Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 3rd December 2014

With a forecast of dawn to dusk sunshine, a manageable north easterly crosswind and a mud-free airfield, a pleasant (if rather cold) training and keeping current day was on the cards, with the possibility of lift developing in the form of either wave or thermals.

Early morning on the runway with an endless blue sky.

Thanks to Phil Hardwick, Adrian Irwin, Chris Jones and David Rippon who arrived early to get the kit out and the airfield set up (including a change of ends). Steve Lewis arrived shortly thereafter to 'entertain' one day course student Tony Baxter from St Austell. Also on hand was Ian Osborne, followed later by Adrian Pike, and much later by John Rogers, Bob Sansom and  'night watchman'. Alan Holland.

One Day Course Student Tony Baxter

However, compared with our usual Wednesday 'hordes', today's attendance was disappointing, resulting in only the K13 and K8  in action, and only one private glider, Phil's  Astir. One can only assume that other members were deterred by the low temperatures, the distractions of Christmas shopping and awareness of the fact that we've only one two-seater available at present. Also, of course, it's all too easy for us
Wednesday oldies to forget that most people need to work for a living.  Setting all these mitigating factors to one wide for a moment, all I would say is that it is important that all solo pilots should make an effort to become and remain genuinely current - which at this time of the year means turning up and getting into the air.  The club is fortunate in having a small, enthusiastic core group of volunteer instructors, winch drivers and launch point operators who turn up regularly on weekends and Wednesdays to help you to achieve your goals. But if you're expecting to reappear in the spring to re-solo or carry passengers after just a couple of token check flights, I urge to you think again - and to regain currency before the rush starts.

Phil Harwick rigged his Astir "just in case ". Well, there was some east in the wind

So what of today's flying achievements? Well, nothing very exciting to report, other than the fact that despite having so few of us around to run the field and to fly, we still managed 18 launches - which would probably have been 26 had we not suffered a cable snarl-up during the early afternoon.  Right from the start we experienced hints of wave-like symptoms followed later by some weak cumulus clouds. Neither proved to be productive, although for me it was amusing to bask in the back of the K13 while David Rippon - determined to regain currency - screwed the glider around tightly in a weak thermal, gaining 200 feet and the longest flight of the day (9 minutes!). Unfortunately because of the crosswind and lumpiness on the approach, neither David nor Chris Jones were able to fulfill their K8 ambitions, and Ian Osborne was prevented from extending his tally of solo flights in the K13.

K13 G-DDMX towing back to the launch point for one last flight

By the way, a big thank you to Chris who of his own volition spent the whole day winch driving.

The day ended with David rushing off home to 'crunch numbers' (just like old times!) in the absence of his field treasurer oppo Robin Wilson, a bunch of us thawing out in front of the log burner in the clubhouse, and a late phone call from 'he who never sleeps'(i.e.Rick Wiles, our dedicated winch master) which resulted in Phil and Steve venturing out into the darkness to disconnect the bottom hose from the ex-Perranporth winch, in order to to prevent frost damage.

Bob Pirie