The year 2000 heralded the most ambitious and arguably most successful expedition of the Royal Air Force Gliding and Soaring Association's 50 year history. Back in July 2000 Chief Technician Mick Boydon set about investigating the possibility of organising a major adventurous training expedition to Australia. The main logistics problem was how to transport sufficient gliders half way around the world. Using the Internet to canvass various gliding clubs "down under" he was able to overcome the first hurdle by arranging to hire the whole club fleet and some privately owned gliders from the Darling Downs Soaring Club (DDSC) in Queensland Australia.

The prime objectives of the expedition were to fly long crosscountry tasks, complete FAI badge awards and hopefully break some national record for gliding. With these goals in mind a broad level of experienced glider pilots were selected, including a representative from the Army and the Navy.

November 27, 2000

After arriving at McCaffery field, home of our hosts, late arrivals Jeni Roberts and I learn that Nobby Clarke has already set the first task of the expedition and there are eight singleseat gliders soaring to the west of the airfield. The sky is full of fluffy white cumulus cloud  marking strong thermal currents  allowing the heavily ballasted gliders to climb quickly. After a refreshing shower I'm raring to go, but I'm really physically tired. I go on a familiarisation flight with Chris Waller, who started gliding before I was born. Whilst on tow behind the Pawnee tug, we both realise that neither of us has flown the Puchacz glider that we're sat in. Nevertheless, once off tow we quickly find a thermal, which allows us to climb in excess of 600ft/min (6kts). By 1600hrs the sky has changed and there are some large thunderstorms about.  We land before the rain and wait for the others to return from the task. John Bradbury, our Navy aviator, is forced to land out in a paddock 20kmm away; all the others, apart from Roger Davies (Army), sneak back around the weather. We learn that Roger is stuck in to the north-west and is trying to reach the airfield. After keeping us all in suspense he arrives back just before dark (18:30), having completed his FAI Diamond goal flying 522km. John Bradbury's flight trace qualifies him for his Gold distance flight in excess of 300km.

November 28, 2000

I'm sat watching the most spectacular sunrise at 0430; everyone is up by 0630 and opening the hangar doors by 0715. Nobby sets the tasks at the formal brief and we discuss the previous day's flights with the club crosscountry instructor Allan Lattimore. I've been allocated the Mosquito to fly, which is a single-seat glider with a 15m wingspan. The forecast is very encouraging, so I fill the glider with 18 gallons of water to help improve my speed around the task, I'm airborne by 1100 and land back at 1800 having completed 420km of the task. Meanwhile the expedition Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) Ian Smith lands out at Dalby airfield about 40km away. Jeni Roberts completes her 300km Gold distance and Diamond goal flight, so we have more to celebrate in the bar. We have flown 53hrs in total for the day and covered 3700km  November 29, 2000

After a great curry night before, I've been offered the Ventus to fly on a 507km cat's cradle course with the other single-seat gliders. With all the gliders ballasted with water, we eagerly watch the sky waiting for the first cumulus cloud to appear. Some 70km away in the hills the first thermals are forming.

The Acro glider gets airborne to "sniff' out the thermals. By 1130 we are all on task. The weather is not so good to the north as I head out towards a large grain silo, which is our second turning point. The others change the task midflight and stay where the weather is good. As I struggle to stay airborne in weak thermals, Brian McKenzie finds strong lift and climbs to 10 400ft. Eventually, after 61/2 hrs in the cockpit, I glide over the finish line just as the sun dips below the horizon; magnificent  perhaps I'll get a day off tomorrow. However, the forecast is very good for a record attempt.

November 30, 2000

Nobby is airborne by 0930 to attempt 1000km, but the Met is not as forecast and he struggles to find lift as he heads west. Chris Waller prepares to attempt 500km in the LS-8 glider whilst Richie Arnall and Mark Critchlow attempt 750km. I set off behind them in the big Open Cirrus with its 18m wingspan and huge cockpit. Beyond the first turning point for Chris, the weather is not good as we head to a small town called Yuleba. We all meet above the turning point, although Mark and Richie are very low. Running east over a large wood I find an 8kt thermal that lifts the Cirrus to 9000ft. I then choose the wrong route back to Darling Downs and Richie streaks ahead. We turn over the airfield and head west again to the final turn, cutting the task short as we've lost time in the weak conditions earlier in the day. Meanwhile AI Mac and Chris are completing the 500km task, Chris for his 3rd Diamond after 20 years of waiting. As we set off on our final glide about 70km from home, the wind has changed and all the thermals have gone due to the cool moist sea air from the north. Jeni lands 20km away in a large field by the main road just short of her Diamond distance. The expedition has flown over 6000km and 77hrs flying in one day.

