Gliding Gossip and News

Gliding Gossip and News

THE London Gliding Club has now moved its headquarters from 44a, Dover Street, W.1., to a new address. In future all communications should be sent to :—The Secretary, London Gliding Club, Empire House, 8, St. Martins Le Grand, London,

E.C.1. .

Bad weather conditions during the past few weeks have impeded the club’s operations rather considerably. Nevertheless, instructional sessions on Sundays have been held, and will continue to be held until 14th of this month. In order to keep up the interest of members during the winter, the club has arranged a programme of lectures ; some of these are as follows :—” Soaring Bird Flight,” by Sir Gilbert Walker, F.R.S., F. R. Ae.S . , M . A. (to be held on 17th December) ; ” Early Aviation,” by E. C. Gordon England, A.F.R.Ae.S., M.I.M.T. (to be held on 7th January, 1931) ; ” Glider Construction ” by C. H. Lowe-Wylde, A.F.R.Ae.S. (to be held on 28th January, 1931).

At a meeting of the committee held on Thursday, 14th November, it was decided that henceforward the normal subscription rate of £3 3s., with an entrance fee of half a guinea, shall be payable, but that membership shall continue right through until 31st January, 1931.

DURING the recent National Air Races meeting held in America, a number of gliding contests were arranged. One type of secondary training machine did particularly well, and attracted a great deal of interest on account of its rather novel construction. The fuselage, for example, is of welded steel and the covering is aluminium. The pilot’s seat is deep down so that his head offers the minimum of resistance to the air, and another feature is the provision of a single wheel (fitted with a brake) in the nose of the machine. Known as the ” Cadet 2,” it has a wing span of 37 feet 7 inches ; by changing the wings it can be transformed into a sailplane, when it has a wing span of 48 feet.

A NOVEL home-made glider made its appearance at a meeting in U.S.A. some time ago. It is a full-cantilever low-wing monoplane, and instead of the usual skid landing gear. it has three wheels, one of which is connected with the rudder-bar to facilitate taxi-ing. LAST month the Isle of Wight Club welcomed a number of well-known people at their ground. Amongst them were Mr. Guinness, the great sportsman, Captain Balfour, M.P., and Mr. John Lord of Saunders-Roe. Captain Balfour, who is of course a War-time pilot, tried his hand on the Club’s machine and executed a number

of very neat flights. The Club’s dual-control machine is now very nearly ready for service.

THE Sailplane Club of the M.A.C. are exceedingly fortunate in having secured so excellent a site for their operations as that at Smalidole. That machines can be flown from it with equal success, whatever direction the wind may be in, has already been proved. So suitable is the Smalldole ground for both primary training and soaring that a number of other clubs have approached the Sailplane Club with a view to coming to some arrangement for its use.

At a meeting there some time ago Mr. C. ComptonPaterson, the veteran pre-War pilot, created a mild sensation by flying the club’s machine back to the farm where it is housed. Launched from a point at about 400 feet he crossed a car park, a belt of trees and a main road and finally made a beautiful landing close to the “hangar.” The flight occupied 65 seconds.

MEMBERS of the Scarborough Club have been doing very well in gaining certificates. The following now hold these :—Mr. J. C. Barnes (A and B), Mr. F. N. Sling.sby (A), Mr. S. C. Howard (A), and Mr. F. L. Gardiner (A). Mr. Barnes is the first glider pilot in Yorkshire to qualify for a B certificate.

THE following is the latest list of centres, where gliding clubs are in process of formation, together with the names and addresses of the acting secretaries :— Birmingham (two clubs)—P. H. Meanley, 105, Hunters Road, Birmingham, and C. Williams, 41, The Avenue, Rubery, Birmingham ; London (two clubs)—D. Ussher, 36, Framfield Road, Ilighbury, N.5., and E. Gordon, L.G.O.C. Garage, West Green, N.; Fylde—C. V. Sharpies, 1, Allandale, South Shore, Blackpool ; Glasgow— A. C. Mitchell, Beachmore, Kilmarnock Road, Whiteways, Glasgow ; Ludlow—A. Handy, Bull Ring, Ludlow, Shropshire ; Matlock—W. Walker, The Garage, Matlock Green, Matlock ; Pilning, Glos.—H. Sykes, New Passage Hotel, Pilning ; Stockport—J. T. L. Mallard, Radio House, Sandy Lane, Stockport ; Thanet5. T. Huddlestone, 17, Chapel Place, Ramsgate.

WITH headquarters at Swindon, a club has now been formed, under the title of the Wiltshire Light Aeroplane and Glider Club. Business is already in hand for the acquisition of machines and land, and it is anticipated that before very long this new organisation will be in active operation. The hon. secretary will be glad to receive enquiries from prospective members, and letters should be addressed to him at :-8, Savernake Street, Swindon.