Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 28th April 2021

 The met office forecast didn’t bode well, fresh Northerly winds low cloud and showers. However every time we looked the forecast changed, a bit like the weather really which couldn’t make up its mind with low cloud, blustery winds and some light specks of rain. 

The Wednesday crew duly gathered and it was decided to wait a while to see whether it might improve. The RASP was a little more optimistic, overly so as it turned out. Meanwhile the team cleared unwanted rubbish and stuff from the hangar. Phil summed it up when he said ‘the club is rich in unwanted stuff! Whilst one team did some tidying up, others led by Phil and John Smith put the last piece of rubber skirting along the bottom of the south side of the Hangar.

Mike Sloggett studiously pondered the sky and rainfall radar and announced it was time to ‘give it a go’.

The wind was mainly from the NNE and the field duly set up with the winch at the eastern end. The crosswind whilst in limits was strong at times. I elected to winch as I have recently had some long flights so time to repay some debt. John Smith and John Allen both took some training flights and did well in the cross wind conditions. Mike Bennet and Malcolm Wilton-Jones flew the K8 but Gavin managed the longest flight of the day with 14mins in the K8.  Colin, Andy Davey, Phil and I all elected not to fly and just help out with Phil taking over from me on the Winch.

A grey looking day

Mary Tavy

Looking SW towards the airfield from overhead Blackdown /Gibbet Hill
The pattern of gorse removal looks a little surreal

The highlight was seeing Robin Wilson return to flying after a 14 month lay off. Great to see you in the air again Robin.

Robin looks happy to be in a glider again

At around 1530 the wind decided to move round to the NNW. As everybody who wanted to fly had, it was decided rather than change ends we should pack up, we were all getting a little cold by then too.

Many Thanks Mike Sloggett for opening the field and instructing.

Steve Fletcher

Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 25th April 2021

A pre-briefing walk up and down the airfield proved most beneficial in revealing that ‘a’ the easterly gusts, although variable, were not exceeding 15 knots, and that ‘b’ rotor cloud just to the SE of the site indicated the presence of wave.  Now all we had to do was get into it.

With yesterday’s turbulent conditions in mind a cautious approach was adopted; hence we launched Rick Roberts with Martin Cropper for the first couple of flights.  As predicted, they found some wave, in a narrow line NE-SW just south of the airfield, but lost more than they gained and inevitably returned to land.  The approach, advantageously, was bracing but not turbulent.  

The K-13’s paintwork matches the sky.

K-13 CCY on approach.

Andy Davey then flew with Peter Howarth and, following Rich and Martin’s cue, managed to find rising air that, by using a combination of circling and beats, gradually took them to 2,000ft (see photos).  On landing Andy reported that it had been hard work with thermals giving assistance but no clouds to indicate the wave, with Peter adding that if you lost lift and returned to the spot where you had found it, it had gone!  

Peter Howarth’s view to the west from 2,000ft with…

…the instrument panel proving he’s not mistaken!

That set the tone for the day, with Ed Borlase jousting for height in a fifteen-minute struggle over Blackdown, to be followed by Phil Hardwick (also 15 mins) and Ray Boundy who innovatively found a ribbon of lift in the valley to the west of Blackdown but, as soon as he turned, you’ve guessed it, discovered it to have vanished!  Colin Boyd took the brake-van flight.

 Phil Hardwick fully ‘booted and spurred’ ready for flight.

 “All Out!”  Ray Boundy sets off and…

: …a few seconds later…

Ray returns the CCY safely to the ground.

Fickle summed it up – the wave was like walking a tightrope which, if you fell off, was too narrow to get back on and hence flight times did not reflect the enormous amount of concentration and effort invested by pilots, relatively close to the ground, in obtaining their modest achievements – all of which were followed by safe circuits and landings.  Well done, all.

As your reporter stepped into his car after several short but adrenaline filled flights he was surprised to notice that, actually, it was a very pleasant, warm, spring day!

Martin Cropper

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 24th April 2021

 Toda's forecast looked doubtful. 20knots+ easterly with gusts to 35knots. Depending on which forecast you believed the wind would either calm down or strengthen in the afternoon!. The thermal soaring forecast was looking hopeless and the sounding was not looking good for wave either.

