Cotswold Aero Club
Flying lessons from Gloucestershire Airport
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Visit to Bristol ATC
Posted on April 4th, 2009 No commentsA dozen club members gathered at the base of the control tower at Bristol airport on Monday 30th March at 7 30pm. Having negotiated security our host Simon Wrighton led us to the ‘Tower’ and entertained us for just over an hour with a description of the Bristol airspace and told us that ATC were actually friendly and not the ogres some people think they are.
The briefing was followed by a visit to the Radar room and then the Visual Control Room (VCR or Tower) to see ATC in action.
A very informative evening was the general consensus and several of the attendees have now vowed to talk more readily to ATC and seek Zone transits.
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Awards Presentation Dinner
Posted on April 4th, 2009 No commentsSome 75 club members and guests gathered at Brickhampton Court Golf Club for our 2008/9 Awards Presentation Dinner. MC Richard Crosby kept us all in order during an enjoyable evening which saw a dozen awards for First solo and PPL along with several Night Qualifications and IMC Ratings.
The prestigious Walwin Cup was awarder to Tony Chapman and the Aladdins Lamp went to Paul Turner and Rob Davis. The Daniels Trophy was not awarded this year. The citations are reproduced below.
‘The Walwin Trophy is presented in memory of Rex Walwin, a founder of this club and it’s first instructor. The trophy is presented to a student who has achieved a consistently high standard during training or has overcome a significant personal difficulty in achieving the award of a PPL. This year in recognition of his thorough preparation for lessons and to mark the fact that this student didn’t require very much effort from his instructor to ensure that the standards required were achieved the award goes to Tony Chapman.’
The Daniels Trophy, donated by Harry Daniels, a pre-war club member with a keen interest in navigation, this trophy is presented to the winners of our annual Aerial Treasure hunt. However last year due to weather and other circumstances the competition was deferred. Preparation is now underway for this year’s competition, the date for which will be announced soon. So dust off your whiz wheels and maps and have a bit of fun in the sky for 45 minutes or so.
The Aladdin’s Lamp
To commemorate that ‘I’d rather not be there’ moment. Unfortunately not with us tonight Paul Turner and Robin Davis can collectively deserve a rub of the lantern for confusing Clifton Pier with Weston Pier and subsequently taking a brief uninvited flight through the Bristol Class D airspace. They have since had their wrists collectively slapped.
Photos of the evening are on display in the club house. Copies are available if required.
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Ashley Davis in Kenya
Posted on March 21st, 2009 No commentsFrom an article posted on the thisisgloucestershire.co.uk website
Instead of a six-month adventure holiday or trek through the Himalayas, 18-year-old Annia Evans and her 19-year-old boyfriend Ash Davies have opted to spend their time helping others by teaching in Kenya.
Annia, who grew up in Tuffley and went to Beaufort Community School, said the idea of working with disadvantaged children came to her after she spent time in Ecuador three years ago.
She said: “In 2006 I set out for an adventure to Ecuador to help and make a difference in their country.
“I went with my local Scout group Beaufort Explorers joint with the Rotary Club of Gloucester. Our aim was to help others less fortunate then ourselves and that’s what we did.
“We made a water cistern for a local school to provide fresh water and redecorated their classrooms to make it a better place for learning.
“On my arrival home, it had me thinking, what else could someone do to change the lives of other people? And this is how my journey in Kenya began.”
Annia and Ash got involved with a gap year project called Changing Worlds, and raised £4,000 they needed to fulfil their dream.
Annia said: “We are here for six months helping in Kagoto Primary School, Nakuru. It’s very different to English schools.
“It is built on a quarry, very dirty, dusty and has lack of equipment.
“We are here to help teach the children and staff English, PE and arts and crafts, three subjects they find hard to do, through lack of knowledge, equipment and time, but with the help of people like us big aims can be achieved.”
Annia added: “The children are great, they love to try new things and I wouldn’t have wished for a better experience.
“I would encourage more people of my age to take up an experience of a life time
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Airport News
Posted on March 14th, 2009 No commentsThe following items of interest have come from the last Airport Consultative Committee meeting1) GPS Approaches. This project stalled a little but a new Officer has been appointed by the CAA and our application has been resubmitted. A speedy determination is expected.2) Runway Safety Updates. Gloucester City Council finally agreed this in January just eleven months after Cheltenham and the Planning Applications will now be determined by Tewkesbury Borough Council hopefully on April 2nd. Work on the first phase (Demolition and resiting of Blenheim House) should then start in early Summer.3) Other Planning Applications of interest. – Airport staff are monitoring and liaising over the Strensham Wind Farm project, there is possible RADAR interference and GCHQ are looking to build a multi-storey car park with consequent temporary crane height issues.4) Noise complaints – 80 are reported since last August, of which 72 were from just two complainants who happen to live on the 27/09 axis.5) Security – It’s been a long time coming but Special Branch are finally relocating to our Terminal Building from Portway and expect to have a permanent presence here.6) Sustrans – (the national cycle path provider) are finally completing their pathway around the Airport from the PAS building to the current entrance so you will now have to wait until they get to Bamfurlong Lane before picking them off.—————————————————————————————————–Further matters – We welcome our latest organisation to relocate here – NERC – The Natural Environment Research Council with their Dornier 228. They are located in the Firfax building in the Meteor Business Park.The Airport Management are anxious to arrange more visits for local Councillors and other opinion formers.As stated earlier, it is expected the Runway Safety Plans go to Tewkesbury Planning Committee soon. The Airport Management are looking for all the positive support it can muster. It would help if you could write to the Planning Officer handling the case expressing support and stating the bits you most need for your business plans.(e.g. ILS, longer landing length, better RESA). Letters or e-mails to John Hinett, Tewkesbury Borough Council. Planning & Development Services, Council Offices,Gloucester Road.Tewkesbury. GL20 5TT. or Attn:- John Hinett. Technicaladministrators@tewkesbury.gov.uk (a copy to me would be appreciated). -
More Congratulations
Posted on March 14th, 2009 No commentsA big ‘Well Done’ to Paul Trivett on completing his PPL course on 12th March.
We wish him well on his next challenge. The Waypoint Course at Oxford Air Training, leading to a CPL.
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First Solo
Posted on March 8th, 2009 No commentsCongratulations to Ian Smith on achieving his first solo flight on the Eurostar microlight on Saturday 7th March
Cotswold Aero Club Microlight
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Welcome to flying from Gloucestershire
Posted on March 4th, 2009 No commentsThis is the new section for Cotswold Aero Club to keep you all up to date with our news and special offers on our flying club and our flying lessons.