Dartmoor Gliding News–Wednesday 19th March 2014

 Some our more 'senior' members (of whom there are several in attendance every Wednesday) may recall the New Christy Minstrels' 1961 hit song, 'Three Wheels on My Wagon'. Well with a dry airfield, the sun breaking through, John Howe's arrival in his open-topped vintage Standard 8 and a healthy (and early) turnout of members (including enthusiastic one-day course candidate, Angela Bamfield , we started the day in an upbeat mood.  Indeed an appropriate theme tune as we got the kit out might have been 'Two (working!) drums on our Guslaunch'.

John Howe, Standard 8 and K7m

But then it all went downhill.  As the winch was prepared for a busy day, it was discovered that its solenoid was in a burnt-out and visibly-knackered state. It then took the best part of the day for a dedicated team, with a final 'assist' from Ray Best (diesel fitter), who happened to be present working on the ML winch, to succeed in removing the solenoid and starter motor assembly and take it off-site for professional assessment.

So all depended on the ML. Test flights by CFI Don in a K13 last weekend proved that more work needed to be done to ensure full power during the launch, and with Ray and a small band of DGS members wielding the spanners and 'A-team' drivers in the cab, I embarked on a series of further test launches - all of which I had to abandon as soon as I had become established in the main climb. Until this winch can deliver reliable, full-height launches consistently, it must not be used other than in controlled, test flight circumstances, therefore all thoughts of flying today were abandoned, and Ray will return on Saturday hopefully to fine-tune it back to health.

So setting all thoughts of flying today to one side, Steve Lewis escorted Angela to the simulator. Then while some members re-packed the hangar, others were up to their elbows in grease delving in the bowels of our ailing winches.

"Many hands make winch work?" not today but spare parts are on the way

John Bolt reckoned that in 30 years at DGS he had never known a day when we had been totally 'winchless' - which says a lot for our current team of dedicated volunteers who keep the club running - as well as their predecessors. We sincerely hope that through a combination of Fitter Ray's professional skills and hard work by the 'usual few' we'll have at least one winch working this weekend.

The "Black Hand Gang". John and Jorg have been working on the oily bits of the winch. 

But I urge all members to turn up anyway and lend a hand with various essential chores, before the 'usual few' run out of steam and enthusiasm though lack of support.

Onward and upward!

Bob Pirie