Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 21st August 2024

The Forecast: Met Office Yellow warning for heavy rain, gales, difficult driving conditions. Up to 100 mm of rain on the slopes of west facing hills as a plume of humid air, the tail end of a hurricane hits....in Scotland

On the way to the site above the club, I spotted some Kelvin Helmholtz clouds (an extremely rare phenomenon, where a cloud produces a billowing wave pattern. They occur when there is a strong vertical shear between two air streams, where winds to blow faster at the upper level than at the lower levels.).  However, that didn't match the Met Office's 214 forecast on wind strengths during the morning briefing.  Strange.

Are these Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds over the site?

Meanwhile on Dartmoor, the Wednesday Wavers were preparing for a day's flying. Mike Jardine as the Duty instructor and Richard Roberts as the duty Basic Instructor: A One Day Course and two two-trial flights.  Richard was delayed as he had to collect his glider trailer and bring it back to DGS, so I gave the brief for the ODC and was ready to spell Richard on flying today's visitors if required.

Mike watches Gavin's brief to our One Day Course candidate and some visitors.  Should have gone to Specsavers!

The day turned out to be a grey one, with sprinkles of rain from time to time.  The cloud base rose enough for flying operations, and occasionally there were tantalising bits of blue sky and sunlight peeping through the clouds.  Let's not get excited. It wasn't much as evidenced by the flight log; only two of 36 flights could be classed as soaring with visitor Peter Brown and me, and trainee Geoff Cooper and Mike Jardine managing to get the "Men of the Match" award with a heady 12 minutes apiece.  Yes, it was a day or circuits, but a lot got done nevertheless.

Overcast skies settled in for the day

Loraine managed a set of early flights and progressed her training with an emphasis on pre-flight checks, then junior Jamie, and previously mentioned Geoff, made their sets of training flights with Mike.  Mike commented that it was "good to see Loraine and Geoff progressing with the coordination of the controls". 

 

Navy instructor Jamie Steel called in at DGS later for a short visit and took some of the load from the Duty Instructor by flying Viktor focusing on his round out and landings. Jamie remarked that "Viktor's landings are improving".

Viktor, about to receive some Navy-style training from Instructor Jamie Steel

After a well-earned break, Mike continued club training with a set of three flights with Neal.

Neal, there is a secret to Go-Pro cameras.  They don't improve your flying but do attract lots of critiques from your fellow members when they view the footage. Beware the two-edged sword!

Neal mastering straight flight

Solo pilots, Steve Fletcher and Malcolm, made use of our single-seater Astir CS77 which is proving to be popular with club members.  Meanwhile, having worked through the flying list Mike took each trainee up for a fourth flight of the day.

Richard flew candidate Alan Wilkinson on his One Day Course.  Alan hails from Westward Ho!  Although the visibility allowed sight of the north coast of Devon from time to time he couldn't see his home town.  Although Richard and Alan only had short flights in the Puchacz Richard covered the effects of the primary controls.  His instruction was evidently very successful as Alan was on "Cloud Nine" when I saw him after his visit to the winch. Alan said that he aims to come back and fly some more with DGS.

Alan Wilkinson and Richard ready to start Alan's One Day Course

Alan takes control!

So, Alan, were you happy with your course?

After Richard had finished with the Puchacz the kids got to play, with Steve and Hugh taking a refresher flight in our Polish beauty.

A thing of beauty.  The glider that is, not the occupants!

 

A pair of yahoos somewhere over Dartmoor!

Before their flight in the Puchacz Hugh and Steve made a warm-up flight in K-13, FSD

Our first visitor of the day was Peter Brown from South Brent who was accompanied by his wife.  A former Royal Navy officer, it was appropriate that he flew with me in the Puchacz whilst Richard and Alan were having a break. Indeed, it transpired that we had both flown Chipmunks out of Roborough, Plymouth, as part of our naval training many decades previously, and had shared the same dare-devil ex-Battle of Britain instructor.  What a small world.

Peter Brown ready for his first flight, while a pensive Gavin considers his pre-flight checks

Peter experienced some soaring on the first flight; thermaling and gaining height by just pushing into wind.  On his second flight, he tried the controls and saw the effects of the elevator and ailerons.  Peter was fascinated with the power and speed of the winch launch and that we managed to climb a hundred feet or so, a number of times, whilst the cloud cover was total and not a speck of sunshine was falling on the ground.

Peter Brown receives his certificate from Gavin whilst Alan Wilkinson is strapped in ready to continue his One Day Course with Richard.  It's all go at DGS!

Our second visitor was Sally Altman with her sister and their children.  Sally's brother-in-law, Chris Taviner, had bought a two flight voucher but sadly was working on shift and couldn't be there to witness her flights with Peter in K-13, FSD.  Sally had never been in a small aircraft before.  She works in HR for Emirates (airlines) and is based in Dubai.  Disappointingly, Peter was unable to provide trolley service during her flights, but that didn't stop Sally having a great time.  Sally, we wish you a safe journey back to Dubai tomorrow.

Hugh shares a reassuring joke with Sally Altman as Peter runs through his pre-flight checks

Hugh ready to run the wing of FSD for Sally and Peter

And off she goes watched by her son and young nephew

Sally's second flight was a hangar landing. After parking the glider ready to enter the hangar, Peter hands a delighted Sally her Certificate

So a day of nothing weather wise but a lot of training, visitors flown for trial flights, and a One Day Course delivered.  As ever the Wednesday Wavers rose to the challenge.  Special mention must go to the drivers of the manual winch today, especially those who didn't get to fly; Andy and Phil.  Thank you.  I am sure that you will get the favour returned... on a soaring day.

Is the K-8 getting jealous of the club Astir CS77 receiving all our solo pilots' attention?

The end of the day.  Gliders queuing to enter the hangar.

A final word from the duty instructor: "Thanks to all for making a good day out of the poor conditions". 

 

Postscript: We have received news from former DGS junior Freddie Colton who went solo with us before he headed off to Aberystwyth University, to read Electrical Engineering: 

"Unfortunately, life has proven too busy for me to get any gliding in this year, though you will definitely see me again at DGS, hopefully next season. Also thank you and everyone else at the club for your help as I have just completed my first powered solo at the Universities of Wales Air Squadron (UWAS)."

Congratulations Freddie. We hope to see you again soon.  We promise not to make you wear a life jacket6!

Freddies's instructor congratulates him on going solo in a Grob Tutor Mk 1. (known to the rest of the world as a Grob G115e)

A Grob Tutor in flight

Gavin Short