Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 26th July 2023

When I arrived members were beavering away to get the kit out and go flying in the short weather window that was forecast before the rain set in.

After deliberation on the wind direction and strength the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine, decided that we would take a single K-13 and a single K-8 to the west end launch point.

 

I took the opportunity of a partially unpacked hangar to apply TESA tape to the edge of FGR's canopy following the recent crack repair.  Better access will be required to finish the job i.e. when the hangar is properly empty.

FGR looking a little smarter

Wednesday Wavers eager to get going after observing the weather flight landing

A weather check with Phil Hardwick and a training flight with Matthew Stone showed that the cloud base was just 700 feet AGL and likely to get lower as the morning wore on.

The "Weather Spoons" about to launch

Matt found his flight a useful demonstration; how quickly you can be enveloped in cloud, how judging a turn and levelling the winds is challenge in cloud, and the safe us of air brakes to descend when in cloud.

Getting CCY ready for Mike and Matthew Stone to fly

"Take up slack"

How low is the cloud base going to be?

Not very high must be the answer as they swoop in to land moments later

The moors ahead are starting to be covered in cloud

With the cloud base limitation we didn't launch the K-8 but gave Steve Fletcher a "go around" practice break as part of his Introductory Flight Pilot training.

Steve Fletcher brings Mike Jardine safely back to earth after a simulated cable break

Our morning trial flight, although cancelled, came up for a look see with family since they live close by in Mary Tavy.  Phil, today's rather underemployed Basic Instructor, gave them a good show around and introduction ready for a better flying day.

So with the training shifting to launch failures John Allan was next to try his hand.  As well as the launch failure it had been a while since John had flown in a K-13

It was decided to give Matt a "go around" simulated cable break. The rain almost put paid to that but we managed to squeeze in a minute of flight before we stopped flying for the day.  The first flight took off at 0939 and the last at 1057.  This meant that the aircraft were packed away and the Duty Instructor could start his lunch in the club house at his preferred time of 1130.

Lots of things can be said about the Wednesday Wavers but one thing that is true is that they are eternal optimists.  Despite each K-13 flight reporting a lower and lower cloud base and soon limiting the flights to simulated cable breaks Malcolm strapped himself in the K-8 and willed the cloud base to lift so that he could launch.  Alas King Canute did not prevail on this occasion and after a long time in the cockpit he finally stepped out into the drizzle and helped return the K-8 to the hangar.

Malcolm Wilton-Jones exits the K-8 after his long "flight"

Malcolm, the "Man of the Match"

Unfortunately, not all flew inducing Mike Bennett who was winching throughout.  After lunch, work was progressed in the hangar, club house, workshops, and the west end launch point ready for the time that we can fly again.

In Summary: We made the most of a narrow weather window making five flights as the cloud base got lower and lower.  In a similar fashion the flight times got shorter and shorter.  Total flight time for the day was 13 minutes.  But the Wednesday Wavers were happy to fly after a wet and soggy, non-flying weekend.

Gavin Short