Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 15th November 2015

After it had been widely trailed that this weekend would be a 'no fly, groundwork' weekend, it was confidently expected that a strong team would be on hand to work on the airfield today.

And so it turned out - well, strong in arm, at any rate as the remainder residue of the "three quarters to dust" bequeathed to us by the Saturday team was manhandled into Richard Roberts's van by Dave Downton, Chris Matten and Martin Cropper, whilst 'roller jockey' Pete Howarth awaited the arrival of each load at the appointed spot on the centreline track. As our pictures show, the other members who responded to the 'call to arms' decided to remain behind the camera...not least of whom was Dave Bourchier, who managed to magic up a rubble bag from somewhere after one of those we were using impaled itself on the towball of Richard Roberts's van.

Today’s airfield track repair team with their equipment
(the other 20 members decided to remain behind the camera...)

 Working from the top of the hill back towards the clubhouse, we had used the residue before we got to the track that leads up from the hangar, so the ‘loaded’ question of the day was “how many more loads will it take to complete the track?” At least another two, would appear to be the answer... And that’s before we start filling holes and rolling the airfield…

“Please, sir, can we have some more..?”
Dave Downton loads the last shovelful into Richard Roberts’s van.

So with the dual aim of not wishing to cram too much pleasure into one day, and in order to keep further opportunities in prospect, we decided to draw stumps early, gave the roller (and Richard’s van) a good wash down and returned, without injury, to our families by daylight.

Martin Cropper