Dartmoor Gliding News - Sunday 21st July 2024

Despite me leaving my new blue suede (hiking) shoes at home the Sunday Soarers were "all shook up" today.

Thoughts of the "King" with my blue suede shoes

The reason?  It was all change in their Sunday routine.  Rick was today's Duty Instructor and I was his Basic Instructor.  However, Rick needed to leave at 1545 at the latest so an early start was called for.  Rick and I opened the gates and the hangar doors at 0715.

An unusual view of the club.  This is what it looks like at 0725 on a Sunday morning!

Other members soon arrived and got the kit out.  The club gliders were given their Daily Inspections and the1000 morning brief was held at 0830.  As a bonus Ed Borlase treated us to an in-depth explanation of some of the extended features of  'Windy' (a weather forecast App, covering err, wind!).

Trainees today were junior Jamie who was accompanied by Alison, his mum, sensibly equipped with a thermos mug of coffee in hand at this early hour.  Also Viktor, full of the joys of the world after the recent birth of his daughter.  Congratulations Viktor.

Later before the morning brief there was a shocking revelation of a major breakdown in the "buddy" system.  It transpired that young Jamie's buddy had not taught him how to make the tea!  Obviously you can't be a DGS pilot without this essential knowledge.  After suitable instruction his progress card could be signed off for "Demo" and "First Attempt".  Mum, Alison, is delighted as apparently she is the only person who makes tea in the Young household.

Mike and Andy have a "push-o-war" contest as Steve struggles to get his Open Cirrus to go together.  As ever time taken to achieve correct alignment is the key to success, not brute force, Steve.

The privateers magnanimously agreed to help get the club gliders to the launch point before they went back to the glider rack and rigged their own steeds.  Thanks, guys.

A little red in the face, Mike?

I had three visitors booked for today.  The first two scheduled for 1100 and 1200.  Dave Bourchier was working in the hangar and so would provide the backstop for, and greet, our visitors, as the Sunday Soarers would be operating from the east end.

The first glider away was Jamie and Rick at 0941 into a very flat-looking, overcast sky. This was the first of a set of three refresher flights for Jamie.  Later Jamie soared for 27 minutes, his longest flight to date.  Congratulations Jamie.  Viktor had a set of three short flights with Rick, concentrating on the round out and touch down.  Viktor "rounded it off" by making a short soaring flight later in the day.

Chief Flying Instructor Rick briefs Viktor on the finer points of landing

Steve Fletcher (Open Cirrus), Sean and Andy (Libelles), Phil (DG300), and Ed (K-6CR) rigged their gliders and brought them to the launch point in a leisurely fashion as the consensus was that the "sky wasn't going to work" until the afternoon.

I was urgently relieved on the winch as my One Day Course had arrived.  Confused, Moi?  Steve started investigating as it wasn't on our booking sheet for the day.  It transpired that former Royal Marine Joseph Foster was early on parade, as is their wont.  At DGS we rise to such a challenge and we undertook to fly him.  

 

Phil and Steve stepped in and agreed to fly the Stevens brothers, who were our first and second trial flights.  This would allow me to complete Joseph's course before the Duty Instructor needed to leave the field.  

 

Brothers Jonathan and Mark Stevens hail from Bournemouth and Plymouth.  Younger brother Jonathan was first up with Introductory Flight Pilot Steve, who took him for a soaring flight. 

 

Steve briefs Jonathan Stevens before his flight

Brothers Stevens and their respective pilots enjoying the moment

They joy of flight.  The Stevens families, with Phil and Sean, watch Jonathan's launch

Mark subsequently flew with Basic Instructor Phil.  It was nice to see shared filial activities.  I recalled when my brother, Noel, joined the DGS Expeders at Aston Down last year for a One Day Course that I had purchased for his (significant) birthday (the one beginning with a six).

Who is the instructor?  Mark Stevens and Phil engaged in animated flying discussions.

Former Royal Marine Joseph Foster and Gavin ready for the first flight of Joseph's One Day Course

Despite being hampered by the average launch heights achieved in the Puchacz, and the plentiful sink, Joseph came away with a good appreciation of all three controls, how remarkably sensitive the controls are, and how responsive the glider can be.  He also participated in glider ground handling and launch procedures, and witnessed the operation of the winch.  He went away very pleased with the birthday present that his sons had chosen for him.

Joseph and Gavin on approach in the Puchacz

An almost text book two-point touchdown

In amongst Joseph and my flights Sean cracked out another three flights, with a bit of soaring, as he gets to grips with his Libelle (which means Dragonfly in German).  Ed managed some early flights too, with a bit of soaring as a bonus.  But today's "Man of the Match" was Andy in his own "Dragonfly" who soared for 1 hour 36 minutes.

After a full day, and just before Joseph goes to view the action at the winch, he receives his certificate

Despite an obvious exception (Andy) early conditions were hampered by persistent top cover and so the privateers cannily waited some more. 

Our third trial flight visitor was Junior Theodore Chaplin who arrived with his Dad, and grandparents, eager to watch Theo flying.  Despite having never being up in a light aircraft before he gamely rose to the challenge.  We manged to climb up to 2,300 feet which gave Theo plenty of time for "hands on" and to operate the controls.  He was able to make some turns on his own, but needlessly criticised himself for what were some very good first attempts.

Junior Theo Chaplin ready to aviate with Gavin

 

After a hangar landing, and parking the Puchacz ready to put into the hangar, a pleased Theo receives his certificate.  Note the glider launching continues (top left)

After Theo and my soaring flight, thoughts turned to packing up to let Rick get away, at his planned time.  Rick returned a K-13 by hangar flying with Viktor which allowed the latter to get home to his new daughter.  How he managed to get a "pink chit" from his wife, so early after the birth, so that he could go gliding I will never know!

Towards the end of the afternoon the high cloud cover dissipated and the sun broke through and warmed the ground.  Finally!  The privateers launched and soared leaving the launch point empty, and consequently easier to clear up; Ed (39 minutes), Phil (29 minutes), Steve (20 minutes) and Malcolm (27 minutes) in the K-8.  Rick took a solo flight in the second K-13 to make a hangar landing and then leave the site.

Ed soars in his K-6, EWO, to the west of the airfield

So the Sunday Soarers were "all shook up" today but they still managed to run the field, host our visitors, and fly themselves.  Bravo to them on fielding all three two-seat trainers and achieving a total of 31 flights.

Gavin Short