Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 9 July 2025

Yes, the weekend was rubbish, weather wise but lots of jobs and clearing up got done.  James underwent tractor driving training on reversing the tractor/winch combination.  Not an easy task, especially in the pouring rain.  Lectures were delivered. The simulator was used.  Glider log books brought up to date.  A normal rainy Saturday.  So it was the turn of the Wednesday Wavers to go and do the flying bit today.

Steve Moore, from Seahawk GC planned to join us but was a little concerned at what RASP was telling us.  Whereas Skysight looked good before lunch, 3.5 kts up to 3,333 ft AMSL, but softer after lunch.  Reassuringly encouraged by Skysight he made the trek to DGS. 

Early bird Conor's view of the cross track and rigging area

It was nice and clear early, but by the time I arrived, it had clouded over and the cloudbase was low.  Skysight's forecast was turned on its head.  Nevertheless, we got the gliders out and sent a K-13, a K-8, and the Puchacz to the east end.  On reflection, a second K-13 would have been used.

Before flying, the first task was the disposal of the old launch hut trailer chassis, which Mike Bennett and Scratch set about with gusto.

We bid farewell to the remains of the old launch point trailer and sheet metal

Mike Bennett, complete with flashing amber lights, leads the convoy to Saunders scrapyard

Colin turned up early and with Andy and I we had a conflab to determine the way ahead on the outstanding defect on the Astir CS 77; the excessive play in the the air brake handle.  Photos taken and plans made I will contact soaring (Oxford) Ltd who are the UK Grob parts support specialist.

That done, Andy, Peter and I rigged our gliders, hoping for some good soaring.  When Scratch returned, he made up some replacement securing straps for my trailer using the club's industrial sewing machine.  Thanks Scratch.

First up was David Bouchier for a reminder flight, which was launched before 1000, followed by Connor as the first of the Duty Instructor's trainees.  Phil was the Duty BI with a full dance card of a One Day Course and three trial flights.  So plenty of visitors to host today.  In the clubhouse, Phil briefed and then flew Ian King, who hails from Launceston.

One Day Course candidate Ian King, ready for his first flight into the unknown with Duty BI Phil

Connor continues his training with Mike Jardine, complete with colourful bucket hat.

Visiting Instructor Steve Moore kept his hand in with a circuit in K-8, GDK.  Later, he enjoyed a 24 minute soaring flight as the conditions improved.

You've got a new motor Peter. Very shiny!  What's that hanging off the back?

Mike's next trainee was Ed Nicholson whose training is progressing well.  A circuit was followed by two practice launch failures.

Ed resplendent in his yellow bucket hat, also continues his training

Peter takes a rest after manoeuvring the mighty Kestrel around

Quite a lot of cloud cover in the late morning

"Take up slack, K-13 dual, remaining cable"

Four Winds house in the foreground and there is a very nice field behind it

Our first trial flight visitor was Charlotte Young, who was accompanied by her family.  Charlotte loves the outdoors and was clearly in her element.  She is due to head to London in the autumn to study drama at University.  What better thing to do during her last summer in Plymouth?  Go and fly in a glider over Dartmoor and enjoy the great outdoors.  She enjoyed taking the controls under the watchful tutelage of Phil.  Charlotte, good luck at University, don't forget Devon and Cornwall.

Charlotte Young brings some colour into Phil's life.  An attentive family member looks on.

Puchacz, the "Eagle Owl" ready to add some drama to Charlotte's day out

Phil straps in

Charlotte receives her certificate

Gavin ready to take a launch in his Standard Cirrus

The view from the Standard Cirrus heading towards Whitchurch golf course and beyond Tavistock at 2,000 AFE

Harvey flew three training flights with Mike.  The first one was an extended circuit with a tiny bit of soaring.  Encouraged by Steve Moore's progress in the K-8 Andy took a launch and was rewarded with a launch failure (weak link breakage) and was quickly back on the ground.  I launched and also had a weak link break which is a rare event for me in the Standard Cirrus.  I recovered from the failure, but at 850 feet I was in lift and carefully climbed above the runway until I had enough height to head to the south of the airfield and then around the back of the launch point to find lift over Blackdown.

