The last Wednesday in July. How the year is rattling along. I initially wrote the last flying day in July, but that would have been wrong as we have an aerotow day planned for Friday 31 July. It looks to be a good day for soaring as well.
Back to today. Andy's forecast was promising for wind direction and thermic activity, with Skysight predicting some cumulus in the afternoon.
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| Skysight's windgram for Wednesday |
We deployed to the east end two K-13s, a K-8, and the Astir CS77 ready for its test flight after recent extensive work on the undercarriage and wheel brake system. Later, after measuring the control surface deflections, as the final part of its annual inspection and ARC, the Twin Astir DSL also joined the flight line for a test flight.
Five visitors today; A family of three from Hayle, one from Helston, and one from Plymouth. The briefing was routine, and it would be initially blue and hot; water, hats and sunscreen required after the morning fogginess had burnt off.
Today would allow Michael M-S to consolidate his solo flight in K-13, CCY on Saturday. Sunday's flying had been curtailed after the duty instructor's test flight. Far too gusty.
A number of privateers rigged their ships; two Libelles, a DG300, an Open Cirrus, a Kestrel 19m, and two K-6CRs.
We were joined by Albert, John Smith's grandson who flew on a Friends and Family flight with Steve Lewis for an extended soaring flight. "An amazing flight with an amazing instructor". What an epithet!
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| Sean prepares his Libelle |
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| The Chairman and Lance discuss the finer points of daily inspections |
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| Ray and Aiden conduct positive checks on K-13, CCY |
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| I am sure that there is something missing on Steve Fletcher's Open Cirrus. |
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| There's always fettling to be done. Phil works on the headrest of his DG300. |
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| Andy even Andy is at it with his Libelle. |
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Meanwhile, at the hangar Colin and Steve measure the control surface deflections
of Twin Astir 1, DSL, after its annual inspection prior to releasing it to service. |
First up was Dave Osment for a check flight before being cleared to fly his own glider, K-6CR, FUB. Then Michael M-S for a check flight, a simulated launch failure, and then he made his second solo in a glider. Well done Michael. I hope you are enjoying the peace and quiet in flight after thousands of hours with those noisy engines, and rotor blades whizzing around above your head.
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| Lance and Mike look down on Zack in the K-8 |
Our first visitors, the Hughes family clan, came en masse. I never did manage to count them all, but it took several trips in the seven seat Volvo to get all three, at least, generations of Hughes, to the launch point.
Sisters Tegan and Morva, bought their dad Gerrard a pair of flights. Then they decided to fly as well in support of him. Will the other two sisters do the same in the future? Gerard enjoyed a couple of extended circuits before Tegan took to the air and soared with Gavin.
The thermic activity spurred Andy, Phil, Sean, John Osment, Steve Fletcher, Jamie, and Peter into long flights although not all "got away" on the first launch. Zack too had a long flight to achieve his second hour-long flight as part of his Sailplane Pilot Licence qualification. As ever in life its always worth reading the small print of what is required rather than listening to hearsay. Flying three times the duration required will get you doing chores at home for a very long time to pay for your flight!
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| Ed Nicholson soaring in the Twin Astir 1, DSL |
The duty instructor flew six trainees today in the K-13 and then the Twin Astir, after a successful test flight; Michael M-S, Lance, Ed Nicholson Aiden, Raymond, and Neal. Lance and Ed enjoyed some soaring and appreciated the extra time in their log books whilst Aiden added a number of launch failures to his flying experience.
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| Steve Fletcher's view overhead Horrabrifge |
Now it was Morva Hughes' turn. My ABCDE checks revealed that wind had freshened and was now straight down the runway. The conditions had changed. After a reasonable launch we found sink everywhere. After just three minutes we were back on the ground. On finals the vario showed 7 knots down and that was before I opened the air brakes. On our second attempt we enjoyed an extended soaring flight. Much better.
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| Older sister Morva Hughes ready for her flights |
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| Steve Fletcher encounters Peter's Kestrel in flight somewhere over west Devon |
Delays on launching and a busy launch queue meant that Steve Lewis flew our fourth visitor Brian Cauley, a 90yro retired policeman, so that we could keep on track with our visitors.
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Steve introduces the K-13 to Brian Cauley (centre in the light blue shirt)
and son-in-law Nick Beable, who bought the flight voucher |
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Whilst waiting to be retrieved back the launch point Steve Fletcher catches Peter
on his final approach after a cross country flight |
Our final visitor was Nick Maidwell. Nick is a former hang glider pilot, he had tried gliding at our sister club, Devon and Somerset, GC twenty years ago and last year at Seahawk GC. With the latter now closed Nick was interested in what DGS has to offer, especially the training regime, and the possibility of joining the club. I hope that my two flights with him, which included a soaring flight, helps him in making that decision.
The launch queue was busy later on with the K-6 aficionados; the two Daves (Archer and Osment) cranking out multiple circuits. Unimpressed, the old man of the sky, John Smith took the K-8 and showed them how to soar late in the afternoon.
After 44 flights it was time for the Wavers to pack up after a successful day.
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Back in the clubhouse Ed Borlase's Camelback has been on the table for weeks.
I am pretty certain that in this heat the contents are a biohazard
worthy of the attention of Porton Down biochemists and scientists! |
With the hangar packed the verdict on the new tow out gear for the Twin Astirs was universally positive. No more lifting heavy fuselage booms.
After a last pot of tea the Wavers departed after having let the sheep back on the airfield to do their thing and save us the cost of diesel in mowing the airfield!
Gavin Short
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