During May and June the club held lecture and practical courses for advancement to Air Experience, Assistant and Senior Instructor ratings. Four half day lectures were held at Bruce's house. As always Lynda catered for twice the participants, so no one went home hungry. Thanks L.
All solo pilots with adequate experience were encouraged to participate with the objective of learning as much as possible, and calibrating the standard of instruction in the club with the SSSA. Our primary objective was to get the three current Assistant instructors signed off as senior instructors. There being four other members who qualified to become candidates for the Air Experience rating we pushed ahead with the theory and flying required to get them to standard.
Mike Pascoe generously gave up a long weekend early in June to assess our progress. Friday evening was a SSSA Exco meeting for Mike, and then it was off to Parys for some flying.
Saturday morning at 08:00 on a winters day is pretty early to have the gliders out of the hangar and getting shiny. Proof that everyone was keen. We proceeded to have two days of perfect winter weather. Cold overnight, but gin clear skies and gentle breezes. There was very little thermic activity, but we were able to launch without interuption and complete the air exercises. Ongoing improvements to the launch site and parking area make the ground part pleasanter, and the operational side went well.
By Parys standards the level of civilisation was high, Pat Pickford, Gerda Pieterse and Moira Herbert supplied a picnic lunch with hot tea (for Mike) and coffee.
Saturday evening was a buffet dinner provided by the same ladies, with all the candidates getting an opportunity to present briefings on instruction topics, and completing a surprise examination. By the time we got to Egwini Lodge for the night at 22:00 we were all grateful for the comfortable rooms and a warm bed.
Sunday was more of the same with practical assessment of instruction and a review of our performance. The club will now be able to operate somewhat better as all three Assistant instructors passed. Mike took the opportunity to offer some constructive advice. Three of the other candidates have to get some paperwork together and will have to write their theory examinations before getting signed out as Assistant Instructors.
So congratulations to John Herbert, Evert Strydom and Stephen Ueckermann on their results. Moira Herbert also participated, and will progress to Air Experience Instructor once she has completed her GPL.
Our thanks to Mike for candid assessment and constructive criticism of our operations and instruction. We learned a great deal, and will reap the benefits in safety and progression of our members.
As ever there are pictures in the gallery.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 June 2008 )
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