Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 17 September 2025

I didn't expect to write today's blog.  Scratch and I were due to continue our Flight Instructor training at Upavon on a Royal Navy Gliding and Soaring Association Gliding development week.  Alas, a very poor forecast caused the organiser to cancel the week.  A disappointing development considering we had lost 50% of the time to weather, helicopter operations and defects during our training at RNAS Culdrose over the summer.

So would it be Wavers or Waders this Wednesday?  I didn't need Andy's forecast to work it out.  Skysight's windgram said it all.

A picture is worth a thousand words

And so it turned out to be.  The windgram was prescient and the cloud base rarely exceeded the airfield height all day.  Mike Bennett cancelled our visitors.  Richard was the Duty Basic Instructor, but his largess didn't run to bacon butties even though he was unemployed today. 

The lure of bacon was probably what brought Neal to the club today as he got stuck into membership packs and changing the LED light in the parachute room.  Apparently, his wife does know he is capable of hoovering after working, so there are no compromising photos included in this blog.  Next time, a PIR sensor will be fitted in the parachute room and an LED strip light in the Tech Office.  Then its over to others to undertake the long-awaited solar upgrade to the clubhouse.

I reviewed another iteration of the sunshade for the Flarm LED display in the front of the Puchascz.  It's almost there.  Apparently, the poor visibility of these new displays is a wider problem.  Next time, it will be ready for a test fit and a flight test. If successful, the 3-D printing code for the glare shield mount and instrument panel mount versions will be shared with the wider gliding community via gliderpilot.net.

That thought, the need to test-fly the Puchacz, led the Wednesday Wavers to ponder why they had been so unlucky with the weather over the last three weeks.  Thoughts turned to the suspicion that we had a "Jonah" amongst our ranks.  An analysis of the common factors determined that the "Jonah" was Mike but not the one who had recently returned from a holiday in Portugal.  It was 28 °C, sunny, with clear blue skies in case you are wondering. 

At least one of the Wednesday Wavers has been enjoying fine weather

Next week, things will be better as Peter Howarth is the Duty Instructor for the Waders.

Colin arrived and baulked at the rain and wind, and decided it was not a day for the annual inspection of the Astir CS77, DNE.  However, John Smith and Colin managed to measure the control surface deflections, and test the ASI and altimeter whilst I prepared the associated paperwork.

The simulator got some good use by a number of us.  More preparations were underway in preparation for the adoption of the new rules at the end of the month. More significantly the Basic Instructors wondered whether their updated Sailplane Pilot Licenses (SPL) would be back in time to continue to fly our lovely visitors in October. 

John Allan was busy installing a fixed ground radio in the Volvo.  His enthusiasm had to be dampened considerably until he understood that putting a hole in the roof for the aerial was not a good idea for a vehicle that was going to live on Dartmoor.  Phil was beavering in the MT hangar, working his farmer magic on tractor hydraulics.  As ever DB was busy making up strops, fitting new canopy covers to the gliders, and doing other jobs, whilst I touched up the port side of the Puchacz's rudder with some white paint.

Other jobs were going on, so much so that I couldn't catch them all.  The Waders were busy today, but perhaps not busy enough to take their minds off the fact that we weren't flying.  By mid-afternoon, the workers started to dissipate after their efforts.  Roll on next Wednesday, which will be Jonah-free!

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 13th September 2025

The day started wet with the recent showery storms going over the airfield thanks to the low pressure fronts coming from the Atlantic. Apart from that, the day started sunny with temperatures ranging from 10 degrees in the morning to a much more comfortable 19 degrees later on in the afternoon. 

Our weather man Andy said: “wind westerly 10kts with some lively gusts. There should be some thermal activity with a cloud base of 2500ft, but, it could be hit or miss with over development taking place throughout the day.”  This could only be further from the truth as the gliding club had an absolutely stonking day!. 

