Dartmoor Gliding News – Sunday 22nd December 2013

On checking my emails first thing this morning there were 5 weather warnings from the Met Office, and a reminder from Amazon that Christmas is coming.  What to view first?  Well, the Met Office warnings all seemed to ‘bracket’ today, as did the weatherman on the radio, so it was off to the club without more ado, where the talk was all about the wind being predicted to be 270 at 40 knots, and therefore that Cox Tor would definitely be working.

Sunrise over the trailer park

 Well, perhaps not all the talk, and thankfully a lashing of rain did give the Sunday Soarers sufficient time to enjoy their quails’ eggs, salmon and scrambled ducks’ eggs at a gentlemanly pace before being compelled to open the hangar doors, for what was certainly going to be the last flying day before Christmas.

Breakfast of Quails eggs, Smoked Salmon and Scrambled duck eggs, c/w toast and marmalade

A quick planting, Amundsen like, of the windsock showed that Cox Tor definitely would not be on, (sighs of relief all round) but that aviation certainly would be, albeit with a 90 degree southerly crosswind.  With Dave Parker and Roger App.store taking the fight to the heavens, we got off to some ‘cracking’ 1,500ft launches, however the intervention of an ‘isolated’ shower, as illustrated, put a stop to proceedings for a period.

It was a day of Isolated...

... Showers

That didn’t deter Leith Whittington from getting airborne nor, after another shower, Andrew Swann, who was given a ‘master class’ flight by Allan Holland, that terminated in a hangar landing where the wheel (without a brake) stopped just prior to the track.

Back Seat Rider Andrew Swann about to be launched with P1 Allan Holland

A high wind day where it was possible to ‘moonwalk’ a glider, Michael Jackson like, backwards over the airfield before ‘breaking’ into circuit, one had to be alert to the strong crosswind, and approaching squally showers, but it was a well worthwhile being there.

Safety Note: Do not, whoever you are*, turn up at the airfield at this time of year with anything less than vast amounts of windproof clothing and waterproof footwear (*may include nuts, and CFIs – or is that vice versa?)

Martin Cropper