Dartmoor Gliding Society Club News: Dartmoor Gliding News

Good forecast for a change. Blue sky, wind light northerly veering to north , north east no stronger than 7 knots. Great, possible thermal? ridge? wave? The day offered lots of possibilities.

Leaving home early ( practice for a New Year resolution ) I was stunned by the beautiful blue sky with a light red horizon from the dawn. Overhead, the moon glowed brightly, the clear morning air making all the surface features easy to see. If I was even a little artistic I am sure that I would have been moved to write poetry or something. Even scraping the frost off the car seemed strangely pleasurable today.

The airfield was already a bustling scene when I arrived, aircraft out ready for inspection, winch being warmed up and cables inspected, Landrovers loaded with all the operational bits and pieces, parachutes, progress cards, radios etc. Good work everyone. The aircraft were inspect and the canopies carefully cleaned. ( canopy misting is always a problem on a day like this ) and we were ready to go.

Today's busy launch queue

There was a full flying programme, Instructor Ged Nevisky and I kept the 2 seaters busy and in the air all day, the K8 and Zugvogel were both used to entertain the solo pilots. We even had a private glider at the launchpoint; one of the Astirs. Not a bad grid for the end of November.

Stefi with her new favourite aircraft, our venerable K8

We welcomed several visitors today. Martin Ward was our One Day Course candidate, Mick Shaw with son Raffe, and Mark Shaw ( no relation) had Air Experience flights. The big news today was that our new member Stefi, who re-soloed last week and pronounced the K13 as her favourite glider, continued her meteoric progress and converted to the K8 which has now become her favourite glider. Longest flight of the day was by Mike Gadd with 19 minutes in the Zugvogel followed very closely by Martin Ward in K7m G-DDAK being flown by me at 17 minutes.