The Wednesday Wavers enjoyed a fantastic day's flying today. The weather was the customary June blue and hot with light variable winds or calm. The forecast predicted that a sea breeze would fill in from the south west and form an interesting area of convergence over the club. That didn't happen and the placement of the winch at the east end, contrary to the wind direction forecast RASP and Skysight, was the right choice and no "end changing" had to take place during the day.
After the field had been readied the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine gave an al fresco flying brief on the club house terrace to 15 club members and our two visitors today; Sarah Pollard and Jason Hingley. Afterwards Sarah, Jason and I entered the clubhouse for the One Day Course flying brief. We were joined by Chairman Steve Lewis (Ed: Is this the Chairman conducting a quality control check of the Wednesday Wavers?). Mindful of the hot and blue conditions (Ed: There would be no shade form any clouds today and hence it would be pretty brutal under the canopy of a K-13) we agreed to split the instruction of our visitors.
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| Our One Day course candidates Sarah Pollard and Jason Hingley with Gavin |
Martin Broadway and Mike Jardine started the flying with a practice launch failure and two more later in the day before Mike cleared Martin, after his extended lay off in Florida, to be able to fly the K-8 at the end of the day.
Guy Bulmer was the first trainee and enjoyed a circuit and followed with a 30 minute soaring flight with Mike. He then ran the tower for an extended period and engaged Sarah in conversations on all things Royal Marine (Ed: Sarah's Son-in-Law is a "Booty" and she was staying with her daughter and him in Exmouth) before having to leave early on a call out from the Tavistock Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team.
Sarah and I launched after Mike Bennett took to the sky in his K6,
FUB. It was a great introductory flight for Sarah, she marvelled at
the greenness of the countryside, and experienced the "effects of the
controls" exercises at 3,500 feet.
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| Visitor Jason Hingley raring to go on his first flight with Steve |
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| Steve manages to capture Jason's view of Tavistock in the hazy conditions to the South West |
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| And of Blackdown and the active MOD firing ranges to the North East |
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| Jason and Steve catch a glimpse of a rare sight; some cumulus clouds to the south. Alas, not over Brentor. |
The sun was relentless, brutal even, so Dave Archer and I brought water in Thermos flasks and a large water container to the launch point to keep all hydrated. The shade of the launch point was at a premium. We certainly didn't want to have our DGS members, or our visitors, to have to call on Dave's or Robin's professional services (Ed: Paramedic and retired doctor respectively).
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| Andy preparing his cockpit for almost four hours aloft |
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| David and Goliath; the K-8 and the Kestrel (Ed: Did anyone mention it was hot?) |
Mike Jardine had wisely instructed members to take the fence to the top field down so that the landing runs in the light airs were not excessively long so as not to delay flight operations.
After David Moolely went soaring with Mike for 47 minutes five single seaters launched; Andy, Hugh, Steve Lesson, Peter, and Richard. The shortest fight was an hour (Hugh) and the longest was 3 hours 53 minutes (Andy). There was no sign of the expected convergence but the conditions were very thermic and good progress, and height, could be made over a wide area.
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| K-6, FUB, at height (Ed: Note the hazy conditions) |
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| Looking down on the mighty Kestrel climbing to start Peter's small cross-country task |
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| Peter makes the first turn point at Roadford Reservoir (Ed: "Stop the drop" appears to be working as Roadford is now at 69% capacity). |
Peter reports:
I managed to do the 42 km task set by Richard. Roadford, Launceston, Tavistock and Brentor. It was completed at a very modest 48 kph. Having completed the task I had some good flying around the local area with a maximum height achieved of 5,800 feet. Total flight time of 2 hours 49 minutes.
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| Peter's analysis of his flight using IGC viewer |
While Pete was on his task other privateers; Andy and Richard were also attempting the same small cross-country task.
Meanwhile, Sarah and I flew FGR again and made another soaring flight of 28 minutes. Sarah observed the sensitivities of the controls. However, the frequently turbulent thermals made getting a full appreciation of the effects of the controls a challenge, but the fantastic views made it worth it.
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| After completing his cross-country task Peter inspects Meldon Reservoir (Ed: Currently at 94% capacity) |
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| Then Burrator Reservoir (centre left) and the former RAF Harrowbeer airfield at Yelverton (centre right) (Ed: Burrator Reservoir is at 99% capacity). |
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| Peter's view of Tavistock (Ed: Look! Tennis courts, bowls, crazy golf; what more do you want out of life?) |
On the ground we were treated to some spectacular sights of high cloud that was initially thought to be the convergence forming but on reflection it was some high cirrus ice crystals, as the convergence didn't materialise.
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| Dave Bourchier climbing to 5,200 feet (Ed: Does his mother know he does this?) |
Hugh reported that he climbed to over 6,000 feet in K-6, FUB (Ed: What was strange was that the air temperature didn't seem to get cooler with height which we could have done with today). John Smith, Steve Lesson, Mark Elliott, and others exceed 5,000 feet QFE. A potential bevy of Silver heights were made of which I would have to examine the claims, and .igc traces of Steve and Mark, as an Official Observer, to verify.
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| The K8 and K13 soaring near the Stannary town of Tavistock (Ed: So what did Stannary towns trade?) |
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| The airfield from the south viewed from over 5,000 feet |
I then flew with Jason twice; a circuit and then a 43 minute flight. The conditions were still turbulent in parts but Jason, who hails from Landrake, got to grips with the controls. When Hugh returned from his one hour soaring flight Mark took FUB aloft for 1 hour 31 minutes for a Silver C height claim, which is a gain of height of 1,000 metres (3,281 feet) after release from the winch launch (Ed: Fingers crossed that Gavin gets the desired result from his analysis).
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| Jason receives his certificate on completion of his One Day Course delivered by Gavin and Steve |
David Archer made some soaring flights in K-8, FXB, and Colin made two flights with Mike (Its great to see Colin back on site and in a cockpit (Ed: Good luck with your recovery and that you get used to your new hip).
Sarah and I finished off her One Day Course with an extended circuit before taking FGR back to the hangar.
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| Gavin explains the three-month temporary membership to Sarah against the backdrop of Colin's resplendent Triumph TR4A |
Thirty flights were made today with a total flight time of 23 hours 29 minutes. This gave an an average flight time of 47 minutes (Ed: If the three practice launch failures are taken out of the calculation then the average was 52 minutes. Amazing what can be done on a blue day).
As Robin locked the gate, and then realised he had to let Hugh out on his motorbike, Hugh pulled alongside my car, lifted the visor on his helmet and remarked "That was a great day's flying. No! That was a fantastic day's flying!" I had to heartily agree.
The fun in the sun isn't over for the week yet. We have some evening flying scheduled for some navy personnel on Thursday evening.
Gavin Short
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