURN. Suggest that as a beginner, releasing lower than 2,000 would not be sensible. There are actually 3 kinds of rising air. Thermals best for x-country. Ridge lift reliable in the right place with right wind direction, even in winter. But hard to go places. Wave....not for beginners! Remember to check the oxygen kit. O yes, one more thing. DON'T just rush out and buy a glider. Not every glider fits every body. Some are too small for big guys. You may be spending more than 5 hours in that very confined space....so try sitting in a lot of different friend's gliders just to see how it feels. German gliders are usually the best. LS4, tried and tested. Don't go for the latest thing, but the most reliable. I was happy in a Pegasus for hours and years. Best if you stick to club gliders for a while before splashing the dosh. Remember to dress warmly, no heater in these craft. We do fly all year round over here....but Canada is probably too cold....in Germany they usually shut down over the winter and perform maintenance. Lots of love and do let us know how you progress. Have fun! (the only good reason for flying IMHO) |
BPF - How big are you, where will you fly (hill, mountain, thermal) and why? Will you be by yourself? No engine, self launching or self sustaining? These will affect your choice of glider. Don't rush until you have seen more! Also, if you are able to swap gliders after about two years, start with a modern(ish) Standard Class glider (15M, no flaps) and then get something more exotic when you can fly. There's nothing sadder than a newbie in an exotic, all bells and whistles device, who cannot fly it and getting frustrated because their new toy isn't as much fun as it should be.
PM |
Well Mary - the tow was behind G-OFER (possibly you were driving) :E
To be fair the cloud in question was some distance away and I was dropped in (probably) the best thermal available closer to the airfield - I was just being over-ambitous :rolleyes: OC619 |
Old RAF & ATC Pictures Away for a couple of weeks, but will dig some more pics out on my return. Rgds |
in Britain we just hate to spend all that money for an aerotow.. The club eventually stopped this by putting a minimum charge on the aerotow price. |
Took a launch from Winthorpe in a K8 (AKA the non penetration meister) and scratched around for a bit. Giant cloud appeared over Newark which I knew had to be working. Headed upwind towards it, groundspeed probably 2 knots. Got lower. Then a bit lower. Got low enough that I knew I wasn't getting back. Looked at landing in the grounds of Newark Castle. Hit the sink. Got slightly nervous as I picked out the colour of people's eyes on the ground. Came out of the sink into the core some, ahem, 200' or so over the Castle and rose away like a pro to cloudbase some 5K above me.
We live and learn. |
We have set our price for 2,000' behind our new Eurofox at £18. A bargain compared to the price behind the Pawnee.
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There is a ASW 20 (A model I think) in a Komet trailer for sale at my home airport. It has been sitting outside in the trailer unflown for 9 years. Thoughts/opinions ?
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I think you are not yet ready for the complication of the ASW20, which has, I believe, treacherous flaps. Beware beware! One of my friends who had a job flying Boeings thought he could cope with an ASW20; we thought he was showing off when he did a spin from about 700 feet when he mishandled the flaps in the circuit. Get a second opinion. My own opinion is DON'T NEED FLAPS! Keep it simple. No gadgets. Don't go for a bargain or a peculiar type. It has been neglected for a reason.
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OK, I'll bite. The Wolds Two Seater Comp at Pocklington this year saw me and Dick land out near the Tontine Arms near Middlesbrough. I set off on foot up a country lane to track down the farmer, and the first person to pass me was a cyclist. Except he was bedecked in tweeds and a deerstalker hat, and his steed was a full blown penny farthing. Rather than exclaim "oh my, a guy on a penny farthing" I did the very British thing and nodded casually as he passed and gave him a casual "Afternoon". Aren't we a strange lot !
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