Dartmoor Gliding News - Sunday 19th April 2026

Last week five people at the club. This week 5 trainees, 4 visiting pilots from other clubs, 1 one day course candidate, 8 solo pilots, 2 instructors and 1 Basic Instructor, it would be a busy day. The start of the day was delayed due to one short cable that required additional cable to be added so it would reach the launch point. Once flying could commence, the trainees and visiting pilots who required site checks were divided up between the two instructors. Ed Nicholson was first to fly with me and Aiden Hughes would fly with Chris Bryning.

One for Ed's mum.

Ed enjoyed a 19 minute soaring flight in the increasing buoyant conditions.

Our view to the south past Tavistock.

We were joined by David Swailes for a one day course with us. After the usual briefings, David started his course with duty BI Richard Roberts. Recent duty days for Richard have been non flying days, so he was also happy to be back flying our visitors.

David receiving his certificate from Richard.

The flying was interrupted with a change of wind direction causing a change of ends. When we started flying again, I flew with new junior Edward Bailey and Chris Bryning would later fly with David Moorley.

David getting ready with Chris.

The visiting pilots from other clubs were:-

Chris Morris (Culdrose GC), Nic Beretta (Culdrose GC), Chris Warnes (DSGC), Sarah Parkin (Cotswold GC) and Jack Boyns (Cotswold GC). Chris Morris has flown with us several times so was able to fly the Astir. Nic had a check flight with Chris Bryning and was cleared for the Astir. Chris Warnes had a quick flight with Chris Bryning. Sarah and Jack flew with me and they could both add another club to their log books.

Sarah & Jack were given certificates to remember us.

The solo pilots today enjoyed flights of various lengths. Most were only circuits, but Steve Fletcher (CGY) had 23 minutes, Viktor Skochko (DKG) 15 minutes and Phil Hardwick (HME) 2 hour 24 minutes to claim flight of the day.

Solo pilots line up ready to launch.

Viktor in the RED Bear.

A day that presented several trials to overcome, but everybody coped and managed a busy day's flying. Thanks to all at the club today.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 22 April 2026

A wave day for the Wednesday Wavers! Perhaps?

The forecast was for an east/southeasterly wind 20-25 knots but with gusts up to 40 knots and in excess of 50 knots at altitude...mmm!  I packed my flying gear for my glider, and parachute, in my car, but didn't expect to use them.  By mid-morning Skysight had updated, and the wind strength was getting worse.

Skysight's forecast

This was the wave predicted at 3,000 feet QNH if you could get into the air in one piece.  Yes, those wind barbs with the pennants over the firing ranges indicate 50 knots.

Did I say that it was windy?

The Wishful Wavers hardly need to wait for the verdict of the Duty Instructor. It was: "No!, The rotor at the east end is incredibly violent".  Andy Davey, currently at Portmoak (home of the Scottish Gliding Centre and a wave site) asked the DGS Soaring group what the conditions were like and remarked that he was glad that he hadn't driven down from Portmoak to sample the Dartmoor Wave today.

At 1000, it was very windy, and strengthening.  It was clear the Wavers weren't going to fly today, at least not in gliders.  Jobs to be done: Winch cable change; Tail wheel hub, tyre, and inner tube survey and stock take; Canopy edge painting for HBK; Tech Office clear out; and work on the wings in the glider workshop.  That lot will keep the Wavers busy.

On the airfield at 1100 the winch cablers reported that they had to lean into some of the gusts.  It was probably 40 knots in the gusts and a steady 25-30 knots.

 At one stage the windsock went vertical in the rotor.

So the team of cablers set up the winch and the cable drum carrier and tow out trailer ready to put two fresh 4.5mm cables on the winch for the forthcoming season.

The winch was positioned at the very northwestern end of the field. 
 The cows were interested in all the mooving about!

The windswept cablers assemble

The first new cable heads off into the distance

After twenty minutes the second cable heads out

Only twenty seconds later there was the radio call; "Dartmoor, we have a problem".  The wooden cable drum had disintegrated on the carrier.  That meant that it had to be removed and wound out by hand; a tedious and time-consuming job. 