Early morning on the airfield conditions actually seemed manageable so instructors Rick and Mike took a K13 for a quick circuit to check it out. Watching from the ground it was obviously turbulent and they landed saying  that we should stand down for an hour or two until conditions calmed down. In the event, the conditions got stronger and more gusty as the day progressed. At times, on the runway, it felt that the roaring easterly could blow you over to be  immediately followed by a gust of 15knots from the west. The gliders were return to the hanger where they stayed for the rest of the day.

We were determined not to waste the day so we split into two teams. The winch team spent their day painting the Gus Launch winch which is nearing the end of it's refurbishment. The winch will be Dark green with the dangerous moving parts in red and yellow accents on the cable drums. By the end of the day most of the winch was painted and most of the team sported matching paint splashes.

Painting the Gus Launch

The second team were off to the runway for some ground maintenance. The drains installed a few years ago have done a great job of draining the water off the runway during the winter but fill on top of one of them has sunk creating a long indentation across the west end launch run. Step up Team two. The fix was to top dress the indentation with top soil harvested from the mysterious humps behind the launchpoint. The grass will grow through this in a few weeks. This involved a lot of digging and moving soil about in wheel barrows. Heavy but satisfying work. After lunch the team decided to conduct a strop hunt across the south field.

Harvesting the top soil

David looks happy that his wheelbarrow is empty again

Ged levelling the fill

A productive day

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 21st April 2021

When the east wind doth blow, the private fliers do rig. And so it was, five private aircraft were rigged, a club K13, K8 and SF27. To avoid congestion at the launch point it was agreed to keep the private aircraft south of the launch point until they were required to launch.

After successful flights on Saturday, Mike Bennett was first into the K13 for some launch failure practice. After two well executed launch failures, Mike was cleared to fly solo.

Mike very pleased to be back solo.

Hugh Gascoyne asked for a similar launch failure practice. This proved very beneficial, when later in the day he suffered a real power failure and executed the recovery well.

Hugh ready for his check flight.

Next into the K13 with me was Alan Carter to carry on with his journey back to solo at DGS again. Two good flights and a high launch failure practice stands him in good stead ready for an early return to solo.

Alan Carter getting ready.

After Alan’s flights it was John Smith’s first flight after lockdown. Following a good launch we were soon climbing away steadily. Although climbing we were drifting downwind quicker than we were climbing, so it was time to push back into wind. After a second climb it was time to use the height practicing some stall and spin recoveries. We landed after 35 minutes. I decided to change trainees to allow John Allan a chance of a good flight. This resulted in a climb to 4000ft which was used to again practice stall and spin recoveries. He also received a demonstration of a spin oof a failed winch launch. Both Johns had two further flights each during the afternoon.

The solo pilots Andy Davey (Zugvogel HSH), Steve Fletcher (Open Cirrus CGY), Malcolm Wilton-Jones (SF27 FLZ), Roger Green (ASW20 FRW), Martin Broadway (K8 GDK), Phil Hardwick (Astir FCJ), Hugh Gascoyne (K6 FUB) and Gavin Short (K8 GDK) all enjoyed soaring flights of varying times. Longest flight was earnt by Steve Fletcher with a time of 3 hours 13 minutes.

During his flight of 2 hours 14 minutes Roger visited parts of Devon including the upper Tamar.

Calstock Viaduct.

Gunnislake & New Bridge.

A good day flying with 30 launches, an average of 30 minutes a flight and everybody leaving with smiles on their faces. Thank you to everybody who were at the airfield today and contributed to a successful day.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News- Sunday 18th April 2021

Our first Sunday for four months with training/two-seat flying permitted was celebrated in glorious sunshine generating some enjoyable soaring conditions.  Trainees, where the Sunday Soarers are concerned, at present consist of members who, with varying degrees of vintage, are returning to solo and so the emphasis was on easing them back into aviation whilst gently applying a feather duster to blow away the cobwebs.  Thankfully, only minor lapses occurred (eg. face masks not on as the canopy closed) which were met with a great deal of supportive/sympathetic ‘digital assistance’ (ie. finger pointing)!

