Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 12th February 2020

Driving up to the field the weather didn’t look that great with low cloud but the forecast was optimistic. I wasn’t that hopeful that we would be flying though, as we have had so much rain recently I doubted the field would be good enough. Peter Howarth arrived at the same time as I did and surveyed the length of the field. With lots of standing water on what are normally the best bits it was an easy decision to make, there would be no flying today! The forecast turned out to be over optimistic and showers, heavy at times, came and went through out the day so it was never going to be a flyable day!

The Wednesday workers set about various jobs. The electrician responsible for our safety check arrived and gave us a clean bill of health so a huge thank you to all the members who have done all the electrical work recently and since the last check 5 years ago.

John working on the new launch point

John Smith was working away at converting the bus into the new launch point, ably helped by Phil with noticeable progress being made. Huge thanks to John for driving this project forward.

eanwhilePeter Howarth, Phil, Robin, Malcolm and John Allan helped me load my trailer with aluminium from the old caravan which I took to the scrap yard. It took 2 loads to get it all removed. Next up was a trip to Sparlings waste to get rid of all the rest of the caravan, such as the fibre glass, windows, panels etc, another full load. All that remains of the Caravan is the Chassis which is in good order and can be put to good use.

John Allan got the simulator up and running and various members took it in turns to have a few minutes in it between working on the various jobs.

Flying the Simulator. 

Thanks to everyone who came today, a very productive day.

Steve Fletcher