Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 17th September 2022

 An autumnal day with long periods of pleasant sunshine, a light northerly breeze and a lowish cloudbase gradually improving to 3000ft above the airfield. 

An Autumnal day

Good organisation and not a little pushing by CFI Rick Wiles got the flying programme started at a creditable 10.13. Lots of training progress was made and Mark Elliot added to his solo total after yet another practice cable break.

Mark Accepting a cable...

and moments later he climbs away...

Mark returns after a good looking circuit

The solo pilots made the best of the soarable conditions that developed after midday. As always the tricky bit was finding an initial climb to scratch away in. Once above 2000ft conditions were much easier with strong thermal cores showing 4 - 6 knots. Longest flight of the day was Phil Hardwick on his DG303 with 2hrs 32. there were plenty of flights of in the 1hr + range. The Twin Astir posted 2; Gavin in the Std Cirrus, Adam in the K8, Scratch and Dave Bourchier in a K13 all managed more than 1 hour.

Looking south from overhead Tavistock with the Estuaries in view 
and the sun glinting off the sea in Whitsand bay

Looking down on Tavistock

The Std Cirrus heading west

Gavin's view of a muddy looking river Tamar

The visitor programme today saw Marc Emond flying a One Day Course with me and Wendy Hodgson, Graham Nichols and Adam Richards all enjoying Introductory flying with Scratch ( Dene Hitchen ).

One Day Course candidate waiting to launch with me

Graham Nichols and Scratch

Adam Richards

Last flight of the day ( number 36 ) landed at 5.45.

Our thanks once again to all the helpers.

The view from the winch

Steve