The DGS Formula One cable dispensing team get to grips
with the aftermath of the broken wooden drum

Sorting out the tangles

After extensive jiggery pokery two new cables were correctly wound on drums of the auto winch ready for the new season.

Back in the hangar a stock take of tail wheels; hubs, inner tubes and tyres were underway by Steve Lewis, DB, and I.  Saturday's work was repeated as on the twin and single Astirs the orientation of the wheel and dissimilar thickness washers need to be placed carefully (in the right order!) to avoid rubbing of the valve cap or even the valves themselves. 

We looked at HBK, DSL and HME.  The latter two were quickly sorted to our satisfaction. However, we were not happy with the nylon (plastic) tail wheel that came with the Twin Astir Trainer, HBK.  Professional advice taken last week indicated that they were OK for light single-seaters (Libelles etc al) however the weight of the tail or a Twin Astir was another matter.  Before we fly it we fit a tail wheel with a proper metal hub from TOST.  That's something we won't skimp on.

We got the Twin Astir Trainer fuselage out of its trailer to look at the nylon tail wheel.  After about 20 minutes we had to put it back in sharpish as it was threatening to take off with just the tailplane on its fuselage cradle.  Yes, it was trying to fly without wings (No Red Bull needed here!).  The wings were still in the trailer!  It took three people to get the fuselage safely back in the trailer.

However before it went back in the trailer there was time for Gavin and Steve Lewis to consult and plan the position of the DGS logos for HBK.  The Twin Astir lettering is different.  Nothing is ever standard. 

After sorting a syndicate bank account for their new glider Michael M-S and Lance wanted to try on a range of parachutes.  So they brought their trailer from the east end to place the fuselage on the hangar apron.  By then the rotor was overhead, and it would be too risky to open a clamshell trailer, let alone a front-hinged canopy however much the "DG boys" wanted to show off their new baby to the Wednesday Wavers.  On another (calmer) day then!

Phil and David Moorley decided that being inside was a better option today and undertook to repaint the canopy surrounds for the Twin Astir Trainer, HBK.  Good job!  When it's less windy the canopy surround on the fuselage needs painting next. 

Rear canopy complete. The seal will be refitted when the paint is fully cured.

Front canopy complete but obviously interfering with Colin's lunch!

Also beavering away in the Tech Office was Neal who had nobly undertaken to carry out a clear out and deep clean.  It needed it.  The two four-drawer filing cabinets received new keys for later use.  Lots of things were found including the club trophies that are now on display.

In the glider workshop Colin continued to scarf a repair to the front of an air brake box in the wing of K-8, GDK, before turning to K-8, FXB.  Its elevator was inspected as reassembled and I conducted the duplicate inspection.  Colin then installed the battery box onto the new, stronger, mounting plate.  It's ready for a hoover out and rigging prior to weighing.

It was now windy in the hangar.  The gliders were starting to move about in the gusts so the wings tips were weighed down with two tyres a piece.  The rotor was getting worse and so the hangar doors were shut.  It took ten people to counter the windage (oh and John Allan's finger!) to get them closed. 

Our readers may have gathered that it was windy today.  Some Wavers remarked that the rotor over the field and the hangar apron was the worst they had witnessed.  It was certainly a lively day!  The Wavers departed for home invigorated by all the Dartmoor fresh air that had been blowing about.  Here's hoping for calmer conditions on Saturday.

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 18 April 2026

It was a day of changes.  At short notice the Duty Instructor wasn't available, nor were any others, so it was an authorised pilot day only.  The start was quiet and subdued with the trainees staying away.  Thanks to those who couldn't fly who came to help.  Members helping each other is what makes this gliding club work whether you are an ab initio trainee, pundit, or a hangar elve.

The Chairman detailed me off, and one of the other lucky pilots who flew, to write the blog whilst he busied himself in the hangar grappling with bits of rubber.  More anon.

Skysight forecast a nice soaring day along the south coast.  Let's get at it.

During the Daily Inspection of the winch we found that the fuse to the ground radio had blown.  The Tech Office Cupboard just had full size blade fuses as I had tried to standardise our holdings.  But, in accordance with Murphy's law the winch radio feed was a mini blade fuse.  Cue much searching and lifting of car bonnets to find a replacement.  My car does have mini blade fuses, in three separate fuse boxes no less, but fortunately I didn't have to cannibalise it as one was found.

