Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 13th April 2024

After the incredibly wet start to 2024 it was nice to see a forecast for today that did not include any significant rainfall. The airfield has dried out sufficiently so it was game on. The forecast winds showed southerly initially swinging to the west and strengthening somewhat, and that is pretty much what happened.

Wind nearly down the runway made for an easy day

We fielded two K13s and a K8. Club members were keen to get flying some making use of the K8 and some checking out with Instructor Mike Jardine.

I had a quick flight K13 flight with Mike before flying our visitors

We were visited today by three scouts from Crownhill in Plymouth who flew and received the briefings required for their Gliding Badges. Also starting out with us today was Viktor Skochko who kicked off his flying training with a One Day Course.

Scouts Connor, George and Henry with me after flying.

Right from the first flight there was some bubbles of lift to be found around the circuit which did not go to any great heights but allowed for a little entertainment and extended circuits. Longest flight was just 13 minutes shared by myself (K13) and Malcolm (K8) but very welcome after the winter layoff.

The view from circuit height

Several pilots reported sharing thermals with the local buzzards

The K8 as seen from a K13

CFI Rick Wiles was also on site today. His time was used doing BI / IFP re-validation flights.

By late afternoon the weather suddenly changed with the wind strengthening significantly and the cloudbase lowering to tree top height over about a 15 minute period (was this the forecast front passing through?) so the gliders were returned to the safety of the hangar. As the winch was on the airfield we took advantage of this slightly early finish to replace one of the cables. By the time this was done the weather had recycled again and we left the airfield under a largely clear sky.

Good to be flying again.

Steve