Safety Notice - Gliders at Woodbury

IMG_0133_Glider_Blanik_Woodbury

L13 Blanik at Woodbury (Photo: Paul Boland)

The Soaring Club of Tasmania operates at Woodbury, just to the east of Tunbridge.

Since the club purchased a tug, it has attracted a number of new members and the number of gliders operating there has increased. There are now six gliders based there as well as a Pawnee towplane. It can be very busy at times.

The club usually flies on Sundays. On a good day, it is possible that all the aircraft could be airborne. On not so busy days there may still be two or three gliders operating. Gliders can be very hard to see.

You are very welcome to come and visit (we'd love to see you) but if you are flying in . . . .

CALL US UP.

The frequency for all gliding clubs in Australia is 122.7

If you are passing through the area on a weekend, it pays to give a call on 122.7 when you are about 5 minutes from the field. If you are planning to land or enter the circuit area it is ESSENTIAL that you call before you join circuit. Gliders do NOT listen on or operate on 126.7.

If you are intending to land, make your intentions clear and broadcast them. The base station on the ground (122.7) is manned whilst flying operations are in progress. The gliders all have radios.

Glider circuits are generally closer in than power circuits and are of varying height. If you are landing, do a circuit much as you would at a busy GA airport (ie fairly wide) and then it is unlikely that you will obstruct or conflict with gliders in the circuit for landing and should be able to see any glider that is in the circuit between you and the airstrip.

•	Remember that gliders may be thermalling anywhere in the locale. Call and keep you eyes open.

•	Remember that gliders have right of way.

•	Remember that the towplane may be descending quickly and following a continuously descending circuit. If the towplane is on the way down, please be gentlemanly and give it right of way for landing.

•	Please NO unnanounced forced landing or precautionary landing practices whilst gliders are operating. (Yes, someone did have a go at this whilst gliding ops were in progress).

Website : http://www.soaringtasmania.org.au/j/

Location: http://www.soaringtasmania.org.au/j/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=8

It is a good idea to call by phone to see if we are operating:

Instructor contacts:

•	Richard Doyle : 03 6225 2561 or 0419992264

•	Graeme Martin: 62237615 or 0414635047

•	John Spilsbury: 0408292693

•	Graham Cassidy: 0419960447