Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 4th September 2024

Forecast: Soarable in a freshening North Westerly.

Manpower: Plenty.  In fact so much that the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine, declared that he would do sets of two flights a piece to ensure all the trainees had their fair share.  The reason for this influx blithely passed me by until I was later informed that the majority of schools in the local area start the next day.  The last flight of the summer then.  Mums and Dads with children of school age won't believe this but there comes a time when you become complete unaware and free from the shackles of the academic calendar timeline (my son is now 28 years old!).

Today's theme (photo from a Lotus rally in Belgium that I participated in when not flying gliders!)

After an early morning brief, the Duty Instructor's plans were outlined.  A couple of classroom lectures were delivered while the team got two K-13s, the Puchacz, and the Astir CS77 out.  Surely the K-8's time will come as the recently joined members solo (or re-solo).

A gaggle of privateers rigged; Andy (Libelle), Andy (another Libelle), John Allan (Mini-Nimbus), Hugh (Club Libelle), Peter (Kestrel 19), and me (Standard Cirrus) while the club gliders were taken to the east end.

A wily Phil (Duty Basic Instructor and responsible to day's visitors) chose a K-13 vice the Puchacz to deliver his visitor flights, probably mindful of the freshening northerly cross wind and deciding which steed he could get the most out of in the conditions.

And so the flying commenced with David Moorley who then had an extended stint running the tower (thanks David).  The other David, David Osmet, continued his training with a pair of flights.

Phil started the One Day Course with candidate Mark Joyce who had initially envisaged that he would be going hang gliding with us.  Seeing the gliders ranged at the launch point must have been quite a shock!  Mark is currently waiting for a camper van to be delivered as he embarks on the next stage in his life. We wish him happy and exciting adventures on his travels when it arrives.

Mark Joyce and Phil discuss the meaning of life with two gliding pundits

Having been suitably enlightened by our pundits, Mark Joyce is ready to fly

John Osmet, David's dad (do keep up at the back!) continued his "back to solo after 30+ years" training with Mike Jardine. He had a pair of flights and must be well on the way to remembering it all and be ready to solo again soon.

And so the canopy closes on John Osmet and Mike

Our first trial flight visitor was Graham Stone who took a flight with Phil.  Phil enjoyed Graham's tales from Dousland.  However, Phil was frustrated that the conditions didn't allow him to prolong the flight for Graham.  Such is gliding!

Graham Stone, suitably equipped with his take on a natty soaring hat, is ready to fly with Phil

Then Matthew went up with Mike for a 27 minute soaring flight.  Andy had already taken off and soared for 1 hour 27 minutes, although he reported that it was hard work.  Hugh tried his hand too.

Matthew at the start of his climb to 3,000 feet

The airfield from the south

Our second trial flight visitor was Kerry Morgan who Phil flew for two flights.  During the second flight, where they managed to soar, Kerry had the chance to take the controls, but Phil felt that today's conditions fell short of her fascinating ballooning experiences.

Kerry Morgan looks excited to be flying with Phil

Sean took a launch in in his Libelle and broke a blue weak link.  Then followed a run on blue weak links by the single seaters; John Allan, Mark Elliott, and John Smith.  It was clear that there was a significant wind shear as the wind speed increased rapidly with height.  This required a careful balance between pulling back and and managing the speed on upper part of the launch to convert it into height.

Promising skies

Mike then took Geoff aloft for 26 minutes which allowed him to continue to work though the syllabus.

Tavistock from 3,000 feet

Phil was by then flying our third visitor, Barbara Wilson, who also enjoyed an extended flight.  Phil would like to thank Barbara for her serenade as she visited her "happy place".  He would have liked to have broadcast her singing but he felt it was an inappropriate use of an air band radio, especially as earlier this year the Civil Aviation Authority had allocated DGS our unique radio channel (129.965).  We don't want to lose it!  Mike then flew David Bourchier on another extended flight.

Phil cracks a joke, but Barbara Wilson doesn't look so convinced with his farmer's sense of humour

Today it was a runway of two halves.  At the winch end it was sunny and pleasant.  The windsock sometimes hanging down whilst at the east end there was a considerable breeze, cloud cover, and it was quite cool.  I had quite shock when I came back to the launch point from from my stint on the winch and had to don my fleece!

"I wandered lonely as a cloud".  John Smith in contemplative mood at the sunny end of the airfield

After an initial circuit John Allan tried again later and managed to soar for 1 hours 43 minutes to take today's "Man of the Match" award.

John's view of the River Tamar, the Hamoaze, Plymouth Sound, and the sea as he flies west

Peter and I then launched.  I managed to postpone the inevitable by scratching around in a weak thermal at 1,100 feet until I decided to do something positive with the flight; I called downwind for a landing on the stub runway.  Treating it as a field landing and setting up the circuit, where the downwind the leg crossed the main runway, I made a great approach and landing.  I stopped just at the start of the recently cut grass of the main runway.  What should have been disappointment at my measly ten minute flight turned to elation at a perfectly conducted "field landing".  The favourable wind direction for the stub runway encouraged others to try their hand at a stub landing during the day.

The Standard Cirrus parked up after its successful field landing

A soaring glider in the background as the Kestrel 19 makes its approach

Behold the Kestrel's mighty wings

Neal then flew a pair of flights with Mike while Phil flew Hugo, Matthew's brother, who had a trial flight voucher while their dad, an associate member, looked on.  Fun for all the family!  Phil reported that Hugo was full of the exuberance of youth, fun to fly with, and already pre-briefed and informed.  I think there could be family flying competitiveness in the future with Matthew, and perhaps his dad if we can entice him into the air again.  Zack then continued his training with Mike.

Hugo getting ready for his trial flight with Phil

We had some good news from earlier in the year from our Expedition to Aston Down, in the Cotswolds. Sean Westrope's Silver height claim (a climb of a 1,000 metres/3,281 feet) in  Cotswold Gliding Club's K-23 had been approved by BGA badge claims assessor.  Now he has to do it in his own glider at DGS to show us that he can really climb, not just waft about aimlessly in central England's big booming thermals.

Steve Lesson's view from the winch of the privateers returning to base after flying

The privateers derig

The Wednesday Wavers made 33 flights today and delivered a "back to school" package. They appeared to seamlessly manage without the six privateers who had rigged to go flying.  Thanks to those that winched.  Well done all.

Gavin Short