Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 7th February 2015

The forecast showed some exciting possibilities. The early wind would be extremely strong and gusty but would abate around midday. The wind was just east of north with North East forecast or flying heights. NE would there be wave? Careful inspection of the atmospheric soundings suggested that conditions would be favourable for wave after midday but that it would become increasingly cloudy with 8/8ths cover indicated.

The gliders were out of the hangar ready as the club waited for the wicked crosswind to abate. The hangar was occupied by Astir G-CJSK and it’s syndicate doing it’s annual C of A and ARC renewal while the rest of us drank tea in the clubhouse.

Today's visitors Rhodri and Wyn Davies

Eventually, conditions improved. The wind decreased but was still fully  across the runway. Signs of wave became obvious as the cloud cover increased. So game on.

Rhodri and myself in K13 G-CHXP waiting to launch.
The sky looks wonderful but required a climb through the rotor to get to the wave.

Wyn flying close the the wave bar gave....

A climb rate of 5 knots ( or 2.6 metres per sec ).
Subsequent study of the baragraph trace showed climbs averaging up to 6.8 knots

Both of the K13’s were kept busy. Most flights went soaring in the wave as pilots and instructors chased the ever changing wave patterns. Instructor David Jesty flew with the club members in K13 G-DDMX while I concentrated flying with our North Hill visitors Wyn and Rod Davies in K13 G-CHXP. Some flights launched straight into the wave, others had to climb out through the rotor which could be best described as “character forming”.

Approaching the secondary wave bar to share it with K13 G-DDMX passing ahead.

Flying above the cloud was exhilarating in the warm afternoon sunshine with heights to about 3600 feet above the airfield readily achieved. Because of the increasing cloud cover, returning to the airfield required the descent to be in the blue hole east of Mary Tavy to about 1500 feet from where a circuit at cloudbase could be constructed. Great fun. Approaches were interesting with the rotors and crosswinds but we have flown in worse.

Early on the snow on the top of Dartmoor enhance the view. Later this was obscured by the cloud

Most flights were limited to about half an hour, to ensure everyone got a chance to have a go. Longest flight of the day was visitor Wymn and I; we returned after 56 minutes; it would have been possible to soar all afternoon.

Instructor David Jesty with Roger Green in the back seat getting ready for another flight

We finished flying a little early as the cloudbase was descending rapidly and  everyone who wanted to fly had done so.

A good soaring day.

Steve