Safety
Correct Preparation of a Glider for Flight. A new safety briefing covering the key aspects of correctly preparing a glider for flight has been published. The document, which highlights the dangers of incorrect rigging and the increased risk of missing something important if you are interrupted during DI or pre-flight checks, is available at http://old.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/safety/documents/gliderintegrity_000.pdf
Safe Winch Launching. New editions of the Safe Winch Launching booklet and summary leaflet have been published. These contain minor additions to previously published advice and are designed to reinforce the success of the BGA Safe Winch Launch campaign which, in its nine years, has seen a dramatic reduction in the number of serious and fatal winch launching accidents. Copies have been sent to CFIs for onward distribution so, even if you feel that you are familiar with the potentially life-saving advice contained in them, please ask for a copy so that you can refresh your knowledge. Alternatively you can download the documents from the Safe Winching web page at http://www.gliding.co.uk/safewinchlaunching
Queen’s Birthday Flypast. On 13th June, a large formation flypast of Buckingham Palace will occur as part of the official Queen’s Birthday celebrations. The formation will comprise slow and fast moving elements, numbering 30 aircraft in total. On departure from their individual mounting bases, the formation elements will route to the initial Southwold Hold (1010-1205 hrs). The formation will route via Colchester and Fairlop to Buckingham Palace, with the Red Arrows routing independently to follow the track of the formation, catching up the formation to arrive Buckingham Palace at 1303 (all times BST). The main formation will then route to Northolt and Halton prior to dispersal in the Brize Norton area. Should the earlier Trooping of the Colour be delayed for weather reasons, all timings will be slipped by 4 hours. The route for the flypast is protected by temporary airspace which is detailed in AIC Mauve 027/2015 available on the NATS web site at http://www.nats-uk.eadit.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=162&Itemid=59.html.
Regulatory
Medical Requirements Consultation. The CAA has opened a consultation regarding the simplification of medical licensing for recreational pilots. The BGA was represented on the CAA working group. The consultation proposes that the minimum medical requirement for UK private pilot licence and national private pilot licence holders is to hold a current DVLA Group 1 Ordinary Driving Licence. Existing medical options (for example a UK declaration with GP counter- signature) will remain available. The proposal will bring cost and time savings for pilots and, in most cases, remove the need for General Practitioner (GP) or Authorised Medical Examiner involvement. It is important that those who agree with the CAA proposal respond positively to the consultation which is at http://www.caa.co.uk/cap1284 with the response tool being at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GAmed. The consultation is open until 10th July 2015.

EAS Newsletter. The May edition of the Europe Airpsorts newsletter has been published. As always, it offers a useful perspective on the latest European regulatory news and is available at http://www.europe-air-sports.org/activities/newsletter/
Competitions and Cross-Country
An Open Letter Concerning Airspace. A working party made up of representatives of the BGA Safety, Airspace and Competitions Committees has written an open letter to all pilots concerning the need to treat ATZs like other controlled airspace, and to take particular care when flying near airports that are likely to operate instrument approach procedures, including communicating with controllers even when in class G airspace. Whilst safety is the priority, it is also important that we all play our part in maintaining gliding's generally excellent reputation as responsible users of airspace. If we all follow good practice, we can maintain risk at a reasonable level, demonstrate that gliders do not pose the level of risk to other traffic that some incorrectly assume, and give gliding as a whole a much better case in opposing future attempted airspace grabs. If you have not received your own copy of the letter, please read the letter which is available at http://old.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/airspace/documents/airspaceopenletter.pdf
New National Champions . The first National Championships of 2015 were held at the end of May at Husbands Bosworth. Ayala Truelove and Ed Johnston are the new champions in the Standard and 15m classes respectively. In the Standards, Ayala was followed by Richard Hood and Paul Fritche while, in the 15m class, Phil Jones finished second with Nick Tillett third.
Nationals Entries. Although the deadline for entries has now passed, spaces are still available for some of the national championships, including the Open and 20m Multi-Seat Championships at Gransden Lodge and the 18m Nationals at Lasham. You can enter online at https://www.gliding.co.uk/bgashop/applications/competitions/step1.php. Remember, if you do not already have a current FAI Competition Licence, you must apply for one or renew your existing one at the same time. More information about the competitions can be found at http://www.camgliding.uk/comps/2015/ (Open and 20m classes) and http://www.lashamcomps.co.uk/ (18m).
Club Management
£60k Grant for Midland GC. Midland GC has secured £60,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England to help it build new workshops to a standard that will enable maintenance and complex repairs to its own fleet of gliders and those of private owners.
Juniors
RAeS Scholarships. The winners of the Royal Aeronautical Society Centennial Scholarships for 2015 have been announced. Awards have been made to Elliot Archer (RAFGSA Chilterns), Ethan Barber (Yorkshire), William Blackburn (Wolds), Connor Budworth (Welland), Samantha Veck (Lasham), Nathaniel Robinson (Rattlesden), Christopher Barrott (Nene Valley), Charley Taylor (Bicester), Sam Bush (Norfolk), and Nicholas Hawkins (Portsmouth Naval). Congratulations to all the recipients and thanks to the RAeS for their generosity.
RAeC Trust Bursaries. The Royal Aero Club Trust has also announced the recipients of its bursaries for 2015. 17 of the 44 bursaries awarded were for glider pilots, including the Peter Cruddas Foundation Scholarship to Peter Vile (Devon & Somerset GC) to help him in his

instructor training. Assistance was provided to two of the members of the British Junior team, Matt Davis and Tom Arscott, to help them in their bid for medals at the World Junior Championships in Australia later this year. A full list of the bursary recipients is at http://www.royalaeroclubtrust.org/bursaries
Junior Team Newsletter. The junior team has published a newsletter giving an update on their plans and preparations as the World Junior Championships draw ever closer. You can read the newsletter at http://www.juniorgliding.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Junior_Gliding/Documents/Junior%20Team%20Ne wsletter%20Apr%202015.pdf
Women
Women Go Gliding Days. The WomenGlide UK group hopes to organise a series of Women Go Gliding days around the UK with the objective of encouraging more women to take up the sport. The first event this year will be at Lasham on 27/28 June and will cater for experienced, new, lapsed and trial flight women pilots. Please encourage all your female friends, colleagues and family to attend and get in the air. There is a poster/leaflet which you can send to your friends or put up at your place of work etc. - available at http://www.womenglide.co.uk/nationalwomen-go-gliding-day/. The Lasham event will offer trial flights for £50 on Saturday 27th, waived LGS reciprocal membership, a BBQ on Saturday, and free one year WGUK membership to all women pilots who fly. Hopefully, many more clubs will join in this initiative over the summer; follow the link above for more information.