December 1, 2000

The last programmed flying day of our first week. Nobby sets a short 314km racing task, based on a poor forecast. I'm allocated the LS-8  another glider I've never flown before  and head off early. There are no cumulus clouds to mark the thermals, just distant haze caps and the wind is strong breaking up the thermals. I reach the first turn and decide to press on. The others are waiting above the site for conditions to improve. Once over the second turning point, the conditions to the south are very good, so a detour is made and I make rapid progress back to the site. Martin Pike and AI Clarke race Shane - one of our host's local gurus  around the 300km task in 2hrs 38mins. Back over the site, it's that good now that I decide to go around the task a second time. However the changing weather soon affects the task area and makes it difficult to get back. I land at McCaffery field after nearly 8hrs in the glider - and watch the first Land Cruiser head off for a weekend in Brisbane. We've flown a total of 21 500km and 340hrs in our first week, and I'm looking forward to a rest

December 2, 2000  Up at "sparrows'" and ready for Brisbane, the weather however looks superb. Records are ready for breaking, so we hurriedly ballast the LS-8 for Nobby and set 750km for Richie and Martin Pike. Unbeknown to us the weather is poor to the west and Friday evening's trough has not cleared the area. The cloudbase falls rapidly from 6000ft at the site to 3500ft near the town of Chinchilla 100km away. John Bradbury is sent to attempt 500km for his Diamond distance. The LS-8 and Ventus 2CM return early, having abandoned the task. Richie attempts a 500km distance flight. Unfortunately both Richie and John Bradbury land out.

December 3, 2000

At last, a day of rest, shopping in Brisbane, followed by a Thai meal in Toowoomba. We really needed this day to recharge our batteries.

December 4, 2000

Having tasked mainly to the west during the first week, Nobby sends us off to the south where the conditions look good, setting a 544km task Chinchilla  Dalby Texas   DDSC.

December 5, 2000

A big crosscountry day for the expedition. The conditions are consistently good all day and catch us out as the thermals start early and we are not ready in time.

Nevertheless the CFI flies 675km In the Hornet; John Bradbury completes his 500km Diamond flight although he did land out. Unfortunately, Brian's logger fails, so his 500km flight will not count. Nonetheless the forecast is good for the rest of the week. Jeni has her 500km in the bag, so she'll be heading to Scotland next year for a Diamond height attempt. I get to fly 525km in the Std Cirrus, which has a pale blue sticky substance leaking out of the water drains holes in the wings. The speedsters for the day are Al Mac, Richie and Nobby, who all fly 618km at around 100km/h. Even the two-seater, in the capable hands of Barrie and Number 2, fly 450km.

December 6, 2000

Pikey and Number 2 are away early, to try a 750km task, although conditions are not very good. I foolishly fill the LS-8 with water and chase them up the first leg. I cannot centre in the thermals and fall behind, getting very low on several occasions. Brian on the other hand is only 20km south of my position and he is scorching along. It's not my day. Pikey and Number 2 complete 750km at over 103km/h and Brian completes his 500km Diamond distance at 92km/h. I struggle back towards DDSC only to find all the remaining gliders are 78000 ft above Dalby. I'm at 2000ft and the prospects are not good. Mick Boydon reminds me it will be dark in 25 minutes and I've still got 40km to glide and need to climb to at least 4000ft before I can safely set off. I climb slowly and then lose the thermal and am forced to press on to the sunny edge of town where I contact good lift. The others leave and head home. As soon as the flight computer indicates that I am on the glide slope I level the wings and head for the airfield. With 17 miles to go the airmass I'm flying through is good; I'm soon 300ft above the glide and can afford to speed up. I cross the finish line having flown 680km  the furthest I have ever been in a glider.

