Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 1st March 2015

Relaxing in the clubhouse for a late lunch having safely retrieved the gliders from the airfield before the wind flung them over the boundary fence, Adrian Irwin reflected with satisfaction, “Well at least I got flight of the day…” “Oh no you didn’t!” came the chorus in response for, whilst Adrian had gallantly worked a weak late February thermal for 13 minutes in the Zugvögel, behind his back Peter and Paula Howarth had taken a bouncy early March two knotter to 1,600ft in the K-13, returning to earth a full 14 minutes after setting off! Oh how we laughed..! (Fortunately Adrian, although fiercely competitive, always takes this kind of ‘banter’ with good grace…)

"Close up, Number 5!"  A flypast by Canada Geese started the day.
They were clearly still in pre-display 

 The day had started with a flypast by some Canada Geese which were clearly still in pre-display season training (as the photo shows). With a cold front encroaching into the SW peninsula and the wind at midday predicted to be 230 at 30 kts, the aim was to get in as much flying as possible before Met stopped play, which we guessed would be about 1400.

Paula Howarth appreciating the improved vis via HXP's canopy whilst thermalling over Higher Farm.

As early morning conditions were bright and only moderately breezy, therefore, we sallied forth with new two-seater HXP and the aforementioned Zugvögel, keen to gain/remain current as appropriate. Paula Howarth was first to clear the cobwebs (see photo), greatly appreciating the improved visibility afforded by HXP’s canopy and its relative silence when compared to DMX, to be followed by Adrian in HKV to the thermal we were marking over Higher Farm. Joining at 900ft, he scratched away to 1,500ft, by which time the wind had taken him way over Blackdown - fortunately the Zugvögel has the punch to get back, and maintain an even keel in a cross wind landing. It was then Pete Howarth’s turn to stay current, which for him means passenger carrying in the K-13, before he was due to convert onto the Zugvögel.

Cirrus heralding the arrival of the cold front in early afternoon.

Sadly, however, by 1230 the wind had gone from breeze to blast, as evidenced by the windsock’s attempt to ascend above the horizontal and it was time to beat retreat. By 1400 the rain was lashing against the windows of the clubhouse, we had the gliders safely packed away, and we were able to compare notes from the log sheet (which never, ever lies..!)

Thanks go to Richard Roberts for being general factotum, and to Colin Boyd for pointing out that when you can hear the wind blowing through the trees, and you can’t successfully recover the cable at full power because of the crosswind, it’s probably time to be packing up.

Martin Cropper