Harvey looking for lift.  Where is it?

An initial dual soaring flight for Freddie which was followed a a 28 minute solo flight

Our second trial flight visitor was John Lonsdale.  John has taken early retirement and has returned to gliding.  He went solo with the air cadets, as Phil says, "a good few years ago"!  Welcome back to our sport, John.

Visitor John Lonsdale ready for his first flight.  Is there something missing from this picture, John?

Ahh! The picture looks better here as visiting instructor Steve Moore looks on.

Andy took another launch and managed to "get away" and enjoyed the longest flight of the day; 3 hours 33 minutes.  John Smith relieved Steve Moore in the K-8 and enjoyed 40 minutes of soaring.

I was still soaring while Andy and John launched.  Unfortunately, I was up against a time limit.  Andrew Downing, Steve Lewis and and I were due to me Chris Shears from West Devon Borough Council at 1400 in the clubhouse.  When you are over 2,000 feet to the south of Tavistock, it is very tempting to ignore the appointment.  I'll be honest, I was tempted but a sense of responsibility got the better of me and I returned to high key.  Then the radio sprang into life with stentorian tones, "Charlie November November, you are instructed to land".  Crikey!  I thought that kind of thing happened in the Bronze examination.  I called back "Charlie November November downwind, left hand".  I landed long in the light airs, and Connor kindly towed me back to the glider rack.  I was five minutes late.  The meeting, however, was very successful.  As to the outcome, well, members and our blog readers will have to wait a few weeks to discover what was agreed.

A nice looking sky. The launch point looks relatively empty because most of the gliders are in the air.

After Phil flew John Lonsdale for two soaring flights he then flew Ken Hamblin, our third trial flight visitor, for a single flight.  Regrettably, we don't have a photo.   Ken was a former paratrooper and achieved a long-held dream with a voucher presented by his son.   He seemed to revel in the experience of his flight.

A new view of the airfield.  Notice the tracks that have been carved out in the north field (left of picture) recently.

With other pilots soaring, Peter took another go in the Kestrel and clocked up 1 hour 52 minutes.  The K-8 was now in demand and Malcolm took GDK up for 57 minutes, just avoiding busting the club hour limit.

The Kestrel 19 shares a thermal

The retrieve driver's view looking back towards the winch

Now it was the turn of Hamilton Males, ex-RAF and a member of Wyvern Gliding Club (Army) at Upavon, to experience gliding on Dartmoor.  Hamilton has tried gliding before but has been focused on power flight and in particular Wyvern's motor glider.  Hamilton lives in the South Hams, so Upavon is a long trek for him.  Can we coax him to Dartmoor Gliding? Time will tell.

Visiting PPL pilot and occasional glider pilot Hamilton Males ready to sample the delights of K-13, CCY.  

After our successful meeting in the clubhouse I was detailed off by the Chairman to fly Chris Shears, which he thoroughly enjoyed.  The onset of the sea breeze prevented any soaring, but Chris enjoyed the hangar landing and coming to a precise stop on the cross track.

Chris, eager to take to the skies

The One Day Course was going well.  Ian was enjoying the flying.  Earlier, before the sea breeze cut in, Phil and he launched into a cloud street straight off the winch, climbed, and headed to the north-west under the street.  They were able to fly out to the Ambrosia (custard and rice pudding) factory at Lifton.  Although Ian is almost retired, he still works there three days a week and had fun taking some aerial photos of his workplace.

The trace of Ian's fifth flight

Ian ready for his final flight of his One Day Course, looking very happy after his soaring flight

I had planned to pack up early and go and pick up my wife's car from its service and MOT so I was about to head back to derig CNN.  We received a call from the clubhouse that another visitor had arrived.  So I went and collected Lee Clarke and his two supporters, ready for his two flights.  I recognised Lee as he had come to the club previously, and I had shown him round the club.  He was buzzing with enthusiasm.  We quickly filled out the requisite paperwork.  

Initially, the Duty Instructor wanted me to fly him as he and Phil were still busy.  Ahh, a conflict of interest and time pressure, which was resolved by a call from the garage.  The car had passed its MOT and the service was complete, but it needed new tyres, so they would keep it overnight.  I could relax.

