Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 31st July 2024

Another sunny day for the Wednesday Wavers.  This one was going to be hot.  So water, sunscreen, and even shorts, were the order of the day.  The morning brief presented forecasts from RASP and Skysight that promised much.  RASP said that the thermals would "die" at 1600 but Skysight said that we would enjoy convergence over the club.  Many privateers were rigging in anticipation.

We welcomed our One Day Course candidate, Paul Adams, in the club house.  After Mike's weather brief Richard, as the duty Basic Instructor briefed him, on what to expect on his course.  In addition we expected three trial flight visitors today.

Earlier in the week a hornets' nest was discovered in the glider spray booth.  Some hornets had been noticed in the club house too so it needed to be dealt with.  So "Who are we going to call?  Ghost busters!" well in reality Scratch with a can of hornet and wasp foam spray.  Which he released...from a distance.  It seemed to work but to make sure a second application of foam was made.

The hornet's nest discovered in the glider spray booth

The Puchacz ranged on the field, ready to go to the east end and start the action

The privateers got rigging: Two Libelles, Club Libelle, Open Cirrus, Standard Cirrus, Kestrel 19, DG3000, and a Ka-6CR.  The club fielded the Puchacz, two K-13s (FGR and FSD), and the Astir CS77.  It was noticed that the tyre on a the Astir CS77's tail dolly (part of its tow out equipment) was past its prime so an puncture proof replacement tyre has been ordered in natty red and a split hub wheel to match the tyre!

Steve, our Secretary, thought that I had my camera out to photograph him in his shorts...

Unfortunately not for Steve! This is what I was interested in. The Club Libelle syndicate rigging with help from Peter, Neal and Phil.

Andy rigs his Libelle with several shorts wearers looking on

A man rigs another Libelle

First flight of the day.  Jamie Young takes Duty Instructor Mike Jardine aloft

One Day Course candidate Paul Adams with Richard Roberts

Mike then turned his attentions to Junior Zack for his set of three training flights.

Mike Bennett prepares to launch Steve Lesson in the Astir CS77

We welcomed returning Canadian glider pilot Roger Spall who was making his annual pilgrimage.  No, not to Brentor, but to see relatives near Holsworthy which means he can conveniently catch a lift to DGS on a flying day with Phil. It is probably the first time the recipe for Canadian Poutine (deep-fried fries, poutine gravy and white cheddar cheese curds all tossed together) has been discussed on Dartmoor since WWII.

Canadian Poutine

Roger enjoyed his soaring flight with Peter.

Visiting Canadian Pilot Roger Spall ready to depart from Dartmoor International

The privateers muster

Our first trial flight visitor, Heather Slater, enjoyed her single trial flight where Scratch and she managed to soar.  Heather is evidently a daredevil at heart as she’s off to make a 15,000 ft parachute jump next.

Our first trial flight visitor of the day, Heather Slater with Scratch

During the day the HeliMed (air ambulance) made a number of sorties between north Devon and Derriford hospital keeping us informed of his position and transit route by radio.

Dave Archer shares a joke with returning member Mark Elliott

After being cleared to fly the Astir CS77, in the normal DGS fashion, he and Steve Lesson balanced their use of our new GRP single-seater.

Steve Lesson trying to master the chair

No photo (he is a bit shy of the camera), but Andy in his Libelle "got away" and soared for 2 hours 30 minutes to take the "Man of the match award".  Easy?  Not a bit of it.  Andy reported that it was a  tiring flight in tough conditions.

A recumbent Phil Hardwick ready to spot those wispy cumulus with his special yellow-tinted cloud-spotting lenses

A thoughtful Paul Adams carefully considers Richard's brief as part of his One Day Course.

On this launch Paul and Richard enjoyed an extended soaring flight in the Puchacz.  This allowed Paul to properly experience the effects of all the controls.  When he comes back he'll be ready to attempt coordinated turns.

Paul receives his certificate at the end of his course.

Richard is flummoxed by a technical follow-up question

Our second trial flight visitor, Janet Doleman, was down in the west country on holiday from the midlands with her husband.  She enjoyed two flights with Scratch and thoroughly enjoyed the chance to soar over Dartmoor.

Janet Dolman's husband metaphorically holds her hand before her flight with Scratch

Wings level; Scratch about to launch with Janet Dolman for a soaring flight

What of our other privateers?  Mike Bennett and Hugh Gascoyne flew their Club Libelle with Hugh managing an impressive 43 minute flight. Phil managed 31 minutes in his DG300 and Sean 18 minutes in his Libelle.  All agreed that the conditions were challenging both to be able to climb and to soar.

Taking off after 1300, when the conditions changed, proved to be the downfall of Steve Fletcher, Peter, David Archer, and I, with us completing circuits, or an extended circuit for me of ten minutes having found a 0.2 knot thermal, and a dizzying nine minutes for Peter in his second flight in the Kestrel.

And away they go into the blue yonder

Mark Elliott reports that he thoroughly enjoyed the circuits in the club's Astir CS77

A moody sky frames the Astir CS77

Our final trial flight visitor today was Shane Parden who was accompanied by his wife and teenage daughter.  Shane's flight voucher was a birthday present which he enjoyed very much by flying with Steve Fletcher.

Visitor Shane Parden ready to aviate with Introductory Flight Pilot Steve Fletcher

The photographer now standing safely behind the Puchacz, watches the final preparations for their launch

Loraine continued her training with Mike and more (?) importantly provided some Jammie Dodgers in the club house; thanks Loraine.

Trainee Loraine Kindley receives an in depth brief from Duty Instructor Mike Jardine

FGR canopy is closed ready to move up behind FSD once it launches

The Dartmoor Sages contemplate life, the universe, and conclude that is "bluidy hot"

Standard Cirrus waits patiently for the "Two Malcolms" to do their checks, do their checks, do their checks...

The convergence had arrived but not the anticipated lift to accompany it.  When I finally got airborne on my second flight, after the Malcolm double act, it was into rain the whole circuit which was a tad disappointing.

David Archer conducts his external checks (ABCDE) before getting in the cockpit

The wing runner's view of Dave Archer and his Ka-6CR "Dhebbie"

The club Astir CS77 waits patiently behind "Dhebbie"

Richard took Mike Bennett aloft for a couple of flights.  Apparently Richard is a hard task master in ensuring that the yaw string is always straight,

Mike Jardine continued Neal Oxley's training and was delighted do report that "Neal made his first full launch, circuit, and landing.  Good progress by Neal."  To ease the load on the Duty Instructor Phil took Geoff Cooper up to continue his training on the primary effects of the controls.

Geoff Cooper continues his training, with a set of three flights, delivered by Basic Instructor Phil Hardwick.

Associate member Alison has put a lot of effort in to running the field whilst accompanying junior Jamie over the last few months so as a reward...

Family Young with their glider of choice

Alison Young ready to discover why her son Jamie is making such a fuss about our sport

After a day running to and from LAS Aerospace Ltd, at Okehampton, to get essential supplies, Colin Boyd took the last flight of the day to hangar land K-13, FGR.

So today was hot and difficult.  The morning was better than forecast and the afternoon worse than forecast.  The convergence didn't really appear but it was there high up, it rained on us briefly, and it produced no discernible lift.

As a final note Mike Jardine wishes to pass on his thanks to the other instructors on the field  (Richard, Peter, Scratch, Phil, and Steve F) for pulling together to ensure that all the trial flights and the training flights were achieved.  This meant everyone was able to fly on a day where we achieved 50 launches.

Did I mention it was hot?

Gavin Short