club scene

Tell us all about your model flying club and report on your activities. E-mail me with some idea of the sort of facilities you have, size of membership, types of model flown, social activities, reports of special events, site availability, guest arrangements, frequency of meetings, location, or anything else you can think to mention. Pictures will also be most welcome, and if you want to send me pictures by conventional post, my address now appears on home page. If your club has a website, let me know the address and ModelFlight will pay you a virtual visit!

South Cotswold Soaring Association

This is the home page of the website belonging to South Cotsold Soaring Association, a very active soaring club based near Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK.

The club currently has around 75 members catering for radio control glider enthusiasts of all categories. They fly anything from "basic balsa models to fully moulded Calypso type models", having the luxury of a choice of no less than five flying sites within a few miles of Stroud. That compass on the homepage is rather nifty - it indicates which of their sites is most suitable for the prevailing wind, and if a member is not sure of the wind direction, they can 'phone Wendy Windblows and she will tell them!

Most flying takes place at weekends, but the slopes are available whenever the weather allows. The club holds a monthly meeting at a local pub every third Wednesday of the month, to which non-members are welcome - no flying permitted in the bar! During the winter months of September to April, the meeting takes the form of a guest speaker or other event.

The club website is a "no frills" design and carries plenty of relevant information about the club and its flying sites (including maps), plus flying guidelines, photos, club competitions, hints and tips, etc. One of the club members - "Phil the Fridge" (Phil Hayward) - publishes a weekly Soaring News on his personal website (see site seeing) and this, too, is accessible from the site.

The website is www.scsa.freeserve.co.uk