Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 30th November 2014

Eight/eighths cloud by 1200? I think not! The flight line defies the forecast.

As the committee performed a bomburst at the end of their meeting yesterday that would make any Red Arrows pilot jealous, Secretary Leith Whittington was heard to remark "Well I'm not going to bother tomorrow, the wind's west of North and it's going to grey, turgid murk all day." Not one to contradict a wiseacre like Leith, I agreed with him; and it must be said that the graph for % cloud and cloudbase on RASP yesterday evening showed 100% cloud at base 2,000ft altitude by 1200. Well, my learned forecasters and wiseacres, I would like to direct your attention to Exhibit A, (photo 1), taken at exactly 1200, which shows a near cloudless sky, perfect visibility and excellent flying conditions.

Visitor Brenda Kent, from Torrington.

And if you don't believe me ask either  Brenda Kent, who downed hoe and trowel at her garden centre near Torrington, or Gareth Sprangmore-Jones, who ventured all the way from Cardiff with his partner, to fly with us; Gareth passing one or two larger clubs on his way, to get here, too. Sadly, Gareth's announcement to his partner 'I'm addicted already' will probably turn out to be Usk's gain; however you never forget your first flight, do you?

Trial Lesson student Gareth Sprangmore-Jones, from Cardiff.

If the flight times weren't long (the wind from due North not being strong enough to get the ridge to work) the flights were valuable: Chris Jones adding another two solos in the K-13 (who IS going to brief him on the K-8?), son Max consolidating his trimming skills, Jeff Cragg staying current in the K-8 and Pete Howarth using that same craft's high lift wing to stay aloft for longer than anyone else.

As the afternoon progressed the cloud did begin to develop into thin fingers (see photo from Chris Jones), but the rising air beneath was very weak; and certainly not strong enough to disturb Chris Owen from practising his circuits.

Fingers of cloud did develop in the afternoon, as observed by Chris Jones at the western end of the airfield.

With a 90 degree crosswind and next to no lift conditions were ideal for a few 'eventualities', at which point who should appear? None other than returning aspirant Instructor Hugh Gascoyne who, after two landings on stub runway from the south (see photo) and a simulated cable break felt he had done sufficient to warrant an entry in his log book entry akin to 'makes you think, this gliding!'

Returning Instructor Hugh Gascoyne setting himself up for a landing on the stub runway.

By about 1530 the 'winter factors' of low angle of the sun and misting of canopies (ie. safety) were  becoming dominant, such that was only possible for AD émigré Sean Parramore to fit in one flight before we had to return the gliders to the hangar.  At which point it is worth reiterating that:- canopies need to be cleaned at the start of the day and kept that way with a supply of clean, dry dusters.  Also, if you can't see to launch, the answer is simple: don't - the release knob is there for that purpose.

Thanks go to Marcol Boyd for mentoring Chris Jones and Pete Howarth on the winch and then slotting into the driving seat himself - and also to everyone who turned up. Another day which proved the old adage: don't cancel the flying programme on the basis of the forecast.

Martin Cropper