
Edinburgh University’s glider waiting to launch. Don’t be fooled, other photos taken the same day show ice at the edge of Loch Leven!
- Aperture :ƒ/8
- Camera :PENTAX K-5 II
- Focal length :60mm
- ISO :100
- Shutter speed :1/400s
Images from Fife and beyond (all images © Fifescapes 1990-2018)
Edinburgh University’s glider waiting to launch. Don’t be fooled, other photos taken the same day show ice at the edge of Loch Leven!
The SGU’s new tug, resplendent in it’s bright yellow colour scheme.
The snow still lingers… This shows gliders waiting to launch at the Scottish Gliding Centre, which gets lots of visitors each Spring & Autumn wanting to fly on the ridges.
The Slingsby T31 is an old training glider, build (mostly) of wood and canvas. This example is part of the Portmoak collection, and this particular image was used in the 2011 Kadet Calendar which we produced to raise funds for cadet flying – that’s 14-18 year olds.As you can see, snow persisted at Portmoak – a few days later the airfield was shut because of too much snow! (it’s a hazard to landing gliders as they stop too quickly in it) If you think it looks cold in this picture, you are right.
The first snow fell before Christmas, and I arrived at the airfield to discover a wonderful light – everything glowed very slightly. The weak links are used to protect a glider from being overstressed when we are winch-launching them, and they come in different strengths each denoted by a particular colour.
Joe is a gliding instructor and is sitting in the back seat of a K21 training glider. He and his student are waiting to get launched at the Scottish Gliding Union. I printed this for a competition and happened to see it upside down. It was only then I noticed the reflection of Joe’s head and hat in the wing!
Portmoak Airfield is like Balvaird Castle – strictly speaking it’s in Perthshire but it’s location to the south of the Ocils makes it feel like it’s in Fife to me.