Dartmoor Gliding News - John Allan's First Cross Country

Saturday 3rd May 2024

John's Flight Trace

This was a possible day for my Silver Distance 50Km, although the forecast for a Brentor wasn't really that great. Initially cloud base was low, but I got away straight off a winch launch. There was a bit of a wave induced blue hole, with rotor thermals and lots of sink north of Brentor, which made it difficult to go north to Okehampton, and rather low to head off NE over Dartmoor. 

Burrator appearing under the edge of the cloud

I went to play around Yelverton, then later after a 3rd attempt going a little further west, I made it to Okehampton - gulp - committed now, and radioed to say I was doing a 50Km attempt to North Hill, however it then started to look a bit devoid of clouds past Crediton, so headed north where things looked pretty good over Exmoor. 

Exmoor with Wales in the background.

Another Exmoor view

I then did a wide turn around Molton, which I knew to be 50Km from Brentor, giving me just over 57Km. Lovely views over Exmoor and the Bristol Channel to south wales in the distance. 

6.4 knot average climb rate
A good day

So now; does it looks reasonable to get back to Brentor, or just fly off to North Hill. Brentor it is, so followed the nice looking clouds as it got better and better past Eaglescott, and I added Roadford, after a lovely 6.5Kt average climb over over 1300ft with a buzzard (see photo) as I had plenty of height for my final glide.

Sharing a thermal with a buzzard

John Allan

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 1 May 2024

The Wednesday Wavers assembled to find that they had no visitors and no trainees on a  perfectly reasonable gliding day.  The privateers had obviously read the optimistic forecasts as there was a slew of gliders being rigged.

After everyone had rigged Colin called for some assistance to shuffle K-8, FXB bits.  FXB is undergoing an annual inspection and Colin wanted to make a start on some repairs to the port wing.

What of the plans for the day? 1) Conversions to glass for John Smith.  2) Back seat currency for Hugh. 3) Getting Malcolm solo in the Twin Astir again.

 

DGS pilots must know something about the weather today

Privateers rig

And are pushed back to the fence when ready

The Duty Instructor views an optimistic rigging area when he arrived on site

And noted that gliders were already at the launch point

John "Cool hand Luke " Smith poses with his steed for today
(Ed: And is perhaps mindful of a greater ambition)

But first you need to conduct a Daily Inspection before your imagination runs away with you

Soon there were ten gliders at the launch point;  three club aircraft, and seven private.  We almost had another but David Archer's addiction to fettling his Ka6-CR, DHEB prevented him bringing it on line (Ed: There was a half-hearted excuse of shorting out a main power switch I but I know Dave has a greater understanding of electronics than to have done that).
 

The day was thermic by 1100. After Mike and Hugh had proved it was working nicely Andy took a launch.  Glide and Seek showed him climbing at 3.7 knots.

 

Hugh eager to build up back seat currency with Duty Instructor Mike Jardine

The first launch of the day was to 1,200 feet

The Duty Instructor notes a developing sky

A brightening view from the east of the airfield

Hugh keeping current in the back seat for 24 minutes

Andy planned to go cross country and his chosen task was Tavistock-Launceston-Eaglescott-Tavistock.

Andy, obviously very happy to receive some sage words of advice from the "2024 BGA Instructor of the year"!

The Open Cirrus arrives at the launch point (Ed: how heavy is Steve's Open Cirrus if it needs a massive SUV to drag it into position?)

The sartorial elegance of a glider pilot (Ed: Don't forget your parachute Steve)

At the other end of the airfield where all the action happens

The lone tree and the Open Cirrus, the latter in the climb on the wire

Steve climbed to cloud base and reported very strong lift (Ed: I think he was the only one who found it.)

The view of the airfield from the west

Steve's view from cloud base (Ed: Who are you trying to impress with using a camera setting to produce "the curvature of the earth"?

The retrieve team in action

In between the privateers' flights John Smith flew in the Puchacz with the Duty Instructor for three flights which included a practice launch failure.

The Kestrel 19 on the approach

 Mike Bennett brings his Club Libelle back to the airfield

Later, after lunch I took the K-8 up for a longer flight to practice my speed and bank control, course reversals, and general handling skills.  The lift was working better to the north of the airfield (Ed: As Steve had found) where I climbed to cloud base at 2,800 feet, with the XK10 peaking at 6 knots on occasion.  The cloud top cover on the south side of the airfield provided more testing conditions and hence the need to hone one's thermalling technique.

Hugh readies himself for a launch in the Club Libelle
(Ed: I've given you bigger wings in the photo to see  if you can achieve more than a circuit!)

We had a first at DGS today.  John Smith, converted to glass (GRP) in the club Astir CS77 (Ed: This was the first glass conversion at DGS in a DGS club glider.  All previous conversions had been in private glass gliders or had been conducted offsite).

John looks very pleased to be in a glass machine (Ed: SF-27A anyone?)

The Kestrel 19 sporting her new all weather nose cover (Ed:  So no more beautiful embroidery on display of the glider's registration then?  Although I will grant you that Vertigo covers are a bit posh!)

