Dartmoor Gliding - Winch launch to 19500 feet - Diamonds over Dartmoor

Wednesday 10th January 2024 saw a lot of pre flight activity. For several days the club messaging services had been buzzing with the possibility of today being a good wave day. 

For the uninitiated, wave is created by the wind blowing over a large obstruction (Dartmoor) which causes the atmosphere to bounce in waves. These waves can be used by glider pilots to soar to great heights.

Climbing under a lenticular cloud

Today delivered wave to savour for Dartmoor Gliding pilot Andy Davey who soared to 19450 feet (3.68 miles) where he terminated his climb before entering the upper airspace. He was still climbing at this point. How high did the wave go? We will never know.

This is a record for our gliding club and is certainly the highest a glider has ever been over Dartmoor and would have earned Andy his Diamond Height Badge had he not already earned that while flying in Scotland.

This is what Andy had to say.

I had always thought it should be possible to get to the top of the wave box at Brentor and today was the proof. I had a good winch launch to 1700 feet (thanks Gavin for winch driving) and was straight into reduced sink. I pushed forward and contacted weak wave. Initially the climb was quite slow but the higher I got the better it become. 

I nearly abandoned the flight at about 14000ft as the inside of the canopy started to freeze up but some vigorous rubbing left me with a view out the front so carried on. Could have gone higher but with the top of the wave box approaching and the outside air temperature at -26C started my decent back into Brentor. 

Epic!

 Andy's flight traces

Andy's view through his icy canopy now level with the lenticular

Well done Andy.

Steve