Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 26th May 2021

When I arrived at the airfield early arrivals were hard at work setting up. The forecast for a light northwesterly and rasp showing improving conditions late morning, with a maximum star rating of 4, gave four private owners confidence to rig. The club K8, SF27 and a K13 were all towed to the launch point.

We were joined today by Wendy Knight who was here to try the delights of gliding on a one day course. After her introductory flights she flew with me for some hands on instructional flights. Although she found the launches a little nerve wracking she enjoyed the freedom of flight that gliding offers. By the end of the day she thought gliding was not really for her, but had really enjoyed the day and the friendly welcome that DGS offered. Her partner Paddy, who flew with us back in 2005, was intimating that he may return to take up the challenge of learning to fly with us sometime soon.

Wendy waiting for a cable.

The solo pilots David Westcott (K6 EWO), Hugh Gascoyne (K6 FUB), Steve Fletcher (SF27 FLZ), Gavin Short (K8 FXB) and Malcolm Wilton-Jones (SF27 FLZ) all enjoyed flights, the longest was Hugh with 1hour 19munutes during which he ventured north of the A30 and visited Roadford reservoir.

The trainees today John Allen, Simon Vallence and Mark Elliott all had good flights. All had new additions to their record cards towards their individual goals.

Spot the glider soaring aloft.

John Allen concentrating on a good circuit.

Colin and Malcom discussing he SF27 electrics.

Achievement of the day must go to Phil Hardwick (Astir FCJ) who was gently cajoled into attempting an out and return to North Hill. He took off at 12:52 and was soon seen climbing away and disappeared away north. Although he had a low point near Crediton where fields started looking imminent, he managed to find a thermal to climb away. Phil eventually landed back at Brent Tor after a flight of  3hour 7minutes and a distance of 136km. This got him flight of the day, achievement of the day and his 100km diploma. Well done Phil.

Lydford village

Nearly home, Meldon reservoir.

Thanks go to all at the airfield who kept things moving including Colin who kept busy at the launch point but didn’t fly. We achieved 27 flights and some happy pilots especially Phil.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 22nd May 2021

 Arriving at the airfield in low cloud with showers and drizzle did not bode well for a good day. The airfield though resembled an industrial village with work going on all around the site. 

In the hangar K8 GDK was derigged and moved to the storage container while a new electronic variometer is sourced for it. K8 FXB was removed from store, assembled and prepare to join the club fleet - handy having a spare K8.

I wouldn't do it like that. K8 rigging is a group activity

In the clubhouse, the project to extend the toilet facilities was taking great strides forward. Out on the runway, Ged was cutting the grass - perhaps this section could be titled "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Mower". Colin and Phil seemed to be deeply involved in remanufacturing the missing spring for the Supercat winch. There was also Navigation lectures going on in the clubhouse. 

I am sure that I have missed a lot of other work going on today but thankyou everyone for your efforts.

After lunch, the weather started to clear up very quickly. The low cloud cover rolled away to be replaced with a 5/8 cumulus sky with plenty of sunshine on the ground. Even the wind was playing ball. It was still a little strong at 8 - 10 knots but from the WNW aligning it more or less with the runway, Excellent. With this rapid improvement it would have been rude not to go flying so that is what we did.

First flight of the day at 2pm was Steve fletcher in the K8
off for a half hour sortie in the developing thermals.

Winch driver's view of the K8 on the first launch

Instructor Mike Jardine set about flying with today's trainees, Simon Vallance, John Allan and Dave Archer all of whom enjoyed several flights including at least one soaring flight. Great work Mike.

The wind was almost down the runway

Mike Bennett ready to go soaring

Meanwhile K8 G-CFXB first underwent a test flight with Steve Fletcher; very thorough at 24 minutes Steve! After which it made a couple of soaring flights with Mike Bennett and Malcom Wilton-Jones before the wind strengthened and we, reluctantly, returned it to the hangar. 

John Allen taking a climb which took him to 2000 feet.

K8 at the launch point and HXP on its way to the launch point

Some nice clouds developed over the moors producing some good thermals.

Rick turned up in the middle of the afternoon with K13 HXP in tow which was promptly put to work with some training flights for our potential IFP pilots Phil and Gavin.

By 6pm it was time to put the toys away. From a very unpromising we had got a lot of work done and  a lot of training done. We achieved 19 flights with a 12 minute average flight time, best flight 28  minutes. 

A great club flying day.

Steve 

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 19th May 2021

With the continuing spate of unsettled weather, it was good to see a forecast giving a moderate breeze straight down the strip. Rasp gave a good prospect of a soaring day which brought several pilots to the airfield wanting to fly. Two K6’s, a Libelle and Discus were rigged with a club K13 and K8 all towed to the launch point where they were joined by the Twin Astir.

