Dartmoor Gliding News- Thursday 2nd June 2022

The forecast for the day was giving 5 stars on RASP, and by 0815hrs there were several private pilots with gliders out being rigged.  Mike Jardine was Instructor, and although a Thursday it was also the Queens Jubilee weekend, so a bank holiday.  With a visiting pilot, two, 2-flight voucher flights, two friends and family flights and lots of members turning up the day was going to be very busy.

Before the airfield was busy, our budding young pilots, Ollie Hunt and Riley Powell-Thomas, had a driving lesson in the 3 Litre Pickup 4 x 4 we use for retrieving cables whilst we had an empty field. Later Colin, would add to this by teaching them to driving the retrieve up and down the field whenever the vehicles needed moving back after retrieving cables.  The aim being to train them up to be able to help with all the jobs we need for flying gliders, they are already doing an excellent job retrieving the gliders with our Quad Bikes.

After the morning briefing Hugh and Mike Jardine kicked off the day with a check flight, after which Hugh  flew his wife Pip, and daughter Jodie, and reported the following;

"Today I flew with my wife Pip and daughter Jodie at the start of the flying day. Conditions did not look as though they had "got going" so I expected a couple of circuits each. But in pure gliding fashion I was wrong-footed again! The first flight with Pip off a 1200ft launch required some tight turning to stay in the thermal cores - luckily Pip was completely unruffled by this, so I was able to clamber up to 1700ft whilst pointing out local landmarks. We had 20 minutes of soaring before going back to land. She was thrilled with the flight and now has an appetite for further flights later in the summer!”

Pip Gascoyne, ready for a flight with husband Hugh.

Jodie's flight followed straight after - with some extra ballast added so she could occupy the front seat. We had the good fortune to launch straight into lift from a 1400ft release, climbing thereafter to 2700ft. I was gentler with the bank angles on this flight, but the conditions were much improved - almost as though a switch had been thrown. I was able to maintain height using flat turns until Jodie was ready for us to land. Next time she flies I will get her a wrist strap for her iPhone so she can snap away!"

Jodie Gascoyne having some helpful guidance on the instruments
from, Peter’s daughter Paula Howarth, who although not current now,
is a pilot herself.

Nice soaring conditions looking down on Brentor Airfield, from 1250ft.

Solo Pilots, Mike Bennett and Ed Borlaise were the first to test the thermals, with Ed clocking up 1hr 31m flight around the local area. Later Andy Davey cloked up a very respectable flight of the day at 2hr 45m, visiting North Cornwall where conditions were considerably better, but harder to get home, as later on the conditions were poorer over the club. Richard Roberts went off towards North Devon and Oakhampton area, for well over an hour.  Peter Howarth in his 21m winged Kestrel, flew it for over 2hrs.  Malcolm Wilton-Jones flying solo in the Twin Astir, took a flight later in the day for half an hour. Steve Fletcher had a 1hr 31m flight. Syndicate Standard Cirrus CFN, had several flights with Dene Hitchen and Rick Wiles taking several flights between them.

Solo Gliders waiting for the weather to be just perfect.

We had three Ka6 solo gliders over on the day, Adam Hoskin, in his bright yellow “Woody”, Ed Borlaise in his Bright Red EWO, and Syndicate partners in FUB John Allan and Mike Bennett, all of which made good use of the day.

Mike Bennett getting ready to fly in K6, FUB.

Mike Jardine flew Steve Lesson, from Plymouth, a recent new member for a 32 min soaring flight and the early training towards solo.

Gavin Short had the following to say regarding the  "2 Flight" Air Experience flights;

Over the last few weeks, we have had a gaggle (see what I did there) of new members of trial flights who have had previous gliding, or power flying, experience twenty years ago.  And so it was today.

First up was Paul Field, a visiting pilot from Anglia Gliding Club at Wattisham, Suffolk, who was on holiday with his wife,   A solo pilot, Paul enjoyed an early soaring flight with Gavin while his wife investigated the delights of Tavistock.

Mike Collins – will he be bitten again by the flying bug?

The first of our trial flight visitors was Mike Collins from North Devon.  A microlight pilot who on further probing admitted to being a Silver C pilot with Gold and Diamond distance badges, albeit twenty years ago.  No pressure there then for Gavin our duty Introductory Flight Pilot (IFP)! Mike used to fly at the Cambridge Gliding Centre at Gransden Lodge airfield. It was soon clear that not much knowledge had been lost by this flatlands pilot over the years.  At his own admission after 30 minutes soaring the local area the gliding bug had bitten Mike again; he spent the rest of the day with us glad to be back at a gliding club.

Peter Blacker arrived with his family to witness him receiving his present from his wife.  Peter, a solo pilot who was working towards his Bronze C used to fly at Nene Valley Gliding Club in Cambridgeshire, again some twenty years ago.  He enjoyed 36 minutes of soaring across his two flights with Gavin.

Peter Blacker, receives his Trial flight certificate, following his two soaring flights.

Our final visitor was more local; Ben Shearn from Wembury who has spent his career in the bar and hospitality business. He was accompanied by his wife and young son and daughter.  Apprehensive of the winch launch prior to his first flight Ben relaxed with Gavin and they enjoyed a total of 17 minutes aloft during his two flights.

Even at the end of the day soaring can be a lot of fun. 
Ben Shearn with duty IFP Gavin. 
Adam’s K6 “Woody” in the background.

Towards the end of the day, the weather pattern changed, and the last few flights picked up a bit of wave influence, which allowed a few extended training flights of around half an hour for Mark Elliott, and our young trainees Ollie and Riley.

Visiting pilot Paul Field "shooting the breeze" after his soaring flight
with our very own pundit cross-country pilot Richard.

So all in all, an excellent and productive day at Dartmoor Gliding. Probably our busiest day of the year so far.

John Allan