Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 11th September 2024

Monday this week brought a distinctly autumnal feel with cooler North Westerly winds which set the scene for today.  With our many juniors back at school the Wednesday Wavers would have the airfield to themselves. So the day was bound to have a different feel too.

Summer's gone!  The croquet pitch at Cotehele stands empty in the autumn sunshine

I was late on parade as I had to take my son for a doctor's appointment.  At 28yro he should have learnt to drive by now!  When I arrived flying had just started.  The two K-13s were busy at the east end.  The Puchacz had not been taken to the launch point but the K-8 had.  The Astir CS77 however, was ranged in the hangar for its annual inspection.

Peter Howarth was standing in as the Duty Instructor as the Wednesday Waver's normal instructor, Mike Jardine, was on holiday.  Hugh was the duty Introductory Flight Pilot with four visitors to fly. 

Peter and Hugh took a weather check flight to confirm that the conditions were "lively, but flyable".  David Moorley had some training flights with Peter in some challenging conditions that challenged his final approach skills.  Normal conditions will feel like a walk in the park next time.  Later David admitted they the conditions were too lively for him but he learnt a lot from the experience.

In the hangar the inspection of the CS77 was underway.  While the glider was rigged its control surface deflections were measured by Colin and Phil.  Then it was derigged (de-armed as the German's term it) to allow a complete inspection of the fuselage, the wings, and the tail plane.

The resplendent Puchacz belly dolly, constructed by Andy Davey has better wheels and a lifting mechanism, handily also fits the Astir CS77.

Use of the Puchacz's belly dolly in the hangar meant that at Mike Bennett didn't have to bring the Astir's trailer down from the east end, which he was preparing to do.

Andy and Phil examine the wing fittings in the fuselage

Raising the tail made for a much better working height to check the innards of the fuselage.

After their early afternoon flights Peter reported that "Loraine and Geoff made good progress with their coordinated turns and their general flying skills in the testing conditions". 

It was a difficult decision today whether to fly our visitors, as the rain showers gave way to brighter, but gustier conditions which perhaps were borderline for trial flights.  We took care to warn our visitors, and that there was the opportunity to postpone, but all rose to the occasion.

Kevin Duncan, an electrician from Langport, was Hugh's 1100 visitor. His voucher was a gift from his partner.  Hugh reported that Kevin was "a very jolly chap" who thoroughly enjoyed the soaring, which Hugh managed for 14 minutes after an initial very short flight.  Kevin had some prior experience of hang gliding, and seemed quite happy to experience the exciting conditions.

Kevin and Hugh after their soaring flight

Hugh's 1200 visitor was Trish Doyne-Ditmas, a foot care specialist from Ivybridge.  Her voucher was a birthday gift from her family.  On her first flight she experienced an extended soaring flight before Hugh had to push back into wind from Mary Tavy to land at the airfield.  She clearly enjoyed the experience and snapped away with her smartphone.  Wisely, she deferred her second flight to a later date, hoping for calmer conditions.  We look forward to seeing you again Trish.

Trish and Hugh after their soaring flight

Hugh's 1400 visitor was Clare Matthews, a GP practising in Cullompton, living in Silverton.  Some friends had bought her the voucher.  She had three short flights in the choppy conditions.  She managed to enthuse her partner to take a flight, such was her excitement!  Steve Fletcher did the honours later in the day but before then he took a pair of refresher flights with Hugh to get acquainted with the conditions.

Elizabeth and Hugh after their flights

Keeping our pilots and the visitors in the air was Malcolm on the winch and John on the retrieve.  As solo pilots they would have looked forward to flying the K-8, as the Astir CS77 was offline for its inspection.  The lively conditions precluded use of the K-8 and so they flew with the Duty Instructor in a K-13.  Both enjoyed soaring flights of 26 minutes and 36 minutes respectively.  Towards the end of the day David Archer also took a flight with Peter.

Peter watches the "Lift Meister" at work

Brentor Church, St. Michael de Rupe

Peter observes John cloud spotting and choosing a nice street to follow

Liz Kennerley was Hugh's last visitor of the day. She was, at her own admission, very apprehensive so he kept the turns very gentle on her first flight where they managed to soar to 2,000 feet above the airfield.  She appeared to have overcome her concerns and took a second launch and enjoyed another soaring flight.  Afterwards admitted she doubted if she would do it, but was very glad that she had done so!

Elizabeth and Hugh sharing a thermal with Malcolm and Peter (as photographed by Peter)

Elizabeth and Hugh leave the thermal to the north whilst Malcolm heads to pastures anew, to the west, with Peter along for the ride.

A jubilant Elizabeth at having overcome her initial fears and sampled soaring flight

But that was not all.  You will recall that Clare Matthews had twisted her partner's arm to try a flight.  Paul Mitchell bought a voucher and strapped in with our other Introductory Flight Pilot, Steve Fletcher.  They made the best use of the improving conditions with a fantastic soaring flight that topped out at 2,700 feet AGL as a result of 6-8 knot thermals. It was booming! Sorry Clare, maybe you will be able to soar next time.

Steve Fletcher looks on as the happy couple (Paul and Clare) are reunited after their flying experiences today

Back in the hangar, the annual inspection was wrapping up.  There were no problems just routine maintenance and some TLC needed.  The glider was reigged, Duplicate Inspections made of the critical connections, and Positive Checks of the controls were conducted.  Tape residue cleaned up and the tail plane and wings were carefully taped, as were the undercarriage doors.  A new tyre pressure label was fitted to Andy's recently repaired undercarriage door.  Canopy on and final checks made before putting it back on a dolly for hangar packing.  Colin would work on the paperwork the next day and we should have and Airworthiness Renewal Certificate, to be put in the glider, on Saturday prior to its test flight flight (all club aircraft rigged after disassembly require a test flight).

Hugh took the penultimate flight of the day, at 1713, with John Allan (as ballast!) and they shot up to 2,000 feet straight off the wire.  This gave John a chance to look at the view and take some photos.

Looking South East as the cloud streets that took Hugh and John to 2,000 feet AGL in a trice

Looking to the north; Devon's green and pleasant lands.  The evening light always makes the grass glow greener.

Hugh flies with John clearly enjoying the late afternoon light

After finishing the work on the Astir CS77 I headed to the winch and co-opted Phil, who had an extended stint on the winch for much of the day after working in the hangar with me, to take a mutual flight.

Ready for the final flight of the day. Is that Gavin having a nap or squinting into the afternoon sun?

Alas, a repetition of the flight Hugh and John had just realised was not to be.  A 1,250 foot launch followed by some scratching in zero sink to the north of the airfield had us on the ground in seven minutes.  Anticipating the wind shear the approach speed of 65 knots produced an almost zero air brake hangar landing to stop safely by the cross track.  Fascinating conditions.

Gavin and Phil end the day with a hangar landing

The launch point team then had to walk the K-8 back to the hangar after its outing to the east end for some fresh air, because sadly was too windy for it to fly today.

Gavin toes the "Bourchier line" whilst bringing the K-8 back to the hangar

Today we made twenty-six flights in testing conditions for both our trainees and our visitors.  The passage of the cold front made for a pleasant, if gusty, afternoon and evening.  Thanks to all for making a challenging day enjoyable.  Further thanks to those who were working in the hangar, or running the field, and didn't get a chance to fly.

Gavin Short