I was at the club on Wednesday afternoon to let the Chairman of Bowland Forest Gliding Club park an open trailer on our site ready to load up K-13, G-CHXP, in the morning. I am glad we didn't have to load the trailer then as it was blowing a veritable gale with the trees whipping around and the hangar doors rattling (Ed: The forecast said a fresh breeze so let's not get carried away eh?).
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| A newly created map of the area, especially for glider pilots |
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| This is where the Dartmoor pixies fly |
In sum, we have sold HXP to a club that was in need of a serviceable K-13. So DGS is back to its normal holding of three K-13s: FGR, FSD, and CCY. DMX has been retired and is held for spares.
So the main task for the morning was to load the components of HXP on to the open trailer. With lots of helping hands we made good progress (Ed: This is the penultimate outing of the Thursday Tinkerers as from November mid-week flying at Dartmoor Gliding shifts back to its normal Wednesday).
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| HXP’s fuselage out of CCY’s trailer. Scratch and Phil take a final look. |
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Ian Bannister (Bowland Forest GC Chairman) manoeuvres
his club’s open trailer into position to accept HXP’s fuselage. John Allan assists! |
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| And it’s on and quickly followed by the tail plane (Ed: The elevator has 487 launches before its next inspection and the next ARC is due on 12 February 2023 – What a bargain!) |
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John Smith prepares the wing root clamps whilst
Peter looks as though we got him out of bed too early. |
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Wings on; Canopy on; Tail board on: Lights connected, but as ever some work on the electrics was required even though they were working yesterday (Ed: I see a matching, proper number plate for the trailer. That’s Posh!)
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Fortunately, we got a tarpaulin over the top of the trailer just as a rain shower passed through. Cue a tea break! Then after the shower, which was surprisingly heavy, and the final checks, including the trailer's lights were completed we bade the Chairman of Bowland Forest GC, and of course, HXP farewell. Many members have fond memories of how sweetly HXP flew.
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| This one won’t become a DGS monolith |
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| Final trailer and light checks |
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| Farewell HXP; we will miss you (Ed: There wasn’t a dry eye in the house) |
Thanks to all the loading crew for their assistance especially to one of our members who came up solely for that reason and not to fly (Ed: You know who you are. Thank you).
Spurred into action by the trailer activity: The jockey pole on the AMF twin-axle trailer was fettled (John Allan); the chassis was surveyed for the amount of fresh steel that is needed for the repairs (Scratch); and the lights were checked - the left indicator took some intense effort to get it working (John Allan).
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| A pixie in the AMF trailer fixes the pesky left indicator (Ed: I thought indicators were meant to be intermittent. Groan!) |
At 1130 the sun showed its face. (Ed: I trust that it was a proper Teletubbies Sun Baby face and not some Netflix remake desecration of the ever-loved Sun Baby). Gliders were extracted from the hangar and inspected. The winch and launch point positions were selected for a forecast pesky southerly crosswind.
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| A brightening sky, cloud base rising, and indications of thermal activity |
Hugh Gascoyne was scheduled as the Duty Basic Instructor for today but had to cry off for family reasons, so Phil Hardwick, Richard Roberts, and I stepped in to fly our three visitors (Ed: DGS now has the luxury of five BIs).
With the Launch Point and winch set up, now at the right end (Ed: Really?), Richard emerged, blinking in the sunlight, from his two-hour work ZOOM meeting, from the Tech Office (Ed: The lengths some people will go to scrounge a free WiFi connection).
Peter Howarth took a solo flight in FSD to check the conditions then I flew our first visitor, Rob Evans, who hails from Tavistock. Rob had recently taken early retirement from his long-term employment as an NHS mental health practitioner. There was a naval connection, albeit a long time ago; Rob started his career as an aircraft mechanic in the Fleet Air Arm.
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| Rob Evans and Gavin ready to fly |
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Rob receives his certificate after his two flights
(Ed: Shorts and no fleece in October – it must have been warm) |
While I was flying with Rob Evans, John Allan flew the K-8, GDK, for 44 minutes. Mike Jardine started the day’s instruction with David Moult (Ed: Resplendent, no doubt, in his bright orange towelling flying hat). David was rewarded on his final flight of three with 14 minutes of soaring.
Richard Roberts flew our second visitor, John Roberts, who was also an ex-Royal Navy man. He was accompanied by his partner. She was also ex-RN (Ed: I think you are deliberately trying to wind up the CFI with all this navy talk).
