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Without "cartridge start" the propeller would has to be swung manually to start the engine, and the CAA was initially reluctant to certify the modification, until Dick pointed out that "swinging the prop" was normal procedure with many other types of light aircraft.
345:
As well as the RAFGSA Centre at RAF Halton, currently there are six regional clubs run on a voluntary basis and based at or near RAF stations. Each offers initial training for novices as well as cross-country flying for more advanced pilots.
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The Royal Air Force
Gliding & Soaring Association (RAFGSA) is a voluntary organisation which exists to provide recreational flying to all RAF servicemen and women, in particular those employed in ground duties.
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inscribed IAS VNE 120KT (Indicated
Airspeed "Never Exceed" is 120 knots) (222Km/h), which was a lower speed than RAF Chipmunks that were also qualified to carry out aerobatics, not needed in an Aero-tow aircraft.
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The Joint
Services Gliding Centre (JSGC) is co-located at Halton. It is part of the Joint Service Adventurous Training (JSAT) Air Sports organisation which provides training courses for military personnel.
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224:
The 'Andy Gough
Memorial Trophy' is awarded annually to an outstanding RAFGSA member. WO Gough is also included on the armed forces memorial and armed forces roll of honour.
221:, but hit the ground and was killed. It was said that an object in one of the wings had become loose during the display and jammed the ailerons. He was then 58 years old.
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This resulted in a demand for similar facilities in the United
Kingdom, and the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association was founded in 1949. The first aircraft, a
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He also enabled MOGAS (MOtive GASoline) to be used in some cases where the AVGAS (AViation GASoline) had originally been specified, which reduced fuel costs.
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Other modifications included a plywood seat panel over what had been space for a parachute (not essential for aero towing). Another addition was an
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Dick
Stratton's innovation was to disconnect the cartridge linkage, but not the assembly, as it would have altered the balance of the aircraft.
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Airfield, near
Cirencester, across the English Channel to Holland, beating the previous distance record of 315 miles by a further 3 miles.
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to the civil register for aerotowing gliders, which were used by the RAFGSA and other gliding organisations from the late 1960s.
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which required the services of a qualified armourer and a licensed pyrotechnic store to keep the cartridges safely.
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Jock
Wishart, Ron Newall, Ian Strachan, Con Greaves, & Paddy Kearon were gliding instructors and RAFGSA or
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151:(BAFO) in Germany began using captured German gliders to provide recreational flying for RAF personnel.
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The
Chipmunk conversion from military to civil certification was unusual because military chipmunks had
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flying boats until 1949 when he joined
Saunders Roe as a flight engineer for flight tests of the
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was one of the first two aircraft owned by the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association.
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135:. It has a full-time staff to provide central organisational, training and workshop facilities.
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which had been formed in January 1956 at RAF Little Rissington, later moving to Bicester.
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All RAF personnel and Armed Forces personnel engaged in Adventurous Training in Gliding
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Windrushers Gliding Club website: Bicester Airfield History, retrieved 3 Aug 2011
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By 1952 27 gliders were being operated at seven clubs around the UK.
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Approximately 60 gliders are in use, including the following types:
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large flying boat. Later he was involved in the development of the
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Into the 1980s, He continued to instruct and carry out aerotows.
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Dick later converted some Chipmunks to accept Lycoming engines.#
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He joined the RAF with a wartime commission and served as a
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60+ gliders, 8+ glider tugs and equipment to operate them.
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In October 1963 the RAFGSA Centre was established at
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RAFGSA website: List of clubs, retrieved 3 Aug 2011
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667:Aviation organisations based in the United Kingdom
543:RAFGSA website: GSA History, retrieved 3 Aug 2011
202:In 1975 in the RAFGSA Championships he flew from
19:Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association
248:was a skilled aircraft engineer and a licensed
27:Charitable sporting and recreation organisation
191:Warrant Officer Arthur William Charles Gough
183:In June 2004 the Centre moved to RAF Halton.
162:, were bought in March 1950 and stationed at
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702:1949 establishments in the United Kingdom
297:He also successfully converted military
697:Sports organizations established in 1949
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687:Organisations based in Buckinghamshire
83:Adventure Training and Flying training
305:Chipmunk Military to Civil conversion
7:
514:RAFGSA website, retrieved 3 Aug 2011
228:Other notable Bicester glider pilots
299:de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunks
294:and elastic rope bungee launching.
278:and was an innovative influence in
587:Aviation Soaring newsgroup archive
14:
350:RAFGSA Chilterns Gliding Centre,
244:Richard B Stratton (1923 - 2007)
209:On 12 June 1982 he was giving an
149:British Air Forces of Occupation
325:dymotape embossed plastic label
286:practices These included safe
47:Headquarters (RAFGSA Centre) -
374:Fulmar Gliding Club, Easterton
1:
677:Gliding in the United Kingdom
565:Facebook post by Paul Wells
383:RAF Shawbury Gliding Club,
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311:Coffman cartridge starters
631:RAFGSA Fleet Distribution
609:Professional Pilots Forum
412:Rolladen-Schneider LS8-18
356:Bannerdown Gliding Club,
692:Sport in Buckinghamshire
598:Times of London obituary
442:Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cT
432:Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus
427:Schempp-Hirth Discus-2cT
178:Windrushers Gliding Club
131:The RAFGSA Centre is at
480:tugs were also in use.
362:Cranwell Gliding Club,
197:Chief Flying Instructor
437:Schempp-Hirth Janus CT
377:Kestrel Gliding Club,
368:Fenland Gliding Club,
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292:scroll-gear machining
265:Saunders Roe Princess
113:
682:Gliding associations
636:5 April 2011 at the
519:5 April 2011 at the
490:Gliding competitions
422:Schempp-Hirth Discus
276:aviation engineering
236:competition pilots.
54:England and Scotland
532:Flight, 23 May 1952
61:Number of locations
20:
495:Air Training Corps
467:Slingsby T61 Falke
417:Scheibe SF25 Falke
274:He was skilled in
269:Saunders-Roe SR.53
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462:Schleicher ASK 21
457:Schleicher ASK 18
452:Schleicher ASK 13
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707:Military gliding
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261:Short Sunderland
219:RAF Brize Norton
176:, absorbing the
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521:Wayback Machine
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447:Schleicher K 8B
402:Grob G102 Astir
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290:, winching and
257:flight engineer
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215:LET L-13 BlanĂk
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280:light aircraft
271:rocket plane.
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147:In 1945, the
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127:RAFGSA Centre
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116:Slingsby T.21
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364:RAF Cranwell
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174:RAF Bicester
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90:Total assets
43:Headquarters
24:Company type
15:
407:Grob G 109B
164:RAF Detling
71:Area served
65:8 locations
36:RAF Detling
661:Categories
501:References
379:RAF Odiham
370:RAF Marham
352:RAF Halton
288:aerotowing
217:glider at
204:Aston Down
187:Andy Gough
133:RAF Halton
49:RAF Halton
211:aerobatic
634:Archived
517:Archived
484:See also
476:and two
474:Chipmunk
393:Aircraft
80:Services
284:gliding
160:Prefect
143:History
100:Website
32:Founded
478:Pawnee
358:Keevil
158:and a
38:, 1949
341:Clubs
246:FRAeS
472:Six
282:and
252:.
114:The
259:on
234:BGA
199:.
193:BEM
166:.
663::
52:,
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