In the afternoon we got a call from Andy. He had landed out safely in a field east of Lydford and needed retrieving (Ed: In 2024 its no longer a telephone call to the launch point to report in and give the latitude and longitude or grid reference, but a WhatsApp message with one's location in what3words, even to the extent of giving the location of the gate to the field).

John Allan hooked up Andy's trailer and headed off to get him.  The Libelle only needs one retrieve crew because its so light.

 

Andy had set himself the task: Tavistock-Launceston-Eaglescott-Tavistock.

 

This is his recollection of the flight:

 

Although this was the task I had planned but was not sure if it would be possible looking at the weather.  I took the second launch of the day and immediately contacted a thermal and climbed to cloud base at 1,800ft, so not good enough to go cross country.

 

I explored the sky for a while then manged a climb to just over 2,000ft and crossed the start line heading to Launceston.  I turned Launceston at 2,500ft and headed towards Eaglescott.  When I passed Roadford Reservoir I had not had a decent climb since Launceston,  and with a foreboding sky in front of me I decided to abandon the task.

 

My flight computer said I should get back to Brentor at minus 12 feet so one small climb and I would be home.  I headed for the first likely looking cloud.  There was nothing.  Then the second cloud.  There was nothing. The flight computer now said that I would arrive at Brentor at minus 320 feet. I was now looking at fields just 7 km from Brentor.  At 1,200 feet I had chosen my field. There was just one more likely looking cloud and the vario flicked to 1 knot of lift but as I turned the vario showed sink. Overall the trend was down. OK, lets land.

 

On the downwind leg there was 2 knots on the vario. As I turned for the diagonal leg the lift immediately went to sink and so I continued the turn on to the base leg, then finals to complete the circuit to land.

Andy's Libelle looking resplendent in his chosen field (Ed: Looking at the view of the northern moors you can see that his field isn't that far away from Brentor)

John Allan collected Andy and returned him, and his glider, to the club.  Club flying had continued without interruption in their absence.

When we came to pack up we were interrupted.  K-13, FSD had obviously had a sulk at the Puchacz getting all the attention and decided to deflate its main wheel.  Colin in his van pumped it up but on the cross track leading to the hangar apron it deflated again.  So a decision was made to change the wheel, for one of the ready-made-up spares, on the track.  Complications with angles, heights of raising, and the uneven track meant that it was a protracted evolution.  Thanks to Peter and John Smith it was finally changed (Ed: And the sum total of the Fleet Manager's paltry role was to make the teas and coffees and offer the workers a small pot of grease).

The Karrimat came in useful for alfresco wheel changing as Peter gets to grips with the problem.

Shades removed, John Smith also gets stuck in to the FSD main wheel change.

The Wednesdays Wavers are back in action: 27 flights and over 9 hours of flying; Malcolm cleared solo in the Twin Astir again; several more members getting to grips with the Puchacz; John Smith achieves the first DGS transition to glass; a cross country, a land out, and a retrieve by Andy; and a nice pootle about in the K-8 for me!  This is despite the optimistic forecasts being quashed by the persistent top cover preventing direct sunlight falling on the ground.

Andy's cross country achieved "Man of the Match" with a flight duration of 2 hours 38 minutes followed closely by the "stay high over the airfield" efforts of Steve with 2 hours 23 minutes.

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Sunday 28th April 2024

A forecast for a light/moderate breeze from the west, no rain and thermic conditions improving through the day things looked good for a enjoyable day flying. The unfortunate cancellation of the Women Go Gliding weekend caused a relatively low turn out of experienced members. But we did have five trainees on the field to continue their training.

First to fly with me was Sean Westrope. A good circuit and practice launch failure saw him cleared for a couple of solo flights in the K13. Hopefully more to follow on his route to conversion to the K8.

A happy Sean ready for another solo flight.

Sean's first re-solo was delayed by an un-forecasted hail shower. This delayed flying for about an hour.

Ed caught in the hail shower.

After Sean had completed his flights, Toby Irons was next to fly with me. We looked at the zig-zag circuit to improve judgement and also stall speed increasing with g. The judgement came in handy late in the day on a hangar flight when we got low in circuit and had to do a much modified circuit. Well done Toby.

Another training flight launches.

We were joined today by holiday makers who came in to see what we were up to. Due to the previously mentioned cancellation, we were able to fit them in for a couple of flights each. Joanne Marshall and Alex Apps who are engaged and down this way enjoying some cycling in the area. Duty BI obliged with a couple of flights each in the Puchacz.

Joanne and Alex receiving their certificates.

Training continued with both David Moorley and Val Kiely both flying with me. David making steady progress with approaches and landings. Val was getting back into the swing of things after the long period of bad weather.

Val happy to be back in the front seat.

New member Viktor Skochko also joined the Sunday Soarers and had three flights in the Puchacz to progress his general handling skills.

Viktor waiting for his instructor.

Our solo pilots enjoyed some good flying. Steve Fletcher had a couple of circuits in the Open Cirrus. Ed Borlase after a long stint on the winch had a couple of solos in the K13. The second included a climb to 5016ft which should enable him to finally claim his silver height.

