Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 8th November 2015

Today, if you can believe it, was doubly beneficial: A: it was good to see that those who come from afar took heed of the weather forecast and saved themselves petrol guzzling double journeys and B: those who live relatively close made a point of attending in order to benefit from some vital pre-solo briefings by CFI Don Puttock. These included: Aeronautical Charts, Airspace and Danger Areas, Altimetry and Flight Levels, Airbrakes and Approach Control in the a.m; Steve McQueen and the contribution of Triumph motorcycles to the Great Escape in the p.m... or was that just a dream..?

No need for optimism: 0900 and this was as good as it got...
The day had been resolutely and repeatedly predicted to be a washout, and so it proved, becoming progressively wetter and windier as Richard Roberts, Roger Appleboom and Martin Cropper attempted to fill some of the more suspension challenging ruts and potholes in the track.  For those who are keen to deal with this top priority task, it is worth remembering that the field is long and the number of pitfalls many, so without the need to venture anywhere near Claire Petulengro’s emporium on the Barbican it can confidently be predicted that you are about to ‘embark upon a long journey’ – keep your expectations low and do as we did: give up when the coffee and doughnuts arrive (thanks, Don!).

“Now where’s that annoying relative got to..?”
Richard Roberts, star of “Dartmoor, the Hurra Movie” (X) tamps down scalpings to smooth over - a family dispute..?
Thanks go to Roger Appleboom, for collecting the doughnuts, to Ed Borlase for getting the computer past the ‘Access is Denied’ stage and to Dave Downtown for dealing diplomatically with the speculative Trial Lesson seekers who turned up despite the weather ‘not looking very promising..!’ 

Let’s hope that the promise, and manifestation, (of good weather) is better next weekend. 

Martin Cropper

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