Despite the promising forecast the weather wasn't playing ball.  The cloud base was low and two of the Saturday crew had been rained on why driving to the club.  There were subsequent light showers on site.  Eventually it brightened up and it was agreed that we would go flying.  John Allan, Phil and I were today's pilots.  Mike Bennett the winch driver.  Alasdair and David Archer would run the launch point.

Well, we made eight flights today.  The clouds were tantalising but NOT full of lift.  I took three launches but didn't get away.  Phil took four and managed a 23 minute flight on his last launch by stumbling into a 1.1 knot climb just off the wire.  John was a Jammy Dodger today (readers can feel free to provide a less polite second word to the phrase as they see fit) as he "got away" on his first launch.  He soon established himself at height above Tavistock before heading south to the better weather.

Here is John's take on the day:

Just three of us rigged to fly today; Phil, Gavin and I.

 
As there was no instructor, it was authorised pilots only.  We really appreciated the help from the few that turned up to help but sadly unable to fly. 
 

I took the second cable with a launch to just 1,100ft towards a convenient dark cloud.  I found a broken thermal and took it to cloud base at 3,000ft and headed off on my declared task; Brentor, Plymouth West (Saltash), on to Ivybridge East (twice) then back to Brentor, a total of 122Km.
 

The cloud base increased, but I took a cloud climb to 5,200ft before the jump across a blue gap to Plymouth.

 

Looking south to the City of Plymouth, the Sound and the Breakwater

Mostly cloud bases up and down the between Saltash and Ivybridge were about 4000-4500ft QNH.

Penelee Point and Rame Head. 
Cawsand Beach and Kingsand are in the foreground.

After the passage of the cold front the air was really nice and clear.  The sea past Rame Head looked like the Mediterranean.

 
After another short cloud climb to provide a better safety margin, I flew out over Cawsand to look down on Rame Head.

Rame Head and the golden beaches of Whitsand bay
stretching out to the west as far as the eye can see

Looking back at Plymouth Breakwater and Bovisand

The rest of the task went fine with a reasonably easy to read sky. On my return, after 2 hours 39 minutes, the kit had been put away and Phil and Gavin were busy derigging.

Heading home and saying farewell to the southern dockyard,
 Milbrook and St. John's lake, south of Torpoint

John Allan

 

John's flight was posted on the BGA ladder. 
Here it is shown in an IGC viewer.

A screenshot from SeeYou showing the terrain and route of John's flight

There was non-flying activity.  Scratch was up early before his shift at work and was busy in the Motor Transport hangar with much revving of engines audible.  Steve Lewis and DB busied themselves all day changing the tail wheels on three gliders and then replacing ageing or damaged tail wheel tyres ready for the soaring season to come.  Colin was working on one of K-8, GDK's wings.

After Phil and I derigged we were able to help the Chairman stamp our corporate identity on our new(ish) acquisition; Twin Astir 1, DSL.  We also have DGS logos for the Twin Astir Trainer, HBK, which will be applied soon.

DGS Logo in place on the Port side. 
Lining it up was a difficult task as the Twin Astir stripe
 and lettering follow the curvature of the cockpit edges.

The Starboard side.  We are getting good at this.

The late afternoon, although a little breezier, was very pleasant in the sunshine and teasingly the cloud base rose.  That's gliding for you.

After more tea and putting the world to rights the Astir CS77 and the Twin Astir were slid back into their places in the hangar, now the tail wheel and tyre work was complete, and the hangar doors were closed for the night. 

The discussions in the clubhouse also covered the need for mini blade fuses.

After we departed for home John found a stock at home that he will kindly donate to the club.  That meant I could cancel our order that I placed earlier with that legendary Greek female warrior.  How could we ever hope to run a gliding club without smartphones and a strident woman?

Equipment interoperability problems overcome.

 Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 11th April 2026

The weather was going to be a challenge today. The front went through last night and left very breezy airflow. Wind direction was forecast to be NW so this was at least more or less down the runway. After checking out all the forecasts ( and his seaweed no doubt ) CFI Rick Wiles agreed to give it a go. 