The forecast was promising, with a light wind due to settle at SSW by about 1000 and cloudbase of 3,000ft agl.  In the event, the wind rarely veered beyond S, giving our trainees the familiar problem of a crosswind, but this was countered by a cloudbase which exceeded expectations.  Other aspects did not, of which more later.  In recognition of today’s special status we got both K-13s out, thus enabling us to make best use of available human resource (ie. instructors).  But first Martin Cropper was required to complete three (at least) check-out flights with another instructor, with Peter Howarth acting as pretend trainee/mentor/judge.  Thankfully, all went well thus enabling us to make use of both two-seaters.

Martin Cropper (back seat) prepares to be checked out
by fellow instructor Peter Howarth.

First up was Dave Westcott whose cogs showed little sign of corrosion, finding lift on his third flight and making good use of it for 20 minutes plus.  Next, Peter Howarth put Colin Boyd through some simulated cable breaks which culminated in Colin being pronounced qualified to fly solo – which he duly did in K-13 CCY.  

Colin Boyd prepares to launch in K-13 CCY
 having requalified for solo flight.

Ed Borlase then stepped into the front cockpit of K-13 HXP for a launch which flung him straight into a 4/6-knotter that went almost to cloudbase at 4,250ft agl (thus exceeding our expectations) – not bad for a first flight in four months!  After which, of course, there was only one way down: a traditional set of stalls, spins and (there being lift in abundance) eventually airbrake.  A couple of simulated cable breaks later and Ed was also returned to solo status.  k.  

Ed Borlase’s view of the world whilst undertaking spin training.

Ray Boundy followed with three re-orientation flights setting him up nicely for launch failures next week

Returning to solo trainee Ray Boundy brings K-13 HXP into land.

In the Astir, Peter Howarth also found strong lift, taking him to 4,600ft agl, but also some milky visibility (which did not meet our expectations) that curtailed his adventurous spirit. After 1 hr 10 mins, however, he returned with Flight (and Height) of the Day.  Syndicate partner Phil Hardwick then took the Astir for a 20 mins flight after a lengthy spell on the winch.

 Hiker and member Steve Fletcher
spotted K-13 HXP soaring over Blackdown.

On a day when RASP unusually underestimated soaring conditions, it was good to have trainees back and able to reacquaint themselves not just with a four-minute circuit, but also with what makes gliding special: soaring.

Martin Cropper

Dartmoor Gliding News- Saturday 17th April 2021

 This was set up to be a busy day as club members return to 2 seater gliding after the lockdown. Priority would be given to the 2 seaters with solo pilots ( who have already enjoyed a couple a weeks of flying ) respecting the 2 seater priority today.

The forecast was ok. Some soaring in prospect with the wind veering from SE to SW later in the day. In reality the wind was quite variable, Soaring cut off mostly at about 3.30 with the arrival of sea air with associated overcast.

Mike Bennett ready to go and...

Moments later is climbing through 1500ft at 5 knots

Flying started promptly with Instructors Rick Wiles and Mike Jardine checking each other out in the K13 after which a changed of ends was required which was completed in under 42 minutes. Both k13's were kept busy throughout the day with a mixed of check flights and training flights several of which allowed their pilots their first soaring flights for quite a while. 

Alan Carter ready to fly with Mike and...

A few minutes later is approaching 3000ft in a 6 knot climb

We were joined today by new member Adam Hoskin who has joined us after moving into the area with his K6 who, after a check flight and 2 practice cable breaks, flew his first DGS solo in the K8. Welcome to DGS Adam.

New member Adam with Rick on HXP

And what of the solo pilots. They managed to launch in between the K13's and notched up a few notable flights with Roger Green ( Zugvogel 3B ) 1:09, Steve Fletcher ( Open Cirrus ) 1:16, Gavin Short ( K8 ) 1:44, Malcom Wilton-Jones ( SF27 ) 1:02

Looking Down on the West end of the airfield

So, a good day with many pilots getting in the air for the first time this year and a new Club member flying solo. Total flights today were 38.