Mike and Phil were confused by the presence of an extra visitor that they weren't expecting.  On further investigation, Lee's enthusiasm was confirmed in that he had turned up a week early!  Nevertheless, so as not to disappoint him Mike flew Lee, who, as expected, enjoyed his flights.  Lee, maybe you can come back next Wednesday and make use of your temporary membership and fly with us more, hopefully when the sea breeze isn't suppressing the thermals.  In amongst all of this excitement, Dave Archer squeezed in a circuit in the K-8, thereby raising his flight average for the year.

Lee Clarke takes an early trial flight with Mike!

Meteorology question?  How do cloud streets form east-west when the air above the airfield is only 1-2 knots variable but predominantly northerly?

In summary, the Wednesday Wavers flew 36 flights, a One Day Course, three trial flights, and an additional visitor's flight.  The "Man of the Match", as ever, was Andy Davey with 3 hours 33 minutes, but as we took off at the same time and I was called down..... I might have been robbed!

 

Several members stayed behind in the clubhouse, nattering and putting the world to rights.  A satisfying end to a hot and humid day. 

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 2 July 2025

As an instructor, flight planning should start when leaving the house in the morning.  A front went through during the night, and with the open bedroom windows, it was evidently windy and gusty.  Gustiness was the warning from the forecasts.  As I got into my car, the lime tree in the front garden was still, then the branches thrashed about, and then it was still again.  The hedges by Brentor church were doing the same.  So, although I waited for Mike Jardine, the Duty Instructor, to arrive and confirm my assessment, I was planning to cancel our visitors today.  Added to the concern was that in some of the models displayed in the "Windy" App that the north-westerly might veer to the north and provide a full cross and gusty wind across the runway.  That wouldn't be pleasant.

Reluctantly, following confirmation from the Duty Instructor, I cancelled the visitors (a One Day Course and three sets of trial flights) and told them how to rebook 

After a short morning brief, the flying commenced promptly at 1021.  We left the Puchacz but took the two K-13 and, in case the forecasts were overly pessimistic, the K-8 to the east end.

Mike Bennett drove the winch for the first launch until I had finished some Fleet Manager business in the clubhouse, and then I relieved him.  Laying off was the order of the day in the brisk north-westerly but remarkably, all the cables landed back on the field.

Praying for thermals perhaps? Mike Jardine and DB carry out their checks
before taking the first launch of the day.

Flying the K-13s "two-up" was the order of the day while the gusty conditions were assessed.  Yes, it was gusty.  The wind was quite strong at height, and circuits definitely needed to be upwind.  Delivering a One Day Course and the trial flights would have been a challenge.  So the Duty Instructor had made the right decision.

An already thermic sky promised much soaring as Connor soared with Mike on the second flight

The sky was looking good

With Mike soaring with Connor, Peter decided to take John Osment up, and they achieved the longest soaring flight so far, 20 minutes. 

Peter had plenty of time to photograph the airfield whilst John Osment soars CCY for 20 minutes

Alas Raymond only managed a circuit with Mike, which must have been frustrating to then see Steve Lesson soar with Peter for 27 minutes.  Then it was Freddie's turn with Mike to soar for 31 minutes.

Steve Lesson and Peter's view of Freddie Purkiss and Mike soaring above them

Freddie climbing well

But then Steve outclimbs Freddie when they meet in the next thermal

We welcomed our Chairman, Steve Lewis who had come to the club to watch all the fun; obviously, it was more enticing than teaching teenagers to drive (his day job). 

This is what we like to see; no gliders on the runway, all are in the air.

Freddie is now properly placed in the thermal

Steve wrings more lift out of the thermal while Freddie, below, leaves it.

The sky must have cycled because both Harvey and Mike Bennett only managed a circuit.  On a second flight, Harvey managed to soar.  Then John Smith managed a circuit.  The sky then cycled and we were back to soaring again.

Mike Bennett relieved me in the winch with Raymond as his trainee.  Raymond later remarked that perhaps it wasn't the best training day for a prospective winch driver, as the gliders were staying up and so the launch rate was quite low.  Then it was my turn to fly with Mike Jardine in FGR.

