Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 23rd February 2022

After Dudley, Eunice and Franklin would there be any aviation today. The forecast gave a little optimism, but arriving at the airfield with rain and low cloud the optimism ebbed. After early morning teas and coffees, it was looking a little brighter outside, so a pitch inspection was undertaken. Walking towards the east end sheep were spotted grazing on the airfield. We managed to gently herd them together and encouraged them back through the hurdle fence back to the top field. The ground was found to be better than expected, so with care we could commit aviation.

Due to the forecast increasing wind during the day and a possible short flying day, a K13 was got ready and towed to the launch point. It was decided to do two flights each to try and give a chance for all to fly. First up was Paddy Cosgrave to get back up to speed after a few weeks away due to the weather.

Paddy waiting for his instructor.

Next to fly with me was John Smith. On our second flight rain could be seen in the distance down in Cornwall. With the southerly wind it was thought that this would hopefully stay away enabling us to continue flying.

John and I waiting to fly.

Next to fly was new member David Reckitt. After a bit of careful weighing and removing of heavy clothing, David was confirmed to be within the weight limits of the K13. At the top of the launch it could be seen that the rain was quickly encroaching towards the airfield. I decided that the prospect of further flying was doubtful and landed long to put the K13 away.

David Reckitt ready for his first flight.

David left happy and a determination to lose some weight to make his journey to solo easier.

Colin and Gavin continued work in the hangar working towards installing radios and FLARM units to the aircraft.

Apologies to those at the airfield today and were unable to fly. We have to accept that days like this do happen, but good flying days are around the corner. Thank you for all the help in achieving the limited flying that was done.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 12th February 2022

 Today's forecast was for strong, blustery winds giving way to long periods of rain as the front passes over us. And that is exactly what we got. 

The day started like this...
( interesting that the windsock is above horizontal )

Right from the start it was obviously not going to be a flying day. The club was far from deserted with lots of members involved in a bewildering assortment of tasks. To give a flavour of this, hereis a list of the some work undertaken ( there will be a lot of other items not recorded )

In the hangar:

• Freshly laundered glider and canopy cleaning cloths restocked.
• New risers fitted to a winch drogue.
• Wheel hub bearing puller and a pair of mole grips added to glider tyre repair toolbox.
• K-8, GDK surveyed for radio and Flarm fitting.
• K-13, FSD snag list addressed:
• replacement of the bushes at the base of the control columns to remove the heavy aileron feeling.
•    rear seat shoulder straps reworked to shorten their length;
•    canopy fettled for better fit and easier closing;
•   yaw strings repositioned;
•   canopy ventilation diverter offered up;
•   front radio microphone clip depositing considered.
• K-13,   minor repair effected on the elevator, fabric doped and prepared for paint.

In  the clubhouse:

• New member inducted, given a site and equipment introduction, and introduced to the simulator.
• Two IFPs practiced their BI patter in the simulator with the new member.
• Two BIs delivered Assistant category Instructor lectures.
• Glider battery charger fault diagnosed.
• New ground to ground frequencies mapped and tested.
• K-8, GSM ARC paperwork signed and filed.
• Glider log book monthly totals entered.
• Flarm sets and cables reviewed as part of a Flarm fitting survey.
• Further work conducted in on customs clearance for the Flarms.
• Clubhouse toilets and kitchen cleaned.
• Copious amounts of tea and biscuits supplied.
• Wood burner kept well stocked by our resident stoker

In the MT Hangar

• Winches given a good airing, run up and test.
• Guslaunch cooling system worked on.

In the Trailer Park

• Discus fuselage removed from trailer and prospective owner tested the Discus/Standard Cirrus cockpit for size.

....And the day ended like this,

A great club day without flying

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 9th February 2022

 The forecast gave low cloud for the day with the possibility of rain showers late afternoon, which probably explained a lower turn out than normal. So after teas and coffees members split up to undertake various little tasks around the club. The chief technical pixie arrived and with help set about work on K8 FXB and K13 HXP for their annual inspections.

At about 11 O’Clock it was noticed by some that the cloudbase was rising and a clearance was making its presence at DGS. As the assembled pilots were keen to try and fly we set about getting ready to fly. K13 FSD was towed to the launch point.

Clearing sky behind Brentor.

First into the K13 with me was John Smith. After a full launch to see what cloudbase was and a launch failure, John was allowed a couple of solo circuits.

