"Ray Lovinggood" wrote in
message

The club required those seeking the Silver Distance
to fly wood. In this case, the Ka-8 was the ship to
be used. I think the club thought making the flight
in something like the Standard Astir or ASW-15 would
make it too easy.

Actually I agree with that club's approach. You can probably do 50Km from
one good thermal in a modern glass ship. When I did my Silver distance back
in '78 I flew an ASK18 ( Ka8 with Ka6CR wings) and I needed four good
thermals to make the distance. Finding those thermals when you are in
unfamiliar territory is the real challenge. I did the 5 hrs in thermals
local to the club and most of those were old friends.

I think the Silver badge needs a bit of up-dating to take account of the
better equipment which is now available. I would replace the 5 hours with a
second cross-country of at least 150Km to be done in a straight line (ie no
landing back at home) and bump up the height gain to 2000m. I believe the
original intention of the Silver badge was for it to be completed in one
flight. In the kind of kit around in the 1930's the Gold distance would have
needed at least five hours and I guess the idea was for people to keep going
and not stop at 50Kms.

As for the shortest c/c done in wood, I think my check flight for going
cross country has a claim. I landed my Olympia 2b in the field behind our
airfield about 300 yards short of the normal take off point because I wasn't
paying attention to an increase in wind speed. The CFI signed my log book
for cross country OK, but grounded me for a fortnight, which I had to spend
driving the winch. My fellow pilots and I lifted that Oly over the boundary
hedge to save a de-rig. The hardest thing to bear was their laughter as they
climbed through the hedge to rescue me. Cost me a bomb in beer.

Alistair Wright
UK 4759