The
Lakes Gliding Club Dinner
on
The
Chairman’ speech (taken straight from Hansard) (First Person, as it is easier than saying he, The Chairman then said
Etc. For "I" read Rog said. Certainly uses I a lot)
Ladies, gentlemen (fellow alcoholics) etc, when I started this
speech last year…. I said then that there had been a period of change within
the club. I had hoped for a period of stability this year but alas it was not to
be. The events of the year have been overshadowed by the terrible loss of two
club members and friends… I refer of course to Lyn Martindale and Dick
Redhead. Both were avid gliding enthusiasts, and both dedicated a hell of a lot
of their spare time and energy in support of our club (both on and off the
committee). Their efforts were much appreciated, & they will be sadly
missed. I would like to dedicate this evening to their memory, and if you would
charge your glasses…. I wish to propose a toast to ‘Absent Friends’. Lyn
& Dick. Now, to quote John Martindale himself, we have now just got to
‘get on with things’, however difficult it may seem. That is what we must
do.
We have had to make a few consequential changes to
the committee. Peter Lewis has taken over the role of Club Treasurer. Some might
say that putting a Yorkshireman in charge of finances is a bit like putting a
fox in charge of the hen house, but I am sure that he will continue with this
‘thankless but very necessary’ task. As you all know he is no stranger to
the job having ably assisted Dick through his period of ill health.
Andy Tebay has agreed to pick up the position of
Social Secretary on a permanent basis, so thanks for that Andy. That smooth
tongued wordsmith Neil Braithwaite has taken over as Club Secretary, and is
doing a fine job …. Thanks though go to Pete Seddon for his past efforts in
that regard – they were much appreciated. We have embraced modern technology,
and co-opted Peter Redshaw on to the committee, as our official ‘Web
Meister’. Those of you who are
‘internet literate’ who haven’t paid a visit to our club website
(developed by Peter) should do so, as it is a veritable mine of information.
Our Safety Officer, the besotted Graham Welch has
taken the plunge, and made an honest woman of his erstwhile fiancé Tracy, and I
think we should offer Mr & Mrs Welch our sincere congratulations, and wish
them many years of happiness together…… Graham & Tracy. Northy has
‘enjoyed’ (if that’s the right word) his first year as CFI and has been
trying to batter some semblance of discipline into his miscreant gang of
instructors. Good luck to him is what I say!
The Dreaded Fence deserves a mention……We have,
for many years, enjoyed a cordial (if at times mutually wary) relationship with
BAE Systems, who quickly came to realise that Lakes Gliding Club members need to
be securely locked up at weekends. They were so convinced of this, that they
spent a considerable amount of money erecting fences and barriers round the
airfield perimeter to ensure that we all stay put.
After a degree of negotiation, we have finally
arrived at a mutually satisfactory way of ensuring that club members are
secured, but may still be let out occasionally, to be fed and watered. Visitors
may observe club members through the fence, looking at the sky shaking their
heads and ….yes….very occasionally flying – however for their own safety,
phone appointments are required to actually meet the members face-to-face.
A New Tug At
Last………Good old ‘Oscar Lima’ has been returned to its new owner, and
in its place we have purchased ……you guessed it………yet another Super
Cub - henceforth to be referred to as ‘Hotel Tango’. This machine has been
busily earning its keep without drama. Peter Lewis (as his alter-ego of Resident
Club Tug Instructor) has also used it to good effect, by putting all our
existing tug pilots through their paces on a challenging BGA approved
‘How to Fly a Tug’ course.
A Trip to
“Merdre” ……..(French for ‘Oh dear’???).
“Je suis aux vaches”
…. (Literally this means ‘I am with the cows’ but is a French
expression for ‘I have landed out’).
“Nous sommes a terris” – (We are on the
ground) also means ‘I have landed out’.
“Nous avons un altitude zero” (– I think you
can translate that for yourselves.)
Perhaps you may have picked up a bit of a theme
here………Now ….. far be for me to suggest that they landed out a lot, (I
wasn’t there to witness it first hand) but suffice it to say that it was
strongly rumoured they were all on first name terms with most of the local
farmers by the end of the trip! But hey – It’s not important that they
finished last - it’s not the winning, but the taking part that counts! What
was lacking in the flying department however, was more than made up for on the
entertainment front, as true to form, Pete Redshaw managed to set up his own
Cinema on site. This was much appreciated by all – including all those bally
foreigners! That’ll show ‘em!