Two K13s were got ready and taken to the East End launch point and after a short morning briefing it was game on.  Rick flew a solo weather check after which he announced that it was flyable with care for instructors and BIs. The aim was to give the assemble members experience a the somewhat boisterous  conditions.

Definitely lively

This continued until 11.45 when a break was called to allow all the members to return to the clubhouse for the 12pm AGM during which the Chairman presented a very successful year which saw many  improvements to the club infrastructure including the addition of  two Grob 103 Twin Astir two seat aircraft to the fleet. The Chairman highlighted the great team spirit and effort from all the club members many of whom go about their tasks barely noticed ( unless you know where to look ) but vital to our success. The meeting also saw Mike Jardine step down as Treasurer to be replace by David Osment. Mike Jardine stepped down as Field Manager to be replaced by John Smith. 

25 minutes later and it was back to the launch point. It was a little thermic and Rick and Zack managed 21 minutes. This was followed by Scratch and Mike Bennett with 27 minutes for flight of the day.

Climbing well

Zack enjoying himself

Blackdown & Gibbet Hill

Looking down at the airfield from the East at 3000ft

By 2.45pm the conditions had strengthened to the point that it was time to put the toys away for a well deserved early finish.

A great day.

Steve

Dartmoor Glding News - Wednesday 16 April 2026

Our readers probably didn't need a forecast to tell them that Wednesday was wet, with hail and heavy rain showers, and a strong southerly cross wind.  Despite it brightening up later, the adverse weather prevented us from flying.

So a day of work in the hangar and clubhouse which included spring-cleaning and tidying.  But that's not the theme of the blog today.  We are going to look forward.

Readers and members know that we bought a Twin Astir 1, DSL this winter, from the resident syndicate at Brentor, and now its is being put to use.  This is but just one part of the DGS Strategic Plan to "move into glass".  In the future the plan's title might change to match a Debbie Harry (Blondie) song?

Twin Astir 1, DSL, in action

After much research, investigation and information to-ing and fro-ing between Cornwall and North Yorkshire we made a decision.  Actually the decision was taken before we bought DSL. The DCFI and I travelled to Burn Gliding Club, Nr. Selby in North Yorkshire on 9 October to view a two-seat glider.  Owned by a private syndicate it had spent much of its life sharing the hangar with the club aircraft.  But the arrival of a new tug in the club meant that the Twin Astir Trainer (which means fixed, sprung undercarriage, a hydraulic wheel brake, and no complicated water ballast system) had to live in its trailer.

Twin Astir Trainer, HBK, in the hangar at Burn GC

The glider with low hours was in good condition; originally a German club glider, bought by the RAF and used in Germany for the BAOR, and then found a home in Yorkshire.  Over the years the syndicate size had dwindled to just two owners, and with no hangar space, the reality of rigging a two-seater from the trailer each time one wanted to fly struck home. 

G-CHBK rigged and ready to fly

After rigging it with four of us, poring over the glider, checking the trailer, and then scrutinising the paperwork, we retired to the pleasant clubhouse for a cup of tea and the deal.  Peter had left his copy of President's Trump's "Art of the Deal" in Plymouth, but he remembered the essentials.  After a price was agreed, hands were shaken, the Burn DCFI produced the beers to mark the occasion.

I see a long journey in your future...

Before we left for the hotel that evening we positioned the trailer for easy access the next morning.

The twin-axle trailer towed very well the next day

There was fun to be had driving around the one way system in historic Selby at dusk trying to find the entrance to the George Inn that was barricaded behind a pedestrianised area.  After driving around the block three times trying to find the entrance to the car park while Peter talked to very nice Indian lady from Barclays Bank who grilled him on why he had travelled to Yorkshire to spend a lot of money.  Was this normal business?  Couldn't he buy the glider on Dartmoor?  Eventually I stopped in the pedestrian bit and went and asked the barman of the George for directions who said  "Oh yes, just drive through the coach house entrance to the car park at the back".  In the dark with all four proximity sensors alarming away saw Peter counting down, 3, 2, 1 inches until the wing mirrors almost touched the walls.  Thank goodness we have left the trailer at Burn GC!

