Dartmoor Gliding News-Monday 28th May 2018

Two Bank holidays this month and both lovely sunny FLYING days! Unheard of normally but I didn’t hear anyone complaining…

Rick and Peter were todays instructors.

It was a busy hot day where early on in the day the very promising looking skies simply did not deliver, and then things changed and there were some very happy people having longer flights, Steve Fletcher in his Cirrus showing off with a 2-hours plus flight towards the end of the day.

Steve Fletcher's view during his 2 hour 46 minute flight

At one point we had all the gliders on the ground ready to fly- and then there were none. The few of us left on the ground scanned the skies to spot them all!

We had a birthday boy, Mike Bennett, who gracefully accepted a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” sung by club members alongside gifts of sweets and crisps before flying started. Mike was later stunned into silence by his birthday gift from his wife, a voucher for a Spitfire flight at Biggin Hill!

One Day Course Candidate Stephen Hill receives his certificate from instructor Peter

Back to glider flying and we had two visitors Tim and PPL pilot Stephen. Tim enjoyed his Trial Flight and he stayed with his family to watch the flying and chat about his past gliding exploits as an Air Cadet where he was a solo pilot. See you again soon Tim.

Ex Air cadet Tim.

Stephen flew with Rick and latterly Peter for his One Day Course, Stephen who is usually a power pilot enjoyed his gliding day.

Thanks to Heather for services above and beyond retrieve driving (all day on a very hot day) and Barry for manning the winch for most of the day (supported by Mike when Barry went for his flight).

Karon Matten