Dartmoor Gliding News – Sunday 11th August 2013

As the wind, for once, blew gently up and down the runway and fluffy cumulus began to sprout in lines to the north, visiting trial lesson candidates Rita Rambellas and Darren Sherlock asked: "And what does a 'good day' look like?" To which the only possible reply was: "Like this!"  Which bode well for their trial lessons, and for our club members hopes for soaring.  

Sadly, the reality of gaining connection with the buoyant air that was clearly generating these clouds  was to prove a little more difficult than the theory.  With a nice long list of club trainees, plus 4 trial lesson students and a One Day Course to fly, there was plenty of trade to be got through, and everyone flew (well... all but one...).  

We certainly felt the benefit of second 2-seater G-DDAK  to spread the load, and the presence of David Jesty to help instruct.  Having passed his Bronze C exam by completing the Met Section, Tony Dean was able to convert to the Zugvogel, managing 4 flights before Allan Holland eventually wrestled the airframe from him.  

David and Don flew with one day course Sam Pawson throughout the day, Jerry Wellington got even nearer to going solo, David J flew with Rita and Darren, whilst Andrew Swann managed yet another 25 min soaring flight. 

Come the afternoon and all eyes were on David Parker's slim, white, minimally marked K-6 - but where was Dave?  Nowhere to be seen!  Sadly, having flown his 'grey' mount for the first time on Wednesday, Dave had succumbed to a migraine and was not fit to fly.  So, having flown with trial lesson student Jenny Hill, and whilst whilst I flew the final candidate Audi mechanic Joshua Clover (pictured), it just so happened that David Jesty was then free to test fly Dave's K-6, to see if he cold iron out some niggling problems with the variometers. After 1hour 25 mins of investigation above 2,000ft, David returned to earth to declare "There might be a bit of a problem with the averager, but otherwise I couldn't find anything wrong..!"     For which Dave P must have been enormously grateful. 

Instructor Martin Cropper explains the instrument panel to visitor Joshua Clover 

In amongst all this, Roger Applegloom and Leith Whittington were quietly plugging away at their solo flying, which for Leith included a (the only one of the day) low cable break, nicely handled.  

As six o'clock nudged seven, and with the hurdle fence already up (which perhaps accounted for the sub-optimal launch heights, but you can't argue with cattle in the top field!), it was time to reflect upon 40 launches, some of which led to soaring, some to training progress, and some to a very first escapade in the sky, and all of which concluded with a very palatable bottle/can of beer courtesy of Tony (Dixie) Dean and his success in the Bronze exam (I think we need to make up some more exams for him to pass!)