Hangar unpacking and surrounding conditions

April 19th, we finally got to unpack the hangar.  A lot of concurrent work was done as well.  Dan Du cut wood; PowerFLARM was installed in M7.

Check-outs continued on towplane and gliders.  The field is quite soft, so if you're driving, please stay to the runways.
M7 installation: behind the panel (note, don't remove the radio without disconnecting the PowerFLARM PCAS antenna).

M7 PowerFLARM back panel

Front panel - USB pass through - same location as RM. Nimbus currently non-functional.

M7 8 GB USB

The test on our new style tow ropes is going well.

Frank has modified the club charger, tested the batteries, and removed the unserviceable ones.  The charger has a couple of positions which desulphate the plates of batteries (black, on the right hand side) when they start getting "tired".  Good work!

The surrounding area is very wet; the South Nations River is flooding, and what fields are not underwater are unlandable.

Lots of water in the local area - but still soarable.

The front tire on M7's trailer jack was broken, and the new one needed a new bracket.  Martin leapt into action:

Grinding

In the background, Jarek was working on 55 in the workshop.

Roger, the club safety officer, ran a thorough review of last year's incidents, and our plan to stay safe this flying season.

With a bit of drying, it should be a great early season...

More pictures from Saturday

Martin L put together a great new BBQ on the clubhouse porch (Martin)

Instructor Spring Checks - Tom and Roger (Martin)

Taxiway just before 26 (Dan Duclos)

26 itself is dry... (Dan Duclos)

The season has begun (Dan Duclos)

Another view of the farmers' fields on the way to Bourget (a bit damp) Photo credit (unknown)

M7 is currently in the Workshop for PowerFLARM install early this week; M7's front trailer jack wheel is toast and I've picked up a replacement.  CZ will also be fitted with PowerFLARM later in the week. Chutes are being repacked and should be ready for the weekend.  We have a brand new windsock up.  Martin and Jarek have the towplanes looking great. I heard a chain saw singing near the workshop - no doubt Dan D was at it again.  Thanks to Peter and Don for their help (Don H had the record flight - half hour and 4,200' in a boomer). 

Hangar Unpack - Saturday at 9 AM/0900 hrs.  "A burden shared is half a burden".  Come help... We'll be assembling TR, M7, RM.  The two-seaters, happily, are done.

Spring Safety Meeting - Saturday after unpack - 4 PM/1600 hrs

Dan

2014 Flying Season is Underway!

Although there was still snow in the woods and around the hangars GGC, we managed to start our annual checkouts for both tow pilots (Martin, Jarek and Tom) and glider instructors (Gord, Tom, Karl & yours truly…).

 As you can see from the photo below, runway 26 was clear and allowed for takeoffs and landings on the asphalt.

Although we are now operational for 2014, it will be quite a while before the farm fields between Pendleton and Bourget are ready for planting.

The photo above shows the high water level in the fields along the road to Bourget. On Saturday the water along this road was within 10 cm of asphalt (yikes!).

Various things

I was driving near Pembroke on Sunday, and saw a series of lennie stacks over the river... might be worth making a pilgrimage some day with a NW wind... here's a pic:

Lennies over Pembroke; another (with rotor) over Petwawa (corner of Hwy 17 and 41)

Jarek has a webcam in the tower on the Boudreault Hangar and is posting pictures of the conditions. Richard O plowed a bit (thanks as always), but there is still a lot of snow.  Not good for the weekend. I see the Weather Network is saying there may be a large dump of snow Sunday/Monday, but it may run north of us.  Yay.  I guess it keeps the black flies and mosquitos at bay....

Melt, baby, melt...

Hangar unpacking is currently scheduled for 19 April... two weeks late (sound of grinding teeth).

April 2 - road conditions

I drove back to pick up a couple of chutes for repacking, so we're ready for the spin portion of the annual checkflights.  The road is quite soft - the Jetta kept breaking through the surface ice, and it is pretty soft under. Since the Jetta is not very good - not enough ground clearance, I left it just inside the gate, and walked to the big hangar to get me some silk.  I picked up two chutes, and walked back out to the car (good exercise). With soft/wet snow and mud, it was a good workout. I had time to take some pictures.  Next time I buy, I think I'll get a Subaru, which would have allowed me to drive in!

Main Road, just passed 31

 

 

Clubhouse Road is still ice; much snow in shady areas

Corner by Lacasse Hangar

Access possible but a way to go before we anything out...

Looking back to Carpenter's Shed

Boudreault Hangar - couple of feet of snow

Melting nicely where the tarmac is

Once you're there, getting in is no problem

At corner of hangar looking at the airfield. Lots of melting to go...

Looking from main road to Carpenter's Shed (west)

Corner where you turn to leave from RV/Clubhouse area (east)

Road looking from button 31 to gate (south). Pretty sloppy.

Hangar unpack was changed from Saturday to 12 April by the Board. Fingers crossed that we get the above zero temperatures we'll need, and that the snow stops falling. I'm pretty ready for spring.

Friday forecast - up to 6 kts/5,000 in the Gatineau hills....

4 April forecast