Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 2nd October 2016

Over 38 flights took place today over the UK that were in excess of 100km (the longest being 300km, from Keevil, in North Somerset) - one of which was from Dartmoor! But more of that later.

A very promising weather forecast (RASP showing 3.5 by 1:30pm) for the time of year generated an equally good turnout today, with visitors, trainees and solo/privateers aplenty. Plus the all important Acceptance Flights for our two new Asst Cat Flying Instructors, Rick Wiles and Peter Howarth. Undertaking the new modular BGA Course has been like a marathon for Rick and Pete, requiring them to give up weekends and travel to at least three other clubs in order to complete the various sections, plus ground school at Brentor, demanding a great deal of commitment and time away from home. And yet they seem to have come through with their sense of humour intact! Well Done both, and thanks also to CFI Don Puttock for leading their training.

Newly Qualified Asst Cat/Flying Instructors Rick Wiles and Peter Howarth
congratulate each other having completed their Acceptance Flights today
(CFI Don Puttock was in the air at the time)

On the ground we got off to a bit of a faltering start, but it wasn't long before Duty Pilot (Don Puttock) put things right and by afternoon we managed 2 hours at 8 launches per hour, with 3 others at 6 lph and 1 at 7 lph.

By 11am the sky was starting to look very impressive over Cornwall, and not long after the Cu began popping off over the airfield. The wind was a little disappointing, choosing to align itself much further SW than the westerly that had been forecast, however it was nothing like the Southerly near gale that blew yesterday, and did not hamper our operations.

Roger Appleboom, today's intrepid IFP, flew with visitors David Gilbertson, Martin Hills, visiting photographer Roger Bacon and émigré paraglider Jan Baev, whilst shiny newly qualified Peter Howarth flew with trainees Dave Westcott and Callum Doyle and Rick Wiles flew with trainee Ed Borlase - we waste no time at Brentor!

Visitor David Gilbertson flew with IFP Roger Appleboom

Visitor Martin Hills

Photographer Roger Brown travelled from London to visit the club.

Four of our solo members managed flights in excess of 30 mins, including Barry Green (43 mins), Richard Roberts (47 mins), Robin Wilson (57 mins), and Roger Green (2hr 9 mins). Richard used the day principally to show off the sinuous lines of his new Discus 2bw (which in Schemmp-Hirth-speak means: yes, it's got "2 bloody winglets"!), whilst Roger, in no need of such fripperies, flew a quadrangle of 110kms in his ASW-20, around Roadford Lake (reservoir), Launceston, Gunnislake, Princetown and back, spending 65% of his flight above 3,000ft amsl, and almost all of it above 2,000ft amsl (just the launch and the landing weren't...), returning to base as a convergence began to set up in late afternoon.

Flying N-S to the west of Dartmoor, Roger spotted a convergence zone begging to set up.

With Tavistock approaching on the nose,
another view of the convergence from Roger’s ASW-20.

Roger Green’s view of Roadford Lake to the north of the A30.

Late afternoon?? Yes, it has to be admitted that 'late afternoon' is creeping in and rapidly reducing temperatures (misting canopies) plus low angle of the sun (glare) mean we may need to start packing away (stack) before our keen, newly qualified instructors are ready to hang up their parachutes. So remember, you have a part to play in safety (whether it be advising caution or just calling "Stop, Stop, Stop"); and no one will object to us achieving less than the 53 launches that we did today, if a potential incident is avoided in doing so.

Martin Cropper