Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 8 February 2023

Today dawned clear and frosty.  A nice day for flying.  Spring is coming and some minor thermal activity was predicted.  Unfortunately today's One Day Course candidate, Sue Syson, had to reschedule at short notice.  As today's Duty Basic Instructor I was looking forward to flying her in the beautiful blue sunny conditions.  What a pleasant and welcome change from last month's atrocious weather.  Sue, we will see you later in the month.

So that left the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine, two decisions; what he was going to do with today's four trainees and which end to fly from.  Readers of this blog will know that with a single runway aligned east-west which end to launch from (Ed: So as to take off into wind) isn't normally something that requires a lot of thought.  But today the wind direction was forecast to start from the east, veer south east, then veer further south, and finally end up from the south west.  Decisions Decisions!  (Ed:  In the end the wind stayed from the east for much longer than forecast before veering around to the south east).

Yesterday, K-8, FXB's annual Airworthiness Review Certificate expired so it needed de-rigging ready for inspection.  Mindful of the need to get the glider back to flying status quickly the maintenance team has already inspected the fin post, rudder, and tailplane.  The K-6, FUB syndicate wanted to use the empty hangar to install their refurbished rudder pedals so a mutual arrangement was reached.  Many hands then made light work of de-rigging FXB.  In the end the K-6 syndicate didn't need the hangar as they managed to complete their work in the warm sunshine in the glider rack.

I was at the club yesterday waiting for the roofers to come and repair the green container that is Colin's spray booth.  Although it was beautifully sunny the temperatures didn't rise enough for their previous job that morning to finish in a timely fashion.  So they were a no show and were rescheduled for this morning.  So I was left to my own devices yesterday.  A bit of a tidy up and airing of the launch hut at the west end and a chance to get the fuselage of my Standard Cirrus, CNN out into the sunlight for some spring cleaning and that all important fettling (Ed:  Glider pilots seem to spend an inordinate amount of time fettling their aircraft) whilst looking forward to the season ahead.

The team prepare to remove the second K-13 from a sunlit hangar

A frosty Dartmoor welcome for our two K-13s, CCY and FGR, who will provide today's entertainment

The K-6, FUB syndicate hard at work (Ed: You mean John Allan is head down working in the cockpit  refitting the repaired rudder pedals while Mike Bennett relives his youth with a Madness cameo of "One step beyond".)

Richard shows new member David Moorley how a K-8's controls are disconnected prior to the glider being de-rigged

Hugh gets to grips with removing the tape on the turtledeck from FXB (Ed: Ohh Err, Missus!)

FXB, neatly stowed and ready for its annual inspection on Saturday by BGA Inspector Colin Boyd and his Padowan, Adam Hoskin

After the K-8 was de-rigged.  I continued work on K-13, FSD which is due to enter service presently.  I refitted the instrument panel, ty-wrapped the pneumatic tubes and electric cables into position.  Fitted a freshly charged battery and checked the operation of the electric vario and the Flarm.  I managed to get a GPS fix (i.e a minimum of three satellites) whilst still in the hangar (Ed: That is remarkable considering the narrow view of the sky though the hangar doors and hence the constellation of satellites).  So I took the opportunity and uploaded the latest version of the Flarm firmware.

Our third K-13 is almost ready for rigging on Saturday and its much anticipated return to service following its annual inspection.

First on the flying list (Ed: Remarkable as he is normally a night owl!) was Andrew Downing who is now properly back in training with three flights with Mike Jardine, one of which was a real cable break requiring a "go around" (Ed:  All good stuff, Andrew!).  As we only fielded two K-13s today Peter helped with the recency checking and other instructing task and so took Steve Lesson for two flights (Ed: One of which was a  cable break of course) before clearing him to fly solo again.

Steve Lesson admires the view, and the inversion layer, during his check flight with Peter (Ed: The presence of an inversion layer is the reason that Skysight was forecasting thermals no higher than circuit height).

Steve Lesson returns from his second solo flight

And then he clocks up a third solo.

Next up was new member Danny Surgeon with Mike Jardine for a circuit which was then followed by a very welcome soaring flight of 14 minutes (Ed: Way to go Danny with the first soaring flight of the day and in early February too!).  Then there was the strangest activity on a gilding airfield that any of us have ever witnessed.  Let the photos tell their story.

Ready to cast. Steve Lesson introduces DGS members to his new crossover sport - Gliding fishing. 

Cast.  (Ed: Steve you do know that Danny's surname is Surgeon not Sturgeon)

Reeling in. "Oh I think I have caught a big one!" 

Answers on a post card as to what Steve is actually doing.  Clue: Ed Borlase you are not to follow his example.

