Since our last club news, we have had a very eventful time. One Saturday Harry Daniels and Tug Wilson, flying a Blanik, set a new UK record for the 10Q km. triangle fur a two-seater, South Marston. Shipton Under Wychwood-Aston Down-8outh Marston, travelling 104 km. in 1 hr 10 mins. at an average speed of 77 km/h. The following day, leaving South Marston and flying via Long Marsdon and Halton, they accomplished yet another feat by also setting a UK record for the 200 km. triangle – 214 km. in 3 hrs. 25 mms. at an average speed of 62.5 km/h. Back in 1966, Harry and Tug gained the 300 km. record, so here at South Marston we are all feeling very proud of them indeed. Our recent Flying Week has brought a good number of individual achievements – the most notable being a Diamond goal and Gold distance triangle; this was South Marston-Kidderminster- Bognor Regis-South Marston, flown in 6t hours by Peter Trenchard. Christine Day flew to Booker to complete her Silver C and also collected the return trophy. Congratulations, Chris our first lady Silver C. Sally Hargrave and Ian Powdrill, both of whom are sixteen and our youngest solo pilots, also gained their Cs on their first solo flights, Bill Foddy and Ralph Childs gained Cs on solo flights, Dave Elliott achieved his A and B, John Trenchard completed his Bronze after converting to the Skylark 3 and Mike Clarke – who soloed recently – completed a Bronze leg. Successful conversions during the Week were Sue Harbour to Olympia and Rex Collins and Henry Devonshire to Skylark 4. The Club played host some weeks ago to the then Mayor and Mayoress of Swindon and the Mayor and Mayoress elect. Unfortunately, the weather was not good but the Mayor very sportingly elected to fly and was launched to 2,000 ft., piloted by George Turner our CFl and acro-towed by Fred Butcher in the Terrier. Both glider and tug disappeared very quickly into the murk. The tug soon returned but, after an anxious 45 minutes and still no sign of the Ka-13. Fred set off to comb the countryside and there they were, sitting calmly in a field some four miles away. 12 The Mayor’s face was wreathed in smiles and apparently, he had thoroughly enjoyed his first flight in a glider. The weather improved slightly after this and the rest of the party had their flights and were given tea and refreshments in e Clubhouse where, by now, several members of the Press had arrived to take photographs and notes, so that the events were duly recorded in our local paper the following day.
