Dartmoor Gliding News - Thursday 6th October 2022

Driving on the back roads from Cornwall to Devon, to get to the club, you get used to strange sights on the roads; tractors, tractors pulling all sorts of agricultural machinery, cows, horses, and sheep on the road are all part of rural life.  However, over the last couple of days I've been surprised to see people towing speed boats on Dartmoor.  What is going on?

When I arrived at the club I was further surprised to be number 2 on the flying list.  Richard had already opened everything up and he was taking the winch and tractor up on to the field.  With the clubhouse open, Richard's milk and doughnuts ready, it would seems churlish not to put the kettle on, so I did.

It's a Thursday so naturally there's something to tinker with.  On Monday I had removed the wheels from my glider trailer.  They now have new rubber on the wheels and they were at home being painted.  While they were off the trailer I needed to clean up the swinging arms on the axle and apply some Hammerite as a precaution against rust.  Everything else looked in good shape underneath as it is fully galvanized (Ed: So no second monolith appearing at DGS soon then?).

This is not a monolith

Glider trailer brake over haul (Ed: The wonders of German engineering.
Sealed wheel bearings – no need to pack with grease.  What a revelation!)

Elsewhere the Thursday Tinkerers were fettling the canopy fit of FGR

Also, it was the beginning of month so September's flight hours and launches needed to be updated in the club log books if the rain set in.  But it didn't and amazingly it was shirt sleeve weather whilst working on my trailer.

Trainees were conspicuous by their absence.  It was a select group today; Peter, Richard, Phil, Hugh, Malcolm W-J, John Smith, Mike Jardine as the Duty Instructor, and me.

First up was Hugh Gascoyne to do a weather check flight and have a launch failure practice. Hugh was then happy and ready for our visitors to arrive.

Hugh approaching the airfield,

First up, was the Boot family, who came to fly with us.  Dad, Neil Boot, launched first and was followed by daughter Kate Boot.  Neil enjoyed a soaring flight and then Hugh flew with Mum, Suze Boot.  The whole family enjoyed their flights.  The Boots hail from Duloe, near Liskeard, and have a sailing background.  We hope to see them again soon.  Hugh and Duty Instructor Mike, who had no students (Ed: Where are our trainees?), shared the visitor flying to keep Mike employed.

Dad Neil with Hugh.

Daughter Kate with Mike.

Mum Suze with Hugh

The judges assess Hugh’s approach over the gate

And his touch down

Later in the afternoon following a rain shower which saw the Fleet Manager strapped in the K-8, GDK, noting where the rain came in, we welcomed our final visitor.  Chris Jory, had a two flight voucher from his family.  He couldn't recall if his voucher was a birthday or father's day gift.  Not that it mattered as soon Hugh and Chris were nattering about motorbikes when they climbed into their steed, FSD, at 1630.  With no more showers in the offing the day was still thermic as Hugh proved with a ten minute soaring flight.

Chris Jory and Hugh run through their CB SIFT BEC checks prior to launch

What a lovely day to go gliding.  Dual or single seat.  Take your pick.

With no trainees John Smith, enjoyed the Duty Instructor's undivided attention for a check flight, after John's four week layoff, a launch failure in the K-8, followed by some further follow-up training flights.

John readies himself for his check flight after a four week layoff
(Ed: Behind him Mike’s wry smile says “Next month I will have retired”!).

We had spare training aircraft and cables begging to be used

Hugh and Chris Jory take the last flight of the day

In summary: After some tinkering by the Thursday Tinkerers we went flying.  Nineteen flights in total were made during the afternoon.  We flew four visitors, gave John Smith an extended series of check flights, and made some solo flights ourselves.  There was plenty of instructor capacity but no trainees.  Where were you?  Especially as there was some soaring to be had with Malcolm W-J managing 12 minutes.  Hugh was "mentioned in dispatches" achieving an 11 minute soaring flight in a K-13 with visitor Neil Boot.  With the southerly wind today different approaches to the airfield were possible e.g. over the north east corner fence but surprisingly no one landed on the stub runway from the north which was perfectly possible.

After their last flight, which was a hangar landing,
Hugh presents Chris Jory’s certificate to him outside the clubhouse

At the end of the day, after seven IFP flights, Hugh remarked "Today I filled my Boots" (Ed: Groan!  Hopefully this was only time that he could make this appalling pun).

Gavin Short