Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 12th July 2018

The RASP was looking good for the morning but very flat for the afternoon and evening. Unfortunately, flying today was always going to start late as supervising instructor Rick was not due at the airfierld until 3.30.

A large number of members turned up to help with various jobs or tinker with their gliders. More members turned up in the afternoon to help with the late afternoon and evening flying over seen by Rick. With a dull over cast sky across the area no one bothered to rig and with the airfield finally set up the first of our trial flight visitors, Dennis O'Connor donned his parachute and walked toward the awaiting glider.

Dennis O'Connor and Rick under a grey sky
Then came a challenge. During the one and a half hours between delivering glider DMX to the eastern end of the airfield and us being ready to fly it the main wheel tyre decided to deflate. Thankfully there was a spare wheel with inflated tyre in the hangar and whilst not as quick as a Formula 1 team the wheel was changed in a very fast time. See picture.

Not a Formula 1 trye change but fairly speedy not the less
It was obvious though that another event must have been happening as the number of people on the airfield was definitely thinning out as the afternoon went on ( World Cup football ??), luckily there were enough members who weren’t that interested in watching 22 millionaires kick an inflated bladder around a piece of grass who stayed on to keep things going. 

Rick and Dennis launched into a grey sky with no thermals to help stay aloft they were back down after 5 mins so Rick took Dennis up again for another flight. The same story for our second visitor of the day, Chris Harris.

Chris Harris
Our Last visitor was Carole Hopcroft who had a short flight and landed just before some light rain passed over the airfield. With gloomy dark grey clouds and that light rain hanging around Rick wisely took the decision to stop flying for the day and invited Carole to return next Wednesday.

Carol Hopcroft
It is difficult for this not to be a disappointing day after the fabulous soaring weather we have had recently.

Steve Fletcher

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