Dartmoor Gliding News - Thursday 13th October 2022

Autumn is definitely here.  The ground was wet through rain and dew.  The air temperature was cool.  I had to use a tad of choke to coax the triple Dellorto carburettors into life when I set off for the club.  I also had to shut the interior ventilation flap and switch on the heater to warm up (Ed: Don’t you ever fancy Automatic Climate Control?).  There was mist in the valleys most of the way there.  But on arrival at the club the sky was blue and the first “Thursday Tinkerers” started to assemble.

Autumn: The season of mellow fruitfulness

Then there were five, and like a well-oiled machine we swung into action and readied the equipment for the day's flying.  The only thing missing was the whistling of the kettle, because this club is powered on tea, so I rectified that issue (Ed: I note that you didn’t forget Instructor Peter Howarth’s coffee. Well done.).

Unfortunately one of our visitors, Simon Ruffles, phoned in with some bad news; he couldn't join us today.  Get well soon Simon and we look forward to flying you when you have rebooked.

The new Launch Bus step loaded up and ready to go to the launch point

After the tea makings had been put away John Smith and Malcolm Wilton-Jones arrived, followed by Martin Broadway; almost a full house.  With gliders having received their Daily Inspection we proceeded up the field whilst admiring the beautiful clear sky.  It promised to be a nice day.

Walking the gliders the launch point offered us a stunning
view of Kit Hill emerging from the morning fog still lying in the valleys

Once again with no trainees, we got just one K-13 out and the two K-8s so that licenced pilots could do some flying.  Scratch's new step for the bus was installed and tested.  Drop checks on the club aircraft were conducted.

The forecast was more promising than expected so a number of privateers went away to rig: the Twin Astir, the Libelle, and the Kestrel.  While that was going on all was quiet and peaceful at the launch point.  The wind was very light and I could see horse riders enjoying the fine weather on Blackdown, and the paths up to Gibbet Hill, to the north of the airfield.

After the Twin Astir and the Kestrel arrived at the launch point Steve Fletcher launched to 1,000 feet in GDK for a five minute circuit.  He noted that cloud base to the north was just 800 feet.  John Allan then tried his hand twice.  On his second flight, by using the ridge with the light northerly wind, he managed to exploit some bubbles to lift to fly for 8 minutes.  Also the cloud base was at 800' further west of the winch.  So for once it was good to be situated in the “Brentor blue hole”.  Then the Libelle arrived; its beauty sparkling in the sunshine.  That strong sunshine and no wind made it very hot in the tower even when one’s layers were peeled off down to just a T-shirt.

All 19 meters of the Kestrel’s mighty wing span arrives at the launch point
(Ed: That’s cute.  Peter has colour matched his car to his glider)

As seen in the car park; someone has got the gliding bug really bad!

As midday sandwiches were being broken out our first trainee, Steve Lesson, arrived.  Peter Howarth flew with him for a series of launch failures which moved his training and experience along.  Meanwhile, John Allan and Steve Fletcher carried on bashing out circuits.

The Duty Instructor and CFI, Rick Wiles, arrived with Matthew Stone and they promptly got the second K-13 out so that Rick could conduct the five-yearly instructor checks with Peter Howarth and Mike Jardine.

Peter ready to fly with incognito CFI “Bloggs” for his five-yearly instructor checks

Andrew Downing ready to “run the wing” for Peter and “Bloggs”
(Ed: I hope that’s your good arm that you are using)

And up Peter goes into the milky sky

Oh, a launch failure!  (Ed: Peter, you should know by
now that you can never finish your launch while flying
with the CFI as his twitchy fingers can’t resist pulling the “bung”)

Our first visitor today was Susan Lambert-Gorwin from Bere Alston.  Determined to live life to the full Susan is working through her “Bucket list” (Ed: That’s called “spending the kid’s inheritance”).  One of those bucket list items was a flight in a glider.  It was a lovely day to do just that over Dartmoor and our newly qualified Basic Instructor, Phil Hardwick, was happy to oblige.

"Stop posing Phil.  I’ve got a Bucket List to complete!”  Susan looks ready to aviate

The Skysight forecast had it nailed.  High cloud would cover
the airfield for most of the day killing any attempts, except by a very few, to soar

Despite the lack of soaring it was a very pleasant warm October day.
A halo around the sun just confirmed it.

A mid-afternoon call from the club house for the jeep to pick up a visitor was curious.  Could this be our final visitor an hour and half early?  No, it was Guy Balmer, a former Royal Marine, who joined as full member on the spot (Ed: Welcome Royal!).  The CFI detailed me off to fly Guy.  We enjoyed two circuits and introduced Guy to the primary effect of the elevator and ailerons.  Guy had flown with the air cadets some 21 years ago and the memories came flooding back.

There was only one aircraft on site that former members of the Naval Service
(Guy and Gavin) should fly in.  (Ed: Note the “Brentor blue hole” behind)

With no other Twin Astir Syndicate members present
Malcolm bashed out three circuits on his own

The Libelle and a K-8, GDK return to the launch point
(Ed: I know the Queen rode side saddle John, but really?)

Richard gets to grips with the Twin Astir’s tow out gear
and contemplates the weight of its heavy tail

Our final visitor to fly with Phil was Lee Beer who was accompanied by his family.  Lee certainly enjoyed his pair of flights (Ed: We hope to see you again and that you make full use of your three-month temporary membership).

With lengthening shadows Lee and Phil enjoy the
warm shirt-sleeves weather prior to their launch

Phil finishes off his checks

After Peter’s instructor checks were complete further instruction continued with Steve Lesson “filling his boots” with a fourth and fifth training flight (Ed: To be fair his earlier flights were launch failure practice).

Steve Lesson with Peter Howarth

In parallel CFI “Bloggs” was now putting Mike Jardine through a series of high and low level launch failures.  The sight of Mike, as seen from the trailer park, piloting FSD in an abbreviated circuit, at low level, was impressive.  Mike landed after his final test at 1814.  It is autumn, and so with the sky darkening it was time to put the toys away.  Then we retired to the clubhouse to enjoy a well-earned beer courtesy of Richard (Ed: Richard, being cheeky to the CFI, whether new or old, will always cost you in either the air or on the ground!).

“Men of the Match” were John Smith soaring in the GDK, K-8 for 14 minutes (Ed: Try FXB next time which currently hasn’t got an electric vario fitted, for more of a challenge) and Mathew Stone who soared for 11 minutes with Mike Jardine late in the day in FGR.

The day started quietly and got progressively busier throughout the day: Two visitors flown; a new full member joined and flown; two trainees flown; two sets of five-yearly instructor checks flown; three members flew solo in a club K-8; and three privateers flew their own aircraft.  Thirty-seven flights in total.  Not bad for a Thursday with the field run by the “Thursday Tinkerers”.  One wonders what can be achieved next month when we revert to mid-week flying on a Wednesday with all-day instructor coverage.  Tune in and find out!

Gavin Short