Without further ado, let's get into it…

Today saw 3 gliders taken up to the west end, K13 FSD, K8 GDK and last, but not least, the mighty HCC Puchacz. Three trainees were at the club, both Val, Ian King and our new returning member Rowan. 

Rick kicked off the training list with the experienced Val. Who is seeing major improvement  and with 3 flights today she is heavily improving her circuits and landings.

Val coming in to land, in the ominous K13 (note: it was a superb landing, well done Val!)

But in Dartmoor fashion, a heavy storm came through for about 20 minutes and saw both Val and Rick stranded in the K13 amongst the rain.

Val’s landing on her last flight

Next on the list of trainees was Rowan, a returning member from the BBQ Saturday, who enjoyed a one day course with Steve Lewis, and, was very much eager to hop in with Rick and fly.

But, safety first as CFI Rick demonstrates

how to put on and take off a parachute.

Rick takes Rowan through pre-flight safety checks (CBSIFTBEC) note: Either Rick is really concentrating hard or is extremely uncomfortable

Eventually after going through the safety checks, Rowan got away into the sky, and immediately started soaring right up to cloud base, which was around 3500ft for an impressive 23 minutes (Well done Rowan).

Rowan thermalling in the K13 with Rick in the back.

Today saw 3 visitors come up to the club.  Scratch took Margaret Barnes up in the Puchauz for an extended flight. Next visitor on the list was, William who was eager to go up and enjoyed 2 short soaring flights.

Scratch with William under a thermic sky

William is ready to go!

Rick then kindly took me up for a flight after a month of being away, and proceeded to tell me in his words, “PUT MORE BANK ON!” after finding a 6 knot thermal off the wire. 

Rick and myself under a 4knot cloud street

Rick’s view of an awesome cloud street parked over Tavistock

which eluded us during our flight.

K8 pilots, Jamie Young and John Allan both saw 30+ minutes in the air, in very challenging conditions which was no easy task due to the varying cloudbase and direction in the wind.

The wind sock shows the wind almost aligned with the runway.

Scratch with trial flight Kaisa had an excellent flight going from the launch to cloudbase in just a couple minutes in a 6knot thermal, Scratch had announced to everyone in the bus.

Kaisa happily waits to fly with Scratch.

The Puchacz’s canopy reflects the thermic cumulus clouds

Anyway, back to the training, Peter Howarth kindly took me up for three flights in the Puchacz to hopefully convert to the sleek fibreglass Astir. 

Both the first 2 flights were underwhelming, but, as they say ‘3rd time is the charm’ as both myself and Peter climbed to 4100ft! Sitting under a cloud street.

Peter’s view in the Puchacz looking out to Tavistock with some awesome clouds just behind it.

The Puchacz high east of the airfield, ready for spinning and stalls to take place.

Multiple streets cramped together.

K13 FSD awaiting it's pilots

Another beautiful photo shows the Puchacz and the variety of the clouds.

Val then stepped up into the cockpit of the Puchacz with Rick in behind.

Note: (Now is not the time for silly faces Val you're flying!) 

Val enjoyed a 16 minute soaring flight with Rick with Val doing all the flying apart from the launch.

Last but not least, our final visitor of the day, was Caitlin. She enjoyed several flights with Steve Lewis in the K13.

Caitlin ready to fly with Steve

Wow! What a day, some awesome soaring, a new junior member and lots of visitors. A big thank you to Malcolm who operated the winch and gave some amazing launches most being above 1300ft!. Secondly, Allison and my Mum who drove the retrieve throughout the day, and lastly a big thank you to Scratch, Steve Rick and Peter who flew everybody that needed to fly. 

Zack Smith

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 6th September 2025

 Low pressure still very much in charge firing seemingly endless fronts across the area. Today we were happily between the fronts but in a strong airflow. The strong wind made the decision to cancel visitor flying inevitable.

