Dartmoor Gliding News–Sunday 30th September 2013

We've all heard of the rule of the seven 'P's.  Today was the rule of the three 'P's - normally possessed in paltry proportions by glider pilots: patience, persistence and positivity.  

Setting up the airfield at 8.30 it was only just possible to make out the church, thus cloudbase was pretty clearly defined as 200ft above the deck!  So equipment DI'd and ready we retired to the clubhouse where, upon arrival of our two One Day Courses, Dave Hanson and Roy Hodgson, our secret fourth 'P' weapon, Puttock, went into action with a brief on weather, wave, cloud and precipitation (well, fog) which kept the audience engaged until lunch.

At which point, strangely, they decided to depart.  And within half an hour the cloud over the airfield had cleared to reveal a shining white cap cloud over the moor to the east, a clear patch over the Tavy valley, followed downwind by walls of cumulus in a line N-S.  

Classic wave sky

Game on! Dave Parker launched with Don, disappeared from sight on the upwind side of the cloud and didn't return for some time.  I launched with Jerry Wellington to find that, within 10 seconds of release, it was possible to climb up the side of the cloud to 1,500ft.  The primary wave was quite far back, almost over the hangar, but soon moved forward (east) and spread further north-south, such that my job became being Jerry's navigator whilst he concentrated on getting us up to 2,300ft.

Wave clouds above the airfield

Jerry in pilot mode

As the afternoon progressed the wave got stronger, with some classic flying saucer shaped clouds visible to the north, and everyone managing to get at least some contact before it became less well defined (i.e.. rotor) at around 4 pm.  

K13 passing the K7M

Highlight of the day was getting a brace of Applebooms airborne, with Lyndsay celebrating her 35th birthday by taking a 40 min first flight in DMX with Don whilst husband Roger was simultaneously aloft in his K-6.

Lyndsay and Don in the K113

This was followed (back on the ground) by a superb coffee and walnut cake (thanks to Sunday Baker Dave Parker) adorned with candles that just didn't want to go out!  It was good to see the Swanns, Andrew and Mike, back on site, junior member Andrew flying for almost an hour in the wave, and Allan Holland who graciously gave up the prime time slot for Nigel Williamson (Happy Birthday this week) and Jerry Wellington to fly the K-8.

Can't blow the candle out

A good day. Pity the One Day Courses didn't hang on a bit longer - not enough 'P's... 

Martin Cropper