John ready for another solo flight.

Just as Robin Wilson was ready to take to the sky, a passing shower decided to detour over the airfield. So we stood down and had lunches for those who hadn’t already eaten. After about 30 minutes the sky had again cleared for Robin to have three circuits.

K13 FSD looking good at the launch point.

K13 launches.

And lands.

And brought back to the launch point.

Finally with the sky looking greyer again, Gavin took the K13 for a flight to land at the hangar end ready to pack away after a good dry off.

Fleet manager Gavin ready for a hangar flight.

So a day which gave little prospect of flying resulted in work undertaken around the club and being at the club we took advantage of an unexpected clearance to do what we all love, fly. Thank you to Phil Hardwick and Richard Roberts who winched and retrieved, but chose not to fly. Also Steve Lewis who helped at the launch point, also without flying. Colin, Dave and Andy stayed at the hangar to carry on working on the aircraft under their annual inspections. Well done all, just shows when the unexpected happens, if you are not at the club then you can miss out.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 5th February 2022

The RASP forecast didn’t predict rain but that’s how the morning started. A number of our weather Guru’s referenced their various weather apps to predict the weather would clear and by midday and it did.

Mike Bennett started the day with a nice flight in the K8. Second up was a first for both Mark Elliott and myself in FSD. Following up on previous weeks 1G stall symptom training.

The K8 having just touched down

Mark and Mike in K13 G-CFSD. "Take Up Slack"

Our friends and family flight with Scratch was a friend of Heather , Kate Walters who  enjoyed two flights with Scratch in CCY and went on to accompany Heather in the retrieve.

Kate and Scratch waiting to launch

"All Out"

Lift off

And into the full climb

Andy Davey was next in the K8 and it was decided on a hangar landing as wind conditions were beginning to increase. Time to put the K8 away.

Further 1G stall symptoms with Dave Archer at 1400 feet but with increasing winds and turbulence the day was going to be cut short.

My view of CCY at the launch point as Mark was
keeping us in zero sink and dealing with some strong drift.

Visibility was changing through the day.

Rick was busy with both Phil and Scratch in CCY with BI patter practice and Steve Fletcher to continuing his rear seat practice which for all involved went very well.

Good launch heights of 1400 feet were being achieved so the winch was working well. Some good experience of handling the aircraft in strong winds was gained by trainees, drift compensation and speed control.

The "Wicker Man"? No just Scratch retrieving a wayward drogue.

The conditions required us to finish the days flying mid afternoon with a nice 1750 foot launch with John Allen and hangar landing. A good cleaning of the glider’s especially the wheel box was required before packing the kit away.

Thanks to all for a great day

Mike Jardine

Dartmoor Gliding News-Wednesday 2nd February 2022

An overcast day greeted the early arrivals. Cloudbase was estimated to be about 600ft and if the forecast was to be believed, this wouldn’t improve until about late morning. As always we were optimistic that it would be flyable, so we set about getting the airfield and aircraft ready. When done the only thing to do was drink tea and wait, but never to rest on our laurels, an outstanding task was to de-rig K13 HXP ready for its upcoming annual inspection. When done the sky was brightening and we made our way to the launch point. A few remained at the hangar to help Colin make final preparations for K13 FSD to be test flown.

First into the K13 with me was Paddy Cosgrave. Following on from  his steep turn exercise at the weekend, more turning practice and starting to fly and judge his circuit was the order of the day. Keep it up Paddy.

Paddy doing pre-flight checks.

Next a change of seats for me. I occupied the front seat whilst Steve Fletcher took to the back seat. Our series of flights was interrupted by the arrival at the launch point by K13 FSD. Colin and I got ourselves ready to test fly this new addition to the fleet.

Not quite ETPS ( Empire Test Pilot School ), but the best DGS could muster.

Off on the maiden flight.

And safely back.

Steve Fletcher then resumed his back seat practice, but now in FSD.

Safely down in the top field.

Next into the K13 was John Smith. Following a 17 minute soaring flight and two launch failures which were well flown, John was allowed a solo flight.

John ready for another solo flight.

View of the airfield from G-CFSD

We were joined to day by visitor Andrew Downing. IFP duty pilot Gavin Short briefed him for two enjoyable flights. Andrew recently moved to Lamerton having taken early retirement from a career in IT and was considering what he should do as a hobby (the voucher was a present from his family).  His early retirement profile closely mirrored that of Gavin, so there was lots of comparing notes whilst waiting for a launch. With three months membership of the club we hope to see him again.

