My first solo - Andrew Swann aged 14

On Friday 27th December, I decided to check the RASP (regional atmospheric soaring prediction) as I do every week before deciding which day to come and (hopefully) fly. On this occasion Sunday was looking slightly better than Saturday, but there was still the issue of the predicted 12 knot crosswind at 230°. I was hopeful of a solo after having had my medical done on the Tuesday previously, but after seeing the RASP prediction I was much less hopeful. But hey who knew how the day was going to turn out!

On the morning of the 29th December I arrived at the airfield at 8:45 but, unfortunately, today my grandad had to leave me and go and do some 'missions' as he phrases it. So I walked up to the clubhouse to find Tony Dean cooking breakfast. But where was everyone else? Sure as anything they all turned up and it was time to unpack the hangar and begin flying.

In  K13 G-DDMX waiting to go

 After hauling DMX and GDK up to the launch point it was time to begin. Because we were not using the launch hut we had no weights and/or cushions which meant I was not able to fly until Don and I had gone to the other end and collected weights and worked out whether the club had enough lead weights for me to solo in DMX or whether we would have to extract DAK from the hangar. Thankfully the club had enough weights, so loaded with 80lb of lead and some cushions we drove back to the launch end. After much appreciated help from Tony we lashed the lead in (making sure It wouldn't move) and then both Don and I put on parachutes and strapped in.

Launch 1 : uneventful circuit to the right, could have done with rounding out a little higher.

Congratulations from Don

Launch 2 : normal launch until Don pulls the release in the full climb. Right then I thought: nose down, 55 knots on the ASI, can I land ahead? No, so as planned in my eventualities round to the right we went. Right, have I gone back enough to land ahead safely? Yes! So in goes the diagonal leg, swiftly followed by the base leg, final turn, lined up with the airstrip, open the airbrakes and land! After getting the glider back to the launch point Don says that he's going to let me go on my own! 

So then, put the glider in the launch queue and run through my ABCD. Right, time to get in. Run through my pre-take off checks and the holding off the smile I asked for the cable.

With my left hand firmly clutching the yellow release knob, I was ready to go SOLO! 

Very uneventful launch (55 knots all the way up thank you robin) releasing at 1200 feet. Turn downwind, a few circles to use up height and then set off on my downwind leg. Just before I came parallel with my reference point I trimmed the glider for 55 knots. I then proceeded downwind a little further before putting in a diagonal leg with 900 feet showing on the altimeter, base leg and then turned finals at 800 feet and had a nice 2/3 airbrakes approach rounding out bang on my reference point. Now I think of it that was probably in my opinion one of the best landings I ever did. Get the glider back to the launch point where Don tells me that I can do that again if I want! 

I would like to thank everyone at Dartmoor Gliding Society for the help you have given me over the last 6 months, the Caroline Trust for the excellent work they do providing bursaries for young people who are interested in gliding, and I would like to give a particular thanks to all the instructors, especially to Don and one last thanks to my Grandad for helping me all the way through. 

Congratulation from Grandad

Andrew Swann