A Jaguar estate car will fit through this, just.

The "Eagle has landed" at Brentor.

Ohh, let's see what we've got.

The Chairman takes ownership

Granny's 1970s swirly light brown and beige velour seating (standard GROB decor).  Tasteful!  "Mr Chairman.  Take a good look.  It's not going to get better than this unless we do something".

Even more beige velour in the back, and sides, and headrests and...

Let's start stripping it down and see what we have got.  Let's make a plan.

Let's take the instruments out and clean the instrument panels.  Mmm, they are going to need more than just a wipe down as we started to remove extraneous fittings and wondering at the purpose of various holes

Laid bare!

The harnesses and battery shelf coming out.

Colin starts a full inspection

DB strips off handles and fittings

The fuselage needed some paintwork done.  A hand-painted and badly-faded heraldic crest of the original German club needed polishing off, a patch on the starboard side of the tail boom needed repainting, and the high visibility patches on the nose had seen better days.  So off to Les Clark (LTB Glider Services) and his workshop at Ogbourne St, George (just off Junction 15 of the M5 and close to the Vale of the White Horse GC).  He also attended to a minor imperfection by on one of the air brake boxes and then cleaned and machine-polished the whole glider.

The nose before some tlc, looking a little weather-beaten.

The front canopy edges receive some cleaning and paint.

Back from Les Clark, the paintwork looks much better and the new registration letters set it off nicely.

German Heraldic crest gone.  Nose patches repainted.

The seats come back from Ruth Dance, upholsterer in Harrowbarrow.  New safety foam is installed under the hard wearing fabric (No! Zack was not allowed to choose pink).  She also made new side panels, pockets, and beautifully covered the head rests.  They look spectacular.

DB recommissions the hydraulic brake system

John Osment took the instrument panels away and mocked up an improved layout in hardboard for approval by the pundits before making the actual panels.  They were sprayed in black and the instruments were fitted with identical hex countersunk fasteners.  Quite a challenge as the instruments have a range of threads; Imperial, Metric, and unified (USA).

New front panel.  Labels to be applied.  The flight computer and vario are an LX 7007 IGC.

From the rear.  Busy with bus bars and fuses. The radio is at the bottom.

The rear panel is slimmer but all the essentials are there.

The rear of the rear panel. Compass is at the bottom.

The panels were then handed over from John Osment to John Allan for installation and wiring up.

The glare shields which will take the Flarm LED displays. Multiple electrical pieces and connectors are in the boxes, even a new stick grip for the rear pilot.

Offering up the front panel

The Funke panel-mounted 8.33 khz transceiver

The rear panel in place with the new LX Avionics panel-mounted microphone attached.

The majority of the wiring is complete.  The batteries were offered up with their new wiring harness and battery boxes. Power was switched on. No smoke!  (An old Lucas car electrics joke). Everything worked.  Glide and Seek could see the Flarm signal being transmitted.  The Flarm ID was subsequently entered in the Open Glider Network database to show that the glider is a Twin Astir Trainer, G-CHBK and not an RAFSA Discus 2CT, G-SAOC which is where the flight computer and Flarm originated!

When the wiring and labelling of the panels are complete.  Colin will conduct a final inspection, as part of issuing a new ARC and then the seat side panels and the newly upholstered seats can go back it.

The canopy surrounds on the fuselage and the canopy edges themselves need that tidy coat of paint....then the glider can be rigged.  Placed in the hangar ready for its test flight and subsequent release to service.

So the DGS Strategic Plan comes together. In the winter two K-13s, a Twin Astir, the Astir CS77, and a K-8 will be in the hangar. In the summer a single K-13, two Twin Astirs, the Astir CS77, and a K-8 will be in the hangar.  A K-13 and K-8 are easier operate when the field is damp and when the pitch dries it can support the weight of the Twin Astirs which are typically 90kg heavier than the K-13s.  From the maintenance side it will allow us to rotate the gliders for maintenance and the T-hangar at the east end eases the demand for storage space.

Coming soon will be a follow-up blog with pictures of the whole glider in all its glory.  A glider that the club members can be very proud of.  DGS 's first GRP two-seater.  Welcome G-CHBK.

Gavin Short