Hi Alistair,
well the first comment has to be that I flew "BRM" on our ridge a
week ago for
30 mins (my Ka6CR in for CofA) You should recognise that as being the K7
that
came from Borders (I visited early this year to do the on-site recce')

To answer your question:- I had 172 flights over 6 months in T21, Swallow
and a K13
30 years ago, but not many hours of course (try doing 5 min circuits on a
900' launch in a 21!)

On my first flight back as expected I also showed the instructor my logbook,
and was told to
do the take off etc! It all went well, although my circuit planning was a
bit tight for the K7. Landing
also went quite well. After that it took me about 20 flights to get back
solo again, and I was far more
worried on that 2nd "first" solo that the real 1st "first" solo.

I noticed a change in attitudes at the start, but coming from a forces club
(Cyprus) I expected that
really. A lot of things I noticed were probably because of the age
difference (20 yrs old in 1971)
and now being in my 50's. The problems seem to be the same though, many
people happy to stand
and watch, few happy to get in and help to run the place. The one about
being left on the winch for 9
hours without being offered a break has left a dent in me though; didn't
happen in 1971.

As with 1971, some pilots seem to need 110% of their attention whilst other
need just 20% to fly a circuit.
I know now who to avoid, and they me :-)

The size of gliding in the UK is a worry of course. I see in other threads,
various discussions going
on about the time people have available and/or money. We are now a high tax
society, and it takes
2 working full time to have a reasonably secure future. (if we continue to
tax at 60% of peoples take
home pay that is (income tax/VAT on
goods/inheritance/council/carbon/breathing tax etc))

Costs are a factor that in 1971 didn't worry me being single (and the forces
paid 50% at the end of it
all) Now its a major factor in my flying time, plus the travelling which is
150 miles return. Again the fuel
cost cannot be missed any more.

I've flow the K21 (Port Moak, Denbigh, Challock) and found it OK, but not
exciting, which is of course
absolutely correct for an early trainer. I prefer our K7's and K13 because
I just love to spin them and they are
so forgiving. I just need to finish the Bronze with the 50k but have not
had a good opportunity for a long
time. My clubs location is great for ridge and wave but naff for thermal
unless there's a reasonable good
southerly (which then makes it difficult to penetrate in a K6)

One benefit of coming back to gliding later on is that although I like to be
adventurous in my flying, I'm
far more aware of the limits. The only thing I play with, low down, is a
side slip approach and you don't
see many of those now a days!

Sorry long waffle, just like being on a 2m repeater...

Malcolm...

"Alistair Wright" wrote in message
...
From: "Malcolm Austin"
Subject: Log Book Review


Hi Jack,
when I returned to gliding in 2001 after exactly 30 years,
I looked through
my log book for some memories.

I too have just returned to gliding after an almost 30 year break. How did
you find it Malcolm? I was amazed to discover that for me it was is if I
had
never been away, even though I was flying an ASK21 rather than the ASK13
which I flew last in 1978. It may have been something to do with 500hrs
of
simulator flying on Condor (surely the best flight sim ever) of course.

I had to hand over my log book to the course instructor at the beginning
of
my week's flying. He was a bit surprised to see 500+hrs, 2100 sorties, and
a
Silver C in it. I too used to write something about almost every flight.

Alistair Wright
Scottish Borders