DGS News - Saturday 1st June 2013

The forecast looked great as the weekend approached. Rick Wiles was planning his 50km flight in the Zugvogel.

But on the day the NNW wind started strong and just continued to strengthen. By 9am there were cloud streets running as far as you could see. By 10.30 the sea air had arrived to wipe out the soaring possibilities.
First launch was at 10.34; first landout was at 10.37. ( is this a record?). Darren Wills was flying with instructor David Jesty and misjudged the final turn to the Stub runway and sensibly turned away to land in a field just down the hill from and downwind of the airfield.

David Jesty, Darren Wills, K13, field

 There followed a mad rush to assemble the derigging kit, get the trailer ready, assemble a crew  and drive the short distance to the field where the K13 rested serenely in  the summer sun.

Although the access to the field was soft, our large team ( 12 people in all ) made short work of moving the glider down to the gate, derigging it and carrying the parts out of the field to put them on the trailer parked in the lane. Returning to the airfield the K13 was reassembled in double quick time and was ready to fly again before 12.30 but the wind had strengthened so much that it was decided not to fly.

The glider retrieve "A" team

There was another flight much later in the day when the conditions had calmed down a little. Instructor Bob Pirie took a launch in the Bocian and spent 15 minutes or so playing with the ridge lift  / broken thermals.

A slightly disappointing day.

Steve