Two lovely friends of mine, Fred and Hazel Brown recently married and wanted to fly in to Sutton Bank as their first act as a married couple. However, they had to decide where to fly in from. Their old haunt, Dishforth was no longer an option, but they managed to get permission from the friendly ATC down at Topcliffe, to have a glider flown in, and to fly it out again.
Since I was on duty that day, I was given the great honour of flying the glider down to Topcliffe. Actually getting the glider down there began to feel like a pantomime, as I had to receive a briefing from their Commanding Officer, my old friend Steve Hughes (Squadron Leader!). A briefing? Surely it’s observe their runway in use and circuit pattern, talk to them on the radio, then land? But being the RAF, I suppose they had to do it properly.
I duly phoned them before setting off – they were landing on Runway 21, with left-hand circuits, and I was to join overhead at 1500 feet.
Les Rayment was due to fly the tug, so at 1.30 we set off for Topcliffe. YGC member Pauline Luty came along for the ride, as it seemed a shame to take a K21 with an empty back seat. We flew to Topcliffe and arrived to the south of the airfield at 2500 feet, which gave Pauline and I ample time to observe the ATC motorgliders buzzing around before joining circuit left-hand for 21.
The landing was one of the nicest I’ve ever done (if I do say so myself, blowing my own trumpet), and I do pride myself on my landings! I think it’s something to do with the tarmac runways, somehow they just encourage you to land perfectly.
We rolled to a stop and were pushed onto the taxiway by a bunch of strapping young men. Not the service I’m used to! Normally it’s just a golf buggy, and a (ahem) not-so-young man (only joking!)
Fred and Hazel strapped in, we pushed them back onto the runway, and attached the tow cable.
As the cable went taught, the glider rolled forward over the cable, trapping it between the nose wheel and the runway. There was no time to shout ‘stop’ before the rope went taught again, and then it snapped. Damn, now we had a snapped rope, on a strange airfield.
However, RAF to the rescue, one of the young recruits had a Leatherman with him, and managed to repair the rope by cutting off the frayed part and retying it, then re-assembling the Tost device.
That done, and glider reattached, they were soon on their way to Sutton Bank. All that was left was for Pauline and I to find Fred’s car, and find our way out of the airfield. But that’s another story.
Fred and Hazel also held their wedding reception at the club, and we had a great time. Fred loves karaoke, and had organised a DJ from a local pub to come and provide the music and songs. Lots of friends and family joined in, including me. But that really is another story…
More info and photos of the adventure, and the happy couple can be seen at http://www.ygc.co.uk/wordpress/
