Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 19th October 2014

Attempting to comply with the order on the public address system of the National Express coach to London that I was to 'sit back and relax...' I reflected that the day had in fact been better than expected, and a vast improvement over the strong winds and low cloudbase of yesterday.

Roger Appleboom changing ends with the Zetor.

That said, the wind remained 'fresh' (K-8 off the ground in two steps) and approaches - at no less than 60kts and 45 degrees - were 'fun'. It was also a day when timing was less critical than luck: a strong SW-NE street set itself up quite rapidly just south of the airfield and then just as quickly dissipated, as illustrated by the fact that longest flight of the day, at 25 mins, took place before 1145 (Roger Appletwist) and second longest flight was after 1530 (Jerry Wellington) - both in the club K-8.

K-13 launching to 1,300ft.

With Don Puttock on hand to share the training load we minimised the turn-round time for K-13 G-DDMX and flew with visitors Hamish Halls (see photo), a local resident who remembers gliders flying from the aerodrome at Harrowbeer (Yelverton) in 1950, Tom Scott a commercial property agent who had travelled from London with (voucher buyer) girlfriend Elsa Quinn and Gary Stephenson, from North Devon, who got the last laugh over his family who had set him up as a 'dare' by enjoying a soaring flight to 2,000ft and 11mins in the air.

Visitor Tom Scot with girlfriend Elsa Quinn

Visitor Gary Stephenson

Visitor Hamish Halls looks pleased after his flight.

Whilst it has been said before, it must be said again that the value of putting the winch in the top field is exceptional: even the time spent on the wire gives cause for confidence, and in the expert hands of Allan Holland sent the K-8 to a release height of 1,700ft, whilst the two-seater regularly reached 1,300ft.

It was good to see travelling pairs of trainees Chris Jones and Jana Darmovalova, Chris Owen and Pete Harvey, and Pete and Paula Howarth at the launch point, whilst member Award of the Day must go to Scratch Hitchens who came, winched, but didn't fly in order to return to his ship in Portsmouth ready to sail at 'Oh crack sparrah!' Monday morning.

Allan Holland breaking the weak link in the K-8!

So whilst getting a soaring flight was dependent upon whether you were blessed by presence of the cumulus street or not, it was a day when you were able to 'sit back, relax and enjoy' the launch (unlike the coach) and also some long launches and strong, smooth, lift as it passed over the airfield.

Martin Cropper