Dartmoor Gliding News- Wednesday 18th July 2018

Another Wednesday with instructor cover for afternoon and evening with 3 guest bookings awaited the regular Wednesday flyers. Unfortunately the day dawned grey and overcast. When I looked at the Met office forecast at 10.00 it predicted 30% to 40% light showers during the afternoon. The 4k RASP forecast predicted no rain with intermittent good thermalling on and off throughout the afternoon. Winds were forecast to be south moving steadily round during the day to SW.

As I drove to the field it was pouring with rain in Tavistock but dry at the airfield. At 11.00 Mike Bennet looked at the forecast in the club hut to see the Met office had changed the forecast since 10.00 and were now forecasting 80% chance of heavy rain all afternoon! The RASP still said dry.

Undaunted the crew set the field up with the launch point at the eastern end and the Gus Launch in the western end top field. The wind socks were showing a slight breeze of no more than 5 knots from the SE. Phil and I decided not to rig our gliders, a slight tail wind, gloomy clouds with heavy showers seen over Dartmoor didn't look promising.

In the Hangar the sorcerer and his apprentice continued to practice their dark arts on the clubs K8, wow what a transformation, Colin and Dave have done an amazing job.

Rick Wiles arrived a few minutes earlier than planned and with his usual optimism quickly flew with Bob Sansom a few times to get him back to currency whilst  Mike Jardine took my friend Steve Sherbourne for 4 flights. Steve having a go at the controls and flying very well according to Mike.

Steve Shebourne and Mike

Initially no one could find any lift but on their last flight Mike and Steve reported something happening to the North. Mike Bennet and Bob flew Bob's K8 and both reported sink to the South. Something was obviously starting to happen, whilst mainly overcast there were a few broken bits in the cloud cover. 

Rick Wiles flew our visitor Ernest Tidbury and managed 11 mins on the second flight reporting back that there was some very weak lift in places.

Ernest Tidbury with Rick

My turn in Bob's K8 so a hunting I did go. I found a weak thermal to the North of the Winch which after persevering for 10 minutes I eventually managed to get some height, the thermal strengthened but was quite tight, eventually getting me over 2000 feet and allowing me to get away. I found a good line of energy from Mary Tavy towards Hurdwick which allowed me to climb at 2 knots in a straight line for about 2 miles so I worked that a few times before deciding I should return and let someone else have a go, maybe I should have rigged the Cirrus after all!

 Rick flew Carole Hopcroft who returned for her second flight after last weeks disappointing short one and found a nice thermal getting to 2400 feet, a lovely 17 minute soaring flight.

 Landing in the K8  I was surprised to see the Windsock was now showing a steady Northerly breeze, it had changed from South Easterly to Northerly during my short 46 min flight.

Other than a few drops of water which couldn’t be called rain that landed on my canopy the day reminded dry.

A big thank you to Phil and Barry who didn’t fly but winched all afternoon and to Heather for driving the retrieve and fetching and carrying visitors. The last flight saw Rick taking a smiling Heather  aloft. Thank you heather for also cleaning the club hut, making tea and smiling at everyone.

Steve Fletcher