With all the trainee activity and recent solos I conduced a stock take of glider pilot wings in the clubhouse.

While I was at the club house the long-anticipated roofers arrived on site to repair a section of the roof in the green container AKA "Colin's spray booth".  I gave them a quick introduction to DGS and they watched a couple on winch launches in awe.  There was definite interest from the head roofer's 19-yro son.  Shortly after a walk in, a former mountain rescue volunteer, enquired about joining and the possibility of his having a flight (Ed: With new full members having joining on Saturday and Sunday there is definitely something in the water at DGS).

The roofers arrive.  Hurrah!

The clubhouse and hangar resounded to grinding, hammering, and the arc flash of welding as Scratch got to grips with the AMF twin-axle K-13 trailer (Ed: I sense that he is now putting more fresh steel in than he is cutting rusty metal out.  Has the corner been turned?).

While the fun continued up on the field Scratch works on the AMF trailer

Up on the field Steve Fletcher took a set of three flights from the back seat of CCY with Peter (Ed: I wonder when Steve's Introductory Flight Pilot training will start in earnest?).

Steve Fletcher enjoys the view from the back seat while flying with Peter (Ed: Steve, enjoy the calm because I know that you have a practice cable break and a real cable break coming next!)

A relaxed Peter in the front seat takes in the Mary Tavy and the moor to the north.

New member David Moorley flew with Mike for his twelfth and thirteen flights by clocking up two soaring flights of 9 minutes and 22 minutes, respectively.  David told me that he is starting to master the complete turn i.e. going in, staying in, and coming out (Ed: This is when you find out how good you are at patting your head whilst rubbing your tummy).  Meanwhile Peter flew with Malcolm again, after an initial circuit, to take flight of the day at 36 minutes.  Malcolm managed to climb higher that the thermal height forecast by Skysight.  Well done Malcolm.

Peter acts a a safety pilot for Malcolm as he takes a flight from the back seat to improve his "recency" before flying the Twin Astir again

"Take up slack"

The ground roll

Transition into the climb

And now in the full climb

Peter confirms "height of the day" at 1,600 feet during Malcolm's (and Peter's) flight (Ed: I sense that Peter didn't even get a look in at the controls during this flight).

Next up of the trainees with Mike Jardine was Matthew Stone for a pair of flights.

Matthew Stone ready to fly the whole flight and also slip in a 20 minute soaring flight to boot!

Robin about to launch for a pair of refresher flights with the Duty Instructor

A nice, measured transition into the climb

Back on the ground a trio of old hands consider the day's proceedings (Ed: So our very own Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazure recreate the iconic Japanese maxim on Dartmoor; see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil)

John Allan then flew CCY solo and enjoyed a 16 minute soaring flight (Ed: I have been reassured that John's flight and the "DGS erks team photo" above are unrelated).

John Smith readies himself for a well-deserved 15 minute soaring flight in CCY after a long spell on the winch (Ed: Still soaring at 1530 on an early February day is remarkable on Dartmoor).

This afternoon we welcomed back Jamie Steel from his recent time at sea.  Jamie is an Assistant Category Instructor who flies and instructs with us when his naval duties allow.  He was accompanied by a visitor to DGS,  Rebecca Clayton, who hails from Bickleigh.  Rebecca had never been to an airfield before and came with the promise of taking some glider flights.  (Ed: Becky you are most welcome.  Please forgive the motley crew around you!).  Jamie and I spoke about strengthening the ties between DGS, navy gliding, the dockyard, and the local training establishments.  More of this in future blogs.

Jamie Steel briefs Becky before her flight

"Thank goodness Peter has cracked a terrible joke so that I can indulge in some nervous laughter..."

Readers will be pleased to note that Becky still had a smile on her face after her two flights with Jamie.  We look forward to seeing Becky again soon.

At the end of the day the Duty Instructor took a solo flight to remind himself how to fly from the front seat.  I then took the final flight of the in FGR, also solo, for a little waft around after the 1,200 ft launch but that all changed when I got to High Key at 800 ft.  There was sink all around which precipitated a quick return to the airfield.  Clear evidence that the soaring day had finally ended.

Today we made 28 flights and achieved 3 hours 51minutes aloft, which included five practice breaks or real cable breaks for pilot recency checks.  Pretty good stuff on a beautiful sunny day in February.

Richard was in a magnanimous mood today; he drove the winch for a long stint in the morning, he helped at the launch point, he didn't fly, and he bought the beers in the clubhouse at the end of the day.  Cheers Richard!

So with "The windmills of your mind", the original version by Noel Harrison not Sting's cover version, running through my head I drove home in the gathering dusk (Ed: So even though you haven't got a radio in your car your still have tunes to keep you amused. Impressive!)

Gavin Short