Today we had a visitor, Mark Millard, who usually flies at Eden Soaring and Bowland Forest. He is an early solo pilot trying to regain currency and is on holiday in Newquay. Mark had two flights with me and thoroughly enjoyed his day at DGS.

Mark happy to be flying whilst on holiday.

My flying list continued with John Allan, John Smith, Peter Mountford and Mark Elliott. All had good flights and made progress with on their roads to solo.

K13 waiting for the K6 to land.

A new aircraft appeared on the airfield today. The new syndicate of Andy Davey and Martin Broadway got their first flights in their Libelle G-CJEU.

Andy and Martin with the Libelle

Robin Wilson and Andrew Beaumont both flew with Phil Hardwick in the twin Astir.

Twin Astir launching into a promising sky.

The solo pilots Mike Bennett (K6 FUB), Andy Davey (Libelle JEU), Colin Boyd (K6 FUB), Hugh Gascoyne (K6 FUB), Martin Broadway (Libelle JEU), Ed Borlase (K6 EWO), Gavin Short (K8 GDK), Malcolm Wilton-Jones (K8 GDK) and Richard Roberts (Discus V5) all enjoyed flights of varying length. Flight of the day was by Richard of 1hour 50minutes.

K6 FUB launching.

Ed’s view of Malcolm in the K8

Unknown to us, we were being watched from Cox Tor. Whilst walking the dogs, Martin Cropper took an unusual view of the K8 launching.

K8 launching as seen from Cox Tor.

Thank you to all at the airfield today. A busy day making best use of only a single cable operation. 39 flights achieved and some happy pilots.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 15th May 2021

 Sometimes gliding can test the patience of a saint. Step forward St Gavin,St Rick, St Mike *2, St Ged, St Scratch ( probably going too far here - Editor ) and so on. Let me explain. The forecast was for westerly winds  - good  - with 90% chance of rain OMG. Did we give up and retire to the clubhouse? Not a bit of it. The gliders were out and inspected and then it rained. The gliders were dried off, taken to the east end launch point and it rained. The gliders were dried off and the pilots got in and .... it rained. Eventually the rain stayed away long enough to allow a few circuits.

Rain showers all around the airfield

Showers to the SE

And then, with a call from the winch driver, we discovered that the newly refurbished GusLaunch winch had decided it didn't want to play anymore. On inspection it was discovered that the alternator was seized solid after countless years of faultless service. Why today ???? Step forward a couple saints once more. The now dead winch was returned to the equipment hangar and the Supercat was prepared to return to service. Keen readers will already know that the Supercat is waiting for spare parts for one of it's drums but we can manage with just one drum can't we?

HXP launches into a dark sky

CCY ready to join HXP

By now it is the middle of the afternoon and the enforced gap in proceedings had hidden the fact that since the first flights ( all circuits ) and now it had become soarable. Malcom disappeared in the SF27 for 1hr 3 minutes, the longest flight of the day, returning to allow others to fly After which the aircraft made several more flights in excess of 30 minutes. This included a type conversion by new member Adam who had a circuit followed by a flight of 31 minutes. Excellent.

Adam pleased with his type conversion

Soaring in amoungst the showers

Sometimes flying very close to the rain

Heading south.

Were the K13's left out of the fun? Rick was working with our more experienced pilots who are preparing themselves to become IFP's ( Introductory Flight Pilots ) while Mike concentrated on our trainee pilots. Most flights were at least extended circuits with several flights exceeding 30 minutes as they played in the lift around the numerous shower fronts passing through the area. 

Rick and Phil ready for an IFP training flight

New member Mark ready to fly with Mike

From a very unpromising day, we ended up with a lot of soaring accompanied by a lot of smiling pilots with a few challenges on the way to keep us honest.

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 12th May 2021

Today would be a day when we would see an old friend back on the airfield and by the end of the day we would be saying a final farewell to another two old friends. The small group of pilots set about getting ready to fly, to achieve as much as we could before the forecast rain arrived. With a light variable wind we set up to fly from the east end of the airfield.

With the Supacat winch temporarily out of action, it was time for the old friend to make it’s entrance. After a lot of hard work by Scratch and many others, the Gus winch was towed to the west end.

Gus back on line.

Although Scratch was happy that the winch was working, there was still an unknown question as to how it would perform under load during a launch. I took the first launch in K13 CCY to make sure everything was in order. A successful launch to 1000ft proved everything was OK.

John Smith was next to fly. After two well flown circuits, he was happy to relinquish the front seat so we could allow as many pilots to fly before the rain.

