Kingston Deverill - The Park 6.12.09

At last we had some blue skies, so I managed to get out to visit the gliding airfield at Kingston Deverill known as "The Park", just south of Warminster.

The airfield is home to The Bath, Wilts and North Dorset Gliding Club - a friendly chat with club members gave permission to access their hanger area.


G-DFLL SZD 9 Bis Bocian 1D c/n F-877 painted in a very warm red colour scheme. This Bocian was built at SZD Krosno in Poland back in 1965 and was originally delivered to Finland as OH-KBP before becoming OH-336. In 1988 it was imported into the UK and became BGA 3345 "FLL". With the CAA now administering glider restrigrations it became G-DFLL in September 2009. Perhaps the best looking Bocian in the UK. The clubs Piper Pawnee G-BUXY can be seen in the background.



The club also operate G-DCEB a SZD 9 Bis Bocian 1E - the 1E version has a sprung center wheel which is better suited for the heavy landings it encounters as a training glider. This Bocian is c/n P-433 and was built at SZD Jezow in Poland in 1968. It was exported to the UK in 1968 and became BGA 1474 "CEB".

The club has two other Bocians which are not currently airworthy - BGA 2034 "DDN" and BGA 4090 "HPH" stored dismantled in their hanger.





G-DBNH Schleicher Ka 6CR c/n 6115 is a single seat glider used by club members. This example was built in 1963 and was sold to the UK as BGA 1098 "BNH" and became G-DBNH in July 2008.


G-CJAZ Grob G102 Astir Jeans c/n 2073 was built in Germany in 1975 as D-7586. It was imported in the UK in 1997 and became BGA 4371 "JAZ" and became G-CJAZ in 9.08.


External Link below to The Bath, Wilts and North Dorset Gliding Club website

http://www.bwnd.co.uk/

Halesland, Somerset - 10.5.09

Halesland airfield is high up on top of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. It's not a particularly busy airfield but it is a lovely setting.



Slingsby T 50 Skylark 4 BGA 1019 coded "BKA" - this glider was built in 1962 and is exempt from taking up one of the new CAA "G-" registrations. Behind is based tug Scheibe SF25C Falke G-KWAK.



G-CFTN is a Schleicher K8B built in 1961 and operated in Germany as D-8539 before being imported into the UK in 1989 becoming BGA 3515 - this is based at Halesland with the Mendip Gliding Club.


External Link to The Mendip Gliding club website

Halesland airfield - Sat 20.9.08

This grass airstrip is my local airfield - it is high up on the Mendip Hills about 6 miles West of Wells, just north of the village of Draycott.

Since my last visit many of the resident gliders have now applied CAA "G-........" registrations - outside on this beautiful afternoon were,


Slingsby T 50 Skylark BGA 1019 coded "BKA" - this old glider is exempt from having a "G-....." registration.



G-CFVC is a Schleicher AS K13 formerly BGA 3550 owned by resident Mendip Gliding Club


G-CJAR coded "P3" is a Schempp Hirth Discs BT - this lovely glider has a pop up sustainer engine to maintain flight if needed - seen here being washed prior to dismantling into a trailer. The pilot tells me he operates this glider from both here and Usk in South Wales.


The hanger had 2 gliders and one Fournier motorglider ( G-AVWY ) - this is Schleicher K8B G-DDOY formerly BGA 2307 - this is based and belongs to Mendip Gliding Club. Note that the tailcode of "DOY" was previously "DQY" when it operated as a BGA glider.