by Tony Vost
photos by Robin Rose, Tony, Garry and Tom

On Saturday 11 July there were two bookings for 10:00 and 10:30. We had just started to move a couple IS28s out to the field when a young man approached us. He had made the bookings and was hoping that we could arrange for his girlfriend to be in the air at the same time as himself.

It turned out that they were on their way to Bright for the weekend and he had suggested that they might enjoy finding out how gliders handle. Jamie is a commercial pilot but until then had never been in a glider.

Things were not to be as straightforward as we imagined. Garry Cropley was to fly Sara, who was really looking forward to her flight. Tom Spiesser was to fly Jamie who was so tall we had difficulty in squeezing him into the front seat.

While completing the paperwork and introduction to the aircraft, Garry was given a small parcel. When both gliders had released he was to hand the parcel to Sara and get her to open it.

Both aircraft released at 3000' and each could see the other. After a while Jamie called and said something like "Sara, can you hear me?" No answer! We looked at each other. Had the radio packed up? What was going on? Again the query came from Jamie. Still no answer!

Then a little voice said "I couldn't answer you, I was crying!"

After that no one seemed interested in finding out how things worked. Both aircraft landed soon afterward and there was no doubt about the response.

Our engagement

by Sarah and Jamie

Jamie holds a current commercial pilots licence but works as an exercise physiologist consultant. Sarah works in finance at BMW Melbourne.

We met three years ago at the St Kilda Music Festival in Melbourne.

Sarah initially thought they were off to Bright for a weekend away, but upon approaching Benalla, Jamie suggested they should stop in at the airport and say hi to a friend who worked as a gliding instructor (who didn't exist!?!). Sarah was unaware that he had made a flight booking for 10am. Jamie asked her to stay in the car while he went to say hi to the 'friend'. Instead Jamie met with Tony, Gary and Tom and explained what he had in mind. After he concocted the plan, he returned to the car and simply said that his friend was actually up flying, but had organized for them to do a flight for free.

We would like to thank all the men who were at the gliding club that day but in particular Tony for organising the extra tug plane and logistics, Robin who took some wonderful photos and Gary who played the role of a leading male Hollywood actor and essentially pulled it all off!!