Hanger and gliders hit by storm.

[[email protected]]

The new-year started with a bang for Goldfields Gliding Club in South
Africa after a storm destroyed the hanger and at least one glider.
Witnesses described the dust storm as being like a tornado (not totally
unheard of in the Free State part of South Africa) and the damage was
extremely localised. Another hanger and the clubhouse ~300m away were
untouched.

The hanger is 60m by 30m. The centre 30m was totally removed and the
two sidewalls were blown outwards. Of the 10 gliders in the hanger,
five are extensively damaged but repairable, and five were undamaged.
There was also a motorfalke that will be an insurance write-off (one
wing and tail destroyed as well as other wing, and fuselage damaged).
The trailers and a microlight were moved around but undamaged.

The building and club gliders (including the motofalke) are insured
(only whilst in the hanger), as is the one private glider. The one
private glider, which was extensively damaged, is uninsured.

The club will survive, as two club gliders were not in the hanger at
the time - and three of the club gliders in the hanger are undamaged.
The downside is the loss in revenue from our glass two-seater, which
brings in the most revenue - and two of the undamaged gliders are
currently not airworthy. The club thus does not have an airworthy
two-seater to continue training at present. The motofalke was also used
extensively as the club is still paying-off the purchase loan on it.

Clinton
LAK 12 (which was holding up part of the roof but looks like it can
still fly - except the pitot tube is bent)

[Malcolm Austin]

Sorry to hear of your "problem" down there. I remember a club in the south
of England (Challock? ) loosing almost all its aircraft when their hanger
collapsed
under the weight of snow.

It took a dedicated team to keep the club afloat and rebuilt everything.

Best of luck..

Malcolm..

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> The new-year started with a bang for Goldfields Gliding Club in South
> Africa after a storm destroyed the hanger and at least one glider.
> Witnesses described the dust storm as being like a tornado (not totally
> unheard of in the Free State part of South Africa) and the damage was
> extremely localised. Another hanger and the clubhouse ~300m away were
> untouched.
>
> The hanger is 60m by 30m. The centre 30m was totally removed and the
> two sidewalls were blown outwards. Of the 10 gliders in the hanger,
> five are extensively damaged but repairable, and five were undamaged.
> There was also a motorfalke that will be an insurance write-off (one
> wing and tail destroyed as well as other wing, and fuselage damaged).
> The trailers and a microlight were moved around but undamaged.
>
> The building and club gliders (including the motofalke) are insured
> (only whilst in the hanger), as is the one private glider. The one
> private glider, which was extensively damaged, is uninsured.
>
> The club will survive, as two club gliders were not in the hanger at
> the time - and three of the club gliders in the hanger are undamaged.
> The downside is the loss in revenue from our glass two-seater, which
> brings in the most revenue - and two of the undamaged gliders are
> currently not airworthy. The club thus does not have an airworthy
> two-seater to continue training at present. The motofalke was also used
> extensively as the club is still paying-off the purchase loan on it.
>
> Clinton
> LAK 12 (which was holding up part of the roof but looks like it can
> still fly - except the pitot tube is bent)
>

[[email protected]]

The assessors have checked most of the damage and it appears to be in
the order of ~$230 000. The saddest part is the building which was
underinsured and we are only likely to be paid ~$75 000 for it - but
the foundation is still usable. The motorfalke and one K7 will be
written-off, but the rest of the gliders will be repaired.
Clinton
LAK 12 (in serious need of a paint job).

[[email protected]]

With real estate sky rocketing the last few years, we all should review
our insurance coverage. The price of steel has doubled in the last
year. And if you want replacement coverage on your glider be aware that
the Euro is 40% higher than a year ago.

Tom

[OscarCVox]

> And if you want replacement coverage on your glider be aware that
>the Euro is 40% higher than a year ago.

Not to the rest of the world it isnt. More realistic to say that the US dollar
has taken a nose dive.

[Tom]

Well then you can congratulate yourself on your choice of parents!

For those of us who (still) live in the U.S. it IS an issue. Last time
I checked my insurance policy is denominated in dollars, not euros.
Tom

[John Doe]

I think you missed the point...

Whilst it's true to say the Euro is higher now against
the Dollar, due almost entirely to the Dollars collapse,
it's complete and utter horse**** to say that this
is the case in the rest of the world, which I believe
is Oscarvox's point. And getting snotty about it.....please.....

And since the original post was from a South African
club, the post by Tom (different email address, so
I assume it was a different Tom, but if it's you, same
points apply), about real estate prices and checking
insurance cover was way off the mark pointing out the
US Dollar rate without the proviso that it only applies
to Americans. I doubt that Goldfields insurance policy
is in USD, more likely in ZAR, but Clinton translated
it to USD for the benifit of yanks who think that America
is the whole world and that this is an entirely a US
newsgroup...

</yank bashing>

John

At 01:00 30 January 2005, Tom wrote:
>Well then you can congratulate yourself on your choice
>of parents!
>
>For those of us who (still) live in the U.S. it IS
>an issue. Last time
>I checked my insurance policy is denominated in dollars,
>not euros.
>Tom
>
>