Safety
Safety Briefing – Glider Integrity. Accidents continue because gliders have not been correctly prepared for flight. Such accidents are completely avoidable. Please read the advice on this important subject at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/safety/documents/gliderintegrity.pdf
Accident Review. The BGA Review of Accidents in 2013 has been published. As highlighted above, unlocked airbrakes, unlocked canopies and even incompletely rigged gliders are a real issue. There were three tug upsets last year. Too many training flights took place in inappropriate weather. CFIs have been mailed bulk copies of the review; please ask for one or download a copy from http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/documents/accidentreview2013web.pdf.
Safety Briefing - Spring Is Here. Now that spring is upon us (?) many gliders are emerging from their winter hibernation. Before jumping into your glider, think about how it might have fared over the winter. Please read the new season safety briefing available at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/safety/bulletins/briefing_mar2014.pdf
BGA
BGA Awards. The BGA presented a number of awards for services to gliding at its recent Annual General Meeting. BGA Gold Medals were presented to the BGA Medical Advisor, Dr Peter Saundby (Black Mountains GC) and to Wally Kahn (Lasham GS) and a BGA Silver Medal was awarded to Peter Underwood (Vintage GC). BGA Diplomas were awarded to Dave Bullock (Windrushers GC), Russell Cheethan (The Gliding Centre), Andy Miller (Bannerdown GC), Graham Morris (Bristol & Gloucester GC), Eddie Room (Wolds GC), and Clive Thomas (Lasham GS). The Bill Scull Safety Award was presented to Oxford GC in recognition of their outstanding safety record and the new Alex Ward Trophy for services to junior gliding was awarded jointly to Steve Pozerskis, Charlie Jordan and Matt Davis. A full list of all the BGA Trophy Winners (who were presented with their trophies at the post-conference Awards Dinner) is on the Annual Trophies page at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/competitions/trophies.htm and in the current edition of Sailplane & Gliding.
Missing FLARM. A Power FLARM Core, s/n FLAPFC10E-000686, appears to have been removed from a display at the BGA conference. Would anyone who comes across it please contact John Delafield at LX Avionics.
Regulatory
Farnborough ACP. The BGA has published guidance to help pilots formulate their response to the TAG Farnborough Airspace Change Proposal consultation. This, together with other useful links and a new message from BGA Chairman Pete Harvey is available on our Farnborough ACP consultation page at http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/airspace/farnborough.htm. Please consider making a response against this attempted airspace grab. Please do not imagine for one moment that this will not affect you. If you are ever likely to fly in the southern part of

England, it will. And please do not imagine for one moment that others will sort the situation out for you. They will not be able to do that unless you play your part and actively oppose TAG.
EASA Approach to GA. Evidence of EASA’s new approach to the regulation of general aviation, including gliding, can be found in the presentations that the agency will be giving at the Aero exhibition being held this week in Friedrichshafen. During the show, the Agency will unfold its plans for concrete action and measures towards simplifying the regulatory structure concerning GA. The initial focus will be on the lighter end of GA. The interests of UK glider pilots are being addressed in this welcome development by EASA through BGA engagement with Europe Air Sports, whose representatives are actively working with EASA to develop a revised approach to the regulation of GA.
Commonwealth Games Airspace. Everyone will remember the widespread restrictions around the London 2012 Olympics and the huge efforts we made to ensure complete compliance by gliding. The Government has now announced that the 2014 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow, will be protected by airspace security restrictions. Details of the restrictions are at www.airspacesafety.com/commonwealth, which will serve as the focal point for all information relating to the Glasgow 2014 airspace restrictions throughout the coming months. The CAA Authority (CAA) has organised a major briefing session for pilots likely to be affected at the Universities of Glasgow & Strathclyde Air Squadron, 12 Park Circus, Glasgow, on the evening of 23 April 2104. Thankfully the Commonwealth Games restrictions are much smaller in space, shorter in time and, with one small exception, lie inside what is already controlled airspace. This means that while we do need to pay attention to the restrictions, we can continue to fly as normal in most of our best cross country routes.
