DGS News Sunday 5th May 2013

If the Armchair Pilot, inexplicably struck down by an unforeseen cold/virus/bone-in-the-foot that just happened to coincide with snooker from the Crucible, had been distracted by the shape of a cumulus drifting past his conservatory, he probably would have surmised 'Not a bad day; they'll be flying 5 hours/500kms today no doubt' before returning to the 10-7 frame cliff-hanger between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Barry Hawkins.
 
If, however, he put down his copy of the 'Mail on Sunday' and attended the airfield, he might have formed a different view. For when Allan Holland returns from the sky saying 'That was hard work: whenever I turned on the surge all I got was extremely heavy sink', you know that blue sky and cumulus does not necessarily mean it's going to be a 'walk in the park'. 

Karl Andrews (from Yelverton) ready for a trial flight with Martin Cropper

 That said, early in the day the prospect was promising: sun, warmth, freshness and breeze directly from the South (but not too strong); but as time went by the upper wind going to the west complicated matters and it wasn't possible to tell if it was thermal, wave, sea-breeze or a mix of all three.  Nonetheless, it was good to see the K-6s of Colin Boyd and Roger Appleboom (max time 11 minutes) on line, to welcome the return of Scratch Hitchens from sea (spinning tales of his own private air display by the Red Arrows in Cyprus) and trainees Leith Whittington and Dave Parker, who managed to keep Don entertained all day ('They're getting close' Don said, but to what..?)

Kevin Knight (from Tavistock) came for a trial lesson today

Whilst Trial Lesson students Karl Andrews, Kevin Knight, Ivan Mackay and Bob Goodall all did their best interpretations of Arnold Schwarzenegger's: 'I'll be Back!', we must also remember that, without the contributions made by Nigel Williamson on winch, Heather Horswill on retrieve, and Dave Bourchier on any/everything else, they wouldn't have ascended to the heavens in the first place. 

So,whilst it was a day when the sky wasn't easy to read, it was a. a lot more challenging than watching snooker on the telly and b. much more satisfying than reading the 'Mail on Sunday'.  

See you at the launch point, Armchair Pilot..!

Martin Cropper