Name: Daryl Connell
Position: President, Gliding Federation of Australia

Tell us about your background?
As a kid, my father was working for the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Beaufort Division. As a four year old, I remember the end of war celebrations (vaguely) and a Spitfire in the streets of Sydney. Other early fond memories include seeing the ‘Southern Cross’ take off on its last flight to Brisbane and watching Ron Flockhart take off in his Mustang to attempt a record flight to London.

My memories are full of aircraft, hanging on the fence of the Broadmeadow aerodrome; watching Royal Newcastle Aero Club ops and being buzzed by three Sea Furies in victory formation at less than 100ft. There are also memories of many annual air shows at RAAF Williamtown. Mustangs, Meteors, Vampires, Canberras, Sabres, Mirages etc. There’s no doubting it’s in my blood!

How do you think it is for kids these days? Is it the same?
I suspect, these days, the impact of aviation on kids is different. Not as much exposure. Fewer aerodromes and air shows. There’s a much wider range of things to stir the young imagination.

How did you get introduced to gliding?
As a new university student I heard of a meeting to start a gliding club. I had never seen a glider but went along. The place was packed and the Newcastle Gliding Club was born. Enthusiasm and commitment was infectious. Low performance gliders by today’s standards meant you had to work to fly. The club was great for social interaction and some wonderful friendships were made.

Were your early flying experiences memorable? Your first solo?
My very first solo was not as memorable as I expected. But my first solo in a single seater was definitely memorable. In fact, on my first and second flight that day, using the winch launch, I had cable breaks, requiring a shortened, modified circuit to land. Both were very dramatic events but I landed them safely. The CFI at the time asked me to have another go… later on. He needed a smoke and a chance to gather himself. Later that day my third attempt went well. I blame the winch driver for the first two!

Tell us about cross country flying.
My first fair dinkum cross country was in the back seat of a two seat glider, as a new solo pilot, and the task was 319 kms in the central north of Victoria. It took a staggering 7 hrs 23 mins but we made it. The beauty of cross country in a glider is a total dependence on finding the next thermal to keep going. You face low points with an imminent outlanding looking very likely, the thrill of climbing in good lift to near cloud base and then the ecstasy of the last climb and the absolute certainty of making it back to base. That is what gliding is all about for me and what led to 30 odd years of competition flying around Australia.

How do you find outlandings? Any memorable ones?
During a cross country task, an outlanding may occur on any flight and you deal with it when necessary. It is not a problem. Pick a paddock, do all the checks, do a circuit and, on final, put a call back to your crew: “ I am landing near X (name of town), see you in the pub.” This is code that you will tie the glider down and get yourself into town and settle into the first pub on the road from home base. Lucky there was always a pub for me.

On one occasion it was Saturday afternoon and the pub was full, with an SP bookie in one corner and the locals really into the spirit of the afternoon. A violent fight started next to me: big men punching each other just like in the movies. I have never seen the like. Luckily, my retrieve crew arrived in the middle of it all - tall guys but clearly strangers and one was really a cop. Well you could have heard a pin drop. What the patrons were thinking one can only speculate. It worked out OK and we left town with the glider in the trailer some time later.

And what about your most memorable flights and scary tales?
Well, one beautiful day, with an approaching mild frontal change, I was happily soaring among the clouds lit by a setting sun when, to my surprise, I found that I was surrounded by cloud to a considerable depth. I was still in the clear but had to get out - VFR only. It was a bit stressful and not a situation you hope to get into.

The most dramatic event was when I was crossing the start line for a competition flight at high speed and 3500ft altitude, when I experienced a thump and a loud noise, and my glider was pointed straight for the ground. The controls were totally useless but I couldn’t see any reason why. As I recall, the canopy had already departed so I undid my harness and jumped overboard. The rip cord was located after a few grabs and a nice green parachute opened and dropped me without ceremony in a stubble paddock.

What happened was another glider, also approaching the start line, had hit me from behind and removed the tail surfaces. Except for bruising, I was OK and an instant member of the Caterpillar Club. A very memorable flight! It is of interest that BASI , today’s ATSB, spent two days investigating this incident: today they would not have the resources to become involved.

What is your involvement in Aviation today, both business and recreation?
I have been a GFA member for over 40 years and president of the GFA for over two years. I’m currently a Level 3 Instructor, half owner of a racing glider and a member of the Temora Gliding Club.

What kind of competition is available for glider pilots?
We have regular regional, State and National gliding competitions. Also, there are World Competitions which Australia usually attends,and we have managed to produce a number of World Champions. Their have been three World Comps in Australia, which are great milestones for us. They provide great exposure of the excellent gliding conditions that we have and are also an opportunity to show the best technology and performance to our own pilots.

How have you been involved?
I was Operations Director at one of the Australian World Comps and recently was fortunate to attend the World Comps in Germany. This competition included a number of the latest glider types, including one new self launcher with an electric engine powered by solar charged batteries.

What do you mean by ‘working for gliding’?
I guess all things start off small and sometimes grow. Currently, I am President of the Gliding Federation of Australia ( GFA ) and, in my case, the path to that probably started when somebody asked why don’t I learn to be an Instructor. Now instructing is a worthy endeavour, sometimes rewarding and sometimes not, but it is a way of putting back something to a sport that gives so much pleasure. Also, it keeps one very current in flight emergencies.

Most of the instructors, officials, officers and management team in GFA are unpaid elected volunteers and this is one of our great strengths. It is also one of our biggest challenges in managing such things as safety, compliance and change. As might be expected, this role involves more ‘political’ and less ‘technical’ work.

A favourite destination?
I did manage to turn up at Duxford for the 50th Anniversary Battle of Britain Air Show. Easily the best show I have ever seen. Then, a few weeks later, to Farnborough for the bi-annual show. This was in the days when the great powers sent their really heavy metal to fly off against each other for the customers. Not much to do with gliding but great to be involved. Never again will this happen on such a scale.

What about the future for gliding?
Not surprisingly there are a number of challenges for GFA and for gliding in the future.
Society is changing and young people have different expectations of sport aviation these days. Our challenge is to preserve the best of our traditions while providing opportunities for the aspirations of today’s youth. Interestingly there is no shortage of those attracted to gliding; many, however, don’t wish to make the long term commitment. It is a little like test cricket and one day cricket. The same basic rules but different levels of application. To me, the gliding of the future needs to provide for both styles and for both to exist side by side and for both to prosper, as cricket has. Personally, I fly both forms.

Australia provides the best overall gliding conditions in the world and the best natural resources with a relatively benign regulatory environment. GFA has the infrastructure in place and is considered by many to provide the best model for administering sport aviation. It has an active safety system in place and an enviable safety record by any standard. We are extremely fortunate and our challenge is to maintain and develop our strengths while moving with the times when necessary.

Anything else you’d like to add?
The period from the end of WWII to the end of the 20th century was a period in the development of aviation that saw tremendous growth in activity, technology, social impact, military significance, sport aviation and gliding. For those interested, it was a great time that will never be repeated and to be able to be involved actively was very enjoyable and rewarding. For me, gliding provided the mechanism to be involved at the sharp end and it has been great.