Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 12th November 2014

Thanks to the early birds plus a few members of the team who rolled up slightly later (although not that late!), we got the show on the road in bright sunshine but with the access track 'stream' flowing down past the clubhouse in fine fashion, and deep puddles all over the airfield.

The appearance of the sun was all the encouragement we needed

With few of us around, and a forecast that the already brisk cross-wind would strengthen, we got just the K13 and K8 to the launch point (along with plenty of tyres!). After a couple of dual flights, Chris Jones managed to get in a solo flight, and Steve Raine and I did a bit of K8-ing, before the wind strength increased and that plucky little glider was returned to the safety of the hangar. At 10 minutes, Steve's flight was the longest of the day, so he was well-pleased.

Steve Raine just pointing out that he had the longest flight of the day
( in case anyone missed the fact )

Steve Lewis's intrepid one day course student  Andrew Wilkes joined us and 'gave it a go', before agreeing with his mentor that a return visit on Sunday might be less exciting and more productive. He's dead keen, and shows signs of signing up for full membership - and with one of our former airline pilots, Adrian Irwin (Adrian Mk2), actually signing on the dotted line today, this is all good news.

One Day Course candidate Andrew Wilkes will be back again

The rest of my flying day was spent battling the cross-wind with Adrian, helping to re-tread Dave Rippon (who after his long layoff is on the brink of re-soloing in the K8) and Jorg Beasley, back from several weeks away - a combination of coming out of retirement for a few weeks to earn some money, and then winning brownie points by spending it on taking Mrs B. on holiday to Singapore.

The cross wind have been persistant recently

During mid-morning, Adrian Mk1 (Adrian Pike) joined us and worked hard, but with the tricky conditions and a fast-falling temperature, declined to fly. Later, over a cuppa in the clubhouse, several of us admired his professional picture framing skills, the latest example being the rebirth of a previously tattily-framed print of a Spitfire.

The wind decreased slightly late pm, enabling Robin Wilson to get in the final flight of the day - a solo in the K13.

What else happened? Well, the skies were spectacular and the views incredible, with anvil clouds and rainbows aplenty. On on several occasions torrential rain stopped play; the Lamerton Hunt provided a colourful spectacle as they hollered and hunted around in the gorse (a bit like a more decorative version of a DGS strop-hunt); and Colin Boyd and Alan Holland confined themselves to the glider workshop, preparing CLT's wing for re-covering.

Looking at the forecast, it looks like it'll be downhill all the way for a while now, but talk of easterlies on Sunday doesn't surprise me, because that always happens my wife and I head off to the sunshine.

Bob Pirie