Dartmoor Gliding News – Saturday 4th January 2014

So here we are in another new year. The winter storms have been lashing Dartmoor one after another but, apart from a couple of showers, today was a calm sort of a day. The airfield was very wet but, with care, a few flights with the K13 would be possible.

It was important for us to consolidate 14 year old Andrew’s solo status so that is what we did. A small handful of members manned the airfield so that Andrew could fly a check flight with CFI Don and three more solo flights. Way to go Andrew.

K13 resting after Andrew's flights

He wasn’t let off the hook that easily of course. After flying he received instruction in obtaining flying weather forecasts and NOTAM’s ( Notices to Airmen ); both important for all pilots to understand before flying.

Elsewhere, after completing the few adjustments necessary for the Guslaunch winch to go into full time service, Rick Wiles and Allan Holland retrieved the ML winch from the airfield and started working on it’s long overdue maintenance. The list of tasks seems quite long but every journey starts with a single step and they went to it with vigor.

Rick and Allan starting out on the ML refurbishment with much shaking of heads and sucking of teeth.
A bit like taking your car to the garage really 

Chris Matten turned up with K10 trailer. This trailer has had a complete new chassis. It is effectively a new trailer with the original aluminium top fitted. Chris still needs to refit the floor for the K10 the return to it’s home

In the hangar, the Pirat was reweighed. Gliders are weighed from time to time to ensure the aircraft’s total weight and centre of gravity positions are within design limits. The ARC renewal will be sent off this week and the Pirat will re-join the club fleet.

A productive day.

Steve