 928 to Bunyan
The Canberra Gliding Club
My wife Jaq and I took up an invitation by Allan Armistead, Porsche
driver and glider pilot, to travel to Bunyan, the home of the
Canberra Gliding Club,
around a one hour drive south of Canberra
(Australia's Capital) and ten or so kilometres from Cooma. An annual weeklong wave camp had been organised and a number of pilots from around
Australia were attending. Including a number from my old club the Adelaide Soaring
Club.
We departed Sydney early for the four to five hour trip
south. Ahead, a beautiful sunny and bright blue day serenely unfolded before us as we travelled down the Hume
Highway. The landshark in cruise control, 310 German engineered horses galloping surely
to the music of Tim Finn's latest album.
The road was surprisingly devoid of traffic and
constabulary. They were, no doubt, somewhere tucking into their morning vegemite toast and coffee.
Arriving at 10am we drove slowly through the entrance down the red dirt track towards the Clubhouse. Past a number of
gleaming white tied down aircraft the 928 picked up more and more dust as we approached
the Clubhouse.
People were quietly going about their assigned tasks setting up for another days soaring.
'Daily Inspecting' the gliders and
wheeling yet more out of the hanger. Over by the 'Tug' yet more involved in secret
men's business, fussing around the engine bay. As luck
would have it I had just the right number of spare nylon ties in the 928 to assist in keeping the
problem secure and the aircraft approved for flight.
Introductions all round .. too many names to remember. The daily briefing was held and the day's activities started.
There is something wonderful about participating in a club
atmosphere. When members lend a hand or volunteer their strengths to assist it
is nearly always going to return the favour in kind. A Gliding Club survives on the strength of its members, to show up and lend a hand on the field,
to instruct new pupils or to provide their valuable time to sit in the tug and tow.
The operations proceeded smoothly and the weather remained fine. Sadly
our work commitments meant that we had to leave early and so after taking
a few photos of the landshark next to the eagles, it was time to point the ponies home and return to Sydney.
We covered over eight hundred kilometres and I can't think of another car that I would rather do those kind of miles in.
Many thanks to Allan for the kind invitation to visit and a big sloppy kiss and hug to my love Jaq who shared the driving.
Leonard Zech.
'85 928 S
The following images are courtesy of Allan
(© copyright 99 - Allan Armistead)
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