RAF COSFORD GLIDING WEEK 5 - 7 JANUARY 2022
It was a delight, for our first flying days of 2022, to be back on old turf at RAF Cosford for our RAF Cosford student flying programme, a programme that was only made possible with the help and support of the RAF Cosford Exec team, the Cosford Powered Flying Club (CPFC) and the RAF Cosford Microlight Club; many thanks to you all for making it happen. In particular, a big thanks to Rob and Martin from CPFC for the provision of hot coffee and tea at the launch point; it was most welcome on a very cold day.
Our course started with a central briefing by the CFI in the Microlight Club (our old club house!) before the students were walked over to the aircraft in Hangar 12. Prior to arrival students had been warned about the weather conditions and, in particular, the wind chill factor but there’s always one, and as you’ve probably guessed it was the Rupert below who turned up in a T-Shirt!
The only change to Hangar 12 since we departed RAF Cosford for RAF Shawbury on that December day in 2020 was the number of buckets deployed to catch the leaks from the roof, which had grown from 150 to over 400! Thanks goodness we’re not the ones who now have to empty them all.
The K13 and motor glider had been flown over to Cosford on New Year’s Eve and it only remained to rig the K21 before flying started. The aim was to give everyone three consecutive aero-tow launches to 2,000 feet on each day, with additional flights at day’s end should time permit, a planning total of 75 flights over the three days. To meet that task we had “borrowed” instructor Ross Craney from RAF Syerston. Many thanks Ross for giving up valuable family time to be with us. So with a full complement of instructors and students we achieved the first launches at 1030 with students very much under instruction for launch point duties.
Flying off r’way 24, business was brisk with a launch every 20 mins or so until delayed by the K21 going U/S on Day 3.
One notable landing was in the capable hands of instructor Will Dean who, mindful of his experience of “plopping” just over the Cosford airfield boundary on a past, well-documented, occasion decided to play safe this time and land long – well super, amazingly long down toward the piano keys near the 06 threshold!
Day 1 saw two minor breaks in flying, one due to rain but the second took place when The Rupert (yes, it was the very same Rupert but now wearing a borrowed jacket ‘cos it was very cold!), snafu’d the tow rope.
Sadly, with rain, sleet and high winds, Day 2 was confined to classroom tuition only.
Day 3 saw a return to flying. Unfortunately a flat front tyre on the K21 slowed down the sortie rate before rain in the late afternoon brought flying to a halt earlier than planned.
Some great flying was achieved during the course and that was enjoyed by all who especially commented upon the amazing views.
At this time of the year the sun setting low over r’way 24, temperatures dropping fast and canopies beginning to mist always present challenges and then there is the weather to factor in. Nevertheless, over the 3 day period of the course we managed 52 aero-tow launches and over 10 1/2 hours flying time, a credit to all.
We gather that there is certainly appetite amongst the student population for more intensive course like this at Cosford in the future so watch this space!
It was gratifying to see the very tangible progress that was made by our students over the course of the three days (two flying days) indeed, had it not been for the breaks in flying at least two students would have been sent solo. Well done to all for your application on a cold airfield.
