Dartmoor Gliding News – Saturday 8th February 2014

The Dartmoor Monsoon continues as one storm after the next smashes into southwest. It was very windy with showers and longer periods of rain and sleet.

The Met Office picture of this weekend's storm.

We arrived to find that the wind had caused some minor damage to the clubhouse. The large porch had been ripped from the building and it had sailed across the roof knocking off the wood burner’s chimney on the way. This in turn had bent up the roofing panel that it’s support wires had been attached to.

The porch panel flew here from the front of the building. The chimney is laying on the roof

So first order of the day was to remove the porch roof from it’s resting place and lay it on the ground in a safe place. We then recovered the dislodged chimney sections and bent the damaged roofing panel back into place.

This prompted a site inspection. The launch hut lives out on the runway and has been taken the full extent of the weather. It has moved a little but it’s drawbar and support leg have now sunk into the mud anchoring it in place. A couple of trailers have moved and we secured these. We will be encouraging owners to chain their trailers down.

At the hangar, Rick was working with Ray, the diesel fitter, on the ML winch. Unfortunately after checking out the whole fuel system it became apparent that the diesel pump is faulty. This has been removed for refurbishment or replacement. This is an expensive undertaking but must be done.

Our Romanian pilot Stefi was with us today. As she was the only inexperienced pilot on the airfield she became the focus of Don’s lectures; Principals of Flight this time. She is also studying the Bronze syllabus.

Mid afternoon there was an influx of club members as the committee assembled for a meeting. All that hot air might have produced a thermal except that by now the wind was gale force 9 and not even our committee could heat that up.

The day finished with a beer and tall stories.

Steve