Dartmoor Gliding News-Roger's Out and Return to Chicklade

Post Lockdown Cross Country

Thursday 9th July Rich Roberts contacted me and advised 11/12 July were looking promising for a 300k out and return from DGS. I was even offered a socially distanced retrieve should it be required !

Saturday 11/7/20 and RASP was certainly looking promising over Dartmoor and even better into Dorset and Wiltshire areas .

I arrived on site early and helped set the airfield up and rig K13 DMX. Then I went on to rig the ASW20 and put the 16.6 meter tips on for today’s flight .After checking Notams etc I was ready to launch just before 13.00.

Steve Lewis launched the Zugvogel into a magnificent looking sky and promptly fell down ! I followed in the ASW20L and I too was back on the ground in short order !
Oh Dear not a great start .

Prior to my next launch Richard assures me he will collect me if required and the day will go on long enough to complete the club 300k task to Chicklade and back .

Second launch was better I found lift albeit broken straight off the wire . After working this for a while this enabled me to glide Tavistock and I got a solid climb to cloudbase at 3750 QNH time now was about 13.50 .

Willsworthy range was active until 16.30 so I made my way up the West side of the moor avoiding the danger areas .I was soon over Meldon reservoir. There were lots of paragliders on Meldon hill but none were soaring .

Meldon Reservoir paragliders just visible on top l/h side .

On to Okehampton and cloud base had gone up to 4500 QNH and conditions were now good . I crossed the M5 just South of Cullompton .North Hill Exeter ,Exmouth and the airport were all clearly visible .

M5 , Exeter , Exe and Exeter airport.

I negotiated my way between Exeter and Dunkeswell ATZ’s and it was at this point I decided to go to well  South of Yeovilton MATZ . Conditions were now stonking !
So climb and glide at 70knts +.

The views along the South coast were stunning . Looking along the curve of Chesil beach and on to Portland Bill

The Jurassic Coast 

Once clear of Yeovilton MATZ stub I started heading North. A Lockheed C130 Hercules passed directly under me going East . Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo but it was quite a site .

I turned Chicklade at 16.00 and made the decision to route home to the North of Yeovilton MATZ .Bath and Wilts gliding club were active with numerous gliders soaring.
I was joined by a K6 at cloudbase .
I actually went straight over Yeovilton MATZ at 4000’ .

All was going well until around Chard where after a long glide into a deteriorating sky and probably poor decision making I found myself down to about 1700’ QFE .Not
a good time to get low at 16.45pm with 90k to run !

I worked a broken weak thermal into a steady 2 knot climb , phew !
I put North Hill gliding club into the glider guider and was pleased when it was within gliding distance 23k’s.

I set off for North Hill but conditions just got better. A sea breeze front was North of Exeter airport and curled around Exeter .I was over Cullompton at 5250’ at about 17.40 pm amazing.

The Sea Breeze Front

I texted Richard to see if Cumulus were still over the moor ?
Reply Moor okay
Willsworthy shut after 16.30 .
This made my mind up and off I went to Brentor.

Just North of Exeter 50k to run 4300QFE and 1140 ‘ below glide .

 I actually had a great run back to DGS routing over Bovey Tracey and straight over 20 k’s of moor. I was very pleased to cross Mary Tavy on the West side of the moor with 1200’ to spare at 90knts. I touched down at 18.04 pm.

My thanks to Richard Roberts for the offer of the retrieve and brow beating me into setting of so late .

Trace of the route flown . 302 km at 72kph 

Roger Green