Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 7th July 2019

Just Enough, Just in Time? You betcha. Today’s lean manned team not only managed to deliver soaring flights for all our members, but also aviation to a variety of visitors.

Roger Green and Neil Rogers take to the skies in the K-13.

Instructor Peter Howarth launching for a 45 minute flight in the K-8.

A gentle north-westerly provided benign conditions, but a slate grey pavement of cloud prevented the sun from providing consistent heat to the ground and hence soaring could not be guaranteed. When the sun did break through, however, its heat was rapidly put to effect, enabling Roger Appleboom to bag flight of the day in mid-afternoon with a 1 hr 10 min flight to 3,300ft. But let’s rewind to the morning, when visitor Jacqueline Wilding-White delivered surprise of the day by producing her Log Book, which showed her to be a Silver ‘C’ holder from 1994. A swift climb to 1,500ft was sufficient to allow her to demonstrate that she hadn’t lost her touch, despite the 25-year gap – who says those skills are perishable..?!

Visitor Jacqueline Wilding-White, from Newton Abbott.

BI Roger Green later flew with visiting pair Alan Britton and Martin Yeo, whilst privateer Leith Whittington gave his Dart 17R its final few soaring flights before ARC (it being rumoured that this superb piece of English engineering might soon be available on the market…)

Visitor Alan Britton is shown the controls by BI Roger Green.

Visitors Alan Britton and Martin Yeo from Bude are presented with their certificates by Roger Green.

Highlight of the day had to be when it appeared that the streets of Plymouth had been emptied with the arrival of visitor Grandad Neil Rogers, accompanied by his (two Range Rover Discoveries filling) entire family. To make the event even more memorable, he was treated to a cable break on his second launch, adeptly handled by Roger.

The Rogers family take a keen interest whilst Grandad Neil is briefed for his flight.

The Rogers family, from Plymouth, in full.

To round off the day, we sent Ed Borlase aloft in the K-8 for a 30-minute (minus one) flight, reaching almost 3,000ft.

Martin Cropper