This year has begun very well socially by the establishment of a regular Wednesday club night (visitors welcome), which has consisted of food, provided oy “volunteer” wives, film shows, work and talk, mainly talk. Flying has not been neglected, however, and the flying list is long. with newly acquired young members ~wanting their turn. Some of them were introduced to us as a result of a very good coverage which we received in the local Press. Plans are under way for an early task week in May, with high hopes of good weather and Golds. A long-overdue exploration of one of the local ridges has at last been carried out successfully by Malcolm Parkins, and it is to be hoped that we shall all soon have the opportunity to expand our flying experience in this direction.

South Marston is a hive of activity these days with a wave of enthusiasm ‘for work off the field. (Some people have to be persuaded to fly!) Taking shape in the workshop. under the guiding hand of Stan Perry, is “The Monster~- a two-drum winch powered by an A.E.C. 7.7 litre diesel engine. On completion this will be mounted on a diesel lorry. Blast-off should be sometime in May. Flying wise, we are grateful to tug friends Howard Greenaway and Harvey Britton for their visits, enabling many members to “pass out” Oil aero-tows. Incidentally, we expect to have a resident tug shortly. Visitors are always welcome, especially on “At Home” day, Saturday 9th June.

Cross-country flying this year has progressed, as hoped, with a fair amount of success. We already have at the time of writing, two completed Silver C’s. These are the first to be attained within the Club and congratulations go both to Bernard Keogh and Peter Dainton-White. Keogh managed his third task by flying the Swallow to Dunstable to gain his distance. Darnton-White flew to Lasham, gaining both duration and distance. Four more Cs have been, gained: Fred Butcher. Malcolm Parkins, Jeff Turner and Bill Rawlings. Our CFI has instigated a novel approach to cross-country landing checks. The examinee is aero-towed out to a large field some four miles from our site and has to do a normal landing under real conditions. Derigging is not required as it is possible to aero-tow out again. We have negotiated with Mr. Neil Swanton, the owner of the site at Huish, near Marlborough, to use the ridge for hill soaring expeditions. For this we are very grateful, and no doubt we shall be meeting members of other Clubs at Huish. We have nearly finished the Clubhouse but work ceased a couple of months ago because our chief “Liberator” Stan Perry “acquired” a hangar. It is hoped to give a full account of both Clubhouse and hangar in a separate article.

During the last couple of months membership figures have again increased, so this year looks like being a bumper year, our membership now stands around the hundred mark. The new c1ubbouse is now in its fitting-out stage and a few more weeks’ work should see it finished. 6 Thanks to Bev Hill and his team of ardent workers the new tow car, which has been custom built for the purpose, is now with us. David Bailey organised a car rally one dark evening a few weeks ago, needless to say we ended up at a wayside inn. Our fifth annual dinner and dance was held during March. Next year we hope to award trophies for best flights during the coming year. Flying is getting well under way. the Olympia has had its C. of A This year should see more task flying than ever before.

The end of 1963 saw the AGM and the following have been elected to serve on the Committee for 1964: George Turner (C.F.I.), Ray Clark (Treasurer), Beryl Saunders (Secretary), Nell Eccles, Dan Ford, Stan Perry, Sam Colbourne, Peter Clifford and David Schofield. Since our last appearance in these columns Bernard Keogh managed two legs for his Silver C. with a five-hour flight in the direction of Lasham via Southampton. Another notable flight was that of Sam Colbourne in the Oly when he reached 10,000 ft. from Nympsfield. The T-21 has been modernised by having a permanent canopy attached. This, we hope, will encourage more pupils to take advantage of training during the winer months. Our fleet for 1964 will consist of a T-21. Swallow and an Olympia 2B with a possibility of a syndicate formation in the near future. Launching equipment comprises a two-drum winch the Princess. a rebuilt Jenzen and, ‘of course red’s never-ending support in the Terner. At present flying has ceased due to the arrival of the “new” clubhouse. The weekends are now producing able bodied working parties and we hope shortly to start serving fresh beer from a new bar. Although we have no gilded plate to offer soaring arrivals, we shall nevertheless, be very pleased to welcome and entertain anyone who should make South Marston their destination. By the time this is in print we should be fully self-contained and back to normal. 