Val and Rick

Off they go

And back again

CFI Rick Wiles decided that we would fly the K13's. The day was limited to Instructors and IFP's only to fly P1. The first flight demonstrated that although strong, the wind was in was well within limits and several flights were undertaken. The best of these was a 25minute effort by Scratch with John Allan in the front seat. What they were staying up on was uncertain. A mix of ridge from the southern slopes and a little wave would be a good guess.

The view from the top of the launch looking south

The wind did increase enough that at 1pm we stood down to wait fir relatively calmer conditions and by 3pm we were flying again.

Everyone who want to flew. Several early pilots improved their handling skills with Rick.

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 10 September 2025

Andy is worthy of an award with his upbeat forecast on what looks like a miserable day.  Wednesday Waders again, rather than Wednesday Wavers 

Wednesday Weather.

The synoptic chart for 1300 local.  Messy, isn't it?

There is a largish area of low pressure to the west of the UK, which is giving us these very changeable conditions. For Wednesday, there are a couple of fronts crossing the area overnight, and there will be an occluded front crossing the field just after midday.  Prior to the front, the field will be in low cloud and rain with a SSW wind at about 10 kts. The front should be over the field at 1430, and once the front clears, the wind will go more westerly and the cloud base should lift to 3,000ft.  It could then become flyable.

Skysight summarises the day with its new windgram.

Lots of talking is required to make this into a flyable forecast

Serendipitously, we had no visitors booked today for trial flights. So as the Duty Basic Instructor, I didn't have to cancel our visitors.  The challenge was for the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine, to keep our trainees, and indeed us, occupied.

On the last flying day, the Sunday Soarers indulged in a bit of wild swimming in a monumental deluge as they put the gliders away.  Understandably, the five soaked and bedraggled aviators were not up for changing the main wheel on K-13, FSD, which had developed a slow puncture.  Our Chairman, Steve Lewis, led the DGS Pitstop Team to change it for the ready spare and then fix the puncture.  To have good access, this meant that the hangar doors needed to be opened, the Astir CS77 needed to be moved out into the open and for it to get wet.  The gliders were moved around, and the orange belly dolly was put into action. Inevitably the job threw up more snags and intrigues, but the team muddled through.

Scratch was busy with the industrial sewing machine, making more glider pockets for the Puchacz and Astir CS77.   In between pockets, he progressed the update of our operating procedures.

You have got to be quick to catch Scratch at his workstation in the hangar

Scratch admires one of his glider pockets in the daylight

Neal decided that getting new LED strip lights from Screwfix in Launceston was easier than battling back into the Tavistock roadworks.  After revealing some interesting wiring in the ceiling of the kitchen, both old light fittings were replaced by two energy-efficient strip lights that actually shed light on the proceedings.  The parachute room and Tech Office will be done on another rainy day i.e. pretty soon.

Neal removing the old light fittings in the kitchen

Colin paid us a brief visit, and he and I managed to progress some maintenance paperwork.  More importantly, I got my ARC documentation back and the main pin for my Standard Cirrus.  After extensive engineering advice and further inspection, the main pin was cleared for use. Yippee! I can fly my glider again.

John Allan made progress fitting a ground-based radio to the Volvo, so we don't have to rely on a handheld radio.  It should also improve the quality of communications on the field.  The 3D-printed sun shade for the front Flarm LED display in the Puchacz was offered up. However, more modifications are required!

A trial 3D-printed sun shade...

...for this Flarm display

Inevitably, there was more discussion about medicals and operating procedures after 30 September.  After lunch, I ordered some new inner tubes for the main wheels of our training gliders.  This is a family-friendly blog, so I shan't shock our readers with the prices.

Later in the afternoon, the sun came out for a brief period - Andy's clearance, before it started raining again.  A lot of rain had fallen overnight and during the day, confirming that it was indeed a day for the Wednesday Waders rather than the Wednesday Wavers.

