(Molly)(Lyn) (Molly)
Badges Held: Silver, Gold, Diamond Distance/Goal but no height
Total Gliding Hours:900 plus
Started Gliding in: 1996
Anything Else:Official Wing Dolly to Capstan. Better 1/2 to a guy called John. 17th in the 20th Australian FAI Club & Sports Class Nationals, at Benalla Victoria in 2000.
Club Trophies: The Club Ladder, 1997,2000, The Dodd Trophy, 1996, The Sir Leonard Redshaw Trophy , 1997,The Leighton Hall Trophy 2000 (jointly with John Martindale), 2001, The Alsford Trophy 2000
Sadly we lost Lyn on the 30th June 2003, this is the tribute from the Club by one of the members.
Lyn, you first got involved in gliding when John started in 1994. You soon joined us and set about learning to fly with determination and enthusiasm. Your progress was quite outstanding, from first solo, to regularly winning club trophies, achieving the difficult diamond distance and goal flights and becoming a gliding instructor.
Your style of flying was an interesting mix of caution and adventure. I’m told that when you got nervous your leg could be seen wobbling. You always encouraged and helped others, your progress and achievements left some of us envious, and this in turn provided us with incentive.
One of your proudest achievements was finishing 17th in the Australian Nationals in 2000. Listening to you sometimes was like listening to a stuck record when it came to proudly telling us how many different types of gliders you had flown from so many different sites and in so many different countries. Your overall average flight time from when you first started flying is about one hour. In gliding terms that is rare achievement.
Lyn, I believe your goals were based on your dreams, the next target was an international female record, a speed and distance flight which you hoped to achieve in
You keenly participated in all aspects and at all levels of gliding. Your enthusiasm and participation seemed to be driven by your competitive instinct, you loved flying with people with greater experience than yourself in order to extend your own ability and ambitions.
Although a very feminine person you were accepted as an honorary bloke. Your sense of humour allowed you to accept the title as a compliment. You were frequently on the mischievous end of leg pulling and most of the time enjoyed it. You were well known in
Gliding blended in with your sense of adventure and love of travel. You gained numerous friends in the
This is what some of them have had to say:
It was always a joy to see you and talk to you.
You will be greatly missed by us all in the gliding world.
The eagles will have one less to soar with.
Summer at Benalla will not be the same again.
You were such a wonderfully sunny person and your cheerful smiling face and sense of fun would always bring a ray of bright light into the dullest of flying days.
You were always generous to your friends in the gliding world, you had a mothering hen instinct. Whenever you came to the airfield we could always count on you to keep us going with sandwiches and drinks. Your specialty was nutty flip allegedly made to your own recipe but I think it was probably your mums.
Pride in and love for your family was evident. The pleasure you had last year when your mum and dad came to Pocklington with you, your refusal to come to France this summer because Sarah was coming home from Australia are just two examples.
You always sent post cards and emails when on holidays. They were an outflow of your emotions and you wrote from the heart. In the last one you sent to me you asked if I would show it to the other members of the club. I read it now because it summarises your zest for life in your own words.
“Bonjour, flew yesterday pm with Jaques Noel at La Motte, 2 hours in the mountains, excellent. John flew with guy from Parham in DG 500. It was Jaques 10,000th flight and his birthday, free Barbie when landed. Could have flown again this pm. Went and did a via ferrata, amazing. Climbed most days, only missed days when travelling from one area to another. Been very hot 36* to 41*. Went canoeing at Roqeburn, good laugh, took us 1hr 50min, should take 3hrs. Ought to be fit by the time get home. Not thinner, food too good. Been all over
Au revoir
Lyn”
And Lyn, lest we forget: 905 hours, 26 different glider types, 34 different gliding sites, in10 different countries
Farewell Lyn
5th January 1953 to
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