Our visitor David Raeburn had arrived, so it was a change of crew with BI Richard Roberts stepping in to take David for a couple of flights. David left with his certificate and very happy, although the flights were only short.

David and Richard ready to fly.

Malcolm Wilton-Jones and Steve Fletcher each flew the SF27. Malcolm achieved flight of the day with 24minutes, only returning after climbing into approaching rain and beating a hasty return to the airfield.

Robin Wilson was next to climb into the front seat of the K13. During his first flight it was clear the rain was on it’s way. After landing and before we could launch again, the rain had arrived, so it was time to return the aircraft to the hangar for a thorough dry off and end flying for the day. Only 8 flights, but we flew and proved the Gus winch was back on line.

When all was packed away it was time to say goodbye to the two old friends. The stripped out chassis of the two ML winches were towed up to the scrapyard to clear the area next to the clubhouse.

ML1 hitched up ready to go.

And ML2 follows.

Thank you to Scratch and Phil for winching/retrieving, Gavin for log keeping and all not flying. Hopefully the unsettled weather will give way soon and allow a full day flying.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Friday7th 7th May 2021

 Today was a day of two halves, really.  And the divide was the number of seats: if you were in a single seater you stood a much better chance of getting away than those in the two-seater, and the cause was the crosswind.  Coming up from the south, and despite the best efforts of the winch, it deprived the K-13 of 200-300 much needed feet in launch height which, combined with heavy sink upwind, relegated nearly all training flights to circuits only.  In the various single seaters things went much better, with Scratch Hitchens achieving 5,000ft agl over almost 1½ hours in the K-8, Steve Fletcher taking some superb photos during his 1hr+ flight in the Open Cirrus, Colin Boyd a gallant 41 mins in the K-8 and, launching at 1537, Malcolm Wilton-Jones one minute short of 1½ hours in a gravity defying performance in the SF-27 – of which more later.

 Harrowbeer airfield at Yelverton
photographed by Steve Fletcher from 3,500ft.

Trainee Simon Vallance’s first flight did run into some lift, just over the winch, giving him valuable time to practice his circuit joining procedures.  His second and third launches were, however, no more than extended circuits.  John Allan then took the front cockpit for a couple of crosswind enhanced circuits before a slow launch caused him to abort, making a land ahead that proved the value of taking the hurdle fence down in the morning.  Returning after a seven-month layoff, Peter Mountford then reacquainted himself with life in the air in two launches that culminated in a hangar landing.

Steve Fletcher’s view of Burrator Reservoir and,
in the middle distance, Wotter waste China Clay Works.

In the single-seat department Marti Broadway managed 14 mins while Gavin Short and Ed Borlase also took some short flights.  But it was Malcolm Wilton-Jones’s excursion that proved the most curious.  As the afternoon progressed the keen southerly brought with it a leaden skein of grey cirro-cumulus which, although not evident on the Met Office synoptic charts, gave the appearance of being a warm front that surely meant deprivation of convection for all.  Except for Malcolm W-J, that is.  He put it like this: “I think the general southerly flow uphill from the valley at Tavistock may have given some reduced sink, the air was still unstable and there were possibly some warm sheltered valleys releasing their warmer air.  Added to this there was a front approaching from the west and I have often found good lift on the leading edge of an approaching front.  I was having to turn very tightly at 45-50 knots to stay near the cores which were gusting up to 9 knots.  The thermals were definitely getting a good boost from the local tor.  There were little wisps of cloud marking where to look for the lift which were drifting with the wind, unlike rotor which remains stationary.”

But thanks of the day must surely go to the team who, quite unexpectedly, discovered that the new cables on the winch concealed a nest of vipers which took a great deal of time, good communication, patience and teamwork to sort out.  That team comprised Andy Davey, Phil Hardwick (neither of whom subsequently flew), Martin Broadway and Colin Boyd - well done all, without you we wouldn’t have flown at all!

Martin Cropper

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 5th May 2021

The weather for once had read the forecast and duly supplied a brisk 10knots straight down the runway for most of the time with gusts of 15 knots sometimes from the NNW and sometimes from the SSW! That made some fun for the winch drivers with the cables sometimes going over the south fence and sometimes over the North fence. Blustery showers from time to time saw folks sheltering in different vehicles, in the bus, behind the bus and in gliders.

Sheltering from the rain

It was never going to be a great soaring day but that didn’t stop some pilots trying. First up though was welcome visiting instructor James Flory from North Hill who did the pre-requisite site check flights with Mike Sloggett. Mike Sloggett, Mark Courtney and James then worked their way through the days flying list, taking John Allan and Robin Wilson through various exercises and launch failures. Scratch continued his IFP training with Mark Courtney. Mike Bennet also flew with Mark as he works towards his Bronze. Thanks chaps for all your hard work and support, it is very much appreciated. In all 30 flights were made, including practice launch failures.

