News

To assist our duty teams we have a booking system in place for our operations. This is intended to help our teams better plan the day for you by having an indication of who is coming out, and what they hope to achieve. 

We have just introduced a new booking system via Google Sheets, replacing the previous "Sign Up".

Please login to access the new booking system.

Returning towards normal operations is possible under the updated Victorian Government advice that came into effect on 1 June and advice from the Gliding Federation of Australia about dual and instructional flying.

What does this mean for you?

From this Saturday 6 June, we are transitioning back to normal operations with Team 1 for those who wish to fly, including opening up training slots where we can. This will change each weekend depending on instructor availability and annual inspections on gliders over the winter period.

You must book to let us know you wish to fly. 

Dual and instructional flying is by mutual consent, including agreed PPE between the two pilots, and the wiping down of surfaces between flights. Please bring your own PPE - masks, gloves and hand sanitiser.

If you own a parachute, please bring it and use it, rather than using the club parachutes.

AEFs and passenger flights will not resume at this time while we prioritise member flying and adhere to Victorian Government advice.

There is to be a maximum of 20 people on the flight line at any one time (across all three clubs). The clubhouse is limited to access for the bathrooms and club equipment. Please always adhere to the social distancing requirements of 1.5 metres, and limiting indoor gatherings to one person per 4m². 

Our main messages are:

• Do not travel to the airfield at all if you have any Covid-19 or cold and flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone else with Covid-19 in the past three weeks, the symptoms, or who is awaiting a test result. 
• We are back flying!
• You do not have to attend the airfield if you do not want to do so. If you are an instructor, tow pilot, or duty pilot who cannot attend your rostered day, please arrange a swap and let me know.

MGC can have four people ‘flying’ at any one time. We have decided to open booking slots for an AM shift (8.30am – 1.00pm) and a PM shift (1.00pm – last light) starting from Saturday 30 May.

This is for solo flying only. Dual checks, instructional flights, AEFs, passenger flights are not yet available. Instructors retaining currency will have priority. We want to get everyone back in the air ASAP, hence the focus on keeping pilots current to speed up clearing the check flight backlog when we reach that point.

You must book to let us know you wish to fly. Bookings in the system as at 6.00pm on a Thursday will be assessed by the CFI for currency requirements. You can access the booking site for upcoming weekends here.

We are being pragmatic about currency requirements without the ability to do dual checks, but in all cases, the CFI has the final call.

With the two ‘shifts’ please ensure you are following the guidelines above in relation to cleaning touchpoint surfaces between pilots and keeping your distance from the flight line at change over time to limit the number of people to 10.

If there are opportunities for mid-week flying, we will be in contact.

The normal duty roster will not yet resume at this time. If you are at the airfield, please assist. Tow pilots are being arranged on a day by day basis.

So, although there is limited operations, our main messages continue to be:

• This is not normal operations.
• Please do not travel to the airfield unless you have booked and been authorised to fly by the CFI (or his delegate).
• Do not travel to the airfield at all if you have been in known contact of someone with Covid-19 in the past three weeks, or if you have any symptoms at all.

***The following was emailed to all Club members today.

You may have seen the Victorian Premier's announcement today to relax some restrictions in Victoria.

The most relevant for the Club is that outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people are now permitted for recreation, still observing social distancing practices. 

We are continuing to work this week on what this means for operations at the airfield. The Instructor Panel is meeting Wednesday night, the three Club presidents and CFIs are meeting Thursday night, and the Committee is in touch ahead of a meeting on Sunday.

In the interests of early clarity, regardless of these meetings and the outcomes, it will not be operations as normal at Bacchus Marsh this weekend.

Our aim is for the three clubs to adopt a common approach and likely prioritise instructor currency so that we are ready to go when / if restrictions are relaxed further. My understanding from the Premier's press conference this morning is that the next review will be at the end of May.

I know it is frustrating to seem to be so close to returning but not quite being able to. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Most importantly, the Committee and Panel are firmly focused on a safe return to full operations when we can. 

IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF OPERATIONS

The following is a summary of a message sent to all Club members this evening.

It is with regret, but knowing that it is the right and sensible decision, that the Melbourne Gliding Club will immediately cease flying operations until further notice.

The spirit and intent of the current Covid-19 guidelines and advice is to avoid non-essential travel outside the home. Unfortunately, gliding falls within this.

For now, duty crews and members are not to travel to the aerodrome for flying operations, and we urge you all to follow the current government restrictions and advice in relation to social distancing and isolation.

The clubhouse and workshops are closed. You should not travel to the aerodrome, it is not essential.

The Committee are meeting weekly by teleconference to examine the impacts of this suspension, and to look at positive options to continue engagement with Club throughout this period of uncertainty.

Our aim is to ensure that our Club emerges healthy and ready to operate as soon as possible.

Whilst social distance and isolation will help to protect us individually it is a vital action to quickly reduce the exponential spread of Covid-19 within the community.

We will be back flying as soon as we can safely do so.

Please stay safe and well, and best wishes to you, your families, and friends.

Member update: The Committee are discussing the current situation around Covid-19 and also liaising with the other gliding clubs at Bacchus Marsh. There will be an email to members before the weekend to advise of arrangements and decisions in relation to our operations. Thank you for your patience. We wish all members of the Club and our friends from around the world safe times. Please stay well.

(From email sent to members 18 March 2020).

Day to day club operations, including training

At this stage, day-to-day club operations are continuing, but please read and think about the following.

If you have been diagnosed with coronavirus, or feel unwell, please be sensible and do not attend the airfield.

If you do not want to attend the airfield, you do not have to. And if you are rostered on a duty team and do not want to attend, please do let us know and seek to find a replacement.

If you have sanitiser or wipes at home, consider bringing from home for your use. Practice social distancing as a secondary precaution. No hand shakes, cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing (into your elbow is best).

If you plan to fly a club glider, be responsible for cleaning the control stick, handles and knobs on panel, before and after your use of the glider. Think about surfaces you have touched and wipe them down. Buckles on the harness and parachutes, too, but avoid the fabric.  

Above all, please use common sense. 

Family and Friends Day

Our Family and Friends Day planned for 29 March is cancelled. This is on the basis that it would involve people more broadly than club members. 

Air Experience Flights

These are proceeding if passengers still wish to fly. All passengers booked will be contacted by the Club to advise them of the status of our operations and with advice similar to above about common sense precautions.

Easter weekend

Given where things are at, the Easter weekend will be an extended Bacchus Marsh operation. Saturday and Sunday will be normal operations days with training. Good Friday and Easter Monday will be general flying days. The sign-up booking system will be updated shortly.

Of course, all of this could change and we will keep you updated.

If you have any concerns, please contact me. Please follow local health authority advice (https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus). 

At this stage, club operations are as normal.

However, if you do not want to attend the airfield, you do not have to.

And if you are rostered on a duty team and do not want to attend, please do let us know and seek to find a replacement.

Please follow local health authority advice (https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus). 

If you have been diagnosed with coronavirus, or feel unwell, please be sensible and do not attend the airfield - follow health authority advice. 

If you have any concerns, please contact me.

Most importantly, look after yourself, your family and friends, and each other.

To access each day's flight sheets, log in to the website and access the daily flight sheets page.

Unfortunately, the 2020 MGC Family & Friends Flying Day planned for 29 March 2020 has been cancelled. We hope to reschedule later this year.