“Absolutely fine, no problem, get here by a quarter to twelve and we’ll have
you in the air by midday…!” such confidence, fuelled by little arrows pointing
to the top right on the Met Office Tavistock forecast, the spot wind F214
showing 210 at 20 kts and the RASP giving it 2.5 by 1130, was to prove short
lived, as we took the gliders to the east end launch-point, where the windsock
showed 10-15kts from the south ie. 90 degrees across the runway. Good job I
didn’t give my name to the lady on the phone…
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| Warwyck Roberts Snr ready to launch with Roger Green |
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| Roger Green landing HXP with Warwyck Roberts Snr. |
So not a day for the K-8 which,
even if flown expertly, could easily have succumbed to the gusts on the ground.
But a day where unfulfilled promise was turned into moderate success by flying a
total of nine visitors (not all pre-booked…).
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| Visitor David Coombes receives his certificate from Roger Green. |
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| Mark Smith is presented with his certificate by Roger Green. |
Roger Green blazed the trail to
soaring flight by exploiting a narrow line of strong lift at the east end of the
airfield, up over Blackdown, enabling him to deliver a 22 minute soaring flight
to Warwick Roberts Snr (whilst son Warwick Jnr flew for 21 minutes with me –
there’s airborne etiquette (and telepathy) for you..!)
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| Warwyck Roberts Jnr is congratulated by Martin Cropper. |
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| The Roberts family en masse. |
The lift, strong in parts and marked by Cu, was not reliable, however, and
with glimpses of 4s and 6s on the vario averaging at only ½-1 up, the strength
of the crosswind was the dominant factor, closely followed by degree of sink in
the valley, that determined how far it was safe to venture (ie. not far…) before
punching back towards the airfield.
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| Visitor Gerald Mudge is welcomed by Martin Cropper. |
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| Roger Plumb looks happy to fly with Roger Green. |
Thanks go to a very willing and welcoming
band of helpers: Andy Davey, Dave Downton and Ed Borlase but most of all to Phil
Hardwick who winched throughout, ably coping with some white-knuckle recoveries
of the cable within the total of 13 launches.
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| Roger Green explains a point of detail to visitor Michael Fitzpatrick. |
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Alexander Brooke-Walker being introduced to the parachute
by Dave Downton with his grandparents looking on. |
Martin Cropper
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