December 7, 2000  After yesterday's long flight I have a day of rest. We are all up and gliders ready by 0700. The local Mayor hosts us for a Networking breakfast in the local town of Oakey. After breakfast, we head back to the site and are launching by 1000hrs. 750s are the order of the day for Nobby, AI Mac and Minners. Again, the cloudbase is low in the west, which slows progress. Conditions improve throughout the day but no records, nor long distances, are achieved. However, the overall statistics show we've flown enough kilometres to go around the world and more hours than an average flying squadron achieves in a month.

Decembr 8-10, 2000

It's warm but the overcast skies indicate there will be little thermal activity today. We elect not to fly and decide to have a long weekend away. Eleven of the group head up to the coast, whilst the others plan activities closer to Darling Downs. An exceptional weekend is enjoyed by all, with the opportunity to recharge the batteries for our last week's gliding.

December 11, 2000

At briefing, Barry informs us that he clocked a 300km flight at 137km/h, a 500km at 137km/h and a 250km at 156km/h, flying a Nimbus 4 DM, with exRAF fighter pilot George Lee (who was three successive times Open Class World Champion). George now runs gliding courses from his own airfield about 60km for our location. Those who stayed locally enjoyed the delights of George's gliding Utopia. Today, showers are expected; nevertheless we declare long distance fights and set off again. It's hot (40 degrees +) and humid. Numerous flights in excess of 300km are completed and John Bradbury successfully completes his Diamond goal flight in the DG-101.

December 12, 2000  The water supplies are running low, since none of the forecast showers have hit the airfield. We use murky brown water from the borehole to ballast the gliders. Multiple turning points are set in a large task area to enable pilots to dodge the showers and stay in the good conditions. I fly 326km in the Cirrus having refused the chance to fly Dudley's prized ASW-20. On my return Nobby is fuming, he could not fit into the glider and had missed out on the Cirrus. All the gliders arrive back early as showers surround the site, but not one spot of rain falls on the airfield. Mark Minary is the ace for the day, completing the task at over 100km/h and Terry Akerman (El Tel) needs a shreddie check after getting sucked into a thunderstorm.

December 13, 2000

Widespread showers are forecast, so another local task is set this time by El Tel. High cloud in the west stops the thermals developing and pilots are forced back or to the south to stay airborne. In mid afternoon the weather cycles. Nobby and Number 2, Miff and myself, find good lift under a large storm cloud. We use it to best effect before hurrying back to the airfield before it rains. Everyone lands in time to hangar the gliders moments before we are subjected to a massive downpour.

December 4, 2000

No flying today, as the airfield is too muddy, so we have afternoon gokarting, golfing and a trip to the local aviation museum (for the spotters).

December 15, 2000

Again no flying  8/8 high cloud cover and wet airfield are still causing problems. The day is spent fettling the gliders and preparing to hand back all the kit that has be loaned to us. Nevertheless we have flown over 50 000km during the expedition and more than 800hrs.

December 16, 2000

The sun is back out and we help prepare for the Club's Christmas party, which coincides with our expedition. Miff and I fly the Puchaz and some others fly the singleseat gliders around the local area.

Santa (Mick Boydon) arrives lowlevel in the Puchaz to deliver presents for club members' children and set the party in motion.

December 719, 2000 - Home time!

Exercise DYNAMIC DARLING surpassed everyone's expectations. We flew further, faster and achieved more awards than we could have imagined. Unfortunately no records were broken, but the skills of all those who participated were tested to their limits and frequently beyond.

Roger Davies, Chris Waller, El Tel, Jeni Roberts, John Bradbury and Brian McKenzie now have Diamond distances, Diamond Goal flights, or Gold distances. Martin Pike and Number 2 completed flights in excess of 750km. Al Mac, Al Clarke, Richie Arnall and Jon Arnold flew further distances than before. Mark Minary experienced the "Tiger country'" and now has an Aussie Private Pilot Licence. The CFI has a few more grey hairs and Mick Boydon thrashed around in the two-seaters, coaching individuals to fly faster. Barry experienced George Lee's gliding Utopia.

To cap it all, we flew over 50 000km and amassed 840hrs time in the air during the expedition. We made many friends and promoted the sport across both the local and state community. Even the immigration official at Brisbane airport had seen a feature about our exploits on the local TV news. Darling Downs Soaring Club turned all their facilities over to us, for which we shall forever be in their debt.

(Jon flies his Discus at Bannerdown Gliding Club in the south-west of England.)