As an instructor, flight planning should start when leaving the house in the morning. A front went through during the night, and with the open bedroom windows, it was evidently windy and gusty. Gustiness was the warning from the forecasts. As I got into my car, the lime tree in the front garden was still, then the branches thrashed about, and then it was still again. The hedges by Brentor church were doing the same. So, although I waited for Mike Jardine, the Duty Instructor, to arrive and confirm my assessment, I was planning to cancel our visitors today. Added to the concern was that in some of the models displayed in the "Windy" App that the north-westerly might veer to the north and provide a full cross and gusty wind across the runway. That wouldn't be pleasant.
Reluctantly, following confirmation from the Duty Instructor, I cancelled the visitors (a One Day Course and three sets of trial flights) and told them how to rebook
After a short morning brief, the flying commenced promptly at 1021. We left the Puchacz but took the two K-13 and, in case the forecasts were overly pessimistic, the K-8 to the east end.
Mike Bennett drove the winch for the first launch until I had finished some Fleet Manager business in the clubhouse, and then I relieved him. Laying off was the order of the day in the brisk north-westerly but remarkably, all the cables landed back on the field.
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Praying for thermals perhaps? Mike Jardine and DB carry out their checks
before taking the first launch of the day. |
Flying the K-13s "two-up" was the order of the day while the gusty conditions were assessed. Yes, it was gusty. The wind was quite strong at height, and circuits definitely needed to be upwind. Delivering a One Day Course and the trial flights would have been a challenge. So the Duty Instructor had made the right decision.
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| An already thermic sky promised much soaring as Connor soared with Mike on the second flight |
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| The sky was looking good |
With Mike soaring with Connor, Peter decided to take John Osment up, and they achieved the longest soaring flight so far, 20 minutes.
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| Peter had plenty of time to photograph the airfield whilst John Osment soars CCY for 20 minutes |
Alas Raymond only managed a circuit with Mike, which must have been frustrating to then see Steve Lesson soar with Peter for 27 minutes. Then it was Freddie's turn with Mike to soar for 31 minutes.
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| Steve Lesson and Peter's view of Freddie Purkiss and Mike soaring above them |
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| Freddie climbing well |
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| But then Steve outclimbs Freddie when they meet in the next thermal |
We welcomed our Chairman, Steve Lewis who had come to the club to watch all the fun; obviously, it was more enticing than teaching teenagers to drive (his day job).
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| This is what we like to see; no gliders on the runway, all are in the air. |
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| Freddie is now properly placed in the thermal |
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| Steve wrings more lift out of the thermal while Freddie, below, leaves it. |
The sky must have cycled because both Harvey and Mike Bennett only managed a circuit. On a second flight, Harvey managed to soar. Then John Smith managed a circuit. The sky then cycled and we were back to soaring again.
Mike Bennett relieved me in the winch with Raymond as his trainee. Raymond later remarked that perhaps it wasn't the best training day for a prospective winch driver, as the gliders were staying up and so the launch rate was quite low. Then it was my turn to fly with Mike Jardine in FGR.
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| Later in the day, Alasdair and Peter admire the inviting looking cumulus clouds stretching out to Tavistock and almost to Plymouth during the longest flight of the day |
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| Gavin and Mike thermal above Alasdair and Peter |
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| The two K-13s jump across the streets while each heads for the other one! |
With me flying from the back seat, Mike was able to relax and enjoy the view. After centring in a thermal, Mike remarked that it seemed quite smooth from the front seat. I said "look at the stick" as I was having to move it constantly and vigorously to maintain the correct pitch attitude and bank angle. Then we hit a big gust that would have had us out of our seats if we weren't firmly strapped in. Mike decided that not flying the trial flights was indeed the correct decision. We enjoyed climbing to 3,000 feet and jumping between the cloud streets. After 25 minutes, we agreed that we should limit the flight to 30 minutes and so headed away from the lift and "bang" into a 10 knotter. I just had to take that for a few turns before starting our descent.
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| Gavin cranks FGR into an 8 knot thermal that briefly peaked at 10 knots. Over the ecstatic screaming of the XK10 vario Mike remarked, "So this is the forecast four-star rating from RASP". |
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| The cloud base eventually rose to around 4,000 feet AMSL |
Mike and I landed after 35 minutes. We had to air brake down from 3,000 feet, although at times we were climbing during our descent! Peter and Alasdair managed 37 minutes despite Peter "locking" the airbrakes open on Alasdair in the circuit as a training exercise. These instructors are sneaky!
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| The two K-13s under a booming sky. |
However, the sky must have cycled again as David Archer managed a circuit and then Freddie took a hangar landing. Despite the sky cycling, so that not all could enjoy the challenging soaring conditions, it was all good stuff.
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| Which way are you going to go Freddie? |
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| Steve clocks up flight hours whilst the K-8 is walked back to the hangar. It was that windy that we needed some weight in the K-8 for safety. Steve, revel in being useful! |
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| At last a meaningful use for the CFI's tyre trailer. Bringing the broken chairs from the launch point back to the clubhouse for disposal. |
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| Gliders parked by the fence awaiting hangar packing. "Cracking, sky Gromit!" |
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| This was the delay. How many glider pilots does it take to rig a "concrete swan", sorry, I mean a Twin Astir? Answer: Long enough to make a cup of tea in the clubhouse and drink it outside while observing the fun. |
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| Finally DSL heads towards the east end and back to its T-hangar after completing its Airworthiness Review Check |
We finished relatively early after 14 flights; however, the 12 visitor flights weren't flown, so it wasn't a bad flight total for the Wednesday Wavers. No visitors helped to make it a relaxing day, but it was quite hard work up there, and most had had their fill. Although gusty, the majority of pilots managed to soar in some challenging conditions.
"All's well that ends well." "And not a sheep to worry us."
Gavin Short
STOP PRESS: On Thursday, 3 July 2025, erstwhile member and DGS Basic Instructor Richard Roberts made his third attempt at a 500km out and return flight. The task he set was a remote start west of North Hill at Cullompton (CUL) to Sackville Flying Club (SAC) (2 NM north of Bedford) and return to Cullompton. He was flying his Discus glider, G-CHLS, tail number V5.
This was Skysight's forecast for the potential flight distance. The hotter the colour, the better the conditions.
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| Skysight's Potential Flight Distance forecast. Sackville is under the figure 520 on the scale on the right-hand side of the graphic. |
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| Mid flight. Approaching Abingdon. Richard's operating height band is between 3,000 to 5,000 feet AMSL. The yellow icons are other gliders. |
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| Turning Sackville Flying Club after a long glide into the turn point following a climb to over 6,000 feet. |
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| Final leg having detoured south to clear Yeovilton's MATZ (military airspace) |
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| Final glide to the finish line at Cullompton and turning back to land at North Hill |
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| Richard's 500 km flight |
The statistics: 507.9 km. 6 hours 28 minutes. Average speed 78.5 km/h. The flight qualifies for a FAI Diamond distance leg.
Congratulations Richard.
Gavin Short
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