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News-Thursday 15th April 2021

As we unlock and return to flying spare a thought for the unsung background boys, although they haven’t been allowed back in the air yet, are toiling away in the hangar to enable those of who are now allowed to fly.

The scene of much work - otherwise known as the hangar

Following a 1 hour 35 min flight on Saturday the SF-27A suffered a strange main wheel deflation when it was turned round to be taken back to the launch point.  The wheel came off the rim of the hub but there was no puncture in the inner tube.  As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle reported strange things occur on Dartmoor.  Indeed, Fox Tor Mires which inspired Grimpen Mire in The Hound of the Baskervilles is just 12 miles to the south east of the airfield.

The SF27 hanging about waiting to be fixed

Solving the mystery of the strange deflation was much more than just a wheel change and inevitably took much longer than anticipated.  In addition, the operation of the (wheel) band brake was improved as was the associated operation of the air brake lever.  As a result the SF-27A is back on line/serviceable.  Thank you Colin and Alan.

Colin using built in vice to adjust the tyre
And true to Blue Peter Standards Alan has one he prepared earlier

Activity elsewhere in the hangar focussed on the K-13, HXP.  Following the first set of flights from the back seat in a long, long time the Chief Flying Instructor and Duty Instructor reported that the electric variometer in the rear panel wasn’t working.  There turned out to be little mystery to this fault, which was quickly fixed and a fresh battery fitted ready for Saturday.

As result of this non-flying day activity two single-seaters and two double-seat gliders are available for club members’ enjoyment this weekend.  Glider pilots come on down!

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 14th April 2021

The small group of assembled pilots started setting up the airfield to fly from the west end. The forecast gave a light northeasterly, veering southeasterly and possibly ending up southwesterly during the afternoon. Although the rasp forecast gave favourable conditions late morning, we initially had no private gliders rigged. A club K8 and K13 were DI’d and towed to the launch point.

The CFI tried to sneak disguised up to the launch point.

Mark Courtney sneaking to the launch point.

He was at the airfield to carry out my post-covid back seat checks ready for me to resume training and solo pilot checks. After a couple of launch failures and a 15 minute soaring flight, I was cleared to start training flights at DGS again.

Mark Courtney and Peter Howarth ready to fly.

Whilst we were on our short soaring flight, Steve Lewis launched in the K8 and was soon soaring away over Blackdown. This prompted Andy Davey to rig his Zugvogel.

Steve’s view of Roadford Lake in the distance.

The only solo pilot on the flying list requiring checks was Martin Broadway who started getting ready.

Martin & me ready to fly.

After Martin’s first flight, the wind had read the script and we now had a tail wind at the launch point. It was time to cast the spell Aerodrome Reversus and change ends. After a fairly swift change, towing gliders to the east end and the winch moved to the west end we were ready to start flying again. Martin had three more flights with me including launch failure practices and was cleared to fly solo again.

Andy Davey launched in his Zugvogel, only to return 6 minutes later. He took a second launch and managed to get away for flight of the day 1 hour 31 minutes.

Malcolm launching the K8

Malcolm took a flight in the K8 only to return after 6 minutes. He later took a flight in the K13 for 14 minutes. Gavin also flew the K8 and managed a flight of 1 hour 5 minutes. Finally Martin had his first post lockdown solo flight in the K8. With the forecast showers all around the airfield and everybody who wanted to fly, it was time to end the days flying. Only 16 flights, but a productive day.

Thank you to everybody who were at the airfield today and contributed to a successful day. Thank you to the winch drivers who put up with all the launch failure practices, especially Phil Hardwick for winching and choosing not to fly.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 11th April 2021

 As we look forward to the resumption (finally) of two seat flying tomorrow, today was the last restricted to licenced solo pilots only, and hence only a small band of happy wanderers appeared at the airfield.  

