Dartmoor Gliding News – Wednesday 30th October 2013

 Having scrubbed today's one day course and trial lesson yesterday due to the threat of gale force winds and rain rattling in from the south, enough club members heeded my call for an early(ish) start for us to get some flying in as well as some chores done.

To bravely go?

So it was out to the east end launch point with K13 DMX, and then a meagre total of five instructional or 'refresher' launches with either Ged or me in the back seat. Meanwhile trial lesson instructor, Steve Lewis, had a day off and played a sort of Craig Revel Horwood judging role, as he and the rest of the gang scoffed doughnuts while observing and critiquing some buttock-clenching approaches, including a couple onto the stub runway from the north (which only tends to happen rarely - and on 'exciting' days).

As John Rogers and I sat awaiting a launch with the glider weighed down with tyres and club members, I decided that enough was enough, so it was then a long ground run back to the safety of the hangar behind a Land Rover Discovery, with Ged providing some extra weight by sitting in the front cockpit.

Shall we, shall we not?

Reflecting on the 'big blow' over the weekend, we were amazed that Dartmoor Gliding Society appeared to have survived unscathed. But then someone ventured behind the hangar to find that a giant beech tree had fallen - and just visible beneath it was the K8 open trailer. Fortunately the hangar and glider workshop were spared, but two certainties are (a) that the trailer will have sustained damage, and (b) that we may be able to help pay for it by selling logs to club members.

Having read about CFI Don and team's stocktaking and general tidying efforts last weekend, we were impressed (but rather bemused) by the way they had re-positioned the launch point caravan at a jaunty 45 degree angle to the runway. All very creative, but this innovation was obviously less-then-ideal visibility-wise, and we also found the radio battery flat. This was partly because of the way the solar panel was now angled away from the sun, but also because someone had left the radio plugged in and switched on.  It was only later that Steve Lewis noticed a 15 metre-long gouge in the ground and realised that it was not Don but the gale which had moved the vehicle. (It is now back in its correct position, by the way.)

An encouraging trend on recent Wednesdays has been the presence of several temporary members who, having enjoyed one-day courses or trial lessons, keep on coming back for more, as well as some who 'take the plunge' and become full members. Recent recruits have included John Rogers and Adrian Pike, and today we were pleased to welcome back Stephen Fletcher.  Stephen, who lives at Dousland,  enjoyed a one-day course with Steve Lewis a week ago, and was so enthused that today he not only joined the club, but signed up for 'fixed price to solo' training. Welcome aboard, Stephen!

Refusing to be deterred by the weather, Stephen and Jorg Beasley (the latter arriving too late to fly) ended their training day with sessions in the simulator.

Canopy polishing

While were were grappling with the autumn weather, back at base John Bolt and my syndicate partner Martin Broadway completed the annual inspection of our ASW20F. Then after flying ended, Alan Holland and Dave Bourchier, aided by John Rogers, did a splendid job giving the cockpit canopy of DMX a thorough fettling.

Bob Pirie