Friday 12th to Sunday 14th December 2026
This wasn’t an official training camp and, with winter firmly setting in, only a small contingent of the team was able to attend. Neil, Alex and Elliot returned to Saltby knowing that flying opportunities were likely to be limited, but equally determined to make the most of the weekend.
Friday was a washout for weather, with persistent rain ruling out any flying. Having collected the SZD-59 from Hus Bos the night before, Neil cleared space in the hangar and the day became a productive maintenance and setup session. Jobs tackled included fitting stiffer undercarriage door springs, refining the aerotow hook cover to improve its aerodynamic profile, and configuring custom airspace files on the S100 to display the aerobatic boxes. The S100’s ability to show real-time wind speed and direction, combined with precise positioning within the box, should give us a meaningful competitive advantage when we arrive in Fayence.
Saturday began with unforecast fog that seemed determined to linger indefinitely. Many club members remarked that skies had been clear on their drive in, only for the fog to thicken as they approached the airfield — it seemed Saltby was the only place affected that day. Eventually, by around 12:30, conditions improved enough to get flying. With high tows to 5,000 ft behind GY, expertly provided by Keith Ford and Dave Unwin, Neil, Alex and Elliot were able to get to work. The flying focused on a demanding mix of precision rolling, sustained negative-G manoeuvres and spinning. The aim was not volume, but familiarity — building comfort with challenging figures to inform the design of our Known sequences for the 2026 season.
That evening the team joined the Buckminster Gliding Club Christmas Meal and Annual Awards Ceremony. Team Captain Neil was awarded the Fournier Trophy, presented to the member achieving the highest score in an aerobatics competition during the year — an impressive 82%+ in Neil’s case.
Sunday’s forecast was marginal: clear skies, but with increasing wind. Following the morning briefing, we headed out to the runway to assess conditions firsthand. Winds were sustained at 15 knots, approximately 60 degrees across the runway, with gusts reaching 20 knots and swinging closer to 90 degrees crosswind. Combined with the known turbulence at Saltby in a south-westerly flow, and a forecast increase in wind strength later in the day, the decision was taken to remain firmly on terra firma.
Instead, further progress was made on the SZD-59. Tasks included relocating the FLARM and ADS-B antennas to improve visibility over the instrument cowling, fitting a new seal to the trailer’s front door, and adding a dedicated 15-metre profile to the S100 for days when it’s used for both soaring and aerobatics.
While this wasn’t a flying-heavy weekend, it was still a valuable one. We made tangible progress, improved both glider and equipment, and — just as importantly — reaffirmed the team’s commitment heading into the new year. Our next camp is back at Saltby on 9th–11th January 2026.