Ed's view of the expanse of Dartmoor.

John Allen had a flight in his Mini Nimbus visiting Roadford, Launceston, Plymouth and Meldon to claim flight of the day with 2 hour 27 minutes.

John's view of Plymouth.

The local Councillor for Mary Tavy, Robert Oxborough came on a pre-arranged visit to see what we do with possible support for some grant applications. Steve Fletcher took the opportunity to take him for a flight.

Robert and Steve getting ready.

Toby's mum Sarah was also treated to a flight and experienced what her son so enjoys.

Sarah being shown around the glider by Val.

Thank you to all at the club today. Some good personal achievements and some good flying enjoyed by all.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 27th April 2024

Today was meant to be the first day of the "Women Go Gliding" weekend which is a national BGA initiative.  The weather (Ed: Of course!) had other ideas with a band of rain forecast to cover a large part of UK from the south west to the north east.  Detail from the Met Office about the weekend had been very limited throughout the week.  What the forecasters could agree on that there would be heavy showers across the country.  With a heavy heart and much analysis of many different weather forecasts our event organisers made the difficult decision and postponed the event to the weekend of 8/9th June.

Second guessing the weather in UK can be a thankless task.  When I arrived at the club it looked OK but the northerly wind was bitingly cold.  When Malcolm arrived he reported that Bodmin Moor was "socked in" with cloud and it was raining heavily.  During the day we received reports of heavy downpours in St.Austell, Launceston, and Okehampton.  Glide and Seek showed no glider activity at our sister club, Devon and Somerset GC, at North Hill (Ed: Subsequently we found out that they didn't even open the hangar doors as the airfield was enveloped in cloud).

Perversely for, and to taunt, our event decision makers it didn't rain, apart from a few "spits and spots", at Brentor today.  However, at times the air was turbulent and unforgiving.  So in retrospect the right decision had been made as it definitely wasn't a good day to showcase our sport.

None of the above stopped the Chief Flying Instructor in his plans to get the best out of a mediocre day by utilising the small numbers of members on site.  With that the GRP gliders (Puchacz and Astir CS77) were taken to the launch point at the west end. The wooden gliders were left behind (Ed: This is a DGS first).  After a weather check by Rick I was up in the Puchacz for Basic Instructor re-validation checks; three flights to cover the effects of the elevator, the ailerons and the rudder as Rick plays "Bloggs".  Of course it never runs like that with the order being juggled and an awkward height launch failure engineered on the second launch.  Success!  I got his signature in my log book and I am cleared to fly visitors, in both the Puchacz and the K-13s, for another year.  These sessions may appear to be formulaic but the observations and tips from the CFI during the three short flights are invaluable to finesse one's flying.

The view to the East with a training glider returning to the launch point

Then it was Viktor's turn to fly with Rick to progress his training (Ed: I think Victor really likes the Puchacz).

Trainee Viktor conducts his pre-flight walk around observed closely by the CFI

Club members made use of the Astir CS77 to practice circuits.  Little lift was to be found.

Scratch readies the Astir CS77 for flight (Ed: While Mike gets the butties in!)

K-13 FSD near the hangar apron

Another lonely wooden glider languishing at the hangar apron rather than the launch point

To maximize the usage of the aircraft we had at the launch point I flew with Malcolm in the Puchacz.  I managed to climb to 1,500 feet QFE and then Malcolm climbed a further 100 feet.  I was sorely disappointed that the "Liftmeister" could not find lift and show me how it should be done  (Ed: So much of a learning exercise for you).  We struggled for 36 minutes before returning to earth.  We were often taunted by Scratch flying about 500 feet above us.  He too seemed to be struggling to find usable lift which he confirmed after his flight.  John Allen and I managed a tawdry nine minutes and that was all the soaring to be had today.  In addition, considering it was the end of April there was very little sunshine to take the edge of the biting north wind.

K-13, FGR in the hangar after adjustment of the air brakes by the maintenance team.  Now ready to return to service (Ed: I am sure you know that the air brakes are unlocked in the picture).

In the club house David Archer "fettles" his instrument panel  (Ed: Dave it is possible to fly a glider with very little instrumentation at all!)

Apparently the work required much concentration as it took two attempts for him to look up. 

At the end of the day the Supacat winch is brought back to the Motor Transport hangar (Ed:  You still haven't mastered reversing the tractor with the winch on the back have you?)

The hangar packing team in action.  K-13 and a Puchacz so far. Next another K-13 please.

So we didn't get to run the first day of the "Women Go Gliding" weekend today. With a minimum crew, and only our two GRP gliders ranged at the launch point, what did we achieve?  In 17 flights we managed a Basic Instructor re-validation, continued with Viktor's training, and acquainted two more members with the Puchacz.  Scratch, Mike, Rick and John flew the Astir CS77 with Scratch gaining the "Man of the match" with a flight of one hour nine minutes.   Not, of course, forgetting the maintenance team who brought FGR back on line and Dave who continued to fettle his much beloved Ka6-CR, G-DHEB (Ed: If you were going to make a scurrilous comment at this juncture.  Don't!).

Gavin  Short