Now before I wind this up, I have to tell you that
last year I was fed up with Northy giving out all the prizes, and I rather
fancied presenting one myself…. Now I would accordingly like to call forward
Lis Redshaw to accept a trophy!! You may not know but it is now the 35th
time that Lis has attended one of these gatherings – it would be 37 times, but
on one year her dad passed away (well it was the same day) and she couldn’t make it, and on another
occasion she was ill (nearly in hospital, but the older man reckoned she was
OK). It isn’t just 37 years of gliding bashes – don’t
forget it is also having to ‘suffer’ 37 (sorry Rog it's 40) years of the ‘unwanted’
(at least that's accurate) attention of an ‘older’ man!! She
deserves all our sympathy!!
I was sent a home video the other day by an
appreciative old guy – Alan Hartley, who is an ex RAF flight mechanic – he
was so taken with his 3 air experience flights, (unbelievable really as would
you believe he had one flight with me and two with Roy Jones) – but so taken
was he, that he recorded them for posterity on his camcorder and send a copy to
me. But it made me look at our site from his eyes, and I suddenly realised that
most of us take it all for granted. We are privileged to fly from what is still
a stunningly beautiful & dramatic location, (no I don’t mean Barrow!!) and
I hope that we continue to appreciate it and make the most of it.
Unfortunately even this will be initially challenged
due to the (hopefully temporary) suspension of our operations from Walney during
the (recently announced) airfield improvement programme. It is to be hoped for
the clubs sake that normal service will be resumed as soon as possible by mid
November.
OK - I will ramble on no longer – thanks for your
time, & I will now hand you over to ‘Our man Northy’ to do his CFI bit.
The CFI’s
annual award of our numerous trophies
was again gracefully assisted by Jean, our Chairman’s better half and senior
partner. It has obviously paid for the Webmaster to complain about not receiving
any trophies last year due to the lack of imagination and generosity by the CFI
with his interpretation of the rules. This is how I remember the key parts of
Northy’s speech.
The Duddon Trophy for outstanding services to the club went to Peter
Redshaw for his work on the airfield fence and locked gate problem coupled with
his role as Webmaster.
The Dodd Trophy
for most outstanding progress during the year was
clearly won by Jan Eldem who gained solo, Silver height, Gold Height and the
Club Ladder in his first flying year.
The Lonsdale Trophy for the best cross country from Walney went to
Peter Redshaw for a 187 km triangle from Walney in a DG 800.
The Leighton Hall Trophy for the member making the most outstanding
flight of the year from anywhere in the world. This went to Peter Redshaw for a
102km flight in
The Alsford Trophy for the best gain of height went to Peter Lewis
for a gain of 13650ft. (some envious character still thinks he was in the base
of the airway)
The Sir Leonard Redshaw Trophy for the best flight by a non Silver pilot was jointly awarded to Jan Eldem and Phil Storer. Phil for his Silver duration and Jan for his Gold height on his 7th solo.
The Club Ladder for the pilot with the most points claimed went to
Jan Eldem with 11524 points. An excellent example of how the Club Ladder can be
won by a member in their first year of flying.
The Elegant Windows Trophy for the best flight in a two seater went
jointly to Dave North and Peter Redshaw for a 185km flight in the Capstan in
The
Optimum Financial Services Trophy for best gain of height in a two-seat
glider. This was one by John Martindale and Emma Griffiths for a gain of 8600ft.
The Wooden Spoon for the most meritorious clanger. Various
references were made to member’s indiscretions but it was obvious that the CFI
had it in for the webmaster. Copley and others should have been clear winners
for wheel up landings, if not that then Peter Craven for getting extra flying in
the tug after the glider had released. But no, apparently taking off with ones
airbrakes open and then bending the total energy tube as one puts the glider in
the trailer ranks higher. Yep, Peter Redshaw yet again. Who
lost the Spoon?
Report by the Webmaster 24th October
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