The birthday boy - visitor Brian

We had two trial flight visitors. The first was Brian Parks who flew with Steve Lewis. This was a surprise 80th Birthday present from his two sons, Brian didn’t know where they were taking him until they drove into our car park. Happy Birthday Brian.

Our second visitor was Robert Pletts who flew with James Flory.

The Zugvogel returns.

Meanwhile the solo pilots searched around for lift with Andy Davey managing 18 mins before the sink returned him to earth.

Today's view

As the day wore on the conditions started to improve for a short time and John Smith took Mike Sloggett on a 20 min soaring flight returning with a big smile on his face. Mikes view from the back looking south towards Plymouth whilst John enjoys a soaring flight.

On seeing the conditions were now more hopeful Hugh Gascoyne scrambled into his K6 to then claim flight of the day with 49 mins. Malcom Wilton Jones  following closely with 38mins in the K8. 

Martin Broadway managed a very creditable 17mins last flight of the day as the clouds started to dissipate. 

A big thank you to everyone for all their hard work especially Colin who drove the retrieve for most of the day without flying. 

Steve Fletcher

Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 2nd May 2021

“10 up, all round!”  No, not an order in a pre-lockdown pub for drinks all round, but Steve Fletcher’s exclamation as he approached cloudbase today – and his was one of many memorable experiences today.  Maintaining our cautious approach post full re-opening, Roger Green flew 128 kms from Liskeard to Eaglescott and return, Steve Fletcher went to Okehampton, then Plymouth and return, Gavin Short a cat’s cradle around Kit Hill and back via Grenofen, Andy Davey, Phil Hardwick and Peter Howarth soared locally whilst Ed Borlase (among others) reached and claimed his Silver Height!

10up all round! 
Steve Fletcher’s vario squeals with delight as he climbs towards Okehampton.

 If you landed here you’d score an ‘own gaol’! 
Steve Fletcher’s view of HM Prison Dartmoor in Princetown.

In the overhead: an unusual view of the airfield taken by Ed Borlase.

Today’s grid under a promising sky,
with Roger Green’s ASW-20 in the foreground.

Roger Green’s vario shows a mere 9kts up, whilst en-route to Eaglescott.

But what of our trainees?  We welcomed new member Mark Elliott for his second (consecutive) day on our Fixed Price to Solo scheme, we gave visitor Glynn Howell two trial flights (one to 1,500ft+) and Dave Westcott returned to solo after a couple of simulated launch failures.  But paramount among the trainees must be Ray Boundy who, after a couple of launch failure practices, launched for a hangar flight whereupon the variometers, far from settling, remained insistently above the horizontal, to which of course Ray’s response was to circle, as twos became fours, and fours sixes until – in clear air - the lift eventually gave out at about 3,300ft agl.  Twenty-two minutes later he arrived perfectly in line with the cross track at the conclusion of a hangar flight to remember..!

Fixed Price to Solo student Mark Elliott on his second day of tuition.

 Visitor Glynn Howell preparing for the first of his two trial flights.

So, what of the weather?  Well, a dry, gentle, and sunny north-westerly, basically.  But the clue was in the sounding, where the dry adiabat showed a distinct ‘backward’ lean, indicating very buoyant air which promised plentiful cumulus and a cloudbase of about 4,000ft amsl by lunchtime.  Visibility was also forecast to be very good (unlike yesterday), but with a slight possibility of over development (as it did over the moor).  At times the wind even backed westerly - ie. along the runway but, as Phil Hardwick pointed out, that was usually just another thermal passing through!

Indeed, the experience of the soloists was just that: wherever you went you just bumped into lift which, albeit bitty and difficult low down, gradually transformed into a smooth, strong ascent that gave confidence in the task ahead.

 Having re-soloed, Dave Westcott approaches in K-6 G-CEWO

 New member Adam Hoskin gets underway in the club K-8.

Our playground: Ed Borlase’s view of Blackdown and beyond
as he descends from his Silver Height flight.

But the 10up of ten for tenacity award, must go to Gavin Short who, returning after a disappointingly short flight early on, spent some time as log-keeper and also on the winch before deciding to ‘relight’ at 1625.  At which point he was met by the aforesaid lift which, at a best average of 6.2 kts (!) took him to 5,600ft+ amsl for 1hr 14 mins.  As he said on returning, “Never write off the day – if you get disappointment early on don’t let it get you down – find something else to do and you never know – it may still be there, as it was for me!”

 Gavin Short’s photo illustrates the River Tamar gorge as it fights its way to the sea.

A great day – one of those to look back on and savour in the future.

Martin Cropper