Happy New Near from the Wednesday Wishful Thinkers for there were plenty of wishful thinkers at the airfield today. For once it wasn't raining and it wasn't very windy but unfortunately the torrential rain over the last few weeks has left us with a very soggy airfield and so there was no consideration of flying. So Phil, the Duty Basic Instructor, had to cancel Robert Howe's One Day Course yet again (we will be able to fly you Robert, but not just yet, but when the weather gods allow us to).
It was to be a day of small jobs around the airfield including updating the gliding log books with the club gliders' hours and launches (despite what you might think of last month's appalling weather the club aircraft flew for over 17 hours and enjoyed 102 launches). All of this was music to the ears of the outgoing Field Treasurer (Robin) and the Incoming Field Treasurer (Malcolm) who were conducting their handover. Inevitably there was paperwork to be raised for FSD's annual inspection and the follow-up report from the BGA Audit last year needed to be drafted.
There was work to be done on the aircraft in the hangar but Colin was absent, laid low with a bad cold/lurgy/season flu or some other exotica. When he answered the phone I didn't need to ask him if he was coming up to the club as he sounded that hoarse and croaky (Ed: We hope you get well soon despite the national Lem-Sip shortage). However, we got the go ahead to invert FSD's fuselage so that the underside could be worked on.
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The Libelle syndicate fettling and considering the errant tailplane bolt (Ed: Is this a New Year's resolution by Andy to be shy and retiring?)
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| In the clubhouse there appeared to be few New Year's resolutions evident with jammy doughnuts and home made pasties in abundance (Ed: For those pilot's concerned with fine dining I did offer DB a plate for his "Oggie". He didn't have to eat off a tray!) |
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Peter and Gavin prepare FSD's fuselage for inversion with the placement of a strategically located wooden block (Ed: How did gliding clubs manage to exist without ty-wraps)
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The three wise men observe a thing of great beauty (Ed: Is Scratch strapped in there getting some more aerobatic time in?)
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An action shot of Peter washing down the underside of FSD (Ed: This isn't a hairy-chested macho pilot shot - the water was warm!)
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We decided to remove the main wheel which proved to be a good decision (Ed: John clearly loves getting his hands dirty!)
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Elsewhere The site manager, Mike Bennett, and his workers were rounding up scrap metal for disposal at the local scrapyard (Ed: So last year's "Operation Clean Up" has left its mark on our members psyche!)
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The Red Disco in action with a suitable trailer (Ed: Is this another trailer on site that I didn't know about?)
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DB secures an impressive haul onto the trailer. Farewell CLT (Ed: What do you mean "Farewell CLT" you aren't old enough to remember CLT when it was flying)
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Malcolm was invited to give an ad-hoc lecture on wave which was very informative. Andy Davy added an impromptu explanation of "Skew T" graphs and what they can tell us about the potential for wave. Today's graph looked promising but with a strong wind at height from the west the "Lee wave" should be to the east of Dartmoor. And there it was overhead Ashburton with predicted lift of up to 7 knots rising to in excess of 23,000 feet. There was a secondary wave under the North-South A25 airway (base at FL65), but still usable. Looking at "Glide and Seek" no one seemed to be making use of it. Indeed our sister cub at North Hill appeared not to be flying today. Oh for a motor glider or a glider with a turbo to hop around the top of the moor and exploit the lift (Ed: Keep playing the Euro millions then).
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Smiles all round in the club house (Ed: But Malcolm hasn't started speaking yet!)
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Malcolm reveals his secrets: Mountain Lee Wave on Dartmoor
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Which naturally led to our resident "Skew T" expert explaining the conditions that can lead to wave (Ed: there is a silver cup in shot. Is that why the conversation turned to who was going to be awarded the wooden spoon this year?)
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With the lectures and lunch over some made tracks for home. I for one had to take delivery of a package that the courier had apparently left on my doorstep (would I get home while it was still dry). I also had pay the invoice for spare parts for FSD, identified during its annual inspection, so that they could be shipped from Germany.
The outlook is for more mild, wet and windy weather so expect several future outings by the Wednesday workers before we get aloft in 2023! (Ed: Look on the bright side you are getting £30 off your water bill for saving water in Cornwall, so that Colliford Reservoir could refill. That should buy you three launches).
Gavin Short
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