Galleries: Members | Humour | Misc

	Bob Fennell CFI and Club Secretary Bob started gliding at 15 years old and went solo at 16 in 1975. Since then Bob has devoted many hours of his spare time over 24 years to the RAF Volunteer Reserves as an instructor. He served with 617 VGS at RAF Manston and at 616 VGS at RAF Henlow. Bob also has also flown as a member of the Kent Gliding Club at Challock and the the RAF GSA Club at RAF Halton. Bob left 616 VGS at RAF Henlow as an A2* Cat instructor and the School Technical Officer. He reluctantly left the Volunteer Reserves in 1996 in order to pursue a career in IT management at the Isle of Man Post Office. Before the move to the Island Bob spent 14 yrs in Manufacturing Management at British Aerospace Hatfield but since the site closed as spent some time as a consultant in manufacturing simulation and IT Management at Irvin Aerospace. PPL (A) with 1,000+ hrs total time.
	Brian Goodspeed Safety Officer & Press Officer Brian's claim to fame is that he was one of the founding members of the Islands gliding movement at Jurby in 1992. His first glider flight was at St Athan in 1960 with the Red Dragon RAFGSA flying T31's and T21's During his RAF years Brian worked on Victors as an airframe technician at RAF Cottesmore, whilst there he joined Four Counties RAFGSA and flew solo for the first time in a Tutor in 1961 Whilst working on Hastings transport aircraft at RAF Lindholme he joined White Rose RAFGSA and flew T31's. However, sadly for Brian being posted to RAF Bassingbourne in 1963 left him with without a club to go to and a lengthy period of time without gliding in his life started. Interest was re- kindled in June 1992 when he and a very small group of people started the Manx Gliding Club at Jurby after he had advertised a Slingsby Tutor on behalf of the local ATC Squadron. As Press Officer Brian is our link with the outside world. He also has the task of sitfing through all the safety information that heads his way.
	Dave Wiseman Club Treasurer Dave's first taste of gliding was also as a "service sprog" at RAF Laarbruch, Germany. It was in 1962, in a T21 - couldn't see over the side or the front and so first impressions weren't life changing. Although Dave chose the Merchant Navy as a career life with aviation in his formative years meant he has always been interested in things aeronautical. Aero-modelling figured highly in the late 70's which lead him on to trying the real thing again with a few gliding holidays at Sutton Bank between 1985 and 1991. It was in 1991 Dave finally went solo. Dave bought "Boggles" in 1992 and is still the main dual aircraft for the club today. In 1995 Dave bought the L33 Solo Dave spends a lot of time away from the Island since he is a Chief Engineer with P&O Nedlloyd's City of Cape Town running to Australia & New Zealand via South Africa. When he is on leave Dave can often be found working on just about anything that needs doing around the club and doing his Treasurer bit! Like his brother Tom, without Dave's dedication and effort when he is on leave we would not be gliding today.
	Deryck Ballington Ground Engineering Officer Deryck is our ground engineering expert. We are all grateful to the many hours he puts in keeping the winches and vehicles serviceable. Deryck was instrumental in repairing the winch's cracked transmission casing recently and will probably relish the challenge to install a diesel engine in her. Deryck also boasts the first "all Manx" Bronze C
	John Fisher John started gliding with the Air Cadets at Burton Wood. He liked the experience so much he joined 635 VGS as a staff cadet. It was here that his instructing career began John now is often to be found at the airfield whether it is flyable or not, doing anything that needs doing. John, along with some other club members brought the immaculate Ka8 to the Island in 1998.
	John Richman John is our "sparks". He has spent hours developing our air-ground and ground-ground radio communication capability. A master of recycling he has built, installed, and calibrated our wind direction and anemometer from ping-pong balls, 35mm film cases and old ammeters. The winch signalling system and launch point clocks are all John's work. John also lives in the south of the Island and was involved in the Islanders Gliding Club days at Jurby. Started his career in "electrickery" with British Rail Signals & Telecoms got bored with that and joined the RAF in 1952 as air wireless engineer. John achieved his first solo "hop" on a primary trainer when a German Gliding Club came to RAF Jever. After demob in 1957 John worked for Pyes at Cambridge, the BBC as a technical operator sound radio, and finally in 1960 joined Granada TV in sound-vision engineering. During this period he learned to fly at Cambridge, gaining a PPL on Tiger Moths and ended up flying Chipmunks, Cessna 150's and Piper Colts at Barton-Manchester John retired in 1990 and moved to the Isle of Man where he became involved in sailing, the Gaiety Theatre, Port Erin Arts Centre and the Islanders Gliding Club at Jurby. He joined the Andreas Flying Club when it formed in 1995 and has been with the Club ever since.
	Tom Wiseman After a valiant fight against cancer, Tom lost the last battle on the 5th of October 2009. From the very beginnings of the club, Tom was a dedicated member and spent many hours instructing and looking after the club aircraft. Without Tom's dedication and effort we would not be gliding today. His knowledge, experience and commitment will be sadly missed by all at Andreas Gliding Club.