Cambridge Gliding Club – Consultative Committee

FINAL MINUTES OF MEETING : 1900 HRS 13TH APRIL 2016 AT GRANSDEN LODGE AIRFIELD

PRESENT

John Weeks CGC Chairman Chris Davis CGC Secretary Robert Welford CGC Chief Flying Instructor

Paul Sexton South Cambridgeshire DC Gerry Burne Gamlingay PC John Archer Waresley PC John Gillett Little Gransden PC Ian Selkirk Great Gransden PC Kim Wilde Hatley PC

APOLOGIES

Cllr Richard West Cambridgeshire County Council and Huntingdonshire District Council Eddie Blair Caxton PC Mark Jefferies Little Gransden Airfield

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 11th November 2015 were accepted as a correct record.

MATTERS ARISING

Robert Welford, Chief Flying Instructor of the gliding club, joined the meeting to provide an update on the status of the report into the mid-air collision on the 18 th May 2014 near Great Gransden. Robert reported that the club was keen that there be a full investigation of the accident so that lessons could be learnt and eventually one was carried out by the British Gliding Association. A draft report has been prepared but its publication has been delayed as one of the parties involved disputed the findings and referred the matter to the AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch). An amended final report is expected to be published shortly. When it is, it will be circulated to all local parish councils.

Robert explained that the accident occurred when two gliders, both from the club, were climbing in a thermal near Great Gransden. The single seat Discus was initially lower than the two seat Arcus but the Discus was climbing more quickly and caught up with the other when both aircraft were at a height of 2600 feet. The pilot in command in the Arcus changed during the climb and the pilot taking over was not aware of the presence of the other glider, and the Discus pilot lost visual contact with the Arcus shortly before the collision. Both gliders were equipped with Flarm anti-collision devices. The pilot of the Discus baled out after the collision. The Arcus pilot managed to fly the damaged glider back to the airfield. The pilot of the Discus suffered cuts and bruises and a sprained ankle resulting from the parachute landing.

The recommendations included that the BGA continue to emphasise that effective lookout is the primary means of collision avoidance, and that the BGA include in its training of thermaling techniques advice on positioning of an aircraft relative to another. The BGA has accepted the recommendations and the Cambridge Gliding Club has already re-emphasised the points made in the report to all its members.

Cambridge Gliding Club, Gransden Lodge Airfield, Longstowe Road, Sandy, SG19 3EB Tel; 01767677077, Email: [email protected] For the avoidance of doubt, the only legally acceptable version of the Minutes of the Cambridge Gliding Club Consultative Committee are those signed in Public Meetings by the Chairman. They are available for public inspection at the Cambridge Gliding Centre. CHAIRMAN ’S REPORT

John Weeks noted that overall last year had been similar to the previous year – we did similar amounts of flying and made a modest surplus of ~£20K. A similar amount was spent on refurbishing the entrance track and membership was up at the end of the year.

This summer the club will be holding a Cloud Rally. Although a competition, it will be much less formal than the National and Regional competitions we usually hold and will run from August 13 th to 21 st . There will no big “grid launch” as required for the other competitions, and many competitors will launch by winch. Consequently the club does not plan to request a relaxation of the aerotow limit this year. In the discussion it was agreed that the club will nevertheless circulate an information poster to parish councils before the competition.

Other points of note were:

• The club’s Open Day was held on Sunday April 10 th and was very successful: the weather was kind, just over 50 visitors were given flights, the flight simulator proved to be very popular (again) and a significant number of visitors toured the club facilities.

• The club has just bought a second tow aircraft (it replaces the one we have hired over the past couple of seasons). This is a Robin DR-400, the same model as the current tug including the low noise propeller. It is expected on-site within the next few days.

• The club has signed a letter of agreement with Cambridge Airport covering procedures that both parties have adopted to enhance separation between aircraft. For glider pilots this primarily involves position reporting when within 5nm of the airport.

COMPLAINTS RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING

No complaints have been received since May of 2015 and no other complaints were raised at the meeting.

MAJOR COMPETITIONS IN 2016

This was covered in the Chairman’s report above.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Ian Selkirk asked, with regard to the mid-air collision, if gliders are normally equipped with radio and should the pilots have communicated with each other when thermaling together. Robert replied that pilots do use radio as a back up means to ensure separation. However, the radios are operated open channel which means that on good days the radio channel get too busy to be relied upon. Maintaining visual contact is the primary and most effective means of avoiding collisions.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

9th November 2016 at 19:00 hrs at the Cambridge Gliding Centre, Gransden Lodge.

Cambridge Gliding Club, Gransden Lodge Airfield, Longstowe Road, Sandy, SG19 3EB Tel; 01767677077, Email: [email protected] For the avoidance of doubt, the only legally acceptable version of the Minutes of the Cambridge Gliding Club Consultative Committee are those signed in Public Meetings by the Chairman. They are available for public inspection at the Cambridge Gliding Centre.