Club Management
Philip Wills Memorial Fund. The trustees of the Philip Wills Memorial Fund have recently received a generous bequest of over £300,000 from the estate of the late Joan Cloke. The trustees are very grateful for this bequest which will enable them to provide more assistance to gliding clubs.
Competitions and Cross-Country
2014 Competition Documents. The 2014 editions of the Competition Rule Book and the Competition Organisers’ Guide have been published. You can download them from http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/competitionrules2014.pdf and http://www.gliding.co.uk/forms/comp_org_2014.pdf respectively.
2014 BGA Waypoint List. The 2014 BGA Waypoint list has been published. There has been one deletion, 3 minor changes of wording and 23 new points. The deletion is NTN - Newton, near Nottingham, which is now a business park and the alternate point is a big roundabout at BNG - Bingham. The new points are near Bath, Berwick (2), Edinburgh, Exeter (4), Leicester, Plymouth (4), Shrewsbury (8), and York (2). The 2014 list contains a total of 1265 waypoints and can be downloaded from http://www.spsys.demon.co.uk/turningpoints.htm
Women Glide Comp-ette. The southern leg of the 2014 comp-ette will be held at Bicester on 3rd-5th May. This is a weekend-only mini competition and will run alongside the Bicester Grand Prix. Entry is not restricted to women and will offer the chance to try the new variable barrel TP distance handicapped task-style competition. You can enter at http://www.womenglide.co.uk – note that the entry deadline has been extended to 20th April for the last remaining places.

Women Glide Cross-Country Development Weekends. British Women Team members will be running development weekends on 5/6th July (Husbands Bosworth) and 20/21st September (Lasham). Single seat and two-seat places are available for those wanting to improve their cross-country and racing skills. The application form is available on the Women Glide website http://www.womenglide.co.uk/
VFR Charts. The next publication dates for 1:500,000 VFR charts are as follows: 3 April, S England and Wales ed 39; 29 May, N England and N Ireland, ed 37. The next edition of the Scotland chart will be in mid 2015. Full details, including 1:250,000 chart publication dates are at http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_nats_vfr&Itemid=368.html
Juniors
RAeS Centennial Fund Scholarships. The Royal Aeronautical Society has awarded the British Gliding Association with a Centennial Fund Scholarship to the amount of £3,000. We are therefore pleased to announce that we have 10 bursaries, of £300 each, to award to pre-solo pilots to help them further their career in aviation. This year's bursaries are available to those aged 14 to 21. Applications should be made using the online application form at http://www.juniorgliding.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Junior_Gliding/Affordable/Scholarships,_Bursaries _and_Grants/Web%20Application%20Form%20published.doc. The form needs to be completed, printed, and signed prior to returning to the BGA no later than 30th April 2014.
Northern Regionals. Yorkshire GC is once again offering juniors 3 free, fully funded places in the Northern Regionals Championships, which run from 26th July to 3rd August 2014. Free means free entry and the first 5 aerotows. Applications should be made by emailing enquiry@ygc.co.uk with the words ‘Free Junior Place’ in the title. The closing date for applications is Friday 18th April. Selection will be by ballot if oversubscribed and winners will be informed by Monday 21st April. Thanks to YGC for this generous offer.
General
Torch Trophy Trust Award. Congratulations to Roy Woodhouse of Norfolk GC who was presented with a Torch Trophy Trust Award by HRH the Princess Royal at a ceremony at the Army & Navy Club last month. The awards, which are now in their 51st year, are made to volunteers who have shown outstanding dedication to sport in their local communities. More information about the awards and details of Roy’s citation are at http://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/torch-trophytrust/awards/winners2014
RAeC News. The spring 2014 edition of the Royal Aero Club newsletter has been published and can be downloaded from http://www.gliding.co.uk/documents/raecnews_spring2014.pdf
FAI Annual Report. The 2013 FAI Annual Report, which gives an overview of last year’s activities and achievements of the Federation, has been released. You can view online at http://www.fai.org/2013_FAI_Annual_Report/ or download a copy from www.fai.org/downloads/fai/2013_FAI_Annual_Report