The soaring season got going properly during the month, with lengthy sorties by solo pilots becoming the norm. At the same time training in the club aircraft continued unabated, with over ninety training flights in May. Among the achievements were PJ Moran’s 100k triangle in his Libelle to gain his Cross-Country Diploma, and Ian De Brí’s completing a 50k flight as required for his SPL.
An achievement on another front saw the club’s K21 two-seater, GLZ, returned to service after completion of its 3000 hour check. All the work was done in-house at Gowran and approved by the manufacturer. Congratulations to all involved in the efficient turnaround of this significant project. It means that we end the month with all five club gliders and the two tow-planes serviceable.
One of the towplanes, OO, has been temporarily repositioned to the Ulster Gliding Club at Bellarena, as our friends in UGC are currently without a serviceable tug of their own.
During the month here the IAA carried out a scheduled audit of the Irish Gliding and Soaring Association. This happens every two years. The IGSA is the body responsible for maintenance and airworthiness review of gliders; although it is constituted separately to LGC, in practice there are many areas of overlap – including premises and personnel. The audit passed off satisfactorily.