WE BID FAREWELL AND BON VOYAGE TO ALAN SWAN

On 28 November Club Chair Alan departs on posting for his final tour to pastures new.  Well known in the wider gliding community Alan has been a long standing club member and has played a huge part in moving the club to its new home here at RAF Shawbury.

It is not every year that a new gliding club is created and but that is what happened with the formation of the RAF Shawbury Gliding Club (RSGC), one of the six RAF Gliding and Soaring Association (RAFGSA) clubs.  Formerly known as the Wrekin Gliding Club (WGC) and based at RAF Cosford for over 50 years, it became obvious that WGC was facing a number of operational and logistical challenges of such scale that in 2019 the club seemed to face an uncertain future.

Planning took place to move the club to RAF Shawbury, a move that was completed with a fly-in of club aircraft from RAF Cosford on a cold and wet 20 December 2020.

Since arrival RSGC has become a firm fixture at RAF Shawbury and the club’s future is assured, indeed it is growing in strength thanks, in no small part, to Alan and his enduring work behind the scenes to ensure its success.

Whether it be instructing in the air or in ground school at Shawbury or the Midland Gliding Club, organising annual expeditions to other parts of the UK, or instructing on RAFGSA expeds to the French Alps or the Chilean Andes and the challenges that they pose, it is Alan’s personal connections together with his sustained commitment that sets him apart.

Alan’s ceaseless efforts, inexhaustible enthusiasm and wholehearted encouragement is clear to both club members and also the wider gliding community.  His services were recognised with the award of a British Gliding Association Diploma in 2023.

It is, therefore, with sadness that we bid farewell to Alan and his DG400.  He leaves behind fond memories and also a club that is on a sound footing for the future.

In his place we extend a warm welcome to Shawbury based Kev Morley.  Kev is the a Silver C pilot and a Full Cat gliding instructor who flies with Cranwell GC.