Dartmoor Gliding News–Saturday 29th March 2014

With strong south easterly winds forecast we expected the club to be busy with members wanting to use any wave that developed. In the event the club was very quiet with just enough members to allow us to operate; perhaps everyone was busy shopping for Mothering Sunday tomorrow? It was a nice sunny day but it was cold in the strengthening winds.

The early flying was interesting with wide areas of wave lift available right off the end of the wire. This led to Matthew Wiles commandeering the K13 for an hours flight in an attempt to get a 1000 meter height gain for his Silver Badge but the wave was very low level and, try as he might, this just wasn’t possible today.

This picture of K7M G-DDAK was taken by Matthew Wiles from the K13 

At launch heights the wind was in excess of 40 knots from the SE with the wave sitting north-south so you could stay in the lift with the glider stationary in relation to the ground. Making progress to the south required increased flying speeds. The glider could could then be “reversed” back to the north while maintaining a SE heading by just slowing down. Great fun.

Lucy, Marvin and Matthew all enjoyed their flights in the lively conditions.

We had several visitors today. The Brooks family from Teignmouth  arrived with the fearless 11 year old Lucy, 16 year old Matthew and their 16 year old German exchange student Marvin all very keen to fly. They all enjoyed some soaring in the lively conditions. They left the airfield with big smiles on their faces. I am sure they will be back for some more flying.

One Day Course Candidate Andy Small with instructor Ged Neviski

Also with us today was One Day Course candidate Andy Small who visited last Saturday and helped out during the winch crisis. Andy is very keen to learn to fly and took a couple of flights with Ged. The air aloft though was not really conducive to learning to control the aircraft so he will visit again to complete his course. After we finished flying, Andy was given a controls lesson and basic handling skills training on the simulator in preparation for his next visit.

Amazing how dry things look already from the air

With the wind strengthening and becoming ever more gusty, the approaches became increasingly “lively” ( or maybe should that be “character forming” ) and by 4.30 it was decided that discretion is definitely the better part of valour so the gliders were returned to the hangar.

For those pilots who flew today, the satisfaction gained from exercising their flying skills was easy to see from the grins in the clubhouse. For those who could not make it today, you definitely missed out.

Steve