DGS News – Sunday 30th June 2013

In a change to our normal schedule, today's breakfast fayre included - in addition to the usual bacon, eggs, sausage and mushrooms - locally sourced tender lamb chops - but hang on, isn't this supposed to be gliding club??  

Sadly, the early morning summertime start we all wish for was postponed by church depriving mist which took Don's irrepressible optimism to shift ('Look, it's gone up another 50 feet whilst we've been speaking!')  By 1030, however, Don's optimism was rewarded as the church magically reappeared and we were able to fly some expertly instigated low-level launch failures courtesy of Scratch at the winch, followed by the inevitably long retrieves.  

Gradually, the cloudbase lifted sufficiently for flying to take place in earnest, and a brace of K-6s appeared at the launch point to accompany the K-13.  

Newly-soloed Leith Whittington (Red Quad Leader) and Dave Parker (Red-2-boldly go)) marshalling gliders to the launch point.
 Thus, over the course of the afternoon, and with a moderate wind just a few of degrees north of the centreline, we achieved 30 launches, including 2 'first' solos, those being 'new kid on the block' ex-ATC instructor Tony Dean, and 'not-so-new kid, off his block' Leith Whittington - Well Done both (for achieving this stepping stone on the way to Licence).  For anyone who has yet to meet Leith, he is pictured here leading the 'Synchro Pair' of Red Quad bikes with Dave Parker, an idea he got from watching the Red Arrows, when they (or was it he) used to fly Vickers Varsities!

Newly joined Junior Member Andrew Swann prepares for a launch with CFI Don Puttock
Unfortunately, the improvement in the weather was too late for Dave to rig and fly his newly acquired K-6, however there was time for some soaring: 13-year old Junior Member Andrew Swann managing 20 minutes on his second flight with the club, and Robin Wilson's grand-daughter Charlotte thermalled for 15 minutes in the K-13 as a 'Friends and Family' reward for volunteering to study - what? you guessed it, medicine!

Robin Wilson’s grand-daughter, Charlotte,  looks forward to a second flight with CFI Don Puttock
So, from a morning which appeared to be a scrub/stack/early wash down bar open, the day blossomed into one of quite satisfying achievement.

Now, to get back to those lamb chops, did you know that a lamb from the 31st December in the first year of its life to being mated is known as a hog? Fascinating, Leith, no I didn't - do you know of anything less interesting..?  

For an update don't miss next Sunday's blog - where the Arrivals Lounge may contain news of a Slingsby
Dart 17R (R? - means flown by pirates..!). ( R means retractable undercarriage - Steve )

Martin Cropper

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