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 3 September 2025

We are in meteorological autumn, and the aftermath of Hurricane Erin is bringing us occluded, warm, cold, and then warm fronts in quick succession, approaching from the southwest at frontal speeds of 30 to 35 knots.  More Wednesday Waders than Wednesday Wavers then.  A time not to feel guilty at being late on parade for an appointment with the practice nurse in my local surgery, and in the afternoon departing early to Cadleigh, Ivybridge to give a talk on "Modern Gliding" to the South Hams MG Car Club.

Time for the Waders to get stuck into some jobs in the hangar, clubhouse, and the Motor Transport hangar.  I brought my strimmer to cut the grass around our "Learn to fly a glider" signs which indicate the way to our club.

Richard, the Duty BI, cancelled our visitors by telephone whilst the rain was hammering down on the clubhouse roof.  Then Richard revealed that he had visited Tesco en route.  Cue Richard and Peter busy in the kitchen producing a late breakfast of bacon and sausages sarnies. Yummy!  Thanks, Richard.

Chef Richard, who was assisted by Sous-chef Peter, starts the production line of tasty bacon butties

Despite professing to having already eaten breakfast John Osment succumbed to a bacon butty

After flying in the Alps, in the simulator, John Allan headed to the hangar to fix the power supply to the radio in K-13, FSD.  Neal Oxley had made a prototype sun shade for the front seat Flarm LED display, the Puchacz.  After completing a reorganisation of our paperwork, as the newly appointed Membership Secretary, he offered it up.  It was just about right.  A few tweaks are needed before he can print the final version.

Then Steve Lewis turned his hand to removing the Polish standard format Bigraphs (CC) on the nose, fin and rudder of the Puchacz using my small heat gun.  It had been drawn to our attention that a Ventus flying out of Lasham has the competition number CC.  A clash.  So we had Trigraph stickers made up with HCC for the fin and rudder as per the BGA recommendation.

The Trigraph mounting team, Steve, John Allan and I, set about measuring and debating the alignment of the new letters.  Satisfied, we set about in good Blue Peter fashion with soapy water, squeegees, and Fablon (well, vinyl letters).

Steve carefully aligns the transfer sheet into position on the port side
after carefully measuring and marking

Now the starboard side. 
After a team effort of removing the backing sheet, John applies the finishing touches

The Puchacz, resplendent in its new livery while the Trigraph team check the port side

Whilst the nose decals came off cleanly, and those on the starboard side too, inevitably, two small areas of paint were lifted off the rudder on the port side.  A judicious touching up with vinyl primer and white paint, and all was well.  Steve loves this stuff! 

Back in the clubhouse, there were extensive discussions on the new Sailplane Pilot Licence, the associated medical standards, and the underpinning national legislation that comes into force at the end of the month.

Heavy showers continued throughout the day.  Just when you thought it was brightening up down came the rain.   By early afternoon, members had started to pack up and leave. John, Steve and I were the last, pleased with our work on the Puchacz's new livery.

During the afternoon it started to look nice on several occasions. 
Thirty seconds after I took this photo, it was hammering it down with rain.

So no flying today for the Wednesday Waders, but bacon and sausage sarnies consumed, many non-flying tasks tackled, but no strimming due to the heavy rain, and an undiminished optimism for better weather next time.

The talk to the MG car Club went down well with lots of follow-up questions and interest.  The grandfather of Rowan Guest, a recent One Day Course candidate, was in the audience WhatsApping like a teenager to show Rowan what he was listening to.  It's a small world!  In lieu of a speaker's fee, the MGCC made a donation of £35 to our club. As they say, "every little bit helps" ***. 

Gavin Short

*** Despite what the Tesco marketeers would like you to think, this expression, with slightly different wording ( everything helps ), dates from the late 1500s.

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 23rd August 2025

The forecast suggested reasonable soaring conditions under a blue sky with initially southerly winds going westerly later. Looking out the window showed cumulus clouds forming under a little high cirrus. So much for the forecast then. Perhaps a return to my mk8 seaweed would be more accurate.