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| A classic instructor pose: Richard explains to visitor John Roberts the mechanics of the winch launch and how the cable will back release at the top of the launch. |
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| Come on Richard get strapped in! Visitor John is raring to go. |
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| Instructor Richard Roberts presents a gliding Certificate to visitor John Roberts |
Meanwhile Colin and John Smith continued to work on CCY's second wing in the glider workshop container. Both wings are now ready for paint. (Ed: Calling DGS members. Do we have anyone with spray painting experience to assist Colin in painting CCY's partially recovered wings white?).
Peter Howarth took Mark Elliot up and subjected him to couple of practice launch failures before clearing him to fly the K-13 solo again for a further two flights.
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| Mark Elliott “Does my bum look big in this?” |
Launch failures were obviously in the air as Mike Jardine subjected Steve Lesson to a practice launch failure. Later David Archer subjected himself to real launch failure and landed successfully closely observed by Mike Jardine in the back seat.
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| Steve Lesson contemplates life, Mike Jardine contemplates retirement, and Peter Howarth contemplates DCFI thoughts, whilst waiting for the other gliders to return to the launch point |
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| Dave Archer wishfully thinks ”I am in date for cable breaks so I am going to have a smooth uneventful launch”. |
Meanwhile John Smith had arrived at the launch point and cracked out three flights that turned out to be extended circuits due to a touch of soaring here and there. He couldn't match Malcolm's “Man of the match” busting flight in K-8, GDK, of 1 Hour 3 minutes (Ed: Bravo Zulu! Note to self: We must get the radio installed in GDK if we are to ever see GDK again on a flying day!).
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A young buzzard has been observing our progress over the last few flying days (Ed: Mostly with distain, but he does seem to take greater interest when Malcolm steps in to a cockpit)
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| Malcolm returns from an hour aloft (Ed: In late October!) |
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| John Smith attempts a mind meld with “Lift Meister” Malcolm to gain some soaring tips |
By 1600 the sea breeze, assisted by the southerly wind brought the cool air of the sea breeze over the club. Although Malcolm said it was still working, the conditions were relatively benign.
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| K-13, FGR, flies over the boundary fence for another landing |
Phil flew our third visitor, Jo Richmond-Coggan, who hails from Okehampton, for a pair of flights to honour her "Into The Blue" voucher (Ed: Indeed it was turning blue when she flew).
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Jo Richmond-Coggan safely strapped in and ready to fly with Phil
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| And receives her gliding certificate from instructor Phil |
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| The sea breeze approaching from the south (right of picture) clears the cumulus from the sky while John Smith anticipates the retrieve of the next glider to land |
By now the sky was a clear blue. The sun was still warm despite it being 1700 and the shadows lengthening. What a wonderful autumn day it turned out to be.
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| The afternoon sun highlights the contrast between Blackdown and the moors behind (Ed: The notorious and grisly Gibbet Hill is just out of picture to the left) |
After flying with David Archer Mike Jardine turned his attention to new member Matt Stone who had two flights. They enjoyed 1,400 feet launches which allowed Matt plenty of opportunity to develop his coordinated turns in a gin clear sky (Ed: Keep making good progress Matt).
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New member Matt Stone prepares to take the last pair of
flights of the day with Instructor Mike Jardine |
Prior to his flights Matt, who works for Open Reach, explained the process of laying fibre, that has been taking place all this week, in the lane leading to the club and how we should be able to gain access to it. Very useful information for those who make use of the simulator in the clubhouse and wish to fly with others virtually
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| Matt Stone and Phil help Mike Jardine bring K-13, FSD, back to the hangar at the end of a great day’s flying (Ed: Mike: Remember, one more Thursday flying day until retirement) |
The day's total was 27 flights. Commendable considering the morning's grim weather, low cloud and rain, which meant that the first launch wasn't until 1239. Thanks to the winch drivers, retrieve drivers, launch point operators, quad bike drivers, and launch marshals for keeping the launch rate going (Ed: All should be aware that Richard is taking a close interest and is analysing the launch rate as a step to improving the club).
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The gear returns to the hangar and Motor
Transport hangar ready for another day |
Finger's crossed for good weather for the final outing of the Thursday Tinkerers (Ed: No, Peter I don't mean that kind of outing, thank you!) next week.
Gavin Short
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