News

While a new "public-facing" website is on the way, I've continued to make changes to this site to make it look a little better and improve functionality for members. Please let us know any major errors you see or feedback to continue to improve!

The David Wilson Memorial Scholarship was formally launched at the 75th Anniversary and Awards Dinner in 2019.

Funding is available to support attendance at official coaching events or competitions e.g. Horsham Week, Horsham Coaching Week, Mt Beauty Alpine Course, JoeyGlide, other cross-country courses, or other state or national competitions. This might be for glider hire, cost of tows, accommodation.

The scholarship is open to two types of applicants from the Melbourne Gliding Club:

1) Youth members (26 and under); and

2) Recently solo pilots (those within two years of first solo).

If you meet our applicant criteria, and have a gliding goal in mind for this season for which you need financial support, please email a short statement to the Committee (committee@melbourneglidingclub.com.au). 

There are some changes to MGC operations in 2020. We are temporarily stopping formal training on two of the eight duty teams (duty team 4 - Sunday; and duty team 7 - Saturday) to have these days be general flying days.

How will operations work on general flying days?

On general flying days there will be flying available for pilots with A Certificate or above. There will be no student training. There will be one instructor on duty to provide oversight of the operation. These days provide opportunities for cross country flying as well as local soaring. You must remember to book a glider to avoid disappointment! Normal rules apply

· The bus, fire cart (in season) and emergency cart must be on the flight line.

· Flight times must be recorded in the laptop as normal, but record your own times and check they have been added to the laptop flight sheet.

· Get the glider out you want to fly, seek assistance as required.

· The duty instructor will hold a brief when everyone is ready, which may well be later than normal.

· The duty instructor and the members present will work out who will run wings, forward signal etc. Co-operation with other clubs is a good option.

· The duty instructor will call a halt to operations if there are insufficient people to operate safely.

What is different?

· If you book a glider it is yours for the day.

· Expect to fly the glider you booked during the best part of the day.

· If cross country is planned, you must arrange a buddy to be your retrieve crew (and you can return the favour on another general flying day!).

· Expect to be entirely responsible for getting the glider out and putting the glider away at the end of the day.

· Expect to be helping on the flight line.

· If you are on dual checks, call or text the duty instructor the day before, as dual checks will not always be available.

The booking system has been updated to reflect these new arrangements. Normal operations and training continue to be available on the other six weekend days of the month.

We are running one ground school morning per month  – the first one will be radio and circuit procedures, others will be announced a few weeks out, but a mix of pre- or post solo subjects will be covered, tailored to suit the audience, feel free to come along and listen and contribute if you are an experienced pilot dates are as follows:

• 25^th May
• 15^th June
• 13^th July 
• 10^th August
• 7^th September
• 5^th October 
• 09^th November
• 07^th December

For more information, contact the CFI, Paul Spooner.

Our Safety Officer, Mark White, has prepared a great guide to gliding safely at Bacchus Marsh. It's available on our 'files' page, along with all the other club manuals - essential reading for all members.

Our club administration and operations manuals (essential reading for all members) are now available on the website (you must be logged in to access) under 'Files'.

Thanks to Richard Traill for his work to update them.

The club history manual has also been uploaded. Please reach out if you have a story, photos, or knowledge that can fill any gaps, especially ahead of our 75th anniversary in September 2019.

Following a review of the club finances and underlying costs, the Committee has decided that the following aircraft rates will apply from November 1, 2018. The practical effect is an approximate increase to a 20 minute training flight of around $5. 

Aircraft hire rates from 1 November 2018:

*This tow rate will also be applied to MGC members towing behind SSO/KKR.

The free glider time prior to 1100 has also been discontinued. 

Further details on the rationale and basis for these changes will be shared in the next Glide Angle.

Make your choice about your debenture by logging into the website and selecting your option. See member email for more details.

Don't forget to register your attendance or apologies for the Club's AGM on Saturday 6 October 2018 at 1600 at the Clubhouse.

Proxy forms for those unable to attend were distributed in the AGM Pack in the member email on 26 September.

Register here: http://melbourneglidingclub.com.au/event-3063338 

The Committee has decided to offer by ballot to the MGC membership (individual owners or syndicate), three currently available hangar spaces in the South Hangar. 

The winners of the ballot will be offered a 3-year lease of the hangar space. At the end of the 3-year lease the hangar space will be returned to the Club.  

For all details on the ballot, refer to the member email sent on 28 September 2018. Registrations for the ballot close on Thursday 18 October 2018 at 5.00pm.