Dartmoor Gliding News-Thursday 30th June 2022

There are now two groups at DGS on a Thursday: The "Thursday Tinkerers", who you have already met, and the "Weekday Weather Watchers". 

The latter studied the multitude of forecasts available, and the rain radar, on their smart phones.  As is becoming the norm all the forecasts disagreed with each other as to when the showers, or heavy rain, would pass through.  Eventually the “WWW” decided to look out the window like the rest of us!  Endearingly they remained ridiculously optimistic about the weather prospects throughout the day.

Meanwhile, up on the airfield while working in the Launch Bus at the east end, there were some spectacular Cumulus and Cu-Nims (Ed: Thunder clouds) forming to the north but “twas all for naught”.

Several showers later Mike, the Duty Instructor, arrived.  The “WWW” consulted Mike for some greater wisdom and insight, marvelled at the black cloud street overhead, and then retreated to the clubhouse as the rain properly set in.

The “WWW” consult Mike under a cloud street during a rare dry moment

So what of the “TT”?  All the club glider canopies were washed and cleaned.  Cockpits were hoovered out.  The tailplane was removed from K-13, CCY, to allow some tidying up of the fabric and a preventative maintenance paint touch up.

CCY’s tailplane and elevator receive some TLC

Meanwhile, the unsightly PVC tape was removed from the starboard air brake cap of the SF-27 to allow Hugh to rub down the damaged paint and repaint.

Hugh diligently sands the SF-27’s air brake cap – as only a wooden glider owner can
(Ed: Hey, is that my T-Shirt?).

Colin examines Hugh’s work
– does our inspector deem it ready for paint?

Hugh deftly wields a hairdryer to help the primer dry without runs

A man happy with his work now that paint has successfully been applied

Another piece of tatty tape (this is Richard Robert’s bug bear!), this time on the maintenance access port on the nose of K-8, GDK, was removed and Colin "Super-Seamed" a new fabric patch in place and then painted it.

A new fabric patch was applied to the maintenance access port on the nose of GDK

“Proper job”.  Just the “No Push” sign to be cleaned up

Scratch continued his multitude of jobs around the site, including drying his rain-soaked boots!  I duly admired his recent repair and repaint of the Tech Office window.

The simulator was used which prompted an ad-hoc discussion on variometer tones.  Then Mike conducted some ground school lectures for our trainees; Steve Lesson, David Moult, and Andrew Downing; on the use of parachute and on winch launching.

During Mike’s lecture an animated Scratch stands in for the polystyrene model glider

arlier in the day John Smith measured up the Launch bus ready for the installation of a work surface.  This will allow the Introductory Flight Pilots a dedicated space to complete the trial flight paperwork and to provide a tidier stowage underneath for personal rucksacks.  After Colin provided him with a surplus kitchen worktop John set about with a jigsaw and sander.  

As to the weather?  Had it improved enough to fly?  In a word, No!  The view out of the hangar was like this (with acknowledgement to Monty Python):

A shower passed.  Then another.  Then, another shower.  Then... another shower passed.  Then another shower passed.  And another.  A further shower passed quickly, followed by another shower, when suddenly, a different shower passed, followed by another different shower.  And another.  And yet another further different shower.  A shower passed…

Overheard in the clubhouse "Malcolm, whilst you might be an outstandingly good pilot you are a **** weather forecaster".  You guessed it, the rain continued as we departed at around 1500 under dark skies, heavy rain, and on the back roads standing water and even flooding.  So on reflection was I missing my glider that was in Les Clark’s workshop near Swindon…not at the moment!

In summary, both the “TT” and the “WWW” were suitably "teaed" and "biscuited" throughout on what turned out to be a very productive non-flying day.

Gavin Short