The progressive trend in the club’s activities has been maintained over the past few months. ‘both in the flying and social spheres. The annual Dinner-Dance, held at the end of March. was a very successful evening Our guest speaker was “Nick” Goodhart, who enlightened us on the new Lyneham Special Rules Zone, now established our doorstep and with which we are now learning to live. Also, during the evening trophies were presented to Fred Butcher and Eric Winning for club achievements in 1966. The May task week, although not blessed with particularly good weather produced some good flights, Dan Ford getting a well-deserved five hours. And Jack Purchase a very near miss to Gold C Distance, We would like to bring to the attention of all power pilots that prior permission must be obtained from Air Traffic Control before visiting South Marston. since the airfield is now in regular use by Messrs. Vickers.

The Annual Dinner-Dance look place on Friday 29th March at the Kings Arms Hotel and was attended by ninety members and guests. Dr J J Hayward proposed the toast to the club and John Gosling responded: At a later stage the absent, Chairman ~ voice interrupted proceedings to wish us well and to explain that he was in Munich on business. This was evident from the lubricated voices and beer garden music! The evening continued until the band finally admitted defeat at 1.0 a.m. to a floor full of twister’s intent on dislocating something! We have already felt the benefit of John, Everitt and the Capstan. and hope to win more pearls from this “Super Instructor” during his stay. 

Immersed in frost and fog, it is painful to remember that day when Fred Butcher soared the new Swallow (Vario not then fitted) for 45 minutes to gain his C. However, there are many jobs to help the dark evenings by-a mobile control office I canteen I instructor’s hideout based on a disused milk-float has been started and a Jensen interceptor (disc brakes under new management) is being given a new bonnet, etc., to compensate for a brief engagement with an army lorry. Future tow-car drivers may be required to take the advanced driving test. Recently members of the Club were guests at a meeting of the Swindon Aeronautical Society, when Mr. Yates, Principal of Bath Technical College, gave a most interesting talk on Gliding, ending with the film “Whispering Wings,” Even being a vulture has its compensations. 

So much progress has been made during the last two months that annual events such as the Open Day and Club Barbecue have quickly become history. Thinking of these two events, Dave Morgan’s “Spitfire” aerobatics and farmer Fred Butcher’s barn and grain drying plant come too easily to mind (who said there wasn’t enough hay?). On Friday July 20th, D. Ford flew the Olympia to Podington and was retrieved by Terrier tug. This week-end also marked the arrival of the T.2l ex Northampton, after some good-natured negotiation. Northampton now have the T.31 and our enviable bank balance! 4 On the following Saturday four happy members returned from Slingsbys with the Olympia trailer, containing our new Swallow (BGA1061). A trailer for this, started four weeks ago, is almost roadworthy. During the camp fortnight we enjoyed a short visit from Sgt Andy Gough with the “Capstan”, which evidently “grew” on some members before bad weather curtailed all flying. The twin drum diesel winch should become fully operational when the nucleus of drivers is larger. Under trials it has dealt with the T.21 and Olympia 2a quite satisfactorily using piano wire. One advantage to the winch driver is the return to the launch point after two launches. The exchange of views on the past launches is invaluable, and someone else can lay the cables out and carry on the good work if this advice is not constructive!

The Annual Dinner-Dance: took place on Thursday 29th March when 80 members and friends were delighted to welcome the National Champion. Sgt John Williamson, as guest of honour. Proposing the toast to the Swindon Club he thought of the future and pointed out that results achieved by hard work were usually of greater value than the “handed out” variety. Much satisfaction should result from being a member of a growing club. He concluded by inviting us to join the Moonrakers at some future date in ridge soaring at Huish – an offer which Club Chairman Les Colquhoun accepted with zest.