Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 12th May 2019

The airfield at 0900 – just needs a few gliders to perfect the scene.
Quite a large number of people were dissatisfied with today's flying. And, in the West Country terms, they were probably quite rightly so, being as they were “Them Who Wuzzunt 'Ere..!” From o'crack sparrow to hooty owl time they missed thermals aplenty, and that despite the wind veering from east to south-east, there was no sign of influx from sea breeze to flatten the buoyant air.

Tavistock from 3,000ft:
Almost all the 13,000 inhabitants have no idea what’s going on above...
With our steeplechasers absent at the ICL, it fell to us 'local yokels' to show what could be made of the day, and do well did they prove, with Roger Appleboom departing in CBY before midday for a distinctly career average 3 hrs 46 mins, Club Inspector Colin Boyd taking FUB for a 52 minute survey of his happy hunting ground (ie. Gunnislake), Jo Nobbs absent mindedly using the club's K-8 for >2hrs before he realising that he didn't have a wristwatch, Farmer Phil Hardwick venturing north of the A30 for 2 hrs 11mins, and Ed Borlase (who is responsible for most of this report's photos) having a double bite of the cherry red cherub (EWO): 1 hr 19 mins on the morning and a further 1 hr 10 mins in the afternoon!

Roadford Lake from 3,000ft.  The clouds and their shadows say it all..!
The club K-13 G-DDMX captured by Ed Borlase’s head-cam.
Our visitors included a very welcome return of Tony Hogg, on reciprocal from Seahawk GC at Culdrose, One Day Course student Andrew Hollis, from Dartmouth, Tracey Atkin, from Milton Abbott, and Jamie Lang, who all flew with Instructor Peter Howarth. Pete was also very pleased to be able to send returning member, Hugh Gascoyne, solo in the K-8 for three launches before the end of the day.

Our One Day Course student was Andrew Hollis, from Dartmouth.
Tracey Atkin, from Milton Abbott, enjoys a joke with Pete Howarth.
Visitor Jamie Lang being briefed by Instructor Pete Howarth.
The photos say it all, really: it was a delightful day, the most disappointing aspect being the profligate use of airbrake required to reconnect with mother earth. But “Them Who Wuzzunt 'Ere' wouldn't know that, “Wud 
'Em..!”
A huge smile from Hugh Gascoyne as he prepares to re-solo in the club K-8.
Martin Cropper

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