Dartmoor Gliding News - Thursday 5 May 2022

 Thursday is the new Wednesday.  Most members got the memo!  This change is due to instructor availability.  So mid-week flying will now be on a Thursday with instruction starting from 1300.  Licenced pilots of course can fly before that time.

I will admit to a slow start.  Having taken early retirement it is one of life’s pleasures, from time to time, as is ensuring my better half is off to work on time!  But even so she remarked “You’re late for gliding”.

So when I arrived (some 20 minutes later than normal) the hangar doors were still shut but there was a lot of activity.  Definitely a different vibe for DGS today.  

Although the hangar doors were shut there was much activity in the trailer park.

Gliders were being rigged.  And there was much fettling, which included painting white Hammerite, occurring at pace.  I even got in on the act by applying white Hammerite to the Total Energy probe locating tube, on my Standard Cirrus that was showing some signs of surface rust.

There was a new glider in the trailer park.  Peter’s new acquisition; a 19.0m Kestrel. You might immediately conclude that Peter is in the glider pilot camp of TINFOS, 'There Is No Substitute For Span', by his acquisition.  But you would be wrong.  Surprisingly, the scurrilous website SIFOW, 'Span Is For Wimps', lists the Kestrel in its glider SIFOW database. Lots of our gliders are in there – Have a look.  Span is For Wimps Web Page

Unsurprisingly, the Kestrel attracted lots of interest and willing helpers to rig.

The Kestrel’s wings are so long that helpers have to run to get to the other side of the fuselage.

Richard and Phil disappeared up the east end to rig their gliders (Discus and DG300) and the Richard took the first stint on the winch so he could be ready to launch at about 1300.  Later a cannily timed launch at 1323 allowed Richard to claim the flight of the day with 2 hours 17 minutes.

Peter briefed the day’s weather and NOTAMS

A busy launch point with club and private gliders arranged waiting
for the cumulus to start popping

Early punters got lined up on the grid and there was some successes at getting away from circuit height.  Then gliders started (mostly) to stay up.  Conditions were reported as difficult low down and then the lift built into a more predictable format but for most it wasn’t cross country conditions.  Indeed, the cloud base was lower than forecast and barely exceeded 2,200 ft above the site.

Authorised pilots prepare to aviate

Then at 1300 the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine, arrived to be welcomed by the K-13, CCY, lined up, Daily Inspection and positive checks complete, ready for his use. I am sure he could get to like this level of service.

With the Twin Astir Hors de combat for a few days due to wheel, brakes, and inner tube problems Malcolm reverted to the SF-27.  The vicious sink reported by pilots taking early flights was confirmed as it took Malcolm three launches before he managed to soar for 39 minutes.  It must have been difficult!

Gliding is a very thoughtful sport
and requires great levels of concentration

After Scratch came back after 1 hour and 12 minutes I took the K-8 up for 54 minutes.  Most of my time seemed to be spent thermalling, especially low down.  The north westerly wind kept on pushing me towards Dartmoor, and the active ranges, so I had to break off some climbs and head for better conditions in the direction of Tavistock.  Disappointingly the cloud base was still no more than 2,200 ft by mid-afternoon.  

The weather was obviously cycling when I came down.  Malcolm and Phil had just landed and were clearing the airfield.  Mike Bennett was on opposite base leg to my planned circuit so as I was higher, and further back, I reversed my diagonal leg andset up for a stub landing into wind.  I then taxied up the airfield to the left leaving the runway as clear as possible for Steve Fletcher’s approach a few minutes later in his Open Cirrus.

My hazy view towards Tavistock from the K-8.  The lift under the cumulus was
not that impressive due to the almost continuous top cover reducing the solar heating.

Despite many of us checking the trial flight bookings, and seeing there were none, Phil took a flight to get to know his DG300 better.  However, he was called down after 1 hour and 19 minutes as a trial flight visitor had arrived at the field and Phil was the Duty IFP.

Lindsey George hails from Callington and Phil was very happy to introduce him to gliding with three flights in CCY thereby giving Mike Jardine a welcome break for lunch after soaring with Paddy for 30 minutes.  Mike then conducted a check flight, and then a practice launch failure, with Martin Broadway.

Lindsey about to fly with Phil.  Phil looking remarkable chirpy
 after being unexpectedly called down to the launch point!

Hooking on gliders all day can get to you

Phil presents a happy Lindsey with his certificate and three months membership

More practice launch failures weren’t needed today as we suffered five weak link failures – curiously all of which were blue weak links.  John Smith contributed three, as recorded in the log.  He professed that he was only aware of two but the log never lies, John!  This led to a shortage of made-up strops which were deftly managed by Scratch and Colin during the flying day.  Scratch and Dave Bourchier will kindly make up more strops over the next couple of days.  As a result there was lots of field pacing, looking for errant strops, at the end of flying.

Paddy goes again.

Paddy’s training today covered the ground run, the transition into the climb, the full climb, the release, and then into free flight.  Keep it going Paddy!

Special mention goes to the K6, FUB syndicate who achieved 11 flights, totalling 1 hour and 49 minutes between the three of them.

Despite him not being on the field, a shout out to David Archer whose tireless work on the air band and ground antennas recently allowed for good communications all day.  In particular, the ability to talk to the duty IFP aloft and call him down to earth!

Even Peter’s fancy camera phone couldn’t capture
the full majesty of the Kestrel’s 19.0m wing span

And now some recollections by other pilots.

Today Peter Howarth was focussed on his new acquisition, a 19.0m wingspan, flapped, Kestrel:

“After enlisting help to rig, I spent some time re-familiarising myself with the aircraft.  Having already flown a Kestrel 30 years ago this didn’t really take too long.  The only thing remaining was a slight nervousness about the first flight at DGS.  Checks done, including setting flaps for take-off, I hooked on and had a smooth launch to 1,200ft which gave me time to start searching for lift.  I was soon climbing to just over 2,200ft after which I pushed off into wind.  I spent nearly two hours flying around the local area and really got used to the Kestrel again.  Then it was time to land, flying downwind, setting landing flaps, and making my approach for a good landing.  It was a great feeling being back flying the Kestrel.”

John Smith with his steed, mentally preparing himself for another cable break,
 as indeed one should always be so prepared

How Hugh Gasgoigne saw the day:

"The day started out with great promise, and by 11am many privateers were preparing for early launches. The grid contained some impressive glass ships - some pilots having been awarded early Christmas presents for good conduct!

Richard and I ran the winch and retrieve to get them all away. High cover was evident to the west for several hours, making any departures in that direction unappealing. Richard launched around 1pm, and after briefly sharing a thermal with the K6, his Discus was seen scurrying off to the southeast.

Our K6 was kept busy with Mike Bennett and John Allan both enjoying soaring flights. However, circuits and several cable breaks punctuated the launches, so conditions were clearly challenging for everyone at times. Having had to leave the site for an errand, I boarded our K6 later in the afternoon. My first launch concluded at 200 feet with a weak link break. Thereafter two circuits followed under a milky sky bereft of cumulus.

As I am gradually engaging the cross-country mind set, I chose to make a hangar flight, superimposing my imaginary small field over the site. Although soaring eluded me today, my four launches, four landings and a real cable break provided useful prep for my cross-country aspirations this year. The photo shows me in my 'field' awaiting my crew!”

Hugh in his “field” after a successful outlanding, awaiting his crew!

So it was a day that over promised but, despite the sometimes testing conditions, a good day was had by all.  All who wished flew and despite this being a half day for instructor cover flying continued until 1800 and amassed a total of 34 flights.

Gavin Short