Andrew and Gavin ready to fly.

The K8 was kept busy with solo pilots Phil Hardwick, John Allan, Steve Lewis, Andy Davey and Hugh Gascoyne all taking turns. Contrary to the forecast some soaring was experienced. A creditable 14 minutes by John Allan, only surpassed by Steve and Andy who both achieved 18 minutes.

K8 off on another flight.

Hangar flights by Richard (CCY) and Robin with me (FSD) saw the close of play with 24 flights and all the toys safely away in the hangar. 

Firsts achieved by K13 FSD:-

First flight at DGS (tick). 

First soaring flight (tick). 

First outlanding – Top Field (tick). 

First cross country – 200 metres (tick). 

First solo flight – John Smith (tick).

A good day flying enjoyed by all at the club. Thank you all for your help today.

Peter Howarth

Dartmoor Gliding News-Sunday 30th January 2022

A quiet day for once: both weather-wise and in terms of attendance, and all the better for it since the field was, only just, dry enough for use with care (“Don’t Walk on the Grass!”)  As we towed the gliders to the east end we were able to admire the work of yesterday’s potholing team – they’d obviously been working ‘flat out’ down the entire centreline track - we done, guys!

Today’s trainees were the recently returned to flying Paddy Cosgrave and Fixed Price to Solo student Mark Elliott, with Ed Borlase in need of returning to solo checks.  In view of the light loading both trainees were able to undertake two lessons today: Paddy ticking off slip and skid with Martin Cropper, and later steep turns with Peter Howarth, whilst Mark Elliott savoured the delights of flying without an altimeter with Martin, followed by circuit training with Peter.  As Ed Borlase’s check launch included a very insidious power failure slipped in by winch driver Rich Roberts, he was pronounced fit for solo and stepped into the K-8 for a couple of very welcome (albeit brief) return to single-seat flights.

Recently returned trainee Paddy Cosgrave
prepares to take the first launch of the day.

“All Out, All Out!”:
Mark Elliott about to be accelerated into the heavens…

 Cable and glider appear to be well connected…

And away they go..!

Meanwhile, our ’pundits’ discovered that there was, due to the high pressure, and as predicted by RASP, very little about: Phil Hardwick showing Peter Howarth and Rich Roberts how it’s done in the K-8 with a full 60 seconds longer in the air than them.

Peter Howarth struggles to find the lift lever in the K-8
(Phil Hardwick had hidden it..!)

Peter Howarth struggles to find the lift lever in the K-8
(Phil Hardwick had hidden it..!)

With the Flying List completed and the sky showing little sign of change, we ended closing the hangar doors relatively early, but nonetheless satisfied after a safe and productive day.

Martin Cropper

Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 29th January 2022

A few day's ago a call went out on the club Forum from Mike Bennett ( Site Manager ) to the effect that as the weather forecast was looking poor for today perhaps we could do some Potholing. Well Mike is an experienced adventure sport instructor, so why not? 

The view to the east should include great views of the higher Tors
but the weather had different ideas 

Arriving at the airfield the forecast was correct, low cloud and drizzle made this definitely not a flying day. With thoughts of caverns and stalactites it was off to find Mike up on the runway. I enquired about the Potholing and required equipment only to have a shovel put into my hands. The penny dropped. Mike had been referring to filling in the potholes on the runway centre track. Oh well it needs to be done.

There followed a long day of shovelling, racking and compacting the aforementioned potholes. The crew were enthusiastic and despite the drizzle the track was more or less complete by then end of the day.

The DGS road gang in action

Refilling the tractor's link box

The tractor driver's view of the weather

In addition to the track work there was plenty of other activity. The red tractor had it's new radiator fitted. The Guslaunch winch had a major cooling leak repaired and a new cooling fan fitted. 

In the hangar, the tyre cabinet has been repositioned and the drogue chute hanging system improved. The fettling of the club fleet continues with K13 FSD nearly ready to join the fleet.

In the club house, research has confirmed the out Mars parachutes are not affected by the recent AD and the IFP's were using the simulator to practice the patter with a view to converting their ratings to BI.

Although this was a non flying day, much work was done and progress made. Many thanks to all who helped.

Steve