The wind was still like this at the end of the day

Today was a busy day with lots of solo pilots as well as trainees and visitors. We were joined by Junior Rowan Guest who was attending for as One Day Course. Rowan enjoyed lots of flying with 2 of his flights stretching beyond 30 minutes and up to 3500ft above the airfield. He also got stuck in around the launch point and finished his day with a little time at the winch. 

Rowan ready to go

Rowan's view of the Tamar Estuary. 

Today's other visitors were Jill Ellis, Nicholas Williams, Jim Melbourne, Nigel and Tehya Smith. 

Nicholas Williams

Jim Melbourne

And what of the solo pilots My second flight with Rowan we managed to find some thermal activity and this prompted the gliding equivalent of the charge of the light brigade as the launch queue suddenly became manic and not the "sleepy hollow" I have just launched from. Who knew my secondary role was as a thermal "sniffer".

First solo to launch was John Allan in his Mini Nimbus who returned 3 hours 18 minutes later having completed 90.9% of his planned 217km flight Brentor, Brayford, Taunton ( actually turned at Wellington ), Hatherleigh, Brentor. Great flight again John.

Back into the sunshine on final glide just past Sourton, looking across North Dartmoor.

On the way back from Wellington, visibility went great. Thermals got better once past Crediton. 

John's flight trace

Second solo launch a few minutes after John was Andy Davey in his Ventus C. His flight saw him visit Launceston before venturing into North Devon. 2nd longest flight of the day at 2hrs 52.

Andy's trace

There was lots of soaring into the early evening.

K13 hangar landing

After everything was put away we had the Summer BBQ, organised once again by Mike Bennett. The food was delicious and the company was delightful. Thank you Mike.

( The event was so busy I forgot to take any photos  - you just cannot get the staff these days ).

A great day

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News - Sunday 24th August 2025

After yesterday's successful barbeque today saw a few defferent faces amongst the Sunday soarers, but also a few regular faces missing. A light south easterly and possible 5 star rating, pilots were looking forward to a good day. A K13, K8, Puchacz and Astir were readied and towed to the west end launch point.

First trainee was Misha Skochko. With his training progressing well it was time to add some more launch failure practice to his skills. A demonstration of a go-around failure followed by Misha flying one sees him moving ever closer to his goal.

Misha ready for his launch failures.

Training continued throughout the day with Aiden Hughes and Ken Hamblyn. Both had soaring flights with some valuable stick time. Today we were visited by Richard Hicks for a ODC. Richard was supported by his family and was introduced to his gliding experience by duty BI Richard Roberts. Although initially a little nervous Richard H enjoyed his day with us.

Richard keeping a good lookout.

Richard's waiting for another flight.

Today's solo pilots Zack Smith (K8), Viktor Skochko (K8), Freddie Purkiss (K8), Steve Fletcher (Open Cirrus) and Andy Davey (Ventus) all enjoyed flights of various durations. The longest flights were by Steve and Andy in excess of 3 hours each.

Steve's account:-

My task for the day was a little different with requests from friends to take pictures of their properties from the air. Luckily the lift to the south of the airfield allowed me to get all 3 pictures requested during my 3hrs 31mins. Some great climbs, some to 3400 feet.

Steve's view of the Puchacz over Tavistock.

One of Steve's good climbs.

Zack waiting in the K8.

Viktor ready to go.

I switched training aircraft to give John Osment a launch failure in the Puchacz. A successful flight saw John ready to re-convert to an Astir for the first time in many years.

John settled into the Astir.

After all the training, Zack requested a flight in the Puchacz to start his conversion towards flying the Astir.

Zack getting ready.

And promptly goes soaring.

A special thank you to both Scratch and Mike Bennett who both spent time with George Purkiss on the winch. George is now cleared to drive the winch. Well done George.

The Sunday Soarers made best of the day with several soaring flights.

Peter Howarth