Dartmoor Gliding News–Wednesday 9th April 2014

With only one club two-seater available this week, additional pressure due to unusual circumstances to provide several of our normally solo club pilots with two-seater flying, a couple of trial lessons to deliver and several cable breaks, it was not the easiest of days. Then there was the airfield itself. drying out and pristine following last week's hole-filling and rolling efforts. But the potential wrath of vice-chairman Colin Boyd was ever-present, had we created any ruts while landing or retrieving gliders.

Young Benjamin Hyde Enjoyed his trial lessons today.

I started the day with a briefing of the dozen or so members present, covering the airfield surface situations. Today's mission was to try to keep everyone happy, by providing every member with at least one flight. Then there were the needs of trial lesson candidates Benjamin Hyde and Nigel Payn to be met.

Visitor and new member Nigel Payn began his flying training today

With a couple of regulars absent, but the welcome return of several familiar faces in the form of Adrian Pike, Chris Fagg, Mike Keller, Martin Broadway and Malcolm Roberts, there was no shortage of enthusiasm and experience. But despite reluctantly imposing a rather pathetic 'one flight per person' ration, we still ended the day with a couple of our hardest workers unflown. So whatever happens next week, it'll be VIP priority for Adrian and John Bolt.

I'm not sure how many launches we achieved, but Steve Raine and Malcolm Roberts worked hard for most of the day winching and retrieving,  later to be replaced by night shifters Robin Wilson and Karl Andrews. Momentum on the instructional side was maintained by Steve Lewis, and later boosted by Ged Nevisky, after a morning spent at the dentist's.

From start of play until mid-afternoon, conditions got better and better, with good thermals and some useful cloud streets. It's just a pity that, apart from Phil Hardwick and Andrew Beaumont with their Astir, none of our other private owners rigged and flew, because I believe flights of several hours and maybe even a run to North Hill would have been on the cards.

Conditions were not always easy - but 'interesting' - and Phil had what he described as one of the most enjoyable flights of his life of nearly two hours' duration. Then Robin Wilson flew the K8 for 39 minutes, bringing it back 'to give someone else a go'. Never one to miss an opportunity, I handed over the two-seater to Ged, and spent a fascinating half hour or so flying along the downwind side of a descending cloud street; in the process climbing in a straight line towards Launceston, to a second cloudbase at 3,000 feet. Slightly concerned that I might become cut off from the field by clag and possibly rain, I airbraked my way down to resume my back-seat duties.

Towards the end of the afternoon much colder air quenched our enthusiasm, but not the spirit and good humour of DGS members which,  along with our stunning scenery, make our club such a special place.

Bob Pirie