Despite a promising RASP forecast (N-NW’ly 10 gusting 15 kts, Cu potential good at 1000 very good by 1300, cloudbase 2,700ft agl rising and viz unlimited) it was decided that the Duty Instructor should launch first to ‘test the met’.  Well, as the photo shows, cloudbase of 3,000ft was achieved by 1115 local with climbs averaging 4-6 kts (a pity that the Duty Instructor didn’t take a radio to report this) which prompted Peter Howarth (Astir) and Andy Davey (Zugvögel) to get aloft as well.  Pushing north, they found conditions variable, with some large blue holes, but also cloudbase and energy increasing, such that both Peter and Andy (and later Phil Hardwick) achieved climbs to 5,000ft plus.

By 11:15am the Met Flight was nearing cloudbase at 3,000ft.

With intelligence suggesting that conditions to the east were not due to improve until later, setting off at 1130 Rich Roberts (Discus) at first went west to Liskeard, before reversing course to head for Somerset, using waypoints in north Devon to keep him clear of sea air from the south and, after 2 hours in the air, deciding en-route to declare Wells (instead of Taunton) as his turn-point.  Once rounded, he romped back using thermals kicked off by the northern edge of Dartmoor to return a little before 1600 having covered 307 kms (Gold Distance).  He was unable to claim the award, however, because he ‘failed to finish’ over the BRT turn-point (that being the hangar; not the landing area) but was nonetheless content, not only in having consciously headed the ‘wrong way’ to start with, and then amending the flight plan mid-flight, but also in finding some ‘stonking climbs’ en route!  

 Track of Rich Roberts’s 307km flight to Wells and return.

Lesser mortals (if that isn’t a discriminatory term) stopped at Roadford Reservoir or Okehampton near which Peter Howarth took some stunningly clear photos of Meldon Quarry and Reservoir, the size of the quarry making far greater impact from the air than can be appreciated on the ground.

 Peter Howarth’s stunningly clear image of Meldon Quarry and Reservoir.

 Peter Howarth’s view of the Tamar Valley – Tavistock is on the left.

 Peter Howarth on approach in Astir FCJ.

So despite there being only seven launches, the average flight time was 1 hr 49 mins (three flights being longer than 2½ hrs) to the immense satisfaction of all pilots involved.  Thanks once again go to Ray Boundy who logged and kept good order on the ground whilst the others ‘did aviating’.  Overall, however, having turned up early to get the equipment out, remained behind at the end to put the hurdle fence up, and just managing to squeeze a quick 307kms in between (with frozen toes by the end of it!) our Man of the Match Award for today must surely go to Rich Roberts: well done, Rich!

Martin Cropper

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 10th April 2021

 Another high pressure day with the wind set firmly in the north and forecast to remain between 10 and 15 knots. RASP was suggesting some good thermal soaring starting somewhat later. So with this in mind rigging was a fairly leisurely affair end up with a Discus, ASW20, Open Cirrus, 2*Astir, Zugvogel 3B alongside the club SF27 and K8.

Clouds starting to appear

First launch at 11.21am was Rick flying his Astir who promptly fell out of the sky with a 5 minute circuit. A second launch saw Rick hook a thermal and climb away for a 1 hour 34minute flight only returning to let syndicate partner Mike Jardine have a go. Mike needed 2 launches before finally getting away for 1 hour 16.

Open Cirrus lifts off with some good clouds in view

From this you might gather that getting away was not as easy as you might expect. Thermals low down were very tight small bubbles and several of these were needed to climb from the less than 1000ft launches available today ( no headwind just the constant 10knots+ crosswind ) to 1500ft or so where the thermals were much more organised and therefore easier to use. Climbs from there were strong the best giving 4knots+ on the averager. Cloud bases rose quickly through the day to 3500 ft QFE.

Rick's view of Roadford Lake

Lots of good soaring was enjoyed with the longest flight being Steve in the Open Cirrus just 4 minutes short of 3 hours. Richard in the Discus and Phil in his Astir both recorded flights over 2 hours. 4 more pilots recorded flights well over 1 hour and 2 more around 3/4 hour. 

An unusual view of Brentor Church

Due to the strong northerly crosswind the stub runway saw plenty of action with pilots choosing this into wind option for their landing. 

Another good day.

Steve