Saturday 16th October 2010

With a clear blue sky today promised perhaps a little soaring for the early afternoon. In the event the north wind was cold and the hoped for thermals did not really materialise.

Mark Courtney, DCFI and today’s leading instructor, was kept busy with training flights. He was ably assisted by Ged.

Very welcome today was a visit from a contingent from the Exeter University Gliding club who were checking Dartmoor out after our recent wave days.

There was a very good sight at the club today. Chris Matten’s K10 made an appearance at the launch point after several years of not flying during which the wings were recovered and repainted.

Chris Matten and the K10

For those who do not know, Chris’s Schleicher K10a is a very rare glider indeed. It was one of only 12 prototypes built during 1963 – 1965 as a replacement for the venerable K6CR. It has an all flying tail, new aerofoil section and a very sturdy wing construction which was aimed at producing a highly laminar airflow over the wing. Glide angle was improved from 28 K6CR to 32. Schleicher used the lessons learned from the K10 to produce very popular K6E which replaced it. This K10 is the only one on the CAA register and may well be the only one in flying condition in the UK.

     
Steve