Later in the day, Alasdair and Peter admire the inviting looking cumulus clouds stretching out to Tavistock and almost to Plymouth during the longest flight of the day

Gavin and Mike thermal above Alasdair and Peter 

The two K-13s jump across the streets while each heads for the other one!

With me flying from the back seat, Mike was able to relax and enjoy the view.  After centring in a thermal, Mike remarked that it seemed quite smooth from the front seat.  I said "look at the stick" as I was having to move it constantly and vigorously to maintain the correct pitch attitude and bank angle.  Then we hit a big gust that would have had us out of our seats if we weren't firmly strapped in.  Mike decided that not flying the trial flights was indeed the correct decision.  We enjoyed climbing to 3,000 feet and jumping between the cloud streets.  After 25 minutes, we agreed that we should limit the flight to 30 minutes and so headed away from the lift and "bang" into a 10 knotter.  I just had to take that for a few turns before starting our descent.

Gavin cranks FGR into an 8 knot thermal that briefly peaked at 10 knots.  Over the ecstatic screaming of the XK10 vario Mike remarked, "So this is the forecast four-star rating from RASP".

The cloud base eventually rose to around 4,000 feet AMSL

Mike and I landed after 35 minutes.  We had to air brake down from 3,000 feet, although at times we were climbing during our descent!  Peter and Alasdair managed 37 minutes despite Peter "locking" the airbrakes open on Alasdair in the circuit as a training exercise.  These instructors are sneaky!

The two K-13s under a booming sky.

However, the sky must have cycled again as David Archer managed a circuit and then Freddie took a hangar landing.  Despite the sky cycling, so that not all could enjoy the challenging soaring conditions, it was all good stuff.

Which way are you going to go Freddie?

Steve clocks up flight hours whilst the K-8 is walked back to the hangar.  It was that windy that we needed some weight in the K-8 for safety.  Steve, revel in being useful!

At last a meaningful use for the CFI's tyre trailer.  Bringing the broken chairs from the launch point back to the clubhouse for disposal.

Gliders parked by the fence awaiting hangar packing.  "Cracking, sky Gromit!"

This was the delay.  How many glider pilots does it take to rig a "concrete swan", sorry, I mean a Twin Astir?  Answer: Long enough to make a cup of tea in the clubhouse and drink it outside while observing the fun.

 Finally DSL heads towards the east end and back to its T-hangar after completing its Airworthiness Review Check

We finished relatively early after 14 flights; however, the 12 visitor flights weren't flown, so it wasn't a bad flight total for the Wednesday Wavers.  No visitors helped to make it a relaxing day, but it was quite hard work up there, and most had had their fill.  Although gusty, the majority of pilots managed to soar in some challenging conditions. 

"All's well that ends well."  "And not a sheep to worry us."

Gavin Short

 

STOP PRESS:  On Thursday, 3 July 2025, erstwhile member and DGS Basic Instructor Richard Roberts made his third attempt at a 500km out and return flight.  The task he set was a remote start west of North Hill at Cullompton (CUL) to Sackville Flying Club (SAC) (2 NM north of Bedford) and return to Cullompton.  He was flying his Discus glider, G-CHLS, tail number V5. 

This was Skysight's forecast for the potential flight distance.  The hotter the colour, the better the conditions.

Skysight's Potential Flight Distance forecast. Sackville is under the figure 520 on the scale on the right-hand side of the graphic.

Mid flight. Approaching Abingdon. Richard's operating height band is between 3,000 to 5,000 feet AMSL.  The yellow icons are other gliders.

Turning Sackville Flying Club after a long glide into the turn point following a climb to over 6,000 feet.

Final leg having detoured south to clear Yeovilton's MATZ (military airspace)

Final glide to the finish line at Cullompton and turning back to land at North Hill

Richard's 500 km flight

The statistics:  507.9 km.  6 hours 28 minutes.  Average speed 78.5 km/h.  The flight qualifies for a FAI Diamond